NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. PM
Modi lays foundation stone of Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone of Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur,
Uttar Pradesh. PM Modi also addressed a rally at Railway Ground, Rouza on the
occasion. After completion of work, it will become the longest expressway of
Uttar Pradesh. It will connect the western and eastern regions of the state. It
starts near the Bijauli village in Meerut. It will extend till near the Judapur
Dandu village in Prayagraj. About the Ganga Expressway:
(1) Ganga Expressway is a 594 Km long
Expressway. It will be built at a cost of over Rs 36,200 crore.
(2) It will pass through Meerut, Hapur,
Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Budaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli,
Pratapgarh and Prayagraj districts.
(3) 35 Km long airstrip for emergency
take-off and landing of Air Force planes will also be constructed on the
Expressway in Shahjahanpur.
2.
Union cabinet approves Rs 76,000 crore push for semiconductor manufacturing: Union Cabinet
approved a Rs 76,000-crore production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for
boosting semiconductor and display manufacturing in India. With this, the total
amount of production linked incentive (PLI) announced for the electronics
sector increase to Rs 2.30 lakh crore.
About the scheme: This scheme was
approved in order to position India as a global hub for hi-tech production, as
well as to attract large chip makers. It would also strengthen India’s
ambitions to be self-reliant in electronics manufacturing and bring huge
investments. The government will also set up an independent ‘India
Semiconductor Mission (ISM)’, for driving the long-term strategies to develop a
sustainable semiconductor and display ecosystem in India.
Under Semiconductor Scheme: Under the scheme,
the government has lined up incentives for companies engaged in silicon
semiconductor fabs, compound semiconductors, display fabs, sensors fabs,
silicon photonics, semiconductor packaging and semiconductor design. With the
launch of this scheme, the government expects investments of about Rs 1.7 lakh
crore and 1.35 lakh jobs in the upcoming four years.
3.
ISRO signed six agreements with four countries for launching foreign
satellites: The
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed six agreements with four
countries for launching foreign satellites during 2021-2023. About 132 million
Euros would be earned through the launching of these foreign satellites on a
commercial basis. The ISRO-Indian space agency, founded in 1969 to develop an
independent Indian space program. Minister of State for Atomic Energy and Space
Dr Jitendra Singh has said that ISRO has launched a total of 342 satellites
from 34 countries since 1999. ISRO through its commercial arm, New Space India
Limited (NSIL), has been launching satellites belong to other countries from
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Total 124 indigenous satellites have
been put into Earth’s orbit including 12 student satellites.
Note: ISRO Chairman: K.Sivan; ISRO
Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka; ISRO established: 15 August 1969.
4. A
book title “Rewinding the first 25 years of MeitY! by SS Oberoi: The book titled
‘Rewinding of First 25 years of Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology’ authored by S S Oberoi, the former adviser at the Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) was launched by Ajay Prakash
Sawhney, Secretary of MeitY. The book consists of life experience, challenges
working as an advisor under the MeitY. He was the first head of the Software
Development Agency and the first adviser of Information Technology.
5.
Venkaiah Naidu released Telugu book titled ‘Gandhi Topi Governor’: Vice President of
India M Venkaiah Naidu has released the Telugu book titled ‘Gandhi Topi
Governor’ by Padma Awardee Dr Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad, Chairman, Official
Language Commission, Andhra Pradesh. The book chronicles the life of Barrister
Idpuganti Raghavendra Rao. I R Rao was a prominent freedom fighter, Legislator
and the Governor of the Central Provinces in the British Administration.
6.
National Consumer Rights Day: 24th December: National Consumer Rights Day is
observed every year on December 24. On this day in 1986, the Consumer
Protection Act 1986 received Presidential assent and thus came into force. The
Act aims to provide consumers with effective safeguards against different types
of exploitation, such as defective goods, deficiency in services and unfair
trade practices.
World Consumer Rights Day: People often get
confused between World Consumer Rights Day and National Consumer Rights Day.
While both have the same purpose, they are observed on different dates. World
Consumer Rights Day is celebrated annually on March 15.
History of National Consumer Rights
Day:
The National Consumer Rights Day was observed for the first time in 1986 under
the Consumer Protection Act. It’s different from World Consumer Day, which is
celebrated annually on March 15. The Consumer Protection Act came into force in
1986. In 2019, the Consumer Protection Act 1986 was revised. Later, the
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution announced the CPA
2019 bill put to effect on July 20, 2020.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Karl Nehammer sworn in as Chancellor of Austria: Karl Nehammer was
sworn in as new Austria’s chancellor by Alexander Van der Bellen, President of
Austria in a ceremony in Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austria. He is succeeding the
career diplomat Alexander Schallenberg who took charge as chancellor in October
2021. He is the 3rd person to hold the role of Austria’s Chancellor in the last
two months. Nehammer, from the ruling conservative Austrian People’s Party
(ÖVP), was formerly the country’s interior minister.
Karl Nehammer: The Vienna-born
Nehammer worked in the army for several years. He then started working as a
communications adviser before becoming a politician in 2017. He was made
interior minister in January 2020. While he was in office, Austria experienced
its first Islamist terrorist attack, in which four people were killed last
November.
Note: Austria Capital: Vienna; Austria
Currency: Euro; Austria President: Alexander Van der Bellen.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
India won 16 medals in Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship 2021: India concluded the
Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2021 with 16 medals – 4 Gold, 7
Silver, and 5 Bronze, held at Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Bindyarani Devi was India’s
only medallist at the World Weightlifting Championships 2021, that was also
held parallelly at Tashkent.
South Korea’s Son Young-hee won the gold
medal at the world championships with an overall lift of 282kg (122+159). New
Zealand’s David Liti won the gold medal for a total of 407kg (176+231) followed
by Pakistan’s Muhammad Nooh Dastgir Butt, who lifted 390kg (165+225).
India’s Medal Winners:
|
Gold medal |
Silver medal |
|
|
Jeremy Lalrinnunga
(67kg) (Men) |
Guru Raja (61kg) (Men) |
|
|
Achinta Sheuli (73kg)
(Men) |
Lovepreet Singh
(109kg) (Men) |
|
|
Ajay Singh (81kg)
(Men) |
Jhili Dalabehera
(49kg) (Women) |
|
|
Purnima Pandey (+87kg)
(Women) |
S Bindyarani Devi
(55kg) (Women) |
|
|
Hazarika Popy (59kg)
(Women) |
||
|
Harjinder Kaur (71kg)
(Women) |
||
|
Bronze
medal |
Punam Yadav (76kg)
(Women) |
|
|
Vikas Thakur (96kg)
(Men) |
||
|
Gurdeep Singh (+109kg)
(Men) |
||
|
Lalchhanhimi (71kg)
(Women) |
||
|
R Arockiya Alish
(76kg) (Women) |
||
|
Anuradha Pavunraj
(87kg) (Women) |
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
RBI allowed SFBs as Agency Bank to conduct Govt Business: Reserve Bank of
India, in consultation with the Department of Financial Services, the Ministry
of Finance, has decided to make the Scheduled payments banks and scheduled
small finance banks (SFBs) eligible to conduct Government agency business. In
May this year, RBI has revised the existing guidelines on ‘Appointment of
Scheduled Private Sector Banks as Agency Banks of RBI’ for authorising
Scheduled Private Sector Banks as agency banks of RBI for conducting govt
business (Central and/or State). Thus, any payment bank or small finance bank
which intends to undertake govt agency business could be appointed as an agent
of RBI only upon execution of an agreement with RBI and also in compliance with
the regulatory framework prescribed for those banks.
Note: Reserve Bank of India Founded: April
1, 1935; Reserve Bank of India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Reserve Bank
of India Governor: Shaktikanta Das.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
Unsoo Kim appointed as MD of Hyundai Motor India Limited: Hyundai Motor
Company has appointed Unsoo Kim as the Managing Director (MD) of Hyundai Motor
India Limited (HMIL), starting from 1st January 2022. He will replace Seon Seob
Kim (SS Kim), who will lead the Global Operations Division in Hyundai
headquarters in Seoul, South Korea. HMIL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of HMC is
India’s first smart mobility solutions provider and the number one car exporter
in India. He played a key role in positioning the company as a smart mobility
solutions provider and bringing Internet-enabled connected cars and
kick-starting the electric mobility journey in India with the launch of Kona,
an all-electric SUV.
Note: Hyundai Motor Company Headquarters:
Seoul, South Korea.
2.
Mohit Jain Elected As New President Of Indian Newspaper Society: Mohit Jain of The
Economic Times has been elected President of The Indian Newspaper Society for
the year 2021-22. He succeeds L. Adimoolam of Health & The Antiseptic. The
82nd Annual General Meeting of the Indian Newspaper Society – an apex body of
Publishers of Newspapers, Magazines & Periodicals in the country, was held
through Video Conference. While K. Raja Prasad Reddy (Sakshi) was elected the
deputy president, Rakesh Sharma (Aaj Samaj) was the vice-president and Tanmay
Maheshwari (Amar Ujala) was elected the honorary treasurer of the Society for
2021-22.
Note: The Indian Newspaper Society Founded:
27 February 1939; The Indian Newspaper Society Headquarters location: New
Delhi.
DEFENCE
1.
India successfully test-fired the ‘Agni P’ missile off the coast of Odisha: The nuclear-capable
ballistic missile ‘Agni Prime’ was successfully tested off the coast of Odisha
by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Recently, DRDO has
successful test-firing of the air version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise
missile on December 7 was a “significant milestone” in BrahMos’ development.
About the Missile: Agni-P is a new
generation upgraded version of Agni class missiles. It’s a two-stage
canisterized missile with a range of 1,000 to 2,000 kilometres. The ballistic
missile is half the weight of the Agni 3 and can be launched from the train or
road. It can also be stored for longer periods of time and transported
throughout the country as per operational requirements.
Note: Chairman DRDO: Dr G Satheesh Reddy;
DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi; DRDO Established: 1958.
2.
HAL signed contract with BEL for 83 LCA Tejas Mk1A fighters: Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a Rs 2,400 crores contract with Bharat
Electronics Limited (BEL) for the development and supply of 20 types of systems
for 83 LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Tejas Mk1A fighter aircraft programme. The
duration of the contract is 5 years i.e., from 2023 to 2028. Notably, this is
HAL’s biggest order on any Indian company thus boosting the ‘Atmanirbhar
Bharat’ campaign. The order for the supply of these systems will be executed by
two units of BEL at Bengaluru (Karnataka), and Panchkula (Haryana).
Note: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Founded: 1940; Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Headquarter: Bengaluru, Karnataka; Hindustan Aeronautics Limited CMD: R Madhavan.
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