NATIONAL NEWS

108th Indian Science Congress

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the 108th Indian Science Congress (ISC) on 03 January 2023 through video conferencing.

• The 108 Indian national Science Congress is being organised by the Indian Science Congress Association from 03 January to 07 January 2023 at the Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University.

• Theme of the 108th Indian Science Congress 2023: Science and Technology for Sustainable Development with Women Empowerment.

• The Congress will hold discussions on issues of sustainable development, women empowerment and the role of science and technology in achieving this.

Election Commission Proposes Remote Voting

• The Election Commission of India has moved a proposal to all political parties to enable domestic migrants to vote for their home constituencies from their place of stay through a new remote EVM (RVM).

• RVM has been developed with the help of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL).

• It is based on the currently used EVM system.

• According to the Election Commission, the Multi Constituency Remote EVM for Domestic Overseas Voters can handle 72 constituencies from a single remote polling booth.

• It will help in boosting voter turnout and strengthen the democratic process of India.

India’s First Underwater Metro

• According to the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation, India's first underwater metro service, the East-West Metro Corridor project is to be completed by December 2023.

• The metro line, which will connect Salt Lake to Howrah through Kolkata with a stretch below the Hooghly River, is currently operational between Sector V and Sealdah stations.

• Of the total 16.55 km length of the project, 9.30 km length between Sector V and Sealdah is operational.

• The remaining 7.25 km length is likely to be operational by December 2023.

• The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation is a Government of India company which is implementing the East- West Metro Corridor project.

Odisha Cabinet Approves Rs 367 Crores

• The Odisha Cabinet headed by Chief Minister (CM) Shri Naveen Patnaik approved the provision of Rs 367.19 crores for 5 years from 2022-23 to 2026-27 for implementation of the State Sector Scheme ‘empowerment of women in agriculture-promotion of entrepreneurship for Women Self Help Group (WSHG).
• The objective is to double the mushroom production across the State through area expansion involving women beneficiaries/WSHGs and to make the state self-sufficient in the production of button mushrooms and loose flowers.
• The scheme will ensure sustainable income generation of women beneficiaries/WSHGs and the state shall emerge as the net exporter of mushrooms and high-value flowers over the mission period.

TN Government Sets up Nilgiri Tahr Conservation Project

• The Tamil Nadu (TN) government launched India’s first Nilgiri Tahr (locally known as Varaiaadu) project to conserve the State animal of Tamil Nadu will be taken up for ₹14 crores.

• The project would be implemented for 5 years from 2022-2027.

• The finance minister announced that for the conservation of Tamil Nadu’s State animal, expansion of its habitat and to spread awareness among the public, the government will implement the project the Nilgiri Tahr with an initial allocation of ₹10 crores.

• The project will have 9 components, including bi-annual synchronized surveys across the division, diagnosis and treatment for affected individuals and the Shola grassland restoration pilot in Upper Bhavani.

BANKING

ADB Provides Loan to Shriram Finance Limited

• India’s largest Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC) Shriram Finance Ltd has secured a $100 million loan from the Manila based Asian Development Bank (ADB).

• The loan amount will be used by the Shriram Finance to provide loans to customers to buy new or used BS VI compliant vehicles and electric vehicles".

• It also provides financial support to women entrepreneurs and under-developed states.

• Shriram Finance Limited is the largest retail NBFC in India. It was formed after the merger of mainly Shriram City Union Finance and Shriram Transport Finance.

RBI Launches Utkarsh 2.0

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das on 30 December 2022 launched the second phase of the central bank’s medium-term strategy for strengthening regulatory and supervisory mechanisms called Utkarsh 2.0.

• The first strategy framework (Utkarsh 2022) covering the period 2019-2022 was launched in July 2019.

• It became a medium-term strategy document guiding the Bank’s progress towards realization of the identified milestones.

• Utkarsh 2.0 like the Utkarsh 2022 has six Vision statements as well as Core Purpose, Values and Mission statements.

Spice Money Partnered with Axis Bank

• Fintech player Spice Money has partnered with private sector lender Axis Bank to facilitate the opening of instant, zero-balance savings or current accounts for rural citizens through its Adhikari network.

• The objective is to bridge the rural-urban divide and bring financial inclusivity by providing access to banking products at the doorstep, thereby financially empowering thousands of rural citizens living in the hinterlands of India

• A regulated entity under the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the fintech firm delivers various financial services such as cash deposits and withdrawals, insurance premiums, bill payments and loans to the rural masses.

SPORTS

77th GrandMaster of India

• Sixteen-year-old Aditya Mittal has become India’s 77th chess Grandmaster during an ongoing tournament in Spain.

• The Mumbai player, who had secured three GM norms, crossed the 2,500 ELO points mark during the sixth round of the ongoing Ellobregat Open tournament in Spain.

• He drew the game against Spain’s No.1 Francisco Vallejo Pons to achieve the feat.

• To become a GM, a player has to secure three GM norms and cross the live rating of 2,500 ELO points.

World Chess Blitz Championship

• Former Indian World Rapid Chess champion Koneru Humpy won the silver medal in the women's section of the FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship that concluded in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

• She finished on 12.5 points, just half a point behind the winner Bibisara Balabayeva of Kazakhstan.

• Koneru Humpy has won the World Rapid Chess Championship 2019.

• The International Chess governing body FIDE organises World Rapid and Blitz chess championship at the end of the year.

• It was held in Kazakhstan's capital Almaty from 26 December to 30 December 2022.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Head of the Maharashtra Government Advisory Council

• The Maharashtra government has appointed Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran as the head of the new Economic Advisory Council of Maharashtra.

• The appointment was announced by the deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in the state Legislative Council in Nagpur.

• The government has set up the Economic Advisory Council, to make Maharashtra a trillion-dollar economy.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target of India becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2024-25.

• The Economic Advisory Council will function as a private research organization with focus on issues related to agriculture, banking, engineering and education.

Chief Executive Officer of FSSAI

• G Kamala Vardhana Rao was appointed the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

• G Kamala Vardhana Rao is a 1990 batch IAS officer from Kerala cadre.

• He was previously the managing director of the Indian Tourism Development Corporation.

• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been set up under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

• FSSAI is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety.

Chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board

• Scientist and former Executive Director of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) Dinesh Kumar Shukla assumed the charge as Chairman, AERB on 31st December 2022.

• He has been appointed to this post for a period of three years.

• The regulatory authority of AERB is derived from the rules and notifications promulgated under the Atomic Energy Act and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

• The Mission of the AERB is to ensure the use of ionizing radiation and nuclear energy in India does not cause undue risk to the health of people and the environment.

DEFENCE

First 3D-Printed Dwelling Unit for Soldiers in Ahmedabad

• The Indian Army inaugurated its first 3-D Printed House Dwelling Unit (with Ground plus One configuration) for soldiers at Ahmedabad Cantonment, Gujarat, India.

• The dwelling unit has been constructed by the Military Engineering Services (MES) in collaboration with MiCoB Pvt Ltd incorporating the latest 3D Rapid Construction Technology.

• The Construction work of the dwelling unit measuring 71 sqm with garage space was completed in just 12 weeks by utilizing the 3D printed foundation.

• The disaster-resilient structures comply with Zone-3 earthquake specifications and green building norms.

• The 3-D printed houses are symbolic of the modern-day rapid construction efforts to cater to the growing accommodation requirements of the Armed Forces personnel.

OBITUTARY

Brazil's Legendary Footballer Pele

• Brazilian football legend Pele, who won a record three World Cups has passed away. He was at the age of 82.

• He died of multiple organ failure as a result of progression of colon cancer.

• He is credited with scoring a world record 1,281 goals in 1,363 appearances during a career spanning 21 years, including 77 goals in 92 appearances for his country.

• He was the only player to win the World Cup three times, lifting the trophy in 1958, 1962 and 1970, Pele was named Fifa's Player of the Century in 2000.

Eminent Scholar and Padma Shri Awardee Sribhashyam Vijayasarathi

• Veteran Sanskrit scholar, Sribhashyam Vijayasarathi, who is known for his poetry, has passed away in Telangana. He was at the age of 86.

• He was an Indian author, Sanskrit grammarian and Philosopher.

• He has written over 100 books in Sanskrit and Telugu.

• He introduced ‘seesam’, a Telugu poetic form and he is the first man who introduced the epistolary form.

• In 2020, he was honoured with India’s highly prestigious award Padma Shri for his excellent work in the field of Literature and Education.