21st-22nd December, 2023

1. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has launched DigiELV Trading Platform for ELV Certificate of Deposit Trading Platform, and Automotive Circularity Orchestrator by Meta Materials Circular Markets (MMCM).
2. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has launched National Geoscience Data Repository Portal (NGDR).
3. Union Ayush Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal has released of commemorative postal stamp on first foundation day of All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) Goa, in New Delhi.
4. Himachal Pradesh government has initiated Rajiv Gandhi Swarozgaar Yojana 2023 to promote self-employment opportunities and to provide livelihood to local youth by promoting entrepreneurship in Himachal Pradesh.
5. ACG has joined the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Lighthouse Network, following the certification of its capsule manufacturing facility in Pithampur, India.
6. MSME lender U GRO Capital has raised $30 million through Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) from Dutch development bank FMO.
7. RBL Bank has launched Electronic Bank Guarantee (e-BG) on National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL) platform.
8. Bandhan Bank has secured mandate to collect revenue on electronic- Government Receipt Accounting System (e-GRAS) portal for Assam government.
9. Google has announced India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered experiences for maps.
10. Generative AI could boost the economy of India by $2-1.5 trillion in the next seven years as per the report ‘The AIdea of India: Generative Al’s impact on India’s digital growth‘ by EY.
11. Tata Boeing Aerospace limited (TBAL) has delivered 250th fuselage for the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter from its facility in Hyderabad. INS Shivaji, the premier Training establishment of the Indian Navy has received the original ‘Vir Chakra’ awarded to Late Vice Admiral Benoy Roy Chowdhury.
12. Indian men’s hockey team midfielder Hardik Singh and women’s team captain Savita have won the FIH Player of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year (women) awards respectively.
13. Indian Space research Organisation (ISRO) has been awarded Leif Erickson Lunar Prize by Iceland’s Husavik Museum.
14. Poet Sukrita Paul Kumar has won the sixth edition of Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for her book ‘Salt and Pepper: Selected Poems’.
15. International Human Solidarity Day
16. World Basketball Day
17. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bids Mitchell Starc for 24.75 crore as the most expensive player in Indian Premier League for 2024 season.
18. Sports entrepreneur Vita Dani has become the first Indian to be inducted as a governing board member of the International Table Tennis Federation’s (ITTF) Foundation.
19. Karur Vysya Bank and HDFC Life have entered into a corporate agency agreement to offer life insurance product to Karur Vysya Bank
20. PayCraft has partnered with NSDL Payments Bank and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to launch One Nation Corporate Transit Card.
21. Government has signed Rs 89 crore pact with Mazagon Dockyard Shipbuilders for 6 Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV).
22. Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has been sworn in as the 17th Emir of Kuwait.
23. Former chair of the National Commission for Women and Padma Bhushan awardee V Mohini Giri has passed away.

National News

1. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has launched DigiELV Trading Platform for ELV Certificate of Deposit Trading Platform, and Automotive Circularity Orchestrator by Meta Materials Circular Markets (MMCM).
   • Objective–
     • To revolutionize the automotive industry by promoting sustainability and addressing the pressing issue of automotive pollution.
   • About DigiELV platform–
     • This platform empowers users to lawfully trade Certificates of Deposit, promoting transparency and ensuring sustainable efforts of ELV owners are rewarded.
   • About Automotive Circularity Orchestrator–
     • Automotive Circularity Orchestrator addresses global environmental concerns by fostering collaboration for eco-friendly alternatives.
     • The orchestrator connects consumers, manufacturers, and recyclers to promote sustainability, facilitating seamless data and material exchanges for an integrated, sustainable future.
       Source: The print
2. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has launched National Geoscience Data Repository Portal (NGDR).
   • What is NGDR?
     • NGDR is a comprehensive online platform which will facilitate access, sharing, and analysis of geospatial information throughout India.
     • It is launched by Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N).
       Source: ET
3. Union Ayush Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal has released of commemorative postal stamp on first foundation day of All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) Goa, in New Delhi.
   • Key points–
     • It was jointly organised by All-India Institute of Ayurveda and India Post.
   • About AIIA Goa–
     • It is a premier institution in the field of Ayurveda, dedicated to providing high-quality healthcare services with motto of compassion with care.
     • Its mission is to provide advanced preventive, diagnostic, and tertiary healthcare facilities.
       Source: PIB

State News

1. Himachal Pradesh government has initiated Rajiv Gandhi Swarozgaar Yojana 2023 to promote self-employment opportunities and to provide livelihood to local youth by promoting entrepreneurship in Himachal Pradesh.
   • More about scheme–
     • It has total budget outlay of 680 crore.
     • In first phase standard of procedures for hiring of e-taxi under the scheme by a government department.
     • Government will give a guarantee for employment and start-up assistance to the youth by providing a subsidy of 50% on purchase of e-taxi under RGSY.
     • Eligibility-
       • Individuals who are bonafide residents of Himachal Pradesh, aged 23 or above, possess a minimum of 7 years of driving experience, and hold a Class 12th educational qualification are eligible to apply for an e-taxi.
         Source: ET
       
       

Banking and Economy

1. ACG has joined the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Lighthouse Network, following the certification of its capsule manufacturing facility in Pithampur, India.
   • About ACG–
     • ACG is country’s largest capsules maker and integrated supplier and service provider to the pharmaceutical industry.
   • About WEF Global Lighthouse Network–
     • It is a community of manufacturers that show leadership in using fourth industrial revolution technologies to transform factories, value chains and business models, for compelling financial and operational returns.
       Source: Hindu Business Line
2. MSME lender U GRO Capital has raised $30 million through Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) from Dutch development bank FMO.
   • What is NCD?
     • Debentures are long-term financial instruments which acknowledge a debt obligation towards the issuer.
     • Debentures which can’t be converted into shares or equities are called non-convertible debentures (or NCDs).
       Source: Financial Express
3. RBL Bank has launched Electronic Bank Guarantee (e-BG) on National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL) platform.
   • More about partnership–
     • The partnership utilizes NeSL’s expertise in e-stamping and e-sign with the objective of making a transaction secure.
   • What is e-BG?
     • An electronic- Bank Guarantee is a digital form of traditional paper-based bank guarantee, which is a guarantee given by the bank on behalf of the applicant to cover a payment obligation to a third party.
       Source: livemint

   
   
4. Bandhan Bank has secured mandate to collect revenue on electronic- Government Receipt Accounting System (e-GRAS) portal for Assam government.
   • About Government Receipt Accounting System–
     • It is a web application which provides facility to citizen, business community to pay taxes and non-tax receipts to the government electronically.
     • It provides 24X7 facility to citizens of Assam and they can use services anytime from anywhere.
     • The e-GRAS portal facilitates payment to 70 departments, with a total collection of nearly Rs 16,000 crore.
       Source: ET

5. Google has announced India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered experiences for maps.
   • Key features–
     • New AI experiences include multiple user-friendly features which optimizes the quality of life.
     • New features include address descriptors, lens integration, and live view walking navigation.
       Source: Business Standard

   
   
   
   
   
   

Reports and Indices

1. Generative AI could boost the economy of India by $2-1.5 trillion in the next seven years as per the report ‘The AIdea of India: Generative Al’s impact on India’s digital growth‘ by EY.
   • Key observations–
     • If fully utilized, Gen AI technology could contribute an additional $359-438 billion to the economy in the fiscal year 2029-30.
     • This contribution would result in a 5.9%-7.2% increase in GDP compared to the baseline.
     • Approximately 69% of the expected impact is projected to come from sectors such as business services, financial services, education, retail, and healthcare.
     • The two primary challenges faced by organizations in adopting Gen AI are a shortage of skilled personnel (reported by 52% of respondents) and unclear use cases (cited by 47%).
     • Data privacy is considered a potential risk by only 36% of organizations, according to the research.
       Source: ET

Defence News

1. Tata Boeing Aerospace limited (TBAL) has delivered 250th fuselage for the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter from its facility in Hyderabad.
   • Key points–
     • TBAL is a joint venture between Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) and Boeing Aerospace.
     • Fuselage forms the main body component of the helicopter, and it is manufactured for customers around the world including India and USA.
       Source: TOI

Awards

1. INS Shivaji, the premier Training establishment of the Indian Navy has received the original ‘Vir Chakra’ awarded to Late Vice Admiral Benoy Roy Chowdhury.
   • More about award–
     • It was awarded to Late Vice Admiral (VAdm) Benoy Roy Chowdhury for his brave actions during 1971 India-Pakistan war.

   • About Vir Chakra–
     • ‘Vir Chakra’ is an Indian wartime military bravery award presented for acts of gallantry on the battlefield, on land or in air or at sea.
       Source: PIB

2. Indian men’s hockey team midfielder Hardik Singh and women’s team captain Savita have won the FIH Player of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year (women) awards respectively.
   • Key points–
     • Awards were declared following a vote by an expert panel, National Associations represented by their respective national teams’ captains and coaches, fans and media.
     • Hardik was also conferred the Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr Award for Player of the Year 2022.
     • Savita has won her third consecutive FIH Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award, having won the recognition in 2021 and 2022.

   
   

3. Indian Space research Organisation (ISRO) has been awarded Leif Erickson Lunar Prize by Iceland’s Husavik Museum.
   • Why ISRO has been awarded?
     • ISRO is awarded for its remarkable success of its lunar mission Chandrayaan-3.
   • About Leif Erikson Lunar Prize–
     • It is named after Norse explorer Leif Erikson and it is a highly regarded award presented by Exploration Museum in Husavik, Iceland.
     • It is awarded to individuals or entities that have made noteworthy contributions to the lunar exploration field.

4. Poet Sukrita Paul Kumar has won the sixth edition of Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for her book ‘Salt and Pepper: Selected Poems’.
   • More about Tagore Literary Prize–
     • It consists an amount of USD 5,000, a statue of Rabindranath Tagore, and a certificate for contribution to literature.
     • It was established in 2018 by US-based publisher Peter Bundalo.
     • Award is a platform for world peace, literature, art, education and human rights.
     • It also recognises works towards human rights and world peace with the Social Achievement Prize.
       Source: ET

Important Days

1. December 20– International Human Solidarity Day
   Source: UN
2. December 21– World Basketball Day
   Source: UN

Sports

1. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bids Mitchell Starc for 24.75 crore as the most expensive player in Indian Premier League for 2024 season.
   • Key points–
     • Pat Cummins has become the 2nd highest paid cricketer brought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for 20.50 crore.
     • Mallika Sagar has become the IPL’s first female auctioneer since 2008.
       Source: Indiatoday

2. Sports entrepreneur Vita Dani has become the first Indian to be inducted as a governing board member of the International Table Tennis Federation’s (ITTF) Foundation.

Source: HT

Memorandum of Understanding

1. Karur Vysya Bank and HDFC Life have entered into a corporate agency agreement to offer life insurance product to Karur Vysya Bank
   • More about agreement–
     • Agreement will allow customers to access HDFC Life’s range of life insurance products, covering protection, savings, investment, retirement, and critical illness.

2. PayCraft has partnered with NSDL Payments Bank and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to launch One Nation Corporate Transit Card.
   • Key feature of Card–
     • Card comes with a corporate expense management platform for the employer to manage their expenses digitally.
     • It offers a solution for digitising business expenses for corporates and SMEs across the country.
     • It facilitates transactions seamlessly across four channels – ATM, POS, e-commerce websites, and metro stations.
       Source: Business Standard

   
   
3. Government has signed Rs 89 crore pact with Mazagon Dockyard Shipbuilders for 6 Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV).
   • More about OPV–
     • These OPV’s have several high-tech advanced features and equipment such as- multipurpose drones, AI capability, and Wirelessly Controlled Remote Water Rescue Craft Lifebuoy, enabling greater flexibility and operational edge to the ICG to face new age multidimensional challenges, observed the MoD.

       Source: Hindu Business Line

   
   

Appointments

1. Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has been sworn in as the 17th Emir of Kuwait.
   Source: AA

Miscellaneous

1. Former chair of the National Commission for Women and Padma Bhushan awardee V Mohini Giri has passed away.
   • More about Dr. V Mohini Giri?
     • She has founded the Guild of Service in 1979 to empower women, underprivileged children and war widows.
     • She was awarded the Padma Bhushan for her work in 2007.
       Source: The Hindu

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