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Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
INDEX
RBI, Banking and Economy ___________________________________________ 2
SEBI and Financial Awareness _________________________________________49
NABARD and Agriculture ___________________________________________ 54
National __________________________________________________________ 59
International _____________________________________________________ 64
States____________________________________________________________ 66
Reports and Indexes _______________________________________________ 72
Science and Technology ___________________________________________ 79
Defence __________________________________________________________ 84
Events ___________________________________________________________ 87
Awards & Rewards ___________________________________________________92
Appointments _____________________________________________________ 98
Important Days ___________________________________________________ 101
Obituaries_________________________________________________________ 102
Books ___________________________________________________________ 103
Sports ___________________________________________________________ 104
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Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
RBI, Banking and Economy

RBI launches Utkarsh 2.0 for the period 2023-2025
 RBI launched Utkarsh 2.0, the second phase of the central bank’s medium-term strategy for
strengthening regulatory and supervisory mechanism.
 Utkarsh 2.0 harnesses the strengths of Utkarsh 2022 by retaining the six Vision statements as well as
Core Purpose, Values, and Mission statement.
 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.
 The six vision statements are excellence in performance of its statutory and other functions,
strengthened trust of citizens and institutions in the RBI, enhanced relevance and significance in
national and global roles, transparent, accountable and ethics-driven internal governance, best-
in-class and environment-friendly digital and physical infrastructure, and innovative, dynamic and skilled
human resources will guide the strategy.
Learn Along:
RBI Headquarters: Mumbai Governor: Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors: MK Jain, MD Patra, M
Rajeshwar Rao and T. Rabi Sankar
Utkarsh 2022 RBI was launched with an aim to boost the economic and financial well-being and stability of Indian
citizens. Its mission is to provide universal access to financial services and to create a responsive and robust financial
intermediation infrastructure.To monitor the execution of Utkarsh 2022, RBI created medium-term vision statements.
These statements are made to guide the RBI during the medium-term period i.e. between 2019-2022. The progress of
Utkarsh 2022 RBI is maintained by a sub-committee of the Central Board.
RBI survey for price movements, inflation assessment launched
 The Reserve Bank of India has launched the Inflation Expectations Survey of Households (IESH)
which will provide useful inputs for monetary policy.
 In the January 2023 , the survey will be conducted across 19 cities. It aims to capture subjective
assessments of price movements and inflation, based on individual consumption baskets.
 The survey seeks qualitative responses from households on price changes (general prices as well
as prices of specific product groups) in the three months ahead as well as in the one-year ahead period
and quantitative responses on current, three months ahead and one year ahead inflation rates.
 The survey will be conducted in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai,
Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi
and Thiruvananthapuram.
 The agency — Hansa Research Group, Mumbai — has been engaged to conduct the survey of this
round on behalf of the central bank.
Learn Along:
Inflation is the rate of increase in prices over a given period of time. Inflation is typically a broad measure, such as the
overall increase in prices or the increase in the cost of living in a country.
RBI extends deadline to renew agreement for safe deposit lockers

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 The Reserve Bank of India has extended the deadline for banks to complete the process of renewal
of agreements for the existing safe deposit lockers.
 The deadline for renewal of agreement has been extended in a phased manner by December 31, 2023,
with intermediate milestones of 50 per cent by June 30, 2023, and 75 per cent by September 30,
2023.
RBI to auction green bonds in 2 tranches of ₹8,000 crore each in January , Feburary,2023
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will auction ₹16,000 crore of sovereign green bonds (SGrBs) in two
tranches.
 The RBI will auction 5-year and 10-year green bonds worth ₹4,000 crore each on 25 January and on
9 February, and this would be a uniform price auction.
Learn Along:
Green bonds are bonds issued by corporates, sovereign entities, inter-governmental organizations, and multinational
corporations whose proceeds are deployed towards environmentally sustainable projects. They have positive
environmental and climate benefits such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, clean transportation, and sustainable
water projects.
Reserve Bank of India confirms no foreign investment cap on sovereign green bonds
 The sovereign green bonds issued by the Indian government will not have any restrictions on foreign
investment, the Reserve Bank of India.
 Such securities will be counted as specified securities under the fully accessible route.
India sells first green bonds at 5-6 basis points below sovereign yields-RBI
 India sold its first sovereign green bonds worth a total of 80 billion rupees ($979.61 million), at yields
below comparable government bonds.
 The RBI auctioned 40 billion rupees of five-year bonds at a coupon rate of 7.10%, five basis points
below the five-year sovereign yield. Another 40 billion rupees in 10-year bonds were sold at a 7.29%,
six basis points below comparable government securities.
 The proceeds would be used for 'green' projects such as solar power, wind and small hydro
projects and other public sector projects.
Learn Along:
The coupon rate is the rate of interest paid by bond issuers on the bond’s face value. It is the periodic rate of interest
paid by bond issuers to its purchasers. The coupon rate is calculated on the bond’s face value (or par value), not on
the issue price or market value.
RBI lists 6 rating agencies for banks' capital adequacy purposes
 The Reserve Bank of India has released a list of domestic credit rating agencies banks are advised
to use for risk weighting their claims about capital adequacy.
 The central bank listed Acuite Ratings & Research Limited, Credit Analysis and Research Limited
(CARE), CRISIL Ratings Limited, ICRA Limited, India Ratings and Research Private Limited, and
INFOMERICS Valuation and Rating Pvt Ltd.
Learn Along:

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) is the ratio of a bank's capital in relation to its risk weighted assets and current liabilities.
It is decided by central banks and bank regulators to prevent commercial banks from taking excess leverage and
becoming insolvent in the process.
Hitachi Payment, BharatPe,Enkash get RBI nod to operate as payment aggregators
 Hitachi Payment Services and BharatPe have received in-principle authorisation from the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI) to operate as payment aggregators.
 Hitachi, as a payment aggregator, will be able to provide its business-to-business (B2B) customers
with digital payment products and value-added services such as EMI, PayLater, BBPS, and loyalty
solutions.BharatPe would be able to widen its reach and provide digital payment acceptance
solutions.
 B2B payments platform EnKash has received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) for a payment aggregator license.
Learn Along:
Hitachi Payment Services Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Sumil Vikamsey
BharatPe Headquarters: New Delhi CEO: Suhail Sameer
EnKash Headquarters: Mumbai Founder: Naveen Bindal
A payment aggregator acts as a third party responsible for managing and processing merchants' online transactions.
A payment aggregator facilitates payments from consumers to merchants, be it by credit card, debit card, bank transfer,
e-wallet, or stored value account, without requiring merchants to go to a bank.
Paytm bank gets RBI nod to operate as Bharat Bill Payment Operating Unit
 Paytm Payments Bank has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India to operate as a Bharat
Bill Payment Operating Unit (BBPOU).
 Under Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), a BBPOU is allowed to facilitate bill payment services of
electricity, phone, DTH, water, gas insurance, loan repayments, FASTag recharge, education fees, credit
card bill and municipal taxes.
Learn Along:
Paytm Payments Bank Headquarters: Noida MD & CEO: Surinder Chawla
Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) is an interoperable platform for bill payments and the scope and coverage of
BBPS extends to all categories of billers who raise recurring bills. It was launched by NPCI.
RBI asks the participants to use the price/yield range setting facility for trading of government
securities
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has told market participants to use the price/yield range setting
facility provided on the e-Kuber platform for trading of government securities before placing bids.
 This would eliminate instances of human errors of putting in wrong information by the bidders.
 The facility allows a market participant to define a range i.e., a maximum and a minimum value for bids.
The range can be set in either price or yield terms, for each security, which can be set before auction
and can also be modified during auction. Once limits are set, bids are validated against limits.
Learn Along:

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
E-kuber is the core banking solution of the RBI that gives high degree of access to commercial banks and other
institutions to their current account with the RBI.It enables banks access with their current account at anytime,
everywhere across the country and is used by the RBI to execute various transactions with banks.
Utility of e-kuber is that it is used to conduct exercises like auctioning of government securities..
Bank credit to retail, wholesale trade increases by 16% YoY in November: RBI data
 According to the sectoral deployment data by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI),gross bank credit (non-
priority) deployed to the retail and wholesale trade in the country in November 2022 jumped 16 per
cent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 7.33 lakh crore from 10.2 per cent during November 2021 at Rs 6.32
lakh crore,. Among wholesale and retail trade, retail trade was deployed Rs 3.79 lakh crore in
November.
 In comparison, Rs 3.53 lakh crore was deployed to wholesale trade (other than food procurement) in
November 2022, increasing by 10.3 per cent.
Credit card spends in December 2022 cross Rs 1 trillion for consecutive 10th month –RBI Data
 According to the figures released by the Reserve Bank of India, credit card spends in December 2022
touched Rs 1.26 trillion, up 10.21 per cent compared to November. And, on a year-on-year (YoY) basis,
spends were up 34.31 per cent during this period.
Bank credit growth rises to 16.5% to Rs 132.81 trillion in January- RBI Data
 According to the latest data released by the Reserve Bank of India,bank credit showed a rise of 16.5
per cent YoY to Rs 132.81 trillion in January 2023.
 Meanwhile, deposit growth gathered a rise and grew at 10.6 per cent YoY to Rs 176.74 trillion.
Reserve Bank of India to conduct auction of a new 10-year govt bond on 3rd Feburary,2023
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will conduct the auction of a new 10-year government bond on 3rd
Feburary,2023.
 The government will sell a notified amount of Rs 28,000 crore worth of three securities, including Rs
12,000 crore worth of a new 10-year paper, which will mature in 2033.
 The 10-year benchmark government bond is the pricing benchmark for the sovereign bond yield curve
and is typically the most liquid paper in the secondary market for government debt.
Learn Along:
A government bond is a debt instrument issued by the central and state government of the country to finance their
needs and also to regulate the money supply. When the government requires funds for infrastructure development and
for financing government spending such bonds are often the answer. Thus, the government will sell bonds to the public,
inviting investments. The government will pay back the principal and interest as per the clauses mentioned in the bond
at the specified maturity date. The government issues bonds under the supervision of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
RBI allows 6 entities to test fintech products to deal with financial frauds under sandbox scheme
 Six entities have been allowed to test their fintech products to prevent and mitigate financial fraud as
part of the fourth cohort under the RBI’s regulatory sandbox scheme.
 The six entities are — Bahwan Cybertek, Crediwatch Information Analytics, enStage Software
(Wibmo), HSBC in collaboration with Wibmo, napID Cybersec and Trusting Social.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Learn Along:
A regulatory sandbox is a framework that allows for live-testing of new products or services in a controlled
environment. If implemented properly, this could usher in innovations in the industry.
No need for customers to visit bank branches for re-KYC – RBI
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has clarified that self-declaration by customers through non-face to
face channels will be sufficient for completing the re-know-your-customer process, if there is no
change in the information. Furthermore, addresses can also be updated through such channels, without
the need to visit a bank branch.
 The banks have been advised to provide facility of such self-declaration to the individual customers
through various non-face-to-face channels such as registered email-id, registered mobile number,
ATMs, digital channels (such as online banking / internet banking, mobile application), letter, etc.,
without need for a visit to bank branch.
Learn Along:
KYC means to ‘know your customer’ which is an effective way for an institution to confirm and thereby verify the
authenticity of a customer. For this, the customer is required to submit all KYC documentation before investing in various
instruments. All financial institutions are mandated by the RBI to do the KYC process for all customers before giving
them the right to carry out any financial transactions. Whether the customer uses KYC online verification or opts for
offline KYC, this is a simple one-time process.
Outward remittances under LRS scheme near $2 billion in Nov: RBI
 According to the data provided by the Reserve Bank of India, Indians remitted close to $2 billion in
November under the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) liberalised remittance scheme (LRS).
 Outward remittances under the scheme jumped 29 per cent to $1.99 billion.Sequentially, outward
remittances under the scheme were up about 3.5 per cent.
 International travel continued to remain over 50 per cent of the entire outward remittance by Indians
under the scheme. In November, outward remittances for international travel touched $1.03 billion, up
2.25 times from the year-ago period.
 After international travel, Indians spent most on maintenance of close relatives, followed by gifts,
overseas education. In FY23 so far (till November), Indians have remitted around $17.28 billion in
outward remittances under the scheme.
Learn Along:
The Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS scheme) of the RBI was introduced in 2004, under which, all resident
individuals, including minors, are allowed to freely remit up to $250,000 per financial year for any permissible current
or capital account transaction or a combination of both. The scheme was introduced on February 4, 2004, with a limit
of $25,000.
RBI asks SBM Bank to put brakes on remittance transactions immediately
 The Reserve Bank of India has asked SBM Bank (India), the Indian subsidiary of State Bank of
Mauritius (SMB), to immediately stop transactions under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS)
until further notice.The action was based on certain material supervisory concerns observed in the bank.
Learn Along:
SBM Bank India Headquarters: Mumbai MD and CEO: Sidharth Rath
SBM Bank India Raises Rs 99 Cr From LIC Via Tier II Bonds’ Issuance

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 SBM Bank (India) has raised Rs 99 crore through the issuance of the second tranche of Basel-III
compliant tier II bonds in January 2023. The bank has raised the entire corpus from Life Insurance
Corporation (LIC).
 With this fresh round of capital raising from multiple investors, SBM Bank India now has raised a total of
Rs 224 crore to date through Basel III compliant tier II bonds.
Learn Along:
LIC Headquarters: Mumbai Chairperson: MR Kumar
RBI prior approval necessary for picking up over 5% stake in banks
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) notified that any person looking to acquire more than 5 per cent
stake in a bank will need prior approval from the regulator.
 After an acquisition, if the shareholding falls below 5 per cent, the person will be required to seek
fresh approval from the RBI if the person intends to again raise the aggregate holding to 5 per cent
or more.
 Any person from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) non-compliant jurisdiction will not be allowed
to acquire a major shareholding in a bank.
 It further announced that the permission of the Reserve Bank to acquire shares or voting rights in a
banking company for non-promoter will be limited to 10 per cent in case of individuals, non-financial
institutions, and financial institutions connected with large industrial houses.
 The limit is 15 per cent in case of financial institutions, public sector undertakings and the
government. In case of promoter, the limit has set at 26 per cent of the paid-up share capital or voting
rights after the completion of 15 years from commencement of business of the banking company.
Learn along:
About FATF (Financial Action Task Force)
Founded: 1989 Headquarters: Paris, France President: T Raja Kumar
Digital payment complaints highest in RBI's integrated ombudsman scheme
 The Integrated Ombudsman scheme of the Reserve Bank of India and Consumer Education
Protection Cell (CEPC) received 418,184 complaints in 2021-22, which is 9.4% higher than the
previous year.
 Complaints relating to digital modes of payment and transactions were the highest, constituting
42.12% during the year. The rate of disposal of complaints improved to 97.97% in 2021-22 from 96.59%
in 2020-21.
Learn Along:
Reserve Bank-Integsrated Ombudsman Scheme (RB-IOS) A Scheme for resolving customer grievances in relation
to services provided by entities regulated by Reserve Bank of India in an expeditious and cost-effective manner under
Section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949), Section 45L of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (2
of 1934) and Section 18 of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (51 of 2007).
SBI, ICICI, HDFC Bank continue to be systemically important banks
 According to the information provided by the Reserve Bank of India, State Bank of India (SBI) and
privately owned ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank continue to be Domestic Systemically Important
Banks (D-SIBs) or institutions that are too big to fail.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 It’s the structure followed in 2021: ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank fall under bucket 1 and SBI falls in
bucket 3. The classification is based on data collected from the banks as on March 31, 2022.
 Under bucket 1, banks require 0.2 percent of additional common equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital as a
percentage of risk-weighted assets (RWAs). Banks under bucket 3 require 0.6 percent of CET1 capital
as a percentage of RWAs.
 Systemically important banks are regarded as too big to fail, creating the belief that the government will
support them in distress.
Learn Along:
SBI Headquarters: Mumbai Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar Khara
ICICI Bank Registered Office: Vadodara CEO: Sandeep Bakshi

Corporate Office: Mumbai
HDFC Bank Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Shashidhar Jagdishan
SBI to raise up to Rs 10,000 crore via infrastructure bonds in Q4 of FY23
 State Bank of India (SBI) is planning to raise up to Rs 10,000 crore via infrastructure bonds during
the current quarter ending March 2023.
 Apart from infrastructure projects, the money can also be used for loans to affordable housing
ventures.
 Infrastructure bonds are long-term, fully paid, redeemable and unsecured financial instruments. The
minimum maturity period for these bonds is seven years.
Learn Along:
Infrastructure bonds are borrowings to be invested in government funded infrastructure projects within a country.
They are issued by governments or government authorised Infrastructure companies or Non- Banking Financial
Companies.
SBI Mutual gets RBI approval to buy 9.99 per cent in Equitas SFB for various schemes
 The Reserve Bank of India grants approval to SBI Funds Management to acquire 9.99 per cent equity
shares in Equitas Small Finance Bank through various schemes managed by it.
 The said approval by RBI is subject to compliance with the relevant regulations issued by RBI and SEBI
and is valid for one year till January 2, 2024.
Learn Along:
SBI Funds Management Headquarters: Tirunelveli MD & CEO: Shamsher Singh
Equitas Small Finance Bank Headquarters: Chennai MD & CEO: Vasudevan P N
Shriram Finance raises $100 million loan from ADB
 Shriram Finance has raised five-year loan of $100 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
through external commercial borrowing (ECB) under its social finance framework.
 The funds will be used for vehicle finance for commercial purposes with BS-VI compliant vehicles
and electric vehicles and to finance women entrepreneurs and under-developed states.
Learn Along:
ADB Headquarters: Philippines President: Masatsugu Asakawa
Shriram Finance Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu CEO: Umesh G. Revankar

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) refer to commercial loans [in the form of bank loans, buyers' credit, suppliers'
credit, securitised instruments (e.g. floating rate notes and fixed rate bonds)] availed from non-resident lenders with
minimum average maturity of 3 years.
Indian govt & ADB sign $1.2 bn loan agreements for infrastructure projects
 The Indian government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed loan agreements totalling
$1.22 billion for developing infrastructure in various Indian states.
 The agreements include $220 million and $300 million loan for improving the power sector and
highways in the northeastern states of Tripura and Assam, $350 million for metro rail connectivity in
the southern city of Chennai, and $350 million for improvement of key economic areas in the western
state of Maharashtra.
ADB to Give $131-m Loan to upgrade JNPCT
 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Nhava Sheva Freeport Terminal Private Limited (NSFTPL)
have signed a $131 million (about `1,066 crore) loan agreement to upgrade the Jawaharlal Nehru Port
Container Terminal (JNPCT) , Navi Mumbai, to enhance international trade in India through efficient,
transparent, and state-of-the-art logistics infrastructure.
Centre hikes interest rates on some small savings schemes by up to 110 bps
 The central government hiked interest rates on various small savings schemes including senior
citizen savings schemes during the January to March quarter but kept the rate for Public Provident
Fund (PPF) and Sukanya Samriddhi scheme unchanged for this period.
 The rates on the various instruments have been raised between 20 to 110 basis points and now range
from 4.0 % to 7.6%.
Instrument Revised Rates

Savings Deposit 4.0%
1 year Time Deposit 6.6%
5-year Recurring Deposit 5.8%
Senior Citizen Savings Scheme 8.0%
Monthly Income Account Scheme 7.1%
National Savings Certificate 7.0%
Public Provident Fund Scheme 7.1%

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Instrument Revised Rates

Kisan Vikas Patra 7.2%
Sukanya Smariddhi Account Scheme 7.6%
Learn Along:
India Post introduced the Kisan Vikas Patra as a small saving certificate scheme in 1988. Its primary objective is to
encourage long-term financial discipline in people. As per the latest update, the tenure for the scheme is now 124
months (10 years & 4 months). The minimum investment amount is Rs. 1000 and there is no upper limit.
UPI processes record 7.82 bn transactions in December,2022
 The data released by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) showed that Unified Payments
Interface (UPI), the volume of transactions touched a record 7.82 billion in December, amounting to
Rs 12.82 trillion which was up by 7.12 percent compared to November, while value of transactions
was up 7.73 percent during the same period.
 In 2022, UPI processed over 74 billion transactions, worth Rs 125.94 trillion. So, in a year, the volume
of transactions on the platform jumped over 90 per cent and value jumped by 76 per cent.
Learn Along:
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is an instant real-time payment system developed by National Payments
Corporation of India facilitating inter-bank transactions. The interface is regulated by the Reserve Bank of India
and works by instantly transferring funds between two bank accounts on a mobile platform.
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is an umbrella organization for all retail payments in India. It
was set up with the guidance and support of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian Banks Association
(IBA).
NPCI Headquarters:Mumbai MD & CEO: Dilip Asbe
HDFC Life policyholders can now pay premiums with NPCI’s UPI 123PAY
 HDFC Life and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) have collaborated to offer a first -
UPI 123PAY. This is a unique voice-based premium payment service that further simplifies the
premium payment process for HDFC Life policyholders.
 UPI 123PAY is a payment facility through a pre-defined IVR (Interactive Voice Response). This
platform will enable customers to make financial transactions with or without an internet connection.
Customers can avail this service in various regional languages such as Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi,
Kannada, Tamil, etc.
Learn Along:
HDFC Life Insurance Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Vibha Padalkar
NRE/NRO accounts with international mobile numbers can now use UPI
 The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has allow non-resident account types such as
non-resident external (NRE)/ non-resident ordinary (NRO) accounts having international mobile
numbers to get onboarded and transact through UPI.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 The member banks have to ensure such types of accounts are only allowed as per Foreign Exchange
Management Act (FEMA) regulations and adherence to the guidelines issued by the concerned
regulatory departments of RBI from time to time.
 The UPI ecosystem members have to comply with NPCI's directions by April 30, 2023.
Learn Along:
An NRE account is a bank account opened in India in the name of an NRI, to park his foreign earnings; whereas, an
NRO account is a bank account opened in India in the name of an NRI, to manage the income earned by him in India.
These incomes include rent, dividend, pension, interest, etc.
FEMA aims to facilitate external trade and their payments in India, a systematic improvement and continuation of
foreign exchange in the Indian market. It outlines the procedures, formalities, businesses of all foreign exchange
transactions in India.
Capital expenditure has a 44% jump in Q3 with new projects worth Rs 6.1 trillion
 Governments and companies launched new roads, factories and other new projects worth Rs 6.1
trillion in the December quarter.
 This is a 44.3 per cent increase compared to the previous year. The data also showed a 49.9 per cent
year-on-year drop in completed projects, and an 87.5 per cent decline in stalling rates.
Learn Along:
Capital expenditure is the money spent by the government on the development of machinery, equipment, building,
health facilities, education, etc. It also includes the expenditure incurred on acquiring fixed assets like land and
investment by the government that gives profits or dividend in future.
GST account for about Rs 1.5 trillion in December 2022, third-highest ever: Finance Ministry
 The data provided by the Ministry of Finance showed that Gross goods and services tax (GST)
collection for December rang up over Rs 1.49 trillion. This was the third-highest monthly collection since
the tax was introduced in July 2017.
 The Budget 2022 set the Central GST (CGST) target at Rs 6.6 trillion, excluding the compensation cess.
 Out of the mop-up in December, central CGST was Rs 26,711 crore, State GST Rs 33,357 crore,
integrated GST Rs 78,434 crore (including Rs 40,263 crore collected on imports of goods), and cess
Rs 11,005 crore (including Rs 850 crore collected on imports of goods).
Learn Along:
Ministry of Finance Union Minister: Nirmala Sitharaman
GST, or Goods and Services Tax, is an indirect tax imposed on the supply of goods and services. It is a multi-stage,
destination-oriented tax imposed on every value addition, replacing multiple indirect taxes, including VAT, excise
duty, service taxes, etc.
The corporate tax to GDP ratio exceeds 3 pc after two years in FY’22
 Corporate tax collections exceeded 3 per cent of the GDP after a gap of two years in 2021-22,
reflecting overall improvement in profitability of India Inc propelled by increase in demand for goods
and services.
 The net corporate tax collection in 2021-22 stood at Rs 7.12 lakh crore. The Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) at current market price was Rs 236.64 lakh crore. The percentage of net corporate tax to GDP
worked out to be 3.01 percent.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 In the current fiscal, the Budget has pegged gross corporate tax collection (before adjusting for
refunds) at Rs 7.20 lakh crore.In the April-mid December period of the current fiscal, net corporate tax
collection stood at Rs 6.06 lakh crore.
Learn Along:
A corporate tax is a levy which the government imposes on the income of a company. The money collected from
corporate taxes is used as the source of revenue for a country. Operating earnings of a company are determined by
deducting costs from the cost of the product sold (COGS) and income depreciation.
Gross domestic product or GDP is a monetary measure of the market value of all the final goods and services
produced in a specific time period.
Citigroup cuts India's current account deficit forecast to below 3% of GDP
 Citigroup lowered its projection for India's current account deficit (CAD) to 2.9% of gross domestic
product (GDP) for the current fiscal year from 3.9% been projected for the same period citing the growth
in the country's service exports and a lower oil price forecast.
 It also revised its CAD forecast for fiscal 2023-24 to 2.2% of GDP, from 2.4% earlier.
Learn Along:
Citigroup Headquarters: New York,United States CEO: Jane Fraser
Current Account Deficit (CAD) is the shortfall between the money received by selling products to other countries and
the money spent to buy goods and services from other nations.
BIS launches portal for mapping of industrial units and laboratories, SNAP 2022-27, revised NBC
2016 and National Electrical Code of India 2023
 Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has launched a portal for mapping of Industrial Units and
Laboratories. This is a centralised platform for information on industrial units and laboratories across
the country and will enable analysis of test facilities in the country and help entrepreneurs in
accessing information about testing facilities.
 Besides the portal, Ministry of Commerce also launched standards clubs in schools, Standards
National Action Plan (SNAP) 2022-27, revised National Building Code of India (NBC 2016) and
National Electrical Code of India 2023.
 Through standard clubs in schools, BIS aims to expose science students of class 9th and above to
the concepts of quality and standardisation through student centric activities. BIS has till date
established over 4000 Standards Clubs across India.
 It has also set a target to create 10,000 clubs by the end of 2022-23.SNAP (2022-27) will serve as a
strong foundation for standardisation to meet the emerging technologies and concerns of
sustainability and climate change.
 Through the National Building Code Sectional Committee, BIS aims to include sustainable city
planning norms, new and sustainable building materials, design concepts, construction
technologies and building and plumbing services.
 With the launch of Revised National Electrical Code of India 2023, it aims to regulate the electrical
Installations practices across the country.
Learn Along:
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national Standards Body of India working under the aegis of Ministry
of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. It is established by the Bureau of Indian
Standards Act, 1986. It is headquartered in Delhi.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Bureau of Indian Standards Headquarters: Delhi Director General: Pramod Kumar Tiwari
Govt to make jewellery hallmark standards mandatory in 43 more districts
 The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will add 43 more districts to mandate the jewellery hallmark
standards. At present, hallmarking of jewellery items are mandatory in around 288 districts across the
country.
 The standards authority has also increased the number of referral labs from 4 to 7 in FY23.
India's GDP likely to grow 7% in FY23: NSO's first advance estimates
 According to the advance estimates by the National Statistical Office (NSO), the Indian economy is
expected to grow at 7 per cent in FY23 as compared to 8.7 per cent in 2021-22.
 Real GDP or GDP at Constant (2011-12) Prices in the year 2022-23 is estimated at ₹157.60 lakh crore
whereas Nominal GDP or GDP at Current Prices in the year 2022-23 is estimated at ₹273.08 lakh crore.
 In FY23, gross value added (GVA) at basic prices is expected to grow at 6.7 per cent. The services
sector, is expected to grow at a robust 9.1 per cent.
 The gross value added (GVA) in agriculture and allied activities is expected to grow by 3.5 per cent in
constant price terms in financial year 2022-23 (FY23).
 The output of the manufacturing sector is estimated to fall to 1.6 per cent as against a growth of 9.9
per cent in FY22.However, government spending, is expected to grow at 3.1 per cent.
Learn Along:
NSO Headquarters: New Delhi Chairperson: Bimal Kumar Roy
The National Statistical Office is headed by Ministry of Staistics & Programme Implementation. The primary function
of the National Statistics Office is to collect, compile and release official statistics that are produced subject to the
principles of reliability, objectivity, relevance, statistical confidentiality, transparency, specificity and proportionality.
Retail inflation declines to one year low of 5.72 pc in December 2022 – NSO
 According to the data provided by the National Statistical Office ,retail inflation declined to a
one-year low of 5.72 percent (Rural- 6.05,Urban- 5.39 in December 2022, mainly due to
softening prices of food items.
 Inflation in the food basket was at 4.19 percent in December as against 4.67 percent in
November.
Learn Along:
Retail Inflation-The CPI monitors retail prices at a certain level for a particular commodity; price movement of goods
and services at rural, urban and all-India levels. The change in the price index over a period of time is referred to as
CPI-based inflation, or retail inflation.
Industrial production rises 7.1 pc in November: Govt data
 India’s industrial production rose by 7.1 percent in November 2022 after contracting in October. As
per the IIP data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), the manufacturing sector‘s output
grew by 6.1 percent in November 2022.
 The mining output rose by 9.7 per cent and power generation increased by 12.7 percent.
Learn Along:

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) is an index for India which details out the growth of various sectors in an
economy such as mineral mining, electricity and manufacturing.
WPI inflation lowers to 4.95% in December 2022 as food prices fall
 The wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation rate for December decreased to a 22-month low at
4.95 per cent, on the back of a higher base and the easing of price pressure for food and manufactured
products.
Learn along:
Wholesale Price Index- WPI is released by the Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It reflects
changes in the average prices of goods at the wholesale level — that is, commodities sold in bulk and traded between
businesses or entities rather than goods bought by consumers. The purpose of WPI is to inspect movement in prices
of goods that reflect supply and demand in industry, construction and manufacturing. The index basket of WPI
categorises commodities under three groups — primary articles, fuel and power & manufactured products. The base
year for WPI is considered to be 2011-12.
All-India Consumer Price Index numbers for Agricultural & Rural Labourers – December, 2022
 The All-India Consumer Price Index Number for Agricultural Labourers for the month of December,
2022 remained stationary at 1167 points and for Rural Labourers stood at 1179 points.
 Amongst states, the maximum increase in the Consumer Price Index Number for Agricultural Labourers
was experienced by Rajasthan State and for Rural Labourers by Kerala State.
 Point to point rate of inflation based on the CPI-AL and CPI-RL stood at 6.38% & 6.60% in December,
2022 compared to 6.87% & 6.99% respectively in November, 2022.
Learn Along:
CPI-AL (Consumer Price Index-Agricultural Labourers) and CPI-RL (Consumer Price Index-Rural Labourers) is
released by Labour Bureau.
Indian economy to grow at a robust 6.6% in FY24 – World Bank
 The World Bank in its Global Economic Prospects, has projected the Indian economy to grow at a
robust 6.6 percent in 2023-24 (FY24), slowing down from an estimated 6.9 percent in 2022-23 (FY23),
citing limited spillovers from a projected global slowdown.
 The global economy has been projected to grow by 1.7 percent in 2023, while the Euro Area and the
US are expected to grow at zero percent and 0.5 percent respectively during the year.
Learn Along:
World Bank Headquarters: Washington, D.C., US President: David. Malpass
Inflation in India is expected to come down to 5 % in 2023 and 4 % in 2024- IMF
 According to the World Economic Outlook update released by the International Monetary Fund ,
inflation in India is expected to come down from 6.8 percent in the current fiscal year ending March 31
to 5 percent the next fiscal, and then drop further to 4 percent in 2024.
 Global inflation is set to fall from 8.8 percent in 2022 (annual average) to 6.6 percent in 2023 and 4.3
percent in 2024, above pre-pandemic (2017–19) levels of about 3.5 percent
 Core Inflation globally is expected to decline from 6.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2022 (year over
year) to 4.5 percent by the fourth quarter of 2023.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 In low-income developing countries, inflation is projected to moderate from 14.2 percent in 2022 to
8.6 percent in 2024.
Learn Along:
IMF Headquarters: Washington, United States MD: Kristalina Georgieva
UN slashes India's economic growth forecast by 20 bps to 5.8% for 2023
 The United Nations decelerated India’s growth forecast by 20 basis points to 5.8 per cent for 2023
calendar year.The report has projected global trade to contract 0.4 per cent and the world economy to
grow at 1.9 per cent in 2023.
 For fiscal year 2023-24, however, the agency kept its growth forecast unchanged for India at 6 per
cent. The report projected India’s retail inflation to decelerate to 5.5 per cent in 2023 from 7.1 per cent
in 2022.
Learn Along:
United Nations Headquarters: New York, United States Secretary general: António Guterres
Manufacturing PMI for December 2022 at a 26-month high of 57.8 as production rises
 According to the data released by S&P Global, India’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for
manufacturing rose to a 26-month high of 57.8 in December, marking the highest increase in new
factory orders and production in more than two years.
 The average headline figure for the third quarter of FY23 (56.3) is the highest recorded since one year
ago.
Learn Along:
S&P Global Headquarters: New York,US CEO: Douglas L. Peterson
PMI or a Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) is an indicator of business activity -- both in the manufacturing and
services sectors. It is a survey-based measures that asks the respondents about changes in their perception of some
key business variables from the month before.
December services PMI at a 6-month high, reaches to 58.5
 The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for the services sector released by credit rating agency S&P
Global improved to 58.5 in December from 56.4 in November
 The survey showed that more jobs were created and the companies remained strongly upbeat towards
the year ahead.
Railways earns Rs 120478 Crores from Freight loading this FY till December 2022
 On cumulative basis from April - December 2022, freight loading of 1109.38 MT achieved against last
year loading of 1029.96 MT, an improvement of 8% over last year loading. Railways have earned Rs
120478 crore against Rs 104040 crore over last year which is an improvement of 16% as compared
to the same period of last year.
 During the month of December 2022, originating freight loading of 130.66 MT has been achieved
against loading of 126.8 MT in December 2021, which is an improvement of 3 % over last year. Freight
revenue of Rs. 14573 crore have been achieved.
NTPC starts India's first green hydrogen blending operation in PNG network

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 State-owned power giant NTPC has started India's first green hydrogen blending operation in the
PNG (piped natural gas) network of its township in Kawas, Surat.
 The project is a joint effort of NTPC and Gujarat Gas Limited (GGL). Green hydrogen when blended
with natural gas reduces CO2 emissions keeping the net heating content the same.
Learn Along:
NTPC Headquarters: New Delhi CMD: Gurdeep Singh
NARCL emerges as the highest bidder for SREI with NPV of Rs 5,555 cr
 National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL) emerged as the highest bidder in the auction
for two finance companies - Srei Infrastructure Finance and Srei Equipment Finance.
 NARCL's bid was the highest with a Net Present Value (NPV) of Rs 5,555 crore which includes upfront
cash of Rs 3,000 crore and issuance of optionally convertible bonds worth Rs 6,000 crore.
Learn Along:
National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL) is the proposed bad bank for taking over stressed assets
of lenders. It was announced in the Budget for 2021-22. The plan is to create a bad bank to house bad loans of ₹500
crore and above, in a structure that will contain an asset reconstruction company (ARC) and an asset management
company (AMC) to manage and recover dud assets.
Net Present Value (NPV) refers to the difference between the present value (PV) of a future stream of cash inflows
and outflows.NPV is widely used to determine the perceived profitability of a potential investment or project which
can help guide investing and operating decisions.
Banks transfer Jaypee Infratech's ₹9,234-crore debt to NARCL
 Banks have completed the transfer of ₹9,234 crore of Jaypee Infratech loan to the National Asset
Reconstruction Company (NARCL), marking the first acquisition for the government-backed bad-loan
aggregator a year after the company started operations.
 IDBI Bank is the lead lender in the account with dues of ₹3,750 crore. The transfer to NARCL will
reduce the bank's gross non-performing assets by 2.2 percentage points.
Learn Along:
IDBI Bank Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Rakesh Sharma
Jaypee Infratech Ltd. Headquarters: Noida CEO: Manoj Gaur
Government cuts windfall tax on crude, export taxes on fuels
 The government has cut windfall tax on locally produced crude oil and exports of aviation turbine
fuel (ATF) and diesel. The windfall tax on crude has been reduced to Rs 1,900 per tonne from Rs
2,100 per tonne earlier.
 The government also cut export tax on ATF to Rs 3.5 per litre from Rs 4.5 per litre. The export tax on
diesel has been reduced to Rs 5 per litre from Rs 6.5 per litre earlier. The special additional excise
duty on petrol continues to remain unchanged at ‘nil’.
Learn Along:
A windfall tax is a higher tax rate on profits that result from a sudden windfall gain to a particular company or industry,
often as the result of a geo-political disturbance, war or natural disaster that creates unusual spikes in demand and/or
interruptions to supply.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Exports decline 12.2 percent in December on global headwinds; trade deficit widens to USD 23.76
bln
 India’s exports contracted 12.2 per cent to USD 34.48 billion in December 2022, mainly due to global
headwinds, and the trade deficit widened to USD 23.76 billion during the same period.
 Imports in December 2022 also declined 3.5 per cent to USD 58.24 billion.During April-December of
this fiscal, the country’s overall exports rose 9 per cent to USD 332.76 billion while imports increased
24.96 per cent to USD 551.7 billion.
 The merchandise trade deficit for the April-December 2022 period was estimated at USD 218.94
billion.
Learn along:
A trade deficit occurs when a country's imports exceed its exports during a given time period. It is also referred to as
a negative balance of trade (BOT).
Exim Bank Raises $1 b via 10-year Bonds
 Export Import Bank of India (Exim) Bank has broken the international bond drought from India by
raising $1 billion from investors across the globe.
 The effective yield that Exim pays on the bond comes to about 4.47% given that the 10-year benchmark
US treasury is trading at about 3.57%.
Learn Along:
Exim Bank Headquarters: Mumbai MD: Harsha Bangari
Gross direct taxes grew 24.58 per cent to Rs 14.71 trillion in January 2023
 The Centre’s net direct tax collections, after adjusting for refunds, grew 19.55 per cent during the
current fiscal year in January, touching 86.68 per cent of the FY23 Budget Estimates (BE) according to
the data provided by the Ministry of Finance.
 It also showed that gross direct taxes grew 24.58 per cent to Rs 14.71 trillion. Net tax collections
during the same period stood at Rs 12.31 trillion compared to the Rs 14-trillion target in the FY23
Budget.
Learn Along:
Direct tax is a type of tax where the incidence and impact of taxation fall on the same entity.In the case of direct tax,
the burden can’t be shifted by the taxpayer to someone else. These are largely taxes on income or wealth. Income tax,
corporation tax, property tax, inheritance tax and gift tax are examples of direct tax.
Cabinet provides additional Rs 2,600 cr to promote RuPay debit card, BHIM transactions
 The Union Cabinet doubled the allocation for promotion of RuPay debit cards and low-value BHIM-
UPI (Unified Payments Interface) transactions to Rs 2,600 crore for FY23 that aims at promoting digital
payments across the country.
 The scheme was first announced in FY22 Budget with a financial outlay of Rs 1,300 crore. This is part of
the Centre's initiatives to promote digital payments across the country.
Learn Along:

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
RuPay is a product of NPCI, the umbrella organisation that powers retail payments in the country. It is the first-of-its-
kind domestic Card payment network of India, with wide acceptance at ATMs, POS devices and e-commerce websites
across India. It is a highly secure network that protects against anti-phishing.
Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) is an app that helps make simple, easy and quick payment transactions using
Unified Payments Interface (UPI). instant bank-to-bank payments, pay and collect money using just Mobile number or
Virtual Payment Address (UPI ID) can also be made.
GST not payable on Govt incentive to banks for promoting RuPay card, low-value BHIM-UPI
transactions
 According to the information provided by the Ministry of Finance, incentives paid by the government
to banks for promoting RuPay debit cards and low-value BHIM-UPI transactions will not attract
GST.
 Under the Incentive scheme for the promotion of RuPay Debit Cards and low-value BHIM-UPI
transactions, the government pays banks an incentive as a percentage of the value of RuPay Debit
card transactions and low-value BHIM-UPI transactions up to Rs 2,000.
 The Payments and Settlements Systems Act, 2007 prohibits banks and system providers from
charging any amount from a person making or receiving payments through RuPay Debit cards or BHIM.
Learn Along:
Ministry of Finance Union Minister: Nirmala Sitharaman
RuPay is a product of NPCI, the umbrella organisation that powers retail payments in the country. It is the first-of-its-
kind domestic Card payment network of India, with wide acceptance at ATMs, POS devices and e-commerce websites
across India. It is a highly secure network that protects against anti-phishing.
Cabinet approves setting up of three new multi-state cooperative societies
 Union cabinet has approved the setting up of three new national-level multi-state cooperative
societies to promote organic products, seeds, and exports.
 The national-level cooperative organic society, cooperative seed society, and cooperative export society
will be registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002.
Learn Along:
Multi State Cooperative Societies ACT, 2002- An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to co-operative
societies, with objects not confined to one State and serving the interests of members in more than one State, to
facilitate the voluntary formation and democratic functioning of co-operatives as people's institutions based on self-help
and mutual aid and to enable them to promote their economic and social betterment and to provide functional autonomy
,was being felt necessary by the various cooperative societies, and federation of various cooperative societies as well
as by the Government. In order to achieve the objective The Multi State Cooperative Societies Bill was introduced in
the Parliament.
National Cooperative Society to have Rs 500 crore share capital; IFFCO, Amul, and three others to
promote exports of the new co-op society
 National Cooperative Organic Society, to be based in Anand, Gujarat, will be set up with an
authorised share capital of Rs 500 crore. It will have an initial paid-up share capital of Rs 100 crore.
 National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), Amul and NAFED will be among the five promoters of
the newly announced national-level cooperative society for organic food products, which will focus on
enhancing farmers' income by improving production, certification and marketing system.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 The new cooperative for promoting exports is part of the three such organizations that have been recently
formed by the Centre and it will have an authorized share capital of Rs 2,000 crore and an initial paid-
up capital of Rs 500 crore which will be contributed by Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (Iffco),
Krishak Bharti Cooperative (Kribhco), National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation
(Nafed), Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), and National Cooperative
Development Corporation (NCDC).
Learn along:
National Dairy Development Board Headquarters: Anand, Gujarat Chairman: Meenesh Shah
NAFED is an apex organization of marketing cooperatives for agricultural produce in India.It is under Ministry of
Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Headquarters: New Delhi Chairman: Dileep Sanghani
Amul Headquarters: Anand Founder: Verghese Kurien
National Cooperative Development Corporation Headquarters: New Delhi MD: Pankaj Kumar Bansal
Multi-State Co-Operative Societies (MSCS) are those cooperative societies that can have operations in multiple
states and are registered with the Central Cooperation Registrar instead of the state registrar.
Govt discontinues import of crude soybean oil under tariff rate quota
 The government has decided to discontinue import of crude soybean oil under tariff rate quota
(TRQ) from April 1,2023 .
 Last date for import of crude soybean oil under TRQ has been revised to March 31, 2023. Further, no
allocation of TRQs for import of crude soybean oil shall be made for 2023-24.
Learn Along:
A TRQ (tariff rate quota )is a quota that establishes a limit on the quantity of a product that may be imported at a lower
(within access) rate of duty, but places no limit on the amount of product that may be imported at a higher (over access)
rate of duty.
Anicut Capital gets the assurance of Rs 75 crores from the government’s SRI fund
 Chennai-based alternative financing firm, Anicut Capital has received a commitment of Rs 75 crores
for their equity fund from the government’s Self Reliant India Fund (SRI) to provide growth capital to
the MSME ecosystem.
 The fund will invest in 10-15 growth-stage companies over the next two years that focus on
technology, consumer products and B2B brands.
Learn Along:
Anicut Capital Headquarters: Chennai President: A.Jayseelan
SRI fund is a SEBI-registered category-II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) that operates through the mother-fund and
daughter-fund structure. It provides funding to daughter funds for onward provision as growth capital through equity,
quasi-equity, and debt.SRI fund is implemented by a special purpose vehicle — NSIC Venture Capital Fund Limited
(NVCFL).The government is the sole anchor investor in the SRI fund with the initial budgetary support of Rs 10,000 as
the mother fund. The rest 80 percent of the Rs 50,000 crore fund will come from daughter funds that will raise capital
from outside sources such as banks, financial institutions, HNIs, venture capital and private equity investors, and
others, as per the fund’s guidelines approved in September 2021.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSME’s) are entities that are involved in production, manufacturing and
processing of goods and commodities. The concept of MSME was first introduced by the government of India
through the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act, 2006.
Micro Investment less than Rs. 1 crore or Turnover less than Rs. 5 crore
Small Investment less than Rs. 10 crore or Turnover up to Rs. 50 crore
Medium Investment less than Rs. 50 crore or Turnover up to Rs. 250 crore
Discoms' outstanding dues to power generation companies nearly halved to Rs 62,681 cr in January
 According to the portal PRAAPTI (Payment Ratification And Analysis in Power procurement for
bringing Transparency in Invoicing of generators), the total outstanding dues of discoms stood at Rs
62,681.68 crore in January, 2023 as compared to Rs 1,21,030 crore in same month in 2022, which
included Rs 25,526.42 crore overdue amount.
Learn Along:
PRAAPTI stands for Payment ratification and analysis in power procurement for bringing transparency in invoicing of
generators. It is a web portal launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Power. To rein in errant distribution companies
(discoms) that delay payments to power generation companies, the Power Ministry launched this portal. The portal is
updated as and when an invoice is raised by the power generator. Power producers provide forty five days to discoms
to pay bills for the electricity supply.
Ministry of MSME launches web portal for World Bank-assisted RAMP scheme
 Ministry of MSME launched the web portal for the Rs 6,062.45-crore World Bank-assisted central
government scheme Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) for MSMEs six months
after the launch of the scheme.
 The portal was launched at the Regional Conference on Sustainable Development of MSMEs in
Northeast Region in Agartala to scale up the implementation capacity and coverage of MSMEs in the
country.
Learn Along:
Ministry of MSME Union Minister: Narayan Rane
.
Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP)-Government has launched a World Bank supported Central
Sector Scheme called Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP). The scheme aims at strengthening
institutions and governance at the Centre and State, improving Centre-State linkages and partnerships and improving
access of MSMEs to market and credit, technology upgradation and addressing issues of delayed payments and
greening of MSMEs.It will be implemented over a period of five years.
MSME Ministry launches new platform to boost registration of informal micro units
 Ministry of MSME has launched the Udyam Assist Platform (UAP) to bring informal micro enterprises
in the country into the formal fold and enable them for priority sector lending.
 The UAP platform will enable informal micro businesses who aren’t registered under GST to get a
registration certificate from the government based on their information with banks or non-banking
financial companies (NBFCs). The platform will complement the existing Udyam registration portal.
Micro and small enterprises have gathered 55% of total orders placed on GeM portal

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 Micro and small enterprises (MSEs) have cornered over 55 per cent of the total orders placed on the
public procurement platform GeM since 2019.
 On GeM, MSEs have secured 55.2 per cent (Rs 1,41,887 crore) of total order value (Rs 2,57,263 crore)
and MSEs owned by women have secured 8 per cent (Rs 11,373 crore) of the MSE orders.
Learn Along:
The Government e-Market (GeM) portal is designed to facilitate online purchases of goods and services by
ministries/departments and entities belonging to the central and state governments to better ensure transparency in
public procurement system.
UIDAI enables ‘Head of Family’ based online address update in Aadhaar
 The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has put in place a resident friendly facility to help
them update address in Aadhaar online with the consent of the Head of Family (HoF).
 The HoF based online address update in Aadhaar will be of great help to the relative(s) of a resident–like
children, spouse, parents etc, who don’t have supporting documents in their own name to update
address in their Aadhaar.
 It can be done by submitting Proof of Relationship document like Ration Card, Marksheet, Marriage
Certificate, Passport etc. mentioning the name of both the applicant and HOF and the relationship
between them and OTP based authentication by the HOF. In case even Proof of Relationship
document is not available, UIDAI provides the resident to submit a self-declaration by the HOF in the
UIDAI prescribed format.
 Any resident above the age of 18 can be an HOF for this purpose and can share his/her address with
his/her relatives through this process.
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About UIDAI
 The Unique Identification Authority of India is a statutory authority established under the provisions of Aadhaar act
2016 by the Govt. of India under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology.
 Its vision is to empower residents of India with a unique identity and a digital platform to authenticate anytime,
anywhere.
 Unique Identification Authority of India (“Authority/UIDAI”) has its Headquarters (HQ) in New Delhi and eight
Regional Offices (ROs) across the country.
 UIDAI has two Data Centres, one at Hebbal (Bengaluru), Karnataka and another at Manesar (Gurugram), Haryana.
CCEA approves Rs 2,539 crore BIND scheme for modernising Doordarshan, AIR
 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved a scheme worth Rs 2,539.61 crore
for Doordarshan (DD) and All India Radio (AIR), in a boost to public sector broadcasting in the country.
 The investment announced under the Central Sector ‘Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network
Development (BIND)’ scheme, will be up to 2025-26 and will aim to modernise the two entities run
by Prasar Bharati. It is also the largest investment outlay by the government for the two public
broadcasters under the BIND scheme.
Learn Along:
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), headed by the Prime Minister of India reviews economic trends on a
continuous basis, as also the problems and prospects, with a view to evolving a consistent and integrated economic
policy framework for the country.
Cabinet approves Rs 19,744 cr for National Green Hydrogen Mission

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 The Union Cabinet approved an initial outlay of Rs 19,744 crore for the National Green Hydrogen
Mission.
 The initial outlay for the mission will include Rs 17,490 crore for strategic interventions for green
hydrogen transition (SIGHT) programme, Rs 1,466 crore for pilot projects, Rs 400 crore for research
and development (R&D), and Rs 388 crore towards other mission components.
 The initial target is to produce 5 million tonnes (mt) of green hydrogen annually.SIGHT will include two
financial incentive mechanisms for the domestic manufacturing of electrolysers and the production of
green hydrogen.
Learn Along:
The National Hydrogen Mission was launched on August 15, 2021, with a view to cutting down carbon emissions
and increasing the use of renewable sources of energy.The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will
formulate the scheme guidelines for implementation.The mission seeks to promote the development of green hydrogen
production capacity of at least 5 MMT (Million Metric Tonnes) per annum with an associated renewable energy capacity
addition of about 125 GW in the country by 2030.
CIL, trade unions ink pact for 19 pc minimum guaranteed benefit
 Coal India Limited (CIL) and trade unions have agreed to a 19 per cent minimum guaranteed benefit
of the monthly emolument, benefitting 2.38 lakh non-executive workers which include basic pay,
variable dearness allowance, special dearness allowance and attendance bonus.
Learn Along:
Coal India Headquarters: Kolkata CEO: Pramod Agrawal
11 states/UTs join National Single Window System for Vehicle scrappage policy
 The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) notified that 11 states/UTs have been
onboarded onto the National Single Window System (NSWS) for Voluntary Vehicle-Fleet
Modernization Program (V-VMP) to attract private investment in the vehicle scrapping ecosystem.
 Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Goa,
Uttarakhand, and Chandigarh have been onboarded to NSWS for V-VMP
 The vehicle scrappage policy (V-VMP) has come into effect from April 1, 2022.
Learn Along:
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Union Minister: Nitin Gadkari
National Single Window System -The national single window system (NSWS) is aimed at reducing duplicity of
information submission to different ministries, reduce compliance burden, cut gestation period of projects, and promote
ease of starting and doing business.NSWS enables the identification, applying and subsequent tracking of approvals
for all integrated states and central departments.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi haslaunched the Voluntary Vehicle Fleet Modernisation Programme to encourage
the scrapping of old vehicles. The Centre claims that the scheme will help boost economic growth by increasing
demand for automobiles by as much as 30%.
Over 75000 approvals granted on National Single Window System Portal for various Central and
State/UTs clearances
 National Single Window System (NSWS) Portal for various Central and State/UTs clearances crossed
75 thousand approvals mark.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 NSWS has so far received 4,20,000 unique visitors from 157 countries since its inception. More than
1,50,000 investors have used KYA (Know Your Approvals) Module of NSWS to know list of approvals
they require for their specific business cases. A total of 75,599 approvals have been granted out of
over 1,23,000 applications received.
 Out of these, 57,850 approvals have been approved by Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The
Ministry of Consumers Affairs has approved 17,150 plus approvals applied through NSWS.
Foreign universities can now set up campuses in India, but no e-classes – UGC
 According to the information provided by the University Grants Commission, foreign universities will
be able to set up their campuses in India for the first time under which these varsities can also decide
on the admission process, fee structure and repatriate its funds back home.
 Foreign universities with campuses in the country can only offer full-time programmes in offline mode
and not online or distance learning.The initial approval will be for 10 years and will be renewed in the
ninth year subject to the meeting of certain conditions.
 The regulatory framework allowing the entry of higher-ranked foreign universities will provide an
international dimension to higher education, enable Indian students to obtain foreign qualifications at
affordable cost, and make India an attractive global study destination.
Learn Along:
University Grants Commission Headquarters: New Delhi Chairman: Jagadesh Kumar
Aspirational Block Programme launched by the Prime Minister to trigger development parameters
 Prime Minister has launched the government’s Aspirational Block Programme (ABP), which is aimed
at improving performance of blocks lagging on various development parameters.
 This will enable holistic development in those areas that require added assistance. The focus area will
also be more specific thus ensuring greater attention to detail.
 The programme will cover 500 districts across 31 states and Union Territories initially. Over half of
these blocks are in 6 states—Uttar Pradesh (68 blocks), Bihar (61), Madhya Pradesh (42), Jharkhand
(34), Odisha (29) and West Bengal (29).
 The Aspirational Blocks Programme is on the lines of the Aspirational District Programme that was
launched in 2018 and covers 112 districts across the country.
Learn Along:
Aspirational District Programme-Launched by the Hon’ble PM in January 2018, the Aspirational Districts Programme
(ADP) aims to quickly and effectively transform 112 most under-developed districts across the country. With States as
the main drivers, this program focuses on the strength of each district, identifying low-hanging fruits for immediate
improvement and measuring progress by ranking districts on a monthly basis. The ranking is based on the incremental
progress made across 49 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) under 5 broad socio-economic themes - Health & Nutrition,
Education, Agriculture & Water Resources, Financial Inclusion & Skill Development and Infrastructure.
PM SVANidhi disburses more than 40.07 lakh loans worth Rs. 4,606.36 crore to 45.32 lakh
beneficiaries in the last 2 years
 In the past two years, PM SVANidhi has disbursed more than 40.07 lakh loans worth Rs. 4,606.36
crore to 45.32 lakh beneficiaries across two tranches.
 In line with the Digital India vision, PM SVANidhi has also provided a platform for financial inclusion by
facilitating the street vendors to carry out digital transactions. Street vendors have recorded 37.70 crore
digital transactions to the tune of more than Rs. 45,000 crore.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Learn Along:
PM SVANidhi -Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs launched a scheme PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM
SVANidhi) to empower Street Vendors by not only extending loans to them, but also for their holistic development and
economic upliftment. To provide handholding support to street vendors, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)
launched PM SVANidhi a micro credit scheme, facilitating a working capital collateral free loan of ₹10,000, with
subsequent loans of ₹20,000 and ₹50,000 with 7 % interest subsidy.
Ministry of Commerce to launch MAARG portal for startup mentorship
 Ministry of Commerce & Industry will launch the MAARG platform (Mentorship, Advisory,
Assistance, Resilience, and Growth) which would facilitate mentorship between startups and
entrepreneurs across sectors, stages, and functions.
 The matchmaking phase of the portal will allow startups to connect with mentors and discuss their
mentorship needs.
Learn Along:
Ministry of Commerce & Industry Union Minister: Piyush Goyal
The MAARG Portal by Startup India is a one-stop mentorship platform to facilitate mentorship for startups across
diverse sectors, functions, stages, geographies, and backgrounds. Startups can connect with academicians, industry
experts, successful founders, seasoned investors, and others to get personalized advice on growth strategy, seek
clarity, and get practical advice.
PM Modi announces ‘Aarogya Maitri’ to provide essential medical supplies to affected countries
 Prime Minister Modi launched a new ‘Aarogya Maitri’ project under which India will provide essential
medical supplies to any developing country affected by natural disasters or humanitarian crisis.
 India will also launch the Global South Science and Technology Initiative to share its expertise in
areas such as space technology and nuclear energy, and establish the Global South Center of
Excellence for research on developing solutions that can be scaled up and implemented around the
world.
Viacom 18 win media rights for women’s Indian Premier League for Rs 951 crores
 Viacom18 Media Private Limited has bagged the media rights for Women’s Indian Premier League
(WIPL) for Rs 951 crores for the period of 2023-2027.
 The cricket board will earn Rs 7.09 crores per WIPL game, which is likely to be held in March. The BCCI
will share 80 per cent from the revenue pool among five franchises in the first five years.
Learn along:
Viacom 18 Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Jyoti S. Deshpande
Board of Control for Cricket in India Headquarters: Mumbai President: Roger Binn
NCLT sanctions amalgamation of Equitas Holdings and Equitas SFB
 The National Company Law Tribunal has sanctioned the scheme of amalgamation of Equitas
Holdings Limited and Equitas Small Finance Bank
 Equitas Holdings is a non-deposit taking, core investment company. Its operations and activities are
limited to investing in and providing loans to group companies.
Learn Along:

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) is a quasi-judicial body in India that adjudicates issues relating to
Indian companies. The tribunal was established under the Companies Act 2013 on the recommendation of the V.
Balakrishna Eradi committee on law relating to the insolvency and the winding up of companies.
NCLT Headquarters: New Delhi President: Ramalingam Sudhakar
Equitas Small Finance Bank Headquarters: Chennai MD & CEO: Mr. Vasudevan P N
WEF Launches Initiative to Unlock $3 Trillion a Year for Climate
 The World Economic Forum has launched the Giving to Amplify Earth Action (GAEA) to help unlock
the USD 3 trillion of financing needed each year to reach net-zero, reverse nature loss and restore
biodiversity by 2050.
 The global initiative to fund and grow new and existing public and private partnerships (PPPPs) is
supported by more than 45 partners, including HCL Technologies.
Learn Along:
World Economic Forum Headquarters: Cologny, Switzerland President: Børge Brende
Russia’s second-largest bank launches direct payments in rupees
 Russian VTB bank, Russia’s second largest bank, launches direct payments in rupees in what would
boost bilateral trade and investments in a big way.
 Russian SME clients can now make transfers without double conversion, which simplifies the work
on foreign trade contracts with India ,allows to fix the price of a product and the payment in the
national currency, and to receive individual quotes on market terms.It also eliminates preliminary
coordination of the transactions.
Learn Along:
VTB Bank Headquarters: Moscow, Russia CEO: Andrey Kostin
Russia climbs to 4th position in India’s top 10 merchandise import source nations
 According to the data provided by the Ministry of Commerce, Russia moved to the fourth position
on the list of top 10 Merchandise Import Source Nations during April-December 2022 because of the
significant increase in oil imports by the country from Russia in the current financial year.
 The merchandise imports from Russia increased from USD 6.58 billion in April-December 2021 to
USD 32.88 billion in April-December 2022, which is an increase of 399.73 per cent.
Learn Along:
Ministry of Commerce and Industry Union Minister: Piyush Goyal
SBI raises Rs 9,718 cr via second tranche of infrastructure bonds at 7.70%
 State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, raised Rs 9,718 crore through the issuance of
15-year infrastructure debt, with the bonds bearing a coupon of 7.70 percent.
 The coupon is the rate of interest that is periodically paid out to investors. The investors included
mutual funds, provident and pension funds and insurance companies.
SBI sanctions Rs 20 crore term loan to MSME lending NBFC Red Fort Capital Finance

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 State Bank of India (SBI) has sanctioned a Rs 20-crore term loan to MSME lending non-banking
financial company Red Fort Capital Finance for onward lending to MSMEs.
 The loan from SBI will help Red Fort Capital Finance in maintaining adequate liquidity in alignment
with its plans to further expand its asset under management (AUM) to Rs 100 crores by the end of the
current fiscal.
Learn Along:
Red Fort Capital Finance Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Parry Singh
Assets under management (AUM), also called funds under management, is the total market value of the securities
a financial institution (such as a bank, mutual fund, or hedge fund) owns or manages on behalf of its clients.
Adani Enterprises' Rs 20,000 crore FPO to fund green capex, debt payback of several projects
 Adani Enterprises (AEL), will use the proceeds from its follow-on public offering (FPO) to invest Rs
11,000 crore in capital expenditure towards the green hydrogen and airport projects and another
Rs 4,100 crore in retiring debt of road, airport, and solar projects.
 The company is setting up a fully integrated green hydrogen ecosystem to enable access to low-cost
renewable power, produce low-cost green hydrogen at scale, and manufacture downstream products.
Learn Along:
Adani Enterprises Headquarters: Ahmedabad President & CEO: Vinay Prakash
A follow-on offering (FPO) is when a public company issues more shares after their initial public offering (IPO). It
happens when the company wants to raise more capital by giving out additional shares to finance projects, pay their
debt, or make acquisitions.
Mastercard expands Girls4Tech programme to promote STEM studies among girl student
 Mastercard started a new phase of its flagship Girls4Tech programme in India, which will benefit over
10,800 girls from 30 government schools in Tamil Nadu.
 Supported by the Mastercard Impact Fund and in partnership with the American India Foundation
(AIF), the expansion of the program aims to reach an additional 1 lakh female students across the
country by 2024 to encourage them to take up Science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM) education, this includes 10,800 students in Tamil Nadu.
 STEM courses will be offered to girls aged 8 to 14. In 2020-21, the program reached 17,820 girls across
three districts in Tamil Nadu, with an aim to narrow the gender gap in STEM.
Learn Along:
Mastercard Headquarters: New York, United States CEO: Michael Miebach
Esri launches interactive mapping tool for state, corporate policymakers
 Esri India, the mapping solutions firm, launched a tool that will give enterprises, institutes and state
governments insight for data-driven policymaking.
 The interactive ‘Policy Maps’ provide data at the granular level and help in analyzing the progress
achieved. Policy Maps sources data from authoritative government sources and are mostly non-
personal.
 The geospatial technology company collaborates with state and central government agencies for
administrative functions like disaster management, healthcare, and last-mile delivery of schemes.
Learn Along:
Esri India Headquarters: Noida MD: Agendra Kumar

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Ministry of Commerce relaxes EPCG norms to promote ease of doing business
 The government has announced a one-time relaxation with respect to maintaining the average export
obligation under the Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) scheme.
 Under the scheme, imports of capital goods are allowed duty free, subject to an export obligation.The
latest relaxation will be available for hotel, healthcare, and educational sectors.
 This relief will help the hotel, healthcare and educational sectors to cope with the negative impact of
the pandemic on their export activities.These sectors will also have the option to extend the export
obligation period for a longer duration without having to pay any additional fees.
Learn Along:
EPCG Scheme- EPCG (Export Promotion Capital Goods) Scheme helps in facilitating the import of capital goods for
manufacturing quality goods and to augment the competitiveness of India’s export.It enables the import of capital goods
that are used in the pre-production, production, and post-production without the payment of customs duty.
Moody's upgrades ratings for PNB, Canara Bank and Bank of Baroda to 'Baa3'
 Rating agency Moody's has upgraded the long-term local and foreign currency deposit ratings of
Bank of Baroda (BOB), Canara Bank, and Punjab National Bank (PNB) from "Ba1" to "Baa3",
reflecting improving credit profile and macro economic conditions.
Learn Along:
Moody’s Investor Service Headquarters:New York,US CEO: Robert Fauber
Bank of Baroda Headquarters:Vadodara MD & CEO:Sanjiv Chadha
Canara Bank Headquarters: Bengaluru Executive Director: K Satyanarayana Raju
PNB Headquarters: New Delhi MD & CEO: Atul Kumar Goel
India extends USD 40 million for enhancing sports infrastructure in Maldives
 India has extended a concessional USD 40 million Line of Credit for developing sporting
infrastructure in the Maldives in an effort to bring flagship projects such as “Fit India” and “Khelo India”
into the ambit of the Neighbourhood First Policy.
EPFO has started online facility for pensioners
 The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has now provided an online facility on the
member portal to enable applications for higher pension under the joint option. Employees who retired
before September 1, 2014 and had exercised the joint option for higher pension under the scheme
can now log onto the Universal Account Number (UAN) portal of the EPFO and submit their
applications.
 The pensioners who, as employees, had contributed to the pension scheme on salaries exceeding the
then prevalent wage cap of Rs 5,000 and Rs 6,000, and had jointly applied with their employer for
such a contribution, but whose request was declined by the PF authorities, would be able to apply
digitally or online on the EPFO website.
Learn Along:
EPFO is a statutory body established by the Employees' Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952
and is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Labour and Employment
EPFO Headquarters: New Delhi Central PF Commissioner: Neelam Rao

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
UAN stands for Universal Account Number to be allotted by EPFO. The UAN will act as an umbrella for the multiple
Member Ids allotted to an individual by different establishments. The idea is to link multiple Member Identification
Numbers (Member Id) allotted to a single member under single Universal Account Number.
EPFO to launch district outreach programme in January 2023
 The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation will launch a district outreach programme on
January 27 as a means to create awareness and reach out to stakeholders.
 Nidhi Aapke Nikat 2.0 which is to be launched , will be a platform for grievance redressal as well as
for information exchange between employers and employees and with district level authorities of
various State and Central Government departments.
 The programme will be conducted on 27th of every month starting from January 2023.
Atal Pension Yojana gains 10 million enrolments in a calendar year
 The Atal Pension Yojana (APY) targeted towards unorganised sector workers saw the highest-ever
takers in 2022 with enrolments rising 36 per cent. The figure crossed 10 million for the first time in a
calendar year.
 The number of enrolments in 2022 rose to 12.5 million from 9.2 million in 2021.
 The highest number of enrolments age-wise was from 21-25 years (28 per cent), accounting for 13.7
million subscribers, followed by 25-30 years (25 per cent) with 12.1 million subscribers. The least
number of subscribers were those above 35 years (11.14 per cent).
Learn Along:
Atal Pension Yojana-The government has launched Atal Pension Yojana (APY), a pension scheme mainly aimed to
create social security for all Indians. It is especially for the poor, the underprivileged, and the unorganised sector, such
as maids, delivery boys, gardeners, etc. The APY scheme replaced the previous Swavalamban Yojana, which was not
much accepted.The goal of the scheme is to ensure that no Indian citizen has to worry about any illness, accidents or
diseases in old age, giving a sense of security. There is an option of getting a fixed pension of Rs 1000, Rs 2000, Rs
3000, Rs 4000, or Rs 5000 on attaining an age of 60. The pension will be determined based on the individual’s age and
the contribution amount.
FASTag collections hit Rs 50,000 cr in 2022, up 46% YoY: NHAI data
 According to data released by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), toll collections at
national and state highways through FASTag touched Rs 50,855 crore in 2022, the highest yearly
figure and 46 per cent more than 2021.
 Electronic toll collections in the previous year were Rs 34,778 crore.
Learn Along:
NHAI Headquarters: New Delhi Chairperson: Santosh Kumar Yadav
FASTag is an electronic toll collection system, operated by the NHAI. Based on radio frequency identification (RFID)
technology, FASTag is affixed on the windscreen of vehicles. In other words, FASTags are prepaid rechargeable tags
for toll collection. FASTags do not have any expiry date, hence, they can be used as long as they are not tampered
with and are readable at the toll plazas.
Airawat Indices Pvt Ltd launches midcap corporate governance index ATOM

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 Airawat Indices Pvt Ltd, a joint venture firm has launched a new index ATOM, comprising 30 midcap
companies listed on stock exchanges.
 ATOM (Airawat Touchstone MidCap Index) is a conceptual index designed to serve investors seeking
to invest in well-governed mid-cap companies.
Learn Along:
Airawat Indices Pvt Ltd Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Shailesh Dhuri
Centre spent Rs 3.43 trillion on free ration scheme
 The Centre spent a total of Rs 3.43 trillion for the seven-phase implementation of Pradhan Mantri
Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) between April, 2020 and December 2022.
 This expenditure is against an earlier estimate of Rs 3.9 trillion for the free ration scheme, because
purchase of grains by the states at 9.17 million tonne was 23% less than the initial estimate in the
seventh phase (October-December, 2022) of the scheme. The expenses on PMGKAY’s last phase were
Rs 34,208 crore against an earlier estimate of Rs 44,762 crore.
Learn Along:
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) is a part of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP)
to help the poor fight the battle against Covid-19. The scheme aimed at providing each person who is covered under
the National Food Security Act 2013 with an additional 5 kg grains (wheat or rice) for free, in addition to the 5 kg of
subsidised foodgrain already provided through the Public Distribution System (PDS).
PMGKAY Ministry: Ministry of Finance Launch Year: 2020
Margin Money worth Rs. 100.29 Crore distributed among 3223 beneficiaries under PMEGP Scheme
 Khadi and Village Industries Commission has released margin money grant of Rs 100.29 crore to
3223 beneficiaries of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand under the Prime
Minister Employment Generation Program (PMEGP).
 It also stated that up to the year 2021-22, 7.84 lakh units have been established under PMEGP, through
which employment opportunities have been made available to about 63 lakh people and now about
26000 new employment opportunities will be created through the disbursement of margin money
grant.
Learn Along:
KVIC Headquarters: Mumbai Chairperson: Manoj Kumar
The Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) is a scheme launched in 2008 & is offered to
provide financial assistance to those who wish to set up new enterprises under the programme. The nodal agency
responsible for the implementation of the scheme at the national level is the Khadi and Village Industries Commission
(KVIC). The scheme is implemented via State Khadi and Village Industries Commission Directorates, District Industries
Centres, State Khadi and Village Industries Board, and banks at the state level .
DGCA imposes Rs 10-lakh penalty on Go First
 The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed a Rs 10-lakh fine on Go First for
leaving behind 55 Delhi-bound passengers at Bengaluru airport. The bags of the 55 passengers were
also not offloaded from the aircraft as per standard operating procedures.
Learn Along:
Go First Headquarters: Mumbai Chairman: Nusli Neville Wadia

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
About DGCA
● The (DGCA) Directorate General of Civil Aviation is a statutory body of the Government of India to regulate
civil aviation in the country.
● DGCA became a statutory body under the Aircraft Amendment Act, 2020. It investigates and examines aviation
accidents and incidents maintaining all the regulations related to aviation.
● The body is also responsible for issuance of licences pertaining to aviation like SPL’s, PPL and CPL in India.
● DGCA is headquartered in New Delhi.
Direct benefit transfers at Rs 5.14 trn till now this fiscal
 The transfer of subsidies and incentives to beneficiaries through the direct benefit transfer (DBT)
scheme has reached Rs 5.14 trillion so far in the current financial year and the payments are expected
to surpass Rs 6.3 trillion achieved in FY22 due to a spike in fertilizer subsidies.
 Fertiliser subsidies worth Rs 1.66 trillion have been provided to farmers so far in the current financial
year, which is 34% higher than Rs 1.23 trillion figure in the whole of FY22.
 The Centre’s total fertilizer subsidy bill is estimated to be Rs 2.5 trillion for FY23 as against the budget
estimate of Rs 1.05 trillion and the actual Rs 1.54 trillion in FY22.
 Subsidies worth Rs 1.5 trillion were transferred to beneficiaries via foodgrains under the public
distribution system (PDS) in FY23. The food DBT through the PDS is likely to end the year around Rs
2.2 trillion, the same as in FY22.
Aadhaar e-KYC transactions jump 18.53% to 84.8 crore in Q3 of FY 2022-23
 Aadhaar based e-KYC recorded more than 84.8 crore e-KYC transactions using Aadhaar, a growth
of 18.53% in Q3 of FY 2022-23 over the Q2 (July-Sept) of the current financial year.
 In December alone 32.49 crore e-KYC transactions were carried out using Aadhaar. By the end of
December 2022, the cumulative number of Aadhaar e-KYC transactions so far has gone up-to 1382.73
crore.
 By the end of December 2022, cumulatively, 1610.44 crore of last mile banking transactions have
been made possible through AePS and the network of micro-ATMs.
Learn Along:
Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS) is a type of payment system that is based on the Unique Identification
Number and allows Aadhaar card holders to seamlessly make financial transactions through Aadhaar-based
authentication. The AEPS system aims to empower all sections of the society by making financial and banking services
available to all through Aadhaar. AEPS is nothing but an Aadhaar-enabled payment system through which you can
transfer funds, make payments, deposit cash, make withdrawals, make enquiry about bank balance, etc.
Netherlands emerged as key export destination for India amidst jump in shipments of petro products
 According to the data provided by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Netherlands has emerged
as India’s third largest exports destination after the US and UAE during April-December,2022 on
account of a surge in shipment of goods such as petroleum products, electronic items, chemicals,
and aluminium goods.
 India’s trade surplus with the Netherlands has also increased from USD 1.5 billion in 2017 to USD 12.3
billion in 2022. The Netherlands has taken over major destinations such as the UK, Hong Kong,
Bangladesh and Germany.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 India’s exports to the Netherlands rose by about 69 per cent to USD 13.67 billion during April-
December 2022 as against USD 8.10 billion in the same period previous year.
Learn Along:
Ministry of Commerce & Industry Union Minister: Piyush Goyal
Defence ministry top buyer of MSME goods in 2022: GeM
 According to the government’s public procurement e-commerce marketplace Government

eMarketplace (GeM),the Ministry of Defence was the top procuring ministry of goods and services
from MSME sellers in the calendar year 2022
 The ministry has purchased products and services worth Rs 16,747 crore in 2022 from the portal.
Financial year-wise, the defence ministry had procured Rs 15,047.98 crore worth of goods and services
from MSMEs in FY22, up 250 per cent from the previous year.
 Meanwhile, in terms of state, Uttar Pradesh ranked top buyer of MSME goods worth Rs 9,642 crore
through GeM in 2022.
Learn Along:
Ministry of Defence Union Minister: Rajnath Singh
The Government e-Market (GeM) portal is designed to facilitate online purchases of goods and services by
ministries/departments and entities belonging to the central and state governments to better ensure transparency in
public procurement system.
Recent Developments & MoUs -
Organization Name News Learn Along

IDBI Mutual Fund Transfer schemes to LIC MF- IDBI Bank-promoted IDBI IDBI Mutual Fund
& Mutual Fund has signed an agreement with LIC Mutual
Headquarters: Mumbai
LIC Mutual Fund Fund to transfer its schemes to the latter. The decision
has been taken to comply with the Section 7B of MD & CEO: Raj Kishore Singh
Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (SEBI) Mutual
LIC Mutual Fund
Fund Regulations. According to these regulations, the
sponsor of a mutual fund and the asset management Headquarters: Mumbai
company of the mutual fund cannot individually,
collectively, directly or indirectly hold more than 10% of MD & CEO: T. S. Ramakrishnan
the shareholding or voting rights in another asset

management company or trustee company. In the event of
a merger or an acquisition, sponsors of fund houses
have one year to comply with the norms.
Niva Bupa Pay EMIs of borrowers when hospitalized- Niva Bupa Niva Bupa
& Health Insurance has come together with Swara Fincare
Headquarters: New Delhi
Swara Fincare Limited, to offer a protection plan called Niva Bupa Xpress
Health – Serious Illness Plan. The product will be offered CEO: Krishnan Ramachandran
to Swara Fincare’s customers during the loan disbursement
Swara Fincare Limited
process. As part of the product benefit, Niva Bupa will
cover up to 3 EMIs in a policy year of the respective Headquarters: Gurugram

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

customer in case of hospitalization for a period of 5 MD & CEO: Dev Verma
days or more.
Niva Bupa Health Corporate agency agreement- Niva Bupa Health

Insurance Insurance Company Limited has signed a corporate Sundaram Finance
& agency agreement with Sundaram Finance Limited to
Sundaram Finance offer Niva Bupa’s select range of indemnity plans to its Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil
growing range of existing and past customers. This Nadu
partnership can provide an opportunity to Sundaram
Finance customers to secure themselves and their MD: Rajiv C Lochan
families against medical expenditures related to Covid-
19 or any other critical illnesses. The plan will provide peace
of mind to customers to tide through any medical
emergencies.
IIT Madras Advanced technologies for national defence and Defence Research and
& security- IIT-Madras has created a ‘centre of excellence’ Development Organisation
DRDO at a campus unit set up by the Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop advanced
technologies for national defence and security. The Chairman: Sameer V Kamath
interdisciplinary research group will bring in faculty and
researchers from multiple departments for translational
research.
HDFC Bank Scale up information management- HDFC Bank has HDFC Bank
& partnered with Microsoft to help the bank scale its
Microsoft Azure information management capabilities across enterprise
reporting, and carry out advanced analytics using artificial CEO: Shashidhar Jagdishan
intelligence. HDFC Bank will use Microsoft’s cloud
computing platform Azure to consolidate and modernize Microsoft
its enterprise data landscape through a Federated Data Headquarters: Washington, US
Lake. The solution will enable the bank to democratize and
monetize its data catering to several business units,
spanning multiple systems, reports and processes. CEO: Satya Nadella
Yes Bank Tap embedded finance market- Yes Bank has partnered Yes Bank
& with banking-as-a-service startup Falcon to tap into the
Registered & Coporate Office:
Falcon embedded finance market. Embedded finance enables Mumbai
the integration of a non-financial services with a financial
CEO: Prashant Kumar
service.This enable Yes Bank to provide customers with
various financial services by leveraging the startup’s Falcon International Bank
wide suite of products.
Headquarters: Texas, United
States
President: Gilbert Narvaez Jr.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

NTPC Green Energy Renewable Energy Business and Green Power- NTPC NTPC
Ltd Green Energy Ltd (NGEL) signed an MoU with Hindustan Headquarters: New Delhi
& Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) for Development of CMD: Gurdeep Singh
HPCL Renewable Energy based Power Projects to tap Hindustan Petroleum
Business opportunities in RE and supply of 400 MW round
the clock renewable power for requirements of HPCL. Headquarters: Mumbai
CMD: Pushp Kumar Joshi
NTPC REL Renewable Energy Development- NTPC Renewable

& Energy Ltd (NTPC REL) signed an MoU with Government -
Government of Tripura of Tripura for Development of Floating and Ground
Mounted based Renewable Energy Projects in the State
of Tripura.
Hindustan Copper Ltd Technical Collaboration- An MoU for collaborative and Hindustan Copper
& sponsored research projects was signed between
Headquarters: Kolkata
IIT (ISM), Dhanbad Hindustan Copper Limited and Indian Institute of
Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad. The CMD: Arun Kumar Shukla
present MoU will address HCL’s need for technical
assistance, guidance and consultancy work from IIT-ISM
for enhancing copper ore production through
modifying mining methods with application of state-of-
the-art technologies, improvement of productivity and
safety in mines, environmental clearance issues, various
Hydrological & Hydro-geological studies and in areas
of unconventional exploration methods like Geophysical
exploration, Remote Sensing etc. for depth exploration of
copper ore.
Axis Bank Digital current account for businesses- Axis Bank has Axis Bank
& joined hands with the digital banking fintech company,
Registered Office: Ahmedabad
OPEN OPEN to launch a digital current account for its
customers including SMEs, freelancers, homepreneurs, Corporate Office: Mumbai
influencers and others. The current account holders will get
access to Axis bank’s over 250 banking services along MD &CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry
with OPEN’s financial automation tools for business Open Financial

management including payments, accounting, payroll, Technologies Private
compliance, expense management and other such Limited
services.
Headquarters: Bangalore
CEO: Anish Achuthan
IndusInd Bank Launch co-branded credit card-IndusInd Bank, British Indulsnd Bank
& Airways Executive Club and Qatar Airways Privilege
Qatar and British Club entered into a partnership to introduce a multi-
Airways branded credit card, powered by Visa. The multi-branded Registered Office:Pune
credit card is slated to be launched and made available to
CEO: Sumant Kathpalia
consumers in the first quarter of the financial year 2023-
24. Through this, members will be able to collect Avios,

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

the rewards currency for British Airways Executive
Club and Qatar Airways Privilege Club, by signing up and
choosing their preferred loyalty programme.
ISRO Empower spacetech startups in India-The Indian Space Indian Space Research
& Research Organisation (ISRO) and Microsoft Organisation
Microsoft collaborated to fuel the growth of space technology Headquarters: Bengaluru
startups in the country.Through this tie-up, the space tech
startups identified by ISRO will be on-boarded onto the Chairman: K. Sivan
Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub` platform, that
supports startups at every stage of their journey-from
idea to unicorn.
BSE Encourage listing among state MSMEs- BSE has BSE

& partnered with the Goa government to create awareness
Goa Govt amongst SMEs in the state on the benefits of listing and
also guide them on raising capital through equity MD & CEO: Sundararaman
infusion.The MoU will support in mobilizing the SME Ramamurthy
representatives through the District Industries Centre as
well as the state/regional associations/chambers
encouraging their SME members to attend capacity-
building programs organized by the Exchange.
BPCL Superior Kerosene Oil With Low Smoke- BPCL has Bharat Petroleum
emerged as the first OMC to begin supplying the Army
with new LSLA-grade superior kerosene oil (SKO
)supplies for improving the serving environment and CMD: S Varadarajan
alleviating issues related to smoke and odour in the use of
SKO.The low-smoke kerosene is a significant step toward
providing cleaner fuel to our soldiers operating in difficult
terrain.
HCL Technologies For end-to-end IT operations and enterprise-wide digital HCL Technologies
& transformation- HCLTech will be the IT partner for ODP
Headquarters: Noida
ODP Corporation for end-to-end IT operations and enterprise-wide digital
transformation to support ODP's business strategy. CEO: C Vijayakumar
HCLTech will leverage its automation and artificial The ODP Corporation
intelligence (AI) capabilities to enable efficient IT
operations with personalized and intuitive IT services. Headquarters: Florida, United
States
CEO: Gerry P. Smith
Axis Bank Set up Centre for Mathematics and Computing- Axis

& Bank signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Science
IISc, Bengaluru (IISc), Bengaluru to establish a Centre for Mathematics
and Computing at the Institute. The centre will play a vital -
role in building the country’s future as many contemporary
and futuristic areas such as Artificial Intelligence and

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

Data Science rely on the foundations of mathematics
and computing.
Kotak General Boost customer experience- Kotak Mahindra General Kotak General Insurance
Insurance Insurance Company Limited has partnered with
& Clootrack, for customer experience analytics. This tie-up
Clootrack will empower Kotak Mahindra General Insurance with MD & CEO: Suresh Agarwal
actionable insights into its non-life insurance products
Clootrack
through customer feedback and understand gaps in the
market to improve its customer experience. Headquarters: Bangalore
CEO: Shameel Abdulla
Garuda Aerospace To Boost Agriculture- Drone manufacturing company Garuda Aerospace

& Garuda Aerospace has signed an MoU with Rallis India
Headquarters: Chennai
Rallis India Limited, a subsidiary of Tata Chemicals and, a leading
player in the agriculture industry. Rallis will supply MD: Agnishwar Jayaprakash
pesticides and crop nutrients to Garuda Aerospace for
a pilot demonstration and spraying of pesticides on fields Rallis India
through drones mainly in the state of Maharashtra and Headquarters: Mumbai
Andhra Pradesh.
CEO: Sanjiv Lal
Meta Upskill auto dealers to build social presence- Meta Meta

& entered into a strategic partnership with the Federation of
Headquarters: California,US
FADA Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) to digitally
enable thousands of auto dealers across the country to CEO: Mark Zuckerberg
reach consumers digitally. Move with Meta’, a skilling and
FADA
enablement program in partnership with FADA will upskill
more than 3000 auto dealers across the country to build Headquarters: New Delhi
a social presence and digitise using Meta Platforms.
CEO: Saharsh Damani
Adani Group Invest Rs 60,000 crore in MP- The Adani Group will invest Adani Group
over Rs 60,000 crore in a number of sectors in Madhya
Headquarters: Ahmedabad
Pradesh that would create thousands of jobs. Currently, the
group has investments of close to Rs 27,500 crore in Founder: Gautam Adani
sectors such as power generation and transmission, gas
distribution, cement manufacturing and agro processing,
among others, in the state.
IN-SPACe GIS Applications- IN-SPACe has signed a Memorandum IN-SPACe

of Understanding with Nascent Info Technologies in order
& Headquarters: Ahmedabad
to collaborate for development of various Geographic
Nascent Info
Information System applications. Nascent Info Chairman: Pawan Kumar Goenka
Technologies
Technologies will use its knowledge and resources to study
the functional requirements of various stakeholders in a
domain of limestone, bauxite, clay, coal etc., and
develop various algorithms and applications, which will
improve efficiency in the identification of minerals, its

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

mapping, enhance the safety, surveillance and
environment-related compliances of the operations.
HCLTech Mattel's primary digital transformation partner- HCL Tech

HCLTech notified that global toy manufacturer Mattel Inc. Headquarters: Noida
has selected it as primary digital transformation partner
for the next several years.HCLTech will drive transformation CEO: C. Vijayakumar
across Mattel’s global technology landscape cutting
across applications, infrastructure and information
security domains.
Bajaj Allianz Life Strategic partnership- Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB), a Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance
& public sector bank, and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance
Headquarters: Pune
Punjab & Sind Bank Company (BALIC) have entered into a Corporate Agency
Partnership. The partnership will allow PSB’s new and CEO: Tapan Singhel
existing customers to avail a variety of retail life insurance
Punjab & Sind Bank
products from BALIC including term, savings, retirement
and investment options. It will allow BALIC to offer Headquarters: New Delhi
protection and savings life insurance plans to bank’s
MD & CEO: Swarup Kumar Saha
customers through its branch network.
RITES Opportunities in sustainability sector- Transport Rail India Technical and

& infrastructure consultancy and engineering firm RITES Ltd Economic Service
IIT-Kanpur has entered into a pact with IIT-Kanpur for exploring
Headquarters: Gurugram
opportunities in the areas of sustainability and carbon-
related works like carbon neutrality in sectors such as CMD: Rahul Mithal
steel and power.The MoU also includes research and
development-related works on air quality sensors to
address air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and solid
waste management.
SIDBI Support Bengal’s women entrepreneurs- Small SIDBI

& Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) will
Headquarters: Lucknow
AMFI partner with the Association of Microfinance Institutions
of India (AMFI) to support women entrepreneurs in the Chairman & MD:
backward districts of West Bengal. The women Sivasubramanian Ramann
entrepreneurs will also be helped in terms of getting market AMFI
and credit linkages.
CEO: N.S.Venkatesh
SIDBI Extend MSME loans up to Rs 5 lakh- The Small VFS Global

& Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has
Headquarters: Dubai
VFS entered into a partnership with VFS Capital to extend loans
to the MSME sector. VFS Capital will extend MSME loans CEO: Zubin Karkaria
upto Rs 5 lakh at 13 per cent interest rate per annum.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

DARPG Administrative Reforms and Good Governance- DARPG
& Capacity building of 5000 Grievance Officers under the
Government of Sevottam Scheme for improving grievance redressal.
Andhra Pradesh Ministry: Ministry of Personnel
Convening a Regional Conference on e-Governance, Public Grievances and Pensions
Improving Service Delivery and Grievance Redressal in
Tirupati on mutually agreed dates.
Improved coordination between Government of Andhra

Pradesh and DARPG in the formulation of Good
Governance Index and National e-Services Delivery
Assessment.
Formulation of the District Good Governance Index for

Andhra Pradesh.
Documentation/ dissemination of the SPANDANA as a

best practice of Government of Andhra Pradesh.
L&T Floating Green Hydrogen- Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has Larsen & Toubro
& signed an agreement with the Norway-based H2Carrier to
H2Carrier develop floating green ammonia projects for industrial-
scale applications. L&T will become a partner for H2C's CEO: S N Subrahmanyan
floating process plants. This partnership will help fast-track Norway-based H2Carrier
decarbonisation goals.
Headquarters: Norway
CEO: Mårten Lunde
ReNew Power Rs 2,000 cr investment in Rajasthan & Gujarat-ReNew ReNew Power

Power is investing Rs 2,000 crore to set up solar cell and
Headquarters:Gurugram
module manufacturing units in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
A solar cell and module manufacturing unit with an annual Chairman & MD:Sumant Sinha
capacity of 2 gigawatt (GW) is being set up in Gujarat.
Another unit for manufacturing of only solar modules is
being set up in Rajasthan with a 4 GW annual capacity
Siemens Rs 26,000-crore locomotive order- Siemens had signed Siemens

& a Rs 26,000-crore contract to manufacture 1,200 electric
Headquarters: Munich, Germany
Indian Railways freight locomotives for the Indian Railways. The contract
is the single biggest order for Siemens and will be used for CEO: Roland Busch
freight transport.
Warehousing Facilitate low interest rate loans to farmers- Warehousing Development

Development Warehousing Development Regulatory Authority Regulatory Authority
Regulatory Authority (WDRA) signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
(WDRA) SBI with the intent of promoting awareness about the new
loan product called Produce Marketing Loan to Chairman: T K Manoj Kumar
&
exclusively fund against e-NWRs (electronic Negotiable
State Bank of India
Warehouse Receipt) with features such as Nil processing
fee, No Additional collateral and attractive interest rates.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

Infosys Accelerate digital, life skills development- Infosys has Infosys
& signed an MoU with the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological
Headquarters: Bengaluru
JNTU-K University – Kakinada (JNTU-K) to accelerate digital and
life skills development across India through its online CEO: Salil Parekh
learning platform. JNTU-K will offer e-content on their
website including self-learning material, assignments
and projects, powered by Infosys Springboard, to
accelerate digital skills development.
Aditya Birla Health Bancassurance partnership- Aditya Birla Health Adity Birla Health Insurance
Insurance Insurance Co. Ltd. (ABHICL), the health insurance joint
& venture of Aditya Birla Capital Ltd. (ABCL), have signed a
Punjab & Sind Bank bancassurance partnership with Punjab & Sind Bank for CEO: Mayank Bathwal
distribution of health insurance products through the
bank’s network of branches across India.
South Indian Bank Financing dealers-South Indian Bank and Steel South Indian Bank
& Authority of India Limited signed an agreement to
Headquarters: Thrissur
SAIL provide financial assistance to the dealers of SAIL
across the country. The tie-up allows us to offer SAIL’s CEO: Murali Ramakrishnan
dealers with financial assistance for working capital,
especially steel procurement. Steel Authority of India
CEO: Soma Mondal
IIT Madras BharOS- Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT

Madras)-incubated firm has developed an Indigenous
Mobile Operating System that can benefit India’s mobile
phone users. Called ‘BharOS,’ this software can be -
installed on commercial off-the-shelf handsets. It provides
a secure environment for users and is a significant
contribution towards ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Microsoft Invest Rs 16,000 cr in Hyderabad- Microsoft will be

investing Rs 16,000 crore in Hyderabad for setting up -
three more data centres, taking the total proposed centres
to six.
CMAI Exchange of knowledge on policy, innovation- CMAI Carbon Markets Association

& (Carbon Markets Association of India) has signed an of India
AREAS agreement with AREAS (Association of Renewable Headquarters: Noida
Energy Agencies of States) to ensure exchange of
knowledge on policy and regulatory-related President: Manish Dabkara
developments and innovation in carbon market and Association of Renewable

enhance setting up of renewable energy projects. The MoU Energy Agencies of States
also aims to work towards a common goal of
strengthening the country's journey towards becoming Headquarters: New Delhi

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

a carbon-neutral economy and aid in the development of Executive Director: J. K. Jethani
the Indian carbon market.
IREDA Setting annual performance target for the year 2022-23- IREDA
& Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. Headquarters: New Delhi
MNRE (IREDA) signed an MoU with Ministry of New and
Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, setting CMD: Pradip Kumar Das
annual performance target for the year 2022-23. The
Government of India has set a target ₹ 3,361 crores for
Revenue from Operation, up by approx. 18% from the
previous year achievement. The Government of India has
also set various performance-related key parameters such
as Return on Net Worth, Return on Capital Employed,
NPA to Total Loans, Asset Turnover Ratio and Earning per
share, etc.
L&T Technology Strategic Engineering Partner to Airbus- L&T L&T Technology Services
Services Technology Services Limited a global leading pure-play
Headquarters: Vadodara
engineering services company has been selected as a
strategic engineering partner to Airbus for providing CEO: Amit Chadha
Advanced Engineering Capabilities and Digital
Manufacturing Services under a multi-year contract.
Under this agreement, LTTS will support Airbus in key
verticals and technology areas for its ongoing
Commercial and Innovation programs.
Ministry of Ayush Promotion of Medical Value travel in India- Ministry of India Tourism Development
& Ayush has signed an MoU with India Tourism Corporation
India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) to work together for the
Development promotion of Medical Value Travel in Ayurveda and other
Corporation (ITDC) traditional systems of medicine. According to the MoU, Chaiman: Sambit Patra
Ministry of Ayush will provide training to the officials of ITDC
to sensitize them about the Medical value travel in
Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine. It
will identify tourist circuits, where there is immense scope
to promote Medical value travel in Ayurveda and other
traditional systems of medicine and provide all the
technical knowhow from time to time to ITDC.
IndianOil Pump in Rs 2,200-cr investment- Indian Oil Corporation IOCL

has lined up investments of over Rs 2,200 crore in Tamil
Nadu in the next two years towards taking up major
grassroots and expansion projects in the state Chairman & MD: Shrikant Madhav
Vaidya
PepsiCo Foundation Bring global women farmer programme to Bengal- PepsiCo Foundation
& PepsiCo Foundation and CARE is expanding their global
Headquarters: New York
CARE ‘She Feeds the World’ programme to India in West
Bengal, home to the company’s first food factory in the CEO: Ramon Laguarta
country.The programme ‘She Feeds the World’ focuses on

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

strengthening the role of small-scale women producers Care International
across three dimensions: economic, social and
Headquarters: Geneva,
environmental. Switzerland
CEO: Manoj Gopalakrishna
TeamLease Edtech Up-skill corporate executives & graduates- TeamLease TeamLease Edtech
& Edtech, a learning solutions company, has partnered with
PeopleCert Greek edtech unicorn PeopleCert to deliver professional
management knowledge and skills to companies and CEO: Shantanu Rooj
universities in India. With this agreement, TeamLease
EdTech aims to upskill the Indian workforce to meet high- PeopleCert
speed growth in IT and industry. Headquarters: London
CEO: Byron Nicolaides
BPCL Set up 1 GW renewable energy plant in Rajasthan- BPCL

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) will set up 1
gigawatt (GW) of renewable energy capacity in Rajasthan
to achieving a net zero emission target by 2040. CMD: Krishnakumar Gopalan
Tata Motors Offer financing solutions to passenger EV dealers- TATA Motors

& Tata Motors has partnered with ICICI Bank to offer Headquarters: Mumbai
ICICI Bank financing solutions to its authorised passenger electric Chairman: Natarajan
vehicle dealers. Under the partnership, ICICI Bank will Chandrasekaran
provide inventory funding to the authorised passenger CEO- Guenter Butschek
EV dealers in addition to the bank's funding to dealers for
diesel and petrol models. ICICI Bank
Registered Office: Vadodara
CEO: Sandeep Bakshi
OPPO India Train 10,000 women in cyber security- OPPO India and OPPO India
& the government's Common service Centre (CSC)
MeitY's CSC Academy Academy will jointly train 10,000 women in cybersecurity
and cyber wellness in the country.The initiative to CEO: Rajiv Singh
empower rural and semi-urban women through the
'Cyber Sangini' programme, which is supported by the
Ministry of Electronics and IT, aims to equip them with the
skills and knowledge needed to become certified 'Cyber
Sanginis'.
Ministry of Skill Promote apprenticeship training- The Ministry of Skill Bharat Dynamics
Development and Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has
Headquarters: Hyderabad
Entrepreneurship partnered with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), under the
& aegis of Ministry of Defense for creating a apprenticeship CMD: Siddharth Mishra
Bharat Dynamics training framework. The move aims to address the need
Limited

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

for skilled and future-ready workforce in the Central
Public Sector Undertaking and Industries.
Punjab National Bank Co-Lending Partnership- Punjab National Bank and and Aadhar Housing Finance Ltd
& Aadhar Housing Finance Ltd have entered into co-
Aadhar Housing lending agreement to offer homes loans at competitive
Finance Ltd interest rates. Through this partnership, aim to reach out to MD & CEO: Rishi Anand
a larger section of the society viz economically weaker,
lower and middle income group for providing easy,
convenient and efficient home finance solutions to its
customers.
Star Health and Allied Bancassurance tie-up-Star Health and Allied Star Health and Allied
Insurance Insurance, renewed its strategic corporate agency tie-up Insurance
& with Punjab National Bank (PNB). Under the strategic Headquarters: Chennai
Punjab National Bank agreement, Star Health’s best-in-class health insurance
products will be available through the bank’s extensive Managing Director: Anand
Shankar Roy
distribution network of around 10,000 branches across
the country, providing customers with a one-stop solution
for all their health insurance needs.
Indian Institute of Third Batch of Flagship Valuation Course-The Indian Indian Institute of Corporate
Corporate Affairs Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), a think tank under Affairs
(IICA) the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, launched the third batch Headquarters: Manesar,
of IICA Valuation Certificate Program (IVCP) – the Gold Gurugram
Standard in Valuation Education. The course curriculum a
Director General & CEO:
combination of multiple short courses to offer a holistic,
inter-disciplinary understanding of valuation. The ICVP Praveen Kumar
programme emphasises learning through granular
understanding of different perspective of valuation
knowledge, assumptions and their correct and appropriate
applications.
Microsoft Investment in ChatGPT-maker OpenAI- Microsoft is

making a multibillion-dollar investment with ChatGPT-
maker OpenAI. The investment is the third phase of the
partnership, following Microsoft’s previous investments in -
2019 and 2021. The renewed partnership will accelerate
breakthroughs in AI and help both companies
commercialize advanced technologies.
Recent Acquistions , Mergers & Launches

Tata Motors Acquisition- Tata Motors subsidiary, Tata Passenger Tata Motors
& Electric Mobility Limited (TPEML) would acquire Ford

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

Ford India India Pvt Ltd's (FIPL) Sanand plant in Gujarat for ₹725.7 Headquarters: Mumbai
crore. The acquisition included the entire land and
MD & CEO: Guenter Butschek
buildings; vehicle manufacturing plant along with
machinery and equipment and transfer of all eligible Ford India
employees of FIPL's vehicle manufacturing operations at
Sanand. Headquarters: Gurugram
MD: Michael Brielmaier
Punjab & Sind Bank To Launch Co-Branded Credit Cards- Punjab & Sind
& Bank has partnered with SBI Card to launch co-brand
SBI Card credit cards for its customers. The partnership will
introduce ‘credit cards’ as a new product segment under -
the bank’s portfolio and for this, both the partners have
rolled out three card variants - PSB SBI Card ELITE, PSB
SBI Card PRIME, and PSB SimplySAVE SBI Card. These
variants have been launched to cater to the spending
needs of the esteemed customers of Punjab & Sind
Bank, across mass, mass premium, and premium
segments.
Tata AIA Life Emerging Opportunities Fund with Ulips- Tata AIA Life Tata AIA Life Insurance
Insurance has launched Emerging Opportunity Fund, Company Limited
which will invest in mid-cap companies and emerging
market leaders with the potential to generate significant
future growth. The investment objective of the Fund is to CEO: Naveen Tahilyani
generate capital appreciation in the long term by
investing in a portfolio of stocks that offer opportunities in
the mid-cap space and emerging leaders in the new age
sectors offering significant long-term wealth creation
along with insurance benefits.
Ministry of Ayush SMART initiative- The National Commission for Indian Ministry of Ayush
System of Medicine (NCISM) and the Central Council for
Union Minister: Sarbananda
Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), under the Sonowal
Ministry of Ayush, have launched ‘SMART’ (Scope for
Mainstreaming Ayurveda Research in Teaching
Professionals) program aimed to boost scientific research
in priority healthcare research areas through Ayurveda
colleges and hospitals. The proposed initiative is
conceptualised with an objective to identify, support
and promote innovative research ideas in healthcare
research areas including Osteoarthritis, Iron Deficiency
Anaemia, Chronic Bronchitis, Dyslipidemia,
Rheumatoid Arthritis, Obesity, Diabetes Mellitus,
Psoriasis, Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Non-alcoholic
fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
Indian Bank QR bill-based payment system for CESC-Mysuru- Indian Indian Bank
Bank on has unveiled QR code bill payment system for

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Ltd Headquarters: Chennai
(CESC) making it as the first power distribution company to
CEO: Shri Shanti Lal Jain
offer such an initiative to customers in Mysuru.By using
the dynamic QR code linked to the unified payments
interface (UPI) on printed electricity bill, customers
would be able to make their payments without visiting
any online portal or physically going to any payment centre.
Reliance Consumer Acquisition- Reliance Consumer Products (RCP), the Reliance Retail
Products FMCG arm of Reliance Retail Ventures (RRV), will acquire
a 50 percent stake in Gujarat-based Sosyo Hajoori
Beverages, the owner of soft drink brand Sosyo. CMD: Mukesh Ambani
India Accelerator, Promote start-up ecosystem- India accelerator, a seed- ICICI Bank
ICICI Bank stage accelerator program, has launched i3 Launchpad,
Registered Office: Vadodara
& a program to nurture and co-innovate with the start-up
Infosys Finacle ecosystem in India. This has been developed in Corporate Office: Mumbai
collaboration with ICICI Bank and Infosys Finacle. It is
CEO: Sandeep Bakshi
designed to help start-ups accelerate their success by
leveraging mentorship, resources, and opportunities Infosys Finacle
from Infosys Finacle, ICICI Bank, and India Accelerator
(IA).
CEO: Sanat Rao
India Accelerator
Headquarters: Guurgram
CEO: Ashish Bhatia
ICICI bank Digital services for exporters- ICICI Bank has launched
a range of digital solutions to streamline the lifecycle of
exports. Designed especially for exporters, these solutions
range from identification of the right export market, to -
accessing export finance and foreign exchange
services to receipt of export incentives. The rationale
behind the launch is to streamline several manual
procedures and compliances for exporters and improve
their operational efficiency.Facilities such as instant export
finance and a current account to hold foreign currency
are included in the suite of solutions.
Aegon Life Insurance iTerm Prime Insurance plan- Aegon Life Insurance has Aegon Life Insurance
launched the iTerm Prime Insurance plan, which will cater
to the need of self-employed individuals with a special 10%
discount on 1st-year premium.It offers a minimum sum MD & CEO: Satishwar
assured of Rs 25 lakhs, with no upper limit on a Balakrishnan
consumer’s requirement. The plan can be purchased online
through a completely paperless process and requires
zero documentation or uploads. The product also offers a

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

‘Special Exit Value’ option that allows the policyholder to
get all premiums back when they turn 55 years old.
LEAD Buy Pearson’s K-12 India business to expand reach- LEAD

& LEAD, an edtech unicorn, has inked an agreement with
Pearson Pearson, a global publishing and learning company, to
acquire its K-12 business in India as the edtech sector in CEO: Sumeet Mehta
the country continues to consolidate, with smaller
players folding up and selling operations to larger ones. Pearson
Headquarters: London, United

Kingdom
CEO: Andy Bird
ONGC Videsh Ltd 20% stake in Sakhalin-1 oil- ONGC Videsh Ltd, the ONGC Videsh Ltd
overseas arm of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Headquarters: New Delhi
Corporation (ONGC), has re-taken a 20 percent stake in
the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas fields in the far east region of MD & CEO: AK Gupta
Russia.
Axis Bank Acquiring additional 7 percent stake- Axis Bank has Max Financial Services
& entered into a revised agreement with Max Financial
Max Fin Serv Services to acquire an additional 7 per cent stake in Max
Life Insurance at fair market value using discounted cash MD: Mohit Talwar
flow method.
Carlyle Group Majority stake in India’s VLCC- Private-equity firm Carlyle The Carlyle Group
& Group has acquired a majority stake in Indian beauty
Headquarters: Washington, D.C.,
VLCC care and wellness solutions provider VLCC.
United States
CEO: William E. Conway, Jr
VLCC
CEO: Vandana Luthra
PayRup PayRup, India's Fastest Payment app launched-

PayRup is built by the cutting-edge technology of web 3.0.
It provides an advanced digital payment experience with
outstanding user experience. PayRup users can pay utility -
bills and landline bills, recharge their mobile, broadband,
DTH, and purchase Gift Cards.PayRup services are
planned to expand across various financial
instruments, including multiple payment services such
as school fees, pay rent, and other payment collection
services.
South Indian Bank MSME online portal- The South Indian Bank launched a South Indian Bank
MSME online portal providing instant online ‘In Principle’

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

approval of up to ₹1 crore. South Indian Bank is facilitating Headquarters: Thrissur
MSMEs to get instant funds. This initiative will help
CEO: Murali Ramakrishnan
thousands of micro and small businesses avail loans
quickly.
Flipkart 3rd and largest fulfillment center in Unnao district- Flipkart

Flipkart has launched its third and largest grocery
fulfillment center in Sarai Joga of Unnao district, Uttar
Pradesh. This facility will offer customers nearly 400 CEO: Kalyan Krishnamurthy
regional grocery products across more than 100
categories including household supplies, staples, tea,
snacks and beverages, confectionery, personal care, and
etc.
Hindustan Unilever 51 per cent stake in Zywie Ventures- Hindustan Unilever Hindustan Unilever
Ltd has completed the acquisition of a 51 per cent stake
in Zywie Ventures for a consideration of Rs 264.28 crore.
Now, Zywie Ventures, a wellness company, has become a MD: Sanjiv Mehta
subsidiary of HUL.
FREED Debt Consolidation Program- Debt relief platform, FREED

FREED, has launched a one of its kind debt consolidation
program, MAARG, to provide relief to its consumers and
address the toxic debt at a preventive stage. With FREED’s CEO: Ritesh Srivastava
DCP, eligible consumers will be able to consolidate their
high-cost debt into one single loan and save a minimum
of 20-25% on their EMI obligations, giving them extra cash
flow for essential necessities of life.
Aditya Birla Sun Life Multi Asset Allocation Fund- Aditya Birla Sun Life MF Aditya Birla Sun Life MF
MF launched its Multi Asset Allocation Fund. It is an open-
ended scheme investing in equity, debt, and
commodities. The fund invests in a diversified portfolio of MD & CEO: A. Balasubramanian
high-quality debt and money market securities, in order to
generate wealth with minimum credit risk. The fund will
invest 65-80% in equity, 10-25% in fixed income and 10-
25% in commodities.
State Bank of India e-Bank Guarantee Facility- State Bank of India has
launched the e-Bank Guarantee (e-BG) facility in
association with National e-Governance Services
Limited (NeSL) that could reduce the time taken in loan -
disbursements and eliminate the lengthy paperwork
involved in banking.
Alibaba Group Sells 3% Stake in Paytm for ₹1,031 crore- China’s Alibaba Group
Alibaba Group has sold about a 3% stake in One97
Headquarters: Hangzhou,China
Communications, the parent entity of Paytm, for ₹1,031
crore through a block deal. CEO: Daniel Zhang

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

ITC Acquisition- ITC would acquire 100 per cent of Sproutlife ITC Limited
Foods Private Limited, makers of Yoga Bar healthy
Headquarters: Kolkata
foods. An initial investment of Rs 175 crore would be made
for acquisition of 39.4 per cent. A further infusion of Rs 80 CMD: Sanjiv Puri
crore would be made through primary subscription, in one
or more tranches.
ITC ITCMAARS-ITC will have over a 1,000 farmer producer

organizations (FPOs) connected through its super app —
meta market for advanced agricultural rural services
(MAARS) — by March 2023, up from 800 now. ITCMAARS
provides assorted agricultural and allied services to -
farmers on the digital platform. The supply of seeds and
fertilisers and services like soil testing, weather forecast
and marketing are being carried out via the facility. At
present, around 800 FPOs across nine states – Andhra
Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya
Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and
Bihar are connected through the super app which was
launched in April 2022.
Adani Enterprises Asia's first hydrogen-mining truck- Adani Enterprises Adani Group
& signed a deal with Ashok Leyland and Ballard Power to
Headquarters:
Ashok Leyland launch a pilot project to develop a hydrogen fuel cell
Ahmedabad
electric truck for mining logistics and transportation — a
Founder:Gautam Adani
first in Asia.
Ashok Leyland
Headquarters: Chennai
MD & CEO: Shenu Agarwal
Adani Green Energy Acquisition- Adani Green Energy arm Adani Renewable Adani Green Energy
Energy Holding Two Ltd will acquire 50 per cent equity
Headquarters: Ahmedabad
in Essel Saurya Urja Company of Rajasthan Ltd from
Essel Infraprojects for Rs 15 crore. The remaining 50 per MD & CEO: Vneet S Jaain
cent of the equity shares will continue to be held by the
government of Rajasthan.
Vedanta Acquisition- Metals and mining major Vedanta will acquire Vedanta Group
debt-laden power plant Meenakshi Energy for Rs 1,440 Headquarters: Mumbai
crore.
CEO: Sunil Duggal
Vedanta Sell its foreign zinc assets to Hindustan Zinc- Vedanta

is selling its international zinc assets in South Africa and
Namibia to subsidiary Hindustan Zinc (HZL) for $2.98
billion. Following the transaction, THL Zinc, which is a unit -
of Vedanta, and holds the international zinc assets, will
become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hindustan Zinc.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

Sun Pharma Acquisition- Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (Sun Sun Pharmaceutical
Pharma) has acquired US-based Concert Industries Ltd.
Pharmaceuticals for $576 million.
MD: Dilip Shanghvi
Punjab National Bank Credit card against fixed deposit (FD)- PNB becomes the
first public sector bank to launch credit card against fixed
deposits digitally. RuPay or VISA credit card digitally
against single or multiple FDs with 80% credit limit can be -
obtained. No document submission,no branch visit,nil
joining fees, instant issuance of virtual credit card, benefits
of UPI linkage on RuPay Credit Card are some of its
benefits.
Life Insurance Jeevan Azad- The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of LIC
Corporation India has launched Jeevan Azad, which is a new plan
aimed at individual savings and life insurance.It is a
limited-period payment endowment plan that provides Chairperson: MR Kumar
financial support for the family in case of unfortunate
death of the life assured during the policy term. The plan
also takes care of the liquidity need through a loan facility.
It also provides a guaranteed lump sum amount to the
surviving life assured on the date of maturity. The
minimum basic sum assured under LIC Jeevan Azad Plan
is Rs 2 lakh and the maximum basic sum assured is Rs 5
lakh. The policy can be taken for term of 15 to 20 years.
Canara Bank Sell its stake for 114 crore- Canara Bank is planning to Canara Bank
sell its stake in Russian joint venture Commercial Indo
Bank LLC (CIBL) to the other venture partner State Bank
of India (SBI) for about Rs 114 crore. CIBL, incorporated in Executive Director: K.
2003, is a joint venture in Russia between SBI (60 per Satyanarayana Raju
cent) and Canara Bank (40 per cent).
SBI General Insurance Promote road safety as part of its CSR- SBI General SBI General Insurance
Insurance, one of will be promoting road safety as part
of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
The company will be partnering with various organizations CEO: Prakash Chandra Kandpal
and government bodies to raise awareness about road
safety and to encourage safe driving practices. The
company also plans to launch a series of awareness
campaigns and events to promote safe driving practices,
such as the importance of wearing seat belts, the dangers
of distracted driving, and the importance of following traffic
rules.
Amazon Dedicated air cargo service in India- To enhance its Amazon

transportation network and enable faster deliveries to
Headquarters: Washington,US
customers, Amazon India announced the launch of

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Amazon Air in India. With this, it became the first e- CEO: Andy Jassy
commerce company in the country to come up with a
dedicated air cargo network. In the initial stage, Amazon
Air’s two aircraft will transport customer shipments
between four cities — Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Delhi and
Mumbai.
IndiGrid 100% stake in Khargone Transmission- India Grid Trust IndiGrid

(IndiGrid) will acquire a 100 per equity stake in Khargone
Transmission at an enterprise value of about Rs 1,497.5
crore. CEO and Director: Harsh Shah
Mahanadi Coalfields Set up Rs 12,000-crore power plant in Odisha- Coal Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd
Ltd India arm MCL will set up a coal-based plant entailing an
Headquarters: Sambalpur
investment of around Rs 12,000 crore in Odisha.
CMD: O. P. Singh
BOB Financial Vikram Credit Card- BOB Financial Solutions Limited BOB Financial Solutions
Solutions Limited (BFSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of Baroda has Limited
launched Vikram Credit Card dedicated to the Indian Headquarters: Mumbai
defence, paramilitary, and police personnel. It reinforces
its commitment to address the credit needs of personnel MD & CEO: Shailendra Singh
who are selflessly guarding us and serving our country.
AU Small Finance SwipeUp platform- AU Small Finance Bank announced AU Small Finance Bank
Bank the launch of a first-of-its-kind SwipeUp platform that will
Headquarters: Jaipur
allow credit cardholders of any bank to get an upgraded
card instantly. The SwipeUp platform will allow other bank CEO: Sanjay Agarwal
credit cardholders to compare existing credit cards within
2-3 seconds. Thereafter, they can upgrade to a new card
with an enhanced credit limit, cashback and reward
points matching their lifestyles within minutes.
Bajaj Allianz General My Health Care Plan- Bajaj Allianz General launched its Bajaj Allianz General
Insurance modular health insurance product ‘My Health Care Plan’. Insurance
My Health Care Plan is filed as an umbrella product under Headquarters: Pune
which customizable packages are offered. The flexibility
in picking and choosing the covers as per the customers’ CEO: Tapan Singhel
necessities gives them the freedom to design their own
health care plan basis which the premium for the policy is
determined.
Dell Acquisition- Dell Technologies has acquired Israeli Dell

startup Cloudify. Dell spent close to $100 million in buying
Headquarters: Texas, United
the startup to boost its cloud services business, States
specifically its offerings in DevOps. Cloudify is an open
source, multi-cloud orchestration platform featuring unique CEO: Michael Dell
technology that packages infrastructure, networking, and
existing automation tools into certified blueprints.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023

Edelweiss Mutual India's first passive short-duration fund-Edelweiss Edelweiss Mutual Fund
Fund Mutual Fund launched India's first passive short-
duration fund. The scheme, Edelweiss CRISIL IBX 50:50
Gilt Plus SDL Short Duration Index Fund, will invest in a CEO: Radhika Gupta
diversified portfolio of Indian government bonds and
state development loans (SDL). This fund offers better
predictability on asset allocation, credit quality, and
duration, and is a low-cost substitute over other active
funds for short-term investments. The scheme will invest
50 per cent in Indian government bonds and 50 per cent in
SDLs.
RBL Bank Smart Deposit scheme- RBL Bank has launched a Smart RBL Bank
Deposit scheme which offers the benefit of
compounding and up to 8.3% interest. The Smart Deposit
Scheme is a flexible fixed deposit option where MD & CEO: R. Subramaniakumar
customers can avail the benefit of flexibility with regular
monthly savings and top-up investments.The customers
can open a Smart Deposit with a minimum amount as low
as Rs 1,000 and get an option to top-up an additional
amount in the same deposit.
SEBI and FINANCIAL AWARENESS

SEBI extends relaxation on dispatching hard copies of financial statements
 The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has extended the relaxation to listed companies
from dispatching of physical copies of financial statements till September 30, 2023.
 The earlier extension was till December 31, 2022. However, firms will be required to send hard copy of
annual reports to those shareholders who request for the same.
Learn Along:
SEBI Headquarters: Mumbai Chairman: Madhabi Puri Buch
SEBI has issued debt broker license to Zerodha-backed GoldenPi Technologies
 The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has issued a debt broker license to Bengaluru-
based fintech firm GoldenPi Technologies.
 With the development, GoldenPi became the first online bond platform provider to receive a debt
brokerage license from SEBI. The awarding of the license to GoldenPi is expected to work as a catalyst
for greater investor trust in the online bonds and debentures investment space.
Learn Along:
GoldenPi Technologies Headquarters: Bengaluru CEO: Abhijit Roy
SEBI allows AMCs to provide advisory services to all FPIs at IFSC
 The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) allowed asset management companies to
provide management and advisory services to all foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) operating out of

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
the International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) and regulated by the International Financial
Services Centres Authority.
 This is with the condition that FPIs invest only in mutual funds schemes other than those under the
“thematic” category, as defined by SEBI.
 Earlier, the regulator had permitted AMCs to provide advisory services to FPIs that were government-
related investors – central banks, sovereign wealth funds, international or multilateral organizations,
including firms controlled by or at least owned 75% by government-related investors.
 It also allowed FPIs that were appropriately regulated entities, such as pension funds,
insurance/reinsurance firms, banks and fund houses.
Learn Along:
IFSCA was established on April 27, 2020 with head office in Gandhinagar with an objective to develop the financial
products and services in the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City International Financial Services Centre (GIFT IFSC).
IFSCA Headquarters: Gandhinagar, Gujarat MD & CEO– Injeti Srinivas
An asset management company (AMC) is a firm that invests pooled funds from clients, putting the capital to work
through different investments including stocks, bonds, real estate, master limited partnerships, and more. AMC
managers are compensated via fees, usually a percentage of a client's assets under management.
Foreign portfolio investment (FPI) refers to investing in the financial assets of a foreign country, such as stocks
or bonds available on an exchange.
SEBI has allowed active to passive ELSS switch for asset management companies
 The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has allowed asset management companies
(AMCs) that have actively-managed equity linked savings schemes (ELSS) to launch a passive ELSS.
But the AMCs can do so only after they close the existing active scheme.
 SEBI also notified that AMCs that already had active ELSS schemes could launch passive ones after
stopping fresh inflows to their active offerings.
Learn Along:
ELSS is a diversified, open-ended Equity Mutual Fund that offers higher returns as well as great tax benefits. The tax
exemptions are offered as stipulated under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. A major portion of the capital is invested
in equity funds. The lock-in period applicable on these funds is 3 years and the investors can exit the scheme by selling
it after this period.
SEBI brings OFS framework 2.0 allowing exit to non-promoters
 The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has introduced the revised framework for share
sales through offer for sale (OFS), providing a way for non-promoters to use this route.
 SEBI also notified that the OFS mechanism would also be available to companies with a market
capitalisation of Rs 1,000 crore or more. A separate window would be created for sale of shares through
OFS and, under the new mechanism, aligned to the secondary market timings.
 The minimum size for an OFS has been kept at Rs 25 crore. But in case an OFS is being launched to
comply with the regulator’s minimum public shareholding norm, the offer size can be less than Rs
25 crore. SEBI has mandated a minimum of 25 percent public shareholding in listed companies.
Learn Along:
Offer for Sale(OFS)- An Offer for Sale is a simpler method wherein promoters in public companies can sell their shares
and reduce their holdings in a transparent manner through the bidding platform for the Exchange.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Stock exchanges get SEBI’s approval to launch derivatives on bond indices
 The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has permitted stock exchanges to introduce index
derivatives contracts based on corporate debt securities rated AA+ and above.
 The decision is aimed at enhancing liquidity in the bond market. It will also give an opportunity to
investors to hedge their positions.
 The stock exchanges will have to provide details related to underlying index, methodology, contract
specifications, risk management, and trading, clearing and settlement mechanism.
Learn Along:
Derivatives are financial contracts, and their value is determined by the value of an underlying asset or set of assets.
Stocks, bonds, currencies, commodities, and market indices are all common assets. The underlying assets' value
fluctuates in response to market conditions. The main idea behind getting into derivative contracts is to benefit by betting
on the future value of the underlying asset.
SEBI has allowed all RBI-authorised payment systems for RFQ settlement
 The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) notified that all payment mechanisms provided
by banks and payment aggregators authorised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to be used for
settlement of trades executed on the Request for Quote or RFQ platform.
 At present, exchanges use the RTGS channel as the mode of settlement for trades executed on the
RFQ platform, as regards listed corporate bonds, commercial papers, and securitised debt instruments.
Learn Along:
A request for quote (RFQ), sometimes also known as an invitation for bid (IFB), is a document that asks suppliers to
provide price quotes for the chance to fulfill a task or project. Some companies send RFQs as standalone requests, or
as part of the request for proposal (RFP) process.
SEBI allows exchanges to launch multiple contracts in same commodity
 SEBI has allowed stock exchanges to launch multiple contracts in the same commodity in a bid to
encourage broader participation of investors in commodity derivatives market.
 The move came for the requirement of a single contract on a particular commodity, except for gold,
silver and precious metals, the participation of investors, especially in metal contracts, is limited.
SEBI provides approval to AIFs’ Participation in CDS Transactions
 SEBI has allowed alternative investment funds (AIFs) to participate in the credit default swaps (CDS)
market as protection buyers and sellers in a bid to facilitate deepening of the domestic corporate bond
segment.
 Under the new norm, Category-I and Category-II AIFs can buy CDS on underlying investment in debt
securities only for the purpose of hedging, while Category-III AIFs can purchase CDS for hedging or
otherwise, within permissible leverage.
Learn Along:
Alternative Investment Fund or AIF means any fund established or incorporated in India which is a privately
pooled investment vehicle that collects funds from sophisticated investors, whether Indian or foreign, for
investing it in accordance with a defined investment policy for the benefit of its investors.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Credit default swaps (CDS) are a type of insurance against default risk by a particular company. The company is called
the reference entity and the default is called credit event. It is a contract between two parties, called protection buyer
and protection seller. Under the contract, the protection buyer is compensated for any loss occurred from a credit event
in a reference instrument. In return, the protection buyer makes periodic payments to the protection seller.
SEBI asks PayMate India to refile IPO papers
 SEBI has asked B2B payments and services provider PayMate India to refile the documents for the
initial public offering with certain updates.
 PayMate India had filed the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) for a Rs 1,500 crore-IPO with the
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in May 2022.
Learn Along:
PayMate Headquarters: Mumbai MD & Chairman: Ajay Adiseshan
When a private company first sells shares of stock to the public, this process is known as an initial public offering
(IPO). In essence, an IPO means that a company's ownership is transitioning from private ownership to public ownership.
For that reason, the IPO process is sometimes referred to as going public.
A Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) is a document that is prepared to introduce a new business or product to a
potential investor. This document should be able to communicate the product vision and target audience.
PFRDA introduces new bank account verification and name/PAN matching process
 The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has introduced an advanced
mode of bank account verification of subscribers through PAN-PRAN-VPA (UPI).
 This advanced mode of Bank Acct Verification of the Subscribers (PAN-PRAN- VPA(UPI)) with elegant
features where the joint holder details, PAN and UPI Ids are verified through NPCI and matched with
Permanent Retirement Acct Number (PRAN)
Learn Along:
Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) is the regulatory body under the jurisdiction of
Ministry of Finance, Government of India for overall supervision and regulation of pensions in India.
PFRDA Headquarters: New Delhi Chairman: Supratim Bandyopadhyay
More than 50 million citizens subscribe to Atal Pension Yojana: PFRDA
 According to the data provided by the Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority (PFRDA)
,more than 5 crore people have enrolled under Atal Pension Yojana (APY).
 The scheme has enrolled more than 1.25 crore new subscribers in 2022 in comparison to 92 lakh new
subscribers enrolment in the calendar year 2021.
 In the public sector bank category, Bank of India, State Bank of India and Indian Bank have achieved
the allocated targets, while in the Regional Rural Bank (RRB) category, 21 banks have achieved the
allocated targets, with the highest achievement by Jharkhand Rajya Gramin Bank, Vidharbha Konkan
Gramin Bank and Baroda UP Bank.
 Currently enrolments of females in the scheme has grown to 45 per cent of total enrolments. Similarly,
subscribers between age 18 and 25 years have grown to 45 per cent of total enrolments, in
comparison to 32 per cent recorded in 2017. As on date, total assets under management (AUM) in
APY is also more than Rs 25,000 crore.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
IRDAI makes KYC details mandatory while purchasing insurance from Jan 1,2023
 The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has mandated that all
policyholders must provide their Know Your Customer (KYC) details when purchasing any type of
insurance policy from January 1, 2023.
 This requirement applies to all individuals and entities purchasing insurance in India and is intended
to ensure that insurance companies have accurate and up-to-date information about their
policyholders.
 Currently, KYC documents are only required when making a claim worth over Rs 1 lakh. Under the
new insurance rule, KYC documents will be required even while purchasing a new policy.
Learn Along:
IRDAI Headquarters: Hyderabad Chairperson: Debasish Panda
KYC means to ‘know your customer’ which is an effective way for an institution to confirm and thereby verify the
authenticity of a customer. For this, the customer is required to submit all KYC documentation before investing in various
instruments. All financial institutions are mandated by the RBI to do the KYC process for all customers before giving
them the right to carry out any financial transactions. Whether the customer uses KYC online verification or opts for
offline KYC, this is a simple one-time process.
IRDAI to allow insurers to auto-renew FRN of cross-border reinsurers
 The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has decided to consider
allowing domestic insurance firm to auto- renew the file reference number (FRN) of cross-border
reinsurers (CBRs), provided that the CBRs meet the criteria laid down by IRDAI for obtaining such a
renewal. Currently, FRNs are allotted by the insurance regulator on an annual basis.
 The CBRs play a significant role in the insurance ecosystem by providing reinsurance support/capacity
to insurers. An insurer has to ensure that the CBR meets the rating requirements under IRDAI
(Reinsurance) Regulations, 2018, and acquires the FRN, before placing any business with it.
 This is in line with the vision to provide ease of doing business to insurers and reinsurers so as to
facilitate the development of the insurance industry in the country.The facility for auto-renewal would
be available for FY24 and beyond.
Learn Along:
The reference number is the term used to define a Unique identification number that is applied to different types of
financial transactions. All kinds of transactions have a reference number – be it the credit/Debit Card payments or net
banking. Each transaction has a unique reference number. This identifier is specially assigned to the debit and credit
card transactions, giving the recipients and senders an opportunity to identify the monetary transaction in their records.
Insurers can classify green bond purchases as infra investments: IRDAI
 The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India has allowed insurers to classify their
sovereign green bond purchases as infrastructure investments.
 The move was made with the objective of de-concentration and diversification of insurers'
infrastructure portfolios as well as from the perspective of participation in environmental, social and
governance (ESG) initiatives.
Learn along:
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) is a term used to represent an organization's corporate financial
interests that focus mainly on sustainable and ethical impacts. Capital markets use ESG to evaluate organizations and
determine future financial performance. While ethical, sustainable and corporate governance are considered non-

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
financial performance indicators, their role is to ensure accountability and systems to manage a corporation's impact,
such as its carbon footprint.
Indian stock markets migrating to T+1 settlement cycle from January,2023
 Indian stock markets are embarking on a shorter settlement cycle or T+1 regime for the final list of large
stocks from January, a move that will help reduce margin requirements for clients and boost retail
investment.
 T+1 (trade plus one) means that market trade-related settlements will need to be cleared within one
day of the actual transactions taking place. Earlier, trades on the Indian stock exchanges are settled in
two working days after the transaction is done (T+2).
Mutual funds adopt the T+2 settlement cycle for redemption disbursement – AMFI
 According to the information provided by the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI), mutual funds
will deposit the redemption amount from equity schemes in investors’ bank accounts within three
days of the transaction.
 The industry will move to a T+2 settlement cycle for equity schemes from February 1,2023. T+2 means
the day of the trade and the next two business sessions.
Learn Along:
AMFI Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: N.S.Venkatesh
NSE remains largest global derivatives market for 4th straight year
 According to the information provided by the Futures Industry Association (FIA), the National Stock
Exchange (NSE) has emerged as the world's largest derivatives exchange in 2022 by the number of
contracts traded.
 Also, NSE ranked 3rd in the world in the equity segment by the number of trades (electronic order book)
in 2022, an advancement from the previous year when it ranked 4th as per statistics maintained by the
World Federation of Exchanges (WFE).
Learn Along:
NSE Headquarters: Mumbai MD & CEO: Ashish Kumar Chauhan
Futures Industry Association Headquarters: Washington, DC President and CEO: Walt Lukken
NABARD raises around Rs 5,000 crore through three-year bonds
 In the first issue of fund raising through bonds in 2023, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Development (NABARD) has raised close to Rs 5,000 crore via three-year bonds.
 The coupon for the three-year bond was 7.63 per cent. The yield on government bonds with similar
maturity was above 7.16 per cent.
Learn Along:
NABARD Headquarters: Mumbai Chairman: Shaji K V

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
FCI to install AI based grain analysers at the depots
 The Food Corporation of India (FCI) will be installing 50 Artificial Intelligence (AI) based automatic
grain analysers at its foodgains depots assessing quality of rice received from the millers to bring in
automation in the procurement system,.
 This is aimed at minimising the discretionary decision making power at the ground level officials of the
corporation in grain handling.
Learn Along:
FCI Headquarters: New Delhi Chairmnan: Ashok Meena
FCI to offer wheat at Rs 2,350 per quintal, Rs 300 less than base price
 The Food Corporation of India (FCI) will offer the entire 2.5 million tonnes (mt) of wheat meant for e-
auction across India in one go at a base price of Rs 2,350 per quintal plus freight.
 The base price is around Rs 300 less than the economic cost which includes procurement, storage, and
handling. The economic cost of wheat is estimated to be around Rs 2,654 per quintal.
 Under the open market sale of the 3 million tonnes of wheat allocated for sale in the open markets, 2.5
mt would be sold through open e-auction, while around 200,000 tonnes would be sold to state
governments at the rate of 10,000 tonnes per state for distribution in their own welfare schemes.
 The remaining 300,000 tonnes would be allocated to agencies such as National Agricultural
Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed), National Cooperative Consumer Federation
(NCCF), and others for conversion into atta (wheat flour), which can then be sold at a fixed price of Rs
29.50 per kg.
Learn Along:
National Cooperative Consumer Federation Headquarters: New Delhi Chairman: Vishal Singh
NAFED is an apex organization of marketing cooperatives for agricultural produce in India.It is under Ministry of
Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
Food ministry issues guidelines for open market sale of rice by FCI
 The food ministry has issued guidelines for initiating open market sale scheme (OMSS) of rice to
states, private traders and entities engaged in ethanol production following the government’s decision
to sell 3 million tonnes (MT) of wheat in the open market from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) stock
commencing February 1,2023.
 The food ministry has fixed the price of rice to be allowed to be purchased by states, including fortified
rice for distribution in their own schemes, at the rate of 3400/quintal.
 The ministry has set the reserve price of rice to be supplied for ethanol production under biofuel policy
at 2000/quintal, while a price of 2400/quintal for private purchase through e-auction has been fixed.
 Private entities, with the exception of those engaged in ethanol production, would not be allowed
purchase of rice in grain surplus states including Punjab, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra
Pradesh and Telangana during paddy procurement period.
 The OMSS sale of rice would be allowed in deficit procuring states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and
West Bengal.
HZL enters into fertiliser production, to set up 0.5 MT plant in Rajasthan

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 Hindustan Zinc (HZL), a subsidiary of Vedanta, is setting up a 0.5 million tonne (MT) per annum fertiliser
manufacturing plant at Chanderiya in Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan,.
 The plant, to be commissioned in the next two years, will mainly produce phosphatic fertilisers: di-
ammonium phosphate (DAP) and NPK nutrients. HZL will be investing around Rs 2,500 crore to set
up the fertiliser plant, which includes a roaster plant.
 The unit will supply soil nutrients to farmers in and around Rajasthan.
Learn Along:
Hindustan Zinc Ltd Headquarters: Udaipur CEO: Arun Misra
Free seeds distributed under 'Mukhyamantri Krishak Sathi Yojana' helping women farmers
 Free seeds to women are been given under the Rajasthan Government’s Mukhyamantri Krishak
Sathi Yojana.
 Mini-kits containing seeds of moong, moth, urad, mustard, jowar, bajra etc have been distributed free
under the Krishak Sathi Yojana.
 This would ensure women’s participation in agriculture and their contribution would expand the
state’s economy.
 The agriculture department under this scheme in the past four years in the Rabi and Kharif seasons had
distributed mini-kits of free seeds to more than 5.430 million women farmers in the state, including
over 2.606 million in 2022-23.
Learn Along:
About Rajasthan
Capital: Jaipur Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot Governor: Kalraj Mishra
Rajasthan govt's scheme to provide agricultural equipment at low rentals
 The Rajasthan government scheme to provide farmers agricultural equipment on a cheaper rental
is becoming popular and 748 custom-hiring centres have been set up in the state.
 The state government, to benefit such farmers, has set up custom-hiring centres through Kray Vikray
Sahakari Samitis (KVSS), Gram Seva Sahakari Samitis (GSSS), and Farmer Producer Organisations
(FPOs)
 The cooperative department is given financial assistance of up to Rs 8 lakh to purchase subsidised
farm equipment from custom-hiring centres.
 These centres purchase tractors, threshers, reapers, seed-cum-fertiliser drills, etc. The farmers,
including small and marginal, take farm equipment from these centres.
Learn Along:
About Rajasthan
Capital: Jaipur Governor: Kalraj Mishra Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot
Govt’s paddy procurement rises 10 pc to 541.90 lakh tonne so far
 The government’s paddy procurement rose by 9.58 percent to 541.90 lakh tonne so far in the ongoing
2022-23 kharif marketing season. Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Telangana were the top
contributors to the central pool.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 The government aims to procure 775.72 lakh tonne of paddy in the 2022-23 kharif marketing season
(October-September).
Govt approves ₹28.11 cr Loan for Andhra Tobacco Farmers
 The government has approved Rs 28.11 crore to extend the interest-free loan to tobacco farmers of
Andhra Pradesh.
 This measure will help the FCV (Flue Cured Virginia) tobacco farmers overcome the damage caused
by Mandous Cyclonic rains.
UBI sanctions 150 agri drone loans for Garuda Kisan Drones under Agriculture Infrastructure Fund
 Drone startup Garuda Aerospace has partnered with the Union Bank of India. Under this partnership,
150 Garuda Kisan Drones have received sanction for drone loans under the Agriculture Infrastructure
Fund (AIF).
 The drone loans will help farmers to digitise land record operations for crop production, and spraying
of fertilisers, chemicals, growth promotors and pesticides with the help of drones. The partnership will
be useful for lead generation, customer acquisition, sourcing of applications, and due diligence of
customers for credit deployment.
 The partnership with Garuda Aerospace will help provide farmer-centric products in the field of
agriculture. The Agri Infrastructure Fund scheme will finance 150 drone applications that will benefit
the farmer community and create 150 skilled pilots who will engage to become entrepreneurs and
improve farmers’ income.
Learn Along:
Union Bank of India Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: A. Manimekhalai
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)- The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund launched in 2020 is a medium - long term
debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management infrastructure and community
farming assets through interest subvention and credit guarantee.
More than 5000 Lakh Metric Tons (LMT) of sugarcane produced in Sugar Season 2021-22
 According to the data provided by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution,during
the sugar season of 2021-22, record more than 5000 Lakh Metric Tons (LMT) sugarcane was produced
in the country out of which about 3574 LMT of sugarcane was crushed by sugar mills to produce about
394 Lakh MT of sugar (Sucrose) out of which 36 lakh MT sugar was diverted to ethanol production and
359 LMT sugar was produced by sugar mills.
 India has emerged as the world’s largest producer and consumer of sugar as well as the world’s 2nd
largest exporter of sugar after Brazil, in Sugar Season (Oct-Sep) 2021-22.
 During 2021-22, revenue of more than ₹ 20,000 crore has been made by sugar mills/distilleries from
sale of ethanol which has also played its role in early clearance of cane dues of farmers.
Learn Along:
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Union Minister: Piyush Goyal
Malaysia becomes the new destination for India’s egg exports

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 Malaysia has emerged as the new market for India’s eggs exports with a shipment of 5 million eggs
from Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, considered the country’s hub.
 India is likely to ship another 10 million eggs each in January and February, 2023 to the Malaysia.
Learn Along:
About Malaysia
Capital: Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Prime minister: Anwar Ibrahim Currency: Malaysian Ringgit
Fertiliser companies sign MoUs with Morocco’s OCP group for 1.7 MT import of soil nutrients
 To ensure stability in the supplies of soil nutrients four fertiliser firms – state-run National Fertilisers
Limited and Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers Ltd and Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd
and Paradeep Phosphates Ltd from the private sector– have signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with Morocco’s OCP Group for annual imports of 1.75 million tonne (MT) of phosphorus (P) and
potassium (K) fertilisers.
 This will benefit the farming community in India and contribute towards ensuring food security.
Learn Along:
OCP Group Headquarters: Casablanca, Morocco Chairman: Mostafa Terrab
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund crosses Rs.30,000 crore mark of capital mobilization for projects in
the agriculture sector
 Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) within two-and-a-half years of its implementation has mobilized
more than Rs.30,000 crore for projects in the agriculture infrastructure sector with a sanctioned amount
of Rs.15,000 crore under AIF.
 With the support of 3% interest subvention, credit guarantee support through CGTMSE for loan of
upto Rs.2 crore and facility of convergence with other Central and State Govt. Scheme, AIF is providing
all around financial support to the farmers, agri-entrepreneurs, farmer groups like Farmer Producer
Organisations (FPOs), Self Help Groups (SHGs), Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) etc. and many others to
create post-harvest management infrastructure and build community farming asset throughout the
country.
Learn Along:
The Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) was launched by the
Government of India to make available collateral-free credit to the micro and small enterprise sector. Both the
existing and the new enterprises are eligible to be covered under the scheme.
Centre to sell 3 million tonnes of wheat in open market to lower down the prices
 The Central government has decided to sell 3 million tonnes (mt) of wheat through a special Open
Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) to cool record-high prices of the commodity.
 Under this scheme, wheat would be offered to the flour millers and bulk buyers through e-auction for a
maximum quantity of 3,000 tonnes per buyer, per auction.
Learn Along:
Open Market Sale Scheme refers to the government's/ government agencies' occasional sale of foodgrains on the
open market at set prices to improve supply, notably during the lean season, and to reduce overall open market prices,
particularly in deficit regions. On orders from the government, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) occasionally sells

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
wheat and rice on the open market. As a result, the supply of wheat and rice is increased, particularly during the lean
season, and the open market prices are moderated, particularly in the deficit regions.
Centre targets one MT of coarse cereals procurement in current season for PDS distribution
 The centre will procure one million tonne (MT) of nutri-cereals across nine states from farmers in the
current kharif season (October-September) to incentivise the farming and distribution of coarse grains –
jowar, bajra and ragi under the public distribution system.
 The government is aiming at increasing procurement of coarse grains under Minimum Support Price
(MSP) operations to 4 – 5 MT in the next couple of years.
 States which would be procuring coarse grains include Haryana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra,
Madhya Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.
Learn Along:
The minimum support price (MSP) is an agricultural product price, set by the Government of India to purchase directly
from the farmer. This is not enforceable by law. By definition, this rate is to safeguard the farmer to a minimum profit for
the harvest, if the open market has lesser price than the cost incurred.
The Public Distribution System (PDS) is an Indian food security system which evolved as a system for distribution of
food grains at affordable prices and management of emergency situations. It distributes subsidized food and non-food
items to India’s poor. This scheme was launched in June 1947. Over the years, PDS has become an important part of
Government’s policy for management of food economy in the country. PDS is supplemental in nature and is not intended
to make available the entire requirement of any of the commodities distributed under it to a household or a section of
the society.PDS has helped bring about the socio-economic justice by helping alleviate hunger, malnutrition, anaemia
among poorest of the poor, BPL citizens, women and children. The use of ICT to reduce the touch-points will further
increase the efficiency of PDS.
NATIONAL
India's first underwater metro expected to ready by Dec 2023
 India's first underwater metro service, the East-West Metro Corridor project will be completed by
December 2023.
 Kolkata Metro started its journey in 1984, is being expanded to cover the whole city and its outskirts.
 The East-West corridor of the Kolkata Metro is 15 Km-long and spans from Salt Lake Stadium to
Howrah.
 The project will connect the busy Howrah and Sealdah railway stations as well as the north-south line of
the Kolkata Metro at Esplanade.
Learn Along:
Abour West Bengal
Capital: Kolkata Chief minister: Mamata Banerjee Governor: Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose
India took over leadership of the Asian Pacific Postal Union
 India took over the leadership of the Asian Pacific Postal Union (APPU) having its Headquarters in
Bangkok, Thailand from this month.
 Dr. Vinaya Prakash Singh took over the charge of Secretary General of the Union for a tenure of 4
years.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Learn Along:
About APPU
 Asian Pacific Postal Union (APPU) is an intergovernmental organization of 32-member countries of the Asian-
Pacific region.
 APPU is the only Restricted Union of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in the region, which is a specialized
agency of the United Nations.
 The goal of APPU is to extend, facilitate and improve postal relations between member countries and to
promote cooperation in the field of postal services.
Telangana joins free rice scheme under NFSA
 The Telangana government has decided to join the free rice scheme of the Centre under the National
Food Security Act (NFSA).
 The Central scheme envisaged supply of five kg of rice per head per month in a family to 54.44 lakh
NFSA cardholders in the State. But, the State government will extend the scheme to an additional
35.52 lakh cardholders at its own cost.
 The two types of cardholders had been getting the benefit of free rice under the Pradhan Mantri Garib
Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) under the Public Distribution System (PDS) till December 31.
 The Centre used to supply the rice at a subsidised price of ₹3 per kg but the Telangana government
added its own subsidy of ₹2 a kg and took up PDS at ₹1 a kg.
 With rice becoming totally free under the Central scheme from January 1, the Telangana government will
bear the extra one rupee also and supply free rice to all the 89.96 lakh cardholders from January 5.
Learn Along:
About NFSA
 The National Food Security Act 2013, also known as Right to Food Act, is an Indian Act of Parliament which
aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two thirds of the country's 1.2 billion people. It was signed
into law on 12 September 2013, retroactive to 5 July 2013.
About Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)

 PMGKAY is a part of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) to help the poor fight the battle against
Covid-19.
 The scheme aimed at providing each person who is covered under the National Food Security Act 2013 with an
additional 5 kg grains (wheat or rice) for free, in addition to the 5 kg of subsidised foodgrain already provided through
the Public Distribution System (PDS).
 It was initially announced for a three-month period (April, May and June 2020), covering 80 crore ration cardholders.
Later it was extended till September 2022.
 Its nodal Ministry is the Ministry of Finance.
 The benefit of the free ration can be availed through portability by any migrant labour or beneficiary under the One
Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) plan from nearly 5 lakh ration shops across the country.
US approved world’s first vaccine for declining honey bees
 The US has approved use of the world's first vaccine for honey bees.
 It was engineered to prevent fatalities from American foulbrood disease, a bacterial condition known
to weaken colonies by attacking bee larvae.
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About US

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Capital: Washington, D.C. President: Joe Biden
U.S. fund to help restore Paigah Tombs in Hyderabad
 The necropolis of noblemen dating from the Asaf Jahi era known as Paigah Tombs Complex in Santosh
Nagar is set to be restored with funding by the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation.
 The $250,000 grant will fund the restoration process.
 This is one of the most significant architectural sites in Hyderabad.
 It has incredible lattice screens, minarets, and detailing.
India, Britain signed and exchanged letters for Young Professionals Scheme
 The governments of India and the U.K. marked Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on January 9 by starting the
Young Professionals Scheme, which will permit up to 3,000 of their degree-holding citizens aged
between 18 and 30 to live and work in each other’s countries for a period of two years.
 Young Indians and Britons would be able to travel to each other’s countries either for work or study, or
visit, for two years. The scheme allows for exchange visas for up to 3,000 individuals per year.
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 The launch of the scheme, which was conceived as part of an India-U.K. Migration and Mobility MoU signed in
May 2021, was announced in November at the G20 summit in Bali.
About UK
Capital: London Prime minister: Rishi Sunak
PM Modi announced ‘Aarogya Maitri’ project
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a new ‘Aarogya Maitri’ project under which India will
provide essential medical supplies to any developing country affected by natural disasters or
humanitarian crisis.
 India will launch the Global South Science and Technology Initiative to share its expertise in areas
such as space technology and nuclear energy, and establish the Global South Center of Excellence
for research on development solutions that can be scaled up and implemented around the world.
PM Modi virtually flagged off Vande Bharat Express between Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the eighth Vande Bharat train connecting Secunderabad to
Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh at Secunderabad station.
 It will provide faster connectivity for the people of Secunderabad, Warangal, Vijayawada and
Visakhapatnam.
Learn Along:
About Vande Bharat Train
 The Vande Bharat Express, also known as the Train 18, is a semi-high-speed, electric multiple unit train operated
by Indian Railways.
 It was designed and manufactured by the government owned Integral Coach Factory, Chennai.
S.NO Vande Bharat Inauguarated on

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January 2023
1 Varanasi – New Delhi February 18, 2019
2 New Delhi – KATRA October 3, 2019
3 Mumbai - Gandhinagar September 30, 2022
4 New Delhi – Ambala October 13, 2022
5 Chennai – Mysuru November 10, 2022
6 Bilaspur – Nagpur December 11, 2022
7 Howrah-New Jalpaiguri December 30
8 Secunderabad – Visakhapatnam January 15,2023
Padho Pardesh Scheme discontinued for minority students
 The Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) has discontinued the Padho Pardesh scheme for overseas
studies for students belonging to minority communities.
 Students belonging to minority communities will now onwards not get interest subsidies on
education loans to study abroad.
 The initiative comes after MoMA scrapped the Maulana Azad National Fellowship, a grant for
students from minority communities,due to its overlapping with other programmes.
Learn Along:
About Padho Pardesh scheme
 The Padho Pardesh scheme, also called Padho Pardesh Interest Subsidy scheme, was students who belong
to minority communities, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis, and want to
pursue higher studies such as a master’s degree, MPhil and PhD abroad.
 Under the scheme, they are eligible to obtain interest subsidies on their entire loan amounts for a specified
time period- course period, plus one year or six months after getting job, whichever is earlier.
About Ministry of Minority Affairs

 The Ministry of Minority Affairs, abbreviated as MoMA, is the ministry in the Government of India which was
carved out of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and created on January 29, 2006.
 Officeholder: Smriti Irani (Union Minister)
India extended USD 40 million for bolstering sports infrastructure in Maldives
 India has extended a concessional USD 40 million Line of Credit for developing sporting
infrastructure in the Maldives.
 Sports infrastructure across islands will be developed through the dedicated concessional USD 40
million Line of Credit.
 External Affairs Minister S.Jaishankar inaugurated the community centre with his Maldivian
counterpart Abdulla Shahid in Shaviyani Foakaidhoo that is part of 45 high-impact projects that India
is partnering with the Maldives government, of which 23 have been completed.
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About Maldives

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Capital: Malé Currency: Maldivian rufiyaa President: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi named 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman & Nicobar Islands
after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees
Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Egypt’s President was the Chief Guest at India's 74th Republic Day
 Egypt's President, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, arrived in New Delhi on January 24, 2023, on a three-day visit.
 On India's 74th Republic Day, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was the Chief Guest.
 The President of Egypt has been invited as the Chief Guest on Republic Day for the first time.
 The Egyptian Army also sent a contingent to the Republic Day parade.
Learn Along:
About Egypt
Capital: Cairo President: Abdel Fattah El-Sisi

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
India To Get More than 100 Cheetahs From South Africa
 South Africa had reached a deal to transfer more than 100 cheetahs to India as part of an ambitious
project to reintroduce the spotted cats in the south Asian country.
 An initial batch of 12 cheetahs would be flown to India in February 2023, after eight cheetahs arrived
from Namibia last September.
 The plan is to translocate a further 12 annually for the next eight to 10 years" to help establish a
"viable and secure cheetah population.
Learn Along:
 India was once home to the Asiatic cheetah but the animal was declared extinct there by 1952, primarily
because of habitat loss and deaths at the hands of hunters seeking their distinctive spotted hides.
 The Namibian specimens were released at Kuno National Park, a wildlife sanctuary 320 kilometres (200 miles)
south of New Delhi, selected for its abundant prey and grassland.
About South Africa

Capitals: Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein
President inaugurated Udyan Utsav 2023
 President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated Udyan Utsav 2023 with the opening of the Rashtrapati
Bhavan gardens, as well as the newly renamed 'Amrit Udyan', for the public.
 Built between 1928-1929, the iconic Mughal Gardens at the Rashtrapati Bhavan was rechristened as
Amrit Udyan.
 The glorious gardens are accessible to the common public once a year. The gardens can be visited
from January 31 to March 26 this year.
INTERNATIONAL
Croatia adopted euro, enters borderless Europe club
 Croatia has switched to the euro currency from its kuna currency and became the 20th member of the
eurozone.
 It is also now the 27th nation in the passport-free Schengen zone.
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About Croatia
Capital: Zagreb President: Zoran Milanović
Sweden took over Presidency of Council of European Union for first six months of 2023
 Sweden assumed the Presidency of the European Union Council for the first six months of the year
on January 1, 2023, succeeding the Czech Republic, which led the Council in the second half of 2022.
 Sweden is taking up the Presidency of the Council for the third time.
 The EU Council Presidency is rotated every six months among EU Member States.
Learn Along:
About European Union

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
The European Union is a supranational continental political and economic union of 27 member states that are
located primarily in Europe.
Founded: 1 November 1993
UN declared Pakistan based Abdul Rehman Makki a global terrorist
 The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has listed Pakistan-based terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki
as a global terrorist.
 China’s objection had placed the proposal on hold as all decisions by the 1267 committee are taken
entirely by consensus but later China lifted its objection.
 Makki, who has been involved in raising funds, recruiting, and radicalizing the youth to plan attacks
in India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir, has already been listed as a terrorist by India and the
United States. Makki has been in various leadership roles within the terrorist organisation.
Learn Along:
About UN
Founded: 24 October 1945 Headquarters: New York, United States Secretary general: António Guterr
U.S. designated Wagner group an international ‘criminal organisation’
 The U.S. designated Russia’s Wagner group as a “transnational criminal organisation,” piling
pressure on the private Russian army fighting in Ukraine.
 Wagner ,controlled by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a businessman close to President Vladimir Putin, has
about 50,000 fighters in Ukraine, 80% of them drawn from prisons.
 The designation will allow the wider application of sanctions on the group’s sprawling global
network, which includes mercenary operations as well as businesses in Africa and elsewhere.
Learn Along:
About US
Capital: Washington, D.C. President: Joe Biden
India announced donation of 12,500 doses of pentavalent vaccines to Cuba
 India announced the donation of 12,500 doses of pentavalent vaccines to Cuba.

 The pentavalent vaccine provides protection to a child from five life-threatening diseases: – Diphtheria,
Pertussis, Tetanus, Hepatitis B and Hib.
Learn Along:
About Cuba
Capital: Havana Currency: Cuban Peso President: Miguel Díaz-Canel
Brazil declared medical emergency in Yanomami territory
 In Brazil, the government has declared a medical emergency in the Yanomami territory following
reports of children dying of malnutrition and other diseases caused by illegal gold mining.
 The aim of the declaration was to restore health services to the Yanomami people that had been
dismantled by the previous government.
Learn Along:
About Brazil

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Capital: Brasília President: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Currency: The Brazilian real
New Presidents/PMs/Other Officials:
Country Name Designation

Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da President
Silva
China Qin Gang Foreign minister
Gabon Rose Christiane Prime Minister

Ossouka Raponda
New Zealand Chris Hipkins Prime Minister
Czech Republic Petr Pavel President
STATES
India's Second Largest Cable Stayed Bridge Opens On Zuari River In Goa
 Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the first phase of the New
Zuari Bridge across River Zuari connecting Bambolim in North Goa to Verna junction in South Goa.
 Located on NH-17/NH-66 on Panjim-Mangalore section in the state of Goa, the bridge will reduce the
travel time between North and South Goa by minimizing the traffic blockades between the Bambolim-
Agasaim-Cortalim-Sancoale to Verna Junction.
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About Goa
Founded: 30 May 1987 Capital: Panaji Chief minister: Pramod Sawant
Goa's Mopa airport, named after Manohar Parrikar
 The Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval for naming of Greenfield International Airport
at Goa's Mopa as Manohar International Airport, after former defence minister and Goa chief minister
Manohar Parrikar.
 The airport has been named after late Manohar Parrikar in recognition of his contribution in building
up modern Goa.
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About Goa's Mopa airport
 The airport at Mopa, Goa was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December, 2022.
Election Commission's 'Mission-929' in Tripura
 The EC has launched 'Mission-929' focusing on 929 polling booths across Tripura, setting a target
of 92 per cent voter turnout in the assembly elections due early this year.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 Apart from an awareness campaign, poll officials will visit senior citizens and persons with disability,
and appeal them to cast their votes.
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About Election Commission
Chief Election Commissioner: Rajiv Kumar
About Tripura
Capital: Agartala Chief minister: Manik Saha Governor:Shri Satyadeo Narain Arya
Election Commission appointed Maithili Thakur as Bihar's state icon
 Folk singer Maithili Thakur appointed the state icon for Bihar by the Election Commission.
 Mathili Thakur was recently selected for the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar of the Sangeet
Natak Akademi for her contribution to the folk music of Bihar for 2021.
 The singer will create awareness among the voters for their participation in the electoral process.
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About Bihar
Capital: Patna Chief minister: Nitish Kumar Governor: Phagu Chauhan
MLA Kuldeep Singh Pathania to be the next Speaker of Himachal Assembly
 Senior Congress leader and five-time MLA from Bhatiyyat Kuldeep Singh Pathania has become the
next Speaker of the Himachal Assembly.
 He was elected to the Assembly in 1985, 1993, 2003, 2007 and 2022.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched high-speed 5G telecom services in Odisha
 Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Communications, Information Technology, and Railways, has
launched high-speed fifth-generation (5G) communication services in Odisha.
 By August 2024, the whole state of Odisha will be covered by telecom towers, with fibre reaching every
hamlet.
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About Odisha
Capital: Bhubaneswar Chief minister: Naveen Patnaik Governor: Ganeshi Lal
Talcher fertilizer plant to be functional by Oct 2024
 Fertilizer projects in Odisha’s Talcher will be operational by October 2024 and will be India’s largest
and first coal gasification plant.
 Talcher Fertilizers Ltd has been mandated by the government to revive the erstwhile Talcher plant of
FCIL by setting up a new coal gasification-based urea plant with an installed capacity of 12.7 lakh tonne
per annum (LMTPA).
Ghaziabad-Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhya section became India’s longest rail track with automatic
signaling system

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 Indian Railways‘ Ghaziabad-Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay section has become the nation’s longest
fully Automatic Block Signalling (ABS) section.
 The 762 km long route has been fully automated.
 With its implementation, the increase in line capacity to run more train services will become
possible.
 The railways has adopted the ‘Electronic Interlocking’ to derive benefits of digital and modern technologies
in train operation and to enhance safety.
Learn Along:
About Automatic Block Signalling
 The Automatic Block Signalling (ABS) helps to control the movement of the trains by the automatic stop signals.
 These signals are operated automatically by the passage of trains into and out of the automatic signalling
sections.
 The system helps to increase the line capacity without construction of any additional stations.
Madhya Pradesh government launched Chief Minister’s Residential Land Rights Scheme
 In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister’s Residential Land Rights Scheme (Mukhyamantri Aavaseya
Bhoomi Adhikaar Yojana) was launched from Bakpura Panchayat of Tikamgarh district.
 Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will distribute free leases of residential land to selected
beneficiaries.
 Each beneficiary family will be given a land plot of about 600 square feet for the construction of
houses under various schemes including Pradhanmantri Awas Yojna.
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About Madhya Pradesh
Capital: Bhopal Chief minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan Governor: Mangubhai C. Patel
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated National Genome Editing & Training Centre in Punjab
 Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister, launched the "National Genome Editing & Training Centre" at the
National Agri-food Biotechnology Institute (NABI) in Mohali, Punjab.
 The "National Genome Editing & Training Centre" (NGETC) is a one-of-a-kind institution that will serve
as a national platform to adapt multiple genome editing technologies, including CRISPR-Cas9-driven
genome alteration.
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About Punjab
Capital: Chandigarh Chief minister: Bhagwant Mann Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
Imoinu Eratpa Festival Celebrated in Manipur
 The Imoinu Day festival is a significant event in the culture of Manipur, marked by traditional rituals
and ceremonies.
 It takes place annually on the 12th day of the Meitei Lunar Month of Wakching and is celebrated by
the people of the valley.
Learn Along:
About Imoinu Reatpa Festival

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 The Imoinu Eratpa festival is dedicated to the goddess Imoinu or Emoinu, who is revered in Meitei mythology as a
guardian of household, hearth, kitchen, wealth, peace, and prosperity.
 She is also believed to be an incarnation of the goddess Leimarel Sidabi. The celebration of this festival is believed
to bring worshippers wealth, prosperity, and positive energy.
 During the festival, offerings of rice, vegetables, and fruits are made to the goddess, and the Meitei community also
presents rice, vegetables, and fish (known as Aallago Attu) as part of the traditional rituals.
 The Imoinu Eratpa festival is an important cultural event for the Meitei people and is celebrated with great reverence
and devotion.
About Manipur
Capital: Imphal Chief minister: N. Biren Singh Governor: La. Ganesan
Kerala has become first fully digital banking state in India
 Kerala has become the first state in the country to go totally digital in its banking services.
 The distinction will benefit the state's economy.
Learn Along:
About Kerala
Capital: Thiruvananthapuram Chief minister: Pinarayi Vijayan Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan
PM inaugurated 26th National Youth Festival in Hubbali, Karnataka on 12th January
 Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 26th National Youth Festival in Hubbali,
Karnataka on 12th January 2023.
 The programme was held on National Youth Day, which is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Swami
Vivekanand, to honour and cherish his ideals, teachings and contributions.
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 The National Youth Festival is held every year to provide exposure to our talented youth at the national level,
along with galvanising them towards nation building.
 This year, the Festival is being held in Hubballi-Dharwad in Karnataka from 12th to 16th January, with the theme
being “Viksit Yuva - Viksit Bharat”.
About Karnataka
Capital : Bengaluru Chief Minister:Basavaraj Bommai Governor: Thawarchand Gehlot
Amit Shah inaugurated 120-feet-tall polo statue in Manipur
 Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled a 120-feet-tall statue of a polo player riding a pony at Marjing
Polo Complex in Manipur's Imphal East district.
 Manipur is considered the birthplace of the game.
Learn Along:
About Manipur
Capital: Imphal Chief minister: N. Biren Singh Governor: La. Ganesan
PM flagged off World’s Longest River Cruise-MV Ganga Vilas and inaugurate Tent City at Varanasi
on 13th January

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi flagged off World’s Longest River Cruise-MV Ganga Vilas and
will inaugurate Tent City at Varanasi on 13th January.
 He will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for several other inland waterways projects worth
more than Rs. 1000 crores during the event.
Learn Along:
MV-Ganga Vilas Tent City

 Ganga Vilas will begin its journey from Varanasi  Tent City has been conceptualised on the banks
in Uttar Pradesh and travel around 3,200 km in of River Ganga to tap the potential of tourism in the
51 days to reach Dibrugarh in Assam via region.
Bangladesh, sailing across 27 river systems in  The project has been developed opposite to city
India and Bangladesh. ghats which will provide accommodation
facilities and cater to the increased tourists
influx in Varanasi, especially since the
inauguration of Kashi Vishwanath Dham.
 It has been developed by Varanasi Development
Authority in PPP mode.
Uttarakhand Governor approved Bill granting 30% women's reservation in govt jobs
 Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (retd) has given his consent to a Bill providing 30 per
cent horizontal reservation to domiciled women of the state in government jobs.
 Uttarakhand Public Services (Horizontal Reservation for Women) Bill, 2022 was passed by the state
assembly on November 29 last year.
 The Bill seeks to provide 30 per cent reservation to them in government jobs in order to ensure
social justice, equality of opportunity, improvement in living standards and gender equality in public
planning.
Learn Along:
About Uttarakhand
Capitals: Dehradun (Winter), Gairsain (Summer) Chief minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami
Governor: Gurmit Singh
Kerala’s Kollam to be considered as first Constitution Literate District of India
 Kerala’s Kollam district has been declared the first constitution-literate district of India.
 As part of the initiative, about 16.3 lakh persons over the age of ten in the area have been taught
various elements of the Constitution.
Learn Along:
About Kerala
Telangana CM to launch ‘Kanti Velugu’ second phase in Khammam
 Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar will launch the second phase of Kanti Velugu initiative,
Eye Screening programme in Khammam district this morning.
 The Programme is considered to be the world’s largest eye screening programme.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 Under the Kanti Velugu, free eye screening will be held at the special health camps for 100 days
with 1500 medical teams. The first phase of Kanti Velugu was conducted for eight months by 827 health
teams.
 The health camps will commence on January 19 in the rest of the state.
Learn Along:
About Telangana
Founded: 2 June 2014 Chief minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan
J&K to host its maiden SARAS Fair 2023 from February 4 to 14
 The Government of Jammu and Kashmir is going to host its maiden SARAS Fair 2023 from February
4 to 14 wherein artisans and women self help groups from across the country will showcase their crafts,
handcrafts, handloom and foods.
 The fair would be organised at Bagh-e-Bahu, Jammu & will be the first of it’s kind in the UT.
 The fair is expected to witness the participation of women Self Help Groups from around 15 States
and UTs across the country to sell their self made products.
 The eleven-day exhibition is going to witness several cultural events, aids and plays on several
government schemes and campaigns.
Learn Along:
About J&K
Union territory :31 October 2019 Capital:Srinagar (Summer);Jammu (Winter) LG:Manoj Sinha
Nagaland: 3rd edition of annual Orange festival 2023 underway in Kohima
 In Nagaland, the third edition of the annual Orange festival 2023 got underway at Rusoma village,under
Kohima district.
 The two day festival is being organised in collaboration with the department of Horticulture,
Agriculture, Rural Development, Land Resources and Kohima Smart City.
 The Orange festival in Rusoma Village of Kohima district is conceptualised to recognise and celebrate
the hard work of the orange growers while facilitating them the market linkages to sell their produce at
one hub.
Learn Along:
About Nagaland
Capital: Kohima Chief minister: Neiphiu Rio Governor: Prof Jagdish Mukhi
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced monthly allowance for unemployed youth
 Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced that unemployed youth would be given a
monthly allowance in the State from the next financial year.
Learn Along:
About Chhattisgarh
Capital: Raipur Chief minister: Bhupesh Baghel Governor: Anusuiya Uikey
Khelo India Youth Games begun in Madhya Pradesh
 The Khelo India Youth Games Occurred in Madhya Pradesh on 30 January 2023, with many Target
Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Development athletes competing.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 For the first time a dedicated App has been launched for the Khelo India Youth Games by Ministry
of Youth Affairs and Sports.
 Through this App, the participating athletes, coaches, support staff, and officials from all states
participating in the Games can get all information about the Games.
Learn Along:
About Khelo India Games
 Khelo India, which translates to ‘Let’s play India’, was proposed by the government of India in 2017 to revive
India’s sporting culture by engaging with children at the grassroots level.
 The initiative also focused on building better sporting infrastructure and academies across the country for
various sports.
 Under this movement, the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) and the
Khelo India Winter Games were set up as annual national sports competitions where youngsters, representing
their states and universities, respectively, showcased their skills and competed for medals.
REPORTS AND INDEXES

Nearly 17% of ECLGS loans have turned into NPAs: RBI report
 According to Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Financial Stability Report, one-sixth (one in every six
loans) or 16.9 per cent of total loan accounts, which raised credit under the Emergency Credit Line
Guarantee Scheme as of September 2022, Rs 2.82 lakh crore were disbursed by banks and other
lenders in around 1.04 crore loan accounts of MSMEs and other businesses under ECLGS.
 This indicated that roughly 17.72 lakh accounts (one-sixth of around 1.04 crore accounts) slipped into
the NPA category as of September 2022 (ECLGS), and have turned non-performing assets (NPAs)
as of September 2022.
 On the other hand, in terms of the amount, 4.5 per cent of the credit raised turned non-performing
as of September 2022 with a 43 per cent share of micro units, 25 per cent of small units, 10 per
cent of medium enterprises, and 22 per cent of other business enterprises that secured credit
under ECLGS.
Learn Along:
ECLGS was rolled out in May 2020 as part of the Centre’s Aatmanirbhar package in response to the Covid-19 crisis.
The objective was to support small businesses struggling to meet their operational liabilities due to the imposition of
a nationwide lockdown.
A non-performing asset (NPA) is a loan or advance for which the principal or interest payment remained overdue
for a period of 90 days. Banks are required to classify NPAs further into Substandard, Doubtful and Loss assets.
States' finances are improving; gross fiscal deficit set to fall in 2022-23-RBI
 According to the Reserve Bank of India, the fiscal health of the states is improving, with the
consolidated gross fiscal deficit to gross domestic product ratio seen falling to 3.4% from 4.1% for
the previous year.
 States’ gross fiscal deficit is budgeted to decline from 4.1% of the gross domestic product in 2020-21
to 3.4% in 2022-23.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 The central bank adds that debt consolidation remains a priority, with states' debt budgeted to ease to
29.5% of the GDP in 2022-23, as compared to 31.1% in 2020-21.
Learn Along:
A fiscal deficit is a shortfall in a government's income compared with its spending. A fiscal deficit is calculated as
a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), or simply as total money spent in excess of income. In either case,
the income figure includes only taxes and other revenues and excludes money borrowed to make up the shortfall.
NRIs' deposits touch $134 billion in November 2022: RBI bulletin
 According to the RBI bulletin, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) declined down the figures for non-
resident Indians (NRIs) at the end of October 2022 by $1.88 billion to $132.66 billion.
 However, there was a rise in outstanding NRI deposits at the end of November 2022, which stood
at $134.49 billion, from the revised figures for October 2022.
 Also, the flow of money into NRI deposits rose substantially to $3.64 billion from April-November 2022.
RBI Financial Stability Report: Gross NPAs of Indian banks fall to seven-year low of 5 percent in
September
 According to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) 26th issue of financial stability report (FSR), the gross
non-performing asset (GNPA) ratio of scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) fell to a seven-year low
of 5.0 per cent and net non-performing assets (NNPA) have dropped to ten-year low of 1.3 per cent
in September 2022.
 Macro stress tests for credit risk reveal that SCBs would be able to comply with the minimum capital
requirements even under severe stress scenarios. The system-level capital to risk-weighted assets
ratio (CRAR) in September 2023, under baseline, medium, and severe stress scenarios, is projected
at 14.9 percent, 14.0 percent and 13.1 percent, respectively.
 The profit after tax of scheduled commercial banks has also witnessed a growth of 40.7% in the first
half (H1) of FY 2022-23 due to strong growth in net interest income and a reduction in provisions.
 Stress tests for open-ended debt mutual funds showed no breach in limits pertaining to interest rate,
credit and liquidity risks. The consolidated solvency ratio of both life and non-life insurance
companies also remained above the prescribed minimum level.
Learn Along:
Capital to Risk (Weighted) Assets Ratio (CRAR) is also known as Capital adequacy Ratio, the ratio of a bank's
capital to its risk. The RBI tracks a bank's CAR to ensure that the bank can absorb a reasonable amount of loss and
complies with statutory Capital requirements.
Profit After Tax refers to the amount that remains after a company has paid off all of its operating and non-operating
expenses, other liabilities and taxes. This profit is what is distributed by the entity to its shareholders as dividends or is
kept as retained earnings in reserves.
India, China likely to drive half of 2023 global growth – IMF
 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has notified that India and China will account for half of the
global economic growth in 2023, as the multilateral agency retained its growth forecast for Asia’s
third-largest economy for 2023-24 (FY24).

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 Growth in India is set to decline from 6.8 percent in 2022 (FY23) to 6.1 percent in 2023 (FY24) before
picking up to 6.8 percent in 2024 (FY25), the global lender said while citing resilient domestic demand
despite external headwinds.
 IMF also raised its global growth forecast for 2023 by 20 basis points to 2.9 percent whereas it is
forecasted to grow at 3.1 percent in 2024.
 On the other hand,the economy in China is projected to grow at 5.2 percent in 2023 and 4.5 percent
in 2024 respectively.
Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB) wins ‘Best Small Bank Award’ - BT-KPMG Best banks survey
 According to the Best Banks Survey for the year 2022’ done by Business Today-KPMG (BT-KPMG
Best banks survey), Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB) has bagged ‘Best Small Bank Award’.
 The bank has won this award under the category of banks with the book size of less than ₹1 lakh
crore. The BT-KPMG is conducting this survey and awarding the best banks with 37 parameters for
declaring a bank as an awardee.
Learn Along:
Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Limited Headquarters: Thoothukudi CEO: Krishnan Sankarasubramaniam
Unemployment rate rises to a 16-month high of 8.30% in Dec 2022: CMIE
 According to the data obtained from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), India's
unemployment rate rose to 8.30% in December, the highest in 16 months, from 8.00% in the previous
month.
 The urban unemployment rate rose to 10.09% in December from 8.96% in the previous month, while
the rural unemployment rate slipped to 7.44% from 7.55%. Labour participation rate also shot up to
40.48% in December.
 In December, the unemployment rate rose to 37.4% in the northern state of Haryana, followed by
28.5% in Rajasthan and 20.8% in Delhi.
Learn Along:
The Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy is an independent private limited entity that serves both as an economic
think-tank as well as a business information company. CMIE research group has built databases on the Indian
economy and private companies.
Industry credit grew 13% in Nov due to robust growth in MSMEs: CareEdge
 According to the information provided by the credit rating company CareEdge, the credit outstanding
of the industry segment registered a growth of 13.1 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in November 2022
from 4.4 per cent in the year-ago period due to robust credit growth in the MSMEs.
 While micro and small industries saw 19.6 per cent growth in credit outstanding to Rs 5.6 lakh crore
as of November 2022, medium industries recorded 29.7 per cent YoY growth with credit amounting
to Rs 2.2 lakh crore.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 In comparison, large industries’ credit reported a YoY growth of 10.5 per cent to Rs 25.1 lakh crore.
Meanwhile, under priority sector loans, the total bank lending to the MSME sector, including credit
MSEs and medium enterprises, in November, stood at Rs 18.26 lakh crore.
Learn Along:
CareEdge Group Headquarters: Mumbai MD & CEO: Mehul Pandya
Powergrid Ranked 1st in Services Sector across categories in PE Survey 2021-22
 The Public Enterprises Survey is a unique data repository to measure the progress and
contribution of the CPSEs to the Indian Economy published by Department of Public
Enterprises(DPE), Ministry of Finance.
 Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), has been ranked 1st in Services Sector
across categories Gross Block, Value Addition, Net Profit, Net Worth, Dividend Declaration and
Contribution to Central Exchequer and has also been ranked 3rd amongst Top 10 Profit Making
CPSEs.
Learn Along:
Power Grid Corporation of India Headquarters:Gurugram CMD: K Sreekant
Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) are those companies in which the direct holding of the Central
Government or other CPSEs is 51% or more.
Top-performing global airports in 2022- Bengaluru, Delhi on the list: CIRIUM
 According to aviation analytics company Cirium, two Indian airports, Bengaluru and Delhi, have
featured in the list of top ten global airports in terms of on-time performance (OTP). Similarly, three
Indian airlines — IndiGo, AirAsia India, and Vistara — have been listed among the top ten airlines in
Asia-Pacific.
 On-time arrival performance (when a passenger flight/aircraft arrives at the gate within 15 minutes of
the scheduled arrival time) was used to rank airlines, and on-time departure performance (when a
passenger flight/aircraft departs the gate within 15 minutes of the scheduled departure time) was used
to rank airports.
Learn Along:
CIRIUM Headquarters: London,UK CEO: Jeremy Bowen
Banks raise Rs 91,500 crore in debt capital in FY23 so far: ICRA Ratings
 According to the data provided by the ICRA Ratings, banks have issued a record quantity of bonds,
with gross issuances hitting an all-time high of Rs 91,500 crore so far this fiscal, and are likely to close
the financial year with around Rs 1.4 lakh crore.
 Gross bond issuances by banks is estimated to reach Rs 1.3-1.4 lakh crore this fiscal as debt sales
have already hit record high of Rs 0.915 lakh crore, surpassing the previous high of Rs 0.8 lakh crore
in FY17.
 Incremental credit expansion stood at Rs 12.7 lakh crore, while deposit accumulation continued
to move at Rs 8.9 lakh crore, till December 2022.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Learn Along:
ICRA Limited (formerly Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India Limited) was set up in 1991 by
leading financial/investment institutions, commercial banks and financial services companies as an independent and
professional investment Information and Credit Rating Agency.
ICRA Headquarters: Gurugram CEO & MD : Ramnath Krishnan
Central govt's borrowings is expected to touch Rs 14.8 trillion in FY24: ICRA
 According to the data provided by rating agency ICRA, higher redemptions will lead to gross market
borrowings of the Centre and states to rise to Rs 14.8 lakh crore and Rs 24.4 lakh crore, respectively,
in FY24 from Rs 14.1 lakh crore and Rs 22.1 lakh crore, respectively, in FY2023.
 The agency also anticipated that the Centre is expected to peg its FY24 fiscal deficit at 5.8 percent
of the GDP, a healthy moderation from 6.4 per cent of GDP projected for FY23.
India stood at 85th rank in Henley Passport Index for 2023
 Henley & Partners, a worldwide citizenship and residence advice organization located in London, has
announced the Henley Passport Index for 2023, which is based on unique data given by the
International Air Transport Association (IATA).
 The Indian passport ranks 85th on the world's most powerful passport index in 2023 and allows
visa-free entrance to 59 countries.
 Previously, in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, the country was rated 82nd, 84th, 85th, and 83rd,
respectively.
Top 10 Ranks:
Ranks Countries
1 Japan
2 Singapore, South Korea
3 Germany,Spain
4 Finland,Italy, Luxembourg
5 Austria,Denmark,Netherland, Sweden
6 France,Ireland,Portugal,United Kingdom
7 Belgium, Czech Republic, New Zealand,
Norway, Switzerland, United States
8 Australia, Canada, Greece, Malta
9 Hungary, Poland
10 Lithuania, Slovakia
Ranks of Neighbouring Countries of India:
Ranks Countries
66 China
100 Sri Lanka
101 Bangladesh

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
103 Nepal
106 Bngladesh
Richest 21 Indian billionaires have more wealth than 700 million Indians – Oxfam report
 According to Oxfam India’s latest report Survival of the Richest: The India story, only five percent
of Indians own more than 60 percent of the country’s wealth while the bottom 50 percent of India’s
population possess only three percent of wealth
 India’s richest man has seen his wealth soar by 46 percent in 2022. The total number of billionaires
in India increased from 102 in 2020 to 166 billionaires in 2022.
 Since 2020, the world’s richest 1% have captured almost two-thirds of all new wealth – six times
more than the 7 billion people that make up the bottom 90% of humanity.
 In India, the report highlights how the Union Government continues to tax the poor and middle class
more than the rich. Approximately 64 percent of Goods and Services Tax (GST), came from bottom
50 percent of the population in 2021-22.
 As per estimates, 33 percent of GST comes from the middle 40 percent and only 3 percent from
the top 10 percent. The bottom 50 percent of the population pays six times more on indirect taxes
as a percentage of income compared to the top 10 percent.
Learn Along:
Oxfam Headquarters: Nairobi Director: Gabriela Bucher
Amazon returns as world's most valued brand, Apple down to No 2: Brand Finance
 According to brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance’s report, Global 500 2023, Amazon has
reclaimed the top spot as the world’s most valuable brand despite its brand value falling 15 per
cent this year from $350.3 billion to $299.3 billion.
 Apple (brand value down 16 per cent to $297.5 billion from $355.1 billion) has, meanwhile, slipped to
second slot to be ranked the world’s second most valuable brand.
 The other tech-focused brands to lose value include Samsung Group, Alibaba.com, Facebook and
WeChat.Meanwhile, Instagram and LinkedIn have grown in the tech sector and Tesla and BYD
grew as electric car maufcaturers.
 From India, Tata Group's brand value ranking went up to 69 from 78 last year.Among Indian IT
services players, Infosys jumped to the 150th slot from 158 last year. Infosys has seen an 84 per
cent increase in its brand value since 2020.
Learn Along:
Brand Finance Headquarters: London CEO: David Haigh
Amazon Headquarters: Washington, United States CEO: Andy Jassy
Jio is India's strongest brand, ranked ninth globally- Brand Finance

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 According to brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance’s report, Reliance Jio is strongest brand
in India and ranked ninth among the world's strongest brands.
 This makes 'Jio' ahead of brands like EY, Coca Cola, Accenture and Porsche, and behind the likes
of Google, YouTube, Deloitte and Instagram.
 With a Brand Strength Index of 90.2, Jio is the only brand among the world's strongest 25 brands.
Learn Along:
Jio Headquarters: Mumbai Founder: Mukesh Ambani
India to become a $26 trillion economy by 2047 – EY Report
 According to the information provided by EY in its report released at the sidelines of the World
Economic Forum at Davos, India@100: Realising the potential of a $26 trillion economy, India is
likely to become a $26-trillion economy in 2047 with per capita GDP growing six times from current
level to over $15,000 during the period.
 India is most likely to overtake Germany and Japan to become the third-largest economy after
China and the US by 2030.
Learn Along:
Ernst & Young Headquarters: London CEO: Carmine Di Sibio
18.86 lakh new workers added under ESI Scheme in the month of November 2022 – ESI data
 According to the provisional payroll data provided by the Employees’ State Insurance Scheme (ESI
Scheme), 18.86 lakh new employees have been added in the month of November, 2022.
 Year-on-year comparison of payroll data reflects an increase of 5.24 lakhs in net membership in
November, 2022 as compared to the corresponding month during the last year in 2021.
 As per data, around 21,953 new establishments have been registered in the month of November,
2022 under the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation ensuring social security cover to their
employees.
 Of the total 18.86 lakh employees added during the month, the age group having higher registration
was of 18-25 years with 8.78 lakh employees. It shows that the youth of the nation are getting good
employment opportunities in the country.
 Gender-wise analysis of payroll data indicates that enrolment of net female members has been 3.51
lakh in November, 2022.
Learn Along:
Employees State Insurance Scheme is operated by Employees State Insurance Corporation which is a health
insurance and social security scheme. The scheme provides coverage of various types of treatments, including a 26-
week maternity cover and three years of unemployment coverage. Apart from this, the policyholders will get sickness
and disablement benefits. To avail the benefits of this scheme, an individual should be an employee of an organization
that has an employee capacity of more than ten employees and should earn at least Rs.21,000.
Uttar Pradesh is India's top gaming destination

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 According to the India Mobile Gaming Report 2022 published by the gaming platform Mobile
Premier League (MPL), Uttar Pradesh (UP) has emerged as the top destination for mobile gamers,
followed by Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar, and West Bengal.
 The most famous games for the players included Ludo Dice, Snakes and Ladders, Carrom, Fruit
Dart, Block Puzzle and Poker, among the top played games.
Learn Along:
 India became the world’s largest consumer of mobile games last year.
 With over 15 billion downloads, the gaming market in India had a value of $2.6 billion in the fiscal year
2022, and with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27%, it would expand to $8.6 billion by 2027.
Shah Rukh Khan ranked 4th on world’s richest actors’ list
 As per a recent list released by the World of Statistics, Shah Rukh Khan is the 4th richest actor in
the world with his net worth at $770 million.
 The list is led by Seinfeld star Jerry Seinfeld followed by Tyler Perry and Dwayne Johnson.
Learn Along:
 Shah Rukh Khan is the only Indian on the list. SRK, apart from acting, has a sports business, his VFX company
and a host of other business ventures.
 Top Gun star Tom Cruise follows SRK on the list with $620 million. The only other non-American, apart from
SRK, on this list is Jackie Chan with $520 million. George Clooney and Robert De Niro end the list with $500
million.
Mukesh Ambani ranked number 2 globally on Brand Guardianship Index 2023
 On the Brand Guardianship Index 2023, billionaire Mukesh Ambani rated first among Indians and
second internationally, surpassing Microsoft's Satya Nadella and Google's Sundar Pichai.
 Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, topped the global list.
Learn Along:
 The Brand Guardianship Index, developed by Brand Finance, a leading worldwide independent brand
consultant, is a global acknowledgment of CEOs who are creating long-term company value by balancing the
requirements of all stakeholders – employees, investors, and society.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Gujarat got first IVF unit for animals in India
 Gujarat's Amreli, India received its first In vitro fertilization (IVF) mobile device on January 1, 2023.
 Purushottam Rupala, union minister, launched the mobile IVF lab.
 The IVF mobile van was "dedicated in a collaborative endeavor of the Government of India and Amar
Dairy."
Learn Along:
 IVF is a complicated sequence of operations used to aid with fertility and child conception.
 It is a sophisticated reproductive technique used in animals to multiply better female germplasm at a faster pace.
About Gujarat

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Capital: Gandhinagar Chief minister: Bhupendrabhai Patel Governor: Acharya Devvrat
General Atomics, Bharat Forge announced partnership to manufacture aerostructures
 US-based drone manufacturer General Atomics has signed an agreement with leading Indian forging
company Bharat Forge to manufacture main landing gear components, subassemblies, and
assemblies of remotely piloted aircraft.
 The move is expected to help India build a manufacturing ecosystem for high-end drones in the
country.
Learn Along:
About Bharat Forge
Founded: 19 June 1961 Headquarters: Pune Chairman: Baba Kalyani
Microsoft to boost Indian space tech startups, signed MoU with ISRO
 At the future-ready technology summit 2023, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella showcased several cloud-
based and AI-powered projects and also revealed its plans to foster Indian startups in the space tech
domain.
 The company has signed a memorandum of understanding with ISRO (Indian Space Research
Organisation) to fuel space tech startups using technology tools and platforms.
 With this partnership, Microsoft will help ISRO to strengthen its vision towards getting the most out of
space tech startups in the country.
Learn Along:
About ISRO
Formed: 15 August 1969 Chairman: Sreedhara Somanath Headquarters:Bangalore
About Microsoft
Founded: 4 April 1975 Headquarters: Washington, United State Chairperson: Satya Nadella
Silent Valley bird species went up to 175
 A bird survey held in association with the Kerala Natural History Society, conducted at the Silent
Valley National Park in the last week of December identified 141 species, of which 17 were new.
 So far, 175 species of birds have been spotted in Silent Valley.
 Brown wood owl, Banded bay cuckoo, Malabar woodshrike, White-throated kingfisher, Indian
nightjar, Jungle nightjar, and Large cuckooshrike were among the 17 species newly identified in the
Silent Valley.
 Birds such as Crimson-backed sunbird, Yellow-browed bulbul, Black bulbul, Indian white-eye and
Indian swiftlet were found in abundance in Silent Valley.
Learn Along:
 The survey held on December 27, 28 and 29 marked the 30th anniversary of the first bird survey in Silent Valley.
 Although the first survey was held in the last week of December 1990, the anniversary could not be celebrated
in 2020 December because of COVID-19 restrictions.
 Veteran birders such as P.K. Uthaman and C. Sushant were the only members in the 7th survey team who had
attended the first survey held in 1990.
About Kerala

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Union Minister DrJitendra Singh unveiled the theme for National Science Day 2023
 Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent
Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space,
Dr Jitendra Singh released the theme for the "National Science Day 2023", titled "Global Science for
Global Wellbeing".
 The theme indicates India's emerging global role and rising visibility in the international arena.
Learn Along:
 The National Science Day (NSD) is celebrated every year on 28 February to commemorate the discovery of the
‘Raman Effect’.
 Government of India designated 28 February as National Science Day (NSD) in 1986.
 On this day Sir C.V. Raman announced the discovery of the 'Raman Effect' for which he was awarded the Nobel
Prize in 1930.
White tufted royal butterfly, a rare species, found in Kerala’s Kannur
 A team of butterfly observers and researchers have found white tufted royal butterfly, a rare butterfly
species at Kalliyad in Kannur.
 The butterfly is protected under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act.
 The species had been spotted in Agasthyakoodam in 2017 and the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary in
2018.
Learn Along:
About Kerala
Skyhawk: India’s first 5G-enabled drone developed by IG Drones
 Skyhawk, India's first 5G-enabled drone capable of vertical take-off and landing, has been built by
Noida-based IG Drones.
 The firm arose from the Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology in Odisha.
 Skyhawk can carry a 10-kilogram payload, has a five-hour endurance, and can function through
satellites if an internet connection is absent.
Centre put Neelakurinji on the list of protected plants
 The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) has listed Neelakurinji (
Strobilanthes kunthiana) under Schedule III of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, including it on the
list of protected plants.
 Uprooting or destroying the plant will invite a fine of ₹25,000 and three years’ imprisonment. The
cultivation of Neelakurinji and its possession is not allowed.
Learn Along:
About The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF)
Officeholder: Bhupender Yadav (Union Minister)

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Spot-bellied eagle owl spotted in Andhra Pradesh’s Seshachalam forest for the first time
 A wildlife team recently spotted a spot-bellied eagle owl (Bubo Nipalensis) for the first time in the
Seshachalam forest, and for the third time in Andhra Pradesh.
 The bird makes a strange scream similar to humans and it is hence called the ‘ghost of the forest’ in
India and ‘devil bird’ in Sri Lanka.
Learn Along:
About Andhra Pradesh
Founded: 1 November 1956 Capital: Amaravati
Chief minister: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan
Pyramid-like Ahom burial mounds in Assam to vie for UNESCO World Heritage Site tag
 The Centre has decided to nominate Assam’s Charaideo Maidams — the Ahom equivalent of the
ancient Egyptian pyramids — for the UNESCO World Heritage Centre this year.
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose the maidams, representing the late medieval (13th-19th century CE)
mound burial tradition of the Tai Ahom community in Assam, from among 52 sites across the country
seeking the World Heritage Site tag.
Learn Along:
 The Ahom rule lasted for about 600 years until the British annexed Assam in 1826. Charaideo, more than 400
km east of Guwahati, was the first capital of the Ahom dynasty founded by Chao Lung Siu-Ka-Pha in 1253.
 The nomination of the Charaideo Maidams has attained significance at a time when the country is celebrating the
400th birth anniversary of Lachit Barphukan.
 Lachit Barphukan is a legendary Ahom general whose battle against the Mughals in 1671 made him a BJP icon.
About Assam
Chief minister: Himanta Biswa Sarma Capital: Dispur Governor: Prof. Jagadish Mukhi
First Indian intranasal COVID vaccine out on Jan. 26
 Bharat Biotech launched its intranasal COVID-19 vaccine iNCOVACC, the first of its kind in India, on
January 26.
 A homegrown vaccine for the lumpy skin disease in cattle, Lumpi-ProVacInd, is likely to be launched in
February 2023.
Learn Along:
About Bharat Biotech
Founded: 1996 Founders: Krishna Ella, Suchitra Ella
First Made In India mobile operating system “BharOS” successfully tested in IIT Madras
 Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Communications, Electronics and Information Technology, and
Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education, successfully tested the 'BharOS,' a Made in India mobile
operating system created by IIT Madras.
 JandK Operations Private Limited created the BharOS, an Android Open Source Project-based
operating system.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
‘India’s first mission to study the sun to begin by June-July’
 The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch the Aditya-L1 mission by June
or July this year.
 Aditya-L1 is the first Indian space mission to observe the Sun and the solar corona.
 Aditya-L1 has seven payloads in total, of which the primary payload is the Visible Emission Line
Coronagraph (VELC), designed and fabricated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru.
 The other six payloads are being developed by the ISRO and other scientific institutions.
Learn Along:
About ISRO
Formed :15 August 1969 Chairman:Sreedhara Somanath Headquarters:Bengaluru
Noble’s Helen: Arunachal yields India’s newest butterfly
 A swallowtail butterfly Noble’s Helen disappearing from its previously known ranges from Myanmar and
southern China to Vietnam has been recorded for the first time in India.
 Three butterfly enthusiasts — Atanu Bose, Loren Sonowal and Monsoon Jyoti Gogoi — recorded the
“extremely rare” Noble’s Helen (Papilio noblei) from three locations in the Namdapha National Park of
Arunachal Pradesh in the year to September 2021.
 Their report was published in the latest edition of the Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies.
Learn Along:
About Noble’s Helen
 The Noble’s Helen, closest to Papilio antonio from the Philippines and characterised by a large dorsal white
spot, was once common in the montane forest at moderate elevations in northern Thailand.
 This species of swallowtail butterfly has also been reported from the Myanmar, Yunnan and Hubai regions of
China, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
About Arunachal Pradesh

Capital: Itanagar Chief minister: Pema Khandu Governor: B. D. Mishra
Oldest-known caecilian dated at 220 million years old found
 Researchers have found the oldest-known fossil of a worm-like amphibian known as a caecilian
(Nature).
 The findings extend the caecilian fossil record by 35 million years.
 The creature combines features found in the common ancestor of living caecilians with those of
an extinct group of amphibians called the dissorophoid temnospondyls.
 It bridges the gap between modern caecilians and extinct tetrapods and confirms the position of caecilians
within Lissamphibia, the group that contains frogs.
DEFENCE
Siachen’s Kumar Post got first woman Army officer

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 Captain Shiva Chouhan, an officerfrom the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, became
the first woman officer to be operationally deployed at Kumar Post in the Siachen Glacier, which is
located at an altitude of 15,632 feet.
IAF & JAPAN AIR SELF DEFENCE FORCE SET TO EXERCISE JOINTLY IN JAPAN
 To promote Air Defence cooperation between the countries, India and Japan are all set to hold the joint
Air Exercise, 'Veer Guardian-2023' at Hyakuri Air Base, Japan from 12 January 2023 to 26 January
2023.
 The Indian contingent participating in the air exercise will include four Su-30 MKI, two C-17 & one IL-78
aircraft, while the JASDF will be participating with four F-2 & four F-15 aircraft.
Learn Along:
 During the second 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial meeting held in Tokyo, Japan on 08 September 2022,
India and Japan agreed to step up bilateral defence cooperation and engage in more military exercises,
including holding the first joint fighter jet drills, reflecting the growing security cooperation between the two sides.
 This exercise will thus be another step in deepening strategic ties and closer defence cooperation between
the two countries.
75th Army Day organized in Bangalore
 On January 15, 2023, Bengaluru will host the 75th Army Day ceremony.
 This is the first time the event has been held outside of the nation's capital.
Learn Along:
Army Day
Army Day is celebrated on 15 January every year in India, in recognition of Field Marshal Kodandera M.
Cariappa's taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from General Francis Roy Bucher, the last
British Commander-in-Chief of India, on 15 January 1949.
ICG ship ‘Kamla Devi’, last vessel of FPV series, commissioned
 Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship ‘Kamla Devi’, the Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) designed, built and
delivered by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd to the Indian Coast Guard was
commissioned.
 ICGS Kamla Devi is officially the fifth and last vessel of the series of FPVs designed and built by
GRSE.
 This is the first such ship built for exports to a Latin American country by any Defence Public Sector
shipyard.
 The ship was launched on June 15, 2022, and within six months, GRSE achieved the ‘Technical
Acceptance’ of the vessel on December 16.
Learn Along:
About Indian Coast Guard
Founded: 1 February 1977 Director General: Virender Singh Pathania
21st Edition of India France Bilateral Naval Exercise “VARUNA”-2023

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 The 21st Edition of the Bilateral Naval Exercise between India and France – Exercise Varuna
commenced on the Western Seaboard.
 The exercise will be conducted over five days from 16 to 20 January 2023 and will witness advanced air
defence exercises, tactical manoeuvres, surface firings, underway replenishment and other
maritime operations.
 This edition will witness participation of indigenous guided missile stealth destroyer INS Chennai,
guided missile frigate INS Teg, maritime patrol aircraft P-8I and Dornier, integral helicopters and
MiG29K fighter aircraft.
 The French Navy will be represented by the aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle, frigates FS Forbin and
Provence, support vessel FS Marne and maritime patrol aircraft Atlantique.
 The bilateral exercise between the two navies were initiated in 1993, it was Named as ‘VARUNA’ in
2001.
FIFTH KALVARI CLASS SUBMARINE VAGIR TO BE COMMISSIONED ON 23 JAN 2023
 Indian Navy is set to commission the fifth Kalvari class submarine Vagir on 23 Jan 2023.
 These submarines are being built in India by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai,
under collaboration with M/s Naval Group, France.
 Four of the Kalvari class of submarines have already been commissioned into the Indian Navy.
 The erstwhile Vagir was commissioned on 01 Nov 1973 and undertook numerous operational
missions including deterrent patrols. The submarine was decommissioned on 07 Jan 2001 after serving
the nation for about three decades.
 Launched and named ‘Vagir’ on 12 Nov 20, the submarine in its new avatar has the distinction of
having the lowest build time among all indigenously manufactured submarines till date.
Inaugural Edition of Indo-Egypt Joint Training Exercise Cyclone - I Commenced in Rajasthan
 The first ever joint exercise between the special forces of the Indian Army and the Egyptian Army
named “Exercise Cyclone-I” is taking place at Jaisalmer in Rajasthan since 14 January 2023.
 The exercise aims to bolster defence co-operation between the two nations and focus on sharing
professional skills and interoperability of Special Forces in desert terrain while undertaking counter
terrorism, reconnaissance, raids and other special operations.
 Exercise “Cyclone - I” is the first exercise of its kind bringing the special forces of both the nations
on a common platform.
 The joint exercise would provide an insight into the culture and ethos of both armies thereby
fostering military cooperation and interoperability to further strengthen the diplomatic relations
between India and Egypt.
Learn Along:
About Egypt
Capital: Cairo President: Abdel Fattah El-Sisi
BSF started ‘Ops Alert’ exercise ahead of Republic Day

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 The Border Security Force (BSF) has started an ‘Ops Alert’ exercise to enhance security along the
India-Pakistan border in Kutch district of Gujarat and Barmer in Rajasthan in view of the upcoming
Republic Day celebrations.
 The exercisewas being carried out to “thwart any ill designs of anti-national elements” during the
Republic Day celebrations.
 The exercise will continue till January 28 “all along the India-Pakistan International Border from Sir
Creek (marshy area) to the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat and Barmer of Rajasthan.
Learn Along:
About BSF
Founded: 1 December 1965 Headquarters: New Delhi DG:Sujoy Lal Thaosen
THEATRE LEVEL OPERATIONAL READINESS EXERCISE (TROPEX-23) INDIAN NAVY’S LARGEST

WAR GAME
 The 2023 edition of Indian Navy’s major maritime exercise TROPEX, is currently underway in the
Indian Ocean Region.
 This operational level exercise is conducted biennially and witnesses participation not only by all Indian
Navy units but also of Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Coast Guard assets.
 TROPEX 23 is being conducted over a duration of three months from Jan - Mar 23.
 The exercise is being conducted in different phases, both in harbour and at sea, encompassing
various facets of combat operations, including live weapon firings.
 The maritime exercise also facilitates operational level interaction with the Indian Army, Indian Air
Force and the Coast Guard, which will further strengthen interoperability and joint operations in a
complex environment.
Tri-services Amphibious Exercise, AMPHEX 2023 Concluded
 The biennial Tri-Services Amphibious Exercise, AMPHEX 2023 was conducted at Kakinada, Andhra
Pradesh from 17 to 22 January 23.
 AMPHEX is aimed at joint training of elements of all three services in various facets of amphibious
operations to enhance interoperability and synergy.
 AMPHEX 23 is the first time that the exercise was undertaken at Kakinada, and was the largest ever
AMPHEX conducted till date.
Indian-American, Raja J Chari has been nominated for Air Force Brigadier General in AAF
 Indian-American Astronaut Raja J Chari has been nominated for the appointment of Air Force
Brigadier General in the American Air Force.
 It is a United States Air Force one-star General Officer rank, slightly above Colonel and below Major
General.
 Chari is now the Commander and Astronaut for Crew-3 at the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration's Johnson Space Center in Texas.
Best marching contingents & tableaux of Republic Day Parade 2023 announced
 The best marching contingents and tableaux of Republic Day Parade 2023 have been announced.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Category Winners
Best Marching Contingent among the three services Punjab Regiment Centre Contingent
Best Marching Contingent among CAPF/other auxiliary forces CRPF Marching Contingent
Best three Tableaux (States/UTs) 1: Uttarakhand (Manaskhand)
2: Maharashtra (Sade Tin Shaktipithe & Nari

Shakti)
3: Uttar Pradesh (Ayodhya Deepotsav)
Best Tableau (Ministries/Departments) Ministry of Tribal Affairs (Eklavya Model

Residential Schools (EMRSs))
The online poll for the popular choice was conducted between January 25-28, 2023 on MyGov web
page. The results are:
Category Winners
Best Marching Contingent among the three services INDIAN AIR FORCE MARCHING CONTINGENT
Best Marching Contingent among CAPF/other auxiliary CRPF Marching Contingent

forces
Best three Tableaux (States/UTs) 1: Gujarat (Clean-Green energy efficient Gujarat)
2: Uttar Pradesh (Ayodhya Deepotsava)
3: Maharashtra (Sade tin Shaktipeeth and Nari

Shakti)
Best Tableau (Ministries/Departments) CAPF (Ministry of Home Affairs)
EVENTS
CRPF celebrates ‘Jashn-e-Chillai-Kalan’ with students in Srinagar
 CRPF celebrated ‘Jashn-e-Chillai-Kalan’ with students in Srinagar.

 Chillai-Kalan is the harshest winter period in Kashmir for a period of 40-day starting from 21st
December to 29th January every year.
 Many activities such as Badminton, debate, drawing, singing, etc. were organised in a school.
 The Program gives them an environment to participate and learn new things.
Learn Along:
About Jammu and Kashmir
Union territory : 31 October 2019 Capital:Srinagar (Summer),Jammu (Winter)
About CRPF
Headquarters: New Delhi Director General : Dr. Sujoy Lal Thaosen

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
1st All India Annual State Ministers Conference On Water To Deliberate Water Vision@2047
 The Ministry of Jal Shakti is organizing the “1st All India Annual State Ministers Conference on
Water’’ with the theme “Water Vision@2047” in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on 5th & 6th January, 2023.
 The primary objective of the 2-days Conference is to gather inputs for the India@2047 and to
improve engagement and partnership with the states and to share the initiatives and schemes of the
Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Learn Along:
Capital: Bhopal Chief minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan Governor: Mangubhai C. Patel
17th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) held
 The 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) held at Indore, Madhya Pradesh, from January 8th to 10th,
2023.
Learn Along:
Founded: 1 November 1956 Capital: Bhopal Chief minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Education organized the ‘Dhara’ on Sangeet and Natya Parampara
 Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Education organized the Dhara on Sangeet and Natya
Parampara on 5th-6th January, 2023 at SASTRA (Deemed-to-be University) in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
in collaboration with Brhat, Prachyam and Sangam Talks.
 Dhara is a series of conferences under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to create awareness,
preserve and promote multiple domains of Indian Knowledge Systems.
 The aim of the event was to create a Vision Document 2047 to revitalise and popularise our
performing art traditions and effectively address the challenges that this ecosystem faces.
Learn Along:
About Tamil Nadu
Capital: Chennai Chief minister: M. K. Stalin Governor: R. N. Ravi
14th Edition of the World Spice Congress (WSC) to be held in Mumbai from 16-18 February 2023
 The 14th edition of the World Spice Congress (WSC), is to be held in Mumbai from 16-18 February
2023 with an aim to open up newer opportunities to promote international trade of Indian spices.
 The theme of the WSC 2023 is VISION 2030: S-P-I-C-E-S (Sustainability, Productivity, Innovation,
Collaboration, Excellence and Safety).
 India is known as the ‘Spice Bowl’ of the world. It produces a number of quality, rare and medicinal
spices.
Country’s largest student-run festival ‘Saarang 2023’
 Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Annual Cultural Festival Saarang, one of the
largest student-run festivals, is being conducted completely in physical mode this year .

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 It is the 28th Edition of the Saarang this year.

 Saarang 2023 is featuring nearly 100 events between the 11th and 15th January 2023 and is expected to
attract a footfall of over 80,000 from over 500 colleges across the country.
 The theme for Saarang 2023 is ‘Mystic Hues’ which celebrates how intertwined colours are with culture
and traditions.
Tata Power sets up India's 1st solar plant for housing society in Mumbai
 Tata Power Renewable Energy has secured a deal with Mumbai's Vivarea Condominium to make it
the country's first housing society to operate a captive solar energy plant for residential
consumption.
 A 3.125-megawatt solar facility will be built in Maharashtra's Himayatnagar by Tata Power subsidiary.
 It will supply green electricity at 40% less than the current cost.
Learn Along:
About Maharashtra
Capital: Mumbai Chief minister: Eknath Shinde Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari
Google Doodle honoured India’s ‘Pocket Dynamo’ Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav on his 97th birth
anniversary
 Google celebrated the 97th birth anniversary of Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, the legendary Indian
wrestler, with a doodle.
 He is also known as India’s Pocket Dynamo.
 The celebrated wrestler became independent India’s first athlete to clinch an Olympic medal at the
1952 Summer Olympics held in Helsinki.
Learn Along:
 The wrestler was born in Maharashtra’s Goleshwar village in 1926.
 His first brush with an international competition was with the London Olympics in 1948, where he finished sixth,
the highest-ever for an Indian wrestler at the time.
 After four years of relentless training, Jadhav participated in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and bested wrestlers
from Germany, Mexico, and Canad.
DotFEST Festival has been organized in Odisha
 The second edition of 'Dot Fest,' a part of city festivals commemorating the FIH Men's Hockey World
Cup 2023, will be held in Odisha from January 15 to 29, 2023.
 As part of the festival, six main festivals and activities will be held, including Bhubaneswar live, an
international cuisine festival, the story-telling festival BhuFesto, Ekamra walks, a night flea market,
and the 'Sebe-O-Ebe' picture show.
Learn Along:
About Odisha
PM Modi inaugurated 2nd phase of Saansad Khel Mahakumbh in Basti, Uttar Pradesh

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the second phase of Sansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-
2023 at Basti through video conferencing.
 The first phase of Khel Mahakumbh was organized from 10 to 16 December 2022, the second phase
is starting from 18 January which will run till 28 January 2023.
Learn Along:
About Uttar Pradesh
Capital: Lucknow Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath Governor: Anandibem Patel
G20's First Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) Meeting
 The first G20 environment meeting under G20 India Presidency is scheduled to be held during 09th
-11th February in Bengaluru.
 Leading to the 1st Meeting in Bengaluru, Mysuru Zoo in coordination with Central Zoo Authority organised
a Two-Day National Conference for Zoo Directors of India on 18th and 19th of January 2023.
 The conference mainly focused on “Master Planning and Building the National Capacity for species
Management & Conservation Breeding.
Learn Along:
 India will be holding the Presidency of G20 for one year till 30th November 2023.
 The forum will bring together the G20 member countries, guest countries and international organisations invited
by India.
 Through the Sherpa Track, 13 Working Groups and 2 Initiatives will meet under India’s Presidency to discuss
priorities and provide recommendations. Environment, Climate & Sustainability is one of working groups under
the Sherpa Track.
About G20
 The G20 or Group of Twenty is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union. It
works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate change
mitigation, and sustainable development.
Founded: 26 September 1999
First G20 Health Working Group under India’s G20 presidency begun in Thiruvananthapuram
 The first meeting of the G20 Health Working Group under India's G20 presidency began in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
 Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, launched the three-day
event.
Learn Along:
About Kerala
First meetings of Various Groups Under the Presidency of India in G20:
Meeting Place Date

th th
Youth20 Bengaluru 6 -8 February
Science 20 Puducherry

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
G20 Energy Transition Working Bengaluru 5th-7th February

Group Meeting
G-20 International Financial Chandigarh 30th -31st January
Architecture Working Group
Meeting
Startup20 Engagement Group Hyderabad 28th-29th January
Business 20 Gujarat 23 January
Learn Along:
 Youth20 is one of the eight official engagement groups under the G20 umbrella.
 The G20 rotating presidency bears the responsibility of hosting the youth summit, which usually takes place some
weeks prior to the traditional forum to know what the youths are thinking and incorporate their suggestions in their
own policy proposals. It is an attempt to create a connecting point between G20 governments and their local youth.
 The Y20 India Summit in 2023 would exemplify India’s youth-centric efforts and provide an opportunity to showcase
its values and policy measures to the youth across the globe.
SCO Film Festival to be organized in Mumbai from 27th to 31st January, 2023
 Ministry of Information and Broadcasting organized the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Film
Festival from the 27th - 31st of January, 2023, in Mumbai to mark India’s Presidency at SCO.
 The Festival aims to build cinematic partnerships and act as a bridge between the cultures of
various countries in the SCO.
 The festival opened with a world premiere of an Indian film (Tamil film) "Appatha" ,directed by Padma
awardee and National Award winning filmmaker Priyadarshan while Jio Studios and Wide Angle
Creations are coproducers.
 The Opening Ceremony was held at Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA, Mumbai on 27th January,
2023.
Learn Along:
About Ministry of Informartion and Broadcasting
Officeholder: Anurag Thakur (Union Minister)
About SCO
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is a Eurasian political, economic, International security and defence
organization.
Founded: 15 June 2001 Headquarters: Beijing, China
Founders: Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan
The SCO currently comprises eight Member States (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan,
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan), four Observer States interested in acceding to full membership (Afghanistan,
Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia).
First India Stack Developer Conference to be held in New Delhi
 The first India Stack Developer Conference held in New Delhi January 25.
 The conference was attended by over 100 digital leaders from the Industry, Government, start-ups
and unicorns and academia.
 Delegates from G20 countries and G20 Secretariat have also been invited to the Conference.
Aero India 2023 to begin in Bengaluru from 13-17 February

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 The 14th edition of Aero India 2023 will be begin at Air Force Station, Yelahanka, Bengaluru from 13-17
February.
 The biennial airshow would be inaugurated by PM Modi. Being one of the premier aerospace exhibition,
Aero India has held 13 successful editions in Bengaluru since 1996.
 This five-day event will combine a major trade exhibition of the aerospace and defence industries as
well as an aerial display by IAF.
 Aero India will provide a unique opportunity for the exchange of information, ideas and new
developments in the aviation industry. In addition to giving a fillip to the domestic aviation industry, it
would further the cause of Make in India.
Khadi Fest 2023 inaugurated at KVIC, Mumbai
 Shri Manoj Kumar, Chairman, Khadi and Village Industries Commission, inaugurated the Khadi Fest-
23 which will run from January 27 to February 24, 2023 at the KVIC Headquarters in Mumbai.
 Khadi Fest provide a platform to the Khadi Institutions, PMEGP and SFURTI units to market the
products of thousands of artisans directly to the hands of customers.
 In this Khadi Fest, Khadi and Village Industries Institutions, PMEGP units from various parts of the country
affiliated to Khadi and Village Industries Commission are showcasing their products for exhibit and
sales.
 In addition to cotton khadi, khadi silk, pashmina, poly vastra, patola Silk, kalamkari sarees,
kanjivaram silk, light weight soft silk sarees, tussar silk, fulkari dress materials and other attractive
apparels made of khadi fabrics, madhubani prints, dry fruits, tea, kahwa, beauty herbal and ayurvedic
products, honey products, hand paper products, home decor products , Bamboo Products, Carpets, Aloe
Vera Products, Leather Products and many other Khadi and Village Industries products are available .
Learn Along:
About KVIC
Founded: 1957 Chairman:Manoj Kumar Headquarters: Mumbai, India
AWARDS AND REWARDS

Odisha Wins World Habitat Awards 2023 For Jaga Mission
 Jaga mission is the world’s largest land titling and slum upgrading program which aims at
empowering the lives of slum dwellers.
 The Government of Odisha has set itself the ambitious target of becoming the first slum-free state
in India and is leading the Jaga Mission programme to upgrade all of the state’s 2,919 slums. In the last
05 years of the initiative, 1,75,000 families have been granted land tenure security.
 Earlier in 2019, Odisha’s Jaga mission had received World Habitat Awards for its success in
providing land tenure security to the slum dwellers.
Learn Along:
About World Habitat Awards
The World Habitat Awards were established in 1985 by the Building and Social Housing Foundation as part of its
contribution to the United Nations' International Year of Shelter for the Homeless in 1987.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
About Odisha
Odakuzhal Award 2022
 Writer Ambikasuthan Mangad has been selected for Odakuzhal Award 2022 for his collection of short
stories titled Pranavayu.
 The award consists of ₹30,000, citation, and plaque.
 The stories Neeraliyan and Pranavayu are based on the topic of climate change and offer a unique reading
experience in Malayalam.
Learn Along:
About Odakkuzhal Award
 Instituted by the Guruvayurappan Trust, the award is being given for the best collection of short stories in
Malayalam.
 The award will be presented on the occasion of the 45th death anniversary of Mahakavi G. Sankara Kurup,
who established the Guruvayurappan Trust, on February 2 at the Ernakulam Samastha Kerala Sahithya Parishad
building here. Literary critic Dr. M. Leelavathi will present the award to Ambikasuthan Mangad.
Maha: Jalna and Nagpur Police won ‘Best Police Units’ award
 Jalna district police and Nagpur city police in Maharashtra have bagged the ‘Best Police Unit’
awards for 2021 in the state under different classes for maintaining law and order, use of modern
technology, evolving community policing and administration.
 The Jalna police got the award in ‘Class A’ and the Nagpur police in ‘Class B’, as per the winners
announced by Additional Director General of Police (law and order) Kulwant Sarangal.
RRR’s Naatu Naatu won Golden Globe
 The 80th Golden Globe Awards were held in Beverly Hills, California.
 The Fabelmans, Steven Spielberg’s movie inspired by his teen years won best movie drama and
Banshees of Inisherin, the story of feuding friends on an Irish island, won best movie musical or
comedy.
 SS Rajamouli’s Telugu-language epic action drama RRR has created history. The song Naatu Naatu
has won Best Original Song at the 80th Golden Globe Awards - a first for any Asian song.
Learn Along:
About Golden Globe Awards
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association starting in
January 1944,recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television.
Kerala Govt’s Year of Enterprises project got recognition for ‘best practice model’ to promote MSMEs
 The Kerala government’s Industries department got recognition from the centre for its Year of
Enterprises project which was selected as one of the best practices in the ‘Thrust on Micro, Small
and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)’ category.
 Under this project, more than one lakh enterprises were set up in eight months in the state of Kerala.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 The project by Kerala Government was started in the current fiscal year with the aim to create one
lakh enterprises in one year.
 The state government achieved the goal in eight months.
 As many as 1,01,353 enterprises were set up under the project and the total investment stood at
around Rs 6,282 crore by November, 2022, the release added.
Indian peacekeepers deployed with UNMISS honoured with UN medal for exemplary service
 1,171 Indian peacekeepers serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) have been honoured
with the prestigious UN medals at an award ceremony where the parade was led for the first time by
a woman officer of the Indian Army.
 India is among the largest troop-contributing countries to UN peacekeeping missions and its
peacekeepers are lauded for their outstanding work and for going above and beyond their duties while
serving in the missions.
 As of June 2022, 2370 Indian military personnel are deployed with UNMISS, the second highest after
Rwanda (2637).
Learn Along:
 Last week, India deployed the largest platoon of women peacekeepers to the United Nations Interim Security Force,
Abyei (UNISFA), heralding New Delhi’s intent of increasing significantly the number of women in peacekeeping
contingents.
About UN
 The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international
peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a
centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.
Founded: 24 October 1945 Headquarters: New York, United States Secretary general: António Guterres
Miss Universe 2022 Winner
 The most anticipated pageant in the world, Miss Universe 2022, was held in New Orleans, Louisiana.
 R'Bonney Gabriel of the USA was crowned Miss Universe 2022.
 Amanda Dudamel of Venezuela was named as the first runner-up, and Andreina Martinez of the
Dominican Republic was named as the second runner-up.
Learn Along:
 Miss Universe 2021 was Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu.
Critics Choice Awards 2023
 After bringing the Golden Globe, filmmaker Rajamouli's magnum opus film 'RRR' has won the Critics'
Choice Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Learn Along:
About Critics Choice Awards
The Critics' Choice Movie Awards is an awards show presented annually by the American-Canadian Critics
Choice Association to honor the finest in cinematic achievement.
First awarded: 1996
Federal Bank Literary Award

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 Noted writer K Venu bagged the first-ever Federal Bank Literary Award 2022 for his autobiography
‘Oranweshananthinte Katha’.
Learn Along:
About Federal Bank Literary Award
By Constituting the Award Federal Bank aims to celebrate the diversity of contemporary literature and recognise
writers for their cultural contributions.
Krishna Vavilala awarded with MLK Grand Parade Special award
 As the United States commemorated the legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., Indian-
American Krishna Vavilala received the MLK Grand Parade Special Award for his contributions to
connecting the Indian diaspora with mainstream America.
 Vavilala, 86, a longtime Houston resident and the founder and chairman of the Foundation of India
Studies (FIS), has previously led several MLK Grande Parades.
Naanera bagged Golden Kailasha award in Ajanta-Ellora film festival
 Naanera, a Rajasthani film directed by Deepankar Prakash, bagged the Golden Kailasha award for the
best movie at the Ajanta-Ellora film festival.
 Naanera also bagged awards for best director, best screenplay, best editor.
 The best picture award, announced by FIPRESCI India jury N Vidyashakar, included a trophy and a
cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.
 The festival, currently in its eighth edition, took place in Aurangabad from January 11 to 15.
 Kannada film Koli Esru (chicken curry), won awards for best child artist (Apeksha Chorna Halli) and
the best actress for Akshatha Pandavapura.
Nepalese ophthalmologist Dr Sanduk Ruit won Bahrain's ISA Award for Service to Humanity
 Himalayan Cataract Project Co-Founder Dr Sanduk Ruit has won the ISA Award for Service to
Humanity, a top civilian award of Bahrain.
 The award carries a cash prize of USD 1 million, a certificate of merit and a gold medal.
 Dr Ruit is pioneer in delivering high-quality microsurgical procedures in remote eye camps. He made
modern eye care affordable and accessible to countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. He is
fondly called as "God of Sight" to have saved 1,20,000 eyesight who would have otherwise gone blind in
absence of treatment.
 He is the recipient of the Padma Shri Award by the GoI, The National Order of Merit of Bhutan as
well as the Ramon Magsaysay Award.
New Goa Manohar International Airport won best sustainable greenfield airport award
 Goa International Airport (GGIAL), a subsidiary of GMR Airports Infrastructure, has won ‘Best
Sustainable Greenfield Airport’ award under aviation sustainability and environment at ASSOCHAM’s
14th International Conference-cum-Awards for Civil Aviation 2023.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 The award was presented for “excellent initiatives” taken by GGIAL in implementing sustainability
as one of core concepts.
India bagged Oscar nominations for original song and 2 documentaries
 Naatu Naatu, the hit dance track from S.S. Rajamouli’s blockbuster RRR, nominated for the original
song at the Oscars 2023 where Indian documentaries All That Breathes and Elephant Whisperers
also got nods in the documentary feature and documentary short categories.
 The award ceremony will be held on March 12.
Learn Along:
About Oscars
 The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American
film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment
industry in the United States.
 The "Big Five" Oscars award categories are those for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and
Best Screenplay, either Original or Adapted.
Presented by: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
First awarded: May 16, 1929
412 gallantry awards and other defence decorations announced on eve of R-Day
 President Droupadi Murmu has approved 412 gallantry awards and other defence decorations to
armed forces personnel and others on the eve of the 74th Republic Day.
 Major Shubhang and Naik Jitendra Singh will receive the Kirti Chakra while Commander Nishant Singh
from the Navy, who lost his life in a MiG-29K fighter crash, will be remembered with the Nao Sena Medal
(Gallantry).
 Among the awards have six Kirti Chakras (four posthumous), 15 Shaurya Chakras (two posthumous).
Kirti Chakra:
S.N Rank Name Service

1 SS-46926X MAJOR SHUBHANG, THE DOGRA REGIMENT, 62ND Army
BATTALION THE RASHTRIYA RIFLES
2 3011334X NAIK JITENDRA SINGH, THE RAJPUT REGIMENT, 44TH Army

BATTALION THE RASHTRIYARIFLES
3 SHRI ROHIT KUMAR, SG. CONSTABLE, J&K POLICE (POSTHUMOUS) MHA
4 SHRI DEEPAK BHARDWAJ, SUB INSPECTOR (POSTHUMOUS) MHA
5 SHRI SODHI NARAYAN, HEAD CONSTABLE (POSTHUMOUS) MHA
6 SHRI SHRAWAN KASHYAP, HEAD CONSTABLE(POSTHUMOUS) MHA
Shourya Chakra:

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
S.no Rank Name Service

1. IC-77164W MAJOR ADITYA BHADAURIA, THE KUMAON REGIMENT, ARMY
50TH BATTALION THE RASHTRIYA RIFLES
2. SS-48517H CAPTAIN ARUN KUMAR, THE KUMAON REGIMENT, ARMY
3. SS-48529X CAPTAIN YUDHVIR SINGH, THE MECHANISED INFANTRY, ARMY
4. SS-48830N CAPTAIN RAKESH T R, 9TH BATTALION THE PARACHUTE ARMY
REGIMENT (SPECIAL FORCES)
5. 13773112P NAIK JASBIR SINGH, 6TH BATTALION THE JAMMU AND ARMY
KASHMIR RIFLES (POSTHUMOUS)
6. 13779485Y LANCE NAIK VIKAS CHOUDHARY, THE JAMMU AND ARMY
KASHMIR RIFLES, 3RD BATTALION THE RASHTRIYA RIFLES
7. 665/SPO CONSTABLE MUDASIR AHMAD SHEIKH, JAMMU AND ARMY
KASHMIR POLICE (BARAMULLA) (POSTHUMOUS)
8. GROUP CAPTAIN YOGESHWAR KRISHNARAO KANDALKAR (27207) AIR

FLYING (PILOT) FORCE
9. FLIGHT LIEUTENANT TEJPAL (36539) METEOROLOGY/ GARUD AIR

FORCE
10. SQUADRON LEADER SANDEEP KUMAR JHAJHRIA (33270) AIR
ACCTS/GARUD FORCE
11. cpl anand singh (954576) Indian Air Force (garud) AIR
FORCE
12. LAC Sunil Kumar (990231) Indian Air Force (Security) AIR
FORCE
13. SHRI SATENDRA SINGH, ASSTT. COMMANDANT MHA
14. SHRI VIKKI KUMAR PANDEY, DEPUTY COMMANDANT MHA
15. SHRI VIJAY ORAON, CONSTABLE MHA
Hon’ble President of India awarded RPF/RPSF personnel with Jeevan Raksha Padak awards
 The Hon’ble President of India has awarded the following RPF/RPSF personnel with Jeevan Raksha
Padak awards as mentioned below:
(i) Shri Jaipal Singh- Head Constable/ Northern Railway
(ii) Shri Surendra Kumar-Constable/Northern Railway
(iii) Shri Bhuda Ram Saini-Constable/7th BN/RPSF
Learn Along:
 Jeevan Raksha Padak awards, an offshoot of the Ashoka Chakra series of Gallantry awards, were instituted in the
year 1961.

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 As the name of the award suggests, the award is given to a person for saving someone’s life. The award is given
for meritorious act of humane nature in saving the life of a person in cases like drowning in water,
 accidents, fire incidents, electrocution, natural calamities, rescue operation in mines etc.
 It is given in the following three categories : (Monetary Allowance)
1. Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak- ₹ 2,00,000/-
2. Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak- ₹ 1,50,000/-
3. Jeevan Raksha Padak- ₹ 1,00,000/-
23 tableaus were represented in 74th Republic Day parade
 During the Republic Day parade on January 26, 2023, twenty-three tableaux - 17 from States/Union
Territories and six from various Ministries/Departments - rolled down the Kartavya Path.
APPOINMENTS
Organization/Country/ News Learn Along
States...

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Indian Overseas Bank Public sector Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has elevated Ajay CEO:
Kumar Srivastava as MD and CEO with effect from January 1.
Partha Pratim
Mr. Ajay Kumar Srivastava has been serving the lender as its Sengupta
executive director.
US Indian-origin Manpreet Monica Singh became the first female President: Joe
Sikh judge in the US. Biden
The RBI has accepted the nomination of senior banker Paytm Founder:
Paytm Payments Bank Surinder Chawla as the new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Vijay Shekhar
Executive Officer (CEO) of India's homegrown Paytm Payments Sharma
Bank for the next three years
R S Sodhi, managing director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Founder:

Marketing Federation (GCMMF), the owner of India’s biggest dairy
Amul Tribhuvandas
brand Amul, has stepped down with immediate effect. Chief Patel
operating officer Jayen Mehta has been named interim
managing director.
Senior IAS officer A. Shanti Kumari has been appointed as the Capital:
Telangana new Chief Secretary of Telangana. Hyderabad
Ms. Shanti Kumari will be the first woman to take up the top Chief minister: K.
post in the new State. Chandrashekar
Rao
AC Charania, an Indian-American, has been designated NASA's Headquarters:

NASA next Chief Technologist and will oversee the space agency's Washington, D.C.,
technological innovation. United States
Clare was appointed as Chief Economist of OECD. Founded:

OECD
She will lead the OECD’s economic work, replacing France’s 30 September
(Organisation for
Laurence Boone, who has held the post since 2018. 1961
Economic Co-operation
Headquarters:
and Development) Paris, France
Telangana Santhi Kumari, a 1989 batch IAS officer, became the first Founded:
woman Chief Secretary of Telangana.
2 June 2014
Santhi Kumari is the sixth Chief Secretary of the State. She will
Capital:
be in service till April 2025.
Hyderabad
Chief minister: K.
Chandrashekar
Rao
About Meta

Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Meta Social media platform Meta has appointed Vikas Purohit as Headquarters:
Director of Global Business Group in India to lead the strategy California, United
and delivery of the charter that is focused on the country's leading States
advertisers and agency partners.
CEO:
Mark Zuckerberg
Pankaj Kumar Singh, a retired director general of the Border About BSF
India Security Force (BSF), was named deputy national security
Founded:
adviser on January 16, 2023.
1 December 1965
Pankaj Kumar Singh stepped down as BSF chief on December
31, 2022. DG: Sujoy Lal
Thaosen
Capitals: Majuro,
Delap-Uliga-
Djarrit
Republic of the Marshall Sibi George the current Indian Ambassador to Japan, has
Islands been concurrently accredited as the next Indian Ambassador to Currency:
the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
United States
Dollar
President:
David Kabua
Janani Ramachandran, a 30-year-old Indian-American attorney, About USA

has emerged as the youngest and the first queer woman of
Capital:
colour to take oath as the Oakland City Council member in
USA Washington D.C
the U.S. state of California.
President:
Joe Biden
Aruna Miller has scripted history by becoming the first Indian-

American politician to be sworn in as the Lieutenant
Governor in the state of Maryland, adjoining the US capital.
International Shooting The Delhi High Court has appointed former Supreme Court judge Founded: 1907
Sport Federation Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri as an administrator to oversee the
utilization of funds for the upcoming International Shooting Headquarters:
Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup scheduled to be held in Munich, Germany
India in March. President:
Vladimir Lisin
Vikram Dev Dutt has been appointed as the next Director Headquarters:
Director General of Civil
General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). New Delhi
Aviation (DGCA)
Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
The appointment has been approved by the Cabinet Minister

Appointments Committee. He will take over as DGCA chief on responsible:
February 28, 2023, following the retirement of the current DGCA Suresh Prabhu
chief Arun Kumar.
About Central
Railways
Naresh Lalwani has taken over as the new General Manager of
Central Railway
Central Railway. Headquarters:
Mumbai
He succeeded Ashok Kumar Misra, General Manager Western
Railway who was holding the additional charge of Central Railway
as well.
Founded:
Tata Trusts, the philanthropic arm of the Tata group and largest 1868
Tata Group
IMPORTANT DAYS
shareholder in the group holding company, named Siddharth
Sharma, 58, as its chief executive officer and Aparna Founder:
Uppaluri, 48, as chief operating officer.
Jamsetji Tata
National miner and India’s largest producer of iron ore, About NMDC
NMDC
NMDC, has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with
Founded:
World Boxing Champion and gold medal winner of Birmingham
2022 Commonwealth Games , Nikhat Zareen to represent 1958
NMDC as its brand ambassador.
Headquarters:
Hyderabad
Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
OBITUARIES
Name of Person Field Points to Remember
Politician Senior Tripura Minister and BJP’s ruling ally IPFT’s founder-
N.C. Debbarma
president N.C. Debbarma died.He was 80.
Singer Grammy-winning singer Anita Pointer died at the age of 74.

Anita Pointer
Sumitra Sen Music Eminent Rabindra Sangeet exponent Sumitra Sen died.
Walter Astronaut Former astronaut Walter Cunningham, one of the crew

Cunningham members in NASA‘s first Apollo Program, died. Cunnigham was
90 years old.
Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Name of Person Field Points to Remember

Madhuriben Journalist Senior journalist and co-founder of well-known weekly news
magazine 'Chitralekha' Madhuriben Kotak has passed away.
Dr. Tehemton Medicine Dr. Tehemton Udwadia is widely respected for his innovative zeal
Udwadia and desire to remain ahead of the times when it comes to
treatment methods.
Gianluca Vialli Football Player Former Juventus, Chelsea and Italy striker Gianluca Vialli has
died of pancreatic cancer aged 58.
Professor Rehman Rahi, a well-known poet and the first

Jnanpith awardee from Kashmir, died here. He was 98.
In 2007, he got the top literary honour in the country, the

Rehman Rahi Jnanpith award, for his collection 'Siyah Rood Jaeren Manz' (In
Poet Black Drizzle).
He received the Padma Shri award in 2000 for his contributions.

Rehman Rahi earned the Sahitya Akademi Award for his book
of poems 'Nawroz-i-Saba' in 1961.
Keshari Nath Former Governor and Former Governor of West Bengal and three-time Uttar Pradesh
Tripathi UP Assembly Speaker Assembly Speaker Keshari Nath Tripathi died. He was 88.
Apart from West Bengal, Tripathi had held additional charge as

the Governor of Bihar, Meghalaya and Mizoram.
Sharad Yadav Politician Socialist leader and former Union Minister Sharad Yadav
passed away.
AD Damodaran Scientist AD Damodaran, leading scientist and former director of the

CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and
Technology (NIIST), passed away in Thiruvananthapuram at the
age of 87. He also served as the Chairman of the Kerala State
Council for Science, Technology and Environment.
Renowned architect and urban planner B.V. Doshi, who

worked with international legends such as Le Corbusier and Louis
Architect
B.V. Doshi Kahn in prestigious projects, passed away at the age of 95.
Mr. Doshi was the first architect from India to be awarded the
Pritzker Prize.
He was also awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects’

Royal Gold Medal in 2022. Earlier, he was also honoured with
Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri by the Government of India.
Jamuna Actor Legendary Telugu actor Jamuna passed away in Hyderabad.

She was 86.
BOOKS
Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Book Title Author/s About the book

‘Human Anatomy’ Dr Ashvini Kumar The third convocation ceremony of Atal Bihari Vajpayee
(Manav sharir Dwivedi Hindi University Bhopal was held in the state capital.
Rachna Vigyan) On the occasion of convocation, a Medical book ‘Human
Anatomy’ in Hindi Manav sharir Rachna Vigyan was
released by the Governor of Madhya Pradesh Shri
Mangubhai Patel at the function
This book has been published by Madhya Pradesh Hindi

Granth Academy.
Revolutionaries: Sanjeev Sanyal Economist, Member of Prime Minister's Economic

Advisory Council, and author Sanjeev Sanyal has a new
The Other Story of
book coming into the market, which will add to the list of his
How India Won Its best-selling creations so far. Titled "Revolutionaries: The
Freedom
Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom", the book
dives deep into revered freedom fighters such as Bhagat
Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad and Subhas Chandra Bose who
chose to win India's independence through armed resistance.
Ambedkar: A Life Shashi Tharoor Parliamentarian and author, Shashi Tharoor’s latest book
Ambedkar: A Life was recently launched at the Kitaab
Kolkata event organized by Prabha Khaitan Foundation (PKF)
at the ITC Sonar presented by Shree Cement.
Braving A Viral The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has received a book
Storm: India’s titled " Braving A Viral Storm: India’s Covid-19 Vaccine
Aashish Chandorkar,
Story " from Aashish Chandorkar in which he has chronicled
Covid-19 Vaccine Suraj Sudhir
India’s strides in vaccination.
Story
Come! Let’s Run Ma. Subramanian The English version of the book Come! Let’s Run by
Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian
was released by Krishnamachari Srikkanth, former Captain
of Indian Cricket team, at the Chennai Book Fair.
The Tamil version of the same book titled Odalam

Vanga was released on March 8, 2021.
The book was published by Emerald Publishers and the

English translation was done by Geeta Padmanaban (a
teacher) along with J. Joicy and Sharon.
The Half Known Iyer Pico In 'The Half Known Life', Pico Iyer travels from Iran to North
Life: In Search of Korea, the Dalai Lama’s Himalayas to the ghostly temples of
Paradise Japan, to upend our ideas of utopia.
Hardcover
Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
Book Title Author/s About the book

When they Sadhna Shanker Dr. L. Murugan, Minister of State for Information and
Conversed Broadcasting, and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying,
launched Sadhna Shanker’s book When they Conversed at
the Constitution Club in New Delh.
The book is a collection of published articles and blog

posts by the author dealing with contemporary issues and
ideas that are changing people’s lives.
Jadunama Arvind Mandloi A new book giving a rare glimpse into the life of celebrated
lyricist, Javed Akhtar's life was launched in Mumbai recently.
Aptly titled 'Jadunama', the book is an account of Javed
Akhtar’s extraordinary journey as a prolific writer, poet,
lyricist, and activist – which has made him the humanist that he
is today.
'Jadunama' was launched by Gulzar sahab and Javed

Akhtar, along with author Arvind Mandloi and translator Dr
Rakhshanda Jalil. The book was originally written in Hindi and
later translated by Dr Jalil, bringing it to a wider audience.
SPORTS
Ronaldo signed for Al Nassr in deal worth more than €200m
 Saudi club Al-Nassr announced the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo on a free transfer.
 Ronaldo is set to earn the highest-ever salary for a professional footballer, with his two-and-a-half-
year-long contract (till June 2025) worth around €200m (nearly 1,800 crore rupees or £177m) a year
(approx. £ 3.4 million per week) after signing all commercial agreements.
Hazarika claimed 59kg gold
 Railways’ Popy Hazarika won the women’s 59kg gold medal in the National weightlifting championships.
 The results: Senior: Women: 59kg:
1. Popy Hazarika (RSPB)
2. Sukarna Adak (WB)
3. Sneha (Har).
Koustav Chatterjee becomes India’s 78th Grandmaster
 Koustav Chatterjee became India’s 78th Grandmaster in MPL 59th National Senior Chess
Championship in New Delhi.
 Koustav earned his maiden GM-norm in 2021 October at Sheikh Russel GM 2021 in Bangladesh.
 Exactly a year later, the teenager scored his second GM-norm at Asian Continental Championship
2022 in November.
Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 Koustav hailing from Kolkata becomes West Bengal’s tenth Grandmaster.
Pranesh won Rilton Cup, becomes India’s 79th Grandmaster
 Tamil Nadu’s M. Pranesh became India’s latest and 79th Grandmaster.

 The 16-year-old, from Sivaganga, achieved the feat while taking the honours in the Rilton Cup in
Stockholm, Sweden.
 Koustav Chatterjee became the country’s 78th GM a few days ago.
Karthik Venkataraman is National chess champion
 Karthik Venkataraman became the National chess champion at the Indira Gandhi Stadium.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium
 Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated one of the largest hockey stadiums in India in
Rourkela ahead of the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023.
 Built at an estimated cost of ₹261 crore, the stadium, located in Sundargarh district, has been named
the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium Complex.
 It has been built on 50 acres in a record 15 months with a seating capacity of 20,000.
Hyderabad to host first-ever Formula E World Championship race on Feb 11
 The first-ever ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race in India to be held in Hyderabad on
February 11.
Virat Kohli became fifth highest run scorer in ODI
 Star Indian batter Virat Kohli became the fifth-highest run-scorer in history of ODI cricket, overtaking
Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene to enter into top-five.
 Virat Kohli added another record to his pile of accomplishments during India’s third and final ODI of
the series against Sri Lanka in Kerala.
Shubman Gill, youngest batsman to hit double centuries in one-day international cricket
 Shubman Gill joined the prestigious list on January 18, 2023, becoming the fifth Indian batsman to
score 200 in the 50-over format, only one month after Ishan Kishan hammered a double century in an
ODI.
 Shubman is also the youngest batsman to achieve the milestone.
India Open Badminton
 Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand and An Se Young of South Korea won the India Open 2023 singles
championships in New Delhi.
 In men's singles, eighth-seeded Vitidsarn defeated world number one and top seed Viktor Axelsen.
Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 In women's singles, second-seeded Young defeated world number one and top seed Akane
Yamaguchi.
Siraj became the top-ranked bowler in ODIs
 India pacer Mohammed Siraj became the No. 1 in the ICC rankings for ODI bowlers.
 Siraj went past New Zealand’s Trent Boult and Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood to become the
top-ranked ODI bowler for the first time.
ICC Awards 2022
 The ICC Awards celebrate the best performers in the game across all formats from 2022.
 Here are all the winners of all of the awards that have been announced.
Award Winner Country

Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy Babar Azam Pakistan
Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy Nat Sciver England
Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year Ben Stokes England
Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year Babr Azam Pakistan
Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year Nat Sciver England
Men’s T20 International Cricketer Suryakumar Yadav India

of the Year
Women’s T20 International Tahlia McGrath Australia
Cricketer of the Year
Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Marco Jansen South Africa
Year
Women’s Emerging Cricketer of Renuka Singh India
the Year
Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Gerhard Erasmus Namibia
Year
Women’s Associate Cricketer of Esha Oza India
the Year
David Shepherd Trophy Richard Illingworth England
Spirit of Cricket Award Aasif Sheikh Nepal
Australian Open 2023
 Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final of the Australian Open 2023 men's singles
match.
Monthly BeePedia
January 2023
 Djokovic wins the Australian Open for the tenth time and the 22nd grand slam.
 Aryna Sabalenka won the women's singles tennis championship at the 2023 Australian Open by
defeating Elena Rybakina.
Learn Along:
 The 2023 Australian Open was a Grand Slam tennis event held in Melbourne Park from January 16 to 29,
2023.
Germany bagged Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 title
 Germany won the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2023 beating Belgium in a penalty shootout at the
Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, India.
Learn Along:
 The FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2023 was held in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar and Rourkela from January 13 to
29, featured 16 top teams from across the globe.
Recent Retirements:
Name Sport Country

Gareth Bale Football Wales
Dwaine Pretorius Cricket Sauth Africa
Hugo Lloris Football Franace (Goalkeeper)
Sania Mirza Tennis India
Murali Vijay Cricket India
Sources of the News:
The Hindu,The Indian Express,Business Standard, The Financial Express ,PIB, etc.

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Monthly BeePedia

SEBI and Financial Awareness _________________________________________49

NABARD and Agriculture ___________________________________________ 54

Reports and Indexes _______________________________________________ 72

Science and Technology ___________________________________________ 79

Awards & Rewards ___________________________________________________92

Important Days ___________________________________________________ 101

Books ___________________________________________________________ 103

Sports ___________________________________________________________ 104

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1 | P a g e All ixamBee Mock Tests are FREE Please visit www.ixamBee.com

RBI, Banking and Economy

RBI survey for price movements, inflation assessment launched

RBI extends deadline to renew agreement for safe deposit lockers

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RBI lists 6 rating agencies for banks' capital adequacy purposes

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Hitachi Payment, BharatPe,Enkash get RBI nod to operate as payment aggregators

BharatPe Headquarters: New Delhi CEO: Suhail Sameer

EnKash Headquarters: Mumbai Founder: Naveen Bindal

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No need for customers to visit bank branches for re-KYC – RBI

Outward remittances under LRS scheme near $2 billion in Nov: RBI

RBI asks SBM Bank to put brakes on remittance transactions immediately

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RBI prior approval necessary for picking up over 5% stake in banks

Digital payment complaints highest in RBI's integrated ombudsman scheme

SBI, ICICI, HDFC Bank continue to be systemically important banks

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ICICI Bank Registered Office: Vadodara CEO: Sandeep Bakshi

HDFC Bank Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Shashidhar Jagdishan

SBI to raise up to Rs 10,000 crore via infrastructure bonds in Q4 of FY23

Equitas Small Finance Bank Headquarters: Chennai MD & CEO: Vasudevan P N

Shriram Finance raises $100 million loan from ADB

Shriram Finance Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu CEO: Umesh G. Revankar

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ADB to Give $131-m Loan to upgrade JNPCT

Instrument Revised Rates

1 year Time Deposit 6.6%

2 year Time Deposit 6.8%

3 year Time Deposit 6.9%

5 year Time Deposit 7.0%

5-year Recurring Deposit 5.8%

Senior Citizen Savings Scheme 8.0%

Monthly Income Account Scheme 7.1%

National Savings Certificate 7.0%

Public Provident Fund Scheme 7.1%

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Instrument Revised Rates

Sukanya Smariddhi Account Scheme 7.6%

UPI processes record 7.82 bn transactions in December,2022

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Citigroup cuts India's current account deficit forecast to below 3% of GDP

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Govt to make jewellery hallmark standards mandatory in 43 more districts

India's GDP likely to grow 7% in FY23: NSO's first advance estimates

Industrial production rises 7.1 pc in November: Govt data

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WPI inflation lowers to 4.95% in December 2022 as food prices fall

Indian economy to grow at a robust 6.6% in FY24 – World Bank