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Current Affairs Weekly PDF – January 2021 1st

Week (1-8)
NATIONAL AFFAIRS

ICG signs MoU with 7 Asian Countries for Cooperation in Maritime Search and Rescue
Operations
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 7 Asian Countries –
Japan, Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Indonesia & Vietnam for cooperation in Maritime
Search and Rescue (M-SAR) Operations. ICG-Karnataka is the coordinator of M-SAR for the Indian Coast.
ICG also hosts national Beacon exercises to test the effectiveness of Satellite-based SAR systems.

96th Edition of Tansen Sangeet Samaroh, Annual Music Festival Hosted in MP

Tansen Sangeet Samaroh 2020, 96th edition of the annual music festival organized to pay tribute to the
Indian Musical Maestro Tansen was held in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh(MP). The event was jointly
organised by Ustad Alauddin Khan Kala Evam Sangeet Academy and Department of Culture,
Government of Madhya Pradesh.Pt Satish Vyas conferred with prestigious Tansen Samman 2020.
Bhopal-based institution Abhinav Kala Parishad was honoured with Raja Mansingh Tomar award 2020.

Cabinet Approvals on December 30, 2020

On December 30, 2020, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the following
approvals which were detailed by Prakash Keshav Javadekar, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
(I&B).
• Cabinet approves Deepening and Optimization of Paradip Port & Operate and Transfer (BOT)
basis under PPP mode to handle cape size vessels.
• Cabinet approves Industrial Corridor nodes at Krishnapatnam and Tumakuru under CBIC &
Multi Modal Logistics Hub & MMTH at Greater Noida.
• Cabinet approves modified scheme to enhance ethanol distillation capacity in the country.
• Cabinet Approves Export of Akash Missile System and Creates a Committee for faster Approval
of Exports.
• Cabinet approves MoU between India and Bhutan on Cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer
space.
• Cabinet approves Opening of 3 Indian Missions in Estonia, Paraguay and Dominican
Republic…Click here for complete detail

Tripura – Bangladesh ‘Maitre Setu’ will be Open Soon

The Rs 128.69 crores Maitre Setu was started in 2017. It connects South Tripura with Ramgarh of
Bangladesh and provides access to the Chittagong seaport, is all set to be in opening process. The bridge
has been taken over by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited
(NHIDCL). 1.9 Km long Feni Bridge also known as Maitree Setu is built over River Feni.

Prime Minister lays foundation stone of 6 lighthouse projects; PMAY (Urban) Awards-2019
Conferred
On January 1, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually laid the foundation of six Light House
Projects (LHPs) in Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Rajkot (Gujarat), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Ranchi
(Jharkhand), Agartala (Tripura) and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh). These will be developed as a part of the
Global Housing Technology Challenge-India (GHTC-India) initiative under which 1,000 houses at each

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location are to be constructed in a year (12 months), using six distinct technologies. The PM gave away
annual “Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Awards-2019” for excellence in six categories for the
implementation of PMAY-U. …Click here for complete detail

BEL signs contract with Indian Navy for supply of Indigenously developed Laser Dazzlers
On December 31, 2020, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) signed a contract with Indian Navy in New
Delhi to supply 20 Indigenously developed Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation
Dazzlers (Laser Dazzlers). The Laser Dazzlers have been developed by Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO) and will be manufactured by BEL, Pune Plant. The product has been
designed & developed indigenously for the First Time for Armed Force.

TRIFED signs MoU with DAY-NRLM to boost livelihoods of SHG Women & Tribal Populations
On December 31, 2020, TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India) the
commercial wing of Ministry of Tribal Affairs has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Deen Dayal Antyodaya-National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM) for undertaking economic
support programmes to boost the livelihoods of Tribal populations of the country & Women Self Help
Groups (SHGs).MoU was signed by Pravir Krishna, Managing Director, TRIFED & Nagendra Nath Sinha,
Secretary of Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD).

Indian Army & Goa Shipyard signed to produce 12 patrol boats for Pangong Lake in Eastern
Ladakh
On January 1 2021,Indian Army has signed an agreement with Goa Shipyard Ltd(GSL), a state-run
public sector, to procure the 12 high-performance patrol boats to boost its surveillance of major water
bodies like Pangong Tso or Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh and its surroundings including those in
high altitude areas. All these patrol boats expect to be delivered from May 2021.

TRIFED to Promote Products of North–East in collaboration with DoNER & India Post
Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) under Ministry of
tribal Affairs (MoTA) formulated a proposal to collaborate with Ministry of Development of North
Eastern Region (DoNER) and India Post for implementing marketing and logistic intervention to
promote traditional tribal products of the North Eastern states. This collaboration is on the lines of the
‘Act East policy’ of the government to promote economic, strategic and cultural relations with Asia-
Pacific region.

MoD signs Contract with BEL to Supply Indigenous Fire Control systems for Indian Navy
Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for procurement
of 4th generation 10 Lynx U2 Fire Control systems for frontline warships of Indian Navy at a cost of Rs
1,355 crore under Buy (Indian) category in New Delhi. These will be delivered by BEL over the next five
years.

Area Around Boundary of Mathikettan Shola National Park as Eco-Sensitive Zone

The central government notified a zero to 1 km area around the boundary of Mathikettan Shola
National Park in Idukki district, Kerala as an Eco-sensitive zone. The area of the Eco-sensitive Zone is
17.5 square kilometres.The notification was issued by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change.

Government Implementing Rs 320 cr project for 5 Ports to Enable Digital Ecosystem

In accordance with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the government is implementing a
Rs 320-crore Enterprise Business System (EBS) at five major ports of Mumbai, Chennai, Deendayal,

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Paradip, Kolkata (including Haldia) to provide a digital port ecosystem. Also, a centralised web-based
port community system (PCS) has been operationalised across all major ports to enable seamless data
flow between various stakeholders through common interface.

Narendra Singh Tomar Inaugurated Virtual Agri India Hackathon 2020

Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare inaugurated the Virtual Agri
India hackathon 2020 in New Delhi. This 2-month event is 1st of its kind and also the largest virtual
event in Indian agriculture history. The hackathon is organised by Pusa Krishi, ICAR – Indian
Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) & Department of
Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.

Dr Harsh Vardhan Released report Action Agenda for AtmaNirbhar Bharat (AAAN) prepared by
TIFAC
Union Minister of Science and Technology, Earth Sciences Health & Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan,
released the Action Agenda for Atma Nirbhar Bharat (AAAN) prepared by Technology Information,
Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) in New Delhi. The document provided the
recommendations focusing towards local to global to revive the Indian economy. It should be noted that
earlier TIFAC prepared a report namely “Focused Interventions for ‘Make in India’: post COVID -19’
providing foresight towards the understanding of technology interventions in key sectors for boosting
the economy.

Karnataka’s Hubballi railway station to get World Longest Railway Platform

Karnataka’s Hubballi Railway station officially Shree Siddharoodha Swamiji railway station is set to get
the “world’s longest railway platform” of 1500 plus meters’ length and 10 meters width. The platform
will be inaugurated in March 2021. The construction of the platform is done with an expenditure of Rs.
90 crore.

Kerala to host 4th Global Ayurveda Festival 2021: March 12th to 19th
V Muraleedharan, Union Minister of State for External Affairs and the chairman of Global Ayurveda
Festival announced that the 4th Global Ayurveda Festival 2021(GAF2021),World’s largest festival of
Ayurveda community will be organised in a high-end virtual space from 12th to 19th March 2021 in
Kerala.
Organised by - Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA), the Ayurveda Medical
Association of India (AMAI), the Ayurveda Hospital Management Association.
Festival partner and industry partner - Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries
(FICCI).

A 5 day ‘National Folk Dance Festival’ in Jammu was held from December 26 2020
A 5 day long ‘National Folk Dance Festival’ was held in Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory-
JKUT) from December 26, 2020. It was organised by the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala (Ministry of
Culture, Govt. of India) jointly with Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. Of the
5 days, for the first 3 days, i.e from December 26 to 28, 2020 the festival will be organised at Abhinav
Theatre, Jammu. Artists from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya
Pradesh, Odisha and Punjab participate in it. The festival was inaugurated by Former Deputy CM,
Kevinder Gupta, S D Singh Jamwal and senior Journalist Sohail Kazmi was also present on the occasion.

India launches 40th Indian Scientific Expedition

Ministry of Earth Science launched the expedition flagged off the 40th Indian Scientific Expedition to
Antarctica (40-ISEA) from the Mormugao Port, Goa. The Expedition will have 43 members and the

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chartered ice-class vessel MV Vasiliy Golovnin will take the team to Antarctica. National Centre for Polar
& Ocean Research (NCPOR), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is the implementation agency of the
Indian Antarctic Programme. Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) was also part of it.

PM Narendra Modi Virtually Inaugurated National Metrology Conclave 2021

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the National Metrology Conclave 2021 on the
theme ‘Metrology for the Inclusive Growth of the Nation’ and also delivered the inaugural address.
Conclave was organized by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research- National Physical
Laboratory (CSIR-NPL). Dr. Harsh Vardhan released a Book titled “Metrology for Inclusive Growth of
India”, edited by Dr. D.K. Aswaland contributed by CSIR-NPL’s Scientists.

FSSAI reduces permissible level of Trans-Fatty Acids in oils & fats to 3% for 2021
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) released guidelines to reduce the permissible
level of Trans-Fatty Acids (TFA) in oils and fats to 3% for 2021 & 2% by 2022 from the current
permissible limit of 5%. The change has been brought through an amendment to the Food Safety and
Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations.

Patna Meteorological Observatory conferred ‘Centennial Observing Station Status’ by World

Meteorological Organization
Patna Meteorological Observatory established in 1867 , has been conferred the status of ‘Centennial
Observing Station Status’ by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to recognize its
contribution towards long-term meteorological observation exceedingly over 100 years. The decision
to confer the status was taken during the 72nd WMO Executive Council Meeting held virtually from
September-October, 2020.

Dharmendra Pradhan Inaugurates India’s 1st of its kind Migrant Worker Cell
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Inaugurated India’s 1st of its kind Migrant Worker Cell at Surat,
Gujarat and has been created under the ‘National Urban Livelihood Mission Scheme’. An initiative of
Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) it aims to help Migrants from Odia & other parts of the country
working in different industries of Surat.

Indigenously Designed ballastless tracks to be used for High-Speed RRTS trains

National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) will use indigenously designed ballastless
tracks for the country’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS). RRTS technology supports high-
speed trains therefore these tracks will be suitable for high-speed trains running up to 180 kmph and
require low maintenance. The section will be operational by 2023, while the entire 82-km-long corridor
will be completed by 2025.

RoDTEP Scheme Implemented from January 1, 2021

Ministry of finance has notified that Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP)
scheme will be implemented from January 1, 2021. Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce
and Industry will notify the RoDTEP rates shortly on the basis of the recommendation made by a
committee chaired by Dr. G.K. Pillai, former Commerce and Home Secretary. The benefits of the
reimbursement scheme are extended to all export goods.

PM virtually inaugurates Kochi-Mangaluru Natural Gas Pipeline

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the 450 Km Long Kochi-Mangaluru Natural
Gas Pipeline. The pipeline has been constructed by GAIL (India) Ltd at a cost of INR 3, 000 crores. The
pipeline will carry natural gas from Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) regasification terminal at Kochi, Kerala

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to Mangaluru, Karnataka. PM cited the inauguration of the pipeline as a step towards Government’s
‘One Nation One Gas Grid’.

Interest Rates for Small Savings Schemes for 4th Quarter of 2020-21 Remains Unchanged
The finance ministry notified that the interest rates on small savings schemes including Public
Provident Fund (PPF) and National Savings Certificate (NSC) for 4th quarter of 2020-21 ( January 1 to
March 31, 2021) will remain unchanged from those notified for the third quarter (October 1-December
31, 2020). The Interest rates for small savings schemes are notified by the Finance Ministry on a
quarterly basis.

MoE’s Ramesh Pokhriyal & MoWCD’s Smriti Irani Launched Toycathon 2021 and Toycathon
Portal
On January 5, 2021, an inter-ministerial Initiative, Toycathon 2021, was jointly launched by Union
Minister Smriti Zubin Irani, Minister for Women & Child Development (MoWCD), Ministry of Textiles,
and Union Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Ministry of Education (MoE) along with Toycathon
Portal (https://toycathon.mic.gov.in.)during the launch event in New Delhi.

DRDO signs MoU with Maha-Metro for implementation of Advanced Biodigester Mk-II
Technology
On January 5, 2021, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) & Maharashtra Metro
Rail Corporation (MAHA-METRO) signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) through which
DRDO will provide technical support for the implementation of advanced biodigester Mk-II technology
for treatment of human waste (night soil) in the metro rail network.

Tata Power, SIDBI Join Hands for Rooftop Solar Financing for MSMEs
Tata Power partnered with Small Industrial Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to provide a finance
scheme to Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) engaged in rooftop solar segment. The
partnership will overcome the financing barriers for penetration of solar in the MSME sector. This
rooftop solar financing is for the MSME customers of Tata Power for both off-grid and on-grid solar
connections.

Cabinet approves signing of MoC between India and Japan on Partnership in “Specified Skilled
Worker”
Union Cabinet approved the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between the Indian and
Japan that pertains to sending Indian “Specified Skilled Worker” to Japan.Indian workers, who qualify
the required skill and Japanese language test can work in 14 specified sectors in Japan.These Indian
workers will also be granted a new status of residence of ‘Specified Skilled Worker’ by the Japanese
Government.

MP & AP become 1st group of states to complete 3 reforms stipulated by Ministry of

Finance;provided Additional Financial Assistance
Madhya Pradesh (MP) & Andhra Pradesh (AP) became the 1st Group of States to complete three out of
the Four citizen schemes stipulated by Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. These two
states have completed the implementation of schemes – One Nation One Ration Card Reforms, Ease of
Doing Business Reforms, & Urban Local Bodies Reforms. the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of
Finance will provide them an additional Financial Assistance of INR 1004 Crore under the newly
launched “Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure” scheme.

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Harsh Vardhan inaugurates CEPI Centralized Network Lab at DBT-THSTI Faridabad

Union Minister for Science & Technology, Harsh Vardhan virtually inaugurated the Coalition for
Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) Laboratory at the Translational Health Science &
Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad. This is the 1st of its Kind in India & one of the Seven labs of
the Global network. The lab is part of the Global network developed by CEPI Foundation, the immediate
mission of the CEPI Lab at THSTI will be to assess the quality of vaccines being developed against
COVID-19.

Indian Govt’s SLNP and UJALA Programmes Marks their 6th Anniversary on January 5, 2021
UnnatJyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA)and Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) of
Government of India marks their 6th anniversary.Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL)
implements these programmes since their inception on January 5, 2015. Both the programmes were
launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

TRIFED, Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram sign MoU to set up TRIFOOD Parks in Madhya
Pradesh
TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited) under Ministry of
Tribal Affairs (MoTA) & Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to establish TRIFOOD Parks in 5 districts in Madhya Pradesh. The main aim of
TRIFOOD is to enhance the income of tribals through optimal utilization of value addition to Minor
Forest Produces (MFPs) collected by Tribal Forest Gatherers.

Harsh Vardhan released LASI Wave-1 Report 2020: India’s 1st Survey Providing Longitudinal
Database of Older Population
Union Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW) virtually released
the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave-1 Report 2020 based on full–scale national. It is
India’s first and the world’s largest survey providing base for designing national and state level
programmes and policies for ageing population in India. It should be noted that LASI is a Government of
India’s (GoI) initiative towards Better Health Care for Elderly People.

IAF signs MoU with IDSR for Academic Collaboration

Indian Air Force (IAF) and Institute of Defence Studies and Research (IDSR), Autonomous Institution of
Gujarat University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enable IAF officers to enroll
for higher studies in the IDSR Institute. The MoU has been signed as part of IAF’s Project Akashdeep.
The Partnership will help the officers to develop strategic knowledge & intellectual skills, which will
contribute towards formulation of strategic plan and policies in the advent of hybrid Military
Operations.

CCEA Approved Central Sector Scheme for 17 Years for Industrial Development of J&K
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has
approved the Central Sector Scheme (CSS) namely “New Industrial Development Scheme for Jammu &
Kashmir (J&K IDS, 2021)” for Industrial Development of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). The scheme proposed
by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has been approved with a total
outlay of Rs. 28,400 crore upto the year 2037.

PM Inaugurates Rewari-Madar Freight Corridor Section of WDFC; flags off World’s 1st Double
Stack Container Train
On January 7, 2021, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the 306-Km long New
Rewari in Haryana-New Madar in Rajasthan section of Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) &

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flagged off the World’s 1st Double Stack Long Haul 1.5 Km Container Train hauled by electric traction
from Atela in Haryana – Kishangarh in Rajasthan. Japan International Cooperation Agency is funding
WDFC.

NHAI set to operationalise India’s 1st Government Sponsored InvIT by March, 2021
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to operationalise India’s 1st Government Sponsored
Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) by March, 2021. Around 5-6 Road Projects worth INR 5, 000
crore have been given in-principle approval for transfer to the InvIT. InvIT – It is an Collective
Investment Scheme through which individuals & institutional investors can invest in Infrastructure
projects and earn a small portion of the income as return.

World’s Largest Floating Solar Energy Project at MP set to begin Power Generation by 2022-23
World’s Largest Floating 600 Megawatt (MW) Solar Energy Project which is under construction at
Omkareshwar dam on Narmada river in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh is set to begin power
generation by the year 2022-23. Estimated Investment of the project stands at INR 3, 000 Crore. The
production of electricity will be in about 2000- hectare water areas and the Floating panels will be
installed in the backwaters of Omkareshwar dam.

KVIC signs MoU with ITBP for supply of 1, 72, 000 Cotton Durries every year
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) for supply of 1.72 Lakh Cotton durries every year, which is valued
around INR 8.74 crore. The agreement has been signed for one year and will be renewed hereafter. The
agreement was signed by Deputy Chief Executive Officer of KVIC & Shri Surjeet Singh Deswal, Deputy
Inspector General of Police (DIG), ITBP.

CDSCO Gives Approval to Vaccines of M/s SII & M/s Bharat Biotech
The Committee of Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) gave approval to M/s Serum
Institute of India(SII), Pune, Maharashtra for Covishield, a Recombinant Chimpanzee Adenovirus
vector vaccine, it encoded the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) glycoprotein with technology transfer from
AstraZeneca/Oxford University and to M/s Bharat Biotech for COVAXIN, Whole Virion Inactivated
Coronavirus Vaccine for restricted use in India in emergency situations.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

India to co-chair Regional Forum to Conserve Wildlife Habitats: Asia Protected Areas
Partnership (APAP)
India is all set to co-chair the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)-supported Asia
Protected Areas Partnership (APAP), a regional forum to conserve wildlife habitats for three years. In
this tenure India will assist other Asian countries in managing their protected areas. India will replace
South Korea which held this position for three years till November, 2020. Notably APAP is chaired by
IUCN Asia and co-chaired by an APAP country member.

India provides NPR 30.66 Crore for Reconstruction of Earthquake Affected Schools in Nepal
India provided a grant assistance of 30.66 Crore Nepalese Rupees (NPR) (~ INR 19.21 Crore) to Nepal
for Reconstruction of Educational Institutions damaged during the 2015 earthquake.India has
reimbursed an amount of NPR 81.98 Crore (~ INR 51.37 Crore) to Nepal for reconstruction projects of
the Education Sector. In another separate meeting, India also granted NPR 44.13 Million (~ INR 2.76
crore) to Nepal under Nepal-Bharat Maitri Development Partnership.

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BANKING & FINANCE

RBI Releases Report on Trend and Progress of Banking in India 2019-20

On December 29, 2020, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released “Report on Trend and Progress of Banking
in India 2019-20” under theme of impact of COVID-19 on banking and non-banking sectors, and the way
forward. This report for the year ended June 30, 2020 has been submitted to the Central Government in
terms of Section 36(2) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. The report presented the performance of
the banking sector, including co-operative banks, and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) during
2019-20….Click here for complete detail

RuPay Partnered with RBL Bank to Launch ‘RuPay PoS’

On December 31, 2020, the international card payment service RuPay partnered with RBL Bank to
launch an innovative payment solution for Indian merchants “RuPay PoS” in association with
PayNearby. The announcement for the same was made by National Payments Corporation of India
(NPCI). This collaboration will transform smartphones into merchant Point of Sale (PoS) terminals for
the retailers.

RBI Unveils Digital Payment Index: January 2021

On January 1, 2021, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced the RBI-Digital Payments Index (DPI) to
measure a growth in digital or cashless transactions across the country. It was released on the lines of
the Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies as part of the Sixth Bi-monthly Monetary
Policy Statement for 2019-20 dated February 06, 2020. For the index, the RBI has set the base year
2018, i.e. DPI score for March 2018 is set at 100.

IFSCA Becomes an Associate Member of International Organisation of Securities Commissions

On 1st January 2021, the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) became an
associate member of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions(IOSCO), an international
organisation which sets the global standards for securities markets regulation. The membership will
support IFSCA with a platform to exchange information at global level and regional level in the fields of
common interest.

ADB, GoI joins to enhance Power Generation Capacity in Assam

Asian Development Bank (ADB) & Government of India (GoI) signed a USD 231 Million (~ INR 1688.5
Crores) Loan Agreement for the Assam Power Sector Investment Program (APSIP) for the construction
of Lower Kopili Hydroelectric Power (LKHEP) plant. This is the 3rd Tranche Loan for the program
which was approved by ADB board in July, 2014.

RBI Launched Jan 2021 Round of “Consumer Confidence Survey” & “Inflation Expectations
Survey of Households”
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched the January 2021 round of household surveys namely “Inflation
Expectations Survey of Households (IESH)” and “Consumer Confidence Survey (CCS)” to represent
inflation expectations and consumer confidence. These surveys will act as useful inputs for RBI’s
monetary policy which is scheduled to be announced by Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on February
3-5, 2021. In accordance with RBI’s “Quarterly Basic Statistical Returns (BSR)-1: Outstanding Credit of
Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs), September 2020”, Bank credit growth on y-o-y basis stood at
5.4% in Q2FY21 compared to 5.7% growth in the Q1FY21.

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Centre Issues Rs 5,500 cr Zero-Coupon Bonds for P&SB recapitalisation

In a first of its kind move Central Government has issued Rs 5,500 crore in zero-coupon bonds to
recapitalise Punjab and Sind Bank (P&SB) by allowing it to park the paper in its held-to-maturity (HTM)
category at face value rather than the discounted market rate. This move of capital infusion was
approved by the Ministry of Finance on November 10, 2020. The bond will mature in tranches between
2030 to 2035.

Bajaj Allianz General Partners with J&K government for PMJAY SEHAT
Bajaj Allianz General Insurance in association with Jammu & Kashmir Government launches health
insurance coverage under Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) Social,
Endeavour for Health, and Telemedicine(SEHAT). This extended scheme was launched by Prime
Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi.

GoI, West Bengal & World Bank signed Project to improve Waterways in West Bengal
Government of India (GoI), Government of West Bengal (WB)& World Bank headquartered at
Washington, D.C., United States signed USD 105 Million Project (approximately INR 767 Crores) for the
West Bengal Inland Water Transport, Logistics and Spatial Development Project to improve inland
water transport infrastructure in Kolkata, West Bengal. The Loan for the project is provided by
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).

RBI to Introduce LEI for Large-Value Transactions in RTGS/NEFT from April, 2021
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced the introduction of Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) for all payment
transactions of Rs 50 crore and above undertaken by entities through Real Time Gross Settlement
(RTGS) and National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT). The directions for the same have been issued
by RBI under Section 10 (2) read with Section 18 of Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Act 51
of 2007).

Bandhan Bank Signs MoU with Indian Army for the Bandhan Bank Shaurya Salary Account
Bandhan Bank Ltd headquartered at Kolkata, West Bengal signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with the Indian Army for the Bandhan Bank Shaurya Salary Account. The serving personnel of
Indian Army will be provided the services of the account through the Bank’s network of banking outlets.
It is a zero-balance salary account with 6% interest on balance above Rs.1 lakh.

RBI announces Operationalization of Payments Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF)

Scheme
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced Operationalization of the Payments Infrastructure Development
Fund (PIDF) Scheme with an initial corpus of INR 345 Crores for three years starting from January 1,
2021 & may be extended for two more years depending upon the progress. An Advisory Council (AC)
under the chairmanship of RBI Deputy Governor BP Kanungo will be responsible for managing the
functioning of PIDF.

GoI, AP Govt and NDB Signs 2 Loan Agreement Worth USD 646 Million for Upgrading Road
Network in AP
Govt of India(GoI), Govt of Andhra Pradesh(AP) and and New Development Bank(NDB) headquartered
at Shanghai, China signed loan agreement worth USD 646 million(about Rs 4,736 crore) for 2 projects
to upgrade State Highway Network and District Road Network in AP.The Loan amount of USD 323
million(about Rs 2,368 crore) for each project will be given by NDB. 2 projects include: Andhra Pradesh
Roads and Bridges Reconstruction Project and Andhra Pradesh Mandal Connectivity and Rural
Connectivity Improvement Project.

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BoB signs MoU with SIDBI to Enable MSMEs Apply Online for One-Time Restructuring
Bank of Baroda (BoB) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Small Industries
Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to enable micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) customers
of the former to apply online for one-time restructuring (OTR). The eligible MSME entities can get credit
exposure up to Rs 25 crore. The MSME Customer can now access the web-based portal, ‘Asset
Restructuring Module for MSMEs (ARM-MSME)‘.

SMCB Becomes India’s 1st Urban Co-operative Bank to Convert into Small Finance Bank under
Voluntary Transition Scheme
Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has issued a scheduled commercial banking license to Shivalik Mercantile
Co-operative Bank (SMCB) headquartered at Saharanpur, UP Ltd to carry on business as a Small
Finance Bank(SFB) under its ‘Scheme on voluntary transition of Urban Co-operative Bank(UCB) into a
Small Finance Bank’. It is the 1st UCB in India to transit to SFB under the scheme. SMCB is renamed as
Shivalik Small Finance Bank (SSFB).

IRDAI mandates Insurers to offer 3 Standard Insurance Products to Cover Risk of Fired & Allied
Perils
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has mandated General Insurance
Companies to offer 3 standard Insurance Products namely – Bharat Griha Raksha, Bharat Sookshma
Udyam Suraksha & Bharat Laghu Udyam Suraksha to cover risk of fire & allied perils from April 1,
2021.The 3 policies will replace the Standard Fire and Special Perils (SFSP) Policy.

PhonePe in Association with ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Launches Term Life Insurance
Plans on its Platform
PhonePe headquartered at Bengaluru, Karnataka in partnership with ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co
Ltd launched Term Life Insurance plans on its platform.This policy can be availed by PhonePe users
instantly on PhonePe app through an all-digital process without the need of any health check-ups and
paperwork

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

India’s April-November Fiscal Deficit is 135.1% of full-year target

In accordance with the data released by the Controller General of Accounts(CGA), India’s April-
November fiscal deficit stood at Rs 10.75 lakh crore at the end of November 2020 which is 135.1% of
the Budget Estimate(BE) for FY21, The fiscal deficit at the end of November 2019 had stood at 114.8%
of 2019-20 BE. As per CGA data the total expenditure incurred by the government up to November rose
4.7% to Rs 19.06 lakh crore or 63% of BE.(i.e. Rs.16.6 lakh crore was on revenue account, ₹2.41 lakh
crore was on Capital Account).

BEML receives orders from MoD for the supply of High-Mobility Vehicles to Indian Army
BEML Ltd (previously known as Bharat Earth Movers Limited) has received orders worth ~ INR 758
crores from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for supplying high-mobility vehicles to the Indian army.The
equipment will be manufactured at BEML’s Palakkad Plant in Kerala and will be supplied to Indian
Army in a period of 1 year.The vehicles will play a vital role in the logistics management of the army.

India Expected to grow at 5.4 % in Fiscal Year 2021-22 : World Bank report
According to the Global Economic Prospects (GEP-January 2021) report released by the World Bank
(WB), India is expected to grow at 5.4% in the Financial Year (FY) 2021-22 & 5.2% in FY 2022-23 after

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an expected contraction of 9.6% in FY 2020/21. The report also highlighted that the Global Economy is
expected to expand by 4% in 2021. The Global economy is set to have contracted by 4.3 % in 2020.

FDI Equity Inflows into India grew 21% to USD 35.33 billion during April-October 2020
As per the official data of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Foreign
direct investment (FDI) equity inflows into India grew 21% to USD 35.33 billion(Rs 2.5 lakh
crore)during April-October 2020. In 2019, FDI equity inflows were USD 29.31 billion. From January to
July 2020-2021, the total FDI (including reinvested earnings) increased 11% to USD 46.82 billion from
USD 42.06 billion in April-October 2019.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

President of India, Ram Nath Kovind Confers 6th Digital India Awards 2020
President of India, Ram Nath Kovind conferred 6th Digital India Awards(DIA) 2020 in a virtual awards
ceremony. Awards issued to 24 digital governance initiatives/ products by Government entities under 7
categories. National Informatics Centre(NIC) under the Ministry of Electronics & Information
Technology (MeitY) organized the awards online. New 2 categories have been introduced namely,
Innovation in Pandemic category and Exemplary Product category. Department of Post won the gold
icon award in the category, ‘Excellence in Digital Governance Ministry/Department (Central)’…Click
here for Table of List of Winners of 6th Digital India Awards 2020

FAO names 4 Asian Tea Cultivation Sites as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems
Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has named 4 Asian Tea Cultivation Sites –
2 from China & 1 each from South Korea & Japan as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems
(GIAHS).
The list of sites are:
Site Country
The Pu’er Traditional Tea Agrosystem China
Fuzhou Jasmine & Tea Culture System China
Traditional tea-grass integrated system in Shizuoka Japan
Traditional Hadong Tea Agrosystem in Hwagae-myeon South Korea

Chairman & CEO of Railway Board Received the “Eminent Engineer Award” 2020
Vinod Kumar Yadav, Chairman & CEO of the Railway Board, Ministry of Railways received the “Eminent
Engineer Award for the year 2020” for his contribution towards modernisation and reforms in Indian
Railways. The award was presented by The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) on the
occasion of Engineers Day – 15th September.

Mukesh Ambani Placed in Bloomberg Billionaires Index 2021& Hurun Global Rich List 2020
India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, the chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries limited
(RIL) dropped down to 12th spot in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index 2021 (as on 2nd January
2021).Zhong Shanshan, referred to as “Lone Wolf”, has replaced Ambani as Asia’s richest person, he is
one of the fastest in history to achieve the feat.
Top 3 in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index:
Rank Name Net Worth
1 Jeff Bezos 190 Billion USD
2 Elon R Musk 170 Billion USD

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3 Bill Gates 132 Billion USD

General MM Naravane Visits Republic of Korea for 3 days; Received Guard of Honour at
Gyeryong, South Korea
General Manoj Mukund(MM) Naravane, Chief of the Army Staff(COAS) of Indian army undertook a 3 day
visit to South Korea(officially, Republic of Korea-ROK) from December 28 to 30, 2020. He received a
Guard of Honour at Republic of Korea Army(ROKA) Headquarters at Gyeryong, South Korea.It is the
first-ever visit of an Indian Army COAS to the ROK.

India’s Dr. Raghu Ram Pillarisetti in Queen Elizabeth II’s 2021 New Year’s Honours list
India’s Dr. Raghu Ram Pillarisetti( 54 years old), Director and Consultant Breast Surgeon, KIMS-
USHALAKSHMI Centre for Breast Diseases has been honoured with ‘OBE-Officer of the Most Excellent
Order of the British Empire’ in Queen Elizabeth II’s 2021 New year’s Honours list. This second highest-
ranking Order of the British Empire award (excluding a knighthood/damehood) conferred to him in
recognition of his outstanding services to Breast Cancer care and Surgical Education in India and to
UK/India relations. The award was instituted in 1917 by King George V. Click here to know more about
Honour list

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

ACC Approves 1-year extension of ISRO Chairman as Space Secretary and Space Commission
Chairman
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet(ACC) approved a 1-year extension of Kailasavadivoo (K) Sivan,
Secretary of Department of Space, Govt of India and Chairman of space commission from January 14,
2021, i.e. up to January 14, 2022 or until further orders. He is currently the chairman of Indian Space
Research Organisation(ISRO).

IAS Officer P Ravi Kumar Appointed as 38th Chief Secretary of Karnataka

On December 31, 2020 IAS officer P Ravi Kumar was appointed as the 38th Chief Secretary of
Karnataka. He will succeed T.M. Vijay Bhaskar who will superannuate on December 31 2020. P Ravi
Kumar will hold this post until May 2022, i.e., till he attains the age of 60. He was served as the
Additional Chief Secretary(ACS) of Karnataka govt and was ACS of Karnataka CM, BS Yediyurappa.

Suneet Sharma Appointed as the New Chairman & CEO of Railway Board; Succeeds VK Yadav
On 31st December 2020, The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of
Suneet Sharma to become the New Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Railway Board
under the Ministry of Railways. He takes over the charge from the incumbent VK Yadav upon the
completion of his term as the Chairman and CEO of the board on 31st December 2020.

Soma Mondal Becomes 1st Woman Chairman of SAIL; Succeeds Anil Kumar Chaudhary
On January 1, 2021 Soma Mondal took charge as the chairman of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
She becomes the 1st woman chairperson of SAIL. She succeeds Anil Kumar Chaudhary who
superannuated on December 31, 2020. Prior to this appointment Soma Mondal was serving as the
Director (Commercial) of SAIL.

UGC Set up a 7 Member Committee Headed by R P Tiwari for CET at UG level

On December 23, 2020 University Grants Commission(UGC) has set up a 7-member committee to look
at the possibility and review the feasibility of holding the Common Entrance Test(CET) at

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undergraduate level from the next academic year(august) in central universities. The committee is
headed by Raghavendra(R) P Tiwari, Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Punjab.

Indian Army Creates a New Human Rights cell and also appointed 1st ADG, Human Rights
Indian Army has created a new human right cell at its headquarters in New Delhi. Major General
Gautam Chauhan has been appointed as the 1st Additional Director General-ADG (Human Rights-HR).
He will function under the Indian Army Vice Chief Lieutenant General SK Saini.

India sets up High-Level Group headed by Ram Vinay Shahi for South Asia Energy Security
Central Government of India has set up high-level group named “South Asia Group for Energy (SAGE)”
headed by Ram Vinay Shahi for the development of South Asia energy security architecture. It has been
set up under the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)-run think tank Research and Information System
for Developing Countries (RIS).

Former Indian Footballer Abhishek Yadav Appointed as AIFF’s 1st Deputy General Secretary
Abhishek Yadav, Former Indian footballer appointed as the 1st Deputy General Secretary of All India
Football Federation (AIFF). It is the first time that a former national player has been appointed at a
high-ranked position at AIFF. He was the member of AIFF and has been serving as national team’s
director since January 2018.

Faustin-Archange Touadéra Re-Elected as President of Central African Republic

Faustin-Archange Touadéra has been Re-Elected as the president of the Central African Republic after
securing 53.9% votes, an absolute majority of votes in the first round. This is his 2nd term as president
of the country. He belongs to the United Hearts Movement, which is led by him. He also served as the
Prime Minister of the country from January 2008 to January 2013. Central African Republic’s Capital–
Bangui and Currency– Central African CFA franc.

RBI’s CoS Fully Operationalized; Dr. Rabi Narayan Mishra Named as its Full-time Director
College of Supervisors (CoS), which was set up by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in May 2020, has now
been fully operationalized for effective supervision of the regulated entities. It was functioning in a
limited way in virtual mode since May 2020.CoS will have a full-time Director. RBI has appointed Dr.
Rabi Narayan Mishra, its former Executive Director for the same. The full-time Director supported by an
Academic Advisory Council (AAC).

Government Formed committee to protect language, culture & land of Ladakh headed by G
Kishan Reddy
Central Government has decided to form a committee to protect the language, culture and land of the
Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh.The committee will be headed by the Minister of State (MoS)
Gangapuram Kishan Reddy and will include elected representatives from Ladakh, members of the
Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) and ex-officio members representing the
Government of India and the Ladakh administration.

Sanjay Kapoor Elected as President of All India Chess Federation

Sanjay Kapoor(45 years old), representing Uttar Pradesh Chess Sports Association, was elected as the
president of the All-India Chess Federation (AICF) and became the youngest president of the federation.
He succeeds PR Venketrama Raja of Tamil Nadu. Along with him a secretary, Treasurer, Vice Presidents,
joint secretaries and treasurer also was elected. Bharat Singh Chauhan was elected as the secretary for
the 3rd time. Naresh Sharma was elected as Treasurer.

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ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

IDBI Bank to Sell 23% Stake in IFLI to Ageas Insurance International NV

IDBI Bank has entered into the final stage of selling the 23% stake in IDBI Federal Life Insurance
Company Limited (IFLI) to Ageas Insurance International NV for a consideration of Rs 507
crore.Following this transaction, the joint venture has been rebranded as Ageas Federal Life Insurance
Company Ltd. IDBI Bank is seeking to sell another 4% in IFLI to Federal Bank, for this the bank did not
receive the banking regulator’s clearance.

CCI Approves Acquisitions of API Holdings Private Ltd and Mukand Sumi Special Steel Ltd
Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the following acquisition under Section 31(1) of the
Competition Act, 2002.
• Acquisition of about 8% equity shareholding in API Holdings Private Limited by TPG Growth V
SF Markets Pte. Ltd.
• Acquisition of 51% of equity share capital of Mukand Sumi Special Steel Ltd(MSSSL) by Jamnalal
Sons Private Ltd ( JSPL).

SBI Mutual Fund Raises its Stake in CSB Bank to 5.01% from 4.96%
On January 1, 2021 SBI Mutual Fund has acquired an additional 86,993 shares in CSB Bank Ltd
(formerly The Catholic Syrian Bank Ltd), which consequently raised its stake in the bank to 5.01% from
4.96% earlier. The acquisition was made through open market purchase.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

DRDO, Indian Navy Conduct Maiden Trial of First Air-Droppable Container ‘SAHAYAK-NG’
Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) & Indian Navy successfully conducted the
maiden trial of ‘SAHAYAK-NG’ which is India’s 1st indigenously designed and developed Air Droppable
Container. It was dropped from IL 38SD aircraft of the Indian Navy at Goa.

Skyroot Aerospace becomes First After Test Fired Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine ‘Kalam-5’
Skyroot Aerospace, an Indian Space Startup successfully test fired a solid propulsion rocket engine
named ‘Kalam-5’ from a Private Test Facility at Nagpur, Maharashtra. It is the 1st Private company of
India to successfully design, develop & test a full solid-fuel rocket stage.

MEA Launches Portal & Mobile app to connect with Global Indian Diaspora
On December 30, 2020, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) launched Global Pravasi Rishta Portal &
Mobile application to connect with 3.12 Crore Indian Diaspora across the world. Minister of State for
External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan launched the portal. The portal web interface will be used by Indian
Missions whereas the mobile app will be used by diaspora & Indian nationals.

GRSE Delivers 8th & Final Ship of MK IV class ‘IN LCU L-58’ to Indian Navy
On December 31, 2020, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE), Kolkata, West Bengal
delivered the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) MK IV class vessel ‘IN LCU L-58’ (Yard 2099) to the Indian
Navy (IN). The ship will serve in the Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC), which is India’s 1st & only
tri-service command. LCU L-58 is the final ship in the series of 8 LCUs being manufactured by GRSE for
the Indian Navy.

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KVIC Unveiled 1st of its Kind Government E-commerce Portal “eKhadiIndia.com”

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises(MSME), Government of India unveiled the e-commerce portal –
https://www.ekhadiindia.com/. This is a first of its kind government online shopping platform to
enhance rural economy and promote self reliance. KVIO Ventures Private Limited, a special purpose
company has been incorporated under public private partnership with KVIC to sell the products of
Khadi and village Industries Institutions under the trademark “Khadi India”.

IAF Chief Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria launched IAF e-Governance portal – “e-office”
On 31st December 2020, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria launched the “e-office”,
Indian Air Force(IAF) E-governance portal over a virtual ceremony at the Air Headquarters, Vayu
Bhavan, New Delhi. The portal is developed and implemented by the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
This indigenously designed portal is customized to meet the filing system requirements of IAF.

Ramesh Pokhriyal lays Foundation stone of ‘TiHAN Foundation’

Union Minister for Education, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually laid the Foundation stone for
‘TiHAN Foundation’ – Technology Innovation Hub at the IIT Hyderabad (IITH). It will be India’s 1st
Testing hub for Autonomous Navigation & Data Acquisition Systems (Terrestrial and Aerial).
Department of Science & Technology, Government of India sanctioned INR 135 Crore to IIT Hyderabad
under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) to establish ‘TiHAN-
IIT Hyderabad’.

World’s first wooden satellite to be launched by Japan in 2023 to reduce space Junk
Japan’s Sumitomo Forestry company and Kyoto University of Japan is all set to launch the world’s first
wood-based space satellite by 2023 to combat the problem of space junk. In this regard, several wooden
materials are being tested by the research team to find a suitable one for space missions. According to
the European Space Agency (ESA) statistical model, there are more than 130 million pieces of
anthropogenic space debris due to human activities. ESA is also planning to launch a mission to collect
space debris in 2025.

Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal Launched 1st-of-its-kind Indian Railways’ Freight
Business Development Portal
On January 5, 2021, Union Minister Piyush Vedprakash Goyal, Ministry of Railways, launched the first-
of-its-kind Indian Railways dedicated Freight portal “Freight Business Development Portal” on the lines
of ease of doing business. This portal enables the customers to know the status of their freight
requirement and will replace physical processes by minimizing human to human interaction The portal
can be accessed at https://indianrailways.gov.in/# and https://www.fois.indianrail.gov.in/RailSAHAY.

ENVIRONMENT

2020 is 8th Warmest Year in India Since 1901: IMD

The ‘Statement on Climate of India during 2020’ issued by Climate Research and Services (CRS) of India
Meteorological Department (IMD), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India mentioned that
2020 was the 8th warmest year in India since nation-wide records commenced in 1901. But, this is
substantially low than the highest warming observed over India during 2016 (+0.71⁰C). As per ‘‘The
State of the Global Climate 2020’’ released by World Meteorological Organisation(WMO), the global
mean surface temperature during January to October, 2020 was +1.2⁰C

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SPORTS

Goa’s 14-year old Leon Mendonca becomes India’s 67th Chess Grandmaster
14-year old Leon Mendonca from Goa became India’s 67th Chess Grandmaster (GM) after winning his
third & Final norm at the Vergani Cup, Italy. Mendonca is only the 2nd GM from Goa. He became the
29th Youngest GM in the world. Sergey Karjakin of Russia holds the record for the World’s Youngest
ever GM having qualified for the title at the age of 12 years and 7 months (achieved the title in 2003).

OBITUARY

John Fulton Reid, Former New Zealand Cricketer Passed Away at 64

On December 28, 2020, John Fulton(F) Reid, a former Left-handed batsman New Zealand cricketer
passed away at the age of 64 at South Island, New Zealand. He was born on March 3, 1956, in Auckland,
City in the North Island, New Zealand. He also served as the New Zealand Test captain.

Former Indian Hockey Player & Olympic Medalist Michael Kindo Passed Away
Former Indian hockey player, Olympic Bronze medalist Michael Kindo, passed away at the age of 73 due
to age related ailments in Rourkela, Odisha. He was born on 20th June 1947 in Odisha. Michael Kindo
received the Arjuna award in 1972 and became the first sportsperson of tribal background to receive
the Arjuna award.

Buta Singh, Senior Congress Leader, Former Home Minister & Governor of Bihar Passed Away
On January 2, 2021 Buta Singh, Senior leader of Indian National Congress and former Home Minister
passed away at the age of 86 in Delhi. He was an 8-time Lok Sabha MP and also served as the governor
of Bihar. He was in public service for a long time and served under 4 prime ministers. He was born on
March 21, 1934 in Jalandhar district, Punjab, British India. The 4 Prime Ministers for whom he served
include, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Manmohan Singh.

Col Narendra ‘Bull’ Kumar, Ace Mountaineer Who Helped India to Secure Siachen Glacier
Passed Away
Padma Shri awardee, Colonel Narendra ‘Bull’ Kumar, an iconic mountaineer who played a vital role in
securing the Siachen Glacier for India passed away at the age of 87 in Delhi due to age related ailments.
He was born on 8th December 1933 in Rawalpindi, now in Pakistan. In 1964, he was the first Indian to
climb Mount Nanda Devi.

Anil Panachooran, Malayalam Poet and Lyricist Passed Away at 55

On January 3, 2021 Anil Panachooran, Malayalam poet and lyricist passed away at the age of 55 at
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He has also acted in films. He is a lawyer by profession. He was born on
November 20, 1969 at Kayamkulam, Alappuzha, Kerala. His last lyrics were penned for the movie
Within Seconds (2021).

Former Mali PM Modibo Keita Passed Away at 78

Modibo Keita, former Prime Minister of Mali passed away at 78. He belongs to Alliance for Democracy in
Mali – Pan-African Party for Liberty, Solidarity and Justice(ADEMA-PASJ) political party. He was born on
31 July 1942 Koulikoro, French Sudan(now Mali).

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Former Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Vilas Patil Undalkar Passed Away

Vilas Patil Undalkar, former Maharashtra cabinet minister and 7 time MLA passed away at the age of 82
in Satara, Maharashtra. He belongs to Indian National Congress party. He was born on 15th July 1938.
He is popularly known as ‘kaka'(Vilaskaka).

Bob Brett, Australian Tennis Coach Passed Away at 67

On January 5, 2021 Bob Brett, Australian Tennis coach passed away at the age of 67. He was born in
Melbourne, Australia on 13 November 1953. He coached German’s Boris Becker and Becker won 3 of
the German’s six career major titles(grand slam titles), also raised to No. 1 in the ATP rankingsHe
received many awards including the ATP’s Tim Gullickson Career Coach award in November 2020.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Kerala Governor Released the Book “Sabarimala Vijnaanakosham” Authored by K S Vijayanath

On 30th December 2020, Arif Mohammed Khan, Governor of Kerala released the book titled
“Sabarimala Vijnaanakosham” authored by K S Vijayanath at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He
presented the first copy of “Sabarimala Vijnaanakosham” to S Sreejith, Inspector General of Police
(Crime Branch) Kerala. He also presented the Limca Book of World Records certificate to Swami
Maheswarananda who erected a 111 feet Shiv Linga Sthoopa at Maheswaram Sri Siva parvathi Temple
in Chenkal, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

RBI Manager R Giridharan Authored his Debut Book “Right Under Your Nose”
The book titled ‘Right Under Your Nose’ is authored by Reserve Bank of India(RBI) Manager R
Giridharan. This is his debut Book. The book is published by Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd. The book
portrays how Superintendent Vijay along with his trusted aide Dalvi, and Journalist Padmini spots the
murderer who killed a woman and a team of scientists.

Ravi Shastri Released a Book , ‘India’s 71-Year Test: The Journey to Triumph in Australia’
Penned by R Kaushik’
Ravi Shastri, Former Indian all-rounder and current head coach of Indian Cricket team released a book
titled, ‘India’s 71-Year Test: The Journey to Triumph in Australia’ at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney,
Australia. The book is a Bradman Museum initiative and is authored by R Kaushik, Senior Cricket
Journalist. It is published by Churchill Press.

IMPORTANT DAYS

3rd World Braille Day – 4th January 2021

3rd edition of the United Nations(UN) World Braille Day is annually observed on 4th January, to
promote and create awareness about the importance of Braille as a means of communication in the
complete realization of the human rights of the visually impaired and partially sighted people. The day
marks the birth anniversary of Louis Braille, the French educator and the inventor of Braille language, a
system of reading and writing for the visually impaired.

World Day of War Orphans 2021: January 6

World Day of War Orphans is observed annually on January 6 around the world. The day aim to raise
awareness about the difficult situation of the children who have been orphaned due to war and the
need to care for these children who live in traumatic conditions in war-torn areas. The day was initiated
by France based SOS Enfants En Détresse (SOSEED), a sponsorship program for orphans.

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STATE NEWS

Karnataka CM Inaugurated New Building of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences
& Research Centre in Bengaluru
Chief Minister (CM) of Karnataka Bookanakere Siddalingappa Yediyurappa inaugurated the New
Building of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre in Shivajinagar,
Bengaluru (Karnataka) which has 150 seats for the MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery)
course.Also the state has signed three agreements with different firms to impart skill training to the
youths of the state to help them get lucrative jobs abroad.

Oakridge Energy ,Delhi Govt & Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan joined to Solarise Schools in
Delhi
Oakridge Energy, a Solar energy firm has signed agreements with Delhi Government & Kendriya
Vidyalaya Sangathan to solarise schools in Delhi. The project will be developed by Oakridge &
subsidised under the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy’s (MNRE) capital subsidy scheme for
Government Buildings. Oakridge has set a target to solarise 1, 000 schools & educational institutions by
2022.

Captain Amarinder Singh Launches a Mobile App, ‘DigiNest’

On December 30, 2020, Captain Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab virtually launched a mobile
application ‘DigiNest’ to have digital access to the directory of state govt, people could reach out the
officers easily by calling or sending Email. He also launched an online Punjab Advertisement Release
Order System to bring transparency and efficiency in the entire process of releasing State Government’s
advertisements and payments to media houses.

Jharkhand Launches ‘Kisan Fasal Rahat Yojana’ – Crop Relief Scheme

Jharkhand has launched the state’s own crop relief scheme ‘Kisan Fasal Rahat Yojana’ which will replace
Government scheme Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). This scheme will provide security
cover to farmers of Jharkhand in cases of crop damage due to natural hazards.Department of
Agriculture, Animal Husbandry & Co-operative, Jharkhand will be the implementing agency of the
scheme.

J&K, NAFED sign MoU to improve the Horticulture Marketing

On January 1, 2021, The Union Territory Administration of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing
Federation of India Ltd (NAFED). The agreement will give a major thrust for marketing the Horticulture
Produce. NAFED will invest INR 1700 Crores for Implementing High Density Plantations across 5500
Hectares in the next 5 years (2021-25).

NHPC, PDD & J&K Power Development Corporation Signs MoUs to Implement Mega Hydro
Power Projects in J&K
On January 3, 2021 The Power Development Department (PDD), Jammu and Kashmir(J&K); National
Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Ltd and J&K Power Development Corporation signed many
MoUs to implement & execute mega hydro power projects in J&K. These projects will attract investment
of Rs 35,000 crore for J&K power sector and ensure energy security and 24-hour power supply to J&K.

NBCC & JKIT signed MoU to establish IT Towers in Jammu, Srinagar

On January 4, 2020, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between NBCC (formerly
National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited) and JK IT Infrastructure Development Company

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for establishing Information Technology (IT) towers in Jammu and Srinagar, Capital Cities of Jammu &
Kashmir at a cost of Rs 50 crore each in 15 months and 17 months respectively. It was signed by the top
officials of both entities in the presence of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

Manipur CM N Biren Singh Launches mPension Manipur App

On January 4, 2021 N Biren Singh, Chief Minister of Manipur launched mPension Manipur App, that
enables pensioners to update their photograph by themselves (via online through this App) without the
need to visit the Treasury Offices.

Madhya Pradesh rolls out ‘Launch Pad Scheme’ to make Youth Self-Reliant
Women & Child Development Department of Madhya Pradesh has rolled out the ‘Launch Pad Scheme’
under which new opportunities of employment will be provided for Boys/Girls who have come out of
institutional supervision of the care institutions of the state and have completed 18 years to make them
self-reliant. The scheme has been launched under the Child Protection Scheme.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath Launched Kisan Kalyan Mission to Double Farmers’ Income

On January 6, 2021, Uttar Pradesh government (UP) Chief Minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath launched a 3-
week long campaign namely “Kisan Kalyan Mission” for the state’s farmer welfare and to double their
income. It will be organised in every development block of all 75 districts. As a part of the mission, the
UP government will also felicitate 100 ‘progressive farmers’ by recognizing them as role models. Their
databases will also be prepared by the government.

AK Goswami Sworn in as Chief Justice of AP High Court;Succeeds JK Maheshwari

Arup Kumar(A.K.) Goswami was sworn in as the Chief Justice (CJ) of Andhra Pradesh(AP) High
Court(HC) administered by AP Governor Biswab Bushan Harichandan in Tummalapalli Kalakshetram,
Vijayawada, AP. He succeeds Jitendra Kumar(JK) Maheshwari who is now appointed as the CJ of Sikkim
HC. Prior to his appointment as CJ of Andhra Pradesh HC, he was the CJ of Sikkim HC.

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