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Monthly Current Affairs: December 2020

IMPORTANT DATES

World AIDS Day is observed on December 1

The virus was identified in 1984 after many people have lost their lives due to HIV or AIDS. The day is known as an opportunity for people worldwide to unite and fight against HIV and also to remind people that the disease has not been eradicated. The day is also the first-ever global health day.

National Pollution Control Day is observed on December 2

National Pollution Control Day is observed on 2nd December to raise awareness about pollution and its hazardous effects. December 2 commemorates the victims of Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is observed on December 2

The day is a reminder of the unfair treatment that people face due to threats, violence, coercion, or abuse of power. On 2nd December 1949, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) approved the Convention for Suppression of Traffic in Persons and Exploitation of Prostitution of Others. The date is marked as the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery to make people aware about modern slavery.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed on December 3

World Day of the Handicapped is also known as the International Day of People with Disability (IDPWD). World Day of the Handicapped is observed on December 3. It was started in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly. The theme this year is building back better towards a disability inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-Covid 19 world.

Indian Navy Day (First Friday of December)

Indians celebrate Indian Navy Day 2020, on December 4. It is one of the special days in December 2020 that puts light on Operation Trident, which was carried out at Karachi Harbour in 1971’s Indo-Pakistan war. The day is now for the annual remembrance of the achievements, difficulties, and roles that brave Navy people faced during the war.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ International Volunteer Day (First Saturday of December)

International Volunteer Day (IVD) is celebrated on 5 December annually. December 5 is one of those special days in December 2020 that gives a chance to appreciate the efforts that volunteers take to promote their work in society. The day was designated by the United Nation in 1985.

World Soil Day (First Saturday of December)

5th December is observed as World Soil Day. In 2013, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations collectively supported and requested the officials of the UN Assembly to mark the day. The day is observed to raise awareness about healthy ecosystems and the importance of soil in human lives.

Armed Forces Flag Day is observed on December 7

Armed Forces Flag Day is observed across the country on 7 December since 1949 to honour the martyrs. It is also a day to remember the men who fought with bravery on the borders to safeguard the country’s honour.

International Civil Aviation Day is observed on December 7

International Civil Aviation Day is observed on 7 December worldwide. It came into existence in 1994 as part of ICAO’s 50th-anniversary activities. It is known to raise awareness about these important days for social and economic development.

.Army Service Corps celebrates its raising day on December 8 ​ Army Chief General MM Naravane and all ranks of Indian Army have extended their greetings to all ranks of the Army Service Corps on the occasion of its Raising Day on 8 December. On 8th December 1950, the word 'Royal' was dropped from the nomenclature of Army Service Corps and since then the day has been celebrated as its raising Day.

International Anti-Corruption Day is observed on December 9

Corruption these days has affected health, education, justice, democracy, prosperity, and also development. To solve many problems that societies across the world face, it is important to eradicate corruption. Hence, the International Anti-Corruption day is meant to remind the community about the loss that corruption causes.

Human Rights Day is celebrated on December 10

Human Rights Day is celebrated on 10 December. This day is observed to protect the fundamental human rights of all people and this basic human freedom which should be available to them. The day was incepted in 1948 when the UN Assembly passed the resolution to adopt the day as Human Rights Day to all states and interested organisations.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ International Mountain Day (Second Friday of December)

International Mountain Day is celebrated on the Second Friday of December every year. This day is dedicated to the role that mountains play in providing fresh water, clean energy, food, and recreation.

National Energy Conservation Day is celebrated on December 14

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under the Ministry of Power, celebrates 14 December as National Energy Conservation Day. The purpose behind the celebration of these important days is to spread awareness about the necessity of energy and its conservation in our daily life.

International Tea Day is celebrated on December 15

One of the world’s favourite beverages, tea is consumed largely all over the world. Trade Unions in 2005 had organised the International Tea Day campaign for the small tea growers and the civil organisations to put light on the issues that small growers were facing. Since 2005, 15th December every year is observed as International Tea Day.

Vijay Diwas is observed on December 16

On 16th December 1972, the Pakistani forces surrendered to the allied forces consisting of the Indian Army and Mukti Bahini, liberating Bangladesh from Pakistan. Hence this special day is a remembrance day for the brave soldiers and for all those people who had fought and lost their lives in successfully achieving this noble cause.

Minorities Rights Day in India is observed on December 18

18th December in India is known as Minorities Rights Day. The day focuses on promoting and preserving the rights of minorities in terms of linguistic, religious, and caste freedom and also ensures the safety of minorities. Several events and campaigns are conducted to educate people about this special day. The day is exceptionally one of the important days in December 2020.

International Migrants Day is observed on December 18

International Migrants Day is celebrated on 18 December to raise awareness about the protection for migrants and refugees.

Goa’s Liberation Day is observed on December 19

On 19 December 1961, the Indian Army invaded Goa with Operation Vijay. After 36 hours of the operation, Portuguese Governor General Vassalo da Silva surrendered and hence Goa was organised as a centrally administered union territory of India which later became a state.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ International Human Solidarity Day (Third Sunday of December)

International Human Solidarity Day is observed on 20 December. The day is especially reminded to celebrate unity in diversity, to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements, and to encourage debate on ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.

National Mathematics Day is celebrated on 22 December

National Mathematics Day is celebrated on 22 December annually to commemorate the birth anniversary of the famous mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. The day is important for mathematics teachers and students. It is celebrated to raise awareness about the importance of Mathematics across the country. Another important aim to remember this day is for the development, production, and dissemination of teaching-learning materials (TLM) for Mathematics and research.

Kisan Diwas is celebrated on December 23

On December 23, to celebrate the birthday of Chaudhary Charan Singh, the 5th Prime Minister of India, Kisan Diwas or National Farmers Day is observed across the country. From 2001, the government decided to observe the day as Kisan Diwas.

National Consumer Rights Day is observed on December 24

To protect customers from unfair trade practices, deficiency in services, or defective goods, the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 was enacted. Hence, every year on December 24, National Consumer Rights Day is observed to highlight the importance of the consumer movement.

STATE NEWS

Nagaland hosts first virtual celebration of Hornbill Festival 2020

Nagaland is hosting the first virtual celebration of Hornbill Festival 2020 from today till 5th of this month. Dubbed as the “Festival of Festivals”, the Hornbill Festival is celebrated every year showcasing the rich cultural heritage and tradition of the Nagas in one platform at Naga Heritage Village Kisama under Kohima District. However, due to Coronavirus pandemic, the state is holding its 21st edition of Hornbill festival 2020 completely in virtual mode.

Nagaland celebrates its 58th Statehood day

Nagaland is celebrating its 58th Statehood day today. It became the 16th State of the Union of India on 1st December 1,963. The formal inauguration of the state was done by the then President of India Dr. S. Radhakrishnan.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ Madhya Pradesh Aims to completely eliminate AIDS by 2030

Madhya Pradesh Aims to completely eliminate AIDS by 2030. In Madhya Pradesh, the number of AIDS patients is growing rapidly in the state. 69 thousand 400 people have been infected in the state so far. The highest number 12 thousand 773 patients reported in Indore. Bhopal is at number two with more than 7 thousand patients. Jabalpur has around 6 thousand patients while Gwalior has more than 3 thousand HIV patients. Dr KD Tripathi, project director of MP State AIDS Control Society, says that the AIDS infection rate in MP is 1.64 percent.

"Child-friendly" police station launched in Pune

A "child-friendly" police station set up in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the National Commissioner for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) was launched in Pune. This police station will work towards character building among children and will also work in changing the notion that police are not enemies but friends of people.

Five-star village postal scheme launched in Uttarakhand

The Union Minister of State for Communication Sanjay Dhotre launched a five star village postal scheme to ensure the universal coverage of flagship postal schemes in Dehradun yesterday for rural areas of Uttarakhand. He also distributed Sukanya Samridhi Yojana passbooks, checkbooks, ATM Cards and saving bank passbooks to the beneficiaries of senior citizens welfare fund schemes.

ADB, India sign 50 million loan to boost West Bengal’s digital platforms for public finance reforms

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $50 million policy-based loan to improve financial management procedures and operational efficiencies aimed at achieving more fiscal savings, promote informed decision making, and improve service delivery in the state of West Bengal.

Manipur's Nongpok Sekmai police station chosen as best performing Police Station in country

Nongpok Sekmai police station in Manipur's Thoubal district has been chosen as the best performing Police Station in the country. AWPS-Suramangalam police station in Tamil Nadu's Salem district and Kharsang in Arunachal Pradesh's Changlang district have been adjudged as the second and third best performing police stations.

Odisha approves unified emergency helpline number 112

The Odisha Government approved the unified emergency helpline number 112 to provide all forms of police assistance to people in distress. Launching the service yesterday Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the consolidated helpline number would enable police to rush services to people in an efficient manner. The helpline number 112 subsumes the earlier segregated helpline numbers like 100,101,108 and other for emergency services like police, fire and ambulance.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ Delhi govt launches forum for successful implementation of EV policy

The Delhi government launched a forum to engage with stakeholders for the successful implementation of its recently launched electric vehicles policy. The primary objective of the Delhi Electric Vehicles Policy, 2020 is to accelerate the pace of EV adoption across vehicle segments. The first meeting of the forum will be held virtually on December 18 to discuss and understand challenges towards deployment of electric vehicles.

Maharashtra gets 10 new conservation reserves, one sanctuary

State Wildlife Board of Maharashtra has accepted suggestions to declare eight areas in the western part of the state and two in Vidarbha as conservation reserves and upgrade Kanhalgaon in Chandrapur to the level of a sanctuary. State environment minister Aaditya Thackeray informed that it was decided in a meeting of the board held yesterday that a sub group will be set up to work on upgrading conservation reserves to sanctuaries after talking to the local population.

The new conservation reserves are Amboli - Dodamarg, Chandgad, Aajra- Bhudargad, Gaganbawda, Panhalgad, Vishalgad, Jor Jambhli, Maini in western Maharashtra, and Mahendri and Munia in Vidarbha.

Kolkata Police to reimpose 'No Helmet no petrol' rule

Kolkata Police has decided to re-impose the "no helmet no petrol" rule forbidding petrol pumps from selling fuel to motorcyclists without helmets. The 'no helmet no petrol' rule would start from December 8 and will continue for 60 days.

Jharkhand prohibits all state government employees from consuming any form of tobacco products

The government of Jharkhand prohibits all state government employees from consuming any form of tobacco products. The state government has forced all state government employees to submit an affidavit stating that they will quit smoking. Tobacco products include any cigarettes, bidi, kanini, gutka, pan masala, zarda or subari, as well as tobacco leaves of any name, electronic cigarettes, electronic cigarettes and Tobacco products-smoking and smokeless. The judgement was made at a meeting of the State Chapter of the National Tobacco Control Program, to implement the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act of 2003 (COTPA). The decision will be implemented on April 1, 2021.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath launches Covid-19 testing centre detection app

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched COVID-19 testing centre detection app named the Mera Covid Kendra app which will help people get information about nearby testing labs. All the data like map, centre timing, test type and other details of the testing labs are present in the map. 'Mera COVID Kendra' app which will help people in accessing public and private COVID testing labs available within 5 km of their location.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ UP becomes 1st state to conduct over 2 crore tests

Uttar Pradesh government has created a new record of testing two crore samples for COVID-19. Expressing satisfaction on completing the two crore tests of COVID-19 in the state so far, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that ness should be maintained against infection. He asked that the People should be motivated to wear masks and hand washing regularly along with social distancing. He instructed that better treatment of patients infected with COVID-19 be ensured and there should not be any laxity at any stage.

GADVASU, Ludhiana secured 1st rank amongst State Veterinary Universities

Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana has secured the first rank amongst State Veterinary Universities in India for the year 2019. GADVASU topped the ranking, conducted by the Education Division of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi. Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has also been accorded No.2 ranking amongst Agricultural Universities by ICAR for the year 2019.

Odisha tourism launches its flagship Eco-Retreat program at 5 locations

Odisha Tourism launched its flagship Eco-Retreat program at 5 locations in the State. The event, inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik through virtual mode, aims at boosting tourism in the State. The five locations, namely Konark, Satakosia, Bhitarkanika, Daringibadi and Hirakud under the scheme are open to the tourists till February next year. Under the programme, accommodation facilities and services will be provided to tourists in luxury cottages in the identified locations.

Free blood for patients at Maharashtra govt hospitals

Blood will be provided free of cost to patients receiving treatment at state-run hospitals in Maharashtra. Earlier, processing charges of ₹800 were used to be imposed on patients needing blood. There are 344 active blood banks in the state.

Ladakh LG virtually inaugurates second edition of Ladakh Literature Festival 2020

Ladakh Lieutenant Governor R K Mathur virtually inaugurated the second edition of Ladakh Literature Festival, 2020, in Leh. The three Day festival will host a series of talks, importance of the region, ancient knowledge of Ladakh, Folk music, cultural Dance, geology and wildlife of Himalayas and several interesting topics on YouTube and Facebook streaming.

Nitin Gadkari inaugurates three lane 1.5 km long Koilwar bridge over Sone river in Bihar

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the three lane 1.5 km long Koilwar bridge over Sone river in Bihar through Video Conferencing. A sum of 266 crore rupees has been spent on the bridge. The existing two lane bridge for both rail and road traffic is 138 years old. The bridge is a major road for transport between Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ World class incubation centre in offing in Maharashtra

In a bid to provide basic amenities and conducive atmosphere to new entrepreneurs, a world class incubation centre is in the offing in Maharashtra. The state government would sign a MoU with Cornell University from New York, USA for setting up the incubation centre. With this, Maharashtra will become the first state in the country to come up with such a centre and also to sign an MoU with an international university. The incubation centre will come up at Ghansoli in Navi Mumbai on a thirteen thousand square feet land.

Uttar Pradesh govt to set up 35,000 Covid vaccine centres across the state

Uttar Pradesh government will prepare 35 thousand Covid vaccine centres under 24 hours CCTV surveillance in the state. All vehicles carrying vaccines will also have the GPS (global positioning system) trackers. He said the state would set up 35,000 centres for the Covid vaccine and all of them would be put under camera vigil. He asked the health and home departments to prepare a foolproof work plan for secure storage and cold chain for Covid vaccines.

UAE-based Lulu group to set up food processing centre in Srinagar

The UAE-based Lulu group announced it would set up a food processing centre in Srinagar for sourcing a wide range of agri products from Jammu and Kashmir. The MoU was signed between Lulu group and Fruit Master Agro Fresh Jammu and Kashmir for supply of apple and other fruits for the supermarkets of Lulu group across the Gulf Countries.

Maharashtra Government issues dress code at work: No T-shirt, jeans in office

Maharashtra Government has imposed a ban on wearing of T-shirts and jeans by the employees in the state secretariat and government offices. The state government has issued an order, asking its employees and contractual staff to come to offices wearing appropriate formal clothes. States which issued dress codes at work are Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh.

Elephant health camp organised by Kaziranga national park

In Assam, an elephant health camp has been organised by the Kaziranga national park authority for the routine health care of the departmental elephants of the park recently. There are 63 numbers of camp elephants in various ranges of both Eastern Assam wildlife division and Western Assam wildlife division as well as in Laokhowa Burhachapori wildlife sanctuary.

Section 144 imposed on Ghats of river Ganga in Varanasi

In Uttar Pradesh, section 144 has been imposed on the Ghats of river Ganga in Varanasi city and taking selfie while standing during boat ride in river has been strictly prohibited. District administration has issued many guidelines regarding the boat ride in River Ganga for the safety of passengers in water bodies.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ UP approves financial incentives for Samsung display factory

India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh said it will give financial incentives to South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co to set up a 48.25 billion rupee ($654.36 million) display factory. Samsung is re-locating the factory to the state from China, the Uttar Pradesh administration said in a statement, a move that will help boost Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship drive to make India a manufacturing hub.

All states, except Tamil Nadu, availed benefits of “Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure” scheme

All the states except Tamil Nadu have availed benefits of the newly announced scheme for “Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure”. The scheme was announced by the Finance Minister on 12th October as a part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat package. The Scheme is aimed at boosting capital expenditure by the State Governments who are facing a difficult financial environment this year due to the shortfall in tax revenue arising from the COVID 19 pandemic.

Gujarat govt. makes online registration compulsory for holding wedding functions

Gujarat Government has made online registration compulsory for holding wedding functions in the State. National Informatics Center has created a software for online registration for organizing marriage functions which has been activated on Digital Gujarat Portal. According to official sources, online registration on www.digitalgujarat.gov.in is compulsory for holding any marriage function in the State.

Maharashtra govt all set to launch 'MahaSharad' platform

Maharashtra’s Department of Social Justice is all set to launch an ambitious scheme for distribution of assistive devices to lakhs of persons with disabilities through MahaSharad Digital Platform to coincide with NCP chief Sharad Pawar's 80th birthday. It will be available on Play Store by March 2021. Maharashtra System for Health and Rehabilitation Assistance” or MahaSharad platform has been created to provide various devices to persons with disabilities free of cost through the Commissionerate for persons with Disability.

9th edition of Sustainable Mountain Development Summit begins in Dehradun

The ninth edition of the Sustainable Mountain Development Summit (SMDS) in Dehradun has begun. The theme for this year is Emerging Pathways for Building a Resilient Post COVID-19 Mountain Economy, Adaptation, Innovation and Acceleration. The summit will focus on the overall objective of building pathways toward a resilient and sustainable mountain economy in the context of a post COVID-19 scenario and Climate Change.

Nitin Gadkari lays foundation stone for NAEC Pvt Ltd in Hingna industrial area of Nagpur

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stone for Nagpur Auto & Engineering Cluster Pvt Ltd (NAEC) in Hingna Industrial Area of Nagpur. The cluster approved under Cluster Development Plan of MSME comprises Micro Small Enterprises in Auto & Engineering Sector.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ 1st service of Pawan Hans MI 17 Helicopter between Kargil to Srinagar started

In Kargil, the first service of Pawan Hans MI 17 Helicopter between Kargil to Srinagar started today and lifted 13 passengers from Kargil to Srinagar and 14 from Srinagar to Kargil. The service will ease the issue of transportation during the winter season. The fare of this helicopter service is Rs 9,000 per passenger and anyone willing to avail the service can contact the Liaison officer Naib Tehsildar Kargil.

GRSE Kolkata launches ‘Himgiri’, its 1st Ship of Project 17A

Himgiri, which is the first of the three Project 17A ships being built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata was launched. She made her first contact with the waters of Hoogly River at 1:35 PM at the launch ceremony where Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat was the Chief Guest.

Odisha CM announces ₹289.42 crore package for MSMEs

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik approved a stimulus package of ₹289.42 crore for MSMEs that have been facing stiff challenges amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The initiative will help entrepreneurs, mostly women and those from the weaker sections, to overcome unexpected challenges that came along with the pandemic.

Ladakh celebrates New Year 'Losar'

People in Ladakh region are celebrating Ladakhi New Year, Losar on 15th December. Symbolic Losar celebrations and special prayers are held at Chokanga Vihara in Leh.

Karnataka govt. and British Council sign MoU to further bilateral cooperation in higher education

The Government of Karnataka and British Council today signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Bengaluru to further bilateral cooperation in higher education. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said that the three years MoU involves leadership development in higher education institutions.

UP govt to launch ‘Kisan Kalyan Mission’ to double the income of farmers

Uttar Pradesh government will launch a special program to double the income of farmers. The program named as Kisan Kalyan Mission will cover all assembly constituencies of the state. Under the Kisan Kalyan mission various programs will be organised across the state. Exhibitions of agriculture and Associate sectors will be organised which will include the products of MSME sector units and livelihood missions.

Nagaland government totally banned use of flex banners, boards and posters

Nagaland Government has totally banned the use of flex banners, boards and posters by departments, institutions and agencies during functions or programmes in government offices with

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ immediate effect. The notification further stated that use of eco-friendly materials such as cloth banners, lightweight textile fabrics, wrinkle resistant wrap knit and particle boards may be encouraged to combat plastic pollution in the State.

Rajnath Singh inaugurates the advanced Hypersonic Wind Tunnel test facility in Hyderabad

Defence minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the advanced Hypersonic Wind Tunnel test facility in Hyderabad. The state-of-the-art facility is a pressure vacuum driven enclosed free jet facility with nozzle exit of one-meter diameter. With this India has become the third country to have such a huge facility in size and capability after America and Russia.

Arjun Munda inaugurates Tribes India showrooms in Kolkata and Gwalior

Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda inaugurated Two Tribes India showrooms (Kolkata in person and Gwalior virtually) in a grand opening ceremony in Kolkata.

Madhya Pradesh CM to distribute interest-free loans of Rs 10,000 each to street vendors

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will distribute an interest-free loan of 10 thousand rupees each under the Chief Minister Rural street Vendor Scheme to about 20 thousand street vendors. Chief Minister Rural street Vendor Scheme has been implemented on the line of Pradhan Mantri urban street vendor scheme- PM Swanidhi in the rural areas of the state. Under the Chief Minister rural street vendor scheme, small vendors including fruits-vegetables sellers, carpenters, potters, weavers, washer men are given an interest free loan of Rs 10 thousand each for their work.

UP Govt launches ‘Varasat’ campaign to curb property & land-related disputes in rural areas

The Uttar Pradesh state government has launched a special campaign to curb property & land-related disputes in rural areas. This is a first of its kind campaign to end the nagging land-related issues in the rural areas. It is aimed at eradicating the exploitation of the villagers in the name of 'Varasat' of land and property.

Tourism Ministry organises Domestic Tourism roadshow in Goa

The Ministry of Tourism organised the domestic tourism roadshow in Goa through its India Tourism office in Goa . This event was organised in collaboration with Goa Tourism and Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG).

Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurates eighth oil & gas production plant of the country in West Bengal

The eighth oil and gas production plant of the country was inaugurated in Ashoknagar in North 24-Parganas, in West Bengal by Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. While inaugurating the plant the Minister said the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation ONGC found mineral oil and natural gas in Ashoknagar in 2016, and although there were some problems in land acquisition at first, it was later resolved.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ 21-year-old Arya Rajendran becomes youngest mayor of Thiruvananthapuram

Arya Rajendran, the 21-year-old college student who successfully contested the recent civic body polls in Kerala, was on 28th Dec elected the next mayor of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. She is the youngest person to occupy the post anywhere in the country. She won the civic body elections from Mudavanmugal ward of the city corporation, winning 2,872 votes.

Meghalaya inaugurates much awaited facilitation centre in Umling, Ri-Bhoi district

Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya Prestone Tynsong inaugurated the much awaited facilitation centre (entry-exit point) in Umling, Ri-Bhoi district. The facilitation centre or infiltration checkpoint has been the demand for many NGOs and political parties. It will act as a mechanism to check the influx of illegal immigrants.

Odisha MLAs spend 'A Day-at-Sea' as part of 1971 Indo-Pak War celebrations

A Day-at-Sea for members of Odisha Legislative Assembly was conducted onboard ships of the Eastern Fleet of Indian Navy off Paradip. The event is organised by the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) as part of Fifty Glorious Years of victory of the 1971 Indo-Pak War celebrations and aimed to introduce the maritime domain to the peoples' representatives of the Odisha State.

Karnataka govt to provide fibernet in all higher primary govt schools

Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister Suresh Kumar has said that the department will tie up with Bharat net to provide fibernet in all the higher primary government schools. On starting of 10th and 12th standard offline classes from January 1, 2021, the minister said that all precautions are being taken to ensure that students attending the classes are safe from contracting the Covid 19 virus.

Tamil Nadu govt. grants permission to hold jallikattu next year with certain restrictions

The Tamil Nadu government has granted permission to hold jallikattu, the popular bull taming sport, next year with certain restrictions. An official press release said that bull taming sports like jallikattu, manjuvirattu and vadamadu would be permitted with a maximum of 300 tamers. The traditional events are held between January and May. In all these events, participants are permitted with a maximum ceiling of 50 per cent of the total capacity of the open spaces. The participants will be allowed only upon thermal screening.

Andhra Pradesh launches housing programme ‘Pedalandariki Illu’

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the flagship programme of Navaratnalu ‘Pedalandariki Illu,’ (housing for poor) at Komaragiri layout of Pithapuram Assembly constituency in East Godavari district. The government will take up the construction of 28.30 lakh houses at a total cost of ₹50,940 crore. In the first phase 15.60 lakh houses will be taken up at a cost of ₹28,000 crore and the work on the remaining 12.70 lakh houses will commence from next year.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ PM Modi to lay foundation stone of AIIMS at Rajkot in Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, AIIMS at Rajkot, Gujarat tomorrow morning through video conferencing. For the project, 201 acres of land has been allotted. It will be built at an estimated cost One thousand One hundred 95 crore rupees and is expected to be completed by mid of 2022.

Gujarat announces its new Solar Power Policy-2021

Gujarat Government has announced its new Solar Power Policy - 2021. As per the policy, any person, developer or industry can set up a solar project in its premises or land without any limit. A limit of only 50 per cent of sanctioned load/contract demand for industry to set up the solar project has been removed in the new policy.

Karnataka signs three agreements with different firms to impart skill training to youths for jobs abroad

The Deputy Chief Minister and minister for higher education Dr. C N Ashwath Narayana has informed that the state has signed three agreements with different firms to impart skill training to the youths of the state for fetching them jobs abroad.

Madhya Pradesh cabinet approves Dharma Swatantrata (Religious Freedom) Ordinance 2020

The Madhya Pradesh cabinet approved the Dharma Swatantrata (Religious Freedom) Ordinance 2020. State Home Minister Narottam Mishra said that the Ordinance has been sent to the Governor for assent. Under the provisions of the Ordinance forced conversion of a woman will be punishable for a term up to 10 years and minimum fine of Rs 50,000. Specific provisions are also made in the cases of religious conversion of minors, groups, or of those belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Madhya Pradesh Government Organizes "Raag-Bhopali" Exhibition

The Madhya Pradesh Government is organizing a "Raag-Bhopali" exhibition to promote Bhopal’s Zari-Zardozi handicrafts. Embroidery done with metal thread is called kalabattu and forms zari. The main Zari production centre is in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Here, the metal ingots are melted into a metal rod called pasa, which is beaten to obtain a certain length after processing.

Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurates India’s highest meteorological centre at Leh

Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the meteorological centre (MC) of the India Meteorological Department at Leh in Ladakh via video conferencing. The centre would provide localised weather forecasts in the region, which would result in strengthening the weather-related early warning system for the region. The meteorological centre at Leh is the second MC located in the Himalayas. The first such facility is based in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ NATIONAL NEWS

BSF celebrates its 56th Raising day

The Border Security Force is celebrating its 56th Raising day today. BSF is India's first line of defence. It was raised in accordance with an Act of the Parliament on 1st December, 1965, soon after the India-Pakistan War of 1965.

Arjun Munda to launch 10-day-long Áadi Mahotsav’

The 10-day-long Áadi Mahotsav’, a festival of tribes launched by Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda in a virtual format. The Aadi Mahotsav is a unique celebration of the spirit of tribal culture, crafts, cuisine and commerce. It commenced in 2017.The festival is an attempt to familiarize the people with the rich and diverse craft and culture of the tribal communities across the country, in one place.

Govt orders Wikipedia to remove link showing wrong map of Jammu and Kashmir

The government has directed Wikipedia to remove a link from their platform that has shown a wrong map of Jammu and Kashmir. This matter was flagged by a Twitter user through a tweet calling upon the govt to take strict action. The order was issued by the Ministry of Electronics and IT under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

India invites UK’s Johnson as 2021 Republic Day chief guest

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to be the chief guest at India’s 2021 Republic Day celebrations. Should Johnson accept the invitation, it will be the fifth time that a leader from Britain will be the chief guest at the Republic Day event, which is considered an honour reserved for countries with which India enjoys very close ties or those that it considers a strategic partner.

India records largest reductions in malaria cases in South-East Asia

India accounted for the largest absolute reduction in malaria cases in South-East Asia, from approximately 20 million cases in 2000 to 5.6 million in 2019, as per the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2019, global malaria cases stood at 229 million, an estimate that has remained unchanged over the last four years. The disease claimed some 409,000 lives in 2019 compared to 411,000 in 2018.

Govt constitutes High-level Ministerial Committee for implementation of Paris Agreement

Government has constituted a High-level Ministerial Committee for implementation of the Paris Agreement. The Apex Committee for Implementation of Paris Agreement (AIPA) will be chaired by the Environment Secretary. The purpose of AIPA is to generate a coordinated response on climate change matters that ensures India is on track towards meeting its obligations under the Paris Agreement.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ India’s boAt becomes fifth biggest wearable brand in the world

Delhi-based brand boAt Lifestyle, which sells products such as earphones, headphones and smart watches, has reached the top five in the global wearables market, becoming the first Indian company to do so. boAt grabbed 2.6% of the global wearable shipment in September quarter to share the fifth position with Google's owned Fitbit.

Dharmendra Pradhan launches India's first indigenously developed 100 Octane premium petrol

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan launched India's first indigenously developed 100 Octane premium petrol through video conferencing. He described the launch of the environment-friendly fuel as one more step towards facilitating ease of living for the citizens as envisioned by the union government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Parkash Singh Badal returns his Padma Vibhushan award in solidarity with farmers protesting against farm laws

Former Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal patron Parkash Singh Badal has returned his Padma Vibhushan award in solidarity with the farmers protesting against the three farm laws. Mr. Badal received Padma Vibhushan Award in 2015.

India biggest buyer of covid-19 vaccine with 1.6 bn doses

India is the largest buyer of COVID-19 vaccines in the world with 1.6 billion doses, according to a global analysis, a number some scientists say could cover 800 million people, or 60 percent of its population, and will be enough to develop ‘herd immunity’.

FM Nirmala Sitharaman releases the ‘Smuggling in India Report 2019-20’

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the 63rd Founding Day Celebrations of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). On the occasion, Mrs Sitharaman released the Smuggling in India Report 2019-20 which analyses organised smuggling trends on Gold and Foreign Currency, Narcotic Drugs, Security, Environment and Commercial Frauds.

Commerce Ministry and AYUSH Ministry decide to set up an AYUSH Export Promotion Council

Ministries of Commerce and Industry and AYUSH have decided to work together to set up an Export Promotion Council to boost AYUSH exports. This decision was taken in a joint review of AYUSH trade and industry by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik. It was also decided that the entire AYUSH sector will work together to achieve price and quality competitiveness to boost exports.

Nation pays homage to Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar on his 64th Mahaparinirvan Diwas

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ Nation pays homage to Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar on his 64th Mahaparinirvan Diwas or death anniversary. Ambedkar was born on 14 April 1891 in the town and military cantonment of Mhow in the Central Provinces (now in Madhya Pradesh). Dr BR Ambedkar has the highest number of statues in the world. In 1990, Ambedkar was posthumously conferred with Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award. The credit of giving a place to "Ashok Chakra" on the Indian tricolour goes to him. Ambedkar did masters in 64 subjects, knew 9 languages and had studied across the world for 21 years.

Serum Institute of India applies for emergency approval of covid vaccine candidate ‘Covishield’

Serum Institute of India (SII) has applied for emergency approval of made-in-India covid vaccine candidate, Covishield. SII CEO Adar Poonawalla has confirmed it and said it will save countless lives. SII, the world's largest vaccine producer by volume, had sought emergency use authorization in the country for AstraZeneca Plc's COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

Delegation from J&K participates in UAE-India Food Security Summit 2020

A delegation of farmers, growers, businessmen and government officials from the UT of J&K, with an aim to promote horticulture produce of the UT in the international market and tap the Gulf trade, is participating in the UAE-India Food Security Summit 2020. The Summit is being held from 7th to 10th of December. The event has been organised by the Consulate General of India in Dubai in association with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and Invest India.

Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga preparing to embrace new norm of e-education

Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, New Delhi is preparing to embrace the new norm of e-education and virtual learning in the post-Covid 19 scenario. A set of capacity building steps to enable the institute to design and run virtual courses and to substantially increase its internet presence were adopted in the recent meeting of the Standing Finance Committee of MDNIY.

Cabinet approves ₹22,810 crore for wage subsidy via EPFO

The Union Cabinet approved an expenditure of ₹22,810 crore for a wage subsidy via employee’s provident fund organization (EPFO) as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana. The jobs scheme was announced by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to spur employment creation in the formal sector, albeit at the lower rung of the salary threshold. Cabinet has approved an expenditure of ₹1,584 crore for the current financial year and ₹22,810 crore for the entire Scheme period i.e. 2020-2023.

Govt to set up 1 cr data centres, to launch massive Wi-Fi networks called PM-Wani in India

The Union Cabinet decided to launch a PM- Wi-Fi Access Network Interface to unleash a massive WIFI network in India. With this, public data centres will be opened across the country, says Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. There will be no licence, fee or registration for it. The Union Minister also said that the proposal will promote growth of public Wi-Fi networks in the country.

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AYUSH Ministry and AIIMS set up Department of Integrative Medicine at AIIMS

The Ministry of AYUSH and AIIMS have decided to initiate work on setting up a Department of Integrative Medicine at AIIMS. This was decided in a joint visit and review by Secretary, AYUSH Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha and Director, AIIMS, New Delhi Dr. Randeep Guleria. It was decided that the Centre for Integrative Medicine and Research, CIMR, AIIMS may develop an integrated protocol with Ayurveda and Yoga for study on Post COVID treatment. Secretary AYUSH assured that the Ministry of AYUSH will strive to continue its support to CIMR till the dedicated Department is developed.

Union Cabinet approved SEBI's proposal to sign Bilateral MoU between India and Luxembourg

Union Cabinet had approved the proposal of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to sign Bilateral Memorandum of Understanding between India and Luxembourg. The MoU is likely to strengthen cross border cooperation in the area of securities regulations and facilitate mutual assistance.

Union Cabinet approved a MoU between India and Suriname on Cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine

The Union Cabinet had approved a Memorandum of Understanding between India and Suriname on Cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine. The bilateral MoU will encourage cooperation between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India and the Ministry of Health of Suriname through joint initiatives and technology development in the health sector. It will strengthen bilateral ties between India and Suriname.

Indian Railways develops new modified automobile carrier with high-speed potential

Indian Railways' Parel workshop which is under the Central Railways zone has developed a prototype coach for carrying automobiles in a short span of 45 days. It developed the New Modified Goods coach (NMGH) with improved fall plate for easier loading of automobiles, lashing channels for proper securing of vehicles, fully welded chequered plate floor, louvers for ventilation and natural pipe light illumination. The new coach developed by the Indian Railways will increase the speed of automobile coaches from 75kmph to 110 kmph.

PM Modi lays foundation stone of New Parliament Building

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the New Parliament Building at Sansad Marg in Parliament Complex by performing religious rituals at the site. The various religious leaders performed Sarva Dharma Prarthana at the foundation stone laying ceremony. Mr Modi said that the new parliament building will be the place to fulfill the aspirations of the 21st century India. He said that the new building will witness the creation of a self reliant India. Mr. Modi termed the foundation stone laying ceremony as a milestone in India's democratic history.

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Ministry of AYUSH, AIIMS to set up Department of Integrative Medicine

The Ministry of AYUSH and AIIMS have decided to initiate work on setting up a Department of Integrative Medicine at AIIMS. This was decided in a joint visit and review by Secretary, AYUSH Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha and Director, AIIMS, New Delhi Dr. Randeep Guleria.

Cabinet approves Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana

Union Cabinet has approved Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana at an expenditure of Rs 1,584 crore for the current financial year. An amount of Rs 20,810 crore has been approved for the entire Scheme period 2020-2023. Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting in New Delhi today, Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Gangwar said, this scheme will benefit around 58.5 lakh employees.

WHO applauds India's 'Fitness Ka Dose Aadha Ghanta Roz' campaign

The clarion call by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to all Indians of Fitness Ka Dose, Aadha Ghanta Roz has received praise from the World Health Organisation. The campaign launched as part of the nation-wide Fit India Movement by Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju has gained the support of celebrities from different fields including Bollywood, sportspersons, writers, doctors and fitness influences.

PM Modi addresses International Bharati Festival via video-conference

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the International Bharati Festival via video-conference. PM Modi has reiterated that the Union Government is making all out efforts for the empowerment of each and every citizen of the country, including the poorest of the poor. Noting that women’s empowerment is an important vision of Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharati, the Prime Minister said, women are now joining the Armed Forces as officers with the Permanent Commission.

India’s first indigenous mRNA vaccine candidate receives approval to initiate human clinical trials

India’s first indigenous mRNA vaccine candidate has received approval from Indian Drug regulators to initiate Phase one and two human clinical trials. The novel mRNA vaccine candidate, HGCO19 has been developed by Gennova, Pune and supported with seed grant under the Ind-CEPI mission of the Department of Biotechnology.

Govt approves ₹3,000 crore project for Paradip port

The government has approved a ₹3,000 crore project to turn Paradip Port into a world-class port by setting up a dock. The decision to set up a western dock was taken by the Union Cabinet in its meeting.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ Cabinet approves Industrial Corridor nodes at Krishnapatnam and Tumakuru at estimated cost of ₹7,725 cr

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved to construct Industrial Corridor nodes in Krishnapatnam and Tumakuru at an estimated cost of ₹7,725 cr. The Cabinet committee, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, has approved three proposals from DPIIT. The projects are said to generate employment opportunities for more than 2.8 lakh persons.

Govt approves export of indigenous Akash missile system

The government has approved the export of the indigenous Akash missile system. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has welcomed the move and said it will help India increase its revenue from defence export. Mr Singh said, under the AtmaNirbhar Bharat, India is growing in its capabilities of manufacturing a wide variety of Defence platforms and missiles. Developed by DRDO, it is India’s first indigenously designed missile system and can target fighter jets, cruise missiles, drones and other aerial assets.

Cabinet clears modified scheme to enhance ethanol distillation capacity in country

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA has approved a modified scheme to enhance ethanol distillation capacity in the country for producing 1st Generation, 1G ethanol from feed stocks such as cereals like rice, wheat, barley, corn and sorghum and sugarcane, sugar beet etc.

NITI Aayog releases a white paper '' Vision 2035 - Public Health Surveillance in India''

NITI Aayog released a white paper Vision 2035 - Public Health Surveillance in India. The white paper lays out India’s vision for public health surveillance through the integration of the three-tiered public health system into Ayushman Bharat. It also spells out the need for expanded referral networks and enhanced laboratory capacity. The building blocks for this vision are an interdependent federated system of governance between the Centre and states.

Indian Coast Guard Interceptor Boat commissioned at Hazira

Indian Coast Guard Interceptor Boat got commissioned at Hazira in Gujarat. This Interceptor boat is built indigenously by M/s L&T Jetty, Hazira and is capable of a high speed of 45 knots having capability to operate in shallow waters. This Interceptor Boat will operate from Gujarat under administrative and operational control of the Commander Coast Guard Region (NW).

Nation pays homage to Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel on his death anniversary

Nation pays homage to Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel on his 70th death anniversary on 15th December. He was first Deputy Prime Minister of India and also held the Home portfolio. Fondly known as Iron Man of India, he brought together more than 500 princely States with India.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ Norway Research Institute signs an MoU with Clean Ganga Mission for development of sludge management framework

Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research has signed an MoU with cGanga, a think-tank of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) for development of sludge management framework in India. On this occasion, Norwegian Diplomat in India Karina Asbjørnsen, said, Norway intends to deepen the relationship with India especially in prevention of climate change and conservation of environment.

GoI & NDB ink loan agreement for 1,000 million dollar to provide support to Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan

The Government of India and New Development Bank today signed a loan agreement for one thousand million dollar to provide support to Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan through MGNREG Scheme. The Finance Ministry said the programme will support the Government in mitigating the adverse economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic and enable economic recovery in the rural areas through natural resource management, NRM works.

Cabinet accords approval for National Security Directive on Telecommunication Sector

Considering the need to ensure India’s national security, the Cabinet accorded approval for the National Security Directive on Telecommunication Sector. Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, under the provisions of the Directive, in order to maintain the integrity of the supply chain security, the Government will declare a list of Trusted Sources / Trusted Products for the benefit of the Telecom Service providers. Telecom Service Providers are required to connect new devices which are designated Trusted Products.

Cabinet approves assistance of Rs 3,500 crore for sugarcane farmers

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved assistance of three thousand 500 crore rupees for sugarcane farmers. Briefing the media in New Delhi after the Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said, Cabinet has taken the decision to help farmers directly by depositing money of subsidy into their accounts. It will benefit five crore farmers and five lakh workers.

GoI, World Bank sign 400 million dollar project to protect India’s poor from COVID-19

The Government of India and the World Bank have signed a 400 million dollar project to protect India’s poor and vulnerable from the impact of COVID-19. The Finance Ministry said, this is the second operation in a programmatic series of two. The first operation of 750 million dollar was approved in May 2020. The programme will strengthen the capability of state and central governments to provide coordinated and adequate social protection to the poor and vulnerable from the shocks triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ S Jaishankar launches economic diplomacy website

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has launched an economic diplomacy website which will showcase India's economic, sectoral, and state-wise strengths. Mr Jaishankar said the website positions a multidimensional and dynamic Brand India to the global business community through a specific focus on government's ease of doing business initiatives, policy reforms and incentives aimed at attracting foreign investment.

India signs one billion dollar loan agreement with NDB for Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan

The Government of India and New Development Bank signed a loan agreement for one thousand million dollar to provide support to Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan through MGNREG Scheme. The Finance Ministry said the programme will support the Government in mitigating the adverse economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic and enable economic recovery in the rural areas through Natural Resource Management (NRM) works.

India, ADB sign 4.21 million dollar PRF facility for preparation of infrastructure development projects

The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed a 4.21 million dollar project readiness financing (PRF) facility for the preparation of infrastructure development projects to improve urban amenities and develop tourism infrastructure in Tripura. This is ADB’s first PRF facility for a state in the northeastern region of India.

Cabinet approves assistance of Rs 3,500 crore for sugarcane farmers

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved assistance of three thousand 500 crore rupees for sugarcane farmers. Briefing the media in New Delhi after the Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said, Cabinet has taken the decision to help farmers directly by depositing money of subsidy into their accounts. It will benefit five crore farmers and five lakh workers.

I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar announces the selection films in Indian Panorama for the 51st IFFI

Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar today announced the selection of 23 Feature and 20 non-feature films in Indian Panorama for the 51st International Film Festival of India, IFFI to be held in Goa in January next year. In the Feature films section, 23 films are selected that include Kripal Kalita directed Assamese movie Bridge, Hindi Films Saand Ki Aankh and Chichhore, Govid Nihlani's English movie Up Up & Up, Nila Madhab Panda's Odia movie Kalira Atita, Marathi Movie Prawaas, Sanskrit Movie Namo and Malayalam Movie safe directed by Praddep Kailipurayath.

India International Science Festival (IISF) 2020 to be organized from 22 December

India International Science Festival (IISF) 2020 is going to be organized from 22 December on virtual platforms. This will be the largest science festival to be held on a virtual platform. The central theme of this year’s festival is “Science for Self-reliant India and Global Welfare”. The festival begins on

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ 22nd December, the birthday of Srinivas Ramanujam, the world renowned Indian mathematician and culminates on 25th December, the birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who was a firm believer of development through Science & Technology.

Skill India establishes first Centre of Excellence for Skill Development in Power Sector

Skill India has established the first Centre of Excellence for Skill Development in the Power Sector in the campus of National Institute of Solar Energy, Gurugram Haryana. Inaugurating the Centre, Minister of State for Skill Development Raj Kumar Singh said that India is taking rapid strides to move towards renewable energy to accelerate economic development, improve energy security and energy access while mitigating climate change challenges too.

Last date for submission of life certificate for pensioners extended till Feb 28

As a major relief to senior citizens, the life certificate submission date has been extended for pensioners upto February 28 next year. Minister of personnel Dr Jitendra Singh informed this.

First-ever direct flight from Delhi to Shillong becomes operational the first-ever direct flight from Delhi to Shillong became operational. Transport Minister, Sniawbhalang Dhar travelled in the FlyBig flight and landed at Umroi Airport. FlyBig has partnered with the State Government to operate direct flights between Delhi-Shillong and Shillong-Delhi.

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar releases Status of Leopard in India 2018 report

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar released the Status of Leopard in India 2018 report. Mr Javadekar announced that India now has 12,852 leopards. He said, more than 60 per cent increase has been recorded in the leopard population over the previous estimate which was conducted in 2014.

India becomes sixth country to manufacture high power electric locos indigenously

India has become the sixth country in the world to join the club of countries producing high horsepower locomotives indigenously. Indian Railways' completes five years of awarding the contract to Alstom for manufacturing the high-speed electric locomotives. Indian Railways will deploy these high speed locomotives for operations on major freight routes, including the Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs).

Jal Shakti Minister & Sports Minister launched JSA II: Catch the Rain Awareness Generation Campaign

National Water Mission under the Ministry of Jal Shakti in collaboration with Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has launched the JSA II: Catch the Rain Awareness Generation Campaign in New Delhi. The campaign was launched jointly by Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju. The launch event was attended by a large number of participants on digital platforms including field functionaries of NYKS in all the districts of the country.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ India's first indigenous digital asset management platform launched by DigiBoxx

CEO of NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant virtually launched India's first digital asset management platform DigiBoxx. The platform provides an easy and secure way to store all the files in one centralised location.

Cabinet approves merger of Films Division, Directorate of Film Festivals, NFAI, and Children's Film Society with NFDC

The Cabinet approved merger of Films Division, Directorate of Film Festivals, National Film Archives of India, and Children's Film Society, India with National Film Development Corporation. Briefing media in New Delhi after the Cabinet Meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar informed about it.

Centre and World Bank sign USD 500 million project to build Green National Highway Corridors

The Centre and the World Bank signed a USD 500 million project to build safe and green national highway corridors in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The project will also enhance the capacity of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in mainstreaming safety and green technologies. The Green National Highways Corridors Project will support the Road Transport and Highways Ministry to construct 783 kilometres of highways in various geographies by integrating safe and green technology designs such as local and marginal materials, industrial byproducts and other bioengineering solutions.

CSIR-NISCAIR, MoES, Vijnana Bharati jointly organise inaugural session of International Science Literature Festival

CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (CSIR-NISCAIR), Ministry of Earth Sciences and Vijnana Bharati jointly organised the inaugural session of the International Science Literature Festival, Vigyanika. The literature festival was organised on the opening day of the India International Science Festival 2020 to mark the birth anniversary of renowned Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan.

FASTag for all vehicles in country to be mandatory from January 2021

Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that FASTag is being made mandatory for all vehicles in the country from new year. Addressing a virtual function, Mr Gadkari said, FASTag will be enforced from 1st of January, 2021. Enumerating its benefits, he said, it is useful for the commuters as they will not need to stop at toll plazas for cash payments. It will also save time and fuel.

Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar launches DGNCC Digital Forum in New Delhi

The Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar launched the DGNCC Digital Forum in New Delhi. This Digital Forum hosted on the DGNCC website, will provide a platform to National Cadet Corps cadets all over the country to share their experiences of various NCC activities.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ SpiceJet inks MoU with GHAC for Covid-19 vaccine delivery from Hyderabad

SpiceJet has signed an agreement with the GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo (GHAC) to ensure seamless delivery of the coronavirus vaccine from the Hyderabad airport to domestic and international markets. The Hyderabad airport, which is managed and operated by the GMR group, is expected to be a key hub in transportation of COVID-19 vaccine domestically and globally.

Cabinet approves post matric scholarship scheme for more than four crore SC students

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has also approved Rs. 59,048 Crore post matric scholarship scheme for more than four Crore Scheduled Castes students in 5 years. Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawarchand Gehlot said, the Central Government will spend Rs. 35,534 Crore for it which is 60 percent and the balance 40 per cent will be spent by the State Governments. It is estimated that 1.36 Crore such poorest students, who are currently not continuing their education beyond 10th standard would be brought into the higher education system in the next 5 years.

Ladakh’s Startsapuk Tso, Tso Kar lake complex added to list of Ramsar site

One more wetland in India has been added to the list of recognised sites of international importance under the treaty of Ramsar Convention, taking the number of such wetlands in the country to 42, the highest in South Asia.

PM Modi to inaugurate New Bhaupur-New Khurja section of eastern freight corridor

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the ‘New Bhaupur – New Khurja section’ of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC). The 351 km New Bhaupur – New Khurja section of EDFC is situated in Uttar Pradesh and is built at a cost of Rs 5,750 crores. The section will open new vistas of opportunity for the local industries such as aluminium industry (Pukhrayan region of Kanpur Dehat district), dairy sector (Auraiya district), textile production/block printing (Etawah district), glassware industry (Firozabad district), pottery products (Khurja of Bulandshahr district), asafoetida or ‘hing’ production (Hathras district) and locks and hardware (Aligarh district).

Foundation Stone For TiHAN-IIT Hyderabad Was Laid

The Union Minister of Education virtually laid the foundation stone for "TiHAN-IIT Hyderabad". This is India's first testbed for Autonomous Navigation Systems (Terrestrial and Aerial). The TiHAN Foundation established at IIT Hyderabad is a multi-departmental project provided by researchers in the Electrical, Computer Science, Mechanical and Aerospace, Civil, Mathematics, and Design fields IIT Hyderabad with collaboration and support from reputed institutions and industry.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ Govt. of India launched the Global Pravasi Rishta Portal and Mobile app

The Indian government launched the global Pravasi Rishta portal and mobile application. The application is designed to connect the Indian diaspora all over the world. The Global Pravasi Rishta portal and mobile application will help connect the 31.2 million Indian diasporas scattered worldwide.

Cabinet Approved MoU Between India And Bhutan on the peaceful use of outer space

The United Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between India and Bhutan on the peaceful use of outer space. The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on November 19, 2020. The agreement enables the two countries to seek cooperation in space science, navigation, planetary exploration, use of space systems, spacecraft and ground systems.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

US President Joe Biden announces all-women White House communications team

US President-elect Joe Biden has appointed an all-women White House communications team. He has chosen former Barack Obama administration's State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki as his White House press secretary. Psaki currently oversees the confirmation team for the Biden-Harris Transition. During the Obama-Biden administration, Psaki held several senior roles, including White House Communications Director and State Department Spokesperson under then-Secretary of State John Kerry.

British govt is now accepting applications for the post-Brexit points-based visa

The British government’s new post-Brexit points-based visa and immigration system, described as “simple, effective and flexible". The Home Office said applicants for the new Skilled Worker Visa can now apply to work and live in the UK from 1 January, 2021. Indian industry and students’ groups had broadly welcomed the new post-Brexit points-based regime.

The 7th India-Suriname Joint Commission Meeting held virtually

The 7th India-Suriname Joint Commission Meeting was held virtually. The discussions were held in an atmosphere of warmth against the backdrop of friendly India - Suriname relations. The JCM was co-chaired by Minister of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan and Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation of Suriname, Albert R. Ramdin.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ UK becomes first country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for use

Britain became the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for use and said that it will be rolled out from early next week. The British regulator Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) declared that the vaccine offers protection of up to 95 per cent and is safe to be used for immunisation against Covid-19.

India and the US sign MoU on Intellectual Property cooperation

India, and the US have signed MoU on Intellectual Property cooperation. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry signed the MoU with the US Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce of the US. he MoU aims at increasing IP co-operation between the two countries. It will facilitate exchange and dissemination of best practices, experiences and knowledge on IP among the public, and between and among the industry, universities, research and development organizations, and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.

'No Dorai' and ‘Fagun Haway’ win Bangladesh best films award of 2019

The Bangladesh Ministry of information on Thursday announced the National Film Awards for 2019. Films ‘No Dorai’ and ‘Fagun Haway’ jointly won the best film award. Taneem Rahman Anghshu who directed the film ‘No Dorai’ got the best Director award. The film ‘No Dorai’ dominated the awards in several categories including best cinematography (Sumon Kumar Sarker), Best Sound Recording (Ripon Nath) and best Screenplay (Mahboob Rahman). ‘No Dorai’, meaning ‘Not Afraid’ is the story of a community in the beach town of Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh. The community does not allow women to venture into the sea and forces them into strict social norms.

PASSEX conducted by Indian Navy and Russian Navy

The Indian Navy (IN) is undertaking a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with Russian Federation Navy (RuFN) in the Eastern Indian Ocean Region (IOR) from 4 to 5 December 2020. The exercise involves participation of RuFN guided missile cruiser Varyag, large anti-submarine ship AdmiralPanteleyev and medium ocean tanker Pechenga. IN is being represented by indigenously constructed guided missile frigate Shivalik and anti-submarine corvette Kadmatt alongwith integral helicopters.

Joe Biden picks Vivek Murthy as Surgeon General

US President-elect Joe Biden has selected two former Obama administration officials for senior roles to help fight COVID-19, including the appointment of Jeff Zients as White House coronavirus coordinator. Biden adviser Vivek Murthy will return to his role as Surgeon General but with a broader portfolio as the pandemic rages through the country.

Bangladesh signs first Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) since its independence

Bangladesh signed its first Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Bhutan allowing duty free access to a range of goods between the two countries. This is the first PTA Bangladesh has signed with any country in the world. The agreement was signed on the occasion marking the 50 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries. In 1971, Bhutan was the first country in the world, followed

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ by India as the second, to recognise Bangladesh as an independent country. Under the PTA 100 Bangladeshi products will get duty free access to Bhutan. At the same time, 34 items from Bhutan will get duty free access into Bangladesh.

2021 edition of Paris Air Show cancelled

The 2021 edition of the Paris Air Show cancelled next year's edition of the event because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The biannual show, usually held in June, is the world's key event for the aerospace industry, showcasing civilian and military aircraft and equipment. The dates for the next scheduled Paris Air Show in 2023 would be announced shortly.

Japan approves $700 billion stimulus package

Japan's government approved more than $700 billion in fresh stimulus to fund projects from anti-coronavirus measures to green tech, the country's third such package this financial year. Japan's latest package, worth 73.6 trillion yen ($708 billion), includes loan schemes and actual government spending of around 40 trillion yen.

World Economic Forum to be held next year in Singapore

The World Economic Forum will hold its 2021 annual meeting in Singapore instead of its traditional home of Switzerland, which is battling a surge in coronavirus infections. The annual meeting will return to Davos-Klosters, Switzerland in 2022. Singapore was chosen because it has a relatively low rate of Covid-19 cases.

India and Qatar to create special Task-Force to further facilitate investments by QIA into India

India and Qatar today decided to create a special Task-Force to further facilitate investments by Qatar Investment Authority into India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi while speaking on telephone with Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of Qatar also resolved to explore Qatari investments in the entire energy value-chain in India.

Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu will be first to get Pfizer COVID vaccine

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he’s going to demonstrate his faith in Pfizer Inc.’s coronavirus vaccine by being the first in the country to be inoculated. Netanyahu disclosed his plan following the delivery of the first shipment of the vaccine to Israel. He promised to bring millions of doses of vaccine to Israel, where morbidity figures have been climbing since the easing of the country’s second lockdown, imposed in mid-September.

‘Swadhinata Sarak’ between Bangladesh and India will be opened on March 26 Next year

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr. A K Abdul Momen has said that the ‘SwadhinataSarak’ between Bangladesh and India will be opened on 26 March next year. Hesaid the road remains functional on the Indian side while it will be connected through Mujibnagar, Meherpur district in Bangladesh.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ Bangladesh signs agreement with Serum Institute of India for procuring COVID-19 vaccine

The government of Bangladesh on Sunday signed an agreement with the Serum Institute of India (SII) for procurement of 3 crore doses of the Oxford/ Astrazeneca vaccine. The vaccine will be delivered in six installments of 50 lakh doses each.

Israel established diplomatic ties with Bhutan

Israel has established diplomatic relations with Bhutan. In a statement, Israeli foreign ministry said that the agreement follows several years of secret contacts between Israel and Bhutan with the aim of establishing relations. The foreign ministry said that a signing ceremony was held between the Israeli and Bhutanese ambassadors to India yesterday. It also added that the countries agreed to formulate a joint work plan in the areas of water management, agriculture, healthcare and other areas.

India, Nepal decide to open flights under bilateral bubble arrangement

India and Nepal have decided to open flights under a bilateral bubble arrangement, as India has done with several countries. India had proposed this to Nepal some time back and Nepal has cleared it now after Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla highlighted the importance of people to people connectivity during recent visits. The arrangement is being started with Indians, Nepalese, OCI/PIO card holders of all nationalities and all valid Indian visa holders.

ADB launches $9 billion Covid-19 vaccine scheme to procure, deliver vaccines

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) launched a $9 billion initiative that will help its developing member economies to procure and deliver coronavirus vaccines. Called the Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility, it will offer 'rapid and equitable support' to its developing members as they procure and deliver effective and safe coronavirus vaccines.

India, Iran and Uzbekistan to hold talks on joint use Chabahar port

For the first time, India, Iran and Uzbekistan will hold a trilateral dialogue on joint use of the strategically located Chabahar port which is being increasingly seen as a fulcrum of connectivity to Central Asia. Located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran's southern coast, the port can be easily accessed from India's western coast, bypassing Pakistan.

India, Myanmar agree on exchange of intelligence information in timely manner

The 5th India- Myanmar Bilateral Meeting on Drug Control Cooperation between the Narcotics Control Bureau, India and the Central Committee on Drug Abuse Control, Myanmar was held virtually. Both countries agreed on the exchange of intelligence information in a timely manner to conduct follow-up investigations in drug seizure cases, new psychotropic substances and their precursors. The 6th India - Myanmar Bilateral Meeting on Drug Control Cooperation will be held in India next year.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ India and Uzbekistan sign nine agreements to strengthen strategic partnership

PM Narendra Modi and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev have expressed their continued commitment to take India-Uzbekistan strategic partnership to a new and higher level. Both sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation between the law enforcement agencies and special services of the two countries, including under the framework of the Uzbekistan-India Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism. Both sides agreed to strengthen their cooperation, including through mutual support, in the United Nations and other international and regional organizations.

5th round of FOCs between India and Cyprus take place through virtual mode

The fifth round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOCs) between India and Cyprus were held through virtual mode. Indian side was led by Neeta Bhushan, Joint Secretary (Central Europe) and Cypriot side by Thessalia Salina Shambos, Political Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus.

India, UK hold delegation level talks on boosting cooperation in different areas

India and the UK held delegation level talks on strengthening cooperation in different areas including trade and prosperity, defence and security, climate and health. Visiting UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi where the two leaders discussed how to give policy directions to broaden bilateral cooperation and encourage more activities and collaborations.

Ashok Leyland introduces two passenger bus Falcon Super and Gazl in Saudi Arabia

Hinduja Group flagship firm Ashok Leyland introduced two passenger bus models - the 70-seater Falcon Super and 26-seater Gazl - in Saudi Arabia. Manufactured at Ashok Leyland's Ras Al Khaimah facility in the UAE, 70-seater Falcon Super buses will be predominantly marketed to corporate entities and 26-seater Gazl will be more focused on the hospitality and tourism sector.

High Commission of India launches essay competition in Bangladesh

The High Commission of India in Bangladesh launched a writing competition on the topic ‘What Liberation Means to Me?’ for Bangladeshi youth between 18-35 years of age on the eve of the Victory Day celebrations marking liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971. The writing competition has been organised in association with ‘Youth Opportunities’ which works among the young people as a youth development platform. The submission deadline for the competition is 10th January. The winner of the essay competition will be awarded a laptop as a prize. Top 10 will get a smartphone, crest, book and certificate.

Kazakhstan celebrates its 29th anniversary as sovereign independent nation

On 16th December Kazakhstan is celebrating its 29th anniversary as a sovereign independent nation. Relations between India and Kazakhstan are ancient and historical going back to more than 2000 years. Both the countries actively cooperate under the aegis of Multilateral Fora including CICA, SCO and the UN organizations.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ Webinar and expo between India and Maldives held

A webinar and expo between India and Maldives was held. The theme of the webinar was ‘Joint Indo Maldives High Level Defence Engagement’. It was organised under the aegis of Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence through Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. This webinar is the part of Aero India 21 series of webinars which is being organised to boost defence cooperation and engagements with friendly foreign countries.

WHO team expected to visit China in January 2021 to probe COVID-19 origins

The much-awaited international mission led by the World Health Organization (WHO) is expected to go to China in the first week of January to investigate the origins of the novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that triggered the COVID-19 pandemic.

India and Bangladesh sign 7 MoUs, agreements

India and Bangladesh signed seven MoUs and agreements during the virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The agreements include a framework of understanding in Hydrocarbon sector, framework agreement on High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP), protocol on transborder elephant conservation, an MoU on the supply of equipment and improvement of Garbage and solid waste disposal, MoU in the field of agriculture, an MoU between National Museum Delhi and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial museum, Dhaka and terms of reference for India Bangladesh CEO forum.

Biden names Indian-American Vedant Patel as Assistant WH Press Secretary

US President-elect Joe Biden has named Indian-American Vedant Patel to be the Assistant Press Secretary as he announced the additional members of the White House Communications and Press Staff. Patel is currently the senior spokesperson of the Biden inaugural committee.

All flights originating from UK to India to be suspended till 31st December

India has suspended all flights originating from the United Kingdom to the country till 31st December 2020, amid growing global concerns over a highly infectious new strain of the Coronavirus.

PM Modi holds Virtual Summit with Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a Virtual Summit with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc. The two leaders reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, discussions on regional and global issues of mutual interest. Post-pandemic economic revival was also on the agenda. India and Vietnam have signed seven new agreements on areas such as defence, scientific research, nuclear and renewable energy, petrochemicals and other diverse subjects like cancer treatment.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ A statue of the legendary freedom fighter Bagha Jatin defaced by miscreants in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, a statue of the legendary freedom fighter Bagha Jatin was defaced by some miscreants in Kushtia district. The incident was reported from the Kaya college in Kumarkhali Upazila. Bagha Jatin was born at Koya village in the Kushtia district in 1879.

US President confers 'Legion of Merit' award to PM Modi

The President of the United States of America conferred the highest decoration, The Legion of Merit, Degree Chief Commander, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday. In a statement the Ministry of External Affairs said, the award is in recognition of the Prime Minister’s steadfast leadership and vision for India's emergence as a global power and exemplary contribution made by him for the advancement of the India-United States strategic partnership and promoting global peace and prosperity.

Florin Citu becomes new PM of Romania

Former investment banker and finance minister Florin Citu became the new prime minister at a time when Romania is struggling against the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout.

Indian naval ship conducts ‘passage exercise’ with Vietnamese Navy

Indian and Vietnamese Navy concluded the two-day passage exercise in the South China Sea as part of efforts to boost maritime cooperation between the two countries.

Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine approved for use in UK

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved for use in the UK, with the first doses due to be given soon amid rising coronavirus cases. The government has ordered 100 million doses - enough to vaccinate 50 million people.

BANKING & FINANCE

Yes Bank aims to disburse ₹10,000 cr retail, MSME loans in Dec quarter

Yes Bank aims to disburse retail and small business loans worth ₹10,000 crore in the current quarter of the financial year and plans to expand the portfolio to over 60% of its loan book by 2023. By 2023, we aim to double the retail and MSME assets as well as the liability book. Following the road map to become a truly digital retail bank, we are innovating constantly to meet these evolving needs of our retail customers and MSME clients across the spectrum.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ SBI launches RuPay JCB contactless debit card for local and international market

State Bank of India joined hands with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Japan's JCB International Co to launch new 'SBI RuPay JCB Platinum Contactless Debit Card’. The unique dual interface feature of this card enables the customers to use it for both contact and contactless transactions, said the lender. Customers can use this new debit card in the domestic market as well as for the transactions overseas.

Paytm partners with Suryoday Small Finance Bank to offer instant digital loans to MSMEs

India’s home-grown digital financial services platform Paytm announced its partnership with Suryoday Small Finance Bank to empower MSMEs with instant digital loans. The company is furthering the cause of financial inclusion by offering instant microloans to businesses that are unable to access financial services from traditional banking players. The company through this partnership is aiming at disbursing loans to over 1 lakh small businesses in the next 12 months to 18 months.

YES Bank appoints Niranjan Banodkar as new CFO, Adlakha to be new HR head

Yes Bank promoted two key senior management personnel as the chief financial officer and head of human resources. Both the appointments will be effective 1 January, the lender added. The private sector lender has promoted Niranjan Banodkar as the group chief financial officer (CFO) and Anurag Adlakha as the group chief human resources officer.

Punjab National Bank launches loan management solution to speed up delivery

Punjab National Bank (PNB) launched a tech-based loan management solution called 'LenS-The Lending Solution', to speed up and maintain accuracy in online loan processing and sanctioning of credit proposals. This system is envisaged to be implemented in a phased manner for all kinds of loans — MSME, agriculture, retail and other credit.

RBI asks HDFC to stop new digital business launches

The Reserve Bank of India has asked the country's largest private bank, HDFC, to stop new digital business launches and avoid adding new Credit Card customers after repeated reports by its customers facing multiple cases of technical glitches.

DBS Bank India gets ₹2,500 crore capital support from parent for LVB merger

DBS Bank India Limited (DBIL) has received capital infusion of ₹2,500 crore from DBS Bank Limited, Singapore to support its amalgamation with Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB). DBIL said it is well-capitalised, and its capital adequacy ratios (CAR) remains above regulatory requirements after the amalgamation. LVB is the second private sector bank after Yes Bank which has run into rough weather during this year.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ RBI hikes limit for contactless card transaction to ₹5,000

Reserve Bank of India governor Shaktikanta Das announced that RBI has enhanced limits for contactless card payments from ₹2,000 to ₹5,000. This will be effective from 1 January 2021 and will be at the discretion of the user. Governor Das made the announcement while putting forth the decisions taken by RBI's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).

RBI advises banks not to make any dividend payouts from profits pertaining to the FY ended March 2020

The Reserve Bank has advised banks not to make any dividend payouts from profits pertaining to the financial year ended March 2020. RBI said it is imperative that banks continue to conserve capital to support the economy and absorb losses, if any. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, RBI had asked to withhold payment of dividends until September 2020.

Google Pay, PhonePe account for 86% of UPI transactions by value in Oct: NPCI

Payments operators, Google Pay and PhonePe, seem to have a stranglehold on the unified payments interface (UPI) market in India. According to October data from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), published for the first time, Google Pay accounted for 857.81 million transactions, while PhonePe came in second with 839.88 million transactions. Together, the two apps accounted for about 81% of the market, the data shows.

ICICI Bank launches ‘iMobile Pay’

ICICI Bank has launched ‘iMobile Pay’, the app offers a unique combination of facilities of a payment app such as enabling customers to pay to any UPI (Unified Payments Interface) ID or merchants, pay bills and do online recharges among others, with instant banking services namely savings account, investments, loans, credit cards, gift cards, travel cards and much more. The users of ‘iMobile Pay’ can also transfer money to any bank account, payment app and digital wallet.

HDFC Bank invests in smallcase Technologies

HDFC Bank has invested an undisclosed amount in smallcase Technologies, and bought a minority ​ stake, as part of a recent Series B fund-raise of $14 million by the Bengaluru-based fintech startup. The five-year old startup operates in the capital markets infrastructure space and works with businesses to help individuals invest in simple and transparent products called smallcases.

Kotak Mahindra Bank introduces fitness allowance for employees

Kotak Mahindra Bank (Kotak) announced the introduction of a fitness allowance and remote working benefits for its employees. The allowances – new additions to Kotak’s ‘Health to the Power Infinity’ programme for employees – are effective from 1st December, 2020. Kotak Mahindra Bank has been conducting a range of activities to support the health and overall well-being of employees to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ RBI cancels Karad Janata Sahakari Bank licence

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has canceled the licence of Karad Janata Sahakari Bank to conduct banking business citing that the bank does not have adequate finance. This means that the bank is prohibited from taking any deposit or making any repayment. RBI in a notice issued cited that the bank does not have adequate capital and earning prospects. However, more than 99% of the depositors of the bank will get full payment of their deposits from DICGC.

RTGS money transfer service to be operational 24X7

Reserve Bank of India announced that the Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) will be operational 24x7, all throughout the year from 14 December, 2020. This comes within a year of operationalising NEFT 24x7 by RBI. India will become one of the few countries in the world to operate its RTGS system round the clock throughout the year.

Maruti Suzuki launches online car financing platform 'Smart Finance'

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd announced the launch of its digital platform, Smart Finance, to provide vehicle finance related services and information to its prospective customers. The new platform will include offers for vehicle loans from different banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and will be restricted to customers of Nexa, its premium dealerships in 30 cities.

DBS to launch digital exchange for institutional investors

DBS Group Holdings, Southeast Asia's biggest bank, is to set up an exchange for digital assets, including cryptocurrencies, that will provide tokenisation, trading and custody services to institutional and accredited investors. DBS Group Holdings is to set up an exchange for digital assets, including cryptocurrencies, that will provide tokenisation, trading and custody services to institutional and accredited investors.

Finance Ministry releases 6th installment of Rs 6,000 crore to States

The Finance Ministry has released the sixth installment of Rs six thousand crore to the States to meet the GST compensation shortfall. Out of this, an amount of Rs 5,516 crore has been released to 23 States and an amount of Rs 483.40 crore has been released to the three Union Territories Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir who are members of the GST Council. The remaining five States, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim do not have a gap in revenue on account of GST implementation.

RBI to set up Automated Banknote Processing Centre in Jaipur

With a view to effectively deal with increasing circulation of banknotes, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to set up an Automated Banknote Processing Centre (ABPC) in Jaipur for receipt, storage and dispatch of currency notes. The functions of the ABPC will also include processing of banknotes received from currency chests and bank branches, and destruction of soiled banknotes in an automated manner.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ RBI slaps ₹50 lakh fine on Urban Co-operative Bank in Kerala

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹50.00 lakh on The Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd. No. 1758, Perinthalmanna for non-compliance with directions issued on Income Recognition and Asset Classification (IRAC) norms and on Management of Advances-UCBs. RBI also said that the action against the co-operative bank is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement.

Department of Posts & India Post Payments Bank unveil new digital payment app ‘DakPay’

Department of Posts and India Post Payments Bank today unveiled a new digital payment app DakPay. The App is launched as part of its ongoing efforts to provide Digital Financial inclusion at the last mile across India. DakPay is not just a digital payment app but a suite of digital financial and assisted banking services provided by India Post and IPPB through the trusted Postal network across the nation to cater to the financial needs of various sections of the society.

ICICI Direct launches zero brokerage plan

ICICI Securities (I-Sec), one of India’s largest brokerage houses with approx. 5 million customers, has launched ‘ICICIdirect Neo’ – a zero brokerage plan. This plan is targeted at traders, offering unlimited trading with zero brokerage on all Futures trades and flat ₹20 per order for Margin and Options trades. ICICIdirect Neo will provide instant liquidity, where customers get cash within 30 minutes of selling stocks as per their chosen plan.

WhatsApp Payments is live with SBI, HDFC, Axis Bank

WhatsApp’s Payments feature is now available to users in India (currently up to 20 million users) with support from State Bank of India, HDFC, ICICI and Axis Bank. WhatsApp designed its payments feature on National Payments Corporation of India’s (NPCI) Unified Payment Interface (UPI) system and was granted approvals to go live in November 2020. Digital payments in India are expected to reach $94 trillion by FY25 and WhatsApp Payments aims to cater to that demand.

IndusInd Bank launches its first metal credit card ‘PIONEER Heritage’

IndusInd Bank in partnership with Mastercard announced the launch of its first metal credit card - ‘PIONEER Heritage’. Equipped with best-in-class features and privileges across an array of categories like travel, wellness, lifestyle among others, the all-new credit card has been specially curated to match the requirements of affluent Indian professionals and entrepreneurs.

Yes Bank partners VISA, introduces new line of E-series debit cards

Yes Bank has announced its partnership with VISA as a payment processor to enhance payments efficiency for salaried and Yes First account holders. So far, Yes Bank debit cards have existed on Mastercard and RuPay platforms, but with the new launch, customers can get VISA-branded debit cards as well. Yes Bank also introduced a new line of vertical Debit cards under the E-series across Mastercard and VISA cards.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ RBI extends centralised KYC norms to legal entities

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) extended the applicability of centralised KYC registry to legal entities, from individual accounts at present, effective 1 April 2021. Banks and non-banks and other entities regulated by RBI have been uploading the KYC data pertaining to all individual accounts to the centralised KYC registry. KYC procedures enable banks to understand their customers and their financial dealings better which in turn help them manage their risks prudently.

Indian Army and Bank of Baroda enter into MoU for Baroda Military Salary Package

Indian Army and Bank of Baroda have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU for Baroda Military Salary Package. The MoU was signed by Lt Gen Ravin Khosla, DG (Manpower Planning and Personnel Services) and Vikramaditya Singh Khichi, Executive Director, Bank of Baroda. The MoU lays down the basis on which banking services would be provided by Bank of Baroda to serving and retired Army personnel.

Telegram to launch 'pay-for' services in 2021

Telegram is set to launch pay-for services in 2021, its Russian-born founder Pavel Durov said, as the growing company needed "at least a few hundred million dollars per year". "Telegram will begin to generate revenue, starting next year," Durov said in a statement on his Telegram channel.

Axis Mutual Fund renames ‘Axis Multicap Fund’ to ‘Axis Flexicap Fund’

Axis Mutual Fund, one of the best performing mutual fund houses in India, is in process of renaming ‘Axis Multicap Fund’ to ‘Axis Flexicap Fund’. It will be an open ended dynamic equity scheme that invests across large cap, mid cap, and small cap stocks to facilitate capital appreciation over medium to long term. The same will be effective from January 30th 2021 onwards. The scheme, moving to the new category will continue to adopt a flexible approach to allocation and not be constrained by market cap restrictions.

RBI cancels the Licence of the Subhadra Local Area Bank, Maharashtra

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, vide order dated December 24, 2020 cancelled the banking licence issued to Subhadra Local Area Bank Ltd., Kolhapur, Maharashtra under Section 22 (4) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 to carry on banking business in India. The order is made effective from close of business on December 24, 2020.

HDFC Bank Ranks Top among 100 BFSI Firms in India

HDFC Bank is the top ranked company among the 100 Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) companies in the country, as per the BFSI Movers and Shakers 2020 report by Wizikey. HDFC Bank has topped because of its customer service, monetary management, and innovative offerings amid the coronavirus pandemic. 2nd Rank: ICICI Bank, 3rd Rank: State Bank of India (SBI).

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ Bank of Baroda launches “digital lending platform” to serve retail loan seekers

Bank of Baroda (BoB) launched a Digital Lending Platform, which enables prospective retail loan seekers to get loans digitally through a paperless process at the convenience of their place and time of choice. The bank currently offers pre-approved Micro Personal Loan to existing selected customers to shop anything through offline/online partner channels and pay later in easy EMIs.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

ADB, India sign 132.8 million loan to strengthen Meghalaya’s power distribution Sector

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $132.8 million loan to strengthen and modernize the distribution network and improve the quality of power supplied to households, industries, and businesses in India’s northeastern state of Meghalaya. The project will construct 23 substations; renovate and modernize 45 substations, including the provision of control room equipment and protection systems; install and upgrade 2,214 kilometers of distribution lines and associated facilities covering three out of the six circles in the state. Installation of smart meters will benefit about 180,000 households.

Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal to join PhonePe board

Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal will join PhonePe’s board of directors, as the digital payments firm separates from parent Walmart-owned Flipkart to become an independent entity. Flipkart will continue to own 87% majority stake in the hived-off entity PhonePe Private Ltd., with US-retail giant Walmart owning 10%, and existing investors including Tiger Global Management holding the remaining 3%.

NABARD and SBI sign MoU to extend concessional refinance facility to the beneficiaries of watershed development and tribal development projects in Karnataka

The Karnataka regional office of NABARD and State Bank of India have signed an MoU to extend concessional refinance facility to the beneficiaries of watershed development and tribal development projects. The Chairman and Managing Director of NABARD Niraj Kumar Verma and Chief General Manager of State Bank of India Abhijit Majumdar signed the MoU in Bengaluru.

JD.com becomes first online platform to accept China's digital currency

Chinese e-commerce company JD.com Inc said on Saturday it has become the country's first virtual platform to accept Beijing's homegrown digital currency. PBOC Governor Yi Gang said last month that more than 2 billion yuan had been spent using China's digital currency so far in 4 million separate transactions.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ QRMP scheme launched for GST payers with turnover up to ₹5 crore

The government has launched the Quarterly Return filing & Monthly Payment of Taxes (QRMP) scheme for small taxpayers under the GST system. Taxpayers with aggregate annual turnover of up to ₹5 crore in the preceding financial year and have filed their October GSTR-3B (sales) return by November 30, 2020, are eligible for this scheme.

Bonds Issued By The Lucknow Municipal Corporation - LMC

The bonds issued by Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) were listed on the BSE, raising 2 billion rupees for Uttar Pradesh. The chief minister of UP stated that Ghaziabad would be the next country to issue municipal bonds, followed by Pragyaraj, Varanasi, Agra and Kanpur ( Kanpur). Funds raised using such bonds are usually used for infrastructure projects such as roads, water and housing. In 2015, the market regulator SEBI published a framework for raising funds through municipal bonds.

Kotak Mutual Fund launches India's first international REIT fund of funds

Kotak Mahindra AMC (Kotak Mutual Fund) launched Kotak International REIT Fund of Funds, India's first diversified REIT Mutual Fund. Kotak International REIT Fund of Funds is an open-ended mutual fund scheme that will invest in units of SMAM Asia REIT Sub Trust Fund. This mutual fund scheme will have a diversified investment portfolio comprising listed REITs which will invest in real estate projects like residential, office, data centres, warehousing, retail and hospitality.

Max Life Insurance launches critical illness rider and a wellness app

Max Life Insurance has launched ‘Max Life Critical Illness and Disability Rider’ and with it, the ‘Max Fit’, a comprehensive wellness programme. Max Fit is a wellness app designed to lead customers on a path of protection through holistic fitness and wellness. In line with the company’s brand philosophy, the app promises to provide patrons with a unique and exciting opportunity to work towards a healthier lifestyle with the ultimate aim of helping them realize that their health is their biggest asset.

5paisa.com and Vested Finance to provide zero commission investing in US market

India’s only listed discount broker 5paisa.com has partnered with Vested Finance to provide 'zero commission' investing in the US markets for all our customers. 5paisa.com is the fastest among Indian brokers to reach 1 million customer base. Vested Finance is a US Securities and Exchange Commission Registered Investment Adviser. Their online platform enables investors from India to invest in US stocks and ETFs.

Samsung celebrates 25th birthday with 'Powering Digital India' vision

Samsung India is celebrating its 25th anniversary in the country. The South Korean tech giant is marking the occasion by launching a new ‘vision’ for the country. The new vision is called #PoweringDigitalIndia. This new program will be aimed at students across the nation, a refreshed local R&D strategy which Samsung claims will focus on the local startup community and new initiatives in manufacturing.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ Walmart to export India-made goods worth $10 billion annually by 2027

US retail giant Walmart Inc., committed to tripling its exports of India-made goods to $10 billion per year by 2027. Walmart that owns India’s top online retailer Flipkart counts India as one of its top sourcing markets with annual exports estimated at $3 billion. Exports from India will help Walmart support India’s key Make-in-India initiative.

Indian app Chingari announces partnership with international record label

Indian short video-sharing app Chingari announces its global partnership with Thrace Music, an international record label company that boasts of a playlist by artists like Brianna, Kate Linn, Monoir, Ehna, Qupra, Starla, Dharia, Iarina, Esotique, and others. With this pact, Chingari will provide a bigger catalogue of international music for its content creators and will have a new library of songs to choose from for their creator base. The company claims that this association will foster better engagement on the app and garner more talent from all parts of India.

S&P Dow Jones removes Chinese companies from index after US executive order

S&P Dow Jones Indices would remove some Chinese companies from indexes used to track market performance following a U.S. government ban on Americans investing in their stocks and bonds. The Chinese government opposed the move as politically motivated. The companies affected include surveillance technology provider Hikvision, processor chip manufacturing SMIC among others.

Amazon India's new initiative 'Saathi' to help 7 lakh sellers to exchange knowledge

Amazon India announced the launch of Amazon Saathi, a peer mentorship programme that will help sellers to exchange knowledge and share best practices. The new programme will help the sellers on Amazon and small and medium businesses (SMBs) across India to get access to a wealth of content presented by experienced sellers on the marketplace. Established Amazon sellers can engage with over 7 lakh sellers to share their learnings and experiences of operating an online business.

ClearTax launches investment app 'Black'

Tax-filing portal ClearTax, which has a user base of five million, is entering the investment space with an app called 'Black.' The app has been launched with direct mutual funds but will eventually have stocks, national pension system (NPS), PPF and potentially, cryptocurrency. The company will charge a flat fee of ₹10,000-15,000 per annum for users with income above ₹15 lakh, while keeping the service free for lower-income users. It has obtained a Sebi Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) license to deliver this service.

DFC to invest USD 54 million in India to support critical infrastructure projects

The United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has announced to invest $54 million in India to support the development of critical infrastructure projects in the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The DFC will invest this $54 million in equity for the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) in India.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Reliance Industries tops Fortune 500 list of Indian firms

Oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd topped the Fortune 500 list of Indian companies. Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOC), the nation's biggest oil firm, bagged the second spot, followed by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) at the third, it said. The country's largest lender State Bank of India was in the fourth position, while India's second-biggest fuel retailer Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) took the fifth spot. The list was published by Fortune India, which is part of the Kolkata-based RP Sanjiv Goenka Group.

NSE launches 1st agri commodity futures contract

National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) said the exchange has launched its first agricultural commodity futures contract on crude degummed soybean oil (CDSO Futures). The CDSO Futures contract, which was launched today, is a monthly expiry futures contract with a trading lot size of 10 tonne and price basis as Kandla, NSE said.

Wipro wins multi-year contract from Verifone, will develop firm's cloud services

IT services provider Wipro Ltd , announced that it has won a multi-year contract from Verifone, a global leader in payments and commerce solutions, to drive agility across its cloud services offerings. Wipro will develop new features, capabilities and interfaces for Verifone’s Cloud Services offerings, enabling seamless and flexible transaction processing for the company.

Indian Railways receives award for innovative 'push pull operation' project

Indian Railways' Electric Loco Shed at Vadodara which falls under the Western Railway zone has been awarded the Silver Award in Quality Council of India's - 13th D.L Shah Quality Award for the project of ‘Push-Pull Operation’. Indian Railways 'push- pull operation of locomotives is a configuration for locomotive-hauled trains, allowing them to be driven from either end. In the 'push- pull' mode, one locomotive each is attached to the train at both ends.

Invest India wins United Nations Investment Promotion Award for 2020

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has declared ‘Invest India’ as winner of the 2020 United Nations Investment Promotion Award. The award ceremony took place at UNCTAD Headquarters in Geneva. The Award recognizes and celebrates the outstanding achievements of the World’s best-practice investment promotion agencies. The evaluation was based on UNCTAD’s assessment of work undertaken by 180 national Investment Promotion Agencies across the world.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ Ashraf Patel named Social Entrepreneur of the year

Ashraf Patel named as the Social Entrepreneur of the year. Ashraf Patel is one such person who has recently won the Social Entrepreneur of the Year award instituted by the Schwab Foundation and Jubilant Bhartia Foundation. The award was presented by Smriti Zubin Irani, Minister of Women and Child Development and Textiles at a virtual ceremony. Ashraf Patel is the co-founder of Pravah and ComMutiny Youth Collective.

UNESCO to launch international prize in the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib

UNESCO has decided to launch an international prize in the field of ‘creative economy’ in the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Starting November 2021, the dollar 50 thousand award will be given away once in two years for global economic initiatives of the youth. According to UNESCO, the international award will create a knowledge-sharing mechanism by capturing, celebrating and communicating best practice in the development of creative entrepreneurship. UNESCO has declared 2021 as ‘International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development’.

SAIL gets Golden Peacock Environment Management Award

Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has been awarded with the prestigious Golden Peacock Environment Management Award for the year 2020 in the Steel Sector by the Institute of Directors.

ICC Awards Of The Decade 2020

● Virat Kohli (Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade). ● Virat Kohli (ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Decade). ● Steve Smith (ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Decade). ● Rashid Khan (ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Decade). ● Ellyse Perry (ICC Women's T20I Cricketer of the Decade). ● Ellyse Perry (ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Decade). ● Ellyse Perry (Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award for ICC Female Cricketer of the Decade). ● Kyle Coetzer (ICC Men's Associate Cricketer of the Decade) ● Kathryn Bryce (ICC Women's Associate Cricketer of the Decade) ● M S Dhoni (ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade).

Digital India Awards, 2020: Bihar wins in Pandemic category

The Chief Minister Secretariat of Bihar, National Informatics Centre and the Disaster Management Department have been jointly chosen as winners in “Pandemic Category” in Digital India Awards, 2020.

Cristiano Ronaldo wins “Player of the Century” award

Cristiano Ronaldo was named player of the century on 27th Dec at the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards. Defeating Barcelona’s Leo Messi and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Ronaldo was voted best player of the 2000s by a 23-person jury, including coaches and former players and worldwide fan votes.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ “CRISTIANO RONALDO presented with the “PLAYER OF THE CENTURY” 2001-2020 Globe Soccer Award,” the Dubai Global Soccer Award.

"Lukoskin" developer Hemant Kumar Pandey gets DRDO’s ‘Scientist of the Year’ award-2018

Senior scientist Hemant Kumar Pandey has been honoured with DRDO”s ”Scientist of the Year Award” 2018 for his contribution in developing several herbal medicines, including the popular drug Lukoskin meant for treatment of leucoderma.

V K Yadav, Chairman , Railway Board, conferred on “Eminent Engineer Award”

V K Yadav, Chairman & CEO, Railway Board, Ministry of Railways, has been conferred on the prestigious “Eminent Engineer Award for the Year 2020’ by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) for his outstanding contribution towards modernisation and reforms over Indian Railways.

Santoor maestro Pt Satish Vyas to be conferred Tansen Samman

Renowned Indian Santoor player, Pandit Satish Vyas would be conferred with the National Tansen Samman for 2020 by the State Government during the inaugural ceremony of the music extravaganza.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Singapore Airlines appoints veteran Chen Sy Yen as new general manager for India

Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) has appointed Chen Sy Yen, who was earlier overseeing operations at Germany, Switzerland and Austria region for the airline, as the new general manager for India. Chen Sy Yen takes over from David Lim, who served as the general manager of India for the airline since 2016. Chen Sy Yen was earlier overseeing operations in the Germany, Switzerland and Austria region for the airline.

Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry assumes the charge as Director General Border Roads

Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry assumed the charge as 27th Director General Border Roads (DGBR) on 01 December 2020. Lt Gen Chaudhry was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun in 1983 and has attended all prestigious courses of the Indian Army including Staff Course at Defence Service Staff College, Wellington, Higher Command Course at Army War College, Mhow and the National Defence College, New Delhi. He is also an M-Tech from IISc Bangalore.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ RBL Bank appoints Somnath Ghosh as Non- Executive Director

RBL approved the appointment of Somnath Ghosh as an Additional (Non-Executive Independent) Director of the Bank. Somnath Ghosh also has been a consultant to The World Bank on three different occasions.

Vedantu appoints Ranjan Sakalley as head of engineering & tech

Online live tutoring company Vedantu on Monday said it has appointed Ranjan Sakalley as head of engineering and technology, and plans to expand its engineering team to 200 people by March 2021.

Coffee Day appoints Malavika Hegde as CEO

Coffee Day Enterprises Ltd has appointed Malavika Hegde, the wife of founder of Coffee Day Global Ltd and Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Co. Ltd, late V.G. Siddhartha, as the chief executive officer. Hegde was a non-executive director of the company, and is the younger daughter of S.M.Krishna, former central minister of external affairs and former Karnataka chief minister.

Anil Soni appointed as CEO for WHO Foundation

World Health Organisation has appointed Indian-origin Anil Soni as the Chief Executive Officer for the WHO Foundation. Global health expert Soni will assume his role as its inaugural CEO on January 1 next year. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described Soni as a proven innovator in global health who has spent two decades in service of communities affected by HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.

Julien Geffard appointed to head Ola's EV business in Europe

Mobility services provider Ola has appointed Julien Geffard who will lead the company's ambitious electric vehicle (EV) business in Europe. Geffard has been appointed as the director of go-to-market strategy for its electric business in Europe. Ola has been betting big on its EV business and is finalizing the location to set up a two million per annum production plant near Bengaluru.

UPPL President Pramod Boro declared to be new BTC chief

The United People's Party Liberal, UPPL President Pramod Boro will be the new Chief Executive Member of the Bodoland Territorial Council, BTC. BJP along with Gana Suraksha Parishad will support the UPPL in the formation of the next council.

Uday Shankar takes over as FICCI President

Uday Shankar, President of the Walt Disney Company, has taken over as FICCI President for 2020-21 from Sangita Reddy at the apex chamber's 93rd annual convention. Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Unilever, has been elevated as Senior Vice President of FICCI. Subhrakant Panda, Managing Director of Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys Ltd, has joined the FICCI leadership as Vice President.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ IIM Ahmedabad Endowment Fund appoints Chhavi Moodgal as CEO

Chhavi Moodgal, an alumna of Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, has been named as the first CEO of the recently set up IIMA Endowment Fund. The fund was launched in June 2020 to facilitate IIMA in achieving its strategic objectives and making a larger impact in the field of education, entrepreneurial leadership, management practice, and public policy.

HDFC Bank names Sanmoy Chakrabarti as Chief Risk Officer

HDFC Bank named Sanmoy Chakrabarti as the Chief Risk Officer for a period of 3 years starting today, the company announced in a regulatory filing. Chakrabarti will replace Jimmy Tata as the CRO. Tata shall take on the new role of the Chief Credit Officer of the Bank, it stated.

Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Sekhar Vempati elected as Vice President of Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union

Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar has congratulated Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Sekhar Vempati on being elected as Vice President of Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union.

Bank of Baroda appoints Ian De Souza as new chief financial officer

Bank of Baroda has appointed Ian De Souza as new chief financial officer, the public sector lender on Thursday said in the regulatory findings. He will replace Subrat Kumar. Kumar joined the bank as CFO in July this year. Ian De Souza will replace Subrat Kumar. De Souza has 23 years of experience in the banking and financial services domain.

MobiKwik appointed PayPal India's Siddharth Dhamija as CEO of Zaakpay

MobiKwik has appointed Siddharth Dhamija as chief executive officer (CEO) of Zaakpay, its payment gateway arm. Dhamija brings 23 years of experience to the company. He was part of the founding team that launched PayPal’s domestic payments business. He also led the Enterprise Business at PayPal India. During his tenure in PayPal, the platform managed partnerships with global merchants present in India. Prior to PayPal, he was a part of the founding team at Razorpay as its chief growth officer. He has also worked with companies like Subex.

Senior IPS officer S K Singhal appointed DGP of Bihar

Senior IPS officer S K Singhal has been made the new Director General of Police DGP of Bihar.Mr. Singhal is a 1988 batch Bihar cadre IPS officer. He will superannuation on August 31 next year.

Harsh Vardhan nominated to the Board of ‘GAVI’, The Vaccine Alliance

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has been nominated as the board member of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI). The seat is currently held by Myint Htwe of Myanmar. Dr Vardhan will represent the South East Area Regional Office (SEARO)/ Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) constituency on the GAVI Board. Dr Vardhan will assume the charge with effect from January 1, 2021, and serve till December 31, 2023.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ 4 Chief Justices of High Courts transferred

The President of India in exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 222 of the Constitution of India, and after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, transferred the following Chief Justices of High Courts:

● Raghvendra Singh Chauhan, Chief Justice, from Telangana to Uttarakhand. ● Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari, Chief Justice from Andhra Pradesh to Sikkim. ● Mohammad Rafiq, Chief Justice, from Orissa to Madhya Pradesh. ● Arup Kumar Goswami, Chief Justice, from Sikkim to Andhra Pradesh.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Indian Navy successfully test-fires naval version of BrahMos missile

A naval version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired by the Indian Navy in the Bay of Bengal. BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture, produces the supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or from land platforms.

Amazon, Blackberry join hands to build software for smart cars

Amazon Web Services and BlackBerry announced a multi-year, global agreement to develop and market BlackBerry's Intelligent Vehicle Data Platform, IVY. BlackBerry IVY is a scalable, cloud-connected software platform that will allow automakers to provide a consistent and secure way to read vehicle sensor data, normalize it, and create actionable insights from that data both locally in the vehicle and in the cloud.

China turns on nuclear-powered 'artificial sun' for first time

China successfully powered up its "artificial sun" nuclear fusion reactor for the first time, state media reported Friday, marking a great advance in the country's nuclear power research capabilities. The HL-2M Tokamak reactor is China's largest and most advanced nuclear fusion experimental research device, and scientists hope that the device can potentially unlock a powerful clean energy source. Chinese scientists have been working on developing smaller versions of the nuclear fusion reactor since 2006.

Japan space capsule carrying asteroid dirt lands in Australia

A Japanese space capsule carrying samples from a distant asteroid landed in a blaze of light in the desert of South Australia, ending a six-year mission. Launched from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center in 2014, the Hayabusa2 spacecraft took four years to reach the asteroid Ryugu. The craft spent more than a year on the asteroid, where it picked up about a gram of space dirt.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ China successfully launches new Earth observation satellite

China successfully launched a new Earth observation satellite which can take high-resolution pictures of ground objects across the globe. The satellite was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China's Sichuan province. Gaofen-14, was sent into orbit by a Long March-3B carrier rocket. Geofen-14 is an optical stereo mapping satellite. It can efficiently obtain high precision stereo images globally, draw large scale digital topographic maps, produce digital elevation models, digital surface models and digital orthophoto images, and provide basic geographic information.

DRDO successfully demonstrates quantum communication between two labs

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully demonstrated communication between its two labs using Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technology. The Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and The Research Centre Imarat (RCI) were the two labs that participated in this demonstration.

AstraZeneca partners with RDIF and Gamaleya for AZD1222-Sputnik V combo trial

AstraZeneca plc has partnered with Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute, Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and R-Pharm to conduct a clinical trial to assess the safety and immunogenicity of combination of their respective adenovirus-vector vaccines AZD1222 and Sputnik V. While AZD1222 has been developed by British firm AstraZeneca and University of Oxford, Sputnik V has been co-developed by RDIF and Gamaleya.

NASA names team of 18 astronauts for NASA's manned Moon mission

NASA introduced a team of 18 astronauts who will train for its Artemis moon-landing program. The lunar exploration programme will land the first woman and next man on the Moon in 2024. Among the team of 18 astronauts, Indian-American US Air Force colonel Raja Jon Vurputoor Chari has also been named in the team.

BSNL to introduce worlds' first, satellite-based narrowband-IoT network in India

BSNL in partnership with Skylotech India today announced a breakthrough in satellite-based NB-IoT (Narrow Band-Internet of Things). It is in pursuance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a truly Digital India starting with fishermen, farmers, construction, mining and logistics enterprises. With this solution, India will now have access to a ubiquitous fabric of connectivity for millions of yet unconnected machines, sensors and industrial IoT devices. This new ‘Made in India’ Solution, which is indigenously developed by Skylo, will connect with BSNLs satellite- ground infrastructure and provide PAN-India coverage, including Indian seas.

China's spacecraft successfully brings home moon samples

China's Chang'e-5 probe successfully touched down on Earth in the early hours, bringing home the first samples of the moon in over 40 years.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ ISRO successfully launches country’s new communication satellite CMS-01

The Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO, has successfully launched the country’s new communication satellite CMS-01 in the intended orbit in space. The workhorse rocket PSLV-C50 carrying the satellite lifted off from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota at 15.41 hours as planned. In just about 21 minutes, the launch mission was accomplished and the satellite was injected into the geo-syncronous transfer orbit.

New Indian social networking app set to launch in 100 countries

Forpose Pvt. Ltd., an SaaS (Software as a Service) developer, based out of Hyderabad, announced the launch of a social networking app named Forpose. A beta version of the application had gone live in August this year. The company is ready to launch the application for users across 100 countries from the start of 2021. The company claims that as a social networking platform, the app will not just connect people, but create new business opportunities for the fashion sector.

Google launches insights tools for travel industry

Google announced the launch of a dedicated website that provides demand trends to travel sector participants including hotels, travel startup, and booking agents. Called Travel Insights with Google, the website is aimed at helping the sector better understand the pent-up demand and leverage insights from key data led tools for businesses to position themselves for recovery.

Godrej Appliances plans to launch -70 degree Celsius freezer

Godrej Appliances plans to launch in January a -70 degree Celsius ultra-low temperature freezer for storing vaccines. The ultra-low temperature freezers are crucial for storage of Pfizer’s messenger RNA vaccine against covid-19, which requires conditions of -70 degree Celsius.

ISRO to open Regional Academic Centre for Space at IIT Varanasi

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will establish a Regional Academic Centre for Space at IIT-Varanasi to facilitate short and long term projects at the institute. ISRO and the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Wednesday and the move can help propel the culture of research and development among students.

DRDO conducts successful trial of Medium Range Surface to Air MR-SAM missile

DRDO conducted the successful trial of the Medium Range Surface to Air MR-SAM missile from Chandipur off the Odisha coast. This was the army version of the MR-SAM missile which has been designed jointly by India and Israel.

ISRO developing “Green Propulsion Technology”

ISRO is developing “Green Propulsion Technology”. The technology is being developed for the Human Space Flight Mission of India, Gaganyaan, that is to be launched in December 2021.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ DRDO, Indian Navy conduct successful maiden test trial of SAHAYAK-NG

Defence Research and Development Organisation, DRDO along with Indian Navy conducted the successful maiden test trial of SAHAYAK-NG India’s first indigenously designed and developed Air Dropped Container from IL 38SD aircraft of Indian Navy off the coast of Goa. The trial was conducted by Indian Navy to enhance its operational logistics capabilities and provide critical engineering stores to ships which are deployed more than 2000 kilometres from the coast. It reduces the requirement of ships to come close to the coast to collect spares and stores.

Radio Waves Emission Detected From The Direction Of Proxima Centauri

Astronomers on the $100 million "Breakthrough Listening" project recently picked up radio waves emission from Proxima Centauri's direction (the closest star to our Sun). Physicist Stephen Hawking initiated the Breakthrough Listen project.

BARC Developed Eye Cancer Therapy

The Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) in Mumbai has developed the first indigenous Ruthenium 106 Plaque form of eye cancer therapy to treat Ocular Tumours. This is expected to reduce the cost of treatment of ocular tumors in the country. It is said that the newly developed plaque complies with international standards. Ocular Tumors: Ocular tumors are tumors inside the eye.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Devendra Fadnavis releases book 'Ayodhya' written by Madhav Bhandari

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Devendra Fadnavis released the book 'Ayodhya' written by BJP's State Vice President Madhav Bhandari in Mumbai. He said that the fight to build a Ram temple is a fight to awaken the Hindu community and the book will be used as a reference book.

Book titled ‘Covid-19: Sabhyata ka Sankat aur Samadhan’ written by Kailash Satyarthi

Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi’s new book titled ‘Covid-19: Sabhyata ka Sankat Aur Samadhan’ (Covid-19: Crisis of Civilisation and Solutions) was launched by former Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh.

Union Minister Shripad Naik Releases book “Sutranivednachi sutra- ek anbav”

Union Minister of State (I/C) for AYUSH and Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik released a Konkani book “Sutranivednachi sutra- ek anbav”, by Dr Roopa Chari. It is published by Sanjana Publications. Dr. Roopa Chari is a well-known personality in the field of Compering in Goa.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ PM Modi releases book “Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Parliament” to mark his 96th birth anniversary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 26th Dec released a book ‘Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Parliament: A Commemorative Volume’ to mark the 96th birth anniversary of the former prime minister. The book was released at a function in the Central Hall of Parliament.

RANKINGS

India drops two spots to rank 131 of 189 in Human development index

India ranks 131 of 189 countries on the Human Development Index (HDI), slipping two places from last year, the Human Development Report (HDR) 2020 released by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Norway topped the index, followed by Ireland and Switzerland. Hong Kong and Iceland complete the top five on the HDI.

SPORTS

Virat Kohli becomes fastest cricketer to score 12,000 ODI runs

India captain Virat Kohli became the fastest cricketer to score 12,000 ODI runs, breaking a record held by legendary compatriot Sachin Tendulkar. Virat Kohli reached the milestone during the third and final match against Australia.

Kiren Rijiju launches 2nd edition of Fit India Cyclothon

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has launched the second edition of Fit India Cyclothon via social media. The event will be held across the country in each district and citizens can participate by registering on Fit India website, cycle daily a distance of their choice, and share their images and videos on social media. They maytag @FitIndiaOff and use the hashtag - FitIndiaCyclothon and #NewIndiaFitIndia.

Govt to start 1000 Khelo India small centres to encourage sports culture in country

Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, said that the government has made various policy changes and taken up initiatives to encourage and support sportspersons and the sporting community even after they retire. Addressing the 10th Global Sports Summit, TURF 2020, organized by FICCI, Mr.Rijiju said, that we are also starting 1000 Khelo India small centres across the country that will help retired sports persons get employment or some role in shaping the sports culture of the country.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ Australia dismiss India for 36 - their lowest ever Test score

The Indian cricket team on Saturday scored its lowest ever lowest ever total in Test cricket, collapsing to 36/9 in the terminated second innings against Australia on the third morning of the first Day/Night Test here. India's earliest lowest score was 42 at the Lord's in 1974 against England, known in Indian cricket parlance as 'Summer of 42'.

AIFF announces candidature to host AFC Asian Cup 2027

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has formally announced its candidature to host the AFC Asian Cup 2027 and deliver a brighter future together for football in India and across Asia. The India 2027 campaign's powerful logo, revealed at the launch, represents the ambition, commitment, focus and spirit of the bid, epitomized by the royal tiger. The tiger is also an emblem of India’s national team, the Blue Tigers.

Govt approves inclusion of four indigenous sports in Khelo India Youth Games 2021

The Sports Ministry has approved the inclusion of four indigenous Games to be a part of Khelo India Youth Games 2021, scheduled to take place in Haryana. The games include Gatka, Kalaripayattu, Thang-Ta and Mallakhamba. The four selected games represent different parts of the country. Kalaripayattu has its origin from Kerala. Mallakhamba has been well-known across India and Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have been the hotspots of this sport. Gatka originates from Punjab. Thang-Ta originates from Manipur.

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju virtually inaugurates 8 Khelo India State Centres of Excellence across India

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju virtually inaugurated 8 Khelo India State Centres of Excellence across India in the presence of State Sports Ministers. The 8 States include Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Kerala, Telangana, Nagaland, Karnataka and Odisha.

Dhoni Captain of ICC T20I, ODI Team of the Decade; Kohli for Tests

The ICC on 27th Dec announced the men’s and women’s teams for the T20Is, ODIs and Tests from the last decade. Former India captain MS Dhoni was named captain of the T20I and ODI Teams while current India captain Virat Kohli was picked to lead the Test side.

BWF bans Russian badminton player Nikita Khakimov for 5 years

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has imposed a 5-year ban on Russian shuttler Nikita Khakimov for charges of “betting, wagering and irregular match results. Khakimov was part of the Russian men’s team that won the bronze medal at the 2020 European Team Championships.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ OBITUARY

Rajya Sabha MP Abhay Bhardwaj passes away

Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat Abhay Bhardwaj died due to Covid19. He was 66.

Senior TRS leader N Narasimhaiah passes away

Senior leader of the ruling Telangana Rastra Samiti (TRS) and Member of Legislative Assembly, N. Narasimhaiah passed away in Hyderabad. He was 65. He served as floor leader of the CPI-M twice in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh Assembly while representing Nakrekal constituency. He lost the 2014 election but won from Nagarjunasagar in 2018 from the ruling TRS.

Mahashay Dharampal Gulati, promoter and brand ambassador MDH spices passes away

98-year-old Mahashay Dharampal Gulati, the iconic owner of MDH spices, has lost its most passionate brand ambassador too. The cheerful, grandfatherly figure not only adorned the masala brand's packages but appeared in its television commercials as well. Born in Sialkot, Pakistan, in 1923, Mahashay Dharampal Gulati relocated to India post the partition and eventually went on to set up a small shop in Delhi’s Karol Bagh.

Lakshadweep Administrator Dineshwar Sharma passes away

Administrator of Lakshadweep Dineshwar Sharma passed away on Friday due to lung-related complications. He was 66.

Gujarat High Court sitting Judge G.R Udhwani passes away

Gujarat High Court sitting Judge G.R Udhwani passed away due to Covid19. He was 59. He was under treatment at Ahmedabad based private hospital following Covid19 infection and related complications. He began his law practice in 1987 and was elevated as additional judge of the Gujarat High Court in 2012.

Veteran Hindi writer Madhukar Gangadhar passes away

Veteran Hindi writer Madhukar Gangadhar passed away. He was 88 years old. Mr. Gangadhar was born in Bihar's Purnia district on 7th January 1932. He also worked in the capacity of Deputy Director General (DDG), AIR at New Delhi. After serving for 39 years in All India Radio (AIR) he became an independent writer based in Delhi. 'Motiyo Wale Hath', 'Hirna Ki Aankhen' are some of his most well known works.

Popular TV actress Divya Bhatnagar passes away

Popular face in Indian TV Divya Bhatnagar passed away. She was a 34 year old actor, who acted in hit serials like Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata and Udaan.

ExamsCart.com ​ ​ RSS ideologue MG Vaidya passes away

RSS ideologue and senior journalist, Madhav Govind Vaidya died at a private Hospital in Nagpur. He was 97 year old.

Veteran Congress leader Motilal Vora passes away

Veteran Congress leader Motilal Vora passed away at a private hospital in New Delhi. He was 93. Motilal Vora was elected to the Madhya Pradesh Assembly six times and served twice as Chief Minister of the State. He was Member of Rajya Sabha four times and the Lok Sabha for one term. He also served as Governor of Uttar Pradesh and Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Civil Aviation.

Two-time Congress MP from J&K Madan Lal Sharma passes away

Two-time Congress MP from Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory, Madan Lal Sharma passed away at the age of 68. He represented Jammu-Poonch constituency in the 14th and 15th Lok Sabha.

Robin Jackman, Former England Bowler & Cricket Commentator passed away

Robin Jackman, Former England Bowler and Cricket Commentator, Dies At 75. Jackman played four test matches and fifteen one day internationals between 1974 and 1983.

Dance historian Sunil Kothari passes away

Padma Shri dance historian and critic Sunil Kothari passed away on 27th Dec at a Delhi hospital after he suffered a cardiac arrest a month after testing positive for coronavirus. He was 87.

Former New Zealand batsman John F. Reid passed away

John Reid, the former New Zealand batsman, has died aged 64. The left-hand batsman played 19 Tests and 25 ODIs from 1979 to 1986, scoring 1296 and 633 runs in them respectively.

Karnataka council deputy chairman SL Dharme Gowda dead

The body of Karnataka Legislative Council deputy chairman S L Dharme Gowda was recovered from a railway track at Gunasagar village of Kadur Taluk in Chikmagalur district of the state.

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