Current Affairs 2 December 2021

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 2 December 2021, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2021 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Govt Approves Continuation of ‘Scheme for Investment Promotion’ for 5 YearsThe Ministry of Commerce and Industry has approved the continuation of the Scheme for Investment Promotion (SIP) for five years from 2021-22 till 2025-26 with a financial outlay of Rs 970 crore.

• SIP is a Centrally Sponsored scheme, launched on 11^th November 2008, to promote Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into India.
• Implementing Agency – Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)
• The scheme comprises a number of components and activities that enhances international co-operation for promoting investments through FDI and capacity building in India.

About Ministry of Commerce and Industry:
Union Minister – Piyush Vedprakash Goyal (Constituency – Maharashtra)
Minister of state – Anupriya Singh Patel (Constituency – Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh) ; Som Parkash (Constituency – Hoshiarpur, Punjab)
>>Read Full News

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment forms 3-Member panel to Review EWS CriteriaOn November 30, 2021, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment announced the formation of a 3-member committee to review the annual income criteria for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) reservations in job and central education institutes.
About the Committee
i.The 3 members of the Committee:

• Ajay Bhushan Pandey – Former Finance Secretary
• Prof VK Malhotra – Member Secretary, ICSSR (Indian Council of Social Science Research)
• Sanjeev Sanyal – Principal Economic Advisor to the Indian government (Member Convenor).

ii.The committee will now review the Rs 8 lakh family annual income ceiling for EWS to apply for 10 percent reserved seats in central education institutes and government jobs.
iii.The committee will examine various approaches followed in India so far for identifying EWS and recommend criteria.
About EWS: The 10 percent EWS quota was introduced under the 103rd Constitution (Amendment) Act, 2019. The 10 percent EWS reservation is given only for the General Category candidates apart from other category reservation benefits of OBC (27%), SC (Scheduled Castes) (15%), and ST ( Scheduled Tribe) (7.5%).
About Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment:
Union Minister – Virendra Kumar (Constituency – Tikamgarh, Madhya Pradesh)
Minister of State –  Ramdas Athawale (Constituency – Maharashtra,  Pratima Bhoumik (Constituency -Tripura West, Tripura),  A. Narayanaswamy (Constituency – Chitradurga, Karnataka)
>>Read Full News

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal Inaugurated 40th Edition of IITF 2021; Bihar won Gold AwardUnion Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal inaugurated the 40th edition of the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2021 at Pragati Maidan in Delhi.

• IITF 2021 was held on November 14 to 27, 2021. It was organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ as the theme and to further promote the idea of ‘Vocal for Local’.
• An estimated 3,000 exhibitors from India and abroad have participated in the fair. The fair was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19.
• Piyush Goyal listed five pillars of India as Economy, Exports, Infrastructure, Demand, and Diversity.
• Partner state: Bihar is the partner state for the 40th IITF and the focus states are Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.

-Bihar won Gold award at IITF 2021
i.The Bihar pavilion once again won the gold medal by showcasing the state’s art and cultural richness through handicrafts like Madhubani, Manjusha arts, terracotta, handlooms and other indigenous products of state at IITF 2021.
ii.This is the 6th gold medal for the Bihar pavilion in the last 7 years for its outstanding implementations at the IITF 2021.
iii.Bihar has been adjudged the ‘First for Excellence’ in display in the 40th IITF in the category of the State Government or Union Territory pavilions.
Silver Medal: Assam Pavilion has been awarded Silver Medal as the 2nd Best Pavilion among all the States and Union Territories at IITF 2021
About Bihar:
Chief Minister – Nitish Kumar
Wildlife Sanctuary – Rajgir Wildlife Sanctuary, Udaypur Wildlife Sanctuary, Valmiki Wildlife Sanctuary, Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Wildlife Sanctuary
Tiger Reserve – Valmiki Tiger Reserve

Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio & MoS Tourism Ajay Bhatt Inaugurated 9th International Tourism Mart for the North East Region at Kohima

Neiphiu Rio, Chief Minister(CM) of Nagaland, Ajay Bhatt, Minister of State(MoS) for Tourism inaugurated the three-day long 9th International Tourism Mart for the North East Region at Kohima, Nagaland.

• International Tourism Marts are organised in the North Eastern States on a rotation basis.
• Nagaland is hosting this Mart for the first time.

Objective:
To highlight the tourism potential of the region in the domestic and international markets.
9th International Tourism Mart:
i.Around 75 sellers from the North East region and about 50 buyers from across India are participating in the 9th International Tourism Mart for the North East Region
ii.The Ministry of Tourism has organised a visit to Kisama Heritage Village, Kisama War Museum and Morungs, Khonoma Village and Kohima World War II War Cemetery, as a part of the event.
Dignitaries:
i.High Commissioner, Brunei Darussalam, High Commissioner, Malaysia, Ambassador Extra Ordinary, Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Ambassador, The Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and several other diplomats participated in the event.
ii.In line with ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’, the delegation also includes students from across India.
Highlights of the event:
i.Coffee table book on Nagaland was also launched during the event.
ii.Department of Tourism, Government of Nagaland and Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the operations of State Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Nagaland.
About International Tourism Marts:
i.The International Tourism Marts is the biggest travel and tour networking event in the North Eastern Region of India.
ii.Previously the International Tourism Marts were organised in Guwahati, Assam; Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh; Shillong, Meghalaya; Gangtok, Sikkim; Agartala, Tripura; and Imphal, Manipur.
About Nagaland:
Governor– Jagdish Mukhi
Festival– Tuluni Festival, The Hornbill Festival
Stadium– Sovima Cricket Stadium
About Ministry of Tourism:
Union Minister– G. Kishan Reddy (Constituency- Secunderabad, Telangana)
Minister of State– Shripad Yesso Naik (Constituency- North Goa, Goa) and Ajay Bhatt (Constituency- Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar, Uttarakhand)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Global Trade Report of UNCTAD: Global Trade Expected to Rise by 23% to $28 trillion in 2021As per the Global Trade update report (November 2021) of UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development), the Global trade is expected to increase by 23 percent to reach about US$ 28 trillion in 2021, when compared to 2020.

• Global trade growth stabilized during the second half of 2021, increasing by 1 percent quarter-over-quarter.
• India trade growth accelerated in Q3 2021 both in goods and services, while China remained relatively constant.

India’s Trade in Goods and Services in Q3 2021:

About UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development):
Establishment – 1964
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
 Secretary-general – Rebeca Grynspan
>>Read Full News

EIU’s Worldwide Cost of Living Index 2021: Tel Aviv Ranks World’s Costliest City; Paris, Singapore Ranks 2nd
According to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Worldwide Cost of Living Index 2021, Tel Aviv, Israel has become the most expensive city in the world to live in 2021, pushing Paris, France and Singapore jointly to occupy the second spot with Zurich and Hong Kong at the fourth and fifth spots respectively.

• Tel Aviv climbed from 5th place to the top in 2021 due to the rising value of the Israeli currency shekel against US Dollar along with increase in the price of grocery and transport.
• Syria’s Damascus was ranked as the world’s cheapest city.

The Worldwide Cost of Living Index examines the cost of living in 173 cities and measures impactful global events that are conducted twice a year.
About Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU)
Established – 1946
Headquarters – London, United Kingdom
Global Chief Economist, Managing Director(Asia) – Simon Baptist
>>Read Full News

BANKING & FINANCE

FIRST Private Infinite: India’s 1^st Standalone Metal Debit Card launched by IDFC FIRST BankOn November 30, 2021, IDFC FIRST Bank launched India’s first standalone metal debit card or black card namely ‘FIRST Private Infinite’ in partnership with Visa. It is crafted from hybrid metal with details printed in silver.
About ‘FIRST Private Infinite Card:
It is a lifetime free card to cater the customers of the bank’s FIRST Private program.The program offers an unrivalled banking and investment experience to customers and comes with a range of exceptional investment, banking, lifestyle and wellness benefits.

• It is specifically curated for premium cardholders and includes complimentary domestic and international lounge access for cardholders and companions, unparalleled insurance coverage, a road assistance program and access to golf courses India.

About IDFC FIRST Bank:
It was founded by the merger of Erstwhile IDFC Bank and Erstwhile Capital First Established– 2018
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– V. Vaidyanathan
Headquarter– Mumbai, Maharashtra

RBI appointed 3-member Advisory Committee to assist RCL Administrator Nageswar Rao YOn November 29, 2021, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) superseded the Board of Directors of Reliance Capital Ltd (RCL), a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) by appointing Nageswar Rao Y (Ex-Executive Director, Bank of Maharashtra) as the administrator of the company.
Now, to assist the administrator, RBI appointed a three-member advisory committee by exercising its powers conferred under section 45-IE (5) (a) of the RBI Act 1934. The committee will assist the administrator in discharge of his duties. The members of the advisory committee are as follows:
i.Sanjeev Nautiyal, ex-DMD, State Bank of India
ii.Srinivasan Varadarajan, ex-DMD (deputy managing director), Axis Bank
iii.Praveen P Kadle, ex-MD & CEO, Tata Capital Limited
The formulation of the committee is also on the lines of Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Insolvency and Liquidation Proceedings of Financial Service Providers and Application to Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2019 which states the appointment of Advisory committee by the concerned financial sector regulator to advise the administrator during the corporate insolvency resolution process.
About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Establishment– April 1, 1935
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors– Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao, T. Rabi Sankar

DBS Bank India Introduces an Industry-First Digital & Paperless Trade Financing Solution

DBS Bank India has introduced a paperless proposition for the financing of domestic invoices by buyers and sellers and also the first paperless domestic trade financing transaction with Lincon Polymers Pvt Ltd to reduce processing turn-around time and for efficient business.

• The Bank digitally validates the Electronic Way (E-Way) Bill which is the proof of movement of goods for transparency of trade transactions.
• The bank has completed its first end-to-end digital Purchase Invoice Finance (PIF) transaction for Lincon Polymers Pvt. Ltd

Features:
i.Customers can share details of their transactions through IDEAL (DBS’ digital banking platform that enables companies to initiate, monitor, and secure business transactions).
ii.The customer’s data is validated against the Government-enabled E-Way bill portal through Goods and Services Network (GSTN) after receiving a one-time authentication from the customer.
iii.The bank has partnered with Rezofin, an online invoice financing platform for this process.
Other Launches by DBS Bank:
i.DBS bank has introduced a completely digital and innovative payments solution in partnership with Transport Corporation of India Limited (TCIL).

• This empowered truck drivers by enabling real-time payments through the Real time Application Programming Interface by DBS solution (RAPID).

ii.The bank has also collaborated with ODeX to introduce ODeX Pay Later Solutions powered by DBS which is a hassle-free credit solution for freight movements.

iii.The real-time online tracking for cross-border collections for businesses in partnership with Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) Global Payments Innovation (GPI) was also launched by DBS Bank.
About DBS Bank
DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia with a presence in 18 markets.
Headquarters – Singapore
CEO & Managing Director – Piyush Gupta
About DBS Bank India Limited
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
CEO & Managing Director (MD) – Surojit Shome

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

India’s GDP grows at 8.4% in Q2FY22 vs -7.4% in Q2FY21: NSO Estimatesi.On November 30, 2021, the National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the estimates of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the second quarter (July-September) of 2021-22 (Q2FY22), both at Constant (2011-12) and Current Prices.
ii.As per the estimates, India’s GDP in Q2FY22 grew by 8.4% as compared to 7.4% contraction (-7.4%) in Q2FY21.
iii.This is the 4^th consecutive quarter of positive growth after a two-quarter contraction in 2020. It reflects a healthy recovery in private consumption expenditure due to the unlocking of the economy, and the significant progress on vaccination.
iv.Also, the Indian economy is expected to grow 6.5-7% in 2022.
About Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI):
Minister of State Independent Charge– Rao Inderjit Singh (Constituency – Gurugram, Haryana)
>>Read Full News

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS        

V Praveen Rao VC of PJTSAU Wins 7th Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Award for 2017-19

V Praveen Rao, Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) wins the 7th Dr M S Swaminathan Award for the period 2017-19.

• It is a biennial national (every 2 year) award that was presented  by Retired ICAR(Indian Council of Agricultural Research) Employees Association (RICAREA) and Nuziveedu Seeds Limited. It carries a cash prize  INR 2 lakh and a citation.

Highlights:
i.The Selection Committee, headed by former ICAR Director General, RS Paroda has decided to select V Praveen Rao for the award recognising his contributions in the fields of ‘agricultural research, teaching, extension and administration’.
ii.Praveen Rao handled 13 research and  6 consultancy projects on micro-irrigation in India, Israel and South Africa.
About Dr M S Swaminathan Award :
i.This prestigious Award was instituted in 2004 in the honour of Dr. M.S. Swaminathan  the main architect of India’s Green Revolution.
ii.This Award is a lifetime achievement award  for outstanding contributions to agricultural research and development and for overall food security and sustainability of agriculture.
iii.The award is open to all, irrespective of his/her nationality.
About Retired ICAR Employees Association (RICAREA):
President – Dr. M.V.R. Prasad
Headquarter – Hyderabad, Telangana

A biography  ‘Naoroji: Pioneer of Indian Nationalism’ by Dinyar Patel wins NIF Book Prize 2021On 30 November 2021, a  biography titled ‘Naoroji: Pioneer of Indian Nationalism’, authored by Dinyar Patel and published by Harvard University Press selected as the winner of the 4th Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF (New India Foundation) Book Prize 2021.

• The book marked the life events and legacy of Dada Bhai Naoroji. It also contains historical backgrounds of India’s National Movement during the 19th century.

Note- Previous winners of the prize are Milan Vaishnav (2018), Ornit Shani (2019), and Amit Ahuja and Jairam Ramesh (jointly, 2020).
i.The winning book  was selected on the basis of a jury’s  decision chaired by political scientist Niraja Gopal Jayal, Nandan Nilekani and Manish Sabharwal and historians Srinath Raghavan and Nayanjot Lahiri.
About Dadabhai Naoroji:
Dadabhai Naoroji Dordi was born on 4 September 1825,in Mumbai, Maharashtra and also known as ‘Grand Old Man of India’ and ‘Unofficial Ambassador of India’.
Political career:
i.He began his  political career as the Dewan of the Maharaja of Baroda in 1874.
ii.He also became a member of the Legislative Council of Mumbai during 1885 – 88.
iii.Notably, he was the first Asian to become a British MP (Member of Parliament)  when he was elected to the House of Commons in 1892.
iv.He was the three times  President of the INC in 1886, 1893 and 1906.
Various organisations founded:
i. London India Society in 1865 to put forth views on Indian political, social and literary subjects.
ii. East India Association in 1866 with the purpose of putting Indian viewpoints across to the British public.
iii.He was a founder-member of the INC  which he formed in 1885 along with Dinshaw Wacha and Allan Octavian Hume.
Books:
i.Poverty of India
ii.Poverty and un-British rule in India
iii.The Parsee Religion: From the Proceedings of the Liverpool Literary and Philosophical Society
iv.The European and Asiatic Races
v.The Wants and Means of India
About Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF (New India Foundation) Book Prize:

• The prize is named after institution-builder Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay who had contributed significantly to the freedom struggle, women’s movement and other fields.
• The prize is given for the high-quality non-fiction literature on modern and contemporary India and carries a cash award of INR 15 lakh and a citation.
• Instituted – 2018 & Instituted by New India Foundation.

Merriam-Webster Named ‘Vaccine’ as 2021 Word of the Year

Merriam-Webster, America’s most trusted online dictionary, has chosen ‘Vaccine’ as the 2021 word of the year. The word of the year is chosen by data that states the significant increase in lookup at Merriam-Webster.com in the past 12 months.
Lookups for the ‘Vaccine’ increased 601% year-over-year from 2020 and were up 1048% from 2019.

• The terms vaccine and vaccination are derived from Variolae vaccinae (smallpox of the cow), the term devised by Edward Jenner. He coined the word vaccine from the Latin word ‘vacca’ for cow.
• ‘Pandemic’ was the Merriam-Webster dictionary’s word of the year 2020.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS          

Sanjay Dutt Roped in as Brand Ambassador for 50th year Celebrations of Arunachal PradeshThe Arunachal Pradesh (AP) Government has signed Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt as brand ambassador and award-winning filmmaker and branding expert Rahul Mittra as brand advisor of the occasion of their golden jubilee celebrations, marking the 50th year of the naming of the state.

• Sanjay Dutt launched a media campaign for the month-long celebrations, from 20th January to 20th February, 2022 at the Mechuka valley of AP’s Shi-Yomi district.
• The Chief Minister of AP Pema Khandu and State Assembly Speaker Pasang Sona Dorjee also participated in the launch.

The Golden Jubilee celebrations 2022
i.The month-long celebrations will commence at Ziro from 20^th January 2022 where AP got its name and Union Territory status in 1972.

• Ziro is in Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh that covers all the five river basins of the state after which the first districts were named viz, Kameng, Subansiri, Siang, Lohit and Tirap.

ii.The closing ceremony will be held in Itanagar on the occasion of the 36th Statehood Day celebrations on 20^th February 2022.
Key Highlights:
As part of the media campaign, Sanjay Dutt will feature in a series of promotional videos on, Tourism in the State, Initiatives on substance and drug abuse along with youths and also on Serious concerns for the state in recent years.
About Arunachal Pradesh
Governor – B D Mishra
Wildlife Sanctuaries – Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, Yordi-Rabe Supse
Airports – Along Airport, Daporijo Airport

Indian Women’s Cricketer Smriti Mandhana Signed as Brand Ambassador of GUVIGUVI, an Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) incubated startup, has signed Indian Women’s cricketer Smriti Mandhana as its brand ambassador.

• As the brand ambassador of GUVI, Smriti Mandhana will be the face of GUVI and feature across the online campaigns of GUVI aimed to strengthen the importance and scope of technological education & information technology (IT) skills.

Key Points:
i.She will create awareness about technological education among everyone, especially among women.
ii.GUVI will be launching a cross-platform campaign with Smriti Mandhana, under which GUVI will offer the most affordable learning solutions for the youth, early professionals to develop their career profile in the IT industry.
Note:
GUVI is India’s first vernacular Ed-tech Startup to impart tech & programming skills to individuals in their preferred native languages (Tamil, Telugu, Hindi & Many other Indian Languages).
About Smriti Mandhana:
i.Smriti Shriniwas Mandhana hails from Mumbai, Maharashtra.
ii.She made her debut in ODI and T20I in 2013.
Awards:

• Arjuna Award (2018).
• The International Cricket Council (ICC)’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award for the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year 2018.

Records:
i.She became the first-ever batter to score 10 consecutive 50-plus scores in One Day Internationals(ODI) while chasing.
ii.She has also become the 1st Indian player to score a century in the Women’s Big Bash League(WBBL), an Australian professional franchise Twenty20 cricket league.
Note: Smriti Mandhana was one of the first two Indians (along with Harmanpreet Kaur) to be signed up for the WBBL.

OBITUARY

Veteran Telugu film lyricist ‘Sirivennela’ Seetharama Sastry passed awayThe renowned Telugu film lyricist and Padma Shri awardee ‘Sirivennela’ Chembolu Seetharama Sastry passed away at the age of 66 years in Hyderabad Telangana.
i.Seetharama Sastry was born on May 20th, 1955 in Anakapalle village in Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh.
ii.He launched his first song in the film, ‘Janani Janmabhoomi’ directed by K Viswanath.
iii.In 1986 the movie ‘Sirivennela’ directed by K Viswanath made him famous and which also gave him a second name  as ‘Sirivennela’ Seetharama Sastry.

• He got the first ‘Nandi Award for best lyricist’ for ‘Sirivennela’, presented by the Andhra Pradesh state government.

Awards: Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist- Telugu, Padma Shri (2019) and He won ‘Nandi’ Awards several times.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World AIDS Day 2021 – December 1 World AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome) Day is annually observed across the globe on 1st December to create awareness about HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), a major public health issue that affects millions of people across the globe.

• HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system, specifically the white blood cells called CD4 cells. 

Symbol: The red ribbon is the universal symbol of awareness and support for people living with HIV.
Theme 2021:
The United Nations(UN), United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), & World Health Organization(WHO) observes World AIDS Day 2021 under the theme “End inequalities. End AIDS” with a focus on reaching people left behind.

• According to hiv.gov, the theme of World AIDS Day 2021 is “Ending the HIV Epidemic: Equitable Access, Everyone’s Voice”.

About United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS):
Executive Director– Winnie Byanyima
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
>>Read Full News

57th Border Security Force Raising Day – 1st December 2021The Border Security Force(BSF) of India annually celebrates the BSF raising day on 1st December to mark the day on which the BSF, India’s First Line of Defence, came into existence in 1965.

• The 1st December 2021 marks the observance of the 57th BSF Raising Day. 
• BSF is a paramilitary force charged with guarding India’s land border during peacetime and preventing transnational crime.

History: 
i.Till 1965, the international borders between India and Pakistan were manned by Various State Armed Police Battalion.
ii.Pakistan attacked the Sardar Post, Chhar Bet and Beria Bet in Kutch in 1965, exposing the inadequacy of the State Armed Police to counter the armed aggression.
iii.Following this attack, the Government of India established a specialized centrally controlled force which is armed and trained to secure the International Border with Pakistan.
iv.On the recommendations of the Committee of Secretaries, The Border Security Force came into existence on 1st December 1965 with K F Rustamji as the first chief and founding father.
About BSF:
The BSF, the world’s largest border guarding force, is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Border Security Force Act, 1968:
Border Security Force Act, 1968, provides the constitution and regulation of an Armed Force of the Union for ensuring the security of the borders of India and for matters connected therewith.
Note: In October 2021, the BSF Act 1968 was amended to authorise the force to undertake search, seizure and arrest within a larger 50 km stretch, instead of the existing 15 km, from the international border in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam.
About Border Security Force(BSF):
Director-General- Pankaj Kumar Singh
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi

STATE NEWS

Dassault Systemes signs MoU with TIDCO to set up 3DEXPERIENCE Lab in Tamil NaduDassault Systemes signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) to set up The Tamil Nadu Center of Advance Manufacturing (TANCAM) at the TIDEL Park, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Signatories:  Chief Minister (CM) of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin and  Managing Director, India,Dassault Systemes,Deepak NG.
What is in the MoU?
i.A first of its kind Center of Excellence (CoE) in India, TANCAM will work as  a Center of Excellence (CoE) in India and will provide a dedicated IT (Information Technology) engineering ecosystem to support the MSME (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) sector and students across Tamil Nadu.

• TANCAM facilitates mentorship and training of the students with training courses in aerospace, defense, automotive, electric vehicles and related industries.

ii.Under the agreement, the TANCAM Startup Cell and  Dassault Systemes’s  3DEXPERIENCE Lab will develop innovative technologies, products and new business models.

• Dassault Systemes will implement TIDCO’s plan to focus on precision manufacturing and upgrading the skills of MSMEs.

iii.Advanced Technologies– product designing, simulation and digital manufacturing, along with a 3D printer- and virtual reality-setup will be provided.
About Dassault Systemes:
CEO– Bernard Charles
Headquarters- Velizy-Villacoublay, France

Sanjeev Kaushal Appointed as New Chief Secretary of Haryana Sanjeev Kaushal, IAS officer of 1986 batch Haryana Cadre, has been appointed as the New Chief Secretary(CS) of Haryana following the superannuation of Vijai Vardhan, a 1985 batch IAS officer. He will be the 35th CS of Haryana since it became a separate state in 1966. He is due to retire in July 2024.

• Prior to this appointment Sanjeev Kaushal has been serving as the Additional Chief Secretary, Haryana.
• He has been appointed as the Chief Secretary of Haryana, General Administration, Personnel, Training, Parliamentary Affairs, Vigilance, Administrative Reforms Departments and Secretary incharge of Plan Coordination.

Additional Chief Secretary: 
Pranab Kishore Das (PK Das) IAS officer of 1986 batch has been appointed as the Additional Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner, Revenue & Disaster Management and Consolidation Departments.
About Sanjeev Kaushal:
i.Sanjeev Kaushal has served as the Joint Secretary & Additional Development Commissioner, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises.
ii.He has served as the Managing Director(MD) of the Haryana Warehousing Corporation, Chandigarh and Haryana Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (HPGCL) .
ii.He has also served as the Joint Secretary to government of Haryana, Cooperation, Health & Medical Education, Wild Life Preservation & Rules Departments.
Maharashtra CS Sitaram Kunte retired; Debashish Chakrabarty takes additional charge
Sitaram Kunte, Chief Secretary(CS) of Maharashtra has retired from the post after the government of India declined to extend his term.

• Sitaram Kunte has been appointed as the Principal Advisor to the chief minister (CM) succeeding Ajoy Mehta who was appointed as the Maharashtra’s Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) chief.

Additional Chief Secretary (Planning) Debashish Chakrabarty, IAS officer of 1986 batch, has been given the Additional charge of chief secretary of Maharashtra.
About Haryana:
Governor– Bandaru Dattatraya
Capital– Chandigarh
Stadium– Nahar Singh Stadium (previously known as Mayur Stadium); Nehru Stadium (Dronacharya Stadium)

Walmart & Flipkart Sign MoU with MP Government to Train and Support MSMEs

Walmart and its subsidiary Flipkart has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME), Government of Madhya Pradesh(MP) to create an ecosystem of capacity building for MSMEs in MP.
Under this MoU, Walmart, Flipkart and MSME Department will assist MSMEs to digitize their business and enable them to sell their products through online retail.

• This initiative comes under the Walmart Vriddhi Supplier Development Programme (Walmart Vriddhi), delivered by knowledge partner Swasti, which aims to train around 50000 Indian MSMEs with business skills to become successful as suppliers to Walmart, sellers on global market place platforms like Flipkart.
• Under this programme, Walmart and Flipkart have partnered with various states including Haryana and Tamil Nadu.

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