Latest Current Affairs For Saturday 12th November, 2022

MHA completes mother tongue survey of 576 languages

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has successfully completed a mother tongue survey with field videography of 576 languages and dialects across the country.

According to the annual report of the Home Ministry for 2021-22, it has been planned to set up a web archive at NIC to preserve and analyse the original flavour of each indigenous mother tongue.

The Linguistic Survey of India is a regular research activity in the country since the 6th Five Year Plan.

Arfa Khanum Sherwani to receive 2022 Kuldip Nayar Patrakarita Samman Award

The Gandhi Peace Foundation has announced that the prestigious Kuldip Nayar Patrakarita Samman for 2022 to Arfa Khanum Sherwani (The Wire’s senior editor) and Ajit Anjum (independent journalist and YouTuber).

The announcement was made at a press conference held at New Delhi’s Press Club of India by the well-known academic and author, Ashis Nandy.

Ravish Kumar was the first person who was honoured with this award in 2017, followed by Marathi journalist Nikhil Wagle.

MoHUA launches ‘Transport4All Challenge Stage-2’

Hardeep Singh Puri (MOHUA) has launched the ‘Transport4All Challenge Stage-2’.

Under this, startups will be engaged to develop solutions to transport problems in 46 cities.

Aim: To enhance mobility experience, focuses on digital innovation and invites cities, citizens and innovators to develop contextual solutions to improve formal as well as informal public transport. 

The minister has also launched the ‘Citizen Perception Survey’ under the Ease of Living Index-2022.

Virat Kohli becomes first batter to score 4000 runs in T20Is

Indian batsman, Virat Kohli has scripted history as he became the first batter in history to reach 4000 runs in T20 Internationals.

He reached the landmark in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022 against England in Adelaide, Australia.

Earlier, he became the all-time leading run-scorer in the men's T20 World Cups against Bangladesh in Adelaide.

He broke record of Mahela Jayawardene (1016 runs), which was set in 2014. 

NPCI launched BHIM app open-source license model

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched the BHIM App open-source license model.

Under the new model, the source code of the BHIM app will be licensed to regulated entities participating in the UPI ecosystem.

Presently, a large number of banks do not have a mobile banking app and by licensing the source code of BHIM to such banks, NPCI bridge this gap by extending all available features of UPI to these entities.

NPCI CEO: Dilip Asbe

SBI report: CAD likely to be lower at 3% this fiscal

State Bank of India has lowered the current account deficit (CAD) at 3% for this fiscal (2022-23) as against the minimum consensus of 3.5%.

Reason: Rising software exports, remittances and a likely $5-billion jump in forex reserves via swap deals.

CAD: The country is importing more goods and services than it is exporting. 

The biggest impact on CAD is oil imports, which form as much as 30% of the country's import bills.

Odisha to be made slum-free by 2023-end

Odisha CM, Naveen Patnaik has announced that Odisha will be made slum-free by December, 2023.

He has also declared Hinjilih (his constituency) and Digapahandi town in Ganjam district as ‘slum free’ and dedicated 707 ‘Biju Adarsh Colonies’ in 33 urban areas of the state.

He also declared that land rights will be given to 2.5 lakh families by next year.

Slum dwellers are being given land rights for their houses in ‘Biju Adarsh Colonies’, being built across the state.

Indian Army launches single window facility 'Veerangana Sewa Kendra'

Indian Army has launched a single window facility named Veerangana Sewa Kendra (VSK) for welfare and grievances redressal of Veer Naris.

The Indian Army has launched this facility with a motto of "Taking Care of Our Own, No Matter What”.

The project was inaugurated by President Army Wives Welfare Association at the Directorate of Indian Army Veterans premises located at Delhi Cantt.

The VSK will be available on www.indianarmyveterans.gov.in.

VP Jagdeep Dhankhar to attend 17th East Asia Summit

VP Jagdeep Dhankhar will attend the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit and the 17th East Asia Summit, that will be organsied in Cambodia (current Chair of ASEAN). 

He will also have bilateral meetings with Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen and other dignitaries at Phnom Penh.

External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar will also participate in the summit. 

This year marks the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-India relations and is being celebrated as the ASEAN-India Friendship Year. 

Athlete, Neeraj Chopra becomes 'Friendship Ambassador' of Switzerland

Olympic medalist, Neeraj Chopra has been appointed as the ‘Friendship Ambassador’ by Switzerland Tourism.

Role: To showcase and promote the adventurous, sporty, and stunning outdoors of Switzerland to Indian travellers.

He was also visited the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, where he donated his gold-winning javelin.

With this he hopes to encourage more people to take up the sport.

Since 2017, he has been travelling in Switzerland to participate in competitions.

NFDB awarded “India Agribusiness Awards 2022”

National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad was awarded India Agribusiness Awards 2022 at the 'AgroWorld 2022', held from 9th - 11th November 2022.

Category: ‘Best Agribusiness Award under Fisheries Sector’. 

NFDB comes under the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, GoI.

While, Haryana has received the 'India Agribusiness Awards 2022' in the best state category for their contribution in the areas of agriculture.

Uttar Pradesh to host 2023 Khelo India National University games

The third edition of Khelo India National University Games (2023-24) will be held in four cities of Uttar Pradesh.

These cities are Lucknow (main host city), Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Noida.

Navneet Sehgal (UP’s Additional Chief Secretary) announced that around 4,500 athletes will represent 150 universities across the country.

The inaugural edition of the Khelo India National University Games was held in Odisha (2020) while Karnataka was the host for the second edition.

ISRO's Cryogenic engine successfully passes hot test for LVM3

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully tested the hot test on indigenously developed, cryogenic engine, at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu.

This engine will power the heaviest rocket of ISRO, the LVM-3 (Previously called as GSLV-Mk3).

LVM-III went through the hot test at an uprated thrust level of 21.8 tonnes for the first time.

Aim: To test that the engine can support a payload capability of up to 450 kg with additional propellant loading.

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.