Latest Current Affairs For Tuesday 29th November, 2022

PT Usha set to become first woman President of IOA

The legendary PT Usha is set to become the first woman President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) as she emerged as the lone candidate for the top post for the December 10 elections.

She is a multiple Asian Games gold medallist and a fourth-place finisher at the 1984 Olympics 400m hurdles final.

Usha will also become the first Olympian and first international medallist to head the IOA in its 95-year-old history.

International award on behalf of snow leopard conservation alliance

Indian snow leopard experts, Charudutt Mishra and Koustubh Sharma, along with Chyngyz Kochorov (Kyrgyzstan) have received the Madrid-based BBVA Foundation’s Worldwide Biodiversity Conservation Award on behalf GSLEP.

The Global Snow Leopard Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP) is a 12-nation intergovernmental alliance.

12 countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. 

S&P cuts India's growth forecast to 7% for FY23

S&P Global Ratings has slashed the economic growth forecast of India for current fiscal year (FY23) to 7% and 6% in the next fiscal year.

The firm has also announced that the domestic demand-led economy will be less impacted by the global slowdown.

S&P had in September (2022) projected the Indian economy to grow 7.3 per cent in 2022-23 and 6.5 per cent in next fiscal year (2023-24).

It projected inflation to average 6.8% in the current fiscal year.

Avani Lekhara receives 2022 Para Sports Person of Year award

Avani Lekhara has been awarded the 2022 Para Sports Person of the Year, while Shrey Kadyan was recognized as the Special Sportsperson of the Year at the Turf 2022 and India Sports Awards of FICCI.

Former Ranji cricketer, Sarkar Talwar has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement of the Year award.

Odisha was recognized as the best state for promoting sports.

The All India Chess Federation won the National Sports Federation of the Year Award.

FSSAI approves Yak as a ‘food animal’

The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has approved the Himalayan Yak as a ‘food animal’.

Reason: To help check decline in the population of the high-altitude bovine animal.

Food Animals are those that are raised and used for food production or consumption by humans.

The decision comes after the latest census (2019), showed that India has 58,000 yaks.

This was around 25% drop from the last livestock census carried out in 2012.

Prasar Bharati hosting ABU General Assembly 2022 in New Delhi

Prasar Bharati (India’s Public Service Broadcaster) is hosting the 59th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) General Assembly 2022.

The conference was started in New Delhi on 25th November and will continue till 30th November 2022.

2022 Theme: Serving the People: Media’s Role in Times of Crisis.

The event coincides with Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to mark the 75th year of the India’s Independence.

ABU HQ: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

Prasar Bharati CEO: Gaurav Dwivedi. 

Clean-a-thon organised at Miramar beach, Goa

The Clean-a-thon has been organized at the Miramar Beach, Goa.

The event is a collaborative effort by Government of Goa, IFFI, Divyaj Foundation and Bhamla Foundation.

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur and Goa CM, Pramod Sawant will be flagging off the clean up drive.

Aim: To make the entire coastline of Goa pristine again.

This clean up mission is a reflection of PM Modi’s vision and mission “Swachch Sagar, Surakshit Sagar”. 

Bihar CM launches Har Ghar Gangajal project in Rajgir

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has launched the Har Ghar Gangajal project in Rajgir with an aim to provide Ganga water on tap in the parched areas of the state.

The scheme will help to harvest the excess water of the Ganga during the monsoon season.

The water will be stored in reservoirs in Rajgir and Gaya before being channelled to three treatment-and-purification plants.

This scheme is part of the Jal, Jeevan, Hariyali scheme of Bihar govt.

Bengaluru to host G20 Finance Ministers meeting in February 2023

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced that Bengaluru will host a meeting of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in February 2023.

She made announcement at the Vananam Startup Inclusivity Summit in Bengaluru.

She has also encouraged the Start ups to utilise this event to showcase their profile to the visiting international guests.

Different cities in India have been selected to host G-20-related meetings in 2023.

Indian and Australian Army begins bilateral exercise “AUSTRA HIND 22”

The bilateral training exercise between Indian and Australian Army, “AUSTRA HIND 22” has started at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan on 28th Nov and will continue till 11th Dec 2022.

It is the first exercise in the series of AUSTRA HIND with participation of all arms and services contingent.

The Australian Army contingent comprised soldiers from the 13th Brigade of the 2nd Division.

The Indian Army is represented by troops from the DOGRA Regiment.

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.