NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
India unveils 5-year roadmap to becoming $300-billion electronics powerhouse: Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has released a 5-year roadmap
and Vision Document 2.0 for the electronics sector. The Vision Document 2.0
titled “$300 bn Sustainable Electronics Manufacturing & Exports by 2026”
has been prepared by MeitY in association with the India Cellular & Electronics
Association (ICEA). It is the second volume of a two-part Vision Document.
Vision Document 2.0 provides a year-wise break-up and production projections
for the various products. This will help India to transform into a US$300
billion electronics manufacturing powerhouse by 2026, from the current US$75
billion.
This roadmap is the second volume of a
two-part Vision Document – the first of which was released in November last
year. The first part of the document titled “Increasing India’s Electronics
Exports and Share in GVCs” was released in November 2021.
2.
MNRE to infuse ₹1,000 crore in SECI for financing renewable energy (RE)
capacity of 3,300 megawatt (MW): The Ministry of New and Renewable Ministry
(MNRE) has announced that it will infuse ₹1,000 crores in the state-run Solar
Energy Corporation of India (SECI). This has been done to enhance the capital
asset base of SECI. As per present RBI norms, an agency can extend loans on 20
percent of its net worth. With infusion of Rs 1000 crore in SECI its network
will increase and hence it can extend more loans. With this additional capital
infusion, the government aims at financing renewable energy (RE) capacity of
3,300 megawatt (MW). In 2015 Government had allowed the change of name from
“Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI)” to “Renewable Energy Corporation of
India (RECI)”
3.
World Bank approves USD 125 million loan to West Bengal to support poor and and
vulnerable groups:
The World Bank has sanctioned a loan worth $125 million (about Rs. 1,000 crore)
to the government of West Bengal to support its effort to help the poor and
vulnerable groups access social protection services. The loan has been provided
under the ‘West Bengal Building State Capability for Inclusive Social
Protection’ operation. The financial assistance will help the state
administration to improve services such as medical help through telemedicine,
support for the elderly and differently-abled, financial inclusion of citizens
with digital payments and disbursement of benefits for public schemes.
4.
Coal Ministry launches Koyla Darpan Portal to share Key Performance Indicators:
Government
of India has launched a web portal ‘Koyla Darpan’ to share Key Performance
Indicators (KPI) related to the Coal Sector. The portal was launched by Dr.
Anil Kumar Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Coal. The portal can be accessed
through the website of Ministry of Coal (https://coal.gov.in). Initially nine
KPIs have been listed on the portal. These includes:
1. Coal/Lignite Production; 2. Coal/Lignite
Offtake; 3. Exploration Data; 4. Central Sector Schemes; 5. Status of Coal
Stock in Thermal Power Plants; 6. Infrastructure Projects; 7. Allocation of
Blocks (CMSP/MMDR); 8. Monitoring of Major Coal Mines (CIL); 9. Coal Price.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
India and Israel launch commemorative logo to mark 30th anniversary of
establishment of diplomatic ties: India and Israel have launched a
commemorative logo to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic ties between the two countries. The logo was unveiled jointly by
Ambassador of Israel to India Naor Gilon and Indian envoy to Israel, Sanjeev
Singla thorugh virtual mode. The logo features the respective symbols of the
national flags of both countries, that is Ashoka Chakra and the Star of David.
The symbols forms the numeral 30 depicting the 30th anniversary of bilateral
relations. The diplomatic relations between Israel and India was established on
29 January 1992.
2.
Armenian President Armen Sarkissian Resigns: The President of Armenia, Armen
Sarkissian has announced his resignation. As per Sarkissian, his office is not
granted sufficient powers to allow him to be an effective head of state. Armen
Sarkissian served as the 4th president of Armenia from 9 April 2018 to 23
January 2022. He had also served as Prime Minister of Armenia from 4 November
1996 to 20 March 1997.
3.
Scientists find evidence of Secret Ocean on Saturn’s moon Mimas: A team of
Scientists at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in the US have discovered an
underground ocean buried beneath the surface of the ‘Death Star’-like moon of
Saturn, named Mimas. The new discovery would help the scientists in better
understanding Saturn’s rings and pave the way for further investigation towards
possible signs of life on the planet. If the discovery turns out to be true,
Mimas ocean will represent a new class of small, ‘stealth’ ocean worlds.
4.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day: 27th January: International Day
of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust (International
Holocaust Remembrance Day) is observed on 27 January. In 2022, the theme
guiding the United Nations Holocaust remembrance and education is “Memory,
Dignity and Justice”. The objective of the day is to commemorate the
anniversary of the tragedy of the Holocaust that occurred during the Second
World War.
History of the day: A genocide
occurred during World War II in which Nazi Germany, aided by its collaborators,
systematically murdered some six million European Jews, around two-thirds of
the Jewish population of Europe, between 1941 and 1945. United Nations
designated the day in 2005 to serve as a date for official commemoration of the
victims of the Nazi regime and to promote Holocaust education throughout the
world.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
Lucknow IPL Team to be called Lucknow Super Giants: Lucknow’s IPL
franchise, which is owned by Sanjiv Goenka (RPSG Group), has been renamed
Lucknow Super Giants ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega
auction. Lucknow team roped in KL Rahul as their captain and also roped in
Australia all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi. The official
IPL team of Lucknow crowdsourced its name from fans and a consumer engagement
campaign was launched on social media on 3rd Jan 2022.
Last year, the franchise was purchased by
the Sanjiv Goenka-owned of the RPSG group for an amount of Rs 7090 Crores. The
other new team to enter the competition is from Ahmedabad who were bought by
the Irelia Company Pte Ltd. (CVC Capital Partners) for Rs 5635 Crores.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
Govt notifies amalgamation of PMC Bank with Unity Small Finance Bank Ltd: The Government of
India has sanctioned and notified the Scheme for the amalgamation of the Punjab
and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank Ltd with Unity Small Finance Bank Ltd. This
means that from January 25, 2022 all the branches of the PMC Bank will function
as branches of Unity Small Finance Bank Ltd. Unity Small Finance Bank Limited
is promoted by Centrum Financial Services Limited along with Resilient Innovation
Private Limited. Both the promoters have infused capital of Rs 1105.10 crore in
the bank.
After the amalgamation of PMC Bank with
Unity SFB, Unity SFB will pay the customers of PMC Bank the amount it receives
from DICGC (maximum up to amount insured by DICGC i.e Rs 5 Lakh) in instalments
of 10 years. Section 45 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 empowers the
Reserve Bank of India to prepare a scheme of reconstruction or amalgamation of
banking companies (which include co-operative banks).
Note: Chairman Of PMC Bank: S. Balbir Singh
Kochhar; PMC Bank Founded: 1984; PMC Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
IMF down India’s FY22 growth forecast to 9% from 9.5%: The International
Monetary Fund (IMF) has cut India’s economic growth forecast for the current
fiscal 2021-22 (FY22) to 9 per cent, in its latest world economic outlook
report. Earlier this was estimated at 9.5%. IMF has projected the growth
forecast for India in 2022-23 (FY23) at 7.1% IMF has projected the global growth
rate in 2022 to 4.4%, and in 2023 to 3.8%.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1.
Assam government awarded ‘Asom Baibhav Award’ to Ratan Tata: The government of
Assam has conferred its highest civilian award ‘Assam Baibhav’ on Industrialist
Ratan Tata. Assam governor Jagdish Mukhi conferred the award to the former
chairman of Tata Sons. The Assam government conferred ‘Asom Baibhav’ to Ratan
Tata for his contribution to setting up cancer treatment facilities in the
state. Other Awards winners:
(1) Assam Saurav award was conferred on
Professor Dipak Chand Jain, Lovlina Borgohain, Professor Kamalendu Deb Krori,
Dr Lakshmanan S, and Neel Pawan Baruah.
(2) Assam Gaurav award was conferred on
Manoj Kumar Basumatary, Munindra Nath Ngatey, Dharanidhar Boro, Hemoprabha
Chutia, Dr Basanta Hazarika, Kaushik Baruah, Khorsing Terang, Akash Jyoti
Gogoi, Namita Kalita, Dr Asif Iqbal, Kalpana Boro, Boby Hazarika, and Bormita
Momin.
Note: Assam Governor: Jagdish Mukhi; Assam
Chief Minister: Himanta Biswa Sarma.
2. Olympian
Neeraj Chopra honoured with Param Vishisht Seva Medal: Olympian Neeraj
Chopra will be honoured with Param Vishisht Seva Medal on the eve of Republic
Day by President Ram Nath Kovind. He is the first track and field athlete to
win a gold medal for India at the Olympics. Neeraj is a Subedar in the Indian
Army. He had enrolled in 4 Rajputana Rifles as a direct entry to Naib Subedar
in 2016. He was chosen for training at the Mission Olympics Wing and Army
Sports Institute in Pune.
Gallantry awards: President Ram
Nath Kovind will honour 384 defence personnel with Gallantry and other awards
at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The awards include 12 Shaurya Chakras, 29 Param
Vishisht Seva Medals, 4 Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 53 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 13
Yudh Seva Medals, three Bar to Vishisht Seva Medals. The President will also
honour the winners of 122 Vishisht Seva Medals, three Bar to Sena Medals
(Gallantry), 81 Sena Medals (Gallantry), two Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry), 40
Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty), eight Nao Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty), and
14 Vayu Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty).
3.
J&K Police Bags Highest 115 Police Medals For Gallantry: Jammu and Kashmir
Police has bagged 115 Police Medals for Gallantry (PMG), out of a total of 189
awarded this year. They more than doubled their last year’s tally of 52 PMGs.
J&K Police won awards for conducting several counter-insurgency operations
in 2019-20. Police personnel from Jammu and Kashmir have been awarded 115
Police Medals for Gallantry, the highest number from any police force this
year, followed by CRPF with 30, Chhattisgarh Police with 10, Odisha Police with
nine, and Maharashtra Police with seven.
DEFENCE
1.
Russia delivers all the contracted 70,000 AK-203 assault rifles to India: Russia delivered
all the contracted 70,000 AK-203 Kalashnikov assault rifles to the Indian Armed
Forces. The Indian Armed Forces had placed an order for 670,000 rifles, for
which the contract was signed on December 06, 2021, between India and
Kalashnikov (Russian defence manufacturing unit). The total cost of the
contract is around Rs 5,124 crore. The contract included procuring 70,000
rifles off the shelf.
The remaining 600,000 rifles will be
manufactured by an Indo-Russian joint venture company, Indo-Russia Rifles
Private Limited (IRRPL), based at Amethi, Uttar Pradesh India under transfer of
technology (ToT). [at Korwa Rifle Factory, Amethi]. The lightweight AK-203
Rifles will replace the military’s in-service INSAS (Indian Small Arms System)
Rifle.
2. Western
Naval Command conducts Joint maritime exercise Paschim Lehar (XPL-2022): Western Naval
Command of the Indian Navy conducted a joint maritime exercise Paschim Lehar
(XPL-2022) off the West Coast which concluded. The exercise continued for 20
days and was conducted with an aim to enhance Inter-Service synergy among the
Indian Navy, IAF, Indian Army and Coast Guard. The Western Naval Command (HQ-
Mumbai) is one of the three command-level formations of the Indian Navy. The
other two are Eastern Naval Command (HQ- Visakhapatnam) and Southern Naval
Command (HQ- Kochi).
A variety of weapon firings in a realistic tactical scenario, besides validation of operational missions and tasks under varying settings, were undertaken during the exercise. The exercise provided all participating forces an opportunity to operate together under realistic conditions, in responding to contemporary maritime challenges, across the areas of the Command’s responsibility.
