NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Mohan Yadav sworn-in as Chief Minister of Madhya
Pradesh: Senior BJP leader Mohan Yadav was sworn-in as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
at the Motilal Nehru Stadium in Bhopal.
Governor
Mangubhai Patel administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Yadav, along
with Deputy Chief Minister-designates Rajendra Shukla and Jagdish Devda. Dr
Mohan Yadav is the third-time MLA from Ujjain Dakshin seat.
2. Atal Pension Yojana enrolments cross 6 crore mark: The total enrolment under the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has
crossed 6 crore, with over 79 lakh enrolments in the current Financial Year. The
APY is a flagship social security scheme of the Government of India which was
launched on 9th May 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide old age
income security to Indian citizens.
The
scheme focuses particularly on the poor, underprivileged, and workers in the
unorganized sectors.
3. India’s Retail Inflation surges 5.55 % in November: Retail inflation, based on the Consumer Price
Index (CPI), surged 5.55 percent in November on an annual basis as against 4.87
percent in October this year. Retail Inflation data has remained within the
Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) tolerance band of 2-6 percent. The data released
by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation showed that the food
inflation for November stood at 8.70 percent.
4. Vishnu Deo Sai to take oath as Chhattisgarh Chief
Minister: Senior BJP leader Vishnu
Dev Sai sworn-in as Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh in Raipur. Governor
Biswabhushan Harichandan administered the oath of office and secrecy to the
Chief Minister and council of ministers. Vishnu Deo Sai won the Kunkuri
Assembly seat with a total of 87,604 votes.
5. eShram cards issued to over 29 crore unorganized
workers registered on eShr: The Government said that eShram
cards have been issued to over 29 crore unorganized workers
registered on the eShram portal. The eShram portal was launched in 2021
for registration of unorganized workers.
The
main objective of the eShram
portal is to create a national database of unorganized workers and
to facilitate the delivery of Social Security and welfare Schemes to such
workers.
6. MHA approves Rs 338 crore for Gujarat,Rs 633 crore for
Himachal Pradesh: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has
given its nod for the release of ₹338 crore to Gujarat and ₹633 crore to Himachal Pradesh as financial
assistance for damages caused by natural calamities. Gujarat, affected by Cyclone Biparjoy, received swift and
proactive support from both the Centre and the state, resulting in a
zero-casualty rate during the calamity. The MHA also sanctioned an extra
financial assistance of ₹633.73 crore from the NDRF for Himachal Pradesh.
7. Poonawalla HF gets a new name, rebrands as Grihum
Housing Finance: Poonawalla Housing Finance
undergoes a significant makeover, becoming Grihum Housing Finance post the
acquisition by TPG Capital Asia, holding a 99.02% equity stake. The firm has
a customer base of over
75,000 that is served by a network of 195 branches, with plans to
add 2-3 branches every month.
8. Bhajan Lal Sharma becomes CM of
Rajasthan: Bhajan Lal Sharma is the next Chief
Minister of Rajasthan, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He won the
recently concluded elections from the Sanganer assembly seat, defeating
Congress’s Pushpendra Bhardwaj with over 48,081 votes. Bhajan Lal Sharma’s name
as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan was proposed by BJP’s Vasundhara Raje, who
was also among the contenders for the top post. Besides, Diya Kumari and Premchand Bairwa have been
named as Bhajan Lal Sharma’s two deputy chief ministers. MLA Vasudev Devnani will be the Speaker.
He hails from Ajmer and has previously served as the state Education Minister. The
BJP’s Bhajan Lal Sharma’s political journey in Rajasthan has been marked by
significant achievements. He has served as the State General Secretary for the
BJP four times.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Russia unveiled two new nuclear-powered submarines: President of Russia, Vladimir Putin has unveiled two new
nuclear-powered submarines “Krasnoyarsk and Emperor Alexander”. The Emperor
Alexander III is the seventh Borei-class atomic-powered submarine to enter the
service. Each of them is armed with 16 nuclear-tipped Bulava intercontinental
ballistic missiles. The Krasnoyarsk is a nuclear-powered submarine of the new
Yasen type. It is armed with cruise missiles and torpedoes, and is designed to
hunt for enemy submarines and is also capable of attacking ground targets.
2. Donald Tusk elected as PM of Poland: Donald Tusk elected as new Prime
Minister of Poland
Members
of the Polish Parliament backed Donald Tusk to become Poland’s Prime Minister
after current leader Mateusz Morawiecki lost a confidence vote in the country’s
Parliament. Tusk previously served as the Prime Minister of Poland from 2007 to
2014 and as president of the European Council from 2014 to 2019. Tusk was also
the president of the European People’s Party from 2019 to 2022.
3. 12 December – International Day of Neutrality: International Day of Neutrality is
commemorated every year on 12 December. Objective – To raise awareness
regarding the importance of neutrality in intergovernmental relations and to
strengthen peace and security at the global level. As per the United Nations,
neutrality is the legal status arising from the abstention of a country from
any kind of participation in a war between other states and maintaining an
impartial attitude toward the belligerents. The United Nations General Assembly
(UNGA) approved the proposal on February 2, 2017. On December 12, 2017, the
International Day of Neutrality was proclaimed. It also highlights the link
between peacekeeping and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. India and Vietnam unite for joint military exercise
VINBAX-2023: A contingent of 45 personnel from the Indian
Armed Forces has arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam, to participate in the fourth
edition of the Joint Military Exercise VINBAX-2023. The primary objective of
VINBAX-2023 is to enhance collaborative partnerships, promote interoperability,
and share best practices between the Indian and Vietnamese armed forces. The
VINBAX exercise, initiated in 2018, is an annual training event that alternates
between India and Vietnam.
2. Indian coast guard ship SAJAG strengthens maritime
ties with UAE: The Indian Coast Guard Ship SAJAG, an
Offshore Patrol Vessel, is on a three day visit to the UAE. This visit marks a
crucial milestone in the continuous diplomatic maritime engagement between
India and the UAE. The primary objective of the visit is to strengthen
professional relationships through joint exercises and interactions,
contributing to collaborative efforts in the maritime sector.
3. 4th edition of the Joint Military Exercise VINBAX-2023
begins in Hanoi: A contingent of 45
personnel from the Indian Armed
Forces has arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam, to participate in the fourth
edition of the Joint Military
Exercise VINBAX-2023. The exercise is scheduled to take place from the
11th to the 21st of December 2023. Comprising 39 personnel from an Engineer
Regiment of the Bengal Engineer Group and six personnel from the Army Medical
Corps, the Indian contingent aims to contribute expertise in engineering and
medical operations. On the other side, the Vietnam People’s Army contingent
will also be represented by an equal number of personnel. The VINBAX exercise,
initiated in 2018, is an annual training event that alternates between India
and Vietnam. The first edition took place in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, and the
most recent edition occurred at Chandimandir Military Station in August 2022.
SPORTS
1. Asad Shafiq announces retirement from all forms of
cricket: Pakistan Test batter Asad
Shafiq has announced his retirement
from all forms of cricket after experiencing a dip in his passion
for the game. Asad formed the backbone of the Pakistan Test batting line-up
from 2010 to 2020 scoring 4660 runs in 77 games at a healthy average of 38.19
including 12 hundreds and 27 fifties. After the spot-fixing scandal of 2010 in
England, Asad was seen as the perfect image of Pakistan cricket, clean and
non-controversial and throughout his career he preferred to keep away from the
media and limelight. Asad, who also played 60 ODIs and 10 T20 Internationals,
indirectly also admitted that perhaps in Pakistan cricket there was a tendency
to select players on likes and dislikes.
2. Travis Head, Nahida Akter won ICC Player of the Month
awards for November: Australian batter Travis Head and Bangladesh’s
left-arm spinner Nahida Akter have won the ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month,
respectively for November 2023. Nahida is the first Bangladesh women’s
player to win the award. The first ODI encounter of the series saw Akter claim
three wickets and 30 with a consistent spell of pressure bowling. With Pakistan
chasing down a lowly 82 for victory, the spinner kept the contest competitive,
claiming the wickets of Sidra Ameen, Bismah Maroof and Aliya Riaz to trouble
the tourists in their charge to victory. Head played a major role in his side’s
ODI World Cup glory with Player of the Match contributions (62 & 137) in
both the semifinal victory over South Africa, and the win over India in
Ahmedabad in the summit clash.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Intellect signs ₹80-crore deal with Indian Bank to
deploy cash management system: Intellect Design Arena Ltd, the
Chennai-based FinTech company for financial and insurance clients, has signed a
₹80 crore, five-year deal with Indian
Bank to deploy Intellect’s
eMACH.ai powered Cash Management System. The partnership is a pivotal
moment – adding another feather to Intellect’s growing footprint in the Indian
BFSI industry, rendering the capabilities of a cognitive enterprise for
revolutionizing transaction banking. Indian Bank, with a network of 4,900 ATMs
and 5,798 domestic branches, serves over 100 million customers with 41,000
employees and $140 billion worth of assets. As part of the project ‘INDLEAP’,
the Indian Bank has taken on the objective of digital transformation by
leveraging technology wherever possible with transaction banking and supply
chain management being the key growth engines.
2. Bank of India Unveils Nari Shakti Savings Account: Bank of India (BoI) has launched an exclusive
savings bank product for women (Nari Shakti Savings Account) with
an independent source of income. The savings account has features such as
personal accident insurance cover of up to ₹1 crore, discounted health
insurance and wellness products, and rebates on locker facilities for gold and
diamond SB A/C holders, among others. Additionally, the account offers a
concessional rate of interest on retail loans and waiver of processing charges
on these loans, free issuance of credit cards and a higher usage limit of up to
₹5 lakh on POS. The Nari Shakti savings account is conceptualized as a
financial savings tool to support working women (18 years and above), with an
independent source of income, enabling them to become self-reliant and enjoy a
higher degree of financial freedom.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Javed Akhtar to be felicitated with Padmapani Lifetime
Achievement Award: Veteran lyricist-screenwriter Javed Akhtar will be felicitated
with the Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ajanta-Ellora Film
Festival. Akhtar will be honoured for his contribution to the Indian film
industry on the opening day of the festival's ninth edition. The Padmapani
Award selection committee included renowned film director Girish Kasarvalli,
Hindi poet Ashok Vajpeyi, film critic Latika Padgaonkar, filmmakers Ashok Rane
and Chandrakant Kulkarni.
2. Nikhil Dey named as International Anti-Corruption
champion by US Govt.: Indian social
activist Nikhil Dey has been recognized as the International Anti-Corruption Champion
by the US State Department for his dedicated efforts against corruption in
government welfare programs in India. He has been acknowledged for his
noteworthy support of social movements that oppose corruption in government
welfare programs in India by encouraging transparency and accountability,
public audits, and participatory democracy. Dey’s work has led to significant
anti-corruption and transparency reforms in India, particularly in Rajasthan. Dey’s
efforts as a co-founder of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) contributed to
anti-corruption and transparency reforms in India, assisting the state of
Rajasthan in establishing public policies that promote accountability and
transparency.
3. Kabir Bedi awarded Italy’s highest honour “Order of
Merit of the Italian Republic”: Kabir Bedi was
awarded the “Order of Merit of the
Italian Republic” (Merito della Repubblica Italiana), the country’s
highest honour awarded to civilians, at a private ceremony held in Mumbai. The
“Order of Merit of the Italian Republic” stands as a testament to Italy’s
appreciation for those who have made outstanding contributions to society,
embodying the nation’s values of merit and excellence. It is Established on
March 3, 1951, the order is bestowed to individuals who have made significant
contributions to various fields, including arts, literature, economy, public
service, and social, philanthropic, and humanitarian activities.
4. 33rd Vyas Samman to be conferred Pushpa Bharati: Noted Hindi writer
Pushpa Bharati’s 2016 memoir, Yaadein, Yaadein aur Yaadein, has been selected for the 33rd Vyas Samman 2023. Born in
Moradabad of Uttar Pradesh in 1935, Bharati did her MA in Hindi literature from
Prayag University in 1955. In a career spanning decade, Bharati has authored
and edited books across genres, garnering critical acclaim. The award is given
to an outstanding Hindi literary work by an Indian citizen published during the
last 10 years. It carries a cash prize of ₹4 lakh, a citation, and a plaque. The
award is given by the KK Birla Foundation Instituted. The award was instituted
by the KK Birla Foundation in 1991. It is given annually to an outstanding work
of Hindi literature by an Indian citizen published in the last 10 years.
