29th-31st December, 2022

1. Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, Piyush Goyal, has launched the Rights to Repair portal and the new premises of National Consumer Helpline Centre.
2. India has handed over the Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project (720 MW) to Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) in Bhutan.
3. National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an autonomous society under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, will organize 2-days’ face-to-face capacity building programme for Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) teachers.
4. The Department of Posts under Ministry of Communications has launched an ‘Online request Transfer Portal’ for Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS).
5. The Ministry for Electronics & Information Technology (Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw) has launched the “Stay Safe Online” campaign and the “G20 Digital Innovation Alliance” (G20-DIA).
6. Shri Hardeep S. Puri, Union Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs and Petroleum & Natural Gas has launched ‘City Finance Rankings, 2022’ and ‘City Beauty Competition’ to take India’s Urban Rejuvenation journey to next level.
7. Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) will be the secretariat for the Science 20 (S20), which is one of the several groups of the G20.
8. Tamil Nadu Forest Department and HCL Foundation (CSR arm of HCL Technologies) have partnered to clean the debris in the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park in Tamil Nadu.
9. Odisha Cabinet has approved the provision of Rs 367.19 crores for five years from 2022-23 to 2026-27 for implementation of the State Scheme “Empowerment of Women in Agriculture-Promotion of Entrepreneurship for Women SHG (WSHG)”.
10. Tamil Nadu has launched India’s first Nilgiri Tahr project to conserve the State animal of Tamil Nadu at a cost of ₹25.14 crore.
11. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s constituency named Dharmadam has become India’s first and only constituency to have a library in all the wards.
12. Union Minister of Roads Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has inaugurated India’s second longest cable-stayed eight-lane Zuari Bridge in Goa.
13. Union Agriculture Ministry has formed an Advisory Group for streamlining the development of the Bamboo sector.
14. Union Home Minister launched ‘Prahari’ app for Border Security Force (BSF) Jawans to provide personal and service-related information, housing, Ayushman- Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and leave related information to Jawans.
15. Indian Oil Corp. Ltd. has signed an MOU with the Central TB Division under the Union Health Ministry and the states of Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to undertake intensified tuberculosis (TB) elimination project, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.
16. Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) signed agreements with MSMEs for incubation of newer technologies into commercial products.
17. Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a USD 125 million loan with the Government of India to develop climate-resilient sewage collection and treatment and drainage and water supply systems in three cities in the state of Tamil Nadu.
18. The Internet and Mobile Association of India has been selected to form a Self-Regulatory Organisation for online gaming.
19. Max Healthcare has entered into a partnership with genomics biotech firm Anuva to conduct genomic-based research on various communicable and non-communicable diseases in India.
20. Asian Development Bank (ADB) has ranked WAPCOS as the top consulting services firm in the water and other infrastructure sectors, with the highest sanctioned financed amount, in its Annual Procurement Report 2022.
21. Hyderabad-based drone manufacturer Marut Drones has received the type certification approvals from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for their Drone AG 365 which is an extensively tested and robustly designed multi-utility agricultural drone.
22. Niva Bupa (formerly Max Bupa Health Insurance) and Swara Fincare (NBFC) have partnered to launch Niva Bupa Xpress Health – Serious Illness Plan benefit to deepen health insurance in rural areas.
23. IRDAI has made the KYC (Know Your Customer) rules mandatory for all the insurance policy buyers – health, general, and life – w.e.f., January 1, 2023.
24. Ministry of Corporate Affairs has permitted companies to hold their annual general meetings and extra ordinary general meetings through video conferencing until September 30, 2023.
25. Reserve Bank of India has approved the re-appointment of Baskar Babu Ramachandran as the MD & CEO of Suryoday Small Finance Bank for three years effective January 23, 2023.
26. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Abdullah Abdul Samad Dashti of Kuwait as United Nations Coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
27. Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn-in as Israel’s prime minister for a sixth time. He is the 25th PM of Israel.
28. Vishal Mittal has won the Prestigious Ambassadors of Change Award by Australia’s University’s Equity and Participation Team for his work as a student mentor.
29. The prestigious European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) Young Investigator Network has chosen Indian scientist Dr Mahima Swamy recognising her as one of the most revered experts at the University of Dundee’s School of Life Sciences.
30. Rajasthan government’s Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) has won the ‘Effective Government Communication Award’ for rolling out key state e-governance programmes, through digital mode, for the general public and the beneficiaries.
31. ACC has won the National Award for Safety Excellence (2021-22) at the 10th Global Safety Summit (GSS) in the Large Enterprise-Cement Manufacturing sector.
32. Four veteran diplomats and a US lawmaker have been honoured with 2022 annual ‘Diwali- Power of One’ award for their efforts in working towards a peaceful and secure world.
33. 2022 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championship Rapid Open was held at Almaty, Kazakhstan.
34. Pelé, Brazilian professional footballer and former Minister of Sports in Brazil, has passed away.

National News

1. Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, Piyush Goyal, has launched the Rights to Repair portal and the new premises of National Consumer Helpline Centre.
   • An MOU was also signed between the Ministry and IIT-BHU for undertaking the capacity building programs of the consumer commissions.
2. India has handed over the Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project (720 MW) to Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) in Bhutan.
   • With this project, India and Bhutan have successfully completed four mega hydroelectric power projects. The commissioning of the project has increased Bhutan’s Electrical Power Generation Capacity by 44%.
3. National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an autonomous society under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, will organize 2-days’ face-to-face capacity building programme for Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS)
   • Purpose – to implement Amazon Future Engineer Program in collaboration with the Learning Links Foundation (LLF)

4. The Department of Posts under Ministry of Communications has launched an ‘Online request Transfer Portal’ for Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS).
   • India has the largest network of Post Offices in the world consisting of more than 1.56 lac Post Offices across India, out of which more than 1,31,000 Branch Post Offices (BOs) are in rural areas, where the Postal facilities are delivered by Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS).
5. The Ministry for Electronics & Information Technology (Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw) has launched the “Stay Safe Online” campaign and the “G20 Digital Innovation Alliance” (G20-DIA).
   • The ‘Stay Safe Online Campaign’ aims to raise awareness among citizens to stay safe in the online world due to the widespread use of social media platforms and the rapid adoption of digital payments.
   • The campaign will be carried out in English, Hindi and local languages to reach a wider audience.
   • G20 Digital Innovation Alliance aims to identify, recognize, and enable the adoption of innovative and impactful digital technologies developed by start-ups, from G20 nations as well as the invited non-member nations.
   • Areas of Innovation – Agri-tech, Health-tech, Ed-tech, Fin-tech, Secured Digital Infrastructure, and Circular Economy
6. Shri Hardeep S. Puri, Union Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs and Petroleum & Natural Gas has launched ‘City Finance Rankings, 2022’ and ‘City Beauty Competition’ to take India’s Urban Rejuvenation journey to next level.

7. Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) will be the secretariat for the Science 20 (S20), which is one of the several groups of the G20.
   • Theme of S20 ­- Disruptive Science for Innovative and Sustainable Development

State News

1. Tamil Nadu Forest Department and HCL Foundation (CSR arm of HCL Technologies) have partnered to clean the debris in the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park in Tamil Nadu.
2. Odisha Cabinet has approved the provision of Rs 367.19 crores for five years from 2022-23 to 2026-27 for implementation of the State Scheme “Empowerment of Women in Agriculture-Promotion of Entrepreneurship for Women SHG (WSHG)”.
   • The scheme aims to double the mushroom production across the State through area expansion involving women beneficiaries/WSHGs and to make the state self-sufficient in the production of button mushroom and loose flowers.
   • The state Cabinet has also approved the provision of over Rs 1100 crore for four years from 2022-23 to 2025-26 for implementation of the State Scheme- “Development of Potato, Vegetable and Spices” with the involvement of WSHGs and FPOs.
   • Purpose – to provide financial assistance to the farmers for the cultivation of Potato, Onions, Hybrid vegetables, and Spices in order to make the State self-sufficient in the production of 5 vegetables (Potato, Onion, Tomato, Cauliflower & Cabbage) along with an increase in area and production under spices
3. Tamil Nadu has launched India’s first Nilgiri Tahr project to conserve the State animal of Tamil Nadu at a cost of ₹25.14 crore.
   • The project aims for the conservation of Tamil Nadu’s State animal, expansion of its habitat and to spread awareness among the public.
   • The Nilgiri Tahr is the only mountain ungulate in Southern India among the 12 species present in India.

3. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s constituency named Dharmadam has become India’s first and only constituency to have a library in all the wards.
   • Kerala is perhaps the only state in India that has a library in every village.
4. Union Minister of Roads Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has inaugurated India’s second longest cable-stayed eight-lane Zuari Bridge in Goa.

Agriculture and Rural Development

1. Union Agriculture Ministry has formed an Advisory Group for streamlining the development of the Bamboo sector.
   • Functions of the committee – The members of the committee shall advise the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare on issues and technologies in propagation, plantation of bamboo & intercropping, primary processing, product development, value addition, market infrastructure and linkages, processing machineries, skill development etc.
   • The Union Agriculture Secretary (Manoj Ahuja) will be the Chairperson and Mission Director of National Bamboo Mission (Manoj Kumar) will be the Convener of the Committee.
   • The Advisory group includes academicians, researchers, innovators, progressive entrepreneurs, designers, farmer leaders, marketing specialists and policy makers.
   • The National Bamboo Mission (NBM) was launched during 2018-19 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the development of complete value chain of Bamboo sector.

Defence News

1. Union Home Minister launched ‘Prahari’ app for Border Security Force (BSF) Jawans to provide personal and service-related information, housing, Ayushman- Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and leave related information to Jawans.
   • The app will also connect the Jawans with the portal of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Memorandum of Understanding

1. Indian Oil Corp. Ltd. has signed an MOU with the Central TB Division under the Union Health Ministry and the states of Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to undertake intensified tuberculosis (TB) elimination project, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.
   • Uttar Pradesh and Chhatisgarh share the highest burden of TB cases among large states in India.
2. Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) signed agreements with MSMEs for incubation of newer technologies into commercial products.

Banking and Economy

1. Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a USD 125 million loan with the Government of India to develop climate-resilient sewage collection and treatment and drainage and water supply systems in three cities in the state of Tamil Nadu.
   • This is the third and the last tranche of the USD 500 million multi-tranche financing facility (MFF), approved by ADB in 2018, to build priority water supply, sewerage and drainage infrastructure in strategic industrial corridors across ten cities in the state.
   • This tranche covers three loans covers Coimbatore, Madurai, and Thoothukudi.
2. The Internet and Mobile Association of India has been selected to form a Self-Regulatory Organisation for online gaming.
   • Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) has become the nodal ministry to govern online gaming industry.
   • Currently estimated at $2.2 billion, India’s online real-money gaming market is expected to reach a value of $7 billion by FY26, according to the All-India Gaming Federation (AIGF).
   • The market’s current compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is about 27%, making it the fastest-growing segment in the $24-billion media & entertainment space.

3. Max Healthcare has entered into a partnership with genomics biotech firm Anuva to conduct genomic-based research on various communicable and non-communicable diseases in India.
   • Purpose – to identify insights for precision medicine application across diseases including breast cancer, lung cancer, diabetes, cardiac disease, kidney disease, drug resistant tuberculosis, and others
   • Anuva CEO – Jonathan Picker
4. Asian Development Bank (ADB) has ranked WAPCOS as the top consulting services firm in the water and other infrastructure sectors, with the highest sanctioned financed amount, in its Annual Procurement Report 2022.
   • WAPCOS is a Government of India Enterprise under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

5. Hyderabad-based drone manufacturer Marut Drones has received the type certification approvals from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for their Drone AG 365 which is an extensively tested and robustly designed multi-utility agricultural drone.
   • Having been awarded a type certificate for AG 365 model, the drone is now eligible for Rs 10 lakh unsecured loans from the Agri Infrastructure Fund at a minimal 5-6% interest.
   • Further, a 50-100% subsidy can be availed from the Government of India.
6. Niva Bupa (formerly Max Bupa Health Insurance) and Swara Fincare (NBFC) have partnered to launch Niva Bupa Xpress Health – Serious Illness Plan benefit to deepen health insurance in rural areas.
   • As part of the plan, the insurer will cover up to 3 EMIs (equated monthly instalments) in a policy year of the respective customer in case of hospitalisation for 5 days or more.
7. IRDAI has made the KYC (Know Your Customer) rules mandatory for all the insurance policy buyers – health, general, and life – w.e.f., January 1, 2023.
   • At present, KYC documents are only required when making a claim worth over Rs 1 lakh.
8. Ministry of Corporate Affairs has permitted companies to hold their annual general meetings and extra ordinary general meetings through video conferencing until September 30, 2023.
   • It has been decided to allow the companies whose AGMs are due in the year 2023, to conduct their AGMs on or before 30th September, 2023 by video conferencing or other audio-visual means.

Appointments

1. Reserve Bank of India has approved the re-appointment of Baskar Babu Ramachandran as the MD & CEO of Suryoday Small Finance Bank for three years effective January 23, 2023.
2. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Abdullah Abdul Samad Dashti of Kuwait as United Nations Coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
   • The Black Sea Grain Initiative was launched by Ukraine, Türkiye, the Russian Federation and the United Nations in July 2022 to enable the resumption of exports from Ukraine of grain, foodstuffs, and fertilizer, including ammonia, through a safe maritime humanitarian corridor.
3. Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn-in as Israel’s prime minister for a sixth time. He is the 25th PM of Israel.

Awards

1. Vishal Mittal has won the Prestigious Ambassadors of Change Award by Australia’s University’s Equity and Participation Team for his work as a student mentor.
   • Vishal Mittal is an Indian student studying at the University of Canberra in Australia.
2. The prestigious European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) Young Investigator Network has chosen Indian scientist Dr Mahima Swamy recognising her as one of the most revered experts at the University of Dundee’s School of Life Sciences.
   • She is a specialist in Immunology.
3. Rajasthan government’s Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) has won the ‘Effective Government Communication Award’ for rolling out key state e-governance programmes, through digital mode, for the general public and the beneficiaries.
   • The state department had launched “Sujus” app to show the articles, events, press notes etc. on the mobile.
4. ACC has won the National Award for Safety Excellence (2021-22) at the 10th Global Safety Summit (GSS) in the Large Enterprise-Cement Manufacturing sector.
   • The award was instituted by the Fire and Safety Forum and United Nations Global Compact Network India.
   • GSS is India’s First International Certification and Assessment Body, developing the certification guidelines as per the American National Standard Institute, United States of America.
5. Four veteran diplomats and a US lawmaker have been honoured with 2022 annual ‘Diwali- Power of One’ award for their efforts in working towards a peaceful and secure world.
   • The award, which is also known as the ‘Oscars of Diplomacy’, is presented to former top diplomats of the United Nations or a member state for their effort to help form a more perfect, peaceful and secure world for all.
   • The award was established in 2017 by Diwali Foundation USA Inc. to promote a peaceful and consensus-based process to achieve societal ‘Good’.

Sports

1. 2022 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championship Rapid Open was held at Almaty, Kazakhstan.
   • Magnus Carlsen (Norway) and Tan Zhongyi (China) have won gold in Open and Women’s championships.
   • Savitha Shri B from India has won the Bronze Medal in women’s championship.

Miscellaneous

1. Pelé, Brazilian professional footballer and former Minister of Sports in Brazil, has passed away.

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