Latest Current Affairs For Thursday 13th January, 2022

World Bank forecasted Indian Economy to grow at 8.3%

World Bank has forecasted Indian economy to grow at 8.3% in the current financial year in its latest Global Economic Prospects. 

It has upgraded India's GDP growth for the next fiscal to 8.7%, reflecting higher investment from the private sector and in infrastructure, and dividends from ongoing reforms.

Global economic growth is estimated at 4.1% in current financial year and 3.2% in the next fiscal.

Mary Kom, Amit Panghal added to National Coaching Camps

Mary Kom have become part of National Coaching Camp in Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala, and Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi. 

The camp will continue till 14th March. 

Three Services boxers Amit Panghal, Manish Kaushik, Satish Kumar, Vikas Krishan, and Ashish Kumar have also been included in men’s camp in Patiala. 

As many as 63 men boxers across different weight categories and 27 coachings and support staff have been in National Camp in Patiala.

Delhi Police upgrades automation, digitization to provide on complaints

Delhi police has upgraded its online citizen services and has started providing automatically generated to complainants on the investigation of their cases. 

Apart from the registration of FIR, complainants will now also be informed about arrest of accused and filing of chargesheet and final report, on their mobile numbers and through email.

When there are multiple accused, the will be sent in case of arrest of each of the accused person, as and when they are arrested.

Odisha decided to raise upper age limit for state services from 32 to 38

Odisha Govt has decided to raise upper age limit for entry to state government services from 32 to 38. 

However, it will be effective only for the recruitment advertisements made in calendar years 2021 and 2022 or to be made in 2023.

This decision was taken in a cabinet meeting held under chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the state capital Bhubaneswar.

The decision was taken to enable the youth to avail opportunities to enter govt jobs.

Deputy CM of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar announces mini-Olympics

Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has announced that mini Olympics will be organized to promote and encourage Olympic sports among the youth. 

Competition will be arranged around 1st May, to mark Maharashtra Day. 

This event will be called ‘Maharashtra State Olympic Competition’. 

‘Olympics Vision Document’ will be prepared considering requirements of 2024, 2028, 2032 Olympics. 

He also approved proposal to celebrate birth anniversary of Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav. 

Hardeep Puri releases brochure themed ‘Smart Cities, Smart Urbanization’

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is organizing a series of 30 events under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav by Prime Minister to commemorate 75th anniversary of Independence. 

It will culminate in a grand finale of ‘Smart Cities, Smart Urbanization’ conference, wherein 6 main events will be organized in Surat tentatively on the 4th and 5th of February, 2022. 

An illustrated brochure themed ‘Smart Cities, Smart Urbanization’ was also formally launched by Hardeep Puri virtually.

DRDO test-fired Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile

Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has successfully flight tested Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile.

It is indigenously developed anti-tank missile and is low weight and fire & forget missile.

The missile successfully destroyed the target during the test flight.

The missile has miniaturized infrared imaging seeker and advanced avionics for onboard control and guidance.

DRDO Chairman: G Satheesh Reddy.

India successfully test-fires naval variant of advanced supersonic BrahMos

Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has successfully test-fired an extended range sea-to-sea variant of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile for Indian Navy. 

This advanced sea to sea variant of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise missile was launched from INS Visakhapatnam, stealth guided-missile destroyer of the Indian Navy.

Produced by: BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture.

It flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound. 

Union Minister launches AI Start-Up by IIT alumni for water purification

Union Minister Jitendra Singh has launched Artificial Intelligence-driven Start-Up by IIT alumni for water purification through innovative technology.

Aim: to provide clean drinking water at a price much lesser than the market price.

He asked private sector to come forward with tech solutions to cover nearly 14 crore households where clean drinking water is yet to reach.

Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana are being taken up for this latest heli-borne survey.

Indian Railway launches Mission Amanat to track lost belonging of passenger

Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Western Railways zone of Indian Railways has launched new initiative titled as ‘Mission Amanat’ to make it easier for the railway passengers to get back their lost luggage.

Under Mission Amanat, details of lost luggage and belongings along with photos will be uploaded on the official website of zonal railway, https://wr.indianrailways.gov.in/.

This will help the passengers in tracking and getting back their lost belongings.

National Youth Day: 12 January

National Youth Day is celebrated every year in India on 12th January to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

The day was declared as Youth Day by the Government of India in 1984.

The day was first celebrated in 1985.

This year, we are observing 159th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand (12 January 1863).

Theme for National Youth Day 2022: ‘YUVAAH – Utsah Naye Bharat Ka’ (Youth- Excitement of New India)’.

Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas appointed as next IMF’s Chief Economist

French-born economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas has been named as the next chief economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

He will succeed Gita Gopinath, first woman to serve as the Fund’s chief economist.

He will initially join the IMF on a part-time basis from Jan 24, 2022 and will take up on role on full-time basis from April 1, 2022. 

Gita Gopinath will take over as 1st deputy managing director of IMF from January 21 2022. 

Headquarters: Washington, D.C., U.S. 

Actress Harshaali Malhotra receives Bharat Ratna Dr Ambedkar Award 2022

Actress Harshaali Malhotra has been awarded the 12th Bharat Ratna Dr Ambedkar Award 2022 for her performance in the 2015 film Bajrangi Bhaijaan. 

She received the award from Bhagat Singh Koshyari (Governor of Maharashtra). 

She played the role of Munni, who was mute young girl from Pakistan in Salman Khan starrer Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

Govt of Maharashtra organized Bharat Ranta Dr Ambedkar national Awards 2022 ceremony in the memory of Dr Ambedkar. 

It was first awarded in 1993. 

PM Narendra Modi to be awarded prestigious Lokmanya Tilak Award 2023

The Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust (Hind Swaraj Sangh) would confer the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2023 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Pune on August 1, 2023.

Reason: This award recognizes PM Modi's supreme leadership under which India has climbed the ladder of progress

It is presented annually on the occasion of Lokmanya Tilak's death anniversary.

Other awardees: Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sharad Pawar, Cyrus Poonawalla, and Manmohan Singh. 

J&K Bank wins award for Best Performance in CASA

Jammu & Kashmir Bank has been felicitated for the Best Performance in CASA-India (1st Runner up in Small Bank Category) at ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave & Awards 2022.

The event was participated by banks from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & Myanmar.

The function was organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Goa.

Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is a non-governmental trade association and advocacy group headquartered in Calcutta.

India poised to become world’s 2nd-largest economy by 2075: Goldman Sachs

According to the Investment Bank Goldman Sachs, India is poised to become the world’s second-largest economy by 2075.

As per the report, India would cross Japan, Germany, and the US With a population of 1.4 billion people.

India’s GDP is estimated to expand remarkably, reaching 52.5 trillion dollars surpassing the US GDP projection.

The labour force participation set to make India the second-largest economy in the world by 2075.

L&T and Spain's Navantia sign agreement for submarine project

L&T has signed a teaming agreement with Spanish-based Navantia for the submission of a techno-commercial bid for the Indian Navy’s prestigious P75 (India) submarine program.

P75 (India) Submarine Project is expected to be valued at €4.8 billion.

Navantia would carry out the design of P75(I) submarines based on its S80 class of submarines.

The first S80 class submarine was launched in 2021 and is undergoing sea trials prior to its delivery to Spanish Navy. 

India overtakes China as most attractive emerging market for investing

According to a study by Invesco Global Sovereign Asset Management, India has overtaken China to become the most attractive emerging market for investing in sovereign wealth funds this year.

Reason: This is due to its solid demographics, political stability, and proactive regulation. 

Positives for the nation also include the rapidly expanding demography, strong regulatory actions, and a welcoming climate for sovereign investors.

World Population Day 2023: 11 July

World Population Day is observed every year on July 11 in order to raise awareness about global population issues, including population control.

2023 theme: Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities. 

It was established by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1989, after the day the world approximately reached a population of five billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987.

MoHUA conducts SBM-U 2.0 Planning & Implementation Review-cum-Workshop

The Housing Ministry organized a review-cum-workshop to evaluate and accelerate the planning and implementation of the SBM-Urban 2.0.

PM Modi launched the 2.0 versions of SBM-U and AMRUT on October 1, 2021.

SBM-U 2.0: Achieving 100% waste segregation in all households and premises and 100% door-to-door collection of segregated waste from each. 

AMRUT 2.0: To provide complete coverage of water supply to all households and sewerage and septage in 500 AMRUT cities. 

Gujarat CM launches pilot project of ‘Antyodaya Shramik Suraksha Yojana’

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel launched the Antyodaya Shram Suraksha Accident Insurance Scheme from Kheda

All those registered under the e-Shram portal from Nadiad will benefit from the scheme.

It is being implemented through the Indian Postal Department, the IPPB, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Under this scheme, insurance with a premium of Rs. 289 and Rs. 499 per year will be a big support to workers in the event of death or partial disability.

OCA elects Sheikh Talal as the new President

Kuwait’s Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah has been elected as the new President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

He replaced his older brother Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who led the OCA for 30 years until 2021.

The OCA was founded in 1982 by his father Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who led it until 1990.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45 member National Olympic Committees.

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance wins Insurer Innovation Award 2023

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance has won the Insurer Innovation Award 2023 for the APAC region at the 8th World Digital Insurance Awards, hosted by TDI - The Digital Insurer.

Recognition: Bajaj Allianz Life's ground-breaking WhatsApp Conversational Platform - empowering customers to digitally services their policies seamlessly. 

The award entries were shortlisted by industry experts and the winner was selected by the community through pre-voting and live event voting.