NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. P N Vasudevan reappointed as MD, CEO
of Equitas Small Finance Bank: P.N.
Vasudevan has been reappointed as the managing director and chief
executive officer of Equitas Small Finance Bank.His current term as
MD, CEO will expire on July 22, 2023.The board of Bank has decided to
renew his term for a further period of 3 years with effect from July
23, 2023, subject to approval from RBI.He is the founder of Equitas and
has been associated with its journey as a microfinance institution since
2007.It was converted into a bank in 2016. “The Board believes that
continuity of management and his leadership would help the Bank sustain its
growth in a stable, scalable and inclusive manner. Accordingly the present
ongoing process of identifying a successor to him will stand terminated,” the
bank said.
2. Good Governance Day 2022: 25th
December: India observed "Good Governance
Day" on the birth anniversary (25th December) of former Indian
Prime Minister, Atal Vihari Vajpayee.
In 2014, PM
Narendra Modi has announced to observe "Good Governance Day" every
year on December 25 in memory of the former PM. Purpose of this day:
To increase public access to various government programmes and services
via good governance. It was established with the slogan "Good
Governance through e-Governance." The Indian
government decided that every year December 25 would be a full day of work. The
government has been commemorating Good Governance Day every year since 2014.
The day is celebrated to t make sure that the country's residents are treated
fairly by the government and they receive the advantages of various government
services.
3. Researchers at IIT Kanpur developed
organic solar cell devices: Researchers
at IIT Kanpur have developed organic solar cells under the DST-RCUK
APEX project.Organic solar cell: It is a combination of an organic polymer
and PCBM developed on steel substrates can potentially convert a steel roof
into an energy-producing device. The devices consist of a blend of organic
polymer PTB7 as a donor and PCBM as an acceptor. It is a jointly developed
programme of the Department of S&T and the Research Councils United Kingdom
(RCUK).
An organic solar cells consisting
of a combination of an organic polymer and PCBM (an organic semiconductor)
developed on steel substrates can potentially convert a steel roof into an
energy-producing device with greater efficiency than those currently available
in the market.
4. PM Matsya Sampada Yojana envisages
insurance coverage to fishers: Parshottam
Rupala (Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying) has
informed that Department of Fisheries, under PM Matsya Sampada Yojana
(PMMSY) has provided an insurance coverage to fishers.The insurance
coverage provided under the PMMSY includes:Rs.5,00,000/- against accidental
death or permanent total disability Rs.2,50,000/- for permanent partial
disability
Hospitalization
expenses in the event of accident for a sum of Rs. 25,000/-
5. Cabinet approves revision of pension
for defence personnel: Union
Minister of information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur has informed that
the Union Cabinet approved the revision of the pension for family
pensioners of armed forces under One Rank One Pension (OROP) from July 1,
2019.The revision will entail an estimated annual expenditure of Rs 8450
crore. The arrears will be with effect from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2022.
The decision to implement OROP was taken by the Narendra Modi government
on November 7, 2015. The benefit would also be extended to
family pensioners including war widows and disabled pensioners, Thakur said. He
said benefits will be extended to about 25.13 lakh armed forces pensioners and
family pensioners.
6. CJI D Y Chandrachud constituted
committee to conduct accessibility audit of SC premises: The Chief
Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud has constituted a
committee to conduct an audit of “physical and functional access” of
the top court premises to make them disabled-friendly. The committee will be headed
by Supreme Court Judge S Ravindra Bhat. The ‘Supreme Court Committee on
Accessibility’ has been given a broad mandate to prepare and release a
questionnaire for persons with disabilities, including the apex court
employees, advocates, litigants and interns, who visit the top court premises
to assess the nature and extent of problems they face.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Sitiveni Rabuka becomes new Prime
Minister of Fiji: Sitiveni Rabuka has
become the 12th prime minister of Fiji after a coalition of parties
voted to elect him. His appointment has ended 10 days of uncertainty after
an election delivered a hung parliament. Social Democratic Liberal party held
the balance of power and voted to form a coalition with Rabuka’s People’s
Alliance and the National Federation party. In secret parliamentary
votes, 28 members of parliament voting for Rabuka while 27 voted in
support of Bainimarama. The appointment of Rabuka on Saturday
ended 10 days of uncertainty after an election delivered a hung parliament. Fiji’s
Social Democratic Liberal party (Sodelpa) held the balance of power and on
Friday voted to form a coalition with Rabuka’s People’s Alliance and the
National Federation party. Saturday’s secret parliamentary vote for prime
minister was closer than had been expected, with 28 members of parliament
voting for Rabuka while 27 voted in support of Bainimarama.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Geto Sora wins 2022 Junior
International Badminton Championship title: Badminton player, Geto Sora (7) from Arunachal Pradesh has
won title of 2022 Junior International Badminton Championship in
the below 9 years category, organised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
He has defeated Jaryl Teh from Malaysia in straight sets 21-5, 21-16.
In November 2022, he had won the U-9 boys singles title in the Yonex-Singha-BTY
Championships 2022, held at the Banthongyord Badminton School in Bangkok,
Thailand. Budding badminton sensation Geto Sora
once again made Arunachal proud by winning the Top Arena Junior International
Badminton Championship title in the below 9 years category, in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia on Friday, December 23.
2. Harmanpreet Singh to captain Indian
team at the FIH men’s world cup 2023: Hockey India has
announced Dragflicker Harmanpreet Singh as the captain of the Indian men’s
Hockey team for the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023. Amit
Rohidas has been named as the vice-captain of the squad. The team coach is
Graham Reid. The FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup is held every four years and the
2022 event was postponed to 2023 due to the corona pandemic. The last 14th FIH
Men’s World Cup Hockey was also played in Odisha in 2018.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. IMF predicts 6.8% growth in current
fiscal for India: The International
Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted the India's GDP growth rate of 6.8
per cent for the current fiscal year (2022-23). IMF has also estimated the
India's growth rate of 6.1 per cent in the next fiscal years (2023-24). In
its report, IMF has stated that the growth of India is expected to
moderate as it is navigating a "very difficult" external
environment. IMF has also highlighted that Indian economy has rebounded
from the deep pandemic-related downturn.
2. IFC provides $400 million loan to
HDFC to promote green housing: World Bank’s investment
arm, International Finance Corporation (IFC) has provided to make
a $400 million (around ₹3,400 crore) loan to mortgage
lender HDFC Ltd, with an aim to drive India’s green housing growth. The
capital will help HDFC boost its green affordable housing portfolio, with 75%
(around $300 million) of the proceeds earmarked for this sector. Earlier in
April, HDFC Ltd decided to merge with its banking subsidiary HDFC Bank. Green
Houses are built with sustainable, environmentally-friendly, energy-efficient,
and recyclable resources. These houses are constructed in such a way that
water, air, solar, and geothermal energy are optimally utilized, thus reducing
energy waste. Affordable houses means that it will target Middle-income groups.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Football
player, Beth Mead wins BBC Sports Personality of Year 2022 award: English football player, Beth Mead (27) has been
awarded the 2022 BBC Sports Personality of the Year as she was the
player of the tournament and top scorer at Euro 2022. Beth Mead has defeated
Germany in the finals at Wembley to win England’s first major women’s football
trophy. She has competed against Ben Stokes and Ronnie O’Sullivan for
the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2022 award. While, Sarina Wiegman
(England's manager) has won the Coach of the Year. However,
Beth was the favorite to win. While Mead won, Stokes came in second place. Beth
said she was speechless and massively honoured to win the BBC Sports
Personality of the Year 2022.
2. UIDAI
gets DSCI AISS Award for ‘Best Security Practices in Govt Sector’: Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has
won Data Security Council of India's (DSCI) award 2022 in Best
Security Practices in Government Sector category. The award was given to UIDAI
during DSCI's three-day Annual Information Security Summit (AISS) in New
Delhi.
Reason: For its significant role in securing national critical Aadhaar infrastructure that provides digital identity-based welfare services to residents. UIDAI CEO: Dr. Saurabh Garg Sahitya Akademi Awards 2022 announced: Sahitya Akademi has announced its annual Sahitya Akademi Awards in 23 languages. 7 books of poetry, 6 novels, 2 short stories, 3 Play/Dramas, 2 Literary Criticisms, one each of Autobiographical Essays, Collection of Articles, and Literary History have won the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2022. The awardee will receive an engraved copper plaque, a shawl, and Rs. 1,00,000 in Cash. It also announced the ‘Sahitya Akademi Translation’ awards for 2022.
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