Current Affairs 16 December 2022

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

GoI Grants GI Tags to 9 New Products, Raising The Total to 432; Kerala Receives FiveThe Geographical Indication (GI) Tag has been granted by the Government of India (GoI) to 9 new products from different states, including the Attappady Aattukombu Avara, Alibag White Onion, Raktsey Karpo Apricot, Tandur Redgram, and Gamosa of Assam.

• Out of the 9 GI tags that are granted, five are for products from Kerala.
• This brings the total number of GI tags in India to 432, of which 401 are for products with Indian origin and 31 are for products with foreign origin.

GI Tag Overview: India and the World
i.Geographic Indication (GI), which is recognized by the World Trade Organization (WTO), is a term that refers to a product’s primary place of origin, whether it be a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods), a natural product, or an agricultural product.
ii.India, as a member of the WTO, enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999, which has come into force with effect from September 15, 2003.
About the World Trade Organization (WTO):
Director-General – Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Establishment – 1995
>> Read Full News

MoTA implements ‘Scheme of Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups’ aimed to plan Socio-Economic Development of PVTGs3The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) implemented a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) namely ‘Scheme of Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups’. It is aimed at planning for the socio-economic development of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

• The information for the same was provided by Minister of State (MoS) Bishweswar Tudu, MoTA.

About Scheme of Development of PVTGs:
The scheme will utilize habitat development approach so that their culture and heritage is retained. Under this, funds are released in accordance with the Conservation-Cum-Development (CCD) plans prepared by the State Governments.

• It will cover sectors i.e. education, housing, livelihood, drinking water, agricultural development, roads, health, installation of non-conventional sources of energy for lighting purpose, conservation of culture and traditional practices, etc.
• The projects/activities taken up under this scheme are demand driven in nature.

Scheme of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS)
MoTA is also implementing a scheme of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) to provide quality education to Scheduled Tribes (ST) students including PVTG students (Class 6th to 12th) in remote areas.

• This envisages to bring these students at par with the general population.
• As on date, 688 schools have been sanctioned by MoTA, out of which 392 are reported to be functional.
• As per provision, 5% seat in each of the EMRSs is reserved for PVTG students only.

Point to be noted:
i.There are 75 groups of PVTGs covering 18 States and the Union Territory (UT) of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. They are eligible for all the development and welfare schemes that are available to all citizens of India.
ii.They are also eligible for the Scheduled Tribe Component (STC) of the Central and State Governments, as well as the schemes implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Tribal Welfare Departments of the State Governments.

India hosts 1st G20 Finance and Central Bank Deputies (FCBD) meeting under its G20 Presidency in Bengaluru

On December 13-14, 2022, the 1st  G20 (Group of Twenty) Finance and Central Bank Deputies (FCBD) Meeting, under the Indian Presidency, was held in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It was co-chaired by Secretary Ajay Seth, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), and Deputy Governor Dr. Michael Patra, Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

• It should be noted that India holds the Presidency of the G20 from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023 on the theme of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth, One Family, One Future”.

Aim of the meeting:
Seeking views of G20 members on India’s G20 Finance Track priorities for 2023 across various workstreams.
The agenda of the G20 FCBD was in line with the vision given by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Indian Presidency’s G20 theme: “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”.
Participants:
160 foreign delegates including Deputies from G20 member countries, invitee countries, and International Organisations
Key Points:
i.The meeting saw seven discussion sessions and two side events viz. ‘Strengthening MDBs to Address Shared Global Challenges of the 21st century’, and ‘Role of Central Banks in Managing Climate Risk and in Green Financing’.
ii.Discussions were also held on issues relating to the global economy and risks, strengthening Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), managing global debt vulnerabilities, financing climate action and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and building resilient, inclusive and sustainable cities of tomorrow.
iii.Global economic challenges were also discussed including global inflation, food and energy insecurity and macroeconomic implications of climate change.
iv.Overall, the meeting saw a broad support on the proposed priorities of India’s G20 Finance Track agenda for 2023.
The First G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting will be held from 23-25 February in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

IEX becomes India’s First Carbon-Neutral Power Exchange The Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) has become India’s first carbon-neutral Power Exchange, using market based tradable instruments to offset its carbon emissions.

• As the sustainability partner of IEX, EKI Energy provided advisory & consultancy services in this climate action exercise.
• EKI Energy is a global service provider in Energy, Carbon Credit & Quality Management.

Key Points:
i.To reduce its carbon footprints, IEX voluntarily cancelled CERs (certified emissions reductions) from clean projects registered under the Clean Development Mechanism of UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) and used market-based tradable instruments.
ii.IEX is committed towards achieving India’s net zero emissions targets.
iii.According to the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) 2022 report, global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions need to be reduced 45% by 2030 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.

• Total global GHG emissions were estimated at around 53 Global GHG emissions (GtCO2eq) in 2021.

About Indian Energy Exchange (IEX):
Chairman and Managing Director– Satyanarayan Goel
Headquarters– Noida, Uttar Pradesh (UP)

IAF Conducts Annual Air Exercise in Eastern SectorThe Indian Air Force (IAF) conducts a 2-day exercise in the Eastern Sector on 15 & 16 December 2022. It involves practically all of its frontline fighter jets and other assets stationed in the region, following the recent clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.
Key points: 
i. The exercise is intended to assess the IAF’s overall combat capability and military preparedness in the region.
ii. It is likely to see the activation of IAF bases in the areas around Tezpur, Chabua, Jorhat in Assam and Hasimara in West Bengal.
iii. The exercise will include the IAF’s frontline fighter jets, including Sukhoi-30MKIs and Rafale jets, Chinook helicopters, transport aircraft, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
iv. The exercise will also include all frontline air bases and certain critical Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) in the Northeast.
India -China Troops Clash:
On 9th December 2022, the Indian and Chinese troops clashed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tawang Sector in Arunachal Pradesh.

• Six Indian Army soldiers were injured in the clash, which involved soldiers from both sides.

Note: It is the 1st reported clash between Indian and Chinese troops, since skirmishes in Eastern Ladakh.

NASSCOM Foundation launches Programme to impact over 3.5 million People

On 14th December 2022, the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) Foundation launched the “Aspirational Districts Programme” intending to digitally enable and skill over 3.5 million people by March 2024, to empower marginalized people in remote and backward areas of India.

• NASSCOM Foundation is tapping into more than 100 aspirational districts through the programme, with 55 districts identified so far across 23 states.
• The programme is in sync with the core philosophy of TechForGood wherein technology initiatives are utilized to create positive social impact.
• The government’s Aspirational Districts Programme, led by National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, has triggered equitable growth and development throughout India.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Arton Capital’s Passport Index 2022: India Ranked 66 In The World’s Strongest Passport List; UAE Tops According to Arton Capital’s “Passport Index 2022,” India is placed 66(as of 16th December 2022) in the world’s strongest passport list, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is ranked 1st in the passport ranking for 2022.
i.The Passport Index 2022 ranks the strongest and weakest passports in the world and indicates the number of countries that can be entered without a visa.

• The Passport Index was founded in 2014 by Arton Capital.

Key Findings:
i.In 2nd rank were ten European countries: Germany, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, along with South Korea.
ii.The 3rd rank on the list is the United States (US) passport, which grants visa-free access to 116 nations.
iii.However, Indians with a ranking of 66 can only travel visa-free to 24 countries, require a visa on arrival for 48 countries, and require a visa for 126 countries.
About the United Arab Emirates (UAE):
President – Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Capital – Abu Dhabi city
>> Read Full News

United Nations ECOSOC Voted to Remove Iran from its Women’s Rights Body – UNCSWOn 14th December 2022, the 54-member United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)  removed the country Iran from its Women’s rights body “The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW)” for the remainder of its 2022-2026 term with immediate effect by the voting system.

• Iran was removed from UNCSW due to brutal crackdown on women-led protests in its capital,Tehran.

Background: 
i.The United States of America led the campaign to expel Iran from UNCSW and 29 members of the United Nations ECOSOC voted in favour.
ii.8 countries voted against the decision and 16 abstained.

• India has abstained from voting to remove Iran from a United Nations women’s commission

Key Points: 
i.It was highlighted that Iran undermines and suppresses the human rights of women and girls, including the right to freedom of expression and opinion, often with the use of excessive force
ii.Iran’s government has administered policies flagrantly contrary to the human rights of women and girls.
iii.The government has used lethal force resulting in the deaths of peaceful protestors including women and girls.
Iran’s crackdown on protests:
i.‘Death in custody’ of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, who was arrested by Iran’s morality police in September triggered a massive protest in Iran.
ii.So far 2 protesters have been executed in Tehran and more are in line to face the death penalty.
About the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW):
i.The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.
ii.It is a functional commission of the ECOSOC, established by ECOSOC resolution 11(II) of 21 June 1946.

• Ms. Sima Bahous – Executive Director of UN Women and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.
• Headquarters– New York, United States of America

SIPRI Report: India’s HAL, BEL Rise in Rankings Among Top 100 Global Arms ManufacturersStockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a Swedish think-tank, released a report titled ‘Top 100 arms-producing and military services companies 2021’, which lists companies making arms, weapons, military planes and equipment.

• India’s military equipment manufacturing companies Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) have been listed in the top 100.
• HAL has improved to 42nd position in 2021 ranking, compared to 43rd in 2020 and BEL has secured 63rd position, showing improvement from  69th position in 2020.
• The United States (US) has topped the list followed by China, for the second successive year.

About Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI):
Director – Dan Smith
Establishment – 1989
Headquarters – Stockholm, Sweden
>> Read Full News

ILO’s Global Wage 2022-2023 Report: Global Monthly Wages Fell to minus 0.9%According to the Global Wage Report 2022-23: The impact of COVID-19 and inflation on wages and purchasing power released by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), it is estimated that the global monthly wages fell in real terms to minus 0.9 per cent in the first half of 2022.

• For the 1st time in this century, the real global wage growth has been negative.
• In Asia and the Pacific, real wage growth increased to 3.5% in 2021 and slowed down in the first half of 2022 to 1.3%.
• Excluding China from the calculations, real wage growth increased by much less, at 0.3% in 2021 and 0.7% in the first half of 2022.

Key Findings:
i.Among advanced G20 countries, real wages in the first half of 2022 are estimated to have declined to minus 2.2% and the real wages in emerging G20 countries grew by 0.8%, 2.6% less than in 2019.  The decline in real wages was due to multiple global crises which placed more than millions of workers across the globe in a dire situation.
ii.If the purchasing power of the lowest paid is not maintained, income inequality and poverty will rise.
iii.This will also stoke up social unrest across the world and undermine the goal of achieving prosperity and peace for all.
iv.The report highlights that the raising inflation has a greater cost of living impact on lower-income earners because they spend most of their disposable income on essential goods and services.
v.Inflation also affects the purchasing power of minimum wages. It is estimated that despite nominal adjustments taking place, the accelerating price inflation is quickly eroding the real value of minimum wages in several countries for which data is available.
Measures to maintain living standards:
i.The reports highlight the need to apply well-designed policy measures to maintain the purchasing power and living standards of wage workers and their families.
ii.90% of ILO Member States have minimum wage systems therefore, the adequate adjustment of minimum wage rates could be an effective tool.
iii.Strong tripartite social dialogue and collective bargaining will also support achieving adequate wage adjustments.
iv.Other policies like providing vouchers to low-income households to help them buy essential goods or reducing Value Added Tax(VAT) on these goods to reduce the burden inflation places on households will also help to bring down inflation.

FAO Report: Global Food Crises “Likely to Increase’ ” In Future Without Wider Structural Change 

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) recently released a report titled “The Future of Food and Agriculture: Drivers and Triggers for Transformation,” which claims that if current agrifood systems don’t change, the world will continue to experience persistent food insecurity, resource degradation, and unsustainable economic growth.

• If considerable efforts are not taken to halt current trends, there will be 10 billion people in the world by 2050, creating an unimaginable burden to feed.

The report examined present and new agrifood system drivers, as well as potential future developments.
Note:  The Future of Food and Agriculture (FOFA) is a series prepared by the FAO that depicts long-term analyses of food and agricultural systems in the context of the whole social and economic system.
Key Observations from The Report:   
i.The report warns that the world is “tremendously off track” in meeting the sustainable development goals (SDGs), which include agrifood commitments.
ii.The report highlights 18 interconnected socioeconomic and environmental elements, called “drivers,” that influence agrifood system performance.

• The primary drivers are poverty and inequality, geopolitical instability, resource degradation, scarcity, and climate change.

iii.Four Future Scenarios
The report proposed 4 future scenarios for agrifood systems, each with a distinct impact on food security, nutrition, and overall sustainability.

• “More of the same,” which envisions carrying on by dealing with situations as they arise.
• “Adjusted Future,” in which gradual, unsure progress toward sustainable agricultural and food systems is made.
• “Race to the bottom” shows the worst aspects of a chaotic world.
• “Trading off for Sustainability” refers to the trade-off of short-term gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the inclusivity, resilience, and sustainability of agrifood, socioeconomic, and environmental systems.

iv.Triggers for Transformation
The report emphasised the urgent need to change path in order to achieve a more sustainable and resilient future for agrifood systems, by proposing 4 key ‘triggers of transformation’:

• Improved governance
• Critical and informed consumers
• Better income and wealth distribution
• Innovative technologies and approaches

Indian Government allows Sri Lankans to hold USD 10,000 worth of Indian Rupees in cash

The Indian Government has allowed Sri Lankan citizens to hold up to USD 10,000 (8.14 lakh Indian rupees) in Indian rupees in cash, though the Indian Rupees would not be legal tender in Sri Lanka.

• To enable this, Sri Lankan banks must enter into an agreement with an Indian bank to open INR Nostro accounts held in another bank in a foreign currency.
• This will provide much-needed monetary support to Sri Lanka, which is experiencing an economic crisis due to a lack of dollar liquidity.
• All current account transactions including exports, imports, and remittances can be undertaken between Lankan residents and non-residents.
• Sri Lankan banks’ Offshore Banking Units (OBU) have been granted permission to accept non-resident savings, time, and demand deposits.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

WPI drops to 21-month low of 5.85% in November 2022As per the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based inflation declined to a 21-month low of 5.85% in November 2022 due to easing prices of food, fuel and manufactured items.

• It declined to 8.39% in October 2022. The inflation was 14.87% in November 2021.
• The reason behind this is fall in prices of food articles, basic metals, textiles, chemicals & chemical products and paper & paper products as compared to November 2021.

Key Points:
i.The WPI rate on manufactured products was 3.59% from 4.42% in November 2022
ii.Food inflation in November 2022 was 2.17% against 6.48% in October 2022.
iii.Inflation in vegetables was (-) 20.08% during November 2022, compared to 17.61% in October 2022.
iv.In the energy sector, inflation was 17.35% from 23.17% while in manufactured products, it was 3.59% from 4.42% in November 2022.
v.Inflation based on the consumer price index (CPI) dropped below the 6%, the upper limit of the central bank’s medium-term target, for the first time in November.
Additional info: 
According to the data released by the government of India, retail inflation based on the consumer price index (CPI) eased to an 11-month low of 5.88% in November.

Google & MeitY Startup Hub to mentor 100 Indian Startups with Appscale Academy 2023Google Inc, in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Startup Hub will help 100 Indian startups, across different Indian cities and scale up their app businesses with the 2nd edition of Appscale Academy Programme – Appscale Academy 2023 .

• Appscale Academy is a growth and development program which was started in 2022. It helps in training early- to mid-stage startups to build apps.
• Until now, the programme helped around 100 startups to scale their businesses. Google has now opened applications for the Appscale Academy Class of 2023.

About the programme:
i.This is a six-month training programme which will train early- to mid-stage Indian startups in all aspects of building successful apps for the global market, including UX design, business model and monetisation strategies, international expansion best practices, and data safety and security practices.
ii.Startups will have access to virtual instructor-led webinars, self-learning material, and mentorship sessions with leading local and global industry leaders.

• The startups will also get an opportunity to reach leading venture capitalists.

iii.Since nearly 50% of startups in India come from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, MeitY Startup Hub and Google will be launching a multi-city roadshow aiming to engage over 1000 startups across emerging hubs like Surat, Indore, Coimbatore, Gangtok, and Jaipur.
About the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY):
Union Minister – Ashwini Vaishnaw (Rajya Sabha – Odisha)
Minister of State (MoS) – Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Microsoft & Viasat Partners to Deliver Satellite Internet Globally by 2025

Viasat, a global satellite communications company and also the first satellite partner to joined hand with Microsoft Inc, a tech giant to deliver satellite internet access to 10 million people across the world by 2025,including five million across Africa.

• This partnership is a part of Microsoft’s Airband initiative. Viasat is the first satellite partner with Microsoft and together deepens Airband’s work.

Key highlights:
i.According to the International Telecommunication Union at the United Nations (UN), around one-third of the world’s population, that is, 2.7 billion people, have still never used the internet.
ii.Microsoft will use Viasat satellite to reach remote areas for conventional connectivity and shall rapidly scale and expand Airband’s reach, exploring a wider pipeline of projects.
iii.Both the companies will provide and pilot technologies including, satellites (both geostationary orbit and low earth orbit) and fixed wireless.

• They will also combine their expertise and assets to enable telehealth, distance learning and education, precision agriculture, clean power and other services to reach new and also remote areas through the transformational provision of power and connectivity.

About Airband initiative:
i.Microsoft’s Airband initiative was launched in 2017 and has partnered with various government bodies, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), energy companies, telecom firms, and internet companies to widen net coverage in underserved regions of the world.
ii.The projects under the Airband initiative were carried out in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Guatemala, Mexico, Egypt, Senegal, and Angola.
About Microsoft:
President – Anant Maheshwari
India Country Manager – Ashutosh Gupta
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Establishment – 1990 (in India)       

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS    

Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi took over additional charge as CMD of NHPC Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi has taken over the additional charge as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited, an Indian Hydropower generation company, with effect from 13th December 2022.

• Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi currently serving as CMD of Rishikesh (Uttarakhand)-based Tehri Hydro Development Corporation India Limited (THDCIL).
• Prior to his appointment, Yamuna Kumar Chaubey NHPC’s Director (Technical) was holding the additional charge of CMD of NHPC.

Note: THDCIL is under the ownership of National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPCL), Ministry of Power, Government of India.
About Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi:
i. Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi also holds the additional charge of Director (Technical) & Director (Personnel) of THDCIL, the additional charge of CMD, North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO), and the additional charge of Executive Director, Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydro Electric Project (VPHEP).
ii. He joined THDCIL in 1989 as an engineer, served in different capacities, and rose to the level of General Manager (GM) in 2013 and was promoted to Executive Director in 2016.
iii. He has over 35 years of vast and rich experience in the Design, Engineering, and Construction of Hydro Project structures.
iv. He contributed as a member of the World Bank Expert Group to deliberate and constitute guidelines in respect of contracts during various interactions with World Bank Headquarters, Washington, United States of America (USA).
v. He also represents India in the International Commission on Large Dams’ Technical Committee on Dam Seismic Safety.
About the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC):
NHPC Limited is an Indian government hydropower board under the ownership of the Ministry of Power, Government of India.
Chairman & Managing Director (CMD)- Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi
Headquarters- Faridabad, Haryana
Establishment- 1975                

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO Successfully Tests 160-metre Trisonic Wind Tunnel at VSSCThe Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) conducted the maiden blow-down test of their 160m Trisonic Wind tunnel, the all-new wind tunnel, installed at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

• The test has been facilitated under three conditions including, subsonic (below the speed of the sound), at the speed of sound and supersonic (faster than the speed of sound).
• The most reliable method to test a rocket or an aerospace vehicle is by launching or flying it. However, if one is to design an all-new aerospace vehicle and intends to validate the newly-developed prototype, the preliminary step would be to test it in a wind tunnel.
• Indian space agency is working on a manned spaceflight programme, on a test vehicle Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) that can be launched like a rocket and land like a plane and also various heavy-lift rockets for future use.

About the Trisonic Wind tunnel:
i.The tunnel is a system to aid the aerodynamic design of rockets and re-entry spacecraft by characterising a scaled model by evaluating forces, moments, load distribution, unsteady pressures and acoustic levels.
ii.The tunnel’s working principle is based on a large tube with air flowing through it, and can be used to replicate the interaction between the air and an object flying through the air.
iii.It has an overall length of about 160m and a maximum cross-section of 5.4m, which can simulate flight conditions from 0.2 times the speed of sound (68 m/s) to 4 times the speed of sound (1360 m/s).
Note – The speed of the sound is 331.5 m/s.
About Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO):
Chairman – S Somanath
Headquarters – Benguluru, Karnataka

NASA Astronauts successfully Install Roll-Out Solar Array on ISS

The two NASA astronauts, Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio have successfully installed a Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA) on the starboard truss structure of the International Space Station (ISS).

• After being installed on the station’s Starboard-4 truss segment, the roll-out solar array successfully extended to its full length of 60
• On 27th November 2022, the array was delivered by Space X’s Dragon cargo plane and will provide up to 30% more power to the ISS, totalling 120,000 watts of electricity during orbital daytime.
• On December 3, 2022, they installed their 1st ROSA on the station’s Starboard-4 truss segment opposite the P4 (Port 4).
• The 2nd ROSA is expected to be installed on 19th December 2022.

SPORTS

Tata Steel becomes Official Partner of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023  On 13th December 2022, Tata Steel Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hockey India to become an Official Partner of the Fédération Internationale de Hockey (International Hockey Federation) (FIH) Men’s World Cup 2023 in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, cities in Odisha.

• The 2023 FIH Men’s World Cup, the 15th edition of the event, will be held from January 13 to 29 2023.
• The tournament will feature 16 Nations.

Key Highlights:
i. Tata Steel is proud to be associated with the Hockey Men’s World Cup once again as a committed and long-term sports patron in India and Odisha has come to be recognised as a National sports hub.
ii. The FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 will be India’s 4th hosting of the prestigious tournament, following hosts in 1982 in Bombay, 2010 in New Delhi, and 2018 in Odisha.
About the Tata Steel Limited:
Tata Steel Limited (formerly Tata Iron and Steel Company) is Asia’s 1st Integrated Private Steel Company.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Managing Director (MD)- T V Narendran
India Office- Jamshedpur, Jharkhand
Establishment- 1907
About the Fédération Internationale de Hockey (FIH):
President- Tayyab Ikram
Headquarters – Lausanne, Switzerland
Establishment- 1924 (in Paris, France)

Badminton Asia Junior Championship 2022: Unnati Hooda wins India’s 1st medal in U17 

Indian Shuttler Unnati Hooda won the silver medal Women’s Singles – Under 17(U17) Category, in the Badminton Asia Junior Championships 2022 held in Nonthaburi, Thailand from 29th November 2022 to 4th December 2022.

• She became the first ever Indian to win a medal in the U17 category in an Asia meet. 
• She lost the finals against Sarunrak Vitidsarn of Thailand.

Note: Badminton Asia Junior Championship 2022 for  Under-15 and Under-17 categories was held in Nonthaburi, Thailand.
About Unnati Hooda:
i. Unnati Hooda from Haryana debuted in Badminton in the Indian international Challenge in 2021.
ii. In 2022, she won her 1st Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour tournament in Odisha.
iii. According to BWF, Unnati Hooda ranked 85 in Women’s Singles and 62 in Women’s Doubles along with Palak Arora.
Key Point: 
Arsh Mohammad and Sanskar Saraswat won the silver medal in India’s under-17 men’s doubles. Lai Po Yu and Yi-Hao Lin of Chinese Taipei defeated them in the finals.
Anish Thoppani wins Silver Medal in the Under-15 men’s singles Category.
Indian shuttler Anish Thoppani secured a silver medal in the Under-15 men’s singles category at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships 2022 in Nonthaburi, Thailand.

• Anish Thoppani lost the men’s singles final 8-21, 24-22, 19-21 to Chung-Hsiang Yih of Chinese Taipei.

Indian Medal Winners: 
36-member Indian squad ended their Badminton Asia Junior Championships 2022  campaign with three silver and two bronze medals

STATE NEWS

Assam CM Launches Orunodoi 2.0 DBT Scheme to Benefit over 10 Lakh PeopleOn 14th December 2022, Assam Chief Minister (CM) Himanta Biswa Sarma launched ‘Orunodoi 2.0’, the flagship scheme of the Assam government with a financial outlay of Rs.4142 crore per annum, in a virtual meet in Guwahati, Assam.

• This financial outlay of Rs 4142 crore, makes it one of the largest  direct beneficiary transfer (DBT) schemes in India.
• The scheme aims at providing financial security to financially disadvantaged families.

Key Points: 
i.During the 1st phase of Orunodoi, around 17 lakh women have been receiving a guaranteed cash flow of Rs 1,250 each on the 10th of every month through DBT.

• With the addition of another 10.54 lakh new beneficiaries, the scheme would reach a total of 27 lakh-plus beneficiaries.

ii.From April 2023, all the existing beneficiaries of the Deen Dayal Divyangan Pension Yojana and Indira Miri Widow Pension Scheme would be subsumed under Orunodoi 2.0. The beneficiaries of Indira Miri Universal Widow Pension Scheme will get Rs. 1,200 per month under Orunodoi.
iii.Also, Divyangans, transgenders and the households having members who are a dwarf or suffering from conditions such as cerebral palsy, thalassemia and hemophilia will be included under Orunodoi scheme.
Facts – As per Assam government around 2.75 lakh beneficiaries under ‘Orunodoi’ had been removed from the eligible-beneficiary list based on survey.
About Orunodoi Scheme:
i.Orunodoi is a poverty alleviation scheme that was launched on 1st December 2020, which entails a monthly grant of Rs. 1,250 to each beneficiary.
ii.It is one of 18 flagship schemes of the Assam government that are currently in operation.The benefits under the scheme are usually transferred to the bank account of each beneficiary by the 10th of every month.
About Assam:
Governor – Jagdish Mukhi
Chief Minister (CM) – Himanta Biswa Sarma
Wildlife sanctuaries – East Karbi Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary, Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary
Zoological Park – Assam State Zoo (Green Lung)

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List of Current Governors in India – AUGUST 2022

List of Current Chief Ministers in India – AUGUST 2022

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