Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of Jan 15th to 21st Jan 2024. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBIClerk 2024 and other competitive exams can make use of it.

Weekly Current Affairs January 15th to 21st PDF Download

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

• Tripura, Manipur, and Meghalaya Foundation Day 2024 is observed on the 21st of January 2024

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

• TheUnited States International Development Finance Corporation (USIDFC) and India’s National Infrastructure Investment Fund (NIIF) are “working on the possibility of creating a fund” that would invest in renewable energy and green projects in India
• Net direct tax collectionshave reached approximately 81% of the Budget Estimate during the period from April 1 to January 10 in the current fiscal year
• The World Bank has maintained its economic growth projection for India in the fiscal year 2024-25 at 6.4 percent.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1 crore on Punjab and Sind Bankfor non-compliance with certain directions issued by RBI on ‘Loans and Advances – Statutory and Other Restrictions’.
• Karnataka Bank, a leading private sector bank, and Clix Capital, one of India’s fastest-growing new-age NBFCs,have entered into a digital co-lending partnership through the Yubi Co.lend Platform.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹120.47 lakh on Dhanlaxmi Bank Ltd.for non-compliance with certain directions issued by RBI on ‘Loans and Advances – Statutory and Other Restrictions’, ‘Reserve Bank of lndia (Know Your Customer (KYC)) Directions, 2016’ and ‘Reserve Bank of lndia (Interest Rate on Deposits) Directions, 2016’.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹29.55 Lakhon ESAF Small Finance Bank Limited for non-compliance with the directions issued by RBI on ‘Customer Service in Banks’.
• Karnataka Bankhas partnered with fintech company Digivriddhi (DGV) to offer financial services catering to the needs of dairy farmers and milk societies
• ICICI Prudential Life Insurancehas launched ICICI Prudential Guaranteed Pension Plan Flexi with Benefit Enhancer.
• Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)has renewed its recognition for AMC Repo Clearing Limited as a clearing corporation for one year, allowing it to clear and settle transactions in repo and reverse repo in debt securities.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)has proposed a phased transition to tighten regulations for housing finance companies (HFCs), aligning them more closely with non-banking financial companies (NBFCs).
• Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC)has surpassed State Bank of India (SBI) to become the most valued public sector undertaking (PSU) firm in India by market valuation.
• Insurance behemoth Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC)has launched a new non-participating product, Jeevan Dhara-II.
• DBS Bank Indiahas announced a partnership with StartupTN, the nodal agency of the Tamil Nadu government in fostering innovation and promoting entrepreneurship throughout the State.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)has revised the eligibility criteria for the inclusion of urban cooperative banks (UCBs) in the second schedule of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

• The Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) Rao Inderjit Singh launched the MPLADS e-SAKSHI Mobile Application for revised fund flow procedure under the MPLAD Scheme, at Khurshid Lal Bhawan, New Delhi
• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated three major infrastructure projects worthmore than Rs 4,000s crore in Kochi, Kerala
• The index of mineral production of the mining and quarrying sector for November 2023(Base: 2011-12=100) at 131.1, is 6.8 % higher as compared to the level in the month of November, 2022
• Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh will inaugurate the 9th Indian International Science Festival in Faridabad, Haryana
• Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar released the book ‘Fertilising the Future: Bharat’s March Towards Fertilizer Self-Sufficiency’written by Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.
• Industry seeks an extension to sunset period for getting the concessional tax rate of 15%for companies that set up Greenfield manufacturing units
• PM Modi released the first installment to 1 lakh beneficiaries of PMAY-Gunder the PM-JANMAN scheme
• Ministry of Mines, Government of Indiahas achieved a significant milestone with the signing of an agreement between Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) and the state-owned enterprise of Catamarca province of Argentina CATAMARCA MINERA Y ENERGÉTICA SOCIEDAD DEL ESTADO (CAMYE N SE) at Catamarca, Argentina.
• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was apprised of a Memorandum of Intent(MoI) signed between the Central Drugs standard Control Organization (CDSCO), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, Kingdom of the Netherlands on behalf of Medicines Evaluation Board, Health and Youth Care Inspectorate, Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects “on cooperation in the field of Medical products Regulation”.
• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was apprised of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Central Drugs standard Control Organization(CDSCO), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, The Republic of India and Directorate General for Medicine, Foods and Sanitary Products Organizations of Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistant of Dominican Republic on cooperation in the field of Medical Products Regulation.
• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi was apprised of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Government of the Republic of India through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Government of the Republic of Kenyathrough the Ministry of Information, Communications and digital Economy on cooperation in the field of sharing successful Digital Solutions implemented at Population Scale for Digital Transformation.
• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi was apprised of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Government of the Republic of India through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Government of the Republic of Kenyathrough the Ministry of Information, Communications and digital Economy on cooperation in the field of sharing successful Digital Solutions implemented at Population Scale for Digital Transformation.
• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi was apprised of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Government of the Republic of India and the European Commissionon Working Arrangements on Semiconductors Ecosystems, its supply chain and innovation under the framework of EU-India Trade and Technology Council (TTC).
• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved the creation of three posts at the level of Joint Secretary i.e. two posts of Joint Secretary and one post of Economic Adviser for the 16^thFinance Commission, which was constituted in pursuance of Article 280 of the Constitution vide Notification.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved proposal for equity investmentby (i) South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) for setting-up 1×660 MW Thermal Power Plant through JV of SECL and MPPGCL; and (ii) Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) for setting-up 2×800 MW Thermal Power Plant through Mahanadi Basin Powe Ltd.
• Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddyinaugurated the National Skill Training Institute in Hyderabad, Telangana
• The first pilot technology project to make jet fuel from alcohol was inaugurated by Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puriin Pune.
• According to the new guidelines announced by the Education Ministry, coaching centres cannot enroll students below 16 years of age, make misleading promises and cannot guarantee ranks or good marks.
• Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes witness over Rs. 1.03 lakh croreof investment till November 2023, which has led to production/ sales of Rs. 8.61 lakh crore and employment generation (direct & indirect) of over 6.78 lakhs

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• BritishPrime Minister Rishi Sunak has signed a new security agreement with Ukraine’s president and announced an increase in military funding for the war-wracked country during a visit to Kyiv.
• The World Economic Forum (WEF)is holding its Annual Meeting from January 15 to 19 in Davos, Switzerland.
• Nims University Rajasthanproudly marked a historic occasion as it welcomed the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, E Prof. Petr Fiala to the University.
• China’s population fell for a second consecutive year in2023, as a record low birth rate and a wave of COVID-19 deaths when strict lockdowns ended accelerated a downturn that will have profound long-term effects on the economy’s growth potential.
• Climate change has caused Greenland’s icesheet to lose 20% more ice than previously thought, according to research published that used satellite imagery to track the retreat of glaciers over the past four decades.
• Japan signed a deal with its ally the United States to buy 400 long-range Tomahawk missilesas it ramps up its military capacity to counter regional security threats.
• North Koreainformed it has carried out a test of its “underwater nuclear weapons system” in response to drills by the US, South Korea and Japan this week.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be inaugurating the new campus of National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics (NACIN) at Palasamudram in Andhra Pradesh’s Sri Sathya Sai District.
• The Pench Tiger Reserve(PTR) in Maharashtra Has been marked as India’s first Dark Sky Park and the fifth such park in Asia for protecting the night sky and preventing light pollution, making the facility ideal for astronomy enthusiasts.
• Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lalinaugurated the 2nd Panchkula Book Fair, organized by six departments under the aegis of power companies in Panchkula.
• Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaikunveiled the Shree Mandir Parikrama Prakalpa (SMPP),a massive peripheral development project around Puri’s 12th century Shree Jagannath Temple.
• The Uttar Pradesh governmentplans to initiate helicopter services to Ayodhya from six districts in the state by the end of January.
• The Karnataka High Courthas imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the State Government after it did not comply with a court order passed in 2020.
• Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddywill unveil a 125 foot statue of Dr B R Ambedkar at Swaraj Maidan in
• Inaugurating the International Kolkata Book Fair, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjeestated that relations between India and the UK have spanned over a long time since the Battle of Plassey in 1757.
• The Assam Government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, reinstated the traditional buffalo fight (Moh-Juj)after a nine-year hiatus.
• The YS Jagan Mohan Reddygovernment in Andhra Pradesh launched a comprehensive caste census to enumerate all the castes in the state.
• Akasa Air has become the second airline to announce a tie up with Noida International Airport, located near the national capital.
• In Jammu and Kashmir, a Popular Festival known as ‘Gole Mela’was organized at Jagannath temple in Udhampur.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

• REC Limited, a Maharatna Public Sector Unit and a leading NBFC under the Ministry of Power, has been awarded ‘Plaque’ under the ‘Financial Services Sector (Other than Banking and Insurance)’ category at the ICAI Awards for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the financial year 2022-23
• REC Limited, a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Power and a leading NBFC, has been honoured with the prestigious Scope Excellence Award in the category of Special Institutional Category
• Bangalore and Delhi airportsjointly won the Best Airport award.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

• Ministry of Mines, Government of Indiahas achieved a significant milestone with the signing of an agreement between Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) and the state-owned enterprise of Catamarca province of Argentina CATAMARCA MINERA Y ENERGÉTICA SOCIEDAD DEL ESTADO (CAMYE N SE) at Catamarca, Argentina.
• The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) and the Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together in co-lending and loan syndication for various Renewable Energyprojects across India.
• An MoU has been signed between the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of the Republic Of Indiaand the Ministry of Communications of the Republic of Cuba on Cooperation in the field of Sharing Successful Digital Solutions Implemented at the Population Scale for Digital Transformation .

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES

• The two-day 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit to begin in Uganda’s Kampala.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

• In adherence to its ‘Skill India’commitment, Airbus has formed a 50:50 joint venture with Tata-owned Air India, marking a significant stride in launching a world-class pilot training center in Gurugram, Haryana.
• POWERGRID has successfully acquired four Special Purpose Vehicles for Inter- state Transmission System Projects which were bid out through Tariff Based Competitive Bidding process.
• Taiwan’s Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry,has joined forces with India’s HCL Group to establish an Outsourced Assembly and Testing (OSAT) unit for semiconductor chips.
• In China, a startup named Betavolt has unveiled a revolutionary battery,asserting its capability to produce electricity for 50 years without requiring charging or maintenance.
• BP shares started the day 1 percent lower while Shell was down by 2 percent.Amid a recent wave of consolidation, there is speculation that BP could be an acquisition target as the stock has underperformed rivals since Looney’s departure.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

• Addressing Wings India 2024at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad, he stated the domestic passenger traffic, which was 60 million in 2014 grew to 145 million pre-Covid and it further went up to 153 million in 2023.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• ISROplans to carry out the first tests of the proposed Bharatiya Space Station next year and talks are on with the industry to manufacture, test and launch its first module by 2028, the space agency’s chief S Somanath stated.
• In a bid to overcome setbacks, Japanis set to attempt a soft landing on the moon’s surface with the Smart Landerfor Investigating Moon early on January 20
• Japanbecame the 5^th country in history to reach the moon when one of its spacecraft successfully made a soft landing on the lunar surface.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND INDEX

• The NGO Pratham’s Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) titled ASER 2023 ‘Beyond Basics’was released.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

• Senior IPS officer Daljit Singh Chaudharywas appointed as the director general of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), a Personnel Ministry order stated.
• The Supreme Court collegium headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachudrecommended the elevation of Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale as a top court judge.
• Union Minister Arjun Munda, with his entire panel of Sr. Vice-President (1), eight (8) Vice Presidents and seven (7) Joint Secretaries, Secretary-General (1), and Treasurer (1) was re-elected unopposed to the post ofPresident of Archery Association of India for the period 2024-2028 in the General Council meeting of the AAI held at DDA Yamuna Sports Complex,
• PepsiCo Indiaannounced a leadership-level change as the food and beverage maker’s India team has appointed Jagrut Kotecha its chief executive officer (CEO). Kotecha is currently serving as the chief commercial officer of PepsiCo Africa, Middle-East, and South Africa (AMESA).
• Indian superstar Hrithik Roshanjoins the 3rd season of RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 as the brand ambassador.
• Sue Redfernwill become the first female neutral umpire appointed by the International Cricket Council to work in a bilateral series, having been named for the upcoming ICC Women’s Championship and T20I matches between Australia and South Africa.
• The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM-C) has removed its director-in-charge, Sahadeb Sarkar,because of an allegation of sexual harassment against him. The institute announced this decision in a statement.
• Vice Admiral Gurcharan Singhassumed charge as the Controller Personnel Services (CPS) on 15 Jan 24.
• Hertha Berlinpresident Kay Bernstein, a former ultra fan who surprisingly took over the presidency in 2022, has died at the age of 43.
• Denmark’s King Frederik Xascended the throne, succeeding his mother, Queen Margrethe II, who formally abdicated after 52 years as monarch, with big crowds gathered in the capital to witness history.
• Anti-corruption crusader Bernardo Arevalowas sworn in as Guatemala’s president after a chaotic inauguration that was delayed for hours by a last-ditch attempt by Congress opponents to weaken his authority.
• Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) Chief Rudraraju Gidugu stepped down from the post.
• Energy giant BPappointed interim boss Murray Auchincloss as permanent CEO on January 17.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

• Indian shooters continued with winning gold in the Asia Olympic Qualifiers with Yogesh Singhwinning the top prize in individual as well as team event of the men’s 25m centre fire pistol competition in Jakarta, Indonesia
• Argentine superstar Lionel Messihas once again bagged The Best FIFA Men’s Player.
• India Chess Wizard Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa defeated World Chess Champion Ding Liren in the Tata Steel Masters in Wijk aan Zee, in the Netherlands.
• Tamilnadu won gold in the rhythmic yoga followed by West Bengal and Maharashtra
• Indian Shooter Raiza Dhillon has won silver in the women’s skeetfinal at the ongoing Asia Olympic Qualification shotgun tournament in Kuwait

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

• Noted Urdu poet Munawwar Ranapassed away at the Sanjay Gandhi PostGraduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow.
• Spanish motorcycle rider Carles Falconhas died more than a week after crashing in the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, his team stated.
• Veteran classical singer Swarayogini Dr. Prabha Atre,a representative of the Kirana Gharana, passed away at the age of 91 in Pune.
• Hertha Berlinpresident Kay Bernstein, a former ultra fan who surprisingly took over the presidency in 2022, has died at the age of 43.
• Barber, a world champion pole vaulter,Olympian and three-time NCAA champ during his time at Akron, died at his home in Kingwood, Texas, from medical complications. Barber was 29.