NATIONAL NEWS

1000 Khelo India Centers to be Opened

• The Union Ministry for Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Thakur on 09 December 2022 announced that one thousand Khelo India sports centers will be set up in the country by 15 August 2023.

• The Khelo India Centers have been launched by the Union Sports Ministry in partnership with the state governments to ensure the availability of grassroots-level sports infrastructure across the country.

• The center will focus on developing sports infrastructure and provide training to the sportsperson in one discipline.
• The government has so far approved 773 centers.

Government to Extend Rooftop Solar Scheme

• The government on 08 December announced that rooftop solar programme has been extended till 31 March 2026 and therefore, subsidy under the programme will be available until the target for the scheme is achieved.
• Consumers wishing to install solar panels on the roof of their houses can apply through the National Portal.
• Under this program, the central government gives a subsidy of Rs 14,588 per kilowatt to a person who installs solar panels on the roof of his house.
• The objective of the programme is to promote the grid-connected SPV rooftop and small SPV power generating plants among the residential, community, institutional, industrial and commercial establishments.
• The central government has set a target of 450 GW of renewable energy generation by 2030.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Sixth Generation Fighter Jets

• Japan, Britain and Italy are merging their next-generation jet fighter projects to build an advanced front-line 6th generation fighter into operation by 2035.
• It is for the first time that Japan is collaborating in a defence project without the participation of the United States of America since World War Two.
• The project will merge the British-led Future Combat Air System project, also known as Tempest, with Japan's F-X programme in a venture called the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).
• The newly developed fighter plane will replace Britain’s Typhoon fighters and Japan’s F -22 fighter plane.

BANKING

World Bank’s Flagship Gender Toolkit Launched

• The World Bank launched the 'Toolkit on Enabling Gender-Responsive Urban Mobility and Public Spaces in India'.

• The toolkit was launched at a session organised by the World Bank and the Chennai Urban Metropolitan Transport Authority in Chennai.

• The toolkit from World Bank contains practical tools that can inform a wide set of policymakers as well as private or community-based organisations to help ensure safe and inclusive public transport for women in India.

• It aims to guide Indian cities on how to design public transport that is more inclusive of women's travel needs.

• It aims to spotlight gender issues surrounding mobility and city design.

ADB Approves Loan to Strengthen Logistics Sector in India

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 09 December 2022 has approved a USD 250 million loan to Indian Government.

• It is to support India's wide-ranging reforms that aim to strengthen and modernize the country's logistics infrastructure, improve efficiency and lower costs.

• The loan will finance the first sub-program of the strengthening multimodal and integrated logistics ecosystem program, which supports the government's efforts to create a comprehensive policy, planning, and institutional framework at the federal, state and city level.

ADB Approves Loan to the Chennai Metro Project

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $780 million loan for the building of new lines for Chennai’s metro rail and improving the network’s connectivity with bus and feeder services.

• ADB will provide an additional $1 million technical assistance grant to help the Chennai Metro Rail with the planning and management of the metro system’s multimodal integration.

• Grant means that the $1 million will not be returned to the ADB.

• According to the ADB the project will expand Chennai’s metro rail system to provide a safe and integrated transport solution essential in improving urban mobility and make the city more liveable.

ECONOMY

IRDAI Allows Foreigners to Invest in the Insurance Company

• The insurance sector regulator Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has allowed foreign investors to invest in preference shares and subordinated debt issued by Indian insurance companies.

• The regulator has also now allowed the subordinated debt issued by the Indian insurance companies to be listed in Indian stock exchanges.

• The maturity period of the subordinated debt shall not be less than 10 years if it is issued by life insurance companies, general insurance companies or reinsurance insurance companies.
• For health Insurance companies the maturity period should not be less than seven years.
• Subordinated debt is an unsecured loan or bond that ranks below other loans or securities, also called as senior securities with respect to claims on assets or earnings.

SPORTS

24 Hour Ultra Marathon in Taiwan

• Amar Singh Devanda bagged sixth position by covering a distance of 204.47 Kms in 24 Hour Ultra Marathon.

• It was organised by Chinese Taipai Association of Ultra runners for 2022 at Soochow University, Taiwan.

• Air Warrior Corp Amar Singh Devanda represented India in the event.

• Prior to this, during Asia-Oceania 24 Hrs Championship 2022 held at Bengaluru, Amar covered 257.618 Kms and created a new national record. The Indian team led by him stood first in the championship.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Managing Director of NDDB

• The government of India on 09 December 2022 has appointed Meenesh C Shah as the Managing Director of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
• Presently Meenesh Shah was also holding the additional charge of the Chairman NDDB.
• NDDB was set up in 1966 as a society under the Societies Act 1860.
• It comes under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

First Female President of TTFI

• Meghna Ahlawat was elected the first-ever woman president of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), while former veteran Kamlesh Mehta was elected as the general secretary.

• Ahlawat, who is the wife of Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala contested against Gujarat home minister Harsh Sanghvi.

• The Delhi High Court had suspended TTFI in February and appointed a Committee of Administrators (CoA) to take over its functioning.
• Dushyant Chautala was the previous TTFI president.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide

• International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide is celebrated every year on 09 December.

• The day is celebrated for the victims of the crime of genocide and for the prevention of this crime and to honor and remember the victims of this crime.

• Each year on this day, the UN hosts a special commemoration event.

• On this day, special recognition is given to those who have taken initiatives that have contributed to the prevention of genocide and related crimes.

International Anti-Corruption Day

• International Anti-Corruption Day 2022 is observed every year on 09 December.

• The theme set by the UN for the year 2022 is ‘Recover with Integrity’.

• Transparency International has organized, easy-to-read data on corruption levels around the world starting from 1995.

• The U.N. has launched a special campaign on corruption in the last two years.