NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Haryana and Himachal inks MoU to revive Saraswati river: The state
governments of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh have signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) to revive the Saraswati river. The MoU was signed in the
presence of Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar and Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur in
Panchkula. Under the MoU, the Haryana Government will construct a dam and a
reservoir inAdi Badri area near Yamunanagar district,which is situated on the
border of Himachal Pradesh. The cost of the project is estimated at Rs 215.33
crore and will be borne entirely by Haryana government. Adi-Badri is considered
as the origin of the Saraswati river. It is planned that the dam will be
delivered 224 hectare metre water from Som river, which starts from Himachal
Pradesh and falls into the Yamuna river in Yamunanagar. Out of the 224 hectare
metre water, 62 hectare metre water will be given to Himachal Pradesh and the
remaining 162 hectare metre water will be used for the Saraswati river in
Haryana throughout the year.
2.
Himachal Pradesh CM launched ‘Apna Kangra’ app: Chief Minister of
Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur has launched the ‘Apna Kangra’ app and hampers
handcrafted by self-help groups (SHGs) at Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh. The app
aims to provide a hassle-free experience for tourists and to boost sales of
local handicrafts. While the app is bound to provide a unique experience for
tourists on the one hand, on the other it will serve as an e-marketing platform
for SHG products from the district.
The CM also virtually inaugurated Radhe
Krishna Cow Sanctuary at Luthan in Jawalamukhi Vidhan Sabha area of Kangra. The
govt of HP initiated the scheme ‘Mukhya Mantri HIMCARE’ to provide medical
services to cattles.
Note: Himachal Pradesh Capital: Shimla
(Summer), Dharamshala (Winter); Himachal Pradesh Governor: Rajendra Arlekar;
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister: Jai Ram Thakur.
3.
Karnataka became India’s first state to launch AVGC Center of Excellence: The government of
Karnataka has launched India’s first AVGC Center of Excellence (CoE)
(Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) in Mahadevapura, Bengaluru,
Karnataka. AVGC CoE was launched with pioneering high technology digital media
hub under its Innovate Karnataka initiative. It is funded by the Department of
Electronics Information Technology Biotechnology and Science & Technology.
Karnataka became India’s first state to set up such an AVGC CoE, it is also the
biggest centre in Asia. The centre also has a finishing school that offers
unique courses based on emerging technology such as virtual reality, digital
compression, photogrammetry, gamification of education, real-time virtual
production, and other emerging technologies.
Note: Karnataka Capital: Bengaluru;
Karnataka Chief Minister: Basavaraj S Bommai; Karnataka Governor: Thawar Chand
Gehlot.
4.
GoodDot ropes in Neeraj Chopra as its brand ambassador: Plant-based meat
company GoodDot has roped in Neeraj Chopra as its brand ambassador. With this
association, the company wants to create awareness about the new category of
plant-based meats. It also wants to send out a message that small changes in
lifestyle and food choices can go a long way in making the world a better place.
The company provides alternatives to mutton, chicken and eggs and is a
Direct-to-consumer (D2C) player so far and sells also through online
marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart, etc. It also sells in countries like
Canada, Singapore, Nepal, Dubai, South Africa, Mauritius, and Oman.
5.
National Girl Child Day: 24th January: In India, the National Girl Child Day
(NGCD) is observed annually on January 24. The day aims to focus on the
inequalities faced by girls, to promote the education, health & nutrition of
the girl child, and to spread awareness about the rights of a girl child. The
day was observed for the first time in 2008 as an initiative by the Ministry of
Women and Child Development and the Government of India.
Significance: The day was initiated to
spread awareness among people about all the inequalities faced by girls in the
country. The day promotes awareness about the rights of a girl child and
increases awareness on the importance of girl education, health, and nutrition.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Indonesia names new capital Nusantara, replacing sinking Jakarta: Indonesia will move
its capital to mineral-rich East Kalimantan, an Indonesian province on the
island of Borneo. The name of the new capital will be Nusantara, which means
“archipelago” in Javanese. It will be based in the regions of North Penajam
Paser and Kutai Kartanegara. The new project is likely to cost around 466
trillion rupiah ($32 billion).
The heavily populated city of Jakarta is
home to 10 million people (30 million if you include the greater metropolitan
area) and has been facing the growing issue with the overuse of groundwater by
home drilling due to large-scale city developments. The problem is worsened
when combined with rising sea levels. This shift of development is set to slow
down the rate at which Jakarta sinks into the Java Sea.
2.
India extends $190-million line of credit to Mauritius for the Metro Express
Project: Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth
jointly inaugurated the India-assisted Social Housing Units Project in
Mauritius through video-conferencing. The two leaders also launched the Civil
Service College and the 8MW Solar PV Farm projects in Mauritius, being
undertaken with India’s development support. An agreement was exchanged in
which India is extending a $190-million line of credit to Mauritius for the
Metro Express Project and other infrastructure projects.
Meanwhile, in defence sector, Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Government of Mauritius (GoM) have signed a
contract, under which HAL will export one Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH)-MkIII
for the Mauritius Police Force. Mauritius already operates a ALH and Dornier
Do-228 aircraft built by HAL.
3.
International Day of Education: 24th January: The International Day of Education
is marked every year on 24 January globally to celebrate the role of education
in bringing global peace and sustainable development. The first-ever
International Day of Education was celebrated on 24 January 2019 as per the
resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly on December 3rd 2018
to celebrate the role of education in development. The theme of 4th
International Day of Education in 2022 is Changing Course, Transforming
Education. The celebration is led by the UN Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. PV
Sindhu wins title at Syed Modi badminton 2022: Ace Indian
shuttler, PV Sindhu has bagged the women’s singles title at the Syed Modi
International Tournament in Lucknow. Sindhu beat fellow Indian Malvika Bansod
21-13 21-16 to win her second Syed Modi title after 2017. The 2022 Syed Modi
International badminton tournament was held at Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium
in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh from 18 to 23 January 2022.
Winners in other categories:
Men’s singles: Final was declared a ‘No
Match’ between Arnaud Merkle and Lucas Claerbout, after one of the finalists
tested positive for Covid-19.
Men’s doubles: Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai
Wun (Malaysia)
Women’s doubles: Anna Cheong and Teoh Mei
Xing (Malaysia)
Mixed Doubles: Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha
Castro (India).
2.
India’s first para-badminton academy launched in Lucknow: India’s first
para-badminton academy has been set up in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. It has all
the advanced equipment and facilities. The set-up will improve India’s medal
prospects at the 2024 Paralympics to be held in Paris, France at Stade de
France stadium. The badminton centre has been launched by the head national
coach of the Indian para-badminton team, Gaurav Khanna, in association with
Ageas Federal Life Insurance.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
UNCTAD report: FDI flows to India falls by 26% in 2021: Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) flows to India fell by 26 per cent in 2021, compared to 2020,
as per the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Investment Trends
Monitor published. In 2020, FDI to India was recorded at USD 64 billion. This
was 27 per cent more compared to USD 51 billion in FDI in 2019. UNCTAD said
that low FDI in India was mainly because large cross-border mergers &
acquisitions (M&A) deals recorded in 2020 were not repeated. The global FDI
flows increased by 77 per cent to an estimated USD 1.65 trillion in 2021, from
USD 929 billion in 2020.
2.
IIMK LIVE and Indian Bank ink MoU to disburse loans upto Rs 50 Crore for
Startups: Indian
Institute of Management Kozhikode’s (IIMK) Business incubator Laboratory for
Innovation Venturing and Entrepreneurship (LIVE) has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Bank to financially support early-stage
startups. Under the MoU, a startup funding scheme, ‘IndSpring Board’ has been
launched. Under this scheme loans up to Rs, 50 Crore will be disbursed to the
startups. Benefit of the MoU:
(1) The startups can use the loan amount to
meet their operational expenditure and capital expenditure which includes
working capital, purchase of fixed assets and other expenses.
(2) The loan amount disbursed to startups
under the IndSpring Board scheme from IIMK LIVE and Indian Bank can be used to
meet a startup operational expenditure and capital expenditure which includes
working capital, purchase of fixed assets and other expenses.
(3) Startups selected under this scheme
would have to be committed towards working on innovation, development or
improvement of products or processes or services, or present a scalable
business model with a high potential of employment generation or wealth
creation.
Note: Indian Bank Headquarters: Chennai;
Indian Bank CEO: Shri Shanti Lal Jain; Indian Bank Founded: 15 August 1907.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1.
Sushmita Sen wins International Association of Working Women Award: Bollywood actress
Sushmita Sen has been conferred with the International Association of Working
Women Award at the Washington DC South Asian Film Festival (DCSAFF) 2021. The
former Miss Universe has been felicitated for outstanding performance by a
female actor in a TV series for her show ‘Aarya 2’. The Aarya 2 series is
created by Ram Madhvani and had released on December 10, 2021, on
Disney+Hotstar. The DC South Asian Film Festival (DCSAFF) 2021 is organised
virtually from January 16 to January 30, to showcase the best in alternative cinema
from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, and Sri
Lanka.
2.
Former Japan PM Shinzo Abe given Netaji Award 2022: Former Japan Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe was conferred with the Netaji Award 2022 by Netaji Research
Bureau. Consul General of Japan in Kolkata Nakamura Yutaka received the honour
on behalf of Mr. Abe at a function at the Elgin Road residence of Netaji Subhas
Chandra Bose on his 125th birth anniversary.
Satoshi Suzuki, the Japanese Ambassador to India, addressed the program remotely from New Delhi. Abe is a tremendous admirer of Netaji, according to Sugata Bose, the famed liberation fighter’s grand-nephew and Director of the Netaji Research Bureau. Moreover, in January 2021, India bestowed the Padma Vibhushan on former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the country’s second-highest civilian honour.
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