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CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

Government of India and Asian Development Bank Ink 37 Billion Japanese Yen Loan Deal for Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System Corridor

The Government of India (GoI) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed an agreement for a 37 billion Japanese Yen ($250 million) loan that will continue financing the construction of the 82-kilometre Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor.

Loan Signatories :

Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, represented the Government of India.
Hoe Yun Jeong, Deputy Country Director, and Officer-in-Charge of the India Resident Mission, represented ADB.

Key Highlights :

Previous ADB Funding : Earlier, ADB had approved a $1,049 million Multi-tranche Financing Facility (MFF) for the project in 2020 to support construction of RRTS, the first of three priority rail corridors planned under the NCR Regional Plan 2021, to connect Delhi to other cities in adjoining states.
Multi-Modal Hubs for Interchange : The Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor will feature multi-modal hubs to facilitate smooth interchange with other modes of transportation.
Co-Financing and Tranches : The first tranche of the ADB loan amounts to $500 million, with an additional $500 million co-financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
Impact on Urban Mobility : The investment project is expected to enhance urban mobility through the development of the RRTS, contributing to economic growth.
The benefits are projected to extend to women and differently-abled individuals.
Economic and Employment Opportunities : The 82-kilometre corridor, passing through densely populated areas of the national capital region, aims to provide fast, safe, and high-capacity commuter transit services.
This is anticipated to create economic and employment opportunities by significantly reducing travel time from 3-4 hours to about 1 hour.

About Ministry of Finance :

Cabinet Minister : Nirmala Sitharaman
Minister of State : Bhagwat Karad, Pankaj Choudhary

About ADB :

Established : 1966
Headquarters : Manila, Philippines
President : Masatsugu Asakawa
Membership : 68 members, including 49 regional members (countries in Asia and the Pacific) and 19 non-regional members (countries outside the region)

IRDAI Relaxes Claim Settlement Rules for Cyclone Michaung Victims

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has raised the limits on losses for the appointment of Surveyors and Loss Assessors.
The limits have been increased for Motor Insurance to Rs 1 lakh from the existing Rs 50,000. For other than motor insurance, it has been increased from the current Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.
A surveyor and loss assessor is an insurance intermediary licensed by IRDAI to investigate, manage, quantify, validate and deal with losses (whether insured or not) arising from any contingency, on behalf of the company or the policyholder.
The regulatory changes are specifically applicable to claims arising from Cyclone Michaung and the associated heavy rains/floods.
The special dispensation is effective for a period of 2 months from the date of the circular’s issuance.
Cyclone Michuang (pronounced as ‘Migjaum’) intensified into a severe cyclone after forming in the Bay of Bengal during the 2023 North Indian Ocean cyclone season.
Several areas in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh reeled under waterlogging conditions due to heavy rainfall in the region caused by Cyclone Michaung’s landfall.

About IRDAI :

Established : 1999
Headquarters : Hyderabad, Telangana
Chairperson : Debasish Panda
The IRDAI is a statutory body under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance (MoF), Government of India (GoI) and is tasked with regulating and licensing the insurance and reinsurance industries in India.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Inflows into Gujarat Experience 30% Decline in the First Half of FY24, Marking a 2-Year Slowing Trend

Since the last two years, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into Gujarat have remained subdued, despite the state topping the FDI charts in 2020–21.
In the first six months of the current financial year 2023-24, FDI flows into Gujarat experienced a nearly 30% decline, marking the third consecutive year of subdued performance.

Key Highlights :

Gujarat’s FDI decline is the second-highest among Indian states during this period, with Karnataka experiencing a larger decline of almost 44%.
Gujarat attracted ₹18,884 crore between April and September, which is lower than the ₹26,866 crore FDI for the same period in 2022–23, according to state figures published by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
While the overall FDI inflows into India have dipped by 20 per cent for the April–September period compared to the same period last year, Maharashtra has bucked the trend with a 5 per cent growth.
Topping the FDI charts, Maharashtra attracted ₹65,502 crore for the first six months of the current financial year, while Gujarat stood in 4th place among States.
In 2020–21, FDI inflows into Gujarat peaked, with ₹1.62-lakh crore of investments flowing into the State.
The State government had cited incentives offered by it under the new industrial policy as the reason for the performance during a year affected by the Covid pandemic.
Thereafter, the state slipped from the pinnacle, attracting ₹20,169 crore in 2021–22 and ₹37,059 crore in 2022–23.
Of the total FDI that has flowed into Gujarat this financial year, 90 percent of it has been attracted by Ahmedabad district.
The rest is spread across 13 odd districts, including Surat and Vadodara.

Cashfree Payments Introduces ‘FlowWise,’ India’s Pioneering Self-Hosted Payments Orchestration Platform

Cashfree Payments, India’s leading payments and API banking company, announced its foray into payment orchestration with the launch of ‘FlowWise’ that helps Indian businesses manage payments more efficiently.
The newly introduced platform will allow businesses to easily use multiple payment services with just one setup and direct payments to different partners based on specific needs in real-time.

About ‘FlowWise’ :

With FlowWise, Cashfree Payments has introduced an innovative and industry-first concept of ‘self-hosted payments orchestration’, allowing payment management to take place directly on the merchant’s infrastructure.
It is India’s first cloud-native orchestration platform and aims to improve success rate by up to 10% and cut the processing costs up to 40%.
FlowWise’s self hosting feature eliminates safety concerns, making it one of the most secure, scalable and cost effective solutions for merchants.
CEO and Co-founder, Cashfree Payments : Akash Sinha

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana achieved their target of Rs. 1000 Crore in sales in FY 2023-24

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) has created another landmark in the history of generic medicines in the country by selling medicines worth Rs. 1000 Crore this year.
This achievement was made possible only by the people of the country, who have saved approximately 5000 crores by purchasing medicines from Jan Aushadhi Kendras which is present in more than 785 districts of the country.
This substantial growth is a testament to PMBI’s commitment to serving more communities and reaching a broader audience.
In last 9 years, there has been more than 100 times growth in number of Kendras which were only 80 in 2014 and have now grown to almost 10000 Kendras covering almost all the country’s districts.
Hon’ble Prime Minister in his Independence Day speech, 2023 has announced the opening of 25,000 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) across the country.
The Prime Minister virtually launched the 10,000^thJanaushadhi Kendra at AIIMS, Deoghar, Jharkhand on 30^th November, 2023 and further paved the way for expanding the number of Kendras to 25,000 for wider outreach and easy accessibility of medicines to the people of the country.
Accordingly, the Government has set a target to open 25,000 Janaushadhi Kendras across the country by March, 2026.
Online applications have been called for opening of new Janaushadhi Kendras across all districts of the nation through the official website of PMBI, i.e.; – janaushadhi.gov.in and for any further communication, anyone may contact through the national toll-free number i.e.; 1800 180 8080.

Honourable Union Minister Sh Kiren Rijiju launches India’s maiden winter scientific Arctic expedition

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju flagged off India’s first-ever winter science expedition to the Arctic region.
India’s first-ever winter science expedition to the Arctic region has been flagged off by the Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju.
Indian scientific expeditions to the Arctic during the winter (November to March) will allow researchers to conduct unique scientific observations during polar nights, where there is no sunlight for nearly 24 hours and sub-zero temperatures (as low as -15 degrees Celsius).
A team of four scientists started the journey to India’s research station in the NyAlesund town on the Brogger peninsula.
Athulya R, Girish B S, Prashant Rawat, and Surendra Singh are the members of this team.
The first batch of the maiden Arctic winter expedition comprises researchers from the host NCPOR, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi; Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune; and Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru.

Key Highlights

The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) will make necessary budgetary and other allocations.
The team of scientists will stay at the research station at NyAlesund for 30 days.
Now, India will have a year-long presence at the research station in the Arctic region.
India launched its Arctic research programme in 2007. The main focus of the programme is climate change in the region.
Since 2008, India operates a research base in the Arctic named Himadri, which has been mostly hosting scientists during the summer (April to October).
In 2022, the government also launched the Arctic Policy. The government is planning to have more research stations and satellite ground stations in the region.
Indian scientific expeditions to the Earth’s poles (the Arctic and the Antarctic) are facilitated under the PACER (Polar and Cryosphere) scheme of the MoES, solely through the aegis of the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, an autonomous institution of the MoES.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : STATE NEWS

Uttarakhand Government Introduces India’s First Himalayan AirSafari with Gyrocopters to Revolutionize Tourism

The Uttarakhand government is set to transform tourism by launching India’s first-ever Himalayan AirSafari using gyrocopters, compact and agile aircraft.
The first trial flight of gyrocopters was successfully conducted at Bairagi Camp, Haridwar, marking a significant milestone in the initiative.
The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board is collaborating with Rajas Aerosports and Adventures Pvt Ltd to introduce gyrocopters as an innovative way for tourists to explore the state’s picturesque landscapes.
Germany-supplied state-of-the-art gyrocopters have been procured for the Himalayan Air Safari initiative.
Initial operations will be led by expertly trained German pilots.
The gyrocopters will be part of the innovative Himalayan Air Safari scheme, which is aligned with the Breakfast Tourism initiative introduced by the department.
Tourists participating in the Himalayan Air Safari will experience soaring across the skies, enjoying breathtaking aerial views of the majestic Himalayan ranges and serene rivers.
The gyrocopters will smoothly transition between exotic locations.

About Uttarakhand:

Capital: Dehradun
Chief Minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami
Governor: Gurmit Singh
National Parks: Govind National Park, Nanda Devi National Park, Gangotri National Park, Rajaji National Park, Jim Corbett National Park

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

Indian Armed Forces officers awarded ‘Golden Owl’ for outstanding performance at DSCSC Sri Lanka

Indian Armed Forces officers have been awarded the ‘Golden Owl’ for their outstanding performance.
The officers were undergoing the Command and Staff Course at the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) in Sri Lanka.
The DSCSC course is designed to prepare senior officers for leadership roles in joint operations and higher command.
The award was given to Wing Commander Sumeet Mahajan, Major Rohit and Lieutenant Commander Sunny Sharma by Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
The “Golden Owl” award admires strategic thinking, analytical skills and potential for future leadership.
Recently, the joint military exercise between India and Sri Lanka concluded at the Southern Command Foreign Training Node, Aundh in Pune.

ET Awards for Corporate Excellence: Levers of growth meet shades of talent at Chanel

Leena Nair, the global CEO of luxury brand Chanel, has several significant firsts to her credit.
At Unilever, Nair, 54, was the first woman to lead global human resources. And then, Chanel appointed her as its first global CEO of Indian origin.
She was a fashion industry outsider when picked by the French fashion house to lead it in 2022.
She has been chosen for the Global Indian Award.
An elite eight-member jury picked CK Venkataraman, managing director of Titan Co. Ltd, as Business Leader of the Year at The Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence 2023, recognising his contribution to keeping the nearly 40-year-old company young and buzzing.
The State Bank of India, the country’s largest lender, bagged the coveted Company of the Year award in a unanimous vote for its spectacular turnaround from heavy losses a few years ago.
The power-packed jury headed by Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran picked external affairs minister S Jaishankar as Reformer of the Year for his stellar efforts in defending and furthering India’s economic and trade interests amid a geopolitical minefield.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to AM Naik, chairman emeritus, Larsen & Toubro, for building the company into an economic bellwether of the country with a presence across defence, manufacturing, technology and construction.
HDFC Bank was selected as the Conscious Corporate of the Year for using its Rs 800 crore corporate social responsibility (CSR) corpus for community development.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

FY 2023-24 Sees 17% Surge in Gross Direct Tax Collections

The Ministry of Finance, that the Gross Direct Tax collections for the Financial Year 2023-24 have registered a growth of over 17 per cent.
The Gross Collection of Direct Taxes for the Financial year 2023-24 before adjusting refunds, stands at over 15 lakh 95 thousand crore rupees as compared to 13 lakh 63 thousand crore in the corresponding period of 2022-23.
Direct Tax collections for the year 2023-24 up to the 17th of this month, show that net collections are at 13 lakh 70 thousand crore rupees as compared to 11 lakh 35 thousand crore rupees in the corresponding period of last Fiscal.
It represents an increase of 20.66 percent.
The Ministry added that advance Tax collections for the Fiscal Year 2023-24 stand at over 6 lakh 25 thousand crore rupees which shows a growth of 19.94 per cent.
It added that refunds amounting to over 2 lakh 25 thousand crore rupees were also issued during the current fiscal.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs Designates Reuven Azar as New Ambassador to India

The Israeli government approved the appointment of Reuven Azar as the new Ambassador to India.
Azar will also concurrently serve as the non-resident Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Bhutan.
His appointment is one of the 21 new Heads of Missions cleared by the Israeli government to assume service soon.

About Reuven Azar :

Azar was born in Argentina and has a diverse and extensive background in various diplomatic roles.
He has served as Head of the Israel-U.S.-China internal task force at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, immediately after a term of 3 years as Deputy National Security Advisor for Foreign Policy at the National Security Council and Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel.
He served in a paratroopers battalion of the Israeli Defence Forces from 1985 to 1988 and was a reservist combat Sergeant up to 2008.
He also served as the Head of Middle East Research in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2012 to 2014 and as Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Israel in Amman from 2010 to 2012.
Since the completion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cadet training programme in 1994, he mostly held Middle East-related positions such as Head of the Iran Sanctions Team and Director of Middle East Economic Research.
He has also covered different aspects of cooperation and negotiations with the Palestinian Authority, as well as research on Palestinian issues during his almost three decades of service.
He served four years in Cairo as Head of the Economic and Trade Department at the Embassy of Israel.
In an earlier stint in Washington from 2003 to 2006, he served as Counsellor for Political Affairs.
From 2014 to 2018, Mr. Azar was Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy of Israel in Washington, DC.
Azar is currently serving as the Ambassador of Israel to Romania.

About Israel :

President : Isaac Herzog
Prime Minister : Benjamin Netanyahu
Capital : Jerusalem
Currency : New shekel

India’s Uma Sekhar gets elected to Governing Council of UNIDROIT

In a historic moment for India, India’s first woman candidate, Ms. Uma Sekhar secured a remarkable victory by garnering 45 out of 59 votes in the initial round of elections for the Governing Council of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) held in Rome, Italy.
With this, India will be a member of the Governing Council for the period from 1 January 2024- 31 December 2028.
Notably, the Governing Council consists of 25 positions, all of which are held by distinguished legal experts.
The candidates from Russia, the United States of America (USA) and China failed to win positions on the governing council.
In the election, there were 32 contestants in the fray including those from the USA, China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, France, and others.
In order to be elected to the Governing Council, 21 votes were required.
As of December 14, 2023 Maria Chiara Malaguti is the President of the Governing Council of the UNIDROIT.

About UNIDROIT :

Headquarters : Rome, Italy
Secretary General : Professor Ignacio Tirado
Members : 65 Member States
UNIDROIT is an intergovernmental organization whose objective is to harmonize private international law across countries through uniform rules, international conventions, and the production of model laws, sets of principles, guides and guidelines
Its purpose is to study needs and methods for modernising, harmonising and co-ordinating private and in particular commercial law as between States and groups of States and to formulate uniform law instruments, principles and rules to achieve those objectives.
Structure : It has an essentially three-tiered structure, made up of a Secretariat, a Governing Council and a General Assembly.
The Secretariat is the executive organ of UNIDROIT responsible for carrying out its Work Programme from day to day.
It is headed by a Secretary-General appointed by the Governing Council on the nomination of the President of the Institute.
The General Assembly is the ultimate decision-making organ of UNIDROIT.
India has been a member of this organisation since 1950

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

Indian Air Force Conducts Successful Test of ‘SAMAR’ Air Defense Missile System in Andhra Pradesh

Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully conducted the test of the ‘SAMAR’ standing for Surface to Air Missile for Assured Retaliation, air defence missile system during ‘Exercise Astrashakti-2023.’
Exercise Astrashakti-2023 took place at Suryalanka Air Force Station in Andhra Pradesh.

About SAMAR :

SAMAR is an indigenous air defence missile system developed by the Indian Air Force.
SAMAR participated for the first time in Exercise Astrashakti-2023 to undergo operational field trials and test its surface-to-air weapon systems.
The SAMAR air defence missile system successfully achieved its firing trial objectives across different scenarios during the exercise.
SAMAR is capable of destroying aerial threats, operating at a speed range of 2 to 2.5 Mach.
It features a twin-turret launch platform.
SAMAR air defence system has been developed by the 7 Base Repair Depot (BRD), showcasing indigenous technological advancements.
SAMAR can launch two missiles in both single and salvo mode, demonstrating its flexibility and versatility in different combat situations.
SAMAR is a quick reaction surface-to-air missile system, ingeniously crafted by the IAF’s 7 Base Repair Depot (BRD) and 11 BRD, in collaboration with Simran Flowtech Industries and Yamazuki Denki.
Notably, the system repurposes old Russian-origin Vympel R-73 and R-27 air-to-air missiles, demonstrating an innovative approach to maximize existing resources.
India also showcased the firepower of its indigenous Akash surface-to-air (SAM) weapon system during Exercise Astrashakti 2023.
The Akash Weapon System is designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), emphasizing India’s self-reliance in defense technology.

About IAF :

Established : 1932
Headquarters : New Delhi, Delhi
Chief of the Air Staff : Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari
Motto : Touch the Sky with Glory

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

IndiGo Achieves Milestone as First Indian Airline to Transport 100 Million Passengers in a Year

IndiGo has achieved the distinction of becoming the first Indian airline to transport 100 million passengers in a single year.
IndiGo has further made history by being the 1st Indian airline to operate more than 2,000 flights per day in the year 2023.
IndiGo holds the position of India’s largest airline, operating in both the domestic and international aviation sectors.
In November 2023, IndiGo secured an impressive market share of 61.8% in the domestic segment, a figure nearly six times higher than the second-ranking airline, Air India.
In the international segment (July-September), IndiGo maintained a substantial market share of 18.5% among airlines operating flights to and from India.
Earlier in the year, IndiGo created history by placing an order for 500 Airbus A320 family planes.
This order stands as the largest-ever aircraft order in the aviation industry.

About IndiGo :

Founders: Rahul Bhatia, Rakesh Gangwal
CEO: Pieter Elbers
Headquarters: Gurgaon, Haryana, India
Founded: August 2006

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND REPORTS

Hyderabad ranked 1st in food adulteration cases: NCRB

According to the data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Hyderabad is in first position in India regarding food adulteration cases.
In cases of food adulteration, Andhra Pradesh stood next to Telangana.
The seized items include adulterated finger garlic paste, ice creams, and tea powder.
A total of 291 cases of food adulteration were reported across 19 major cities in India in 2021.
Food adulteration is a critical concern for the health of the Public.
The contaminated food items can cause severe health problems, including foodborne illnesses, and allergies.
The NCRB data shows that there is an urgent need to take strict measures to combat food adulteration.

Saudi Arabia emerges as top destination for skilled workers

Every second candidate trained under the Skill India International Centres (SIIC) and got employment abroad between April 2022 and December 2023 landed in Saudi Arabia, Union Skill Minister of State Rajeev Chandrasekhar told the Lok Sabha.
In response to a question on whether the government has any plan to partner with other countries that need skilled employees, the minister said 25,300 candidates got employment abroad thanks to the efforts of the skill ministry’s SIICs.
According to the data, 13,944 skilled candidates got jobs in Saudi Arabia, followed by Qatar (3,646), the United Arab Emirates (2,832), and the United Kingdom (1,248).
The minister, in line with the Budget announcement this year, the ministry has proposed the establishment of 30 SIICs across states.
Currently, two SIICs — one each in Varanasi and Bhubaneswar — have been established.
Besides, the minister said the ministry had active government-to-government memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with eight countries like Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Qatar, the UAE, and the UK.

India tops remittance flows at USD 125 bn in 2023: World Bank

According to the World Bank’s latest Migration and Development Report, India with 125 billion dollars remittance remains the largest recipient of remittances in the world in 2023.
Mexico (67 billion dollars), China (50 billion dollars), the Philippines (40 billion dollars), and Egypt (24 billion dollars) are among the top five remittance recipient countries in the world.
In the South Asia region, remittance flows to India registered a growth. This region witnessed a 7.2 per cent increase in remittances in 2023.
Remittance flows to Europe and Central Asia decreased by 1.4 per cent.
The report shows continuous growth in remittance flows to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in 2023.
The United States continued to be the largest source of remittances.
Remittances to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) grew by an estimated 3.8 per cent in 2023, reaching a total of USD 66 9 billion.
In 2023, remittances to LMICs grew by around 3.8 per cent.
Due to global inflation and low growth prospects, real income for migrants could decline in 2024.
For the second consecutive year, Middle East and North Africa registered a decline in remittance.
As per the report, remittances have crossed the sum of foreign direct investment and official development assistance in recent years.
World Bank Migration and Development Brief is prepared by the Migration and Remittances Unit, Development Economics (DEC), the premier research and data arm of the World Bank.
The brief is produced twice a year.

About World Bank :

Established : July 7, 1944
Headquarters : Washington, D.C., United States
President : Ajay Banga

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

National Sports Awards 2023 Announced; Chirag C Shetty and Satwik Sai Raj Rankireddy to Receive Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

The Government announced the National Sports Awards 2023. Badminton players Chirag C Shetty and Satwik Sai Raj Rankireddy will be honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
Twenty-six sportspersons will receive the Arjuna Awards.