NATIONAL NEWS

Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2023

The second phase of Kashi Tamil Sangamam will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at the Namo Ghat, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

The Government of India started this program as part of "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" to promote the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.

The second phase of Kasi Tamil Sangamam will be held from December 17 to 30, 2023.

Around 1400 people (7 groups of 200 persons each) representing different sectors from different parts of Tamil Nadu are expected to participate in this event.

These 7 groups are named after the seven sacred rivers of India.

Students (Ganga), teachers (Yamuna), professionals (Godavari), spiritual people (Saraswati), farmers and artisans (Narmada), writers (Sindhu) and traders and businessmen (Kaveri).

The Ministry of Education, Government of India, is the nodal agency for this event.

IIT Madras and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) will act as the implementing agency.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India, Oman Adopted A Vision Document

Several agreements were signed during the three-day state visit of Sultan Haitham Bin Tariq of Oman to India from 15 to 17 December 2023.

Both countries have adopted a vision document to expand their relations.

The two leaders reviewed bilateral relations covering the areas of political, security, defence, trade, economic, cultural and people-to-people relations.

Memorandum of Understanding between the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Dhofar University of Oman was also signed.

The two sides also announced the third tranche of the Oman-India Joint Investment Fund of about Rs 2,500 crore ($300 million).

This amount will be used for investment in fast growing sectors of the Indian economy.

 

BANKING

India, ADB Sign $200 Million Loan Agreement for Uttarakhand

India and ADB have signed a $200 million loan agreement with Uttarakhand for Power System Project.

This loan agreement is to improve the quality, efficiency, and reliability of power supply in Uttarakhand.

This loan agreement is for the Uttarakhand Climate Resilient Power System Development Project.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) will fund the project.

This will strengthen power system infrastructure in Uttarakhand.

The project involves enhancing of the power system network’s capabilities.

The project will modernise Dehradun city’s power network infrastructure.

The Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific will provide a $2 million grant to support livelihood enhancement, and training activities of the project.

SBI To Sign 70 Million Euro Loc With Kfw

SBI signed 70 million euro (approximately Rs 630 crore) Line of Credit (LoC) with KfW.

The LoC with German Development Bank KfW is for promoting solar project in the country.

The agreement has been signed  at the bank’s IFSC Gift City Branch in Ahmedabad.

LoC aims to support Solar Photovoltaics (PV) projects in India.

SBI has shown a 9.13% growth in consolidated net profit for the September quarter.

It reported a total income of more than Rs 1.12 lakh crore for September quarter.

PNB Housing Finance Completes Rs 1,000 Cr Loan Bookmark

PNB Housing Finance, the third largest housing finance company in India, announced that it has achieved a loan book size of Rs 1,000 crore in the affordable housing segment.

It said that under its Roshni scheme for affordable housing, it aims to double the loan book by March 2025.

The scheme was launched in December 2022.

Under the Roshni scheme, the company provides loans for ticket sizes in the range of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 35 lakh.

It recently inaugurated its 100th Roshni branch in India, also its first all-women branch.

By March 2024, it aims to open 60 more branches for the affordable segment, taking the total to 160 branches.

Currently, at 100 branches, it is aiming to open 38 more branches for "prime" loans, taking the total of all housing finance branches close to 300 at the end of the current financial year.

 

SPORTS

Khelo India Games to be Held in Tamil Nadu

Khelo India Games will be held in Tamil Nadu in January 2024.

The State Government said that the games will be held in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and Trichy from 19 January  to 31 January, 2024.

More than 5,500 sports persons and over 1,600 coaches are expected to participate in the event.

More than 1000 referees and 1200 volunteers will be part of the sporting event in which 27 types of sport will be played.

For the first time, squash will be included in Khelo India games.

Haryana Won 2023-24 Vijay Hazare Trophy

Haryana won the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2023 title by defeating Rajasthan by 30 runs.

Haryana team was successful in winning the Vijay Hazare Trophy for the first time.

Haryana's Sumit Kumar was chosen player of the match in the final match.

Vijay Hazare Trophy is known as Ranji One Day Trophy.

The most runs in the tournament have been scored by Arsalan Khan (508) of the Chandigarh team while the most wickets have been taken by Varun Chakraborty (19) of the Tamil Nadu team.

Asia Cup 2023

Bangladesh has won the Under-19 Asia Cup 2023 title by defeating United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Under-19 Asia Cup 2023 was held in the UAE from 08 December to 17 December.

In the final match of Under-19 Asia Cup 2023, Bangladesh defeated UAE by 195 runs and captured the title for the first time.

Bangladesh's Ashikur Rahman Shibli (129 runs off 149 balls) was chosen as the player of the match.

Ashiqur Rahman Shibli was adjudged Player of the Tournament for scoring 378 runs with the help of two centuries and two half-centuries in 5 innings of the Asia Cup.

 

AWARDS & PRIZES

Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award

Veteran lyricist-screenwriter Javed Akhtar will be honoured with the Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival.

The award ceremony will take place at Rukmini Auditorium in the MGM University campus.

The Padmapani Award selection committee comprises Girish Kasarvall, Ashok Vajpeyi, Latika Padgaonkar, Ashok Rane and Chandrakant Kulkarni.

Ajanta-Ellora International Film Festival is to showcase the best of film produced recently and in the past.

It is organized by Marathwada Art Culture and Film Foundation.

It will be organized from 03 January to 07 January, 2024.

It is a platform to encourage aspiring filmmakers, technicians, artists and young film enthusiasts.

 

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Migrants Day

International Migrants Day is celebrated every year on 18 December.

The purpose of celebrating this day is to respect the migrants and treat them properly.

This day is celebrated to raise awareness of the challenges and difficulties faced by international migrants.

The theme of International Migrants Day this year 2023 is "Act Today".

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families on 18 December 1990.