Current Affairs 16 November 2022

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

India Conducts Third & Major Coastal Defence Exercise – ‘Sea Vigil’The 3rd edition of the largest ‘Pan-India’ Coastal Defence Exercise – ‘Sea Vigil-22’ was undertaken along the entire 7516 km coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone of India from 15th to 16th November 2022.

• The exercise is conducted by the Indian Navy in coordination with the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and other ministries entrusted with the task of maritime activities.
• The exercise also involves Coastal States, Union territories (UT) and other maritime stakeholders, including the fishing and coastal communities.

Participants:
i.Assets of the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Customs and other maritime agencies will participate in Sea Vigil exercise.
ii.In addition, the exercise will also be facilitated by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Ports Shipping and Waterways, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Customsvand other agencies of Centre & State.
Key highlights:
i.Background – The Sea Vigil Coastal Defence Exercise was conceptualised in 2018 to validate various measures instituted towards enhancing maritime security since ‘26/11’ attack, which happened in 2008.
ii.The main aim of this exercise is to activate the Coastal Security apparatus across India and assess the Coastal Defence mechanism.
Significance:
i.This exercise is a build-up towards the major Theatre Level Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX), which is conducted by the Indian Navy every two years.
ii.Both Sea Vigil and TROPEX together cover the entire spectrum of maritime security challenges and the exercise Sea Vigil will provide opportunity at the apex level to assess the preparedness in the domain of maritime security and coastal defence.

DEA, MoHUA & World Bank Group jointly organised Workshop on “Cities Creditworthiness Academy”The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance (MoF); Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA); and the World Bank (WB) Group are jointly organising a 5-day focused workshop titled ‘Cities Creditworthiness Academy’ to create an enabling ecosystem for financing future cities of India.

• The 5-day workshop, from 14th to 18th November 2022, is organised at Hotel Lalit, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi, Delhi.

The workshop is focused on the theme ‘Vision of Future Cities and Role of Municipal Financing’.
Dignitaries: 
Ajay Seth Secretary, DEA, MoF inaugurated the workshop in the presence of Manoj Joshi, Secretary, MoHUA; Auguste Tano Kouamé Country Director, WB, India; Peeyush Kumar, Joint Secretary, Infrastructure Policy and Planning, DEA; T.V. Somanathan, Finance Secretary & Secretary Expenditure (Department of expenditure).
Key Points:
i. Ajay Seth stressed the 3 binding constraints of urban infrastructure financing in India: Energy, Up-skilling, and Urbanisation.
ii. He also stated that The States and Municipal Corporations must use the Chief Secretary (CS) Conference scheduled for January 2023 and a series of national-level seminars organised by the Infrastructure Finance Secretariat, DEA, to highlight the issues in municipal financing. .
iii. The efficient performance of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) depends on 3 broad pillars, they are Capacity, Municipal Financing, and Urban Planning.
iv. Dr T.V. Somanathan, Finance Secretary & Secretary Expenditure, delivered a Special Address on ‘Financing Cities of Tomorrow’ at the workshop.
v. 4-panel discussion on – ‘Vision of Sustainable and Resilient cities of the Future’; ‘Connecting Municipalities with Capital Markets’; Municipal Financing and Urban Infrastructure Development’ and ‘Role of PPPs in Municipal Financing’ were conducted on the 1st day of the workshop.
City Creditworthiness Initiative:
i. The World Bank developed the City Creditworthiness Initiative to provide comprehensive, hands-on, and long-term assistance to local authorities and help them:

• Achieve higher creditworthiness by strengthening financial performance;
• Develop an enabling legal and regulatory, institutional, and policy framework for responsible sub-national borrowing through reforms at the national level;
• Improve the “demand” side of financing by developing sound, climate-smart projects that foster green growth;
• Improve the “supply” side of financing by engaging with private sector investors.

ii. The two primary components of the initiative are:

• City Creditworthiness Academies
• City Creditworthiness Implementation Programs

Kerala Govt & IH2A Partners to Set up Kochi Green Hydrogen Hub in KochiOn 14th November 2022, the government of Kerala and India Hydrogen Alliance (IH2A) partnered to build the Kochi Green Hydrogen (KGH2) Hub, a large-scale green hydrogen hub with multiple use cases, in Kochi, Kerala.

• The KGH2 Hub is the first of its kind in India, in its current form and scale.
• The potential capital expenditure of the proposal is USD 575 million.
• The proposal envisages building a 60-tonnes per day (TPD) green hydrogen plant with a 150 MW Electrolyser, Storage and Infrastructure, which could achieve giga-watt scale and build the hydrogen economy in Kerala.

About Kochi Green Hydrogen (KGH2) Hub:
i.The KGH2 Hub plan is modelled after the Hydrogen Valley projects in the European Union (EU) to create production, storage, transmission and end-use infrastructure for green hydrogen, both in compressed gas and liquid form within a 50-km radius cluster in Kochi, Kerala.
ii.In the first phase, the plan focuses on the transport use-case, aligning with the state government’s plans for zero-emission transport, to power Hydrogen-ICE retrofitted bus fleets of 60 buses and build the required infrastructure.
iii.During the second phase, industrial demand for green hydrogen from refineries, fertiliser and chemical plants would increase the capacity expansion and scale-up the KGH2 hub.
Keynote:
i.IH2A has also proposed a two-tier KGH2 governance structure, with a public-private advisory group to implement the proposed plan.

• This governance structure works along with the project consortia structures or as special purpose vehicles (SPVs).

ii.IH2A will continue to advise the Government of Kerala on hydrogen commercialization and project development in the state.

NAA’s tenure ends; CCI to handle GST anti-profiteering complaints from 1st December 2022

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) will handle all Goods & Services Tax (GST) anti-profiteering complaints from December 1, 2022, as the extended tenure of the National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA) ends on November 30, 2022.
National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA)
i.Under Section 171A of the GST law, the NAA was established in November 2017 to monitor unfair profiteering activities by registered suppliers.

• The NAA’s primary role is to make sure that consumers benefit from lower costs as a result of the reduced GST rates on products and services and the input tax credit.

ii.The NAA was originally intended to operate for two years, until 2019, but was later extended to November 2021.

• The GST Council, during its 45th meeting in September 2021, gave another 1-year extension to NAA till 30th November 2022, and decided to transfer the work of NAA to CCI after the tenure ends.

Key Points:
i.According to the GST Council’s resolution, the NAA will cease to function from December 1, 2022, and all investigations based on consumer complaints will be handled by the Directorate General of Anti-Profiteering (DGAP), which will then submit a report to CCI.

• The CCI is likely to establish a specialized wing to address GST profiteering complaints.

ii.According to the GST law, a three-tier system was established for the investigation and adjudication of profiteering complaints.

• Complaints must first be reported to state-level screening and standing committees before being forwarded to DGAP for investigation.

Competition Commission of India (CCI)
CCI was constituted under the Competition Act, 2002 to enforce the law. It is composed of a Chairperson and six members appointed by the Central Government.

• The Commission is entrusted with eliminating anti-competitive practices, safeguarding consumer interests, and guaranteeing free trade.

Note: Acting Chairperson of the CCI – Sangeeta Verma

Nagaland Celebrates Tokhu Emong Festival; Organises 1st Edition of Tokhü Emong Bird CountNagaland Celebrates a 9-day post-harvest festival of the Lotha Nagas, Tokhü Emong to spread awareness about Nagaland’s bird diversity. It also hosted the first edition of the Tokhü Emong Bird Count (TEBC), a 4-day documentation event to list birds during the festival between 4th and 7th November 2022.

• This event was organised in collaboration with the Wokha Forest Division and the Divisional Management Unit, Nagaland Forest Management Project (NFMP), Wokha, and Bird Count India.

Highlights:
i.Aim – To recognise the incredible bird diversity and draw attention to the threatened habitats of Nagaland.
ii.Besides documentation of birds, the event will also be organised for bird walks, online sessions, and talks about birds for enthusiasts, school, and college students.
iii.Nagaland is one of the most biologically diverse and important northeastern states in India, located in the Indo-Malayan global biodiversity hotspot.

• It is a mountainous state with the Naga Hills rising from the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam, reaching about 1,800 metres to the southeast.

About Tokhü Emong festival:
i.Tokhü Emong is a 9-day harvest festival celebrated by Lotha Nagas, a major and pre-dominant Naga ethnic group native to Wokha District of Nagaland.
ii.The term ‘Tokhü’ means feast (eating food or drinking) and ‘Emong’ means halt on the appointed time.
Note – The dates of Tokhü Emong bird count also coincide with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) Salim Ali Bird Count, a nationwide event.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

India has to invest USD 55bn p.a. in Urban Infra to meet needs of Growing Population: WB reporti.On November 14, 2022, the World Bank (WB) released a report titled ‘Financing India’s Urban Infrastructure Needs: Constraints to Commercial Financing and Prospects for Policy Action’.
ii.As per it, India needs to invest USD 840 billion over the next 15 years till 2036 (in 2020 prices) or an average of USD 55 billion (Rs 4.46 lakh crore) per annum into urban infrastructure to meet the needs of fast-growing urban population.
iii.This USD 840 billion in the next 15 years is equivalent to 1.18% of estimated Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over this period.
iv.By 2036, 600 million people 40% of the population will live in urban cities in India.
About World Bank (WB):
President– David Robert Malpass
Headquarters– Washington D.C, United States (US)
Establishment– 1944
>> Read Full News

UN World Population Prospects 2022 – 27th edition: World Population to Reach 8 billion on 15 November 2022According to the United Nations (UN) World Population Prospects 2022:Summary of Results (27th edition), the global population is projected to achieve 8 billion on November 15, 2022, and India is expected to overtake China as the world’s most populated country in 2023.

• The World Population Prospects 2022 is published to commemorate World Population Day 2022 (July 11, 2022), which occurred in the year in which the world population welcomed the birth of its 8 billionth inhabitant.

Key Projections & Findings
i.According to the UN’s most recent estimates, the world’s population might reach 8.5 billion in 2030 and 9.7 billion in 2050.

• The population is anticipated to peak at about 4 billion people in the 2080s and maintain it until 2100.

ii.The two most populous regions in the world in 2022 were both in Asia: Eastern & South-Eastern Asia had 2.3 billion and Central & Southern Asia had 2.1 billion people.
About the United Nations (UN):
Secretary General – Antonio Guterres
Headquarters – New York, United States
>> Read Full News

WMO Report: “State of the Climate in Asia 2021”; Asian Region Warmed Faster Than Global Average in 2021

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released a report titled “State of the Climate in Asia 2021”, which was prepared in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

• The report was presented at the 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) to the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference, held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

According to the report, the Asian region was warming faster than the global average, with economic losses from extreme weather events like floods and droughts amounting more than USD 35 billion in 2021, including at least USD 7.5 billion in India.

• The 2021 report is the second in the series of the report.

Key Highlights:
i.The average temperature over Asia in 2021 was nearly 0.86 degrees Celsius higher than the average for the period of 1981 – 2010.

• Whereas, the global average temperature in 2021 was only about 0.42 degrees Celsius higher than the period 1981-2010.

ii.Due to the extended La Nina, the year 2021 was slightly cooler for Asia than 2020, but it was still among the fifth and seventh warmest year on record.

• However, 2021 was the warmest year on record in China, Hong Kong, and Bahrain.

iii.In Asia, a total of 35.6 billion USD in damage and close to 50 million people have been impacted by the drought, floods, and landslides.

• In 2021, floods caused the largest economic losses in China (USD 18.4 billion), the most in Asia, followed by India (USD 3.2 billion) and Thailand (USD 0.6 billion).
• Storms (cyclones) also caused damage to the economy, particularly in India (USD 4.4 billion), China (USD 3.0 billion), and Japan (USD 2 billion).

103mn People Forcibly Displaced Worldwide: UNHCR reportAccording to the 2022 Mid-Year Trends report released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of forcibly displaced people across the globe was estimated at 103 million. Compared to the end of 2021, the number of forcibly displaced people in 2022 has increased by more than 15% (13.6 million). This is the biggest proportional increase between years since 1979-1980.

• The increase is driven by the Ukraine-Russia war, and is more than the entire population of Belgium, Burundi or Cuba.
• This report provided the up-to-date and comprehensive statistics from January 1 – June 30, 2022.

The forced displacement accounts for refugees, asylum seekers or those otherwise in need of international protection, and internally displaced.
Key Highlights:
i.As per the report, one in every 77 people worldwide is forcibly displaced.
ii.Globally, refugees under UNHCR’s mandate and other people in need of international protection increased by 6.3 million (~24%) in the H12022 i.e. from 25.7 million at the end of 2021 to 32 million by mid-2022.
iii.The H12022 also recorded new internal displacements ~ 9.6 million out of which at least 7 million were in Ukraine.

• New internal displacements were also reported in Ethiopia, Myanmar, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

iv.74% refugees are hosted in low- and middle-income countries.

• There was a 9% increase in refugees hosted in high-income countries, mainly in European countries.

v.Turkey hosted 3.7 million refugees, the largest refugee population worldwide. It is followed by Colombia (2.5 million) at 2nd, and Germany at 3rd (2.2 million).
vi.The report highlights the need for more responsibility-sharing in the global refugee response.

BANKING & FINANCE

Bank of Maharashtra tops list of PSBs in Loan Growth in Q2FY23As per analysis of the quarterly financial numbers published by the Public Sector Banks (PSBs), the Pune (Maharashtra) headquartered Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) emerged as the top performer among PSBs in terms of loan growth in percentage terms during the Q2FY23.

• BoM recorded a 28.62% increase in gross advances at Rs 1,48,216 crore at the end of September 2022.
• It is followed by Union Bank of India (UBI) with a 21.54% growth to Rs 7,52,469 crore, and State Bank of India (SBI) at 3rd  spot with an 18.15% growth.

Key Points from analysis of PSBs in Q2FY23:
i.Notably, in absolute terms SBI’s total loans were at Rs 25,47,390 crore which is about 17 times higher as compared to Rs 1,48,216 crore of BoM.
ii.With regard to Retail-Agriculture-MSME (RAM) loans, BoM recorded the highest growth of 22.31% followed by Bank of Baroda (BoB) with 19.53% and SBI at 16.51%.
iii.With respect to Current Account Savings Account (CASA) deposits, BoM again gained the top spot with 56.27% followed by Central Bank of India at 50.99%.
iv.For Net Interest Margin (NIM), BoM and SBI with 3.55% stood at the top among PSBs.

• They are followed by the Bank of India at 3.49% and the Central Bank of India at 3.44%.

v.For Gross Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) and net NPAs, BoM and SBI were in the lowest quartile.

• Gross NPAs reported by BoM and SBI were 3.40% and 3.52% of their total advances, respectively.
• Net NPAs of these banks came down to 0.68% and 0.80%, respectively, at the end of September 2022.

vi.BoM has a highest Capital Adequacy Ratio at 16.71%.

• It is followed by Canara Bank at 16.51% and Indian Bank at 16.15%.

It should be noted that in the first half of FY23 (H1FY23), the cumulative net profit of all PSBs increased by 32% to Rs 40,991 crore.

Smaller ULBs’ access to Capital Markets can be enhanced via Pooled Financing: RBI ReportOn November 10, 2022, the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) released the first Report on Municipal Finances on the theme ‘Alternative Sources of Financing for Municipal Corporations’. It compiled and analysed budgetary data for 201 municipal corporations (MCs) across all States in India.

• The report suggested pooled financing to enhance the access of smaller urban local bodies (ULBs) to the capital market.
• This can be done by issuing a common bond by pooling the resources of several local bodies.

Need behind Pooled Financing:
ULBs are becoming dependent on grants from state and central governments rather than relying on their own revenues. UBLs revenues (which they can raise on their own from tax and non-tax sources) have been declining. Also, ULBs in India are amongst the weakest globally in terms of fiscal autonomy. In order to overcome this situation, RBI has come up with this suggestion.
What is in the Pooled Financing?
There will be creation of a State Pooled Finance Entity (SPFE) which can be registered either as a trust or a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). SPFE will issue bonds, and debt servicing is financed through the pooled revenue stream of the participating municipal bodies.

• SPFE lowers the cost of bond issuance for individual local bodies and enhances the creditworthiness of the bond issued.

Key Points:
i.This pooled financing mechanism is already prevalent in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu which are issuing bonds serviced from the pooled revenues of multiple ULBs/ MCs (Municipal Corporations).
ii.In the recent period, there has been a resurgence of municipal bond issuances in India, with nine MCs raising around Rs 3,840 crore during 2017-21. These nine MCs are: Ahmedabad, Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority, Bhopal, Ghaziabad, Greater Hyderabad, Indore, Lucknow, Pune, and Surat.
iii.The Central Government also provided a thrust to pooled financing by launching the Pooled Finance Development Fund (PFDF) Scheme in 2006 to provide credit enhancement to ULBs through a State-level pooled finance mechanism.

KVG Bank renews Bancassurance pact with LIC

Karnataka Vikas Grameena (KVG) Bank, a leading regional rural bank, and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India have renewed their agreement through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for ‘bancassurance’ for selling life insurance products through bank branches in Dharwad, Karnataka.

• The LIC’s products will be marketed by the bank through its 636 locations. The bank was renewing the pact with LIC mainly to increase insurance penetration in rural areas

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS 

Rane Group Chairman L Ganesh receives Deming Award 2022Lakshminarayan Ganesh(L Ganesh), Chairman of Rane Group, was conferred with Japan’s prestigious  Deming Distinguished Service Award for Dissemination and Promotion (Overseas) 2022 for his outstanding contribution to the distribution and promotion (overseas) of Total Quality Management (TQM).

• L Ganesh is the 3rd Indian and the 5th person in the world to receive this honour.
• The Deming Prize is sponsored by the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE).
• The Deming Prize Award Ceremony took place at Keidanren Kaikan in Tokyo, Japan on 14th November 2022.

Click here for 2022 The Deming Prize winners
Note: Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus and Managing Director (MD) of TVS Motor Company Limited & Sundaram-Clayton Limited received this award in 2019 and became the first Indian to achieve this feat.
Key Points:
i. Under the guidance of then-Chairman L Lakshman, the Rane Group embarked on the TQM journey in the year 2000.
ii. Since 2003, 5 Rane companies have received the Deming Prize, and 3 Rane companies have won Deming Grand Prize.
About the Deming Distinguished Service Award for Dissemination and Promotion:
i. The Deming Distinguished Service Award is an award given to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the dissemination and promotion of TQM.

• Candidates for this award must be recommended by members of the Deming Prize Committee, whose principal activity must be limited to activities outside of Japan.

ii. The winner receives the Deming medal with a Certificate of Merit from the Deming Prize Committee.
About Lakshminarayan Ganesh:
i. In 1979, L Ganesh began his career as a Management Trainee at Rane Engine Valves Limited.
ii. In 2006, he took over as Chairman of the Rane group of companies and has guided the company through the difficult times of the recent economic slump.
iii. In 2017, he was appointed as the Chairman of the board and Managing Director of Rane Holding Limited.

Union Home Minister’s ‘Special Operation Medal’ 2022 awarded for 4 Special Operations

On 14th November 2022, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) declared ‘Union Home Minister’s Special Operation Medal-2022’ has been awarded for 4 Special Operations, including 11 officers from Maharashtra.

• A total of 63 police officers from Telangana, Punjab, Maharashtra and Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Delhi have been awarded the special medal on Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary (31 October 2022).
• The medal was established in 2018 with the goal of recognising operations with a high degree of preparation, high significance for the security of the country/state/UT, and a substantial impact on the security of larger segments of society.
• The medal will be given for Special Operations in areas like counter-terrorism, border action, arms control, narcotics smuggling prevention, and rescue operations.
• It is announced on the 31st of October every year.

Click here for the List of Awardees

Edward Kennedy conferred the “Friends of Liberation War” honour from Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina 

Sheikh Hasina, Prime minister (PM) of Bangladesh, conferred the ‘Friends of Liberation War’ honour on Edward Moore Kennedy (Ted Kennedy), former United States (US), Senator, posthumously in Dhaka (Bangladesh) for his contribution to the liberation of Bangladesh.

• The honour was handed over to his son Ted Kennedy Jr, a former member of the Connecticut State Senate. He was in Bangladesh for a 7-day visit to mark the 50th anniversary of US-Bangladesh relations.
• Despite the US government’s engagement in the 1971 Liberation War, Edward M Kennedy Sr. took a courageous stand against Pakistan’s genocide against innocent Bengali people.       

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Mary Kom, PV Sindhu & Shiva Keshavan Elected as the Members of IOA Athletes CommissionOn 14th November 2022 M C Mary Kom, PV Sindhu and Shiva Keshavan were among 10 eminent sports persons elected unopposed as members of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Athletes Commission at Nehru stadium, New Delhi.

• Umesh Sinha, the returning officer for the upcoming IOA elections, which is scheduled to be held on 10th December 2022 has declared all the 10 elected members of the apex body, including 5 men and 5 women, won unopposed in the polls.

Members of the commission:
i.Under the new constitution of IOA, the athletes commission must have equal representation of male and female members.

• Men – Former shot putter Om Prakash Karhana, Olympics bronze winner shooter Gagan Narang, rower Bajrang Lal, veteran table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal, multiple-time winter Olympian in “Luge” Shiva Keshavan.
• Women – Cyclist Bhavani Devi, ace hockey player Rani Rampal, Tokyo Olympics silver medallist weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, five-time world champion boxer Mary Kom.

ii.The chairperson and vice-chairperson will be selected among the 10 members in the commission.
iii.Former World and Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra, member of International Olympic Committee (IOC) and former hockey captain Sardara Singh, member of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) will also be part of the athletes commission as ex-officio members.
Key highlights:
i.The main task of this athletes commission will be to choose 8 sportspersons of outstanding merit (SOM) for which the applications will close on 15th November 2022.

• The 8 SOMs along with the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the athletes commission will be part of the electoral college of the upcoming IOA election.

ii.As per the IOA constitution amendment, the executive council of the IOA, shall consists of a president, a senior vice-president, two vice- presidents, a treasurer, two joint secretaries, 6 executive council members including 1 male and 1 female sportspersons of outstanding merit, and 2 more representatives from the athletes commission.

• IOC member Nita Ambani will be an ex-officio member of the executive council with a right to vote.

Misuzulu Zulu crowned as South Africa’s new Zulu KingMisuzulu Sinqobile kaZwelithini (Misuzulu Zulu), was formally enthroned as the new Zulu King, head of South Africa’s most influential traditional monarchy, at a colourful ceremony of the state coronation at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the coastal city of Durban, South Africa.

• Misuzulu Zulu takes over the throne left by his father, Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, who passed away in March 2021. He reigned over as the King of the Zulu nation from 1968 to his death in 2021.
• In August 2022, The traditional coronation took place for King Misuzulu at KwaKhangelamankengane Palace in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa.

Key Points:
i. On 16th March 2022, Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, in terms of Section 8(3)(a) and (b) of the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act, 2019, recognised King-Elect Prince Misuzulu Sinqobile Zulu as King of AmaZulu Kingship.
ii. The ceremony marked the 1st Zulu coronation after South Africa’s democratic transition in 1994.
About Misuzulu Sinqobile kaZwelithini:
i. Misuzulu Zulu was born on 23 September 1974 in KwaHlabisa, KwaZulu-Natal.
ii. Misuzulu Sinqobile kaZwelithini is the eldest son of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini and the late Queen Mantfombi Dlamini.
iii. Queen regent Mantfombi who died on 29th April 2021  left a will naming Misuzulu as the next king
About South Africa: 
President- Cyril Ramaphosa
Capital- Pretoria(administrative capital); Cape Town (legislative) Bloemfontein (judicial).
Currency- South African Rand

Ghana Assumes UN Security Council Presidency in November

Ghana assumed the Presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), a principal organ for the maintenance and furtherance of international peace and security from November 2022 for a two-year term.

• Ghana was first given the opportunity to serve on the UNSC from 1962 to 1963. It is the third time Ghana is holding a non-permanent seat on the UNSC.
• The Permanent Representative of Ghana to the UN in New York is Amb. Harold Agyeman

Highlights:
i.Background – In June 2021, Ghana was elected by the UN General to serve a two-year term on the Security Council from January 2022 to December 2023.
ii.Ghana’s aims to address violent extremism and terrorism in Africa and also the Council’s events were build on the ‘clear African focus’ towards addressing threats against peace and security.

• The first signature event for the month of November after assuming charge was an open debate taking place on topic ‘Integrating effective resilience-building in peace operations for sustainable peace’, which was chaired by Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs.
• The second event was on counter-terrorism in Africa, which was chaired by the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

iii.In its capacity as President of the UNSC, Ghana is focusing on enhancing Global Peace and Security for Sustainable and Inclusive Development, particularly on the African continent.
About Ghana:
President – Nana Akufo-Addo
Capital – Accra
Currency – Ghanaian Cedi

SPORTS

The Phryges: Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic mascots unveiled

On 14th November 2022, Tony Estanguet,  President of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games unveiled the mascots for Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, “The Phryges”(pronounced fri-jee-uhs), in Paris, France.

• Beijing 2008 wheelchair tennis men’s doubles champion Michael Jeremiasz and Gwladys Epangue, a bronze medallist in taekwondo from Beijing 2008 were also present during the unveiling ceremony.

Note: Phrygian caps are a type of hat that has become an enduring symbol of freedom throughout French history.
Key Points:
i.The mascot is designed by the creative agency W and the Paris 2024 design teams and Made in Asia by French SMEs Gipsy Toys and Doudou et Compagnie.
ii.Olympic Phryge and Paralympic Phryge complement each other and make each other better with a motto of “Alone we go faster, but together we go further”. 
iii.Mission of the Mascot:  To start a revolution in sport, showing the world that sport can change everything and that it deserves a prominent place in society.
Features of the Phryges:
i.Phrygian cap is a symbol for the French Republic and it also represents the symbol of liberty, inclusivity and the ability of people to support great and meaningful causes.
ii.The mascot made in a red, white and blue colourway, features the golden Paris 2024 logo Displayed across their chests.
iii.The red-coloured mascot has a ‘cockade of France’, a knot of ribbons that is the French national ornament, at the end of its big blue eyes.
iv.The mascot of Paris 2024 is a non-gender-specific mascot. 
Difference between Olympic Phryge & Paralympic Phryge

• Paralympic Phryge has a prosthesis and a racing blade, making it a role model for many and giving maximum visibility to people with disabilities.

OBITUARY

Veteran Telugu Actor, Padma Bhushan Awardee Krishna Passed AwayOn 15th November 2022, Telugu actor & Producer, Padma Bhushan awardee Ghattamaneni Siva Rama Krishna Murthy, popularly known as Krishna, passed away in Hyderabad, Telangana at the age of 79.
He is the father of renowned Telugu actor Mahesh Babu.
About Ghattamaneni Siva Rama Krishna Murthy:
i. Ghattamaneni Siva Rama Krishna Murthy was born on 31st May 1943 in Burripalem, Andhra Pradesh.
ii. He began his career in the early 1960s. In a career spanning 5 decades, he has appeared in over 350 films as one of the leading actors.
iii. In 1989, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Congress Party.
iv. He has directed 17 feature films and produced many others through his production company, Padmalaya Film Studio.
v. He introduced new cinematic ideas, themes, technology and visual styles
vi. He introduced and explored new cinematic concepts, topics, visual styles, and technologies like Eastman colour film, Cinemascope film, 70mm film, and Digital Theater Systems (DTS) film.
vii. In December 2012, at 69, actor Krishna announced his retirement from movies and politics.
Awards and Recognition:
i. In 2008, he received an honorary doctorate from Andhra University.
ii. In 2009, the Government of India (GoI) honoured him with the Padma Bhushan (Art Telangana) for his contributions to Indian Cinema.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Janjatiya Gaurav Divas 2022 – 15th November 2022 Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, also known as Tribal Pride Day, is annually observed across India on 15th November to commemorate the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, an iconic freedom fighter, social reformer and renowned tribal leader, who fought against the British colonial government. He was often referred as “Bhagwan” (God) and “Dharati Aaba” (Father of Earth) the tribal communities across India.

• 15th November 2022 marks the observance of the 2nd Janjatiya Gaurav Divas.

Background:
i.On 10th November 2021, the government of India led by Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi declared the 15th November of every year as the Janjatiya Gaurav Divas to mark the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda.
ii.The first ever Janjatiya Gaurav Divas was observed on 15th November 2021.
About Birsa Munda:
i.Birsa Munda was born on 15th Novmber 1875 in Ulihatu in the Bengal Presidency (now in the Khunti district of  Jharkhand).
ii.He belongs to the Munda tribe, mainly concentrated in the region of Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal.
iii.Birsa Munda is popularly known for challenging Christian missionaries and revolting against conversion activities.
iv.He created a faith called “Birsait” with the slogan “Abua raj ete jana, maharani raj tundu jana (Let the reign of the queen end and the rule of our people be established”)
Events:
The Ministry of Education (MoE) under the leadership of Union Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, has organised a series of events in schools, skill and higher educational institutions across India.

• MoE in association with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), University Grants Commission (UGC), Central Universities, Private Universities, other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan(KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) and Skilling institutions celebrates the ‘JanjatiyaGaurav Divas’ across India.

STATE NEWS

J&K Admin Introduces Scheme for Promoting Sheep Farming – ISDSJammu and Kashmir (J&K) Government has developed Integrated Sheep Development scheme (ISDS) and various other reforms and initiatives for modernization and promotion of the sheep farming sector.

• This also strengthens the commercial activities and output of the sheep farming sector which provides livelihood to about 12 lakh families in J&K.
• The ISDS mainly contributes towards achieving the Prime Minister’s (PMs) vision of doubling farmers’ income.

About the scheme:
i.The ISDS is one of the schemes of the Sheep Husbandry Department which aims to promote the establishment of sheep and goat units in J&K union territory (UT).

• Under this scheme, financial assistance from the banks will be available along with other incentives and subsidies.

ii.Any individual, group of individuals, self-help group, cooperative society, farmers producer organisation (FPO) is eligible to apply for the scheme.
iii.Features – The provisions under the scheme includes procurement of shearing units, consisting of one shearing machine, one Genset and shearing accessories and spares; 50% of the unit cost as total eligible subsidy with a ceiling of Rs 75,000/unit whichever is less.

• The Department also provides breeders with all kinds of assistance during disease outbreaks to minimise the loss.

Highlights:
i.The Sheep sector makes a valuable contribution to the economically weaker sections of the society by their multifaceted utility of producing wool, meat, skin, manure, among others.
ii.High genetic potential breeds of sheep, exotic breeds for crossbreeding, marketing facilities and preventive mechanisms of endemic disease problems are bringing overall improvement in the sheep rearing sector and improving socio-economic status of a vast majority of livestock producers.

Assam govt launches Mission Basundhara 2.0 to Provide Land Rights to Indigenous PeopleHimanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister(CM) of Assam launched the second phase of the Mission Basundhara(Mission Basundhara 2.0) during the event held at the Srimanta Shankardev Kalakshetra, Guwahati, Assam.

• The goals of Mission Basundhara 2.0 include several key developments which include, providing land rights to the indigenous people of Assam, especially for the people who do not have any legal claims to land.

The CM also launched the National Generic Documents Registration System (NGDRS) and e-stamping facilities in Assam.

• NGDRS would be initially implemented in Kamrup and Darrang districts of Assam.

Key Points:
i.Under Mission Basundhara 2.0, the government of Assam is working towards proving land rights to the indigenous people based on self-certification.

• A self-certification should state that the claimant has been residing on the land for the last 3 generations.

ii.In doubtful cases about the claim made over the land through self-certification, the Data from the National Register of Citizens (NRC), and other sources will be considered prior to making any decisions.

iii.Under Mission Basundhara 2.0, a total of 8 services would be provided to the public in digital mode.
iv.The new services under the mission include,

• Settlement of government Khas and ceiling surplus land,
• Conferring ownership rights to occupancy tenants,
• Settlement of transferred annual Patta land,
• Settlement of village grazing reserve and professional grazing reserve,
• Settlement of land for indigenous special cultivators,
• Settlement of hereditary land of tribal communities, composite land transfer service and Online payment of land revenue.

1st Phase of Mission Basundhara:
i.Mission Basundhara (Phase 1) was launched on 2nd October 2021 with an aim to address the unsolved land-related issues affecting the indigenous people in Assam.
ii.The mission aims to eliminate the middleman from the system and empower the public to resolve land-related issues online in hassle-free method.
iii.The implementation of the 1st phase of the mission Basundhara concluded in May 2022 with 6 lakh people benefiting from it.

Assam Signed MoU with IIMB to Train Working Professionals to Work at District-level 
The government of Assam has signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the  Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore(IIMB) in Bengaluru, Karnataka, to train working professionals in Assam to work at district level under the ‘Chief Minister’s Young Professional Programme’ 2023-25.

• The MoU was signed by Himanta Biswa Sarma, CM of Assam and Rishikesha T Krishnan, director of IIMB and Assam’s Principal Secretary Samir Sinha in Guwahati, Assam.

Key points: 
i.The training programme designed by IIMB aims to prepare professionals with a postgraduate degree to work at the district level.
ii.The program encloses academic and district work and also features an off-campus training programme.
iii.The programme will be conducted for around 40 days in Guwahati.
iv.The training programme will span 2 years and on completion of the programme, the candidates will receive certificates in public policy and management from IIMB.

Arunachal Pradesh signs MoU with NHLML for Infrastructure Development

The Government of Arunachal Pradesh signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Highway Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) under the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), for infrastructure development in the state.

• The MoU was signed in Guwahati, Assam, by Parul Gaur Mittal, Transport department special secretary and Prakash Gaur, CEO of NHLML in the presence of Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways and Pema Khandu, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The NHLML is the executing agency for the national ropeway programme ‘Parvatmala’ project, announced in the Union Budget (2022-23), to construct ropeways in hilly terrains across India. This connects the inaccessible areas, decongesting urban areas to improve tourism in states.

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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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