Latest Current Affairs For Friday 25th November, 2022

BillBox unveils contactless wearable payment solution

BillBox has launched TapTap, a wearable device that enables contactless payments.

This card was launched in association with NSDL Payments Bank and Visa.

Aim: To simplify payments and offer users convenience.

It has been launched with silicon band, silicon strap and silicon loop which will be available in white, black and blue colours. 

MD & Group CEO of BillBox: Viraj Majmudar

NSDL Payments Bank MD & CEO - Abhijit Kamalapurkar; Headquarters - Mumbai, Maharashtra. 

Army Red Team wins 72nd Inter Services Volleyball Championship 2022-23

The Army Red Team has won the 72nd Inter Services Volleyball Championship 2022-23 title, after defeating the Army Green.

The closing ceremony of the Championship was conducted at Eagles Indoor Volleyball Stadium in Secunderabad.

The event provided an opportunity to outstanding sportsmen for getting selected to the Services Volleyball team.

The trophy was presented by Telangana and Andhra Sub Area officiating GoC, Brigadier K Somashankar.

Delhi University launches Financial Support Scheme

The Delhi University has launched a Financial Support Scheme (FSS) for those students who come from an economically weaker background and have enrolled in full-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses at the university.

Eligibility criteria:

Category 1: Students whose family annual income is less than Rs 4 lakh will get up to 100% of fee relaxation.

Category 2: Candidates whose family income is between Rs 4 and 8 lakh will get a fee waiver of 50%. 

NIIT Chairman, Rajendra Pawar awarded Lifetime Achievement Award by FICCI

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) has honoured Rajendra Singh Pawar (Chairman & Founder, NIIT) with 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award 2022.

The award ceremony held at the 8th FICCI Higher Education Excellence Awards in New Delhi.

Reason: For his contribution and exemplary work in the field of education as well as creating the IT Training industry.

FICCI:

President: Sanjiv Mehta

Founded: 1927

Headquarters: New Delhi

Former minister Golak Naik passes away

Former Minister, Golak Bihari Naik has been passed away at the age of 65.

He started his political career with BJP and later joined the Biju Janata Dal.

He was elected to Odisha Assembly thrice, twice as BJP candidate from Khunta and once as BJD nominee from Udala constituency.

He served as a minister in the Naveen Patnaik-led government from 2000 to 2009.

He had served as minister of the Textiles, Fisheries and Animal Resources in the BJD-BJP coalition government.

DPIIT launches startup applications for registration on MAARG portal

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has launched startup applications for registration on the MAARG portal.

Purpose: To provide further boost the startup ecosystem by catalysing the startup culture and building a strong and inclusive ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship in India.

The MAARG is  National Mentorship Platform by Startup India.

MAARG portal refers to Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience and Growth.

JNPA inaugurates Continuous Marine Water Quality Monitoring Station

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and Department of Civil Engineering (IIT Madras) have developed a Continuous Marine Water Quality Monitoring Station (CMWQMS) and launched Electric Environmental Monitoring Vehicle (EV).

The monitor station and vehicle were inaugurated by Chairman of JNPA, Sanjay Sethi.

Aim: To assist in managing the marine water and air quality in the port area.

With this, JNPA will be able to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint of vehicles.

Credit-deposit ratio of Northern and Western regions declined in 2022

As per the recent RBI data, the Credit-Deposit (CD) ratio of the Northern and Western Regions have been declined in 2022.

While the North-Eastern, Eastern, Central and Southern Regions improved.

CD ratio indicates that how much of each rupee of deposit goes towards credit markets in a particular region.

Low CD ratio: It suggests relatively poor credit growth compared with deposit growth.

High CD ratio: Strong demand for credit, relatively slower deposit growth.

Balances under SDF to be included in Liquidity Coverage Ratio

As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the overnight balances under the standing deposit facility (SDF) will be eligible as ‘Level 1 High Quality Liquid Assets (HQLA)’ for computation of the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR).

Reason: To enhance the ability of banks to achieve LCR.

LCR promotes short-term resilience of banks to potential liquidity disruptions.

It also ensures that banks have sufficient HQLAs to survive an acute stress scenario lasting for 30 days.

India successfully test-fires intermediate range ballistic Agni-3 missile

India has successfully launched an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-3 from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.

It is a routine user training launch, carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command.

Agni series missiles: Agni-1 (700km), Agni-2 (2,000km), Agni-3 (3,000 km), Agni-4 (4,000 km) and Agni -5 (longest striking range of 5,000 km).

With Agni and BrahMos (tactical cruise missile), India can easily take care of targets between 30 to 5,000 kms.

Sports ministry announced 2021 Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has announced the 2021 Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award and will be awarded on 30th November 2022.

The National Selection Committee was constituted under the chairpersonship of Secretary (Youth Affairs).

Winners: Naina Dhakad (Land Adventure category); Shubham Dhananjay Vanmali (Water Adventure), and Group Captain Kunwar Bhawani Singh Samyal (Life Time Achievement). 

Award: Statuettes, certificates and Rs. 15 lakh each. 

8th joint military EX GARUDA SHAKTI organised in Karawang, Indonesia

The eighth edition of joint military exercise between India and Indonesia, "Garuda Shakti" has been organised in Sangga Buana Training Area, Karawang, Indonesia.

The exercise was commenced on 21 November 2022.

Aim: To enhance understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the Special Forces of both armies. 

It also focus on a high degree of physical fitness, tactical drills, and techniques.

Chief of Indian Army: General Manoj Pande

ISRO conducts 200th consecutive launch Of 'RH-200' sounding rocket

ISRO has conducted the 200th consecutive successful launch of RH200 (sounding rocket) from Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station, Thiruvananthapuram.

Sounding Rockets: It is used for the scientific community for carrying out experiments on meteorology, astronomy and similar branches of space physics.

RH-200: It is a two-stage rocket capable of climbing to a height of 70 km bearing scientific payloads.

The ‘200’ in the name denotes the diameter of the rocket in mm.

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.