Daily GK Update- 12th Jan, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Election Commission hikes expenditure limit for candidates in polls: The Election Commission of India has increased the existing election expenditure limit for candidates in Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies, due to the rise in inflation. The new limits will be applicable in all upcoming elections in the country. The previous major revision in the election expenditure limit was done in 2014. It was further increased by 10% in 2020. EC had formed a Committee to study the cost factors and other related issues, and make suitable recommendations.

Parliamentary constituencies poll expenditure ceiling:

(1) The ceiling on parliamentary poll expenditure has been raised from 70 lakh to 95 lakh rupees in bigger states and 54 lakh to 75 lakhs in smaller states.

(2) The bigger states include Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Karnataka.

(3) The smaller states include Goa, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and UTs.

(4) The ceiling on poll expenditure in UT of Jammu and Kashmir has been raised to 95 lakhs.

Assembly constituencies poll expenditure limits: For Assembly constituencies, expenditure limits have been enhanced from 28 lakh rupees to 40 lakh rupees in bigger states and from 20 lakhs to 28 lakhs in smaller states.

 

2. ICMR approves India-made first kit ‘OmiSure’ to detect Omicron: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved a testing kit for detecting the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The covid kit developed by Tata is called ‘OmiSure’ and will be an enhancement for the detection of the Omicron variant. The kit is manufactured by Tata Medical and Diagnostics. The tests have been performed as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Responsibility for batch-to-batch consistency lies with the manufacturer.

About the test kit: The Tata Medical and Diagnostics has developed a kit ‘OmiSure’ that can detect the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV2 in nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal specimens during the RT-PCR tests. The test kit is compatible with all standard Real-Time PCR Machines. The test run time of this kit is 85 minutes. The result turnaround time, including sample collection and RNA extraction, is 130 minutes.

 

3. Union Minister Jitendra Singh inaugurates 24th Conference on e-Governance 2020-21: Union Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh has inaugurated the 24th National Conference on e-Governance in Hyderabad, Telangana. The theme of the two-day Conference is ‘India’s Techade: Digital Governance in a Post Pandemic World’. The conference has been organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG) and the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), in association with the State Government of Telangana.

About the conference: The conference would provide considerable momentum to the e-governance initiatives across the country, providing opportunities for civil servants and industry captains to showcase their successful interventions in e-governance in improving end to end service delivery. Delegates from 28 states and 9 Union Territories along with academia, research institutions, IT industry would be participating in the conference through virtual mode.

 

4. Govt re-appoints Vijay Paul Sharma as CACP Chairman: The Centre has re-appointed Vijay Paul Sharma as the chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) after he relinquished the post in May last year following completion of the five-year tenure. The role of the CACP chairman will be crucial in the proposed committee on the minimum support price (MSP) and other reforms. Sharma, a professor at the Centre for Management in Agriculture at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, was appointed CACP Chairman for the first time in June 2016.

The function of CACP: The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, established in 1965, is an apex advisory body under the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. It’s an expert body that recommends the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) by taking into consideration various factors.

 

5. A new book titled “Gandhi’s Assassin: The Making of Nathuram Godse and His Idea of India” by Dhirendra Jha: Dhirendra K. Jha, a Delhi-based journalist, has authored a new book titled “Gandhi’s Assassin: The Making of Nathuram Godse and His Idea of India”. The book explores Godse’s relationship with the organizations that influenced his view and gave him a sense of purpose and draws out the gradual hardening of Godse’s resolve that led to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination.

 

6. National Youth Day: 12th January: In India, the National Youth Day is celebrated on 12 January annually to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. The main aim behind this is to make sure that the students across the country can be encouraged to learn about the life, the ideas and philosophy of Swami Vivekananda and apply them in their lives. In 2022, we are observing the 159th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand (12 January 1863). The theme for National Youth Day 2022 is The Theme of 2022 is “It’s all in the mind.”

History of National Youth Day: The decision to celebrate Vivekananda’s birthday as National Youth Day was taken in 1984, and it was first marked on January 12, 1985.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. OPEC appoints Kuwait’s Haitham Al Ghais as new secretary general: Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has appointed Kuwaiti oil executive Haitham Al Ghais as its new secretary-general, as demand for oil continues to improve amid a mild recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Al Ghais, a veteran of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and Kuwait’s Opec governor from 2017 to June 2021, will take the group’s reins in August, replacing Mohammad Barkindo. The move comes as the oil exporters’ group and its allies prepare to decide on a future course for oil production. Opec+ is expected to stick to the plan and increase production by 400,000 barrels per day in February.

Note: OPEC Headquarters: Vienna, Austria; OPEC Founded: September 1960, Baghdad, Iraq.

 

2. Justice Ayesha Malik to be Pakistan’s first woman Supreme Court judge: Pakistan has moved closer to appointing the first woman judge of the Supreme Court, after a high-power panel approved the elevation of Lahore High Court judge Ayesha Malik to the apex court. The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, approved Malik’s elevation by a majority of five votes against four. This is the second time that the JCP held a meeting to decide on Justice Malik’s elevation. Justice Malik’s name first came before the JCP on September 9 last year but the panel was equally split, resulting in the rejection of her candidature.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Winter Olympics-bound Md Arif Khan included in Target Olympic Podium Scheme: Sports Ministry’s Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) of India has approved the inclusion of Alpine Skiing athlete Md Arif Khan in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Core group, until the Winter Olympics, scheduled this February in Beijing, China. The feat earned Khan the unique distinction of becoming the first Indian to win direct quota spots in two different Winter Olympics events, besides being the first athlete from the country to seal a berth at the Winter Olympic games 2022. Khan will take part in the Winter Olympics in the Slalom and Giant Slalom events. He has also been approved an amount of Rs 17.46 Lakh under TOPS towards training in Europe and procurement of equipment, ahead of the grand event in China. Khan’s current training base is in Austria, where he is accompanied by his coach and physio.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SBI General Insurance launched ‘#BahaneChhodoTaxBachao’ campaign: State Bank of India General Insurance Company Ltd has launched a campaign titled ‘#BahaneChhodoTaxBachao’ to increase awareness around the need to buy health insurance to save tax. It will also highlight the other benefits of opting for health insurance. The campaign aims to increase the awareness of how buying health insurance can help people save tax which is crucial and seasonal in the last quarter of the financial year for all Indians. The campaign will also underline the other benefits of opting for health insurance.

The campaign is in a quirky Vox Pop format featuring anchor Rudraksh Singh aka Rudy is seen travelling across major cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Kolkata and asks the lamest excuse that people have to offer for not buying/opting for health insurance. The idea here is to find out ‘India ka lamest excuse’ for not opting for health insurance. Health insurance not just prevents a medical emergency but also benefit from saving tax under section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

Note: SBI General Insurance Founded: 24 February 2009; SBI General Insurance Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; SBI General Insurance MD & CEO: Prakash Chandra Kandpal; SBI General Insurance Tagline: Suraksha Aur Bharosa Dono.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Retail invests $200 mn in Dunzo to acquire 25.8% stake: Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Retail has invested $200 million or around Rs 1,488 crore in Bengaluru-based quick commerce player Dunzo for a 25.8 per cent stake on a fully diluted basis. The move will help Reliance get a foothold in the country’s growing quick delivery market. Dunzo raised a total of $240 million in this latest round led by the Reliance Industries Ltd arm. The other existing investors were Lightbox, Ligthrock, 3L Capital and Alteria Capital, who participated in the round.

The funding will be used to strengthen Dunzo’s vision to excel in the quick commerce business, enabling instant delivery of essentials from a network of micro warehouses while also expanding its B2B business vertical to enable logistics for local merchants in Indian cities.

Note: Dunzo Founder(s): Kabeer Biswas, Ankur Agarwal, Dalvir Suri, Mukund Jha; Dunzo Founded: July 2014; Dunzo Headquarters location: Bengaluru.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. 3rd National Water Awards for 2020 announced: Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has declared the winners of the third National Water Awards for the year 2020. Uttar Pradesh has been adjudged as the Best State in water conservation efforts in the National Water Awards 2020. It is followed by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu respectively. The award comes with a citation, trophy and cash prize. Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh received the best district award in the northern zone followed by Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar in Punjab.

3rd National Water Awards 2020 list is given below:

 

Category	Winners
“Best State”	Uttar Pradesh
“Best District” – North Zone	Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh
“Best District”– South Zone	Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala
“Best District”– East Zone	East Champaran, Bihar and Godda, Jharkhand
“Best District”– West Zone	Indore, Madhya Pradesh
“Best District”– North-East Zone	Goalpara, Assam
“Best Village Panchayat”– North Zone	Dhaspad, Almora, Uttarakhand
“Best Village Panchayat”– South Zone	Yelerampura Panchayat, Tumakuru District, Karnataka
“Best Village Panchayat”– East Zone	Telari Panchayat, Gaya District, Bihar
“Best Village Panchayat”– West Zone	Takhatgadh, Sabarkantha, Gujarat
“Best Village Panchayat”– North-East Zone	Sialsir, Sirchip, Mizoram
“Best Urban Local Body”	Vapi Urban Local Body, Gujarat
“Best Media (Print & Electronic)”	Mission Paani (Network 18)
“Best School”	Govt. Girls Hr. Secondary School, Kaveripattinam, Tamil Nadu
“Best Industry”	Welspun India Textile Ltd., Gujarat
“Best Water User Association”	Panchgachiya MDTW WUA, Hooghly, West Beng
“Best Industry for CSR activities”	ITC Limited, Kolkata, West Bengal

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Sea Dragon 2022 Exercise: India joins ‘Sea Dragon’ exercise: India and its partners in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad along with Canada and South Korea are participating in the multinational exercise Sea Dragon 2022 at Guam in the Western Pacific. The six nations that are participating in the exercise are the United States, Australia, Canada, India, Japan and South Korea.

About the exercise: The exercise, primarily focused on anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training, will involve more than 270 hours of in-flight training and activities ranging from tracking simulated targets to tracking a US Navy submarine. Each event will be graded and the country scoring the highest points will receive the Dragon Belt award.

The focus of the exercise: Sea Dragon 22 focuses on anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training and excellence, which includes everything from tracking simulated targets to tracking a genuine US Navy submarine. Pilots and flight officers from all around the world develop strategies and discuss tactics in training sessions that take into account their individual countries’ skills and equipment.

Daily GK Update- 11th Jan, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. TS Tirumurti assumes Chair of UNSC Counter-Terrorism Committee: India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, T S Tirumurti has been appointed as the Chair of the UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee for 2022. India has assumed the chairmanship of the United Nations Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee (UNSC-CTC) for one year, beginning from January 01, 2022.

Being the Chair of Counter-Terrorism Committee 2022, India will work to further enhance the role of the Counter-Terrorism Committee in strengthening the multilateral response to counter-terrorism, and ensure that global response to the threat of terrorism remains unambiguous, undivided and effective. India is currently a non-permanent member of the 15-nation UNSC. Its two-year term will end on December 31, 2022.

 

2. WFP & The Akshaya Patra Foundation partnered to enhance PM POSHAN Scheme: United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) in India, has partnered with The Akshaya Patra Foundation (TAPF), a not-for-profit organization, to enhance the effectiveness of the Pradhan Mantri – Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) scheme (earlier known as National Programme for Mid-Day Meal in Schools). The partnership aims to enhance food safety and hygiene projects, capacity building of cooks-cum-helpers and nutritional quality of school meals.

Under this collaboration, WFP and TAPF will share knowledge through workshops and policy and strategy dialogues with the government to enhance the quality of the school meal programme. Since its inception in 1961, school meals have been part of WFP’s mission. WFP has six decades of experience supporting school feeding and working with more than 100 countries to set up sustainable national school feeding programmes.

Note: World Food Programme Founded: 1961; World Food Programme Headquarters: Rome, Italy; World Food Programme Executive Director: David Beasley.

 

3. Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel launched Student Start-ups and Innovation Policy 2.0: Gujarat Chief Minister, Bhupendra Patel has been launched “Student Start-ups and Innovation Policy 2.0 (SSIP-2.0)” for the next five years. The policy contains provisions for the establishment of active innovation and incubation centres in all universities in the state. The policy aims to cover 50 lakh students across 1,000 higher education institutes and 10,000 schools of innovation and entrepreneurship. The policy also aims to give assistance to 10,000 proof of concepts and prototypes developed by the students and to 1,000 proof of concepts developed by school children.

Note: Gujarat Capital: Gandhinagar; Gujarat Governor: Acharya Devvrat; Gujarat Chief minister: Bhupendrabhai Patel.

 

4. DPIIT and Commerce Ministry to organize Startup India Innovation Week: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry have decided to organise a week-long virtual innovation celebration called ‘Startup India Innovation Week’ to showcase the spread and depth of entrepreneurship across India. The virtual event will be organised from January 10 to January 16, 2022. The event also aims to commemorate the 75th year of India’s independence ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

About the week: ‘Startup India Innovation Week’ will have sessions ranging from topics such as enhancing market access opportunities, discussions with industry leaders, best practices by states, capacity building of enablers, reverse pitching by incubators, technology exhibitions, corporate connect and more. “The programme is expected to bring together top policymakers, industry, academia, investors, startups, and all ecosystem enablers from across the globe,”.

 

5. A new book titled “Mamata Beyond 2021” authored by Jayanta Ghosal: HarperCollins Publishers India is set to publish a new book titled “Mamata: Beyond 2021”, authored by political journalist Jayanta Ghosal and translated by Arunava Sinha. The announcement about the release of the book was made on 5th January 2022, the birthday of Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister (CM) of West Bengal and the leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party. The book explores and examines why the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost the 2021 West Bengal Election.

 

6. National Human Trafficking Awareness Day: 11th January: This year National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is observed on January 11, 2022, which is on Tuesday. The day aims at raising awareness of the plight of human trafficking victims, and promoting and protecting their rights. Though the entire month of January has already been recognized as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, this day is specifically dedicated to awareness and prevention of illegal practice.

History of the day: In 2007, the United States Senate ratified the resolution establishing January 11th as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. In 2010, President Obama dedicated the entire month of January to awareness and prevention of human trafficking. Today, there are over 50 established organizations that globally combat this illegal practice, and more awareness has been raised than ever before.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Chinese diplomat Zhang Ming takes charge of Secretary-General of SCO: China’s senior diplomat Zhang Ming has taken charge as the new Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in which India is a member. He has taken charge from Vladimir Norov, former Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan for a three-year term. He was until recently China’s ambassador to the European Union.

The SCO comprises eight member states: India, Kazakhstan, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It also comprises four countries with “observer” status and six more as “dialogue partners”. India joined SCO at the Astana summit in 2017. 2022 will be an important year for India at SCO as, for the first time, it will assume the presidency of SCO, after Uzbekistan, for the period 2022-2023 which will culminate with the SCO Summit to be hosted by the Indian side in 2023. The SCO Summit is the meeting of the Council of Heads of States (HOS) and along with the Council of Heads of Government (HOG) makes two most important dialogue mechanisms among SCO member states.

 

2. Antigua and Barbuda joined ISA as the 102nd member: The Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as the 102nd member by signing the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement, the India-led global green energy initiative. The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne signed the framework agreement in the presence of Indian High Commissioner Dr K. J. Srinivasa to catalyze global energy transition through a solar-led approach.

ISA was jointly launched by India and France in 2015 during the 21st session of the United Nations Climate Change COP-21 in Paris, France to promote solar energy.

Note: Antigua and Barbuda Capital: Saint John’s; Antigua and Barbuda Currency: East Caribbean Dollar; Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister: Gaston Browne.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI cancelled authorisation certificates of Muthoot Vehicle Finance, Eko India: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the Certificate of Authorisation (CoA) of two Payment System Operators (PSOs): Muthoot Vehicle and Asset Finance Limited and Eko India Financial Services Private Limited, citing non-compliance with regulatory requirements under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. Both Muthoot Vehicle and Asset Finance Limited and Eko India Financial Services Private Limited had the certificate of authorisation issued by the RBI for issuance and operation of prepaid payment instruments.

The RBI further mentioned in its press release that the COA cancellation came into force on December 31, 2021. But RBI clarified in its notice that the customers or merchants who have a valid claim on these companies as PSOs can approach them for settlement of their claims within three years from the date of cancellation.

 

2. Shafali Verma appointed as Brand Endorser of Bank of Baroda: State-owned Bank of Baroda has signed cricketer Shafali Verma as its brand endorser. The Bank continuously supports the youth of the country through its various banking and non-banking initiatives and this announcement reflects the bank’s ethos of adding value to its customer experience by choosing youth-icons like Shafali to inspire them.” In 2019, at the age of 15, Shafali became the youngest cricketer to play in a Women’s Twenty20 International match for India. Previously in 2021, Shafali Verma became the 1st Women Cricketer to Hit 3 Sixes in Test Match.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Google acquires Israeli cybersecurity startup Siemplify for $500 million: Alphabet Inc-owned, Google has acquired Israeli cybersecurity startup Siemplify, in a deal worth $500 million. This acquisition will expand the U.S. tech giant’s security offerings in the country amid rising cyber-attacks. Siemplify will be integrated into Google Cloud’s Chronicle operation. As a part of Google Cloud’s security team, Siemplify will help companies better manage their threat response. About the Acquisition:

(1) This purchase marks the fourth acquisition of an Israeli company by Google and its first in the cybersecurity industry outside the US.

(2) Siemplify was founded in 2015 by Amos Stern (CEO), Alon Cohen (CTO) and Garry Fatakhov (COO). It has offices in Tel Aviv and headquarters in New York.

(3) Siemplify specializes in end-to-end security services for enterprises, typically referred to as security orchestration, automation and response (SOAR) services.

Note: Google CEO: Sundar Pichai; Google Founded: 4 September 1998, California, United States; Google Founders: Larry Page, Sergey Brin.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. South Indian Bank won UiPath Automation Excellence awards 2021: South Indian Bank (SIB) won the UiPath Automation Excellence Awards 2021 for Best Automation under ‘Crisis for Business Continuity’. The 2021 edition of the award recognises the contribution of the individuals and organizations across India and South Asia (Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal) for bringing change through transformative automation projects.

Other Awards:

 

Category	Individual/Organisation
Best Cognitive Automation	EY Global Delivery Services and PricewaterhouseCoopers
Best First Time Automation	Teejay and Shapoorji Pallonji and Co.
Best Automation Center of Excellence	Reckitt and JSW Global Business Solutions
Best Citizen Developer Program	Firstsource Solutions and HP Inc
Special UiPath Recognition	JSW Steel Limited and Omega Healthcare

 

2. JC Chaudhry gets first ever Guinness World Record in Numerology: India’s one of the top numerologists, JC Chaudhry has achieved the first-ever Guinness World Record in Numerology and the first world record of 2022 by educating about ancient science to around 6000 participants, enthusiasts of numerology joined from the United States, the United Kingdom, Middle East, and India. The Guinness World Record London office has opened a new category, “Numerology” for this achievement. The initiative was organised by CNPL (Chaudhry Nummero Pvt Ltd) and the Indian Institute of Numerology to create awareness regarding numerology, which is prevalent across ancient cultures like Greece, Egypt, China, Chaldea and India.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Shillong Chamber Choir founder Neil Nongkynrih passes away: Founder of Shillong Chamber Choir (SCC) and renowned Indian concert pianist Neil Nongkynrih passed away. In 2010, SCC performed for former US President Barack Obama & Michelle Obama during their visit to India. SCC’s version of ‘Vande Maataram’ was played during the live telecast program Indian space rocket Chandrayaan – 2’s landing on the moon. In 2015, he was awarded the Padma Shri – India’s fourth-highest civilian honour.

 

2. First black man to win Best Actor Oscar, Sidney Poitier passes away: Bahamian-American actor Sidney Poitier, who won an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1964, has died at the age of 94. In 1963, Poitier had made a film in Arizona, Lilies of the Field. The performance led to a huge milestone making him the first black winner of a lead-acting Oscar. He was awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 by President Obama for his work.

Sidney Poitier started his career as an actor in theatre in the 1940s before his breakthrough film role in the 1950 release No Way Out. Over a five-decade career in films, he worked both as an actor and director. His last appearance on screen was in the 1997 film Jackal.

Daily GK Update- 10th Jan, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Himachal Pradesh became 1st LPG enabled & smoke free state of the country: Himachal Pradesh became the first LPG enables, also, smoke-free state. This milestone was achieved due to the Ujjwala Scheme and Grahini Suvidha Yojana by Centre. The Ujjwala scheme was introduced by the government to get rid of the smoke. The Grahini Suvidha Scheme was introduced to assist the women of rural areas. Ujjwalla Yojna was started by the Centre government with the view to free the women of the country from indoor pollution. Along with this, the Himachal government also started the Grihini Suvidha Yojana to benefit as many women as possible, under the scheme.

About the Ujjwalla Yojna: Under the Ujjwala yojana with an expenditure of Rs. 21.81 crore 1.36 lakh free domestic connections were given in Himachal, while under the Grihini Suvidha Yojana of the Himachal government, 3.23 lakh housewives were provided free gas cylinders at a cost of Rs. 120 crore.

About the Mukhya Mantri Grihini Suvidha Yojana: Mukhya Mantri Grihini Suvidha Yojana was launched on 26th May 2018. With the concerted efforts of the Centre and State government, the women of the state have become free from indoor pollution. Besides this, in order to conserve the environment, free LPG connection is given to families with no gas connection.

Note: Himachal Pradesh Capital: Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter); Himachal Pradesh Governor: Rajendra Arlekar; Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister: Jai Ram Thakur.

 

2. Kerala’s High Court: India’s First paperless court: The Kerala High Court is all set to become India’s first paperless court. Supreme Court judge Justice DY Chandrachud inaugurated the smart courtrooms on 1 January 2022. In the 1st phase six courtrooms, including the Chief Justice’s room, will be converted into smart courts. Also, case files will be made available to the lawyers on the computer screen.

Working Process: Cases e-filed will be processed, verified and cured through e-mode, stakeholders can avail the option of hearing of cases in hybrid mode involving physical hearing as well as through videoconferencing, and orders and judgments will also be delivered through e-mode. Every part of the process can be viewed, processed through the dashboard or virtual box of individual stakeholders and participants in the judicial process. All stakeholders, including litigants, could access, work and update cases from the comfort of their homes, offices or in transit, added the communication.

 

3. Ayush Minister lays foundation stone of International Yoga Academy: Union Ayush Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal has laid the foundation stone of the Heartfulness International Yoga Academy in Hyderabad, Telangana. He also launched 75 crores suryanamaskar initiative as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”. The academy tries to reach all levels of society through training programmes and these will be overseen by an international team. This the academy has therapeutic Yoga rooms for consultation, one to one training spaces or small group classes; pre-natal Yoga rooms; a lecture hall with  200 sitting capacity; a full-fledged recording studio with editing suites for pre-recorded wellness programs; a recording Yoga hall fully equipped for Live online Yoga Classes; a Yoga library with books from every Yoga Institutions and access to Yoga research articles.

About the Suryanamaskar initiative: The 75 crore Suryanamaskar project is a tribute to 75 years of India’s independence. Surya Namaskar’s practice of sun salutation’ literally means the sun salutation and the project will continue until February 20. The programme is supported by some central ministries and is led by five international organizations – Patanjali Yogpeeth, Heartfulness Institute, NYSF-National Yogasana Sports Federation, Geeta Parivar and Kreeda Bharati. The 75 crores Suryanamaskar challenge aims to create the largest congregational Surya Namaskar event with each participant receiving a certificate upon completion of the 21-day Suryanamaskar challenge.

 

4. G Asok Kumar named as DG of National Mission for Clean Ganga: Additional Secretary under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, G Asok Kumar was appointed as the new Director-General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. He succeeded Director-General, Rajiv Ranjan Mishra. Kumar is popularly known as ‘the Rain Man of India’ for his excellent work in rainwater harvesting under the “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” campaign.

About the National Mission for Clean Ganga: National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was registered as a society on 12th August 2011 under the Societies Registration Act 1860. It acted as the implementation arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) which was constituted under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA),1986. NGRBA has since been dissolved with effect from the 7th October 2016, consequent to the constitution of the National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga (referred to as National Ganga Council).

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Atul Keshap appointed as President of US-India Business Council: Indian-origin American diplomat Atul Keshap has been appointed as the President of the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) by the US Chambers of Commerce. His term is effective from January 05, 2022. The US Chambers of Commerce is the parent body of USIBC. Atul Keshap replaces Nisha Desai Biswal. Prior to this, Keshap served in Delhi as United States Chargé d’Affaires to India, leading the US Embassy team. The USIBC represents top global companies operating across the United States, India, and the Indo-Pacific.

 

2. Indian-Origin Captain Harpreet Chandi reaches South Pole: Captain Harpreet Chandi, Indian-origin British Sikh Army officer and physiotherapist, also known as Polar Preet, has created history by becoming the first woman of colour to complete a solo unsupported trek to the South Pole. Capt. Chandi announced her history-making feat at the end of Day 40 after travelling 700 miles (1,127 kilometres) while pulling a pulk or sledge with all of her kit and battling temperatures of minus 50 degrees Celsius and wind speeds of around 60mph.

As part of a Medical Regiment in the northwest of England, Capt. Chandi’s primary role is to organise and validate training for medics in the Army as Clinical Training Officer.

 

3. World Hindi Day: 10th January: World Hindi Day is celebrated on January 10 since 2006 to promote the language at the global stage. The day marks the anniversary of the first World Hindi Conference which was inaugurated on January 10, 1975, by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi. However, the celebration of first World Hindi Day was commenced on 10 January 2006 by former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

Significance: The language got its name from the Persian term ‘Hind’ which means ‘the land of Indus’. The language is spoken in India, Trinidad, Nepal, Guyana, Mauritius and other countries.

History of the day: The first World Hindi Day conference was organised on January 10, 1975, in Nagpur, a city in the state of Maharashtra. The grand event registered the participation of 122 representatives from 30 countries. The day is observed in India from the year 2003. The Ministry of External Affairs began the tradition of celebrating World Hindi Day in other nations in 2006 with an aim to promote this language across the world.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI issued framework for offline digital payments: Reserve Bank of India has issued a framework for facilitating small-value digital payments in offline mode using cards, wallets, mobile devices, etc, to push digital transactions in rural and semi-urban areas. The upper limit of an offline payment transaction was fixed at Rs 200, with a total limit of Rs 2,000 at any point in time. The framework will enable the Authorised Payment System Operators (PSOs) and Payment System Participants (PSPs), Acquirers and Issuers (banks and non-banks) to conduct small value offline digital payments.

Under the offline mode, payments can be carried out face-to-face (proximity mode) using any channel or instrument like cards, wallets, and mobile devices. These transactions will not require an additional factor of authentication (AFA), the Reserve Bank of India said, adding that since the transactions are offline, alerts (by way of SMS and/or e-mail) will be received by the customer after a time lag.

 

2. RBI: Airtel Payments Bank gets scheduled bank status 2022: Airtel Payments Bank has been categorised as a scheduled bank by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the second schedule of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. With this, Airtel Payments Bank can now pitch for the government. Airtel Payments Bank is among the fastest-growing digital banks in the country, with a base of 115 million users. It offers a suite of digital solutions through the Airtel Thanks app and a retail network of over 500,000 neighbourhood banking points. The bank turned profitable in the quarter ended September 2021.

Note: Airtel Payments Bank’s MD and CEO: Nubrata Biswas; Airtel Payments Bank Headquarters: New Delhi; Airtel Payments Bank Founded: January 2017.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India records highest-ever monthly exports at $37 billion in December: The preliminary data released by the commerce and industry ministry, India exported goods worth $37.29 billion in December, the highest ever in a month, as demand for items such as engineering products, petroleum items, and gems and jewellery continued to soar. India’s export has increased by 37 per cent from the figures of December 2020. The import has also increased by 38 per cent from last December. India’s exports of goods will cross 400 billion dollars in this fiscal year.

According to the data:

(1) Shipments during April-December 2021 crossed $300 billion.

(2) Engineering goods export has grown by 37% over the last December while export of Gems and jewellery has increase by 15.8%.

(3) Readymade garments and cotton yarn export has grown by 22% and 46% over the last December respectively.

(4) India’s export of services during April-December 2021 was $178.81 billion.

(5) India will soon sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with the UAE to increase export.

 

2. NBBL launched UPMS to simplify recurring bill payments: NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd. (NBBL), the wholly-owned subsidiary of National Payments Corporation of India has introduced a functionality called ‘Unified Presentment Management System’ (UPMS). NBBL through UPMS will enable the customers to set up standing instructions – from any channel and for any mode on their recurring bill payments. The bills will be automatically fetched from the billers and presented to customers for their action, in terms of auto-debit and bill payment management.

About the UPMS: The bills will be automatically fetched from the billers and presented to customers for their action, in terms of auto-debit and bill payment management. UPMS will be available to customers through the centralized infrastructure and application support provided by Bharat BillPay Central Unit (BBPCU).

Note: NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd Founded: 2021; NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd CEO: Noopur Chaturvedi.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism awards announced: The Indian Express Group has announced the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards (RNG Awards) for journalists across the country, for their work done in 2019. RNG awards are one the most prestigious awards in India in the field of journalism, held annually since 2006. The photo stories of our winners appeared in our print and digital editions between December 24, 2021, and January 4, 2022.

List of winners:

 

Hindi (Print): Anand Choudhary, Dainik Bhaskar

Hindi (Broadcast): Sushil Kumar Mohapatra, NDTV India

Regional Languages (Print): Aniket Vasant Sathe, Loksatta

Regional Languages (Broadcast): Sunil Baby, Media One TV

Environment, Science And Technology Reporting (Print): Team Pari (People’s Archive Of Rural India)

Environment, Science And Technology Reporting (Broadcast): Team Scroll

Uncovering India Invisible (Print): Shiv Sahay Singh, The Hindu

Uncovering India Invisible (Broadcast): Tridip K Mandal, The Quint

Business And Economic Journalism (Print): Sumant Banerji, Business Today

Business And Economic Journalism (Broadcast): Ayushi Jindal, India Today TV

Reporting On Politics And Government (Digital): Dheeraj Mishra, The Wire

Reporting On Politics And Government (Broadcast): Seemi Pasha, Thewire.in

Sports journalism (Print): Nihal Koshie, The Indian Express

Sports journalism (Broadcast): Team NewsX

Investigative Reporting (Print): Kaunain Sheriff M, The Indian Express

Investigative Reporting (Broadcast): S Mahesh Kumar, Manorama News

Reporting On Arts, Culture And Entertainment: Uday Bhatia, Mint

Prakash Kardaley Memorial Award for Civic Journalism: Chaitanya Marpakwar, Mumbai Mirror

Photojournalism: Zishaan A Latif, The Caravan

Books (Non-Fiction): Arun Mohan Sukumar

About the Awards: The award is given to honour journalists across the country from print, broadcast and digital media who have maintained the highest standards of their profession and, despite immense challenges, produced work that sustains public trust in the media and impacts the lives of people. The award is named after Ramnath Goenka, the founder of “The Indian Express” and Indian Express Group in 1932.