NATIONAL NEWS

Odisha Government Launches Programme to Empower Local Communities

The Odisha government has launched a programme aimed at empowering local communities in forest management by providing direct funding for forest protection and management to 100 villages.

The funds will be deposited into the bank accounts of village councils, or gram sabhas, marking a significant shift in the management of forest resources and placing greater responsibility in the hands of local communities.

The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs’ Project Appraisal Committee (PAC) approved Community Forest Resource (CFR) plans for these 100 villages, which are part of the Forest Rights Act.

The state government has plans to implement these initiatives in a total of 400 villages.

The PAC allocated ₹16 crore for the execution of these plans, with each village receiving ₹15 lakh annually.

The villagers will also take on responsibility for executing projects under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a shift from the previous system where the Forest Department managed these projects.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Launches 'Deendayal Upadhyay Bhoomiheen Krishi Majdoor Kalyana Yojana'

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai launched the 'Deendayal Upadhyay Bhoomiheen Krishi Majdoor Kalyana Yojana' in Raipur.

Over 62 lakh landless agricultural laborers, including Baigas and Gunias, will receive ₹10,000 annually.

An amount exceeding ₹562 crore was disbursed to the scheme's beneficiaries.

CM Sai described January 20 as a "proud and historic day" for the state's urban bodies, emphasizing the commitment to welfare and development.

In January 2025, Chhattisgarh became the first Indian state to implement the Green Gross Domestic Product (Green GDP) model.

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

First Technology Dialogue 2025 Held in IISc Bengaluru

The first edition of the Technology Dialogue was inaugurated at the Indian institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, Karnataka.

The Technology Dialogue has been organised by the External Affairs Ministry in partnership with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.

The theme of the Technology Dialogue is "Exploring New Frontiers in Technology Diplomacy”. The theme highlights the focus of the Technology Dialogue on technology policy and partnerships.

The Technology Dialogue will bring together the senior policymakers, industry leaders, scientists and scholars to discuss and deliberate on key issues relating to the technology domain including India’s international technology engagements.

The Technology Dialogue aims to capitalise on this trend and seeks to promote India’s interest in the Science and Technology sector.

It will encourage discussion on critical emerging technologies focused on - Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Advancements, Space,Semiconductors and Bioeconomy.

The Dialogue seeks to enhance the world's collaboration and cooperation with India in these sectors.

 

BANKING

PNB Becomes First Indian Bank to Launch Clari5’s NCRP

Punjab National Bank (PNB) has achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the first Indian bank to implement Clari5’s NCRP Integration Solution, a cutting-edge platform integrated with the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre’s (I4C) National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP).

This marks a significant step toward real-time cybercrime complaint management and fraud prevention.

The system ensures real-time complaint handling across banking channels such as Internet Banking, Mobile Banking, ATMs, Debit Cards, UPI, IMPS, and more.

The platform is designed to accommodate future integrations, including credit cards and Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), aligning with I4C’s evolving standards.

omplaints are prioritized using First-In-First-Out logic for faster resolution.

Fraudulent accounts are automatically frozen based on predefined rules, such as complaints exceeding a specific threshold.

Important accounts are excluded from unnecessary complaint processes to avoid disruptions.

Real-time insights and automated reprocessing ensure data integrity during system downtimes, offering 100% reliability.

Indian Bank Partners with Escorts Kubota Limited for Financing Solutions

Indian Bank has partnered with Escorts Kubota Limited, a manufacturer of tractors and construction equipment, to offer financing solutions to its dealers and customers.

The partnership aims to provide working capital and tractor loans at affordable interest rates, covering Escorts Kubota's full product range, including Powertrac, Farmtrac, and Kubota tractors.

Indian Bank Executive Director Ashutosh Choudhury emphasized that the collaboration would enable quick and hassle-free financing for dealers, farmers, and prospective customers.

He added that this initiative aligns with the bank's commitment to advancing financial inclusion and digitalization across the country.

Through Indian Bank's digital platform, Escorts Kubota Ltd dealers can easily access these benefits, streamlining the financing process and supporting the agricultural and construction sectors.

Policybazaar.ae Launches 'PB Advantage' in UAE

Policybazaar.ae, the UAE’s leading online insurance marketplace, has introduced PB Advantage, a revolutionary initiative aimed at transforming the health insurance experience in the UAE.

It offers innovative features and exclusive benefits, ensuring a seamless journey from policy purchase to claims processing.

A dedicated claims desk ensures quicker resolutions for customers.

It automatically restores the full coverage amount after the first claim, providing additional coverage for unrelated conditions.

For example, an AED 1 million policy is recharged with another AED 1 million for future claims.

Adds 10% to the sum assured for each claim-free year, up to a maximum of five years.

 

DEFENCE

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh Launches ‘SANJAY’

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh flagged off ‘SANJAY - The Battlefield Surveillance System (BSS)’ from South Block, New Delhi on January 24, 2025.

SANJAY is an automated system that integrates inputs from all ground and aerial battlefield sensors, processes them to verify their accuracy, prevents duplication, and fuses them to create a Common Surveillance Picture of the battlefield over secured Army Data Network and Satellite Communication Network.

This will enhance battlefield transparency and transform future operations through a Centralised Web Application, which will provide inputs to Command & Army Headquarters and the Indian Army Decision Support System.

The BSS is equipped with state-of-the-art sensors and cutting-edge analytics. It will monitor the vast land borders, prevent intrusions, assess situations with unmatched accuracy, and serve as a force multiplier in Intelligence,

This will enable commanders to operate in both conventional and sub-conventional operations in a Network Centric Environment.

Its induction will mark an extraordinary leap towards data and network centricity in the Indian Army.

SANJAY has been indigenously and jointly developed by the Indian Army and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)

 

RANKS, INDICES & REPORTS

Fiscal Health Index of the NITI Aayog

Odisha has topped the inaugural edition of the NITI Aayog's Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2025.

The report compiled by the NITI Aayog was released in New Delhi on 24 January 2025 by the Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission, Dr. Arvind Panagariya.

The NITI Aayog report assesses the fiscal health of 18 major states of India as per the 2022-23 fiscal year, identifies areas for improvement, and promotes best practices across these states.

The report objectively evaluates each state's fiscal health through a composite index facilitating comparison and benchmarking against best practices.

The Fiscal Health index includes five major sub-indices Quality of Expenditure, Revenue Mobilisation, Fiscal Prudence, Debt Index, and Debt Sustainability

The Fiscal Health Index segregated the 18 states into four groups of Achiever, Frontrunner, Performer, and Aspirational on the basis of their performance in 2022-23.

Achiever States (1-5 rank)- Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jharkhand and Gujarat

Frontrunner (6-10 rank)-Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka.

Performer (11-14 rank)- Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Bihar, Haryana

Aspirational(15-18 rank)- Kerala, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab.

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Prime Minister of Ireland

Micheal Martin became the Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland for the second time.

He was previously the Prime Minister of Ireland from 2020 to 2022.

Ireland is a parliamentary democracy where the executive power is vested in the cabinet led by the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister is responsible to the lower house of the Parliament and shall have a majority in the house.

The Parliament of Ireland is known as Oireachtas and it is bicameral. The upper house of the Parliament is called Éireann (Senate) and the lower house is called Dail.

The 174 members of the Dail are directly elected by the people for a term of five years.

 

SPORTS

Australian Cricket Hall of Fame

Michael Clarke, former Australian cricket captain, has been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame, becoming its 64th member.

This honor highlights his remarkable contributions to Australian cricket through record-breaking performances and dynamic leadership.

He represented New South Wales, Australia, at the age of 17.

He made a spectacular entry into Test cricket during the 2004 India tour, scoring 151 runs in Bengaluru.

He played 115 Test matches and 245 ODIs, solidifying his place as one of Australia’s greatest middle-order batsmen.

 

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Voters Day

National Voters Day is observed on the 25th of January.

This Year’s Theme “Nothing Like Voting, I Vote for Sure”is a continuation of last year’s theme emphasizing the importance of participation in the electoral process, and encouraging voters to take pride in exercising their franchise.

The Election Commission of India (ECI), which was established in 1950, was founded on January 25.

In order to encourage young people to participate in the election process, this day was first observed in 2011.

The primary goal of the Election Commission is to promote voter registration, especially among qualified voters.

Let us inform you that while the voting age was once 21 years old, it was decreased to 18 years old in 1988.

The voting age in India was lowered by the Sixty-First Amendment Bill of 1998.

National Tourism Day   

National Tourism Day is observed on the 25th of January 2025.

National Tourism Day has a long history dating back to the Indian government's proclamation of January 25 as Tourism Day in India.

This day was created to highlight the value of travel and raise awareness of how vital it is to the economy of the nation.

National Tourism Day originated from the Government of India’s efforts to highlight the role of tourism in driving economic growth and fostering cultural exchange.

It is believed that the first National Tourism Day was celebrated in 1948.

To position India as a prominent global tourist hub, the government introduced numerous initiatives, including campaigns and events