28th December, 2023

1. Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari has announced that Government of India has planned to introduce a GPS based toll collection system by March, 2024.
2. Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh has set Guinness world record for ‘Largest tabla ensemble’ during Tansen festival.
3. IndusInd Bank has launched ‘IndusInd Bank eSvarna’, first Corporate Credit Card of India on the RuPay network.
4. RBI has released draft ‘Licensing Framework for Authorised Persons (APs)‘ under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999.
5. State Bank of India (SBI) has signed USD 165 million Line of Credit (LoC) with World Bank for rooftop solar project.
6. Indian Navy has commissioned stealth guided missile destroyer ‘INS Imphal’ in Mumbai.
7. International Day of Epidemic Preparedness
8. Solidaridad Regional Expertise Centre (SREC) and Council for Leather Exports (CLE) have signed MoU for upskilling Indian leather sector.
9. Adani Total Gas Ltd (ATGL) has signed an MoU with Flipkart to help decarbonise its supply chain.
10. OYO has partnered up with Khelo India Para Games and other organisations to provide specialized and accessible accommodation for differently abled players across India.
11. Coca-Cola has renewed its partnership with the International Cricket Council (ICC), securing an 8-year contract till 2031.
12. Santosh Jha has been appointed as the new High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.
13. Indian Space research Organisation (ISRO) has released a book on ‘FEAST Software’ written by Finite Element Analysis (FEA) expert by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).

National News

1. Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari has announced that Government of India has planned to introduce a GPS based toll collection system by March, 2024.
   • Objective–
     • To reduce the traffic congestion and institute a system where motorists are charged based on precise distance covered on highway.

   • How GPS based toll collection system will work?
     • New system will use Global Positioning System (GPS) devices or Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to calculate the distance travelled by vehicles on tolled roads and automatically deduct the toll amount from the driver’s account.
       Source: TOI

     
     
   
   
   
   

State News

1. Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh has set Guinness world record for ‘Largest tabla ensemble’ during Tansen festival.
   • More about Guinness record–
     • Around 1,300 tabla players have performed in the 99th International Tansen Samaroh in Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh.
     • Madhya Pradesh government has decided to observe December 25 as ‘Tabla Day’ to commemorate the feat and honour all musicians.

   • More about Tansen festival–
     • Tansen Samaroh or Tansen Sangeet Samaroh is celebrated every year in the month of December in Behat village of Gwalior district, Madhya Pradesh.
     • It is a 4-day musical gathering in which artists and music lovers from all over the world gather to pay tribute to the Great Indian Musical Maestro Tansen.
     • This year tabla player from more than 50 cities have participated in ‘Tabla Darbar’.
   • Awardees for 2022–
     • Tansen award for 2022–
       • It is awarded to Pandit Ganpati Bhatt Hasanagi for his remarkable contribution in singing.
     • Raja Mansingh Tomar Samman for 2022–
       • Malav Folk Art Center Ujjain has been awarded National Raja Mansingh Tomar Award.

     • Kavi Pradeep Samman for 2022–
       • It is awarded to renowned poet Guru Saxena of Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh for his outstanding contribution to poetry and culture.
         Source: Print, TOI

   
   
   
   

Banking and Economy

1. IndusInd Bank has launched ‘IndusInd Bank eSvarna’, first Corporate Credit Card of India on the RuPay network.
   • Key features of the card–
     • IndusInd Bank is the first bank in the country to integrate UPI functionality with a Corporate Credit Card.
     • Card facilitates smooth transactions at merchant outlets and allows users the flexibility to make UPI payments by linking the card with UPI-enabled apps.
     • It comes with a number of exclusive perks and rewards such as luxurious travel experience, including complimentary lounge access and a fuel surcharge waiver.
     • Corporate travellers will get the added benefit of comprehensive travel insurance coverage and an exclusive rewards program.

2. RBI has released draft ‘Licensing Framework for Authorised Persons (APs)‘ under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999.
   • Key focus of the draft–
     • To rationalise the authorisation framework for money changers in view of the widespread availability of banking services to public
     • To look at alternate models for facilitating foreign exchange related services and improve the scope of services being offered by AD-Category II entities.
     • It will also review the regulatory framework.

3. State Bank of India (SBI) has signed USD 165 million Line of Credit (LoC) with World Bank for rooftop solar project.
   • SBI has planned to make home loans with rooftop solar installations mandatory for residential projects which are funded from the bank’s long-term climate action funds.
   • SBI has planned to make it mandatory for builders to make rooftop solar installations if the project is funded from the bank’s green funds.

Source: Business Standard

Defence News

1. Indian Navy has commissioned stealth guided missile destroyer ‘INS Imphal’ in Mumbai.
   • More about INS Imphal–
     • INS Imphal is the third of the four ‘Project 15 Bravo’ Visakhapatnam class guided missile destroyers.
     • It measures 163m in length, and 17m in breadth with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes and is amongst the most potent warships built in India.
     • It is propelled by four powerful Gas Turbines, in a Combined Gas and Gas configuration, and is capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots.
     • It is capable of launching the BrahMos cruise missile, which is the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile.
       Source: livemint

Important Days

1. December 27– International Day of Epidemic Preparedness
   Source: UN

Memorandum of Understanding

1. Solidaridad Regional Expertise Centre (SREC) and Council for Leather Exports (CLE) have signed MoU for upskilling Indian leather sector.
   • More about MoU–
     • MoU will be effective for 5 years from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2028.
     • It will introduce comprehensive training programmes and improve skills and knowledge of workers in leather industry.
       Source: ET

   
   
2. Adani Total Gas Ltd (ATGL) has signed an MoU with Flipkart to help decarbonise its supply chain.
   • More about MoU–
     • ATGL will work with Flipkart to support its vision to reduce carbon footprint in the primary, secondary and tertiary movements of good between sourcing locations.
     • ATGL will provide decarbonizing solutions.
       Source: ET
3. OYO has partnered up with Khelo India Para Games and other organisations to provide specialized and accessible accommodation for differently abled players across India.
   • More about partnership–
     • OYO will help the talent with wheelchair-friendly infrastructure and trained staff to understand the needs of differently abled guest in partner hotel.
     • Under the initiative to promote inclusivity for the differently abled, it will offer accommodation to approximately 150 differently abled artisans who are participating in Divya Kala Mela.
     • It has identified more than 200 hotels for these participants in different cities across India.
       Source: ET
     
     
     
     
   
   
   
   
4. Coca-Cola has renewed its partnership with the International Cricket Council (ICC), securing an 8-year contract till 2031.
   • Cola’s brands the exclusive non-alcoholic beverage partners of the cricket governing body.
   • Coca-Cola’s brands will maintain their exclusive status across all major men’s and women’s cricket events
     Source: livemint
   
   
   
   
   
   

Appointments

1. Santosh Jha has been appointed as the new High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.< Source: ET

Miscellaneous

1. Indian Space research Organisation (ISRO) has released a book on ‘FEAST Software’ written by Finite Element Analysis (FEA) expert by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).
   • More about book–
     • Book is titled “Introduction to Finite Element Analysis – a textbook for engineering students”.
     • It is edited by Sri S Somanath and Dr Unnikrishnan Nair S. and written by experts in the field of finite element analysis.
     • It provides an overview of the fundamental principles of finite element analysis elucidating concepts and problem-solving techniques through the utilization of FEASTSMT software.
       Source: vscc.gov.in

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