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CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

SBI launches green rupee term-deposit scheme to mobile funds for climate-friendly projects   

• State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest Bank has launched a special fixed deposit (FD) scheme named SBI Green Rupee Term Deposit (SGRTD) to mobilise funds to support environment-friendly initiatives and projects, thereby fostering the growth of a green finance ecosystem in India.

About SBI Green Rupee Term Deposit (SGRTD)

• Eligibility : SBI Green Rupee Term Deposit scheme is open to resident individuals, non-individuals, and NRI customers.
• Tenure available : SGRTD offers investors the flexibility to choose from three distinct tenors: 1111 days, 1777 days, and 2222 days.
• How to invest? Currently, the scheme is available through the branch network, and it will soon be made available through other digital channels such as YONO and Internet Banking Services (INB).
• Interest rate : According to the SBI's website, SGRTD will offer 10 basis points (bps) interest rates below the card rate for retail and bulk Deposits for respective tenor.
• Interest rate for retail deposits : 1111 Days- 6.65 %
• 1777 Days- 6.65 %
• 2222 Days- 6.40 %
• Interest rate for bulk deposits : 1111 Days- 6.15 %
• 1777 Days- 6.15 %
• 2222 Days- 5.90 %
• Additional benefit for senior citizens : Senior Citizens/ Staff/ Staff Senior Citizens are eligible for an additional interest rate over the applicable rate for the public. (NRI Senior Citizens / NRI Staff not eligible).
• Pre-mature withdrawal : Pre-mature withdrawal allowed
• Loan facility : Loan/ overdraft facility available against the deposit

What is a Green Deposit?

• A green deposit is a fixed-term deposit for people looking to invest their surplus cash reserves in environmentally friendly projects.
• By offering this product, lenders stride towards fulfilling the goal of the Government of India of making the nation net carbon zero by 2070.
• A green fixed deposit operates similarly to regular term deposits, offering investors a fixed interest rate over a predetermined tenure.
• However, the key differentiator lies in the utilisation of the funds collected under green deposits.
• Unlike traditional fixed deposits, green fixed deposits prioritise investments in projects with a positive impact on the environment.
• The scope of projects funded by green fixed deposits is vast, ranging from financing solar power projects and wind farms to supporting organic farming and energy-efficient infrastructure.
• The deposits raised under the framework are covered by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation.

About SBI :

• Established : 1 July 1955
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Chairman : Dinesh Kumar Khara
• CFO : Kameshwar Rao Kodavanti

Shanghai’s New Development Bank to provide $500 million loan to Gujarat

• Shanghai-headquartered New Development Bank (NDB) signed an agreement for providing a $500-million loan to the Gujarat government.
• As part of Vibrant Gujarat Summit, a project loan will be provided for the State’s Mukhayamantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
• An agreement in this regard was finalised between NDB and Gujarat government at the summit in Gandhinagar.
• NDB will support the roads and buildings department of the State government for construction of an estimated 1,200 km of roads.
• NDB will also provide knowledge support to strengthen the rural road network in the State by adopting new technology, safeguarding the environment and implementing safer road designs.

About NDB :

• Headquarters : Shanghai, China
• President: Dilma Rousseff.
• The New Development Bank (NDB), formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, is a multilateral development bank established by the BRICS states (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa)

IMF approves $700 million loan as part of Pakistan bailout

• Amid the crippling economic woes in Pakistan, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed its first review of the country's economic reform programme and allowed the immediate disbursement of USD 700 million.
• The report, quoting a release by the Pakistan Finance Ministry, stated, "The Board's approval allows for an immediate disbursement of SDR 528 million (around US$ 700 million), bringing the total disbursements under the SBA to US$ 1.9 billion."
• The IMF's nod follows the staff-level agreement reached between the IMF and Pakistan on November 15, 2023, emphasising the nation's commitment to implementing key reforms.
• The IMF executive board's approval came amid continued efforts of caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar and Army Chief General Asim Munir to revive the country's sputtering economy.
• The current IMF programme of USD 3 billion is scheduled to end in the second week of April 2024, with around USD 8 billion remaining undisbursed.
• The IMF released its first tranche of USD 1.2 billion in July.
• With the approval of the IMF board, Pakistan will receive a further installment of about 700 million US dollars.
• Officials in the Finance ministry stated Pakistan has achieved all IMF targets and, 'hopefully', will be able to get the required results.
• The officials stated Pakistan strictly implemented the economic reforms as advised by the world body.
• On November 16, last year, Pakistan and IMF reached a staff-level agreement on the first review under the SBA.
• The agreement supports the authorities' commitment to advance the planned fiscal consolidation, accelerate cost-reducing reforms in the energy sector, complete the return to a market-determined exchange rate, and pursue state-owned enterprise and governance reforms to attract investment and support job creation, while continuing to strengthen social assistance.
• The total debt burden on Pakistan rose to a whopping 63,399 trillion Pakistani Rupees (PKR) by the end of November last year in the financial year 2023-24.
• According to the report, the country's total debt increased by over 12.430 trillion PKR during the tenure of the PDM and the caretaker government.
• Pakistan's overall debt burden surged to PKR 63.390 trillion including PKR 40.956 trillion in domestic loans and PKR 22.434 trillion in international loans.

About IMF :

• Headquarters : Washington, D.C., United States
• Managing Director : Kristalina Georgieva
• Membership : 190 countries (189 UN countries and Kosovo)

About Pakistan:

• Capital: Islamabad
• Currency: Rupee
• President: Arif Alvi

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

14th Ministerial-level meeting of the India- United States Trade Policy Forum held in New Delhi

• The 14th Ministerial-level meeting of the India- United States Trade Policy Forum (TPF) was held in New Delh
• Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai co-chaired the forum meeting.
• Ministers committed to pursuing a foundation to launch future Joint Initiatives in certain areas, including critical minerals, customs and trade facilitation, supply chains, and trade in high-tech products.
• For this, both nations will develop an ambitious and forward-looking roadmap for enhanced cooperation to achieve economically meaningful outcomes.
• In the forum, both nations agreed to establish a Joint Facilitative Mechanism (JFM) to mitigate non-tariff barriers which would pursue mutual recognition of results from International Laboratories and establish mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs), on a bilateral basis whenever possible.

All states, UTs to get equal chance to display tableaux during Republic Day parade

• As per the new agreement, every state and UT will get an opportunity to showcase its tableau within three years at Republic Day parade.
• Around 15 tableaux from the States and Union Territories are selected every year for the Republic Day parade.
• Now, every State and UT will get an opportunity to showcase its tableau within three years.
• A three-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been proposed. So far, 28 states have signed this MoU.
• The Ministry of Culture has empanelled 30 agencies for the design and fabrication of tableaux through an open selection process.
• In the 2024 Republic Day parade, 16 states and UTs will get the chance to show their tableau.
• The States that could not get an opportunity at this year’s Republic Day Parade have been invited to showcase their tableaux at Bharat Parv from January 23 to 31, 2024, at Red Fort.
• An expert committee comprising artists and Padma awardees will finalize the theme and aesthetics.
• Every year on January 26th, the parade takes place on the Kartavya Path (formally Rajpath) in New Delhi.
• The first parade took place in 1950 and it has taken place every year since.
• Each year, the MoD comes up with an overarching theme, under which participants can showcase elements relevant to their respective state/UT/department in their tableaux.
• This year’s theme is “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India) and “Bharat: Loktantra ki Matrika” (India: the Mother of Democracy).

Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs app to cut litigation time

• The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) will roll out an app to alert officials about timely disposition of tax appeals by tracking all cases under the litigation process.
• Named 'Samay', the app will capture all the pending orders across levels from adjudicating officer to the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (Cestat) to High Courts, and reflect the pendency of review orders that are either under process at various levels or awaiting processing at the commissioner level.
• The initiative will greatly reduce the litigation time.
• The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) is the authority responsible for administering indirect taxes such as GST, central excise, service tax, and customs, among others in India.
• Shri Sanjay Kumar Agarwal is Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs and Special Secretary to the Government of India.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Yuva Nidhi launched by Congress government for unemployed youth in Karnataka

• The Karnataka Governmenthas initiated the Yuva Nidhi Scheme to provide financial support to educated unemployed youth in the state.
• This scheme aims to offer economic security to the youth and reduce their dependence on others for their financial needs.
• The Yuva Nidhi Scheme in Karnataka, launched by the state government, is a commendable initiative to bolster the economic prospects of educated, unemployed youth.

Yuva Nidhi Scheme Launch:

• Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on December 26 launched the registration of the fifth and last poll guarantee ‘Yuva Nidhi’ in Bengaluru offering unemployment assistance to graduates and diploma holders.
• The government will begin the distribution of allowances on January 12, the day when national youth day is celebrated to mark Swamy Vivekananda’s birth anniversary.

Monthly Financial Assistance:

• Under the Yuva Nidhi Scheme, eligible beneficiaries will receive monthly financial assistance directly in their bank accounts through Direct Bank Transfer (DBT). This financial aid will continue until they secure employment or for a maximum period of two years, whichever occurs earlier.

Yuva Nidhi Scheme Benefit Amount:

• The government will disburse the following amounts to unemployed youth in Karnataka who have completed their degree or diploma courses in the academic year 2022-2023:
• Rs. 3,000 per month for unemployed graduates.
• Rs. 1,500 per month for diploma pass-outs.
• This assistance will be provided six months after their graduation or diploma completion if they remain unemployed. However, it will cease either after two years or as soon as they secure employment within this period.

About Karnataka :

• Governor: Thawar Chand Gehlot
• Chief minister: Siddaramaiah
• Capital: Bengaluru
• National Park : Bandipur NP, Kudremukh NP, Bannerghata NPRajiv Gandhi NP
• Wildlife Sanctuaries : B R Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, Gudavi Bird Sanctuary, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary
• Tiger Reserve : Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, Bhadra Tiger Reserve
• Festival : Hampi, Mahamastakabhisheka (Shravanabelagola)
• Dance : Yakshagana, Dollu Kunitha Bolak-aat (Bolak Dance)

Rajasthan: International Camel Festival starts in Bikaner

• The world-famous three-day Camel Festival dedicated to the ship of the desert, will start in Bikaner. The theme of the festival this year is ‘Icons of Bikaner’ to especially promote the art and craftsmanship of the local people.

2024 is the International Year of the Camel

• The United Nations has declared the year 2024 as the International Year of the Camel.
• The Tourism Department and Bikaner District Administration have completed all their preparations for this event. Various cultural programs and competitions will be organized during the festival. Also, world-renowned artists will give spectacular presentations of various arts.

The event organisation:

• The festival will start at 9 am with a heritage walk from Rampuriya Haveli to Bikaji Ki Tekri. Rangoli, Mehndi and drawing competitions, various competitions including camel dance, camel fur cutting, camel makeup, camel race and rural sports, various competitions including tug of war, wrestling, kabaddi, kho-kho, women's matka race, dune race (between Indian and foreign tourists) will be organized in the desert.

About Rajasthan : 

• Governor: Kalraj Mishra
• Chief minister: Bhajan Lal Sharma
• Capital: Jaipur
• National Park : Keoladeo National Park, Ranthambore National Park, Mukundara National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries : Bandh Baratha WL Sanctuary, Ramgarh Vishdhari WL Sanctuary, Jaisamand WL Sanctuary

Gangasagar Mela 2024: WEST BENGAL

• The Gangasagar Mela held every year in Bengal is the second-largest gathering of Hindu pilgrims, following the Kumbha Mela.
• It is an annual event held exclusively on Sagardwip, also known as Sagar Island.
• Each year, during Makar Sankranti, pilgrims across the country gather at the confluence of the Ganges and the Bay of Bengal to take a sacred dip, followed by prayers at the revered Kapil Muni Temple, which holds significant stories and is deeply worshipped by devotees.

Gangasagar Mela Date:

• The Mela commences a few days prior to Makar Sankranti and concludes on the day after the festival. Hindu pilgrims from India and around the world gather at Sagar Island to take part in the sacred ritual of taking a divine dip in the holy waters of the Ganges River before it meets the Bay of Bengal.
• Devotees begin arriving in the first week of January, with the Makar Sankranti day drawing the maximum number of pilgrims to the site.
• This year, the auspicious bath will be taking place on January 15 and 16.

The Snan:

• The Ganga Sagar Mela Snan spans seven days, but the actual Bath (Snan) and its religious ceremonies commence a day before Makar Sankranti and conclude the following day.
• On the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti, pilgrims take part in the sacred dip in the wee hours of dawn, offering prayers to Lord Surya, the Sun God.
• This divine immersion is believed to cleanse sins and pave the way for the attainment of Moksha, spiritual liberation.
• Devotees observe a fast, perform the Maha Puja and Yagna at Kapil Muni's temple at 3 AM, and then immerse themselves in the cold waters of the sacred Ganges River to purify themselves of sins.
• Hindus from all across India and beyond come to take part in the Ganga Sagar Snan.
• However, it is especially popular among people from West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Odisha due to their proximity to the location.

About West Bengal :

• Governor: V. Ananda Bose
• Chief minister: Mamata Banerjee
• Capital: Kolkata
• National Park: Jaldapara National Park, Sunderban National Park (also a Tiger Reserve), Singalila National Park, Neora Valley National Park, Gorumara National Park, Buxa National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries : Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary, Lothian Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary, Pakhi Bitan Wildlife Sanctuary

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

India's industrial production grew 2.4 % in Nov 2023

• India's industrial production grew 2.4 per cent in November 2023.
• Factory output measured in terms of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) had grown by 7.6 per cent in November 2022.
• The data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) showed that the manufacturing sector's output grew by 1.2 per cent in November 2023.
• The mining production rose 6.8 per cent during the month under review while the Power output rose 5.8 per cent.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

NLCIL Awards 2400 MW Thermal Power Project in Odisha to BHEL

• NLC India Ltd, a Navratna Company under the Ministry of Coal, has awarded the EPC contract to BHEL to set up a Pit Head Green Field Thermal Power Project of 2,400 MW capacity (3 x 800 MW – Stage I) at Jharsuguda District in  Odisha,  after inviting competitive tenders under ICB route.
• The project is based on Ultra Super Critical Technology.
• The entire power of 2400 MW is tied up with the States of Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Kerala and Puducherry and PPAs to this effect already executed.
• The contract scope includes engineering, manufacturing, supply, erection and commissioning of equipment such as boilers, turbine, generators, balance of plants, FGD and SCR for 3 X800 MW- 2400 MW Stage –I.

Key Highlights

• For this thermal project, the coal linkage is available from 20 million tonne per annum (MTPA) Talabira II& III mines of NLCIL which is already  operational from  2020 in Jharsuguda and Sambalpur Districts of Odisha.
• The water required for the project is linked from Hirakud Reservoir and the power generated will be evacuated through ISTS and STU Network.
• The project will come up with latest pollution control equipment like FGD and SCR to meet the MoEF guidelines.
• Boilers will be designed to suite the co firing of Bio mass as part of Green initiative in line with Ministry of Power guidelines along with Bio Mass handling systems.
• The first unit of the project is scheduled for commissioning during the financial year 2028- 29. Being a Pit Head Thermal Project, the variable cost will be Competitive and NLC India, will be generating & providing low-cost power to its beneficiaries.

President Honours Cleanliness Excellence At Swachh Survekshan Awards 2023

• The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu conferred Swachh Survekshan awards 2023 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
• 13 awardees received felicitations under categories of Clean Cities, Cleanest Cantonment, SafaiMitra Suraksha, Ganga Towns and Best Performing State were given away.
• This year the cleanest city award showcased joint winners.
• Port city Surat bagged the top honours, alongside Indore, who had conquered the top spot alone for 6 consecutive years.
• In the category of cities with a population of less than 1 lakh, Sasvad, Patan and Lonavala secured the top three spots.
• Mhow Cantonment Board in Madhya Pradesh was adjudged the Cleanest Cantonment Board.
• Varanasi and Prayagraj won the top two awards amongst the Cleanest Ganga Towns.
• Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh won the top three awards for Best Performing State.

Key Highlights

• Chandigarh walked away with the award for the Best Safaimitra Surakshit Sheher. 110 awards were bestowed during the ceremony.
• President of India launched the Swachh Survekshan 2023 dashboard.
• “The theme for the year 2023 “Waste to Wealth” is an important topic to ponder upon.
• For 2024, the theme is “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle”.
• The 9 years of Swachh Bharat Mission and the spirit of swachhata was reinvigorated in the presence of the Hon’ble President, through an audio visual presentation highlighting Ek Tareekh Ek Ghanta Ek Saath campaign and the release of the Swachh Bharat Mission Anthem for 2024.
• Playback singer, Kailash Kher has lent his voice to the anthem 'Naya Sankalp Hai, Naya Prakalp Hai'.
• On this occasion, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that one lakh sites in 4,447 cities have been given for Swachh Survekshan work, and feedback from 12 crore citizens has been received.
• He said that in 2014 only 15% to 16% of the waste was scientifically processed and currently 76% of the waste is being processed.
• Swachh Survekshan is an annual survey of cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation in cities and towns across India, launched as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (specifically under SBA-Urban).
• It was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) with Quality Council of India (QCI) as its implementation partner.
• The SBA was launched (on 2nd October 2014) to make India clean and free of open defecation by 2nd October 2019.
• The first survey was undertaken in 2016 (covering 73 cities), which had grown to cover 4242 (by the 2020 survey).
• The methodology for measuring cleanliness rests on two main criteria – citizen feedback and field assessment.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Tata Consumer to buy Capital Foods for Rs 5,100 crore in all cash deal

• Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL) signed definitive agreements to acquire 100% equity shares of Capital Foods, owner of the brands Ching’s Secret and Smith & Jones, and Organic India, a company that sells organic herbal teas and health foods.
• While the acquisition of Capital Foods will be in a phased manner, TCPL will acquire 100% of Organic India in an all-cash deal.
• TCPL will pay an enterprise value on a no cash-no debt basis of ₹5,100 crore for 100% stake in Capital Foods.
• While 75% of the equity shareholding will be acquired upfront, the remaining 25% will be acquired within the next three years, TCPL stated in a filing to the exchanges.
• For a 100% stake in Organic India, TCPL will pay ₹1,900 crore, along with an additional earnout for the shareholders linked to FY26 audited financials of the company.
• The estimated turnover of Organic India for FY24 is ₹360 - 370 crore, up from₹324.4 crore in FY23.
• The acquisition is consistent with Tata Consumer’s strategic intent to expand its product portfolio and its target addressable market.
• Capital Foods has strong umbrella platform brands with a portfolio of unique products for in-home consumption in fast-growing categories.
• In FY23, Capital Foods reported revenue from operations of ₹705.5 crore.
• The estimated turnover of Capital Foods for FY24 is ₹750 to 770 crore.

Tata Motors plans to operationalise Ford's Sanand plant in 12-18 months to scale up production

• Automotive manufacturing company Tata Motors is planning to commence operations at the Gujarat-based manufacturing plant it acquired from Ford, over the next 12-18 months to scale up its production capacity.
• The automaker's head of passenger vehicle business also stated that the firm's production capacity currently stands at around 50,000 units a month.
• Earlier this month, Tata Motors completed the acquisition of Ford India's manufacturing plant at Sanand via a subsidiary.
• In August 2022, the company had announced that its arm Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd (TPEML) would acquire Ford India Pvt Ltd's (FIPL) Sanand plant, Gujarat for around ₹726 crore.
• Tata Motors had reported a 4 per cent growth in total vehicle sales at 81,069 units in January.
• In the year-ago period, the company's total vehicle sales stood at 76,210 units.
• Domestic vehicle sales were up 10 per cent at 79,681 units in the previous month over 72,485 units in 2022, Tata Motors had stated in a statement earlier.

BlackRock Buys Infrastructure Firm GIP for $12.5 Billion in Major Alternatives Push

• BlackRock (BLK) is buying Global Infrastructure Partners for $12.5 billion, as the world's largest asset manager expands its focus on infrastructure.
• BlackRock will pay $3 billion in cash and roughly 12 million shares of its common stock for the infrastructure fund manager, which has over $100 billion in assets under management.
• Together, the companies will manage assets worth more than $150 billion, creating an infrastructure fund that will rival the industry’s largest players, including Macquarie Asset Management and Brookfield Asset Management.
• The transaction marks a major move by CEO Larry Fink to reshape BlackRock as a strong player in the fast-growing private and alternative assets markets. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024.
• The deal was announced as BlackRock released strong fourth-quarter results that saw the firm's assets cross the $10 trillion
• BlackRock also announced the creation of a new unified Global Product Solutions group that will consolidate its exchange-traded fund (ETF) business with product management for its other investment offerings.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

2024 is ‘Year of Technology Absorption’ for Army

• Indian Army will observe 2024 as the “Year of Technology Absorption” as it’s trying to gradually mature into a modern force that will have a new operational philosophy for induction of drones and counter-drones systems right across infantry, artillery and armoured battalions, and establish Command Cyber Operations Support Wings (CCOSWs), besides bridging other conventional asymmetries.
• The Army’s new pitch is an attempt to grow out of previous declaration of making 2023 as the “Year of Transformation” that saw moves such as reorientation of its arms like that of artillery, induction of fresh human resource through Agniveers, downsizing of some verticals and tech infusion.

Tech as catalyst:

• At the annual press conference, Army Chief General Manoj Pande told reporters that “The Indian Army shall be observing the year 2024 as the Year of Technology Absorption. This theme underscores our commitment to leverage technology as a catalyst for transformative change, as well as to utilise in-house expertise to innovate solutions to our operational and logistic requirements and give shape to these projects in collaboration with the domestic defence industry.”

Indianise to Modernise:

• It would rest on five clear areas to map future technology given that the Army is inching ahead with the slogan -- “Indianise to Modernise”.

SAMBHAV hardware:

• The Army, stated General Pande, has already inducted 2500 Secure Army Mobile Bharat Version (SAMBHAV) handsets which have multi-layered inscription and are 5G
• Developed in-house in close collaboration with National Centres of Excellence and industry, the Army’s requirement is about 35000 SAMBHAV handsets which would be distributed to officials handling sensitive assignments.
• Giving an update on acquisitions, the Army Chief stated, 37 project approvals worth ₹74,000 crore have been obtained so far while 86 contracts were signed which are valued at Rs 12000 crores.
• The major projects Army is looking ahead is induction of 350 light tanks, whose requirement was felt during the Galwan face off with China in May 2020.

20th India-Japan Coast Guard exercise, a feast for eyes

• The 20th joint exercise between the Coast Guard of India and Japan took place off the coast of Chennai. Indian Coast Guard ships Shaunak, Shaurya, Sujay, Samudra Paheredar, Rani Abbakka, Annie Besant, C-440, Sagar Anveshika and Matsya Drushti and six aircraft, and Japanese Coast Guard ship Yashima participated in the exercise.
• A release stated the presence of Yashima in our country is a result of the Memorandum of Cooperation signed between India and Japan in 2006.
• The MoC aims to facilitate interaction between the two Coast Guard, fostering high-level visits, annual joint exercises, and participation in short-term workshops.
• The exercise aims to strengthen ties and mutual understanding between the maritime security agencies of India and Japan.
• The exercise also aims to strengthen bilateral ties, enabling both Coast Guard to collaborate in protecting shared interests, search and rescue missions or marine environment protection.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Govt approves reappointment of RBI Deputy Governor Michael Patra for 1 year

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the reappointment of the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Deputy Governor Michael Patra for one year.
• The reappointment will be effective from January 15, 2024.
• The term of Patra was scheduled to end on January 14, 2023, as per the RBI website.
• Patra was appointed as RBI Deputy Governor in January 2020, and last year he got an extension of one year.
• Patra joined RBI in 1985 and has worked in various positions at the central bank.
• On June 26, 2023, RBI reshuffles portfolio of deputy governors after the MK Jain retires. The reshuffling of portfolios has taken place after the appointment of new deputy governor Janakiraman.
• MD Patra has a department of Monetary Policy, Secretary, International, Co-ordination, Economic and Policy Research, Statistics and Information Management, Financial Markets Operations, Financial Markets Regulations, Financial Stability, Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation, and Corporate Strategy and Budget.

Experian appoints Manish Jain as its country managing director, India

• Experian, a leading global information services company, has appointed Manish Jain as its new Country Managing Director for Experian in India.
• He will lead the company’s strategic initiatives, drive business growth, and cultivate strong partnerships with clients and stakeholders.
• Manish Jain has more than two and a half decades of experience in financial services and technology.
• Before joining Experian, Manish led transformative initiatives in global organisations, ensuring sustainable business expansion.
• He served as the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Excelrate, and in this role, he advised organisations on their growth strategies and implemented large-scale plans in the banking industry for the faster realisation of their revenue goals.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NSPAAD launches Mobile app ‘Report Fish Disease’ to monitor fish diseases across country  

• In order to bolster India’s aquaculture industry, the National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD) project, under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, has launched the ‘Report Fish Disease-App’ on the Google Play Store.
• This innovative mobile application aims to empower fish farmers with a convenient and efficient platform to report diseases on their farms, stated ICAR-CIFT (Central Institute of Fisheries Technology) in a statement.
• Its intuitive and user-friendly interface enables easy accessibility for fish farmers. Another feature this app offers is its easy disease reporting format, where farmers can easily report disease outbreaks by providing essential information such as location, species affected, symptoms observed, and images.
• This data is crucial for a rapid response and an accurate diagnosis.
• Geo-tagging is a technology to pinpoint the exact location of the farm and facilitate swift responses from authorities and the receivers to get real-time updates on the status of their reported cases, ensuring transparency and accountability in the disease management process.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND INDEX

Meghalaya's Byrnihat not Delhi India's most polluted city in 2023

• According to the think tank Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Byrnihat in Meghalaya topped the list of the most polluted cities in India in 2023.
• Byrnihat, recorded the highest annual average PM10 concentration at 301 micrograms per cubic meter.
• Begusarai in Bihar (average annual PM10 level 265 micrograms per cubic metre) and Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh (228 micrograms per cubic metre) took the second and third positions among the most polluted cities.
• Delhi, which is known for persistently high air pollution levels during winter, ranked as the eighth most polluted city.
• However, Silchar in Assam recorded the lowest PM10 level of 29 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
• Of the top 50 polluted cities, 18 are from Bihar, eight from Haryana, and eight from Rajasthan.
• 227 cities have been studied with air quality data available for more than 75 percent of the days in 2023.
• Of these cities, 85 were included under the National Clean Air Program (NCAP).
• The data showed that PM10 levels exceeded the NAAQS (60 micrograms per cubic metre) in 78 of the 85 NCAP cities.
• Launched in 2019, NCAP aims to reduce PM2.5 and PM10 concentration by 20-30% by 2024 in 131 cities that did not meet air quality standards set between 2011 to 2015.
• The government has now set a new target of achieving a 40 percent reduction in particulate matter concentration in these cities by 2026.
• The government has now set a new target of reducing particulate matter concentrations in these cities by 40% by 2026.

AI-led misinformation tops global risks with 4 billion people set to vote in next 2 years

• Global Risks Report 2024 was released by the World Economic Forum.
• The impact of artificial intelligence in disrupting election outcomes has emerged as the biggest risk for 2024.
• Artificial Intelligence can build models for influencing a large number of voters.
• The “Global Risks Report 2024” has ranked AI-derived misinformation risk ahead of climate change, war and economic weakness.
• Global Risks Report 2024 has been prepared in collaboration with Zurich Insurance Group.
• It surveyed more than 1,400 global risk experts, policymakers and industry leaders and asked about their biggest global concerns.
• For the next two years, misinformation and disinformation, extreme weather events, cyber insecurity and interstate armed conflict will be the major global risks.
• Economic opportunity, inflation, involuntary migration, economic downturn and pollution are among the top 10 risks for the world.
• Extreme weather events, critical changes to earth systems, biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, natural resource shortages and misinformation will remain major risks for more than the next 10 years.
• World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024 convenes the world’s foremost leaders under the theme, Rebuilding Trust.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

Odisha govt signs pact with NDDB for vaccine production

• The Odisha government has signed an MoU with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for establishing a facility for production of anthrax and ENT vaccines in Ganjam district.
• The agreement for the Rs 52-crore facility to be set up at the satellite unit of Odisha Biological Products Institute in Berhampur.
• The Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) laboratory will comply with WHO norms and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 of India.
• With the setting up of the new laboratory, Odisha can produce 2 crore doses of ENTV and 50 lakh doses of ASV in a year.
• The National Dairy Development Board is a statutory body set up by an Act of the Parliament of India.
• The main office is in Anand, Gujarat. Chairman: Meenesh Shah.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

First ever Beach Games held in Diu; Madhya Pradesh emerged as champion

• In the first-ever Beach Games held in Diu, Madhya Pradesh emerged as the overall champion with impressive performance winning 18 medals including 7 gold.
• Maharashtra won 14 medals including 3 gold, while Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and hosts Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Diu & Daman secured 12 medals
• The first multi-sports beach games in India were organized at the pristine blue flag-certified Ghoghla Beach in Diu.
• Assam won 8 medals, out of which 5 were Gold.
• Lakshadweep secured the gold medal in Beach Soccer, marking a historic achievement for the pristine island territory.
• Over 1400 athletes, all under the age of 21, from 28 states and Union Territories participated in games like Tug of War, Sea Swimming, Pencak Silat, Mallakhamb, Beach Volleyball, Beach Kabaddi, and Beach Soccer.
• The sport of Beach Boxing made its debut marking a historic moment in the nation's athletic journey.
• 12 of the beaches in India have Blue Flag certification given to cleanest beaches.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

Indian Army Day: 15th January

• Indian Army Day 2024 is observed on the 15th of January 2024.
• One million Indians volunteered to serve in the British Army during World War I, and almost 90,000 of them died in the war.
• In a similar vein, about half of the officers in the World War II engagements were Indian.
• The loyalty of Indian soldiers was torn as the struggle for Indian independence gained momentum in 1946.
• The majority of the British-led army and navy divisions either rebelled or quit.
• Although the British military continued to be "Indianized" until after the country gained its independence, the ultimate transfer took place on January 15, 1949, and this is the day we commemorate.

Daily CA One- Liner: January 14 & 15

• The 14th Ministerial-level meeting of the India- United States Trade Policy Forum (TPF) was held in New Delh
• As per the new agreement, every state and UT will get an opportunity to showcase its tableau within three years at Republic Day parade.
• The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) will roll out an app to alert officials about timely disposition of tax appeals by tracking all cases under the litigation process
• State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest Bank has launched a special fixed deposit (FD) scheme named SBI Green Rupee Term Deposit (SGRTD) to mobilise funds to support environment-friendly initiatives and projects, thereby fostering the growth of a green finance ecosystem in India.
• Shanghai-headquartered New Development Bank (NDB) signed an agreement for providing a $500-million loan to the Gujarat government.
• Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL) signed definitive agreements to acquire 100% equity shares of Capital Foods, owner of the brands Ching’s Secret and Smith & Jones, and Organic India, a company that sells organic herbal teas and health foods.
• Automotive manufacturing company Tata Motors is planning to commence operations at the Gujarat-based manufacturing plant it acquired from Ford, over the next 12-18 months to scale up its production capacity.
• BlackRock (BLK) is buying Global Infrastructure Partners for $12.5 billion, as the world's largest asset manager expands its focus on infrastructure.
• Amid the crippling economic woes in Pakistan, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed its first review of the country's economic reform programme and allowed the immediate disbursement of USD 700 million.
• The Karnataka Governmenthas initiated the Yuva Nidhi Scheme to provide financial support to educated unemployed youth in the state. This scheme aims to offer economic security to the youth and reduce their dependence on others for their financial needs.
• The world-famous three-day Camel Festival dedicated to the ship of the desert, will start in Bikaner. The theme of the festival this year is ‘Icons of Bikaner’ to especially promote the art and craftsmanship of the local people.
• The Gangasagar Mela held every year in Bengal is the second-largest gathering of Hindu pilgrims, following the Kumbha Mela.
• Indian Army will observe 2024 as the “Year of Technology Absorption” as it’s trying to gradually mature into a modern force that will have a new operational philosophy for induction of drones and counter-drones systems right across infantry, artillery and armoured battalions, and establish Command Cyber Operations Support Wings (CCOSWs), besides bridging other conventional asymmetries.
• The 20th joint exercise between the Coast Guard of India and Japan took place off the coast of Chennai. Indian Coast Guard ships Shaunak, Shaurya, Sujay, Samudra Paheredar, Rani Abbakka, Annie Besant, C-440, Sagar Anveshika and Matsya Drushti and six aircraft, and Japanese Coast Guard ship Yashima participated in the exercise.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the reappointment of the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Deputy Governor Michael Patra for one year.
• Experian, a leading global information services company, has appointed Manish Jain as its new Country Managing Director for Experian in India.
• In order to bolster India’s aquaculture industry, the National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD) project, under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, has recently launched the ‘Report Fish Disease-App’ on the Google Play Store.
• India's industrial production grew 2.4 per cent in November 2023
• NLC India Ltd, a Navratna Company under the Ministry of Coal, has awarded the EPC contract to BHEL to set up a Pit Head Green Field Thermal Power Project of 2,400 MW capacity (3 x 800 MW – Stage I) at Jharsuguda District in  Odisha,  after inviting competitive tenders under ICB route
• The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu conferred Swachh Survekshan awards 2023 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
• According to the think tank Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Byrnihat in Meghalaya topped the list of the most polluted cities in India in 2023.
• Global Risks Report 2024 was released by the World Economic Forum.
• The Odisha government has signed an MoU with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for establishing a facility for production of anthrax and ENT vaccines in Ganjam district.
• In the first-ever Beach Games held in Diu, Madhya Pradesh emerged as the overall champion with impressive performance winning 18 medals including 7 gold
• Indian Army Day 2024 is observed on the 15th of January 2024