Current Affairs 19 November 2022

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

8th Norway-India Joint Working Group Maritime Meeting held in MumbaiOn November 17, 2022, the 8th Norway-India Joint Working Group Maritime meeting was held in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

• It was Co-Chaired by Additional Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Ministry of Ports,Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), India; and Director General (DG) Ottar Ostnes, Ministry of Trade, Industries and Fisheries, Norway. He also led the Norwegian delegation.
• The 7th JWG on Maritime was held at Oslo,Norway in November 2019.

Key Participants:
The meeting was attended by Amitabh Kumar, DG of Shipping, Directorate General of Shipping; Madhu Nair, Chairman and Managing Director (MD), Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), among others.
Key Points:
i.Both sides joined hands on the Norway-India cooperation on a green maritime future, and presented their visions and plans for a green maritime sector.

• They also agreed on willingness, devotion, partnership and capacity building for achieving common goals.

ii.Discussions were held on use of alternative fuels like green ammonia and hydrogen for futuristic shipping.
iii.Norway shared its  experience and expertise on its successful Norwegian Green Shipping Programme.
iv.India, Norway are a part of Green Voyage 2050 project.

• Launched in May 2019, this project is a partnership between the Norway and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to transform the shipping industry towards a lower carbon future.
• Ministry of Ports Shipping and Waterways has prepared Maritime India Vision 2030 identified more than 150 initiatives across various maritime sectors.

v.India has pressed upon cooperation in the field of Maritime Training, and requested Norway to extend Ship Board training in the area of Polar Water Navigation.
Others:
The Norwegian delegation also attended INMARCO 2022, the Green Shipping Conclave, and the Maritime SheEO conference 2022 in Mumbai.
i.INMARCO 2022, a quadrennial International Maritime Conference and Exhibition, was hosted by Institute of Marine Engineers (India) on the theme ‘Evolving Maritime World for Greener & Sustainable Future’.
ii.The Maritime SheEO conference 2022 was held on the theme ‘Changing Leadership Paradigm’. It is supported by Norway and focused on maritime diversity and sustainability, including gender equality in the maritime industry.

GoI Extends Maximum Tenure of PSB CEOs and MDs to 10 Years

The Government of India (GoI) has issued a notification extending the tenure for the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) to 10 years, from the previous 5 years, subject to a retirement age of 60 years.

• This also applies to whole-time directors of all Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).
• The notification was issued to amend Nationalised Banks (Management and Miscellaneous Provisions) Scheme, 1970 and the new amendment would be known as the Nationalised Banks (Management and Miscellaneous Provisions) Amendment Scheme, 2022, and it would enable the GoI to retain the finest talents in the banking sector.

Previously, the MD or CEO of a PSB could only serve for a maximum of 5 years or 60 years, whichever was earlier.
Key Points:
i.According to the notification, a whole-time director, including the MD, shall devote all of his time to the business of the nationalised bank.

• The initial term of office must not exceed 5 years, and it may be extended up to a total period, including the initial term, of not more than 10 years, as the GoI may designate after consulting with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• Reappointment is eligible.

ii.The GoI has the authority to terminate the term of office of a whole-time director, including the MD, at any time before the completion of the stipulated term.

• There will be given three months’ notice in writing, or three months’ salary and allowances in lieu of notice.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Chaired 5th Meeting of NIIF’s Governing Council Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance (MoF) presided over the 5th meeting of the Governing Council (GC) of the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) in New Delhi, Delhi.

• NIIF is India’s largest infrastructure and private equity fund manager

Key Highlights of the Meeting: 
i.The GC has approved significant updates regarding the bilateral engagements under NIIF.
ii.In order to promote Japanese investments in India, National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited (NIIFL) and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

• With contributions from the Government of India(GoI), this MoU suggests creating the first bilateral fund of the NIIF, the “India Japan Fund”.

iii.The two infrastructure Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) in which NIIF holds a majority stake have raised their combined loan book from Rs. 4,200 crore to Rs. 26,000 crore in 3 years with no non-performing loans (NPLs) to date.
iv.The NIIF has been directed to engage in proactive advisory activities to assist central and state governments in developing a pipeline of investible public-private partnership (PPP) projects.
v.The NIIFL has been entrusted with evaluating prospects under the National Infrastructure Pipeline, PM GatiShakti, and National Infrastructure Corridor.
vi.The Board has also reviewed the present state of the 3 NIIFL  funds: The Master Fund, the Fund of Funds (FoF), and the Strategic Opportunities Fund (SoF).
About the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIFL):
NIIFL is a collaborative investment platform for international and Indian investors, anchored by the GoI.
MD & CEO –  Sujoy Bose
Established – 2015
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra

Ministry of Railways Eases Distance Restriction for Booking of Unreserved Tickets Through UTSONMOBILE App

The Ministry of Railways has decided to extend the facility to book unreserved tickets on the UTSONMOBILE app for non-suburban sections from a distance of up to 20 kilometres (km).

• Previously, passengers in non-suburban areas may book a ticket for up to 5 km by using the Unreserved Ticket Booking System UTSONMOBILE app.

Meanwhile, the distance has been enhanced in suburban areas to 5 km from the earlier 2 km through the UTSONMOBILE app.

National Cooperative University May Come Up in New Delhi

The National Cooperative University, which has already received an in-principle approval from the Central Government, may be established in New Delhi as India’s first university for the cooperative sector.

• Currently, the National Council for Cooperative Training (NCCT) is the only institute providing education and training in the cooperative sector.

On June 1, 2022, the Union Cabinet approved expanding the scope of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal to include cooperatives as buyers on GeM.

• The cooperatives formally boarded the GeM portal on August 9, 2022.
• Over 400 cooperative societies have now registered on the GeM portal, enabling multi-state cooperatives to use GeM for procurement.

GeM was established as the national procurement portal to enable an end-to-end online marketplace for Central & State Government Departments, Ministries, and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to procure common-use goods and services.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

INS Trikand Participates in the Combined Maritime Forces Focused Operation – Sea Sword 2Indian Navy Ship (INS) Trikand participated in the ‘Sea Sword 2’, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) led Focused Operation held between 6th and 14th November 2022 in the Northwest Arabian Sea to counter terrorism, prevent narcotics trade and stop smuggling entities from using the seas.

• The Indian Navy’s long range maritime patrol aircraft also participated in the operation and provided air support.
• This effort is a part of the Indian Navy’s commitment towards ensuring safety of the seas and collective security in the region, supported by Prime Minister’s SAGAR vision.

About INS Trikand:
i.INS Trikand (F51) is the third and the final ship of the 2nd batch of  Talwar-class frigates of the Indian Navy and was commissioned to Indian Navy service on 29th June 2013 by Vice Admiral R K Dhowan, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Indian Navy.

• INS Trikand was built by the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia and is commanded by Captain Ajay Kochhar.
• The other two Talwar-class frigates, INS Teg and INS Tarkash were commissioned in 2021 at the Western Fleet.

Features:
i.INS Trikand carries a state-of-the-art combat suite which includes the supersonic BRAHMOS missile system, advanced Surface to Air missiles Shtil, upgraded A190 medium range gun, Electro-optical 30 mm Close-in Weapon System, Anti-Submarine weapons such as torpedoes, rockets and an advanced Electronic Warfare system.
ii.The ship also incorporates innovative features to reduce radar, magnetic and acoustic signatures, which have earned this class of ‘Stealth’ frigates.
Note – On 15th November 2022 the 26th edition of “MALABAR 22”, a multinational maritime exercise culminated in the seas off Japan. This also marks the 30th anniversary of the exercise and was hosted by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

BANKING & FINANCE

HDFC Capital selects 10 startups for funding during 2^nd H@ART Summit in Mumbaii.On November 14, 2022, the 2^nd HDFC Capital H@ART (Housing and Affordable Real Estate and Technology) Summit was concluded in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
ii.During the summit, HDFC Capital, has shortlisted 10 startups for funding and support out of which four were focused on construction tech and three each in sustainability tech and sales & fintech.
iii.HDFC Capital is a subsidiary of Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Ltd dealing in real estate private equity.
iv.HDFC Capital joined hands with Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India (CREDAI) to accelerate investments into real estate projects in tier II and III cities.
About HDFC Capital:
Managing Director & CEO– Vipul Roongta
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
>> Read Full News

Tata Power Solar Systems ties up with Union Bank of IndiaOn November 16, 2022, the Union Bank of India (UBI) tied up with Tata Power Solar Systems Limited (TPSSL) to help the MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) sector in switching to solar solutions.

• This partnership will be implemented under UBI’s solar scheme called ‘Union Solar’.
• TPSSL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL).

Key Points:
i.This collaboration will improve access to green energy and save on the cost of electricity for MSMEs.
ii.TPSSL will provide Solar EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) services financed through a term loan facility by UBI.
iii.Under the loan facility, industries can avail up to Rs 8 crore of loan amount at best possible interest rates (exclusive for Tata Power customers) with nil or minimum collateral
iv.The scheme also requires minimum down payment of only 20% of project cost thus making it very attractive for the MSME.
About Union Bank of India (UBI):
MD & CEO– A. Manimekhalai (the first Woman chief of UBI)
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Tagline– Good People to Bank with

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Serentica Renewables partners with Greenko for 1500 MWhr of storage capacity

PE fund KKR & Co-backed clean energy platform Serentica Renewables, has partnered with Hyderabad based Greenko Group for 1500 MWhr(megawatt hours) of storage capacity through Greenko’s pumped storage projects to deliver carbon-free power to industrial clients.

• Serentica will leverage Greenko’s energy storage capacity from its upcoming Off Stream Closed Loop Pumped Storage Projects (OCPSP) at Pinnapuram in Andhra Pradesh and Gandhi Sagar in Madhya Pradesh.
• The company has entered into three long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and developing 1,500 MW of solar and wind power projects in Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and various states.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS   

Danish Manzoor Bhat honoured with Jaipur Foot USA’s 1st ‘Global Humanitarian Award’Kashmiri journalist Danish Manzoor Bhat has become the 1st person to receive Jaipur Foot USA’s inaugural Global Humanitarian Award for COVID-19 relief efforts, at the ceremony held in the Indian Consulate in New York, United States of America (USA).

• The award was presented by Consul General Randhir Jaiswal, IAS and Prem Bhandari, Chairman, JaipurFoot USA.

Jaipur Foot USA ‘Global Humanitarian Award’: 
i. The Global Humanitarian Award was established by Jaipur Foot USA, an international non-profit organization committed to the rehabilitation of physically disabled people.
ii. The award was constituted to honour and recognise the ‘selfless work of Indians’ who with selfless motives, managed to help those in need.
About Danish Manzoor Bhat:
i. Danish Manzoor Bhat leads Newsweek Magazine in Asia as its Editorial Director and Senior Vice President for Global Editorial Strategy & Innovation.
ii. During the COVID 2nd wave, he became well-known on Indian social media and beyond.
iii. He was recognised by people across the globe for using social media to link patients with beds, ICUs, hospitals, Remdesvir, ambulances, and more.
iv. He assisted 326 patients and tele-triaged 460 others who were infected with COVID-19 during the second wave’s most difficult first 30 days.
v. He launched initiatives like #BengaluruHeals & #SabkaOximeter which got enormous traction and helped thousands of Covid patients and their families.     

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS        

Former IAS C V Ananda Bose appointed West Bengal GovernorOn November 17, 2022, the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, appointed 1977-batch former Indian Administrative Services (IAS) Officer of Kerala Cadre, Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose (71) as a regular Governor of West Bengal.

• He will succeed Manipur Governor La Ganesan who has been holding the additional charge of West Bengal since July 2022 after the resignation of former WB Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.
• Jagdeep Dhankhar is the current Vice President of India.

About C. V. Ananda Bose:
i.He served as the Secretary of Government of India and Chief Secretary to State governments as well as University Vice-Chancellor.
ii.He is known for his innovative ideas in the field of good governance. His ideas were acknowledged by the United Nations (UN) by selecting his initiatives ‘Global Best Practice’ four times.
iii.He is also a writer, and has published 32 books in English, Hindi, and Malayalam across different genres.
iv.He is Chairman of the Habitat Alliance, in consultative status with the UN, and was a member of the UN Habitat Governing Council.

Retired BPCL Chairman Arun Kumar Singh to be next head of ONGCBharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL)’s former chairman Arun Kumar Singh is likely to be the new chairman of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), India’s top oil and gas producer.

• He has been already selected as the head of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) before interviewing for the ONGC head post.
• If his selection is approved, Arun Kumar Singh will be heading cash-rich PSU (Public Sector Unit) for three years from the date of appointment.

Key highlights:
i.Background – ONGC was without a regular chairman and managing director (MD) since April 2021 and the senior most director on the board has been entrusted with the additional charge.
ii.This is the first time a top PSU board-level position will be represented by a person aged 60.  Arun Kumar Singh became eligible for the position after the Oil Ministry relaxed the age criteria.

• Previously, the Eligibility criteria for a board-level position was 58 years(at the date of vacancy) for applicants from within the PSU and 57 years (at the date of vacancy) for the external candidates.

iii.This change in age criteria made Arun Kumar Singh and Mukesh Kumar Surana, who superannuated as chairman and MD of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) on 30 April 2022, and Subhash Kumar, who retired as acting chairman of ONGC on 31st December 2021, eligible for ONGC.

Meta appoints Sandhya Devanathan as Meta India’s New Head

On November 17, 2022, Meta (formerly known as Facebook), which owns Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp, appointed Sandhya Devanathan as the head of Meta India, with effect from January 1, 2023.

• Sandhya Devanathan succeeds Ajit Mohan who resigned from Meta India on 3rd November 2022 to join rival Snap Inc(Snapchat).

About Sandhya Devanathan:
i. Sandhya Devanathan joined Meta in January 2016, as Group Director, SEA-Ecommerce, Travel, and FinServ, in Singapore.
ii. Between August 2016 and August 2020, Sandhya Devanathan became Facebook’s (now Meta) Managing Director for Singapore and Business Head for Vietnam.
iii. She contributed to the establishment of teams and companies in Singapore and Vietnam as well as Meta’s e-commerce initiatives throughout Southeast Asia.
WhatsApp India head & Meta Public Policy Director Steps Down
On 15th November 2022, WhatsApp’s head of India Abhijit Bose, the 1st head of WhatsApp in India, resigned from the social networking firm. Along with Abhijit Bose, Meta’s public policy head for India Rajiv Aggarwal has left the firm too.

• Shivnath Thukral, Director of WhatsApp Public Policy in India, has now been made Director of Public Policy for all Meta brands in India, replacing Rajiv Aggarwal.
• Abhijit Bose, the co-founder of offline payments startup Ezetap (now part of Razorpay), joined WhatsApp as the head of WhatsApp India in November 2018.
• Rajiv Aggarwal joined Meta in September 2021 after 1 year and 10 months as Uber’s head of public policy for Indians in South Asia.

CEC Rajiv Kumar invited as international observer for Nepal elections

Chief Election Commissioner(CEC) of India Rajiv Kumar has been invited as International Observer for the Nepal elections on November 20, 2022. He will lead a delegation of Election Commission of India(ECI) officials as state guests in Nepal from 18 – 22 November 2022.

• It is set for the Federal and Provincial elections to elect 275 members of the Federal Parliament and 550 seats of the seven Provincial Assemblies in Nepal.
• Representatives from Election Commission of Nepal participated in the recently held International Conference hosted by ECI based on the theme ‘Role, Framework & Capacity of EMBs’.

i. ECI’s India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) has trained more than 2200 officers from 109 countries of whom 70 officers from Nepal have also been trained as part of capacity building initiatives.
ii. A capacity building program for 25 officials from the Election Commission of Nepal is also scheduled to be held between March 13-24, 2023 at IIIDEM.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS    

RBI Approves DSP Mutual Fund’s 9.99 % Stake Buy in Equitas SFBOn 17th November 2022, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the acquisition of a 9.99 percent stake in Equitas Small Finance Bank Limited (Equitas SFB) by DSP Investment Managers Private Ltd.(DSPIM).

• DSP Investment Managers will acquire up to 9.99 percent of the paid-up equity capital of the Equitas SFB through the schemes of DSP Mutual Fund, following the amalgamation of parent company Equitas Holdings Limited with the bank.
• The RBI approval on acquisition is valid for up to 1 year, till 15th November 2023.

Key highlights:
i.The proposed acquisition of shares by DSPIM would be consequent to the scheme of amalgamation of Equitas Holdings (holding company) with the bank.
ii.Background – In May 2022, boards of both Equitas Holdings and Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB) were approved for their merger.

• This merger aimed to meet the RBI’s licensing conditions to bring down the shareholding of the Equitas Holdings company to 40 percent within a period of 5 years from the date of commencement of business of the Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB).

Note – As of 30 September 2022, Equitas Holdings has a 74.50 percent stake in Equitas SFB subsidiary.
About Equitas Small Finance Bank Limited (Equitas SFB):
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Vasudevan Pathangi Narasimhan
Headquarters – Chennai, Tamil Nadu

SoftBank sold 4.5% stake in Paytm for USD 200 million

On 17th November 2022, SoftBank Group Corp sold 4.5% stake in Paytm’s parent One97 Communications for USD 215 million (Rs 1,631 crore ) through an open market transaction.

• According to bulk deal data available with the National Stock Exchange (NSE), SVF India Holdings (Cayman) Ltd, a subsidiary of Softbank, sold a total of 29.4 million shares, amounting to 4.5% stake in Paytm.

Note: 
i.SoftBank’s Vision Fund is the second-largest shareholder of Paytm, whose shares have tumbled more than 60% since it went public a year ago.
ii.As of 30th September 2022, SoftBank held a 17.5% stake in Paytm.
iii.Following the completion of the latest transaction, SoftBank’s shareholding dropped to 12.95%.
Key Points:
i.The shares were sold at an average price of Rs 555.67 per piece, taking the transaction value to Rs 1,630.89 crore. The price range for the shares was set between Rs 555 to Rs 601.45
ii.The sale transaction was led by Bank of America,
Additional info: 
BofA Securities Europe SA, Morgan Stanley Asia Singapore Pte and Societe Generale – ODI purchased a total of 1.81 crore shares of Paytm at Rs 279 crore, Rs 333 crore and Rs 393 crore, respectively.     

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Mission Prarambh: India’s First-Ever Private Rocket ‘Vikram-S’ Launched by ISROThe Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched India’s first privately built rocket – ‘Vikram-S’ (VKS), a suborbital launch vehicle, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

• The rocket “Vikram-S,” the first in the Vikram series, is named after Vikram Sarabhai, widely regarded as the pioneer of India’s space program.
• It is being developed under the mission “Mission Prarambh” (the beginning), which represents a new beginning.

Skyroot Aerospace, a startup based in Hyderabad (Telangana), developed the Vikram-S rocket and the Prarambh mission with assistance from ISRO and the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe).
Highlights of ‘Vikram-S’ Rocket & Prarambh Mission
i.”Vikram-S” is one of the world’s first all-composite rockets with 3-D printed solid thrusters for spin stability of the launch vehicle.

• According to Skyroot Aerospace, the Vikram-S is the quickest and most affordable voyage to space.
• It has a body mass of 545 kg, a length of 6 metres, and a diameter of 0.375 metres.

About the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO):
Chairman – S. Somanath
Headquarters – Bengaluru, Karnataka
>> Read Full News

Chinese scientists to Send Monkeys into Space to Study Reproduction in Zero-Gravity

Chinese scientists intend to conduct a reproductive experiment in zero gravity involving monkeys in space aboard Tiangong, a recently completed Chinese space station.

• The experiment will take place in the largest module of the space station, the Wentian Lab Module, which is usually used for life sciences experiments.
• The Wentian module, which presently only has enough space for algae, fish, or snails, has been developed to extend and configure for larger organisms.

The 3 lab modules of the Tiangong space station—Tianhe, Wentian, and Mengtian—provide the basic T-shape structure to the space station.

• Earlier during the Cold War, the Soviet Union carried out reproductive experiments on mice in space.

OBITUARY

Noted Odia Literateur & Former Indian Ambassador Abasara Beuria Passed AwayOn 17th November 2022, Noted Odia Literateur and former Indian Ambassador, Abasar Beuria, passed away at the age of 80, in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
About Abasar Beuria:
i. Abasar Beuria, a former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, who served as an Indian ambassador in Japan, Russia (formerly the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)), the United States of America (USA), the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Madagascar.
ii. He started his career as a lecturer and then as a Bank Officer before joining the Indian Foreign Service.
iii. He served as the Chairman of the Institute of Odia Studies & Research (IOSR).
iv. Abasar Beuria played a key role in the translation of (20) engineering books in Odia for the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) through the International Organization of Scientific Research (IOSR) which were released by President Droupadi Murmu during her two-day visit to Odisha on 10th November 2022.
v. He authored 5 books including Bhitarkanika: The Mesmerising Mangrove, Chilika the celestial lake, and From Myanmar to Madagascar: The Journey of a Diplomat.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Naturopathy Day 2022 – November 18 National Naturopathy Day is annually observed across India on November 18 to ensure successful drug-free therapy for improving both physical and emotional well-being. The day aims to promote a drug-less system of medicine to prevent diseases by altering the diet and lifestyle.

• 18th November 2022 marks the observance of the 5th National Naturopathy Day.
• The annual observance of the day is led by the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy).

i. The theme of 2022 National Naturopathy Day is “Naturopathy: An Integrative Medicine”.
ii. Ministry of AYUSH declared November 18 of every year as National Naturopathy Day.  The first-ever National Naturopathy Day was observed on 18th November 2018.
iii. 18th November marks the day on which Mahatma Gandhi became the chairman of the Nature Cure Foundation Trust in 1945 and signed the agreement to ensure that the benefits of Nature Cure are available to all classes of people.
About the Ministry of  Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH):
Minister- Sarbananda Sonowal (Rajya Sabha)
Minister of State (MoS)- Dr Mahendra Munjapara (Constituency- Surendranagar, Gujarat)
>> Read Full News

World Prematurity Day 2022 – November 17World Prematurity Day is annually observed across the globe on November 17 to raise awareness of the challenges faced by children born preterm and their families.

• The global theme for World Prematurity Day 2022 is ‘A parent’s embrace: a powerful therapy. Enable skin-to-skin contact from the moment of birth’.

Background:
i. The international awareness day for preterm birth on November 17 was created by the European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (EFCNI) and partnering European parent organisations in 2008.
ii. The Day has been celebrated as World Prematurity Day since 2011 to raise awareness for the millions of children every year who are born prematurely.
Preterm Birth:
i. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every year an estimated 15 million infants worldwide are born preterm (over 3 weeks early). Across countries, the rate of preterm birth ranges from 5% to 18% of babies born.
ii. The complications of preterm birth are among the leading causes of death in children under five.
iii. Preterm births are defined as babies born alive before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed.
Events 2022: 
i. The Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing, WHO Geneva, hosted an event and launched new recommendations on World Prematurity Day 2022 based on newly available data that will help improve the treatment of preterm or low birth weight infants.
ii. The “what,” “where,” and “how” for enhancing the survival, health, and well-being of preterm and low birth weight babies are significantly expanded by the 25 recommendations.

STATE NEWS

Google partners with Karnataka Govt to Support Emerging StartupsGoogle has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of Karnataka to promote innovation and spur the growth of startups across Karnataka.
i.In collaboration with Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS), Google would work with women-led founders and startups across tier-2 and tier-3 cities to offer various benefits.

• The International Semiconductor Consortium (ISMC) has proposed to build a USD 3 billion semiconductor fab facility in Musyru, Karnataka. The construction of the facility is set to start as early as February 2023.
• On 15th November 2022, the Government of Karnataka signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with the Centre for Effective Governance of Indian States (CEGIS). The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister(CM) of Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai.

About Karnataka:
Chief Minister– Basavaraj Bommai
Governor– Thawar Chand Gehlot
National Park– Anshi National Park; Bandipur National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary– Arabithittu Wildlife Sanctuary; Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary
>> Read Full News

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List of Current Chief Ministers in India – AUGUST 2022

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