CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS

24-12-2021

National

Centre lists 5 states with highest number of active COVID-19 cases

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Friday listed the five states that currently have the highest number of active coronavirus cases. Kerala (27,283), Maharashtra (11,578), Tamil Nadu (6,889), West Bengal (7,433) and Karnataka (7,146) have the highest active cases of the virus, Bhushan said. India currently has a total of 77,516 active COVID-19 cases.

Punjab govt to waive farmers' loans of up to ₹2 lakh: CM Channi

Congress-led Punjab government has decided to release ₹1,200 crore to clear loans of up to ₹2 lakh for around 1.09 lakh small and marginal farmers, having land up to five acres, CM Charanjit Singh Channi said. "The amount will be deposited in farmers' accounts...in...10-15 days," he said. "We have also waived off the debt of landless labourers," the CM added.

Atul Dinkar Rane appointed as BrahMos Aerospace CEO

The joint management of India and Russia has approved the appointment of Atul Dinkar Rane as the CEO and CMD of BrahMos Aerospace Limited, officials from BrahMos Aerospace Limited said. Rane was instrumental in the induction of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile in armed forces. BrahMos also appointed Senior DRDO scientist Dr Sanjeev Kumar Joshi as the Deputy CEO.

Padma Bhusan Anil Prakash Joshi wins Mother Teresa Memorial Award

Environmentalist Dr Anil Prakash Joshi, who was conferred upon the Padma Bhushan this year, has been awarded the Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice 2021. Vidyut Mohan, the winner of the Earth shot Prize, and Ridhima Pandey, a young environmental activist from Uttarakhand, were also the recipients of the award.

The Harmony Foundation identifies a theme each year for the Mother Teresa Memorial Awards and felicitates individuals and organisations who work in the realm of augmenting environmental sustainability. The awardees were felicitated by Dr Abraham Mathai, the founder chairman of the foundation.

O.P. Jindal Global University won “Digital Innovation of the Year” award

O. P. Jindal Global University (JGU) has won the ‘Digital Innovation of the Year Award’ in the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) Asia Awards 2021 for creating a free, cloud-based application to help schools and universities manage data.

JGU was the only Indian University to be shortlisted for the “Digital Innovation of the Year”.

Atal Innovation Mission Unveils Vernacular Innovation Programme

Niti Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission has unveiled Vernacular Innovation Programme, which will enable innovators and entrepreneurs in India to have access to the innovation ecosystem in 22 scheduled languages by the Centre.

This will help in overcoming the barriers of language & empower innovators. To get the program rolling, AIM NITI Aayog is launching a train-the-trainer program where it will collaborate with the Design Department of IIT Delhi to coach the VTF in design thinking and entrepreneurship and the adaptation of these subjects in the 22 languages and cultures.

INTERNATIONAL
4,01,000 foreigners made new permanent residents in Canada in 2021

short by Veer Badani / 10:37 pm on 24 Dec 2021,Friday

Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser on Thursday said Canada met its immigration target in 2021, after granting 4,01,000 foreigners permanent residency. Canada saw new permanent residents drop over 45% to 1,85,000 in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Last year, we set an ambitious goal. Today, we achieved it,” Fraser said.

Appointments News

IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance appoints HO Suri as MD & CEO

IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance has announced the appointment of HO Suri as its new managing director and chief executive officer. He was the financial advisor, head, internal audit & legal, at the company and the new position took effect from October 1.

IFFCO-Tokio General Insurance Company Limited is a 51:49 joint venture between IFFCO and Japan's Tokio Marine Group. The firm offers retail products like motor, health, travel, home and personal accident insurance and corporate insurance products.

HO Suri began his professional journey in 1982 with Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO). A chartered accountant by profession, he is one of the founder-members of IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance Company in 2000.

IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance CEO: Anamika Roy Rashtrawar (27 Mar 2020–);

IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance Headquarters: Gurugram;

IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance Founded: 2000.

Banking , Business and Economy

India's monetary policy financially inclusive by design: RBI Deputy Guv

RBI's Deputy Governor Michael D Patra on Friday said that India's monetary policy is financially inclusive by design. This strategy will result in policy effectiveness and welfare maximisation going ahead, he added. "Financial inclusion appears to have gone up, with the level of the RBI's financial inclusion index rising from 49.9 in March 2019 to...53.9 in March 2021," Patra said.

After Google, Meta fined $27 mn by Russia for not deleting banned content

A Russian court on Friday fined Facebook's parent company Meta Platforms almost 2 billion rubles ($27.16 million) over the company's repeated failure to delete banned content. The development came soon after Google was fined 7.2 billion rubles ($98 million) for the same reason. The fine, said to be the largest such penalty by Russia, was calculated based on Google's revenue.

HSBC AMC to acquire L&T's investment management unit for ₹3,193 cr

HSBC Holdings' asset management arm has signed an agreement to fully acquire L&T Investment Management, a wholly-owned subsidiary of L&T Finance Holdings, for $425 million (₹3,193 crore). The proposed acquisition will be funded from existing resources, HSBC said. LTIM had assets under management of $10.8 billion (₹80,300 crore) and over 2.4 million active folios as of September, it added.

CSB Bank has been impaneled as Agency Bank by RBI

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced the empanelment of CSB Bank, a private sector lender as an ‘Agency Bank’. Through this appointment, the CSB Bank will undertake the general banking business of the central and state governments under the guidelines set by the RBI.

As an Agency bank, CSB Bank will work with different state governments and central government departments for businesses such as tax collections, pension payments, collection of stamp duty, etc. CSB Bank Limited, formerly Catholic Syrian Bank Limited, is an Indian private sector bank with its headquarters at Thrissur, Kerala, India. The bank has a network of over 450 branches and more than 319 ATMs across India.

CSB Bank Headquarters: Thrissur, Kerala;

CSB Bank CEO: C.VR. Rajendran;

CSB Bank Founded: 26 November 1920, Thrissur.

Central Bank of India signed a co-lending agreement with U GRO Capital

Central Bank of India and U GRO Capital has signed a co-lending agreement and plans to disburse up to Rs 1,000 crore to medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) over the next 12 months.

The disbursement will be to U GRO Capital's varied MSME segments under its programs - Pratham, Sanjeevani, Saathi, GRO MSME and machinery financing.

Central Bank of India will provide co-lending support through the GRO-Xstream platform with the loans originated by U GRO Capital’s distribution network. The arrangement will ensure the availability of credit to MSMEs at an affordable cost.

Central Bank of India Founded: 21 December 1911;

Central Bank of India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra;

Central Bank of India MD & CEO: Matam Venkata Rao.

.Oriental Insurance categorised as public shareholder in Axis Bank

Axis Bank has announced the approval to reclassify Oriental Insurance Company Ltd (OICL) from promoter category to public category shareholder in the bank. In October, applications were made to BSE and NSE for reclassification of The New Oriental Insurance Co to the public category from the promoter category.

At present, OICL holds a 0.16 per cent stake in Axis Bank. Currently, BSE & NSE gave approval for the reclassification of New Oriental Insurance Company to the public category from the promoter category.

Axis Bank Founded: 3 December 1993;

Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai;

Axis Bank MD & CEO: Amitabh Chaudhary;

Axis Bank Chairperson: Rakesh Makhija;

Axis Bank Tagline: Badhti Ka Naam Zindagi.

Sports

Himachal Pradesh beat Services to reach Vijay Hazare Trophy final for 1st time ever

Himachal Pradesh defeated Services by 77 runs in semi-final to reach Vijay Hazare Trophy final for the first time. Himachal Pradesh put up a total of 281/6 in their 50 overs as captain Rishi Dhawan top-scored with 84(77). Services were dismissed for 204 in 46.1 overs, with Dhawan, Sidharth Sharma and Akash Vasisht taking four, two and two wickets respectively.

Anahat Singh becomes first Indian girl to win Jr Squash Open in US

Indian teenager Anahat Singh has scripted history by winning the U-15 girls category of the prestigious Junior US Open Squash tournament in Philadelphia.

The 13-year-old girl from Delhi overcame powerhouse Egypt’s Jayda Marei in the final match 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5 played at the Arlen Spectre Centre. More than 850 squash junior players, representing 41 countries, participated in the World’s largest junior individuals squash tournament.

Asian Champions Trophy: India win bronze, Korea lift title

India defeated Pakistan 4-3 to secure the bronze medal, while Korea defeated Japan 4-2 to emerge Asian Champions Trophy men's hockey tournament held in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The five-nation tournament came to an end with two matches being played on the last day of the game.

Kanta Tanaka of Japan was declared the best player of the tournament while Suraj Karkera of India was adjudged the best goalkeeper. Jang Jonghyun of Korea was the top scorer with 10 goals in the tournament.

SAFF U 19 Women’s Championship: Bangladesh defeat India

Bangladesh women team has won the SAFF U 19 Women’s Championship by defeating India in the finals. Shaheda Akter Ripa of Bangladesh scored the maximum number of goals in the tournament. She received the ‘most valuable player’ award.

The 2021 SAFF U-19 Women's Championship was the 2nd edition of the SAFF U-19 Women's Championship. The tournament was organized from 11 to 22 December 2021 at BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Dhaka.

Five countries have participated in the 2021 SAFF U-19 Women's Championship. Pakistan Football Federation was suspended by FIFA in April 2021 so it didn’t participate in this competition.

Obituaries
Kannada filmmaker KV Raju passes away aged 67 due to heart attack

Kannada filmmaker KV Raju died of heart attack aged 67 due to prolonged illness, Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce President DR Jairaj said on Friday. Raju began his career as an assistant director in 'Baadada Hoo' (1982). In 1984, he made his directorial debut in 'Olave Baduku'. He made his Bollywood debut with Amitabh Bachchan-Jaya Prada starrer 'Indrajeet' (1991).

Pritzker Prize-winning architect Richard Rogers passes away

Pritzker Prize-Winning British-Italian Architect, Richard Rogers has passed away at his residence in London, United Kingdom. He received the Pritzker Prize, known as the Nobel Prize of Architecture, in 2007.

He received the Knight Bachelor in 1991 and he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. He was the architect of the new World Trade Center (3 World Trade Center) in New York City, United States, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France and the Millennium Dome in London, UK.

Important Days

National Consumer Rights Day 2021

National Consumer Rights Day is observed every year on December 24. On this day in 1986, the Consumer Protection Act 1986 received Presidential assent and thus came into force. The Act aims to provide consumers with effective safeguards against different types of exploitation, such as defective goods, deficiency in services and unfair trade practices.

People often get confused between World Consumer Rights Day and National Consumer Rights Day. While both have the same purpose, they are observed on different dates. World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated annually on March 15.

The National Consumer Rights Day was observed for the first time in 1986 under the Consumer Protection Act. It’s different from World Consumer Day, which is celebrated annually on March 15. The Consumer Protection Act came into force in 1986.

In 2019, the Consumer Protection Act 1986 was revised. Later, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution announced the CPA 2019 bill put to effect on July 20, 2020.

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25th December 2021

National News

3 big announcement by PM Modi for Covid-19 vaccine

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the Covid-19 vaccine for children and booster doses for Health workers and senior citizens, amid the Omicron scare. During his address to nation, the Prime Minister urged the people to be cautious while celebrating as coronavirus cases are rising in the country due to highly infectious variant, Omicron. Therefore, from the point of view of precaution, the government has decided that precaution dose of vaccine will also be started for healthcare and frontline workers. It will be started from January 10.

Key points of the address:

Children between the age group of 15 to 18 years will be getting the Covid vaccine from January 3, 2022.

Senior citizens with comorbidities will receive booster doses from January 10, 2022. Citizens above 60 years of age with co-morbidities will also have the option of a precautionary dose of the vaccine on the advice of their doctor.

Healthcare workers are spending many hours of their day tending to COVID-19 patients even today. So, healthcare and frontline workers will be given another ‘precaution dose’ [booster shot] starting from January 10.”

Good Governance Day observed on 25 December

In India, Good Governance Day (Sushasan Divas) is observed annually on 25th December. On this day nation celebrates the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna and former-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In keeping with this principle, Good Governance Day has been declared to be a working day for the government.

Significance of the day:

The aim to observe this day is to let the students and citizens of the country know about the duties and responsibilities of the government they need to fulfil. Good governance day acts as a reminder to the government about their responsibilities, and the government should be unbiased, transparent, and development-oriented.

History of the day:

On 23rd December 2014, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya were announced to receive the highest civilian award of the nation, Bharat Ratna. After the announcement, the newly elected prime minister Narendra Modi has announced 25th December to be celebrated and observed as the Good Governance Day.

About Atal Bihari Vajpayee:

Atal Bihari Vajpayee served as the Prime Minister of India for three times. His first term was for only 13 days in 1996. He served his second term for a period of thirteen months from March 1998 to April 1999 and then a full term from 1999 to 2004. His first entry into parliament was in 1962 through the Rajya Sabha. He was elected to the Lok Sabha seven times. In 2015, Mr Vajpayee was conferred the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award.

Event to unveil Atal Bihari Vajpayee's statue cancelled in Mumbai

An event for unveiling late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's statue at a sports complex in Mumbai was cancelled at the last minute. BJP MP Gopal Shetty claimed Congress leader and Maharashtra minister Sunil Kedar denied permission. "The file was pending till 4:45 PM on Friday," Shetty said, adding that BJP chief JP Nadda had to cancel his Mumbai visit too.

Lockdown in Maha if daily oxygen demand reaches 800 MT: Tope

Maharashtra will face another COVID-19 lockdown if the daily oxygen demand reaches 800 metric tonnes, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Saturday. "We do not want people to face more restrictions," he added. Earlier, the state government imposed restrictions from 9 pm to 6 am and said not more than five people can assemble at public places during night.

World's 1st DNA COVID-19 vaccine & nasal vaccine to be launched in India soon: PM

PM Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the world's first DNA COVID-19 vaccine and a nasal vaccine will soon be launched in India. He further asked the public to stay alert of the Omicron variant. Notably, he said that over 90% of the eligible adult population had received the first dose of the vaccine while over 61% is fully vaccinated.

INTERNATIONAL

UK reports record daily COVID-19 cases for 3rd straight day at 1.22 lakh

The UK on Friday reported 1,22,186 new coronavirus cases, a third consecutive record daily tally since the beginning of the pandemic. COVID-19 case numbers in the UK have reportedly surged 48% over the last seven days. Official data showed 137 people have died within 28 days of testing COVID-19 positive, bringing the death toll to 1,47,857- the highest in Europe.

Indian-origin judge appointed to S Africa's highest judicial bench

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that Indian-origin Narandran 'Jody' Kollapen has been appointed to the highest judicial bench in South Africa, the Constitution Court. The 64-year-old was chosen alongside Rammaka Mathopo after a lengthy process of public interviews. "Judges Kollapen and Mathopo have illustrious careers in the legal profession and the Judiciary," Ramaphosa said.

UN to allocate $8 billion economic package for crisis-hit Afghanistan

The United Nations have allocated a package of $8 billion for the resumption of the economy of Afghanistan, reported local media. As per the UN report, the package will provide healthy food for children and job opportunities for the citizens. This comes after UN estimates found that nearly half of Afghanistan have been starving due to stalled foreign aid.

Lebanon needs 6 to 7 years to exit crisis: Lebanese President

Lebanon's President Michel Aoun on Friday said that the country needs six to seven years to emerge from the crisis. "We are at the current point now as a result of...embezzlement, corruption and regime failure," he added. The country's economy has been in freefall since 2019, when a mountain of debt and political gridlock drove the nation into a crisis.

Apply online to avoid overcrowding: Taliban to Afghan passport applicants

The Taliban government has asked Afghan passport applicants to apply online to avoid overcrowding at passport offices. "Letters and paper applications will not be accepted from Saturday," Inamullah Samangani, the Deputy Spokesman for the Taliban government, said. The Taliban resumed issuing passports last week after a month of closures due to overcrowding and technical problems.

India will see Omicron surge but cases will be mild: Doctor who 1st spotted variant

South African doctor Angelique Coetzee, who first spotted COVID-19 variant Omicron, told PTI that "India will see a surge in Omicron-driven cases" and there'll be a high positivity rate. "Hopefully the majority of the cases will be as mild as what we're seeing...in South Africa," she added. Dr Coetzee further said that vaccines would greatly help to reduce the spread.

BUSINESS, BANKING AND ECONOMY

Which are India's 10 biggest IPOs of 2021?

Paytm's ₹18,300-crore IPO is India's largest ever public issue in terms of size. The second-largest IPO of this year was by Zomato, which raised ₹9,375 crore. It's followed by PowerGrid InvIT's ₹7,735-crore IPO and Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Star Health and Allied Insurance's ₹7,249-crore IPO. Policybazaar raised ₹5,625 crore, Sona Comstar raised ₹5,550 crore, while Nykaa raised ₹5,352 crore.

Paytm Lending CEO Bhavesh Gupta to lead offline payments vertical

Paytm on Friday announced that it has elevated Bhavesh Gupta, CEO of Paytm Lending, to take on the leadership for the offline payments vertical in addition to his existing responsibilities. Before joining Paytm, Bhavesh had over 22 years of experience in the financial sector. The firm also plans to hire 30 senior leaders for product, technology and business roles.

₹1,000 crore worth of Nirav's properties to be auctioned to recover PNB's dues

The Enforcement Directorate has de-attached properties worth around ₹1,000 crore belonging to PNB scam accused fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi. They will be auctioned to recover the bank's pending dues. These properties include the building that housed music store Rhythm House at Kala Ghoda, a flat at Nepean Sea Road in Mumbai and some jewellery, among others.

India's forex reserves drop by $160 million to $635.66 billion

India's foreign exchange reserves dropped by $160 million to $635.66 billion during the week ended December 17, due to a sharp drop in foreign currency assets (FCAs), according to data released by the RBI. The FCAs, a major component of the overall reserves, fell by $645 million to $572.21 billion. Further, gold reserves rose by $475 million to $39.18 billion.

iPhone maker Foxconn asked to improve working conditions by TN govt

Tamil Nadu government has asked Foxconn to come up with a slew of measures to improve the working conditions of its employees. Several employees had protested after more than 100 employees, who work at the factory that makes Apple's iPhones, were hospitalised due to food poisoning. Foxconn has assured it will urge contractors to provide quality food for all employees.

RBL Bank's MD & CEO to proceed on leave with immediate effect

Private lender RBL Bank's board has approved the request of its MD and CEO Vishwavir Ahuja to "proceed on leave with immediate effect". Current Executive Director Rajeev Ahuja has been named interim MD & CEO with immediate effect, the board said. Vishwavir, who had been leading RBL since 2010, was MD & CEO of Bank of America, India from 2001-2009.

Pune vendors to hike prices as use of newspapers to wrap food banned

Vendors in Pune city have decided to hike the prices of their food items to accommodate the cost of using white paper for wrapping eatables, Hindustan Times reported. This comes after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Maharashtra banned the use of newspapers to wrap food items. The FDA warned of strict action if its order is violated.

Impose lockdown after consulting trade bodies, we suffer most: CAIT

Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Saturday said that the Centre and state governments should impose lockdowns only after consulting the trade bodies. Taking to Twitter, CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said, ''No lockdown. It will kill the trade which is on recovering mode.'' He added that the trade bodies are the biggest sufferers during lockdown.

NCLAT stays CCI order imposing ₹873 cr fine on UBL, other beer makers

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) has imposed a stay on the orders passed by the CCI imposing penalties on several beer makers, including United Breweries Limited (UBL). In September, the CCI had imposed penalties totalling over ₹873 crore on UBL, Carlsberg India, All India Brewers' Association and others for cartelisation in the sale and supply of beer.

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CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS

DECEMBER 26 2021

NATIONAL

Comorbidity certificate a must for those aged 60+ to get booster dose: CoWin chief

Those aged over 60 years who want to get the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from January 2022 will require a 'co-morbidities certificate' to be eligible, CoWIN platform chief Dr RS Sharma has said. "The other process of vaccination will remain the same," said Dr Sharma. The certificate should be signed by any registered medical practitioner, he added.

India reports 6,987 new COVID-19 cases, 162 deaths in last 24 hours

India has reported 6,987 new COVID-19 cases, 7,091 recoveries, and 162 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. There are 76,766 active cases in the country. A total of 422 Omicron cases have been reported in 17 states and Union Territories so far. Notably, India's COVID-19 death toll reached 4,79,682.

Govt accepted my suggestion for COVID vaccine booster dose: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said that the Centre has accepted his suggestion to allow the administration of booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. “This is the right step. The protection of vaccines and booster shots would have to be provided to all the people in the country,” Gandhi tweeted.

Judges appointing judges a myth, others also involved in process: CJI Ramana

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Sunday said while it's fashionable to reiterate phrases such as 'judges are themselves appointing judges', it's "one of the widely propagated myths." He added, "The fact is that the judiciary is merely one of the many players involved in the process." CJI Ramana was delivering a lecture on "Indian Judiciary- Challenges of future".

IPS officer CV Anand appointed new Hyderabad Police Commissioner

In a bureaucratic shuffle, IPS officer CV Anand was appointed the new Hyderabad Commissioner of Police on Saturday. Anand, who replaced Anjani Kumar, said that his top priority is to maintain law and order as well as ensure the "safety and security" of residents of Hyderabad. Anjani Kumar has taken charge as the Director-General of Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB).

INTERNATIONAL

Japan to pay companies to keep sensitive patents secret: Reports

Japan will compensate companies to maintain the secrecy of patents with potential military applications under its proposed economic security legislation, the Nikkei reported on Sunday. This will include patents concerning the development of nuclear weapons and innovations like quantum tech, Nikkei said. PM Kishida pledged last month that he will make economic security a priority.

BANKING, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Businessman Piyush Jain arrested on charges of tax evasion after over ₹200 cr seizure

Kanpur-based businessman Piyush Jain has been arrested on charges of tax evasion, days after over ₹200 crore cash was seized from his residence during a raid. Jain is a businessman who deals in pan masala and perfumes. Several pictures which had gone viral on social media showed huge amounts of cash being counted by officials during the raid.

Which major Indian startups plan to go for an IPO in 2022?

Unicorns like Delhivery, Droom, MobiKwik, CarDekho, OYO, Pharmeasy and BYJU'S have already filed their DRHP with SEBI and plan to go for an IPO in 2022. Among e-commerce majors, Snapdeal and Flipkart plan to go public. Other major Indian startups like Ola, Swiggy, Pine Labs and Ecom Express also plan to go public in 2022.

India imposes anti-dumping duty on 5 Chinese goods for 5 years

India has imposed anti-dumping duty on five Chinese goods for five years. The duties have been imposed on certain flat-rolled products of aluminium, sodium hydrosulphite, silicone sealant, hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) component R-32 and hydrofluorocarbon blends. Probes concluded that the products have been exported at a price below normal value in Indian markets, which has resulted in dumping.

Rising global Covid cases to impact capital flows, heighten inflation: Ind-Ra

Accordingly, the agency cited that uncertainty related to a third Covid wave has already started showing signs in equity markets.It pointed out that foreign portfolio investors were the net sellers in the Indian markets to the tune of Rs 103 billion in November 2021 while the net sell-off in debt has been Rs 27 billion during the month. One of the main reasons for the sell-off has been concerns over the global inflationary pressure and higher risk of Covid-19 in some of the developed economies, the agency said in its credit market tracker report.Besides, the agency said that there could be an adverse impact on the society because of a successive lockdown, and particularly when the domestic growth condition is still not broad-based but capex cycle is showing green-shoots.In terms of capital flows, it noted that the hardening domestic...

SPORTS

Himachal beat TN in Vijay Hazare Trophy final to win a domestic cricket title for 1st time

Himachal Pradesh defeated Tamil Nadu by 11 runs (VJD method) in final of Vijay Hazare Trophy to win a domestic cricket title for first time. Tamil Nadu were dismissed for 314 in 49.4 overs, with Dinesh Karthik scoring 116(103). Himachal Pradesh scored 299/4 in 47.3 overs before bad light stopped play. Shubham Arora top-scored for Himachal with 136*(131).

OBITUARY
PM Modi condoles death of anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Tutu

PM Narendra Modi condoled the demise of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who helped end apartheid in South Africa. "Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu was a guiding light for countless people globally. His emphasis on human dignity and equality will be forever remembered," he tweeted. "I'm deeply saddened by his demise...May his soul rest in peace," he added.

Renowned playback singer Manika Vinayagam, dies on 26^th December of cardiac arrest in Chennai

Manikka Vinayagam was a Tamil playback singer and actor. He has sung for all the South Indian language films and acted in several Tamil feature films as a character artist. He is the son of the dancer Vazhuvoor B. Ramiah Pillai. His uncle and music guru was the singer C. S. Jayaraman.

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CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS

27 DECEMBER 2021

National

ECI meets Health Secy to review COVID situation in poll-bound states

The Election Commission of India (ECI) today met with Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan to discuss the rising number of COVID-19 cases in poll-bound states in India. The two bodies will reportedly hold another meeting in January 2022. Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Goa and Punjab next year

Vikram Misri, ex-envoy to China, appointed as Deputy NSA

short by Shailesh / 11:15 pm on 27 Dec 2021,Monday

Vikram Misri, who returned to India last week after completing his stint as the Ambassador to China, has been appointed as the Deputy National Security Advisor on Monday. He will replace Pankaj Saran whose tenure as Deputy NSA ends on December 31. Misri is a career diplomat from the 1989 batch of the Indian Foreign Service.

Night curfew imposed in public health interest: Karnataka CM

After a night curfew was imposed in Karnataka over rising Omicron cases, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said that the decision was taken in the interest of public health. "People would have to strictly follow COVID-19 norms at tourist spots," Bommai told media persons. India has recorded 578 Omicron cases so far, out of which 31 are in Karnataka.

Air India handover to Tata Group to be delayed by a month: Report

The government's plan to handover Air India to the Tata Group is most likely to be delayed by a month, PTI reported citing an official. Some regulatory approvals and certain formalities are yet to be completed, the report said, adding that the process is likely to be completed by January. Recently, the CCI approved Tata Group's acquisition of Air India.

Indian Navy decommissioned INS Khukri after 32 years

INS Khukri (Pennant number 49), the first indigenously built Missile Corvette, was decommissioned after 32 years of service at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

The warship was built by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MSD) and commissioned on 23rd August 1989 and had been part of both the Western and Eastern Fleets.

The ship was commissioned in Mumbai by Shri Krishna Chandra Pant, the then Raksha Mantri and Mrs Sudha Mulla, wife of late Capt Mahendra Nath Mulla. Commander (now Retired Vice Admiral) Sanjeev Bhasin was the first Commanding Officer.

Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral R Hari Kumar;

Indian Navy Founded: 26 January 1950.

Uttarakhand govt announces night curfew from 11 pm to 5 am from today amid Omicron

A night curfew from 11 pm to 5 am has been imposed in Uttarakhand from Monday owing to the Omicron COVID-19 variant. All essential services like healthcare, movement of vehicles carrying health personnel, postal services have been exempted from the curfew. At 142, while Delhi has the highest number of Omicron cases, Uttarakhand reported its first case on December 22.

Docprime tech launched India’s first ABDM integrated Health Locker

Docprime tech has launched India’s first health locker integrated with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). ABDM was launched in August 2020 for developing an integrated digital health infrastructure in the country.

ABDM integrated Health Locker will provide users a digital and self-consented health data management system without any charges. It will store and manage health records electronically.

Users can create digital Health IDs for themselves and for their family members on ABDM integrated Health Locker.

Health Locker received the ABDM Sandbox approval for activating their ABDM integrated Health Locker.

The users can also fetch and store their Cowin vaccination certificates through the ABDM integrated Health Locker.

World Sangeet Tansen festival organized in Madhya Pradesh

In Madhya Pradesh, the 97th edition of the World Sangeet Tansen festival started in Gwalior. A five-day World Sangeet Tansen festival starts from December 25 to December 30 in the city.

The stage of the program has been constructed on the theme of the Siddhanath temple situated in Omkareshwar. Many artists not only from India but also from abroad will participate in the music festival.

Madhya Pradesh Capital: Bhopal;

Madhya Pradesh Governor: Mangubhai C. Patel;

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Tamil Nadu Govt launched monitoring system “CM Dashboard Tamil Nadu 360”

Tamil Nadu government has launched the Chief Minister (CM) Dashboard monitoring system, “CM Dashboard Tamil Nadu 360” in Chennai. It will enable CM to track all welfare schemes, including the status of their implementation, fund allocation, and the number of beneficiaries along with updates on the storage of water in dams and rainfall patterns.

This dashboard will provide real-time information on all State government departments, storage levels of key reservoirs, rainfall patterns, price mesh, which monitors the price stability over 25 foodgrains/vegetables/fruits, and it will provide projections on possible increases in price, enabling government intervention.

Tamil Nadu Capital: Chennai;

Tamil Nadu Chief minister: K. Stalin;

Tamil Nadu Governor: R. N. Ravi.

INTERNATIONAL
Belarus draft constitution bans President to serve more than 2 terms

Amendments made to the Belarusian constitution published on Monday state that an elected President cannot serve more than two terms. "[A Belarusian President] is elected for a term of five years directly by...people on...basis of universal, free, equal...voting by secret ballot," it read. President Alexander Lukashenko was re-elected in a disputed election in 2020 for the sixth time since 1994.

Somalian President suspends Prime Minister over corruption allegations

Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed 'Farmaajo' has suspended PM Mohamed Hussein Roble pending a probe over allegations of corruption and misconduct over a land acquisition deal. The PM's office responded by saying that the President was "derailing the electoral process". This comes amid the tensions between the two leaders over delays in the ongoing national elections.

US FDA approves eye drops that can improve close-range vision

The US FDA has approved an eye drop that can improve close-range vision. Developed by the pharmaceutical company Allergan, doctors have touted Vuity as an alternative to reading glasses. The eyedrop will be available by prescription this month and is a once-a-day treatment. Vuity improves near vision by constricting the size of the pupil

Singapore lifts entry ban on 10 southern African countries

Singapore has lifted the entry ban it had imposed on 10 southern African countries amid fears over the Omicron COVID-19 variant. Separately, the country's Health Ministry said that it expects a new wave of local cases "soon" given the higher transmissibility of the Omicron variant. The impact of the potential wave can be blunted with precautions against COVID-19, it added.

BANKING, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
HDFC Bank partners with India Post Payments Bank for rural reach

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has signed a memorandum of understanding with HDFC Bank to provide banking services in semi-urban and rural areas, primarily focussing on unbanked and underserved segments. This partnership is reportedly expected to benefit over 4.7 crore IPPB customers, of which 90% reside in rural areas. HDFC aims to strengthen its financial inclusion drive with this partnership.

5G services to be rolled out in 13 Indian cities next year, list released

India's Metro cities are among the first few cities that will get 5G telecom services from next year, the government said on Monday. The services will be rolled out in Gurugram, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Jamnagar and Gandhinagar. The government plans to hold spectrum auctions for 5G in March-April 2022.

RBL Bank: Rajeev Ahuja appointed new MD

The RBL Bank board has appointed Rajeev Ahuja, who's currently working as the Executive Director at the bank, as interim Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of the bank with immediate effect, subject to the regulatory and other approvals.

The board of directors at its meeting has accepted the request of Vishwavir Ahuja, Managing Director and CEO of the bank, to proceed on leave with immediate effect.

RBL Bank Founded: 1943;

RBL Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra;

RBL Bank CEO & MD: Vishwavir Ahuja;

RBL Bank Tagline: Apno Ka Bank.

Kamlesh Gandhi named new Co-Chairman of FIDC

Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC) has announced fresh appointments to its board of directors. Kamlesh Gandhi, CMD of MAS Financial Services has been appointed as Co-Chairman, FIDC in addition to Umesh Revankar, CEO and MD of Shriram Transport Finance Group. Sanjay Chamria has resigned as the Co-Chairman and Director, FIDC.

Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC), which is a representative body of asset and loan financing NBFCs, has announced fresh appointments to its board of directors. Dinanath Dubhashi, MD and CEO, L&T Finance Holdings has been appointed as an additional Director of FIDC. The appointments were approved at a board meeting of FIDC on December 21.

FIDC was formed in 2004;

FIDC is Headquartered in Mumbai.

Banking News RBI extends card tokenisation deadline till June 2022

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the card-on-file (CoF) tokenization deadline by 6 months i.e., to June 30, 2022. Earlier the deadline was fixed till December 31, 2021.

In March 2020, RBI had issued guidelines for the regulation of payment aggregators and payment gateways, prohibiting payment aggregators and merchants to store customer card credentials within their database or server from 30 June 2021.

In September 2021, RBI extended the scope of tokenization from device-based tokenization to CoF tokenization services and barred merchants from storing actual card data while online transactions. RBI has fixed the deadline for card tokenization to January 1, 2022.

Paytm Payments Bank tie-up with MoneyGram to enable international fund transfer

Paytm Payments Bank has partnered with MoneyGram, a peer-to-peer remittance company to enable international fund transfer directly to Paytm Wallet.

Under the Partnership, MoneyGram users abroad can now transfer money to any full Know Your Customer (KYC)-compliant Paytm wallet.

MoneyGram transactions in India received digitally stands at nearly 50 per cent of all transactions received in the country. This is MoneyGram's first mobile wallet partnership in India.

MoneyGram transactions in India received digitally currently represent nearly 50 per cent of all transactions received in the country. The number of transactions sent directly to bank accounts is up about six times from just under 10 per cent two short years ago.

Paytm Payments Bank Founded: 2015;

Paytm Payments Bank Headquarters: Noida, UP;

SPORTS
Nitesh wins 2 golds at 4th National Para Badminton Championship

Haryana's Nitesh Kumar won gold medals in men's singles and doubles SL3 category at fourth National Para Badminton Championship in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Nitesh, who defeated Tokyo Paralympics gold medallist Pramod Bhagat in semi-finals, beat Manoj Sarkar 23-21, 20-22, 21-11 in singles final. Nitesh partnering Tarun defeated the pair of Pramod Bhagat and Manoj Sarkar 21-19, 21-11 in doubles final.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem elected FIA president

Mohammed Ben Sulayem of the United Arab Emirates has been elected successor to Jean Todt as the first non-European president of motorsport's world governing body, the International Automobile Federation (FIA).

The FIA is the governing body for Formula One, the World Rally Championship, World Endurance and Formula E among other series. The 60-year-old Dubai-born former rally driver was standing against British lawyer Graham Stoker, who has been Todt's deputy president for the sport since 2009.

International Automobile Federation Headquarters location: Paris, France;

International Automobile Federation Founded: 20 June 1904.

Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh announced retirement from cricket

Senior Indian off-spinner, Harbhajan Singh has announced retirement from all forms of cricket. He was the 1st Indian Cricketer to take Hat-trick wickets in Test Cricket. He took 417 wickets in 103 Tests and is the 4th highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket.

He made his debut to the national cricket team, during an ODI (One Day International) against New Zealand at Sharjah in 1998 and lastly represented India in 2016 during a T20 against the UAE at Dhaka, Bangladesh.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Nirmal Chander Vij releases his new book

A new book by former Indian Army Chief of Staff Gen. Nirmal Chander Vij (ret) claims to offer a “full picture” of the conflicts in Jammu and Kashmir and the way forward.

The book published by HarperCollins India, the book of General Vij, The riddle of "Kashmir: the quest for peace in a troubled land".

.M Venkaiah Naidu released a book titled “The Turnover Wizard – Saviour of thousands” by Arup Roy Choudhury

Vice-President of India M Venkaiah Naidu has released the book titled “The Turnover Wizard – Saviour Of Thousands”, an autobiography of Arup Roy Choudhury, the former Chairman and Managing Director of NTPC Limited and NBCC (India) Limited.

The book consolidates Arup Roy Choudhury’s learnings from life and brings out the management lesson from his life. The book is also endorsed by E Sreedharan, The Metro Man of India.

Important Days

International Day of Epidemic Preparedness: 27 December

The United Nations and World Health Organization marked December 27 as the International day for Epidemic Preparedness. Battered by the Covid-19 pandemic, humans have learned about epidemic preparedness the hard way.

In a bid to prepare for future outbreaks and sensitise people about epidemics on all levels. The day was first observed last December when the United Nations General Assembly had emphasised on the need to advocate the importance of the preparedness for, prevention of and partnership against epidemics.

Obituary

Malayalam Director KS Sethumadhavan passes away

Legendary Malayalam filmmaker KS Sethumadhavan has passed away at the age of 90 years. He directed over 60 movies in five languages including Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi during his career.

He directed popular movies such as Odayil Ninnu, Anubhavangal Palichakal, Oppol, Aranazhikaneeram, Achanum Bappayum, etc. He has won 10 National Film Awards, 9 Kerala State Awards among others.
Newlywed Algerian footballer Loukar suffers heart attack during match, dies aged 30

Algerian footballer Sofiane Loukar passed away aged 30 after suffering a heart attack during his team Mouloudia Saida's match against Oran. Nine minutes before suffering the heart attack, Loukar had collided with his team's goalkeeper and suffered a head injury. However, he was cleared to resume the match. Loukar had got married a week before his death.

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28th December 2021

NATIONAL

Govt releases list of top 10 technical institutes as per Atal innovation rankings 2021

In the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements 2021 released by the government, IIT Madras has been recognised as the most innovative educational institute in India in the technical category for the third consecutive year. This is followed by IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Roorkee, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), IIT Hyderabad and IIT Kharagpur among others.

Chennai imposes curbs for New Year's Eve, bans public from beaches

Chennai Police has imposed COVID-19 curbs amid new coronavirus variant Omicron and said people won't be allowed on beaches on New Year's Eve. From 9 pm onwards, vehicles won't be allowed on Marina Beach, from War Memorial to Gandhi Statue, Kamaraj Road and Besant Nagar Elliots Beach Road. Resorts, farmhouses, clubs are banned from organising DJ events and dance parties.

Bengal govt may close schools, colleges: CM amid COVID-19 case rise

Amid rising COVID-19 cases, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday asked officials to review the pandemic situation in the state. At a meeting, she said the government may consider closing down schools and colleges for some time. Banerjee asked officials to identify containment zones where COVID-19 cases have been on the rise.

Tamil Nadu CM launched ‘Meendum Manjappai’ scheme

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has launched the ‘Meendum Manjappai’ scheme to promote the use of cloth bags by the public and discourage the use of plastic bags. This awareness campaign on using ‘yellow’ cloth bag or ‘manjapai’ as it is called in Tamil, is aimed at encouraging the people to return to the use of this eco-friendly bag and discard the plastic bags. The state government had enforced a ban on the production, use, storage, distribution, transportation or sale of 14 types of plastics with effect from January 1, 2019.

Rajnath Singh inaugurates Brahmos missile manufacturing unit in Lucknow

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has laid the foundation stone of the BrahMos Aerospace cruise missile manufacturing unit in Lucknow. He also laid the foundation of DRDO Defence Technology and Test Centre in Lucknow. BrahMos Project will help in creating 5,500 fresh job opportunities. BrahMos is a joint venture between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India and the NPOM of Russia. BrahMos missile derives its name from the Brahmaputra river of India and the Moskva river of Russia. All the three wings of the Indian defence forces have already inducted the BrahMos advanced weapon
system. Recently, India successfully test-fired the air version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the integrated test range of Chandipur.

Uttar Pradesh Capital: Lucknow;

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath;

Uttar Pradesh Governor: Anandiben Patel.

International News

Japan launches Inmarsat-6 F1 Communications Satellite

Japan has launched Inmarsat-6 F1, a communication satellite, through a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) H-IIA204 rocket from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center that will enter geostationary orbit, about 22,240 miles (35,790 kilometres) above the earth. It is developed by the London-based company Inmarsat as a part of its next-generation satellite broadband service. The satellite is 12,060-pound (5,470 kilograms) and is the first of two ‘I-6’ spacecraft. Designated H-IIAF45, Inmarsat-6 F1 launch is Japan’s third orbital flight of 2021 and H-IIA’s second mission of the year, marking the 45th flight of the H-IIA vehicle overall. It is dual-payload satellite featuring both L-band (ELERA) and Ka-band (Global Xpress). It is the world’s largest and most sophisticated commercial communications satellite ever launched. H-IIA is Japan’s longest-serving liquid-fueled rocket (since 2001) and currently largest rocket operated by MHI for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Founded: 1 October 2003;

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Headquarters: Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan.

BUSINESS, BANKING AND ECONOMY

Ford's market value closes above GM's for the 1st time in 5 yrs

Ford's market value closed above General Motors' at $83 billion for the first time in over five years. The last time Ford was valued at more than GM was September 14, 2016, when Ford closed the day with a market cap of $48.2 billion. This year, Ford's shares have more than doubled and have reportedly been trading around a 20-year-high.

Eishin Chihana named as new chairman of Yamaha Motor India Group

India Yamaha Motor (IYM) Pvt Ltd. has announced that Eishin Chihana has taken charge of the Group’s India operations as its new Chairman. He has replaced Motofumi Shitara. Chihana has been associated with Yamaha Motor Company and its group companies across the globe since 1991.

4.86 cr income tax returns filed so far, 19 lakh in a single day

Over 4.86 crore income tax returns (ITRs) have been filed so far, including over 18.89 lakh returns filed on December 28, the Income Tax Department informed on Wednesday. The number of ITR-1 returns is over 2.57 crore. The deadline for individual taxpayers to file ITRs is December 31, 2021. The date was extended from original due date of July 31.

Govt's total liabilities rise by ₹4.8 lakh crore in Sept quarter

The government’s total liabilities rose by ₹4.8 lakh crore to ₹125.71 lakh crore in the July-September quarter from ₹120.91 lakh crore in the previous quarter, as per Finance Ministry data. Public debt accounted for 91.15% of total outstanding liabilities in the second quarter. The rise reflects a quarter-on-quarter increase of 3.97% in the July-September period of 2021-22.

EPFO aims to achieve 100% e-nomination registration by Feb 2022

The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is aiming to achieve 100% registrations of e-nominations to PF accounts by February 2022. It underlined that it will be crucial for EPF withdrawals for non-medical purposes. EPFO directed employers and its over 120 offices to ensure e-nomination registrations by subscribers following a government directive, Moneycontrol reported quoting sources.

Bajaj Auto to invest ₹300 cr in new EV manufacturing plant in Pune

Bajaj Auto will be investing ₹300 crore to commence work at its new electric vehicle plant in Pune. This facility will have a production capacity of five lakh EVs per year and will employ nearly 800 people. The first vehicle from the new unit, spread over half-a-million square feet space, is expected to be rolled out by June 2022.

Good Governance Index 2021: Gujarat topped the ranking

Good Governance Index 2021 was launched by Union Minister Amit Shah on the occasion of the Good Governance Day on 25 December 2021. GGI 2021 was prepared by the Department of Administration Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). The GGI 2021 framework covered 10 sectors and 58 indicators.

Top ranking states in sectors as well as composite ranks:

Sectors	Group A	Group B	NE & Hill States	UTs
Agriculture and Allied Sectors	Andhra Pradesh	Madhya Pradesh	Mizoram	D & N Haveli
Commerce & Industries	Telangana	Uttar Pradesh	J&K	Daman & Diu
Human Resource and Development	Punjab	Odisha	Himachal Pradesh	Chandigarh
Public Health	Kerala	West Bengal	Mizoram	A & N Island
Public Infrastructure and Utilities	Goa	Bihar	Himachal Pradesh	A & N Island
Economic Governance	Gujarat	Odisha	Tripura	Delhi
Social Welfare & Development	Telangana	Chhattisgarh	Sikkim	D & N Havelli
Judicial & Public Security	Tamil Nadu	Rajasthan	Nagaland	Chandigarh
Environment	Kerala	Rajasthan	Manipur	Daman & Diu
Citizen-Centric Governance	Haryana	Rajasthan	Uttarakhand	Delhi
Composite	Gujarat	Madhya Pradesh	Himachal Pradesh	Delhi

CEBR: India to become 3rd largest economy in 2031

The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) from the United Kingdom has predicted that the Indian economy will become the world’s third-largest by the year 2031. In the year 2022, India is set to regain its sixth position in World Economic League Table (WELT) from France, as per CEBR. The annual league table also predicted that China will overtake the US to be the largest economy in 2030 (two years later than the forecast in 2021). The world economy is set to surpass $100 trillion for the first time in 2022.

The World Economic League Table 2022 shows the economic forecasts for 191 countries to 2036:

Ranking out of 191 countries	2021	2022	2026	2031	2036
India	7	6	5	3	3
United States	1	1	1	2	2
China	2	2	2	1	1
Japan	3	3	3	4	5
Germany	4	4	4	5	4
UK	5	5	6	6	6
France	6	7	7	7	7

Center for Economic and Business Report (CEBR) Chairman: Martin Piers;

Center for Economic and Business Report Headquarters: London, United Kingdom.

Direct selling firms like Tupperware, Amway banned from promoting pyramid schemes

The Centre has banned direct selling companies like Tupperware, Amway, Oriflame and others from promoting pyramid and money circulation schemes as it notified new rules to regulate the industry. As per the order, companies should also specify details of refund, exchange, guarantee and grievance redressal mechanism on their websites. The entities have to comply with the rules within 90 days.

ED attaches ₹293-cr assets of Tamilnad Mercantile Bank's ex-chairman

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday said it has seized shares worth ₹293.91 crore belonging to Tamilnad Mercantile Bank's (TMB) former chairman Nesamanimaran Muthu under the FEMA law. According to ED, the shareholdings seized were of four Indian companies, of which three are unlisted entities. The investment was made without RBI's permission and non-disclosure to Indian regulators, ED added.

RBI imposed penalty on payment operators One Mobikwik & Spice Money

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed monetary penalties on two payment system operators, One Mobikwik Systems Private Limited and Spice Money Limited, for violation of norms. Both the payment companies have been slapped with a fine of Rs 1 crore, as per the order issued by the central bank. In a statement, the RBI said it has imposed the penalty on the two payment system operators for “committing offences of the nature referred to in Section 26 (6) of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (PSSAct).”

SEBI named Aarati Krishnan as a member of MF advisory panel

Aarati Krishnan, Editorial Consultant with BusinessLine, has been inducted as a member of the Securities & Exchange Board of India’s Advisory Committee on Mutual Funds. The committee, chaired by Usha Thorat, former Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India, advises SEBI on matters related to mutual fund regulation to ensure investor protection, development of the industry and disclosure requirements. It suggests measures required to be taken to render the legal framework for mutual funds transparent and simple for investors and constituents. The committee has 24 members comprising CEOs of leading mutual fund houses as well as representatives from academia, exchanges, consumer interest groups, fund trustees, rating agencies, distribution firms and media.

Securities and Exchange Board of India Founded: 12 April 1992.

Securities and Exchange Board of India Headquarters: Mumbai.

Securities and Exchange Board of India Agency executive: Ajay Tyagi.

HDFC Bank won CII Dx award for ‘Most Innovative Best Practice’ 2021

HDFC Bank has been named under ‘Most Innovative Best Practice’ at the coveted Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Digital Transformation Award 2021 or CII DX Award 2021. It will be recognized for the HDFC’s efforts in world-class financial inclusion in Village Level Executive (VLE) centres along with the Government of India’s Common Service Centres (CSC).

Sports News
2021 has been a dream year: Indian men’s hockey team captain Manpreet

Indian men's hockey team captain Manpreet Singh has said 2021 has been a "dream year" and it has brought a "new dawn" for them. "I'm proud of the way we overcame each obstacle to bring back the Olympic glory," he stated. The Indian team had won bronze medal match to win their first medal at Olympics after 41 years.

Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021: Himachal Pradesh beats Tamil Nadu

Himachal Pradesh beat Tamil Nadu by 11 runs (VJD Method) in the final to win their maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy title, at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur. Batting first, Tamil Nadu posted a challenging total of 314 in 49.4 overs. In reply, Himachal were 299 for 4 in 47.3 overs when bad light stopped play and the chasing side were declared winners via the VJD (V Jayadevan rule) method. Shubham Arora’s unbeaten century and his 148-run stand with Amit Kumar (74) for the fourth wicket powered Himachal Pradesh to their first-ever Indian domestic title win, Vijay Hazare trophy 2021-22 final.

Pankaj Advani won National Billiards Title 2021

Pankaj Advani has defended his National Billiards Title by winning his 11th tournament, after defeating his PSPB teammate Dhruv Sitwala in a 5-2 game final that was held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. He represented the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) team in the National Billiards Championship. The 88th National Billiards and Snooker Championships 2021, organised by Cue Sports India at Bhopal, MP.

Obituaries News

South African campaigner Archbishop Desmond Tutu passes away

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and veteran of South Africa`s struggle against white minority rule, has died aged 90. He was awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his non-violent opposition to apartheid. A decade later, he witnessed the ends of that regime and he chaired a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, set up to unearth atrocities committed during those dark days.

Former England Test Captain Ray Illingworth passes away

Former England captain, Ray Illingworth has passed away. He played 61 Tests for England between 1958 and 1973 and captained the country 31 times, winning 12 matches and an Ashes series in Australia in 1970. He was an all-rounder who scored 1,836 Test runs at an average of 23.24 and claimed 122 wickets with his off-spin bowling at 31.20. He was chairman of the England selectors between 1993 and 1996 and coached the team in 1995-96.

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29 December 2021

NATIONAL

UP's Jhansi Railway Station renamed as Veerangana Lakshmibai Railway Station

The Jhansi Railway Station has been renamed as Veerangana Lakshmibai Railway Station, UP CM Yogi Adityanath said on Wednesday. The proposal to change the station's name was sent by the state government to Union Home Ministry nearly three months ago. The divisional railway administration will start the departmental process after receiving formal approval from Ministry of Railways.

PETA: Alia Bhatt India's 2021 Person of the Year

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has named Bollywood star Alia Bhatt its 2021 Person of the Year. She is an animal lover and often shares pictures with her pets. This year, Alia Bhatt invested in Phool, the company behind Fleather, which is vegan leather made from discarded temple flowers.

Her vegan kidswear line, Ed-a-Mamma, also won a 2021 PETA India fashion award for helping to nurture kids’ love for animals and nature.

Alia also starred in a pro-adoption PETA India campaign to help cats and dogs. She has used her position to call for stronger a

Govt set up high-level committee to examine of lifting Nagaland's AFSPA

The Government of India has decided to constitute a ‘five-member’ committee to look into the demand for withdrawal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act “AFSPA” in Nagaland.

The committee headed by Vivek Joshi, the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, would submit its recommendations within 45 days. Additional Secretary in the Home Ministry Piyush Goyal will be its Member-Secretary. The Chief Secretary and DGP of Nagaland and the DGP of Assam Rifles will be the other members of the committee.

The AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations and arrest anyone without any prior warrant. It also gives immunity to the forces if they shoot someone dead.

Chief Minister of Nagaland: Neiphiu Rio; Governor of Nagaland: Jagdish Mukhi.

IAS Praveen Kumar named as DG & CEO of Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs

Govt of India has approved the appointment of Praveen Kumar, IAS, Former Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship to the post of Director General & Chief Executive Officer, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA).

The proposal for setting up IICA was approved by Planning Commission in the year 2007. It was established in 2008 at Manesar, Haryana.

Praveen Kumar is a 1987 batch retired IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, and a former Secretary, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship.

Radhika Jha named as CEO of Energy Efficiency Services

Radhika Jha has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer in state-run Energy Efficiency Services (EESL). EESL is a joint venture between NTPC, Power Grid, Power Finance Corp and REC, working to promote energy efficiency in the country.

Prior to the new posting, the IAS officer was serving as Secretary to the Government of Uttarakhand for the Education Department. She took charge of the post in July this year and navigated the operational guidelines for resuming classes post COVID.

Energy Efficiency ServicesHeadquarters: New Delhi;

Energy Efficiency Services Founded: 2009;

Energy Efficiency Services Chairmen: Arun Kumar Mishra.

NITI Aayog released 4th State Health Index

NITI Aayog has released the fourth edition of the State Health Index for 2019–20 that provides incremental performance in health outcomes and status. The index is developed by: NITI Aayog, World Bank, and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

The report, titled “Healthy States, Progressive India”, ranks states and Union Territories on their year-on-year incremental performance in health outcomes as well as their overall status.

Among the ‘Larger States’, in terms of annual incremental performance, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Telangana are the top three ranking states.

Among ‘Smaller States’, Mizoram and Meghalaya registered the maximum annual incremental progress.

Among UTs, Delhi, followed by Jammu and Kashmir, showed the best incremental performance.

On overall ranking based on the composite index score in 2019–20, the top-ranking states were Kerala and Tamil Nadu among the ‘Larger States’, Mizoram and Tripura among the ‘Smaller States’, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and Chandigarh among the UTs.

International News

China launches new camera satellite with 5m resolution

China has launched a new satellite with a camera capable of taking photos of the ground with a resolution of five meters, according to the National Space Administration of China (CNSA).

The satellite, called “Ziyuan-1 02E” or “Five Meter 02 Optical Satellite”. Beijing time by a Long March-4C rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Beijing Province. Shanxi (northern China).

This is the 39th launch of the Longue Marche-4C rocket and the 403rd launch of the entire Long March series.

The Ziyuan-1 02E weighs approximately 2.5 kilograms and is equipped with infrared, near-infrared and hyperspectral cameras. The cameras can take panchromatic color images of the Earth.

BANKING, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

GoI appoints Atul Kumar Goel as new MD & CEO of PNB

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Atul Kumar Goel, MD & CEO of UCO Bank, as MD & CEO of Punjab National Bank (PNB) with effect from February 1 next year.

Goel will serve as PNB chief until December 31, 2024, which is his attaining the superannuation age. Goel will replace Mallikarjuna Rao, incumbent MD & CEO of PNB.

Rao was given a three-month extension that will end on January 31, 2022. Meanwhile, the ACC has appointed Soma Sankara Prasad, currently Deputy Managing Director at State Bank of India, as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer in UCO Bank.

He will serve as MD & CEO of UCO Bank till the date of attaining the age of superannuation on May 31, 2023.

Indipaisa tie-up with NSDL Payments Bank to launch a new Fintech platform

Indipaisa has signed a partnership agreement with NSDL Payments Bank to launch Financial Technology (Fintech) solutions targeting India’s 63 million Small & Mid-sized Enterprise (SME) sector.

To empower SME owners & operators to provide facilities and services that help them grow businesses, comply with government tax laws and build a sustainable future.

Indipaisa's mission is to empower SME owners and operators to take charge of their finances as well as give them facilities and services that help them grow their businesses, comply with government tax laws, and build a better future for their families.

NSDL Payments Bank Founded: 1996;

NSDL Payments Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra;

NSDL Payments Bank MD & CEO: Abhijit Kamalapurkar.

HDFC Life signed bancassurance partnership with South Indian Bank

HDFC Life signed a bancassurance (Bank-Insurance) agreement with South Indian Bank to enable customers of the South Indian Bank to avail HDFC Life’s life insurance products and services to the customers of South Indian Bank.

This bancassurance arrangement will enable customers of the South Indian Bank to avail HDFC Life’s wide range of life insurance products which include solutions for protection, savings and investment, retirement and critical illness. This bancassurance partnership will further strengthen HDFC Life’s business across India.

South Indian Bank Founded: 29 January 1929;

South Indian Bank Headquarters: Thrissur, Kerala;

South Indian Bank MD & CEO: Murali Ramakrishnan.

India's real GDP in FY2022-23 likely to grow at 9%: ICRA Report

India's real gross domestic product (GDP) is likely to maintain growth at 9% in financial year (FY) 2022-23 amid rising Omicron cases in India, according to a report by ICRA Limited. Fresh curbs being imposed by governments due to rising Omicron cases may temporarily interrupt economic recovery in Q4 of FY2021-22, ICRA Chief Economist Aditi Nayar said in the report.

IndusInd Bank and NPCI tie-up to offer cross-border payments through UPI

IndusInd Bank has partnered with the National Payments Corporation to offer real-time cross-border remittances to India using UPI IDs, for its Money Transfer Operator (MTO) partners. It is the first Indian bank to go live on UPI for cross-border payments/NRI remittances.

Under this arrangement, the MTOs will be using the IndusInd Bank channel to connect with NPCI’s UPI payment systems for validation and cross-border payment settlement into beneficiary accounts.

IndusInd Bank has started off with Thailand’s DeeMoney for Foreign Inward Remittance (FIR) through UPI..
Older than the independence of India: Rishad Premji on Wipro's 76th birthday

Wipro's Chairman Rishad Premji tweeted on Wednesday, "It's Wipro's birthday today. We turn 76. Older than the independence of India." He also shared the company's Certificate of Incorporation. Wipro was founded on December 29, 1945, by Rishad Premji's grandfather as 'Western India Vegetable Products Limited' that made cooking oil.

Sports

Uttar Pradesh won 11th Hockey India junior national championship

Uttar Pradesh has crowned the winners of the 11th Junior National Men’s Hockey Championship following a 3-1 victory over Chandigarh in the final at Kovilpatti, Tamil Nadu.

Tournament top scorer Sharda Nand Tiwari opened the scoring for Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh Hockey maintained its unbeaten record. In the 3rd/4th Place playoff match, the Hockey Association of Odisha edged out Hockey Haryana 3 - 2 in a closely contested affair to clinch 3rd place in the competition.

Nitesh Kumar wins double gold at 4th Para-Badminton National Championship

Nitesh Kumar won doubled gold at the 4th Para-Badminton National Championship, which concluded in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Haryana's Nitesh along with his partner Tarun Dhillon defeated World No. 1 Paralympic Games gold medallist Pramod Bhagat and Manoj Sarkar in straight sets 21-19, 21-11 in the Men’s doubles finals to win the gold.

Earlier, Nitesh also won the gold medal in the Men’s singles category. World No 1 SL3 Para-Badminton player Parul Parmar from Gujarat also secured gold while Mandeep Kaur from Uttarakhand won Silver and Mansi won bronze.

Obituaries

Former Greek President Karolos Papoulias passes away

Veteran Greek politician Karolos Papoulias, who served as president at the height of the economic crisis of the 2010s, died. Papoulias, a longtime socialist lawmaker and minister, was close to Andreas Papandreou, the founder of the Socialist PASOK party.

He served two terms between 2005 and 2015. Papoulias, who was also foreign minister in 1985-89 and 1993-96, was a high-ranking member of socialist PASOK party and a close associate of its late leader and former prime minister Andreas Papandreou.

E.O. Wilson, Known as 'Father of Biodiversity,' passes away

E.O. Wilson, the former Harvard University biologist and Pulitzer Prize winner whose study of ants and human behaviour made him one of the world’s most influential scientists and prompted his calls for action to protect millions of species on the planet, has passed away. He was 92. To protect Earth earned him the nickname “Darwin’s natural heir”.

He was the author of hundreds of scientific papers and more than 30 books, two of which won him Pulitzer Prizes for nonfiction: 1978’s On Human Nature, and The Ants in 1990.

‘He-Man’ artist and toy designer Mark Taylor passes away

Mark Taylor, artist and toy designer for the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe franchise as well as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, passed away. Taylor began his career with Mattel in 1976 as a packaging designer.

He-man was the muscled frontman for toy manufacturer Mattel’s Masters of the Universe franchise. He-Man was the epitome of a hulking superhero warrior but also became an icon within the LGBTQ+ community.

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CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS

30 December 2021

National News

India Art Fair in Delhi postponed from Feb to April due to COVID-19

The India Art Fair in Delhi has been postponed from February to April due to rising COVID-19 cases in the national capital. The fair was scheduled to be held from February 3 to 6, but will now take place from April 28 to May 1. Over 50 art galleries from across India and South Asia will feature in the fair.

India reported 10,000+ daily COVID cases after 33 days, need for heightened vigil: Govt

During a press conference on Thursday, government said that India has reported more than 10,000 daily COVID-19 cases after 33 days. "There is need for heightened vigil given the sharp increase in cases being observed," government added. India reported 13,154 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours and active cases stand at 82,402.

Epidemic Diseases Act extended for 3 months in UP: Govt official

Additional Chief Secretary (Health) of Uttar Pradesh, Amit Mohan Prasad said that the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, has been extended in the state for three months. While speaking to ANI, Prasad said the Act has been in effect since the pandemic's start. "With the surge in COVID-19 cases, the [Act] will now be implemented till March 31, 2022," Prasad said.

Haryana CM launched ‘Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam’ Web-portal

The Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar has launched the ‘Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam portal’ and announced to set up the Atal Park & Smriti Kendra in Gurugram, Haryana.

The CM also honoured 78 officers and employees for delivering the best services in various fields. He also launched a magazine ‘Vyavastha Parivartan Se Susashan’ and the 2022 official calendar.

Haryana Capital: Chandigarh;

Haryana Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya.

CP Goyal appointed Director-General of Forests & Special Secretary

Indian Forest Service officer, Chandra Prakash Goyal has been appointed as the Director-General of Forests & Special Secretary (DGF&SS), Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change.

Goyal, a 1986 batch IFS officer was previously the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest under Uttar Pradesh Department of Forest.

The Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet approved the appointment of the IFoS officer. He had returned to UP after being on central deputation as Joint Secretary in the Indian Department of Biotechnology

PM Modi launches blockchain-based digital degrees at IIT Kanpur

Under the National Blockchain Project, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched blockchain-based digital degrees at the 54th Convocation Ceremony of IIT Kanpur. Later Prime Minister also inaugurated the completed section of the Kanpur Metro Rail Project and the Bina-Panki Multiproduct Pipeline Project.

These digital degrees can be verified globally and are unforgeable. The blockchain technology being used by IIT Kanpur to award digital degrees has been developed in-house. It is being touted as a revolutionary technology for the education sector.

The technology is already being used in the financial sector. The technology has been developed by the institute under the National Blockchain Project.

PM Modi laid the foundation stone of 4 hydropower projects in Himachal Pradesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated and laid the foundation of the hydropower projects worth Rs 11000 crore in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.

He inaugurated the Sawra-Kuddu Hydro Power Project, a 111 MW Project which has been built at a cost of around Rs 2,080 crore. He also laid the foundation stone of the Renukaji Dam project which has been kept pending for around 3 decades.

The 40 MW project will be built at a cost of around Rs 7,000 crore. Other Projects are: Luhri Stage 1 Hydro Power Project and the Dhaulasidh Hydro Power Project, the first hydropower project of the Hamirpur district.

Himachal Pradesh Capital: Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter);

Himachal Pradesh Governor: Rajendra Arlekar;

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister: Jai Ram Thakur.

International News

N Korea urges 1.2 mn troops to unite, defend Kim with their lives

North Korea on Thursday urged its 1.2 million troops to show greater loyalty and unite behind leader Kim Jong Un. North Korean troops must become an "impregnable fortress and bulletproof walls in devotedly defending Kim Jong Un with their lives," the official state newspaper's editorial read. The remarks come as North Korea marks 10 years of Kim Jong Un's rule.

West Bengal suspends flights from UK to Kolkata from Jan 3

Amid rising Omicron cases, the West Bengal government on Thursday issued an order saying all direct flights from the UK to Kolkata will be suspended from January 3 until further notice. Those coming from non-at-risk nations will have to undergo a COVID-19 test, at their cost, on arrival. Airlines will test 10% of incoming passengers randomly via the RT-PCR method.

Germany to close down 3 of its last 6 nuclear plants on Friday

Germany on Friday will close down three of its last six nuclear power plants, as it focuses on withdrawing from nuclear power to focus on renewables. The reactors of Brokdorf, Grohnde and Gundremmingen C will be shut down after three and a half decades in operation. Germany aims to make renewables meet 80% of power demand by 2030.

Japan introduced the world’s 1st Dual-Mode Vehicle

Japan has introduced a minibus lookalike world’s first dual-mode vehicle (DMV) in its town of Kaiyo. The vehicle can run on normal rubber tyres on the road but its steel wheels, which are in its underbelly, descend when it hits the rail tracks.

The DMV can carry up to 21 passengers and runs at a speed of 60km/h on rail tracks and can go as fast as around 100km/h on public roads.

The front tyres are lifted off the track and the rear wheels stay down to propel the DMV onto the railway. This feature of effectively changing into a train-like module easily on a rail track is the first of its kind.

Powered by diesel, the small fleet of vehicles comes in different colours. It runs along part of the coast of Shikoku island in southern Japan, connecting several small towns and offering passengers attractive seaside scenery.

Japan Capital: Tokyo;

Japan Currency: Japanese Yen;

Japan PM: Fumio Kishida.

BANKING, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

SBI acquires 9.95% stake in lndia lnternational Exchange (IFSC)

State Bank of India (SBI) today announced the acquisition of a 9.95% stake in India International Exchange (IFSC). In a regulatory filing, SBI said the 9.95% stake in IIE (IFSC) is "to be acquired subject to a maximum investment of ₹34.03 crore". IFSC is the first exchange to be set up at the Gujarat International Fin Tec-City.

Karnataka govt partnered with NPCI & SBI to implement ‘e-RUPI’

Karnataka government has partnered with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) & State Bank of India (SBI) to enable and implement the ‘e-RUPI’ payment solution to students under its scholarship programme.

For redeeming e-RUPI, the identified institutes will scan the QR code or SMS string displayed by the students using an application. The e-RUPI is a cashless and contactless payment solution provided by NPCI and It will be used to ensure leak-proof delivery transactions.

Chief Minister of Karnataka: Basavaraj S Bommai;

Karnataka Governor: Thawar Chand Gehlot;

Karnataka Capital: Bengaluru.

Kalpataru Power shares jump 6% as it bags orders worth ₹1,560 crore

The shares of Kalpataru Power Transmission surged nearly 6% on December 30 after the company bagged orders worth ₹1,560 crore for power transmission projects from India, Africa, CIS and South America. Its international subsidiary secured new power transmission projects in Europe. The company's MD & CEO Manish Mohnot said that these orders are in their core power T&D business.

RBI's latest report on 'Trend and Progress of Banking in India'

India's central bank, RBI has released the latest iteration of its annual report on the financial performance of the country. In its report, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) details that, despite the devastation caused by the COVID-19 outbreak in India, the financial performance of banks has improved, citing a fall in the gross non-performing asset ratio for scheduled commercial banks (SCBs).

The report, titled 'Report on Trend and Progress of Banking in India,' also showed how a rise in profitability of SCBs in 2020-21 was driven less by an increase in income but more via reductions in expenditure.

Key Highlights:

The gross non-performing assets (GNPAs) ratio of SCBs fell from 8.2 per cent at the end of March 2020 to 7.3 per cent in March 2021. This decreased further to 6.9 per cent at the end of September 2021

Capital to risk-weighted assets ratios(CRAR) - a vital measure of a bank's stability – of SCBs improved from 14.8 per cent at the end of March 2020 to 16.3 per cent at the end of March 2021

Banks have been plagued with an increase in the incidences of fraud in the current fiscal.

The report notes that the number of frauds between April and September 2021 rose in comparison to the corresponding period last year.

IndusInd Bank launched ‘green fixed deposits’

IndusInd Bank has announced the launch of ‘green fixed deposits’, whereby the deposit proceeds will be used to finance projects and firms supporting the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A green deposit is a fixed-term deposit for investors looking to invest their surplus cash reserves in environmentally friendly projects. These deposits will be offered to both retail & corporate customers.

The Bank will use the proceeds from these deposits to finance a wide array of sectors falling under the SDG category including, energy efficiency, renewable energy, green transport, sustainable food, agriculture, forestry, waste management and greenhouse gas reduction.

States demand rollback of hiked GST on textiles, footwear

Several states including Telangana, Rajasthan, Kerala and Punjab have demanded the proposed hike in GST rates on textiles and footwear from 5% to 12% be rolled back. Finance ministers of various states voiced their concerns at the pre-Budget consultation held today. Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said the hike is not good for the industry and must be rolled back.

Axis Bank is 2nd largest in PoS machines

Axis Bank has become the second-largest merchant-acquiring bank in the country, leapfrogging two spaces during 2021 by installing over two lakh card-swipe machines during the year.

This is part of the bank’s ‘Axis One’ strategy where it approaches the customers by offering its entire gamut of products instead of a standalone service. Axis Bank’s strategy to increase the number of merchants is to offer the latest in technology to them and address pain points.

For instance, the bank installs Android PoS machines and has also come out with a printer-less compact machine. On the agenda are bring-your-own-device (BYOD) solutions that will enable the use of regular smartphones with an attachment for accepting cards.

Due date to file returns is Dec 31, 2021: I-T Dept amid calls to extend deadline

The Income Tax Department on Thursday urged the people to file their income tax returns for the Assessment Year 2021-22 and tweeted, "The due date is December 31, 2021." The department's tweet came as several people on social media requested an extension in the deadline citing glitches on the portal. "24.39 lakh ITRs filed today itself," the department tweeted.

ICRA rating agency expects India to grow at 9% in FY22-23

ICRA Credit rating agency has expected India's real gross domestic product (GDP) will grow with 9% rate in fiscal years 2022 and 2023. The Indian economy has grown at 8.4 percent in the second quarter of the current fiscal year.

ICRA said the growth momentum is not enough to confirm a change in the Monetary Policy stance in the February 2022 review. The Future Expectation Index continued to display optimism because of improving the overall economic situation.

Telangana topped in Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission

Telangana has secured 1st place among the 34 states and Union Territories that implement the Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM). Tamil Nadu and Gujarat have secured 2nd and 3rd place on the list respectively.

In the Ranking of the Cluster, among the 295 clusters, the Ryakal cluster of Sangareddy and the Jukkal cluster of Kamareddy in Telangana has secured the 1st and 2nd position respectively. The Aibawk cluster of Aizawl in Mizoram has secured the 3rd position.

Sports News
Ashwin, Pujara & Siraj dance after India beats South Africa at Centurion Test

Cricketers R Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara and Mohammed Siraj celebrated the Indian team's first-ever win in Centurion on Thursday by dancing together after the match. Sharing their video, Ashwin wrote on Instagram, "The customary post-match pictures got too boring." Team India defeated South Africa by 113 runs in the Centurion Test match to take a lead of 1-0 in the series.

National Dope Testing Laboratory regained WADA accreditation

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has restored the accreditation of the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) in accordance with the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL), which had been suspended since August 2019.

With this, NDTL’s Anti-Doping testing and activities will be resumed with immediate effect. NDTL has also been collaborating with other WADA accredited laboratories for strengthening its research activities and anti-doping efforts.

World Anti-Doping Agency Founder: Dick Pound;

World Anti-Doping Agency Founded: 10 November 1999;

World Anti-Doping Agency Headquarters: Montreal, Canada;

World Anti-Doping Agency President: Craig Reedie.

Books and Authors News

A book titled ‘Dr V L Dutt: Glimpses of a Pioneer’s Life Journey’ by V L Indira Dutt

Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu has launched the book titled ‘Dr V L Dutt: Glimpses of a Pioneer’s Life Journey’ authored by Dr V L Indira Dutt, Chairperson and Managing Director of KCP Group, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

The book is based on the life of Late Velagapudi Lakshmana Dutt (V.L. Dutt), the former Chairman of KCP Group.

Obituaries News

Seven-term Rajya Sabha MP and industrialist Mahendra Prasad passes away

Seven-time Rajya Sabha MP from the Janata Dal (United) & industrialist, Mahendra Prasad passed away. He was a seven-term Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar and was also elected to the Lok Sabha once.

He was first elected to the Lok Sabha on a Congress ticket in 1980. Estimated to be one of the richest members of Parliament, the founder of Aristo Pharmaceuticals was a seven-term Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar and was also elected to the Lok Sabha once.

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CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS

31 December 2021

National News

Income tax return filing deadline won't be extended beyond today: Govt

Revenue Secretary Tarun Bajaj on Friday said that there's no proposal to extend the deadline for income tax (I-T) return filing for the Assessment Year (AY) 2021-22 beyond December 31, 2021. "Income tax return filing is going on smoothly. By 3pm today, 5.62 crore returns have been filed in total," he added. Over 20 lakh returns filed today, he added.

We'll have to learn to live with COVID, its variants will continue to emerge: Expert

Amid rising cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 in India and around the world, virologist Dr Gagandeep Kang said, "We will have to learn to live with SARS-CoV-2 and its variants which will continue to emerge." "There will be many waves, time and again. But fortunately, Omicron seems comparatively less severe than other variants," she added.

Sahitya Akademi Award 2021 Announced

Sahitya Akademi announced its prestigious Sahitya Akademi Awards, Yuva Puraskar and Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2021 in various languages.

According to the board, an engraved copper plate, shawl and an amount of Rs 1 lakh will be given to the main Sahitya Akademi prize winner and an engraved copper plate and an amount of Rs 50,000 each will be given to the Yuva Puraskar and Bal Sahitya Puraskar.

VS Pathania takes charge as new Indian Coast Guard chief

Guard (ICG) on Friday. Pathania is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and National Defence College, New Delhi, according to an ICG statement. Pathania replaced K Natarajan, who served as the ICG chief from July 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021.

PM Modi inaugurated Bina (MP)-Panki (UP) Multiproduct pipeline project

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 356 Km long Bina Refinery (Madhya Pradesh)- POL Terminal at Panki (Kanpur, UP) Multiproduct pipeline project ( capacity of 45 million metric tonnes per annum) with an outlay of Rs 1524 crore (Rs. 1227 crores in UP and Rs. 297 crores in MP).

The project has been completed and commissioned one month ahead of the approved completion schedule of December 2021 (3 years from PNGRB authorisation) and within the approved cost.

It will provide for safe and efficient evacuation of products from Bina Refinery and also improve the availability of products in Eastern U.P, Central U.P., Northern Bihar and Southern Uttarakhand.

PM has also inaugurated the completed section of the Kanpur Metro Rail Project and undertook a metro ride from the IIT metro station to Geeta Nagar. The entire length of the Metro Rail Project in Kanpur is 32 Km and is being built at a cost of around ₹11,000 crores. PM also attended the 54th Convocation Ceremony of IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Kanpur.

International News

Egypt became fourth new member of New Development Bank

Egypt added as the fourth new member of BRICS New Development Bank. Bangladesh, UAE, and Uruguay joined BRICS New Development Bank in September 2021.

Membership expansion enables New Development Bank to position itself as a premier development institution for emerging economies.

BRICS New Development Bank is a multilateral bank that was established by Brazil, Russia, China, India, and South Africa to finance sustainable development and infrastructure projects.

The new list of New Development Bank member countries:

S.No Member Countries

1 Brazil

2 Russia

3 India

4 China

5 South Africa

6 Bangladesh

7 United Arab Emirates

8 Egypt

9 Uruguay

New Development Bank Headquarter: Shanghai, China;

New Development Bank President: Marcos Prado Troyjo;

New Development Bank Founder: BRICS;

New Development Bank Founded: 15 July 2014.

China to cut new energy vehicle subsidies by 30% in 2022

China's Finance Ministry has said the nation will cut its subsidies on new energy vehicles (NEV), such as electric cars by 30% next year. The 2022 NEV subsidies policy will terminate on December 31, 2022, and NEV will not be subsidised afterwards. Subsidies in case of NEVs for public transport would be cut by 20% in 2022.

BANKING, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Vasudevan PN reappointed as MD & CEO of Equitas Small Finance Bank

Vasudevan Pathangi Narasimhan has been reappointed as the Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Equitas Small Finance Bank Limited (ESFBL) for three years (from July 23, 2022, to July 22, 2025), by the Board of Directors (BoD). He is currently serving as the MD and CEO of the bank.

Earlier he was working as the MD of Equitas Holdings Limited. He holds a bachelor's degree in science (physics) from the University of Madras. A qualified company secretary from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, he has extensive experience in the financial services sector.

Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd Founded: 2016;

Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu;

Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd Part-Time Chairman: Arun Ramanathan;

Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd Tagline: It’s Fun Banking.

SPORTS NEWS

Jasprit Bumrah Achieves Milestone of Picking 100 Test Wickets

Jasprit Bumrah has achieved the milestone of picking 100 wickets away from home in 22 Test matches. Van der Dussen became Bumrah's 100th Test victim in overseas conditions.

The 28-year-old now has 105 wickets, out of which 101 have come away from home. Bumrah, who made his Test debut in South Africa in 2018, has played 25 Tests, 23 of which have come on the road.

Mohammed Shami becomes 11th Indian bowler to take 200 wickets in Test cricket

Mohammed Shami became just the 11th Indian bowler to claim 200 wickets in Test cricket in just 55 test matches. During this process, he became the only 5th Indian pacer to bag 200 wickets in the purest format of the game.

Also, Shami is the third fastest Indian pacer to reach this milestone as Kapil Dev and Javagal Srinath bagged 200 Test wickets in 50 and 54 Tests respectively.

Houston COVID-19 vaccine Corbevax gets DCGI approval for use in India

The Texas Children's Hospital (TCH) and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) announced that Corbevax, a protein subunit Covid vaccine, has received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to launch it in India.

The initial construct and production process of the vaccine antigen was developed at TCH's Centre for Vaccine Development.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

Drugs Controller General of India: V. G. Somani.

Obituaries

Delhi policeman, part of Batla House encounter, dies after being hit by bike

A 52-year-old Delhi Police sub-inspector, Sanjeev Lochan, died after being hit by a bike in Dwarka, police said. He was part of the Special Cell team during the Batla House encounter in 2008. Lochan was crossing the road when three men on a bike allegedly ran over him, police added. The accused were arrested from the spot, police stated.

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