Current Affairs 25 November 2022

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

DST & CSE Partners to Improve EV Batteries Production in India The Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the Ministry of Science and Technology has collaborated with the green think tank, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) to create a platform to support the production of New Electric Vehicles(EV) batteries to meet India’s requirement.

• A white paper will be prepared on a roadmap to develop new EV battery technologies in India and this will be followed by the creation of an expert-industry forum or platform to support this process.

Aim: 
This aims to address the gap and to create a platform to assess, evaluate and identify safe technology solutions, have locally appropriate supply chain systems and can be customised for various vehicle applications.
Key Points:
i.The promotion of electric vehicles in India would benefit in solving various challenges associated with cost, safety, and charging infrastructure.
Ii.All these would support bridging the gap in achieving the zero-emission ambition of India. The gaps range from concerns relating to safety, supply chain, cost sensitivity and the need for quick charging opportunities, among others, she added.
Background: 
i.The collaboration was kicked off with the recent round table, organised by CSE and DST, on locally appropriate EV batteries that are safe, durable and effective within the constraints of a hot and humid tropical climate.

• This was the first in a series of consultations held with experts from various leading institutions and representatives from vehicle manufacturers, the battery industry, regulatory bodies, testing entities and independent laboratories that are focused on battery chemistries.

ii.The round table discussed the following key issues in establishing the future pathway of EV batteries:

• Building volumes of EV battery manufacturing and ensuring the supply chain to further develop the pathways.
• Assessing the needs of Indian vehicles and the climatic stress to develop pathways for battery management and thermal management systems.
• Need innovation in Lithium(Li)-ion batteries that will dominate for a considerable time, especially in small vehicles.
• Small-format two-wheelers need appropriate, cost-effective solutions and EV battery chemistries in India need to be application-specific.
• Developing regulations and technical standards to push the battery trajectory and Paying attention to the ageing of batteries.

Note: In 2015, the Government of India launched the FAME India – Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India – Scheme, to promote the manufacturing of electric and hybrid vehicles.
About Centre for Science and Environment (CSE):
CSE is a public interest research and advocacy organisation based in New Delhi, Delhi.
Director General– Sunita Narain
Chairperson– Raj M S Liberhan

Sahyadri FPC to Set up India’s First Private Agricultural Mandi at Nashik

The Sahyadri Farmer Producer Company (FPC) (based in Nashik) is set to launch the first ever private agricultural mandi (market) for grapes in Mohadi village in Dindori taluka, Nashik, Maharashtra.

• The world-class infrastructure will be established in the next three months at a financial outlay of Rs. 25 crores.

Key highlights:
i.FPC will develop a 100-acre dedicated market space integrated with world-class infrastructure along services from banking to storage, processing, and packaging under one roof.

• This market will also have options for both offline and online trading, legalisation of field trade and ownership of farmers.

ii.Trade of horticulture products mostly happen as a field trade, wherein traders go missing without paying fully.

• Under this initiative, all processes of the field trades undertaken by the farmers for horticulture produce will be documented and also farmers can store their product in these private markets.

Background:
i.Earlier in November 2022, Sahyadri FPC become the first farmer producer organisation in India to get the licence to set up a private Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) market.
ii.Sahyadri FPC will own 100% of the Sahyadri Private Agricultural Market at Dindori, Nashik.

Additional info:
This digital and physical market would support the traders and farmers to ensure transparency in the trade of commodities and allow for better price realisation.

Note – Until now, traditional agricultural produce market committees (APMCs) played a major role in regulating the market for agricultural produce and have established a monopoly.

AYUSH Minister inaugurated North East’s 1st RRIUM in Silchar, Assam

Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy(AYUSH), inaugurated the Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine (RRIUM), the first of its kind institute for Unani Medicine in North East, in Silchar, Assam.

• The state-of-the-art institute will play a vital role in the promotion of Unani medicine, a traditional medicinal practice in the Ayush system.
• RRIUM is spread over an area of 3.5 acres and was built at an investment of Rs 48 crore.
• The complex was developed by the National Projects Construction Corporation(NPCC) Limited and handed over to the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), an autonomous organisation under AYUSH Ministry.
• The centre is equipped to screen patients for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like cardiac, pulmonary, stroke, cancer and diabetes.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

12^th Global Employability University Ranking & Survey 2022-23: IIT-D tops Indian Universities, MIT Globallyi.The Times Higher Education (THE) released the 12^th edition of its annual Global Employability University Ranking and Survey (GEURS) 2022-2023 which was conducted by HR consultancy Emerging and published by THE. It featured 7 Indian universities among the top 250 universities in the world for graduate employability.
ii.The Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) was the highest-ranked Indian university with a global rank of 28^th, and the only Indian institute in the top 50.
iii.IIT-Delhi followed by the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore(Bengaluru) at 58th and IIT Bombay(Mumbai) at 72 are the only Indian institutes among the top 100 on the list.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America(USA) has topped the Global University Employability Ranking 2022 globally.
iv.India’s Amity University and Bangalore University are among the new entrants on the 2022 list.
About Times Higher Education (THE):
The mission of Times Higher Education is to be the definitive source of data, insight, and expertise on higher education around the world.
Headquarters– London, United Kingdom (UK)
>> Read Full News

WIPO: Global Intellectual Property Filings Reach Record Levels in 2021

According to the World Intellectual Property Indicators 2021 report by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Global innovators submitted 3.4 million patent applications in 2021, an increase of 3.6% from 2020.

• Nearly 67.6% of all applications worldwide were received by offices in Asia.

Key Points:
i.In 2021, China (+5.5%), India (+5.5%), and the Republic of Korea (+2.5%) experienced rapid increases in local patent filings.

• This drove the global growth in patent applications and pushed the share of Asian filings above two-thirds threshold.

ii.In 2021, local patenting decreased in the United States (-1.2%), Japan (-1.7%), and Germany (-3.9%).
iii.With 18.1 million trademark class counts globally in 2021, an increase of 5.5% from 2020, most nations witnessed increases in trademark filing activity.
iv.The number of industrial design filings increased by 9.2% and highest design growth came from Asian offices.
Worldwide Intellectual Property (IP) Filings 2021

About the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO):
WIPO is the global forum for intellectual property (IP) services, policy, information and cooperation. It is a self-funding agency of the United Nations.
Director General – Daren Tang
Establishment – 1967
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
Membership – 193 member states

Exercise Garuda Shakti (8th Edition) 2022: Indian & Indonesian Troops Participate in A Joint Training Exercise in Karawang, IndonesiaOn November 21, 2022, the 8th edition of the India-Indonesia bilateral joint training exercise “Garuda Shakti” began at the Sangga Buana training centre in Karawang, west Java, Indonesia.

• A contingent of Indian Special Forces troops is currently participating in this intensive 13-day training program in Karawang with Indonesian Special Forces.

Exercise Garuda Shakti 2022
i.Exercise Garuda Shakti 2022 is a part of military-to-military exchange programs.
ii.It seeks to improve understanding, cooperation, and interoperability between the special forces of the two armies.
iii.Given that India and Indonesia are maritime neighbours and strategic partners, both nations made progress toward ensuring regional security with this exercise.
Note: The first edition of Exercise Garuda Shakti was conducted in 2012 in India.

WHO Reports Nearly 40 million Children are Susceptible to Measles Threat 

According to a joint publication by World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 40 million children have missed a measles vaccine dose in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Points:
i.Around 25 million children have missed their 1st dose and 14.7 million children have missed their 2nd dose.
ii.The decline in measles vaccination represents a major setback in the global progress to eliminate measles.
iii.The report stated that measles vaccination coverage has steadily declined since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
iv.It is estimated that around 9 million cases and around 128000 deaths due to measles were reported across the globe. 22 counties have experienced large and disruptive outbreaks.
Background:
The routine immunization programmes across the globe were disrupted and millions of kids missed their vaccinations against diseases like measles, while the vaccines against COVID-19 were administered in the largest vaccination campaign.
Note: 
In July 2022, the United Nations(UN) stated that around 25 million children across the globe has missed their routine immunization against various diseases like diphtheria due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Measles – an Imminent Threat:
i.Measles is one of the most contagious human viruses which is almost entirely preventable through vaccination.
ii.Coverage of 95% or greater of 2 doses of measles-containing vaccine is needed to create herd immunity in order to protect communities.
Action and investment:
i.The report urged health officials across the globe to accelerate and strengthen the efforts in vaccination against measles.
ii.Coordinated efforts by all stakeholders at all levels (Global, regional, national and local) are required to prioritize efforts towards finding and immunizing all unprotected children.

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI: Overnight SDF Balances Held by Banks Eligible for LCR ComputationThe Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that overnight balances held by banks with the RBI under the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) will be eligible as “Level 1 High Quality Liquid Assets (HQLA)” for the computation of the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR).

• The announcement came after the RBI received concerns from banks asking for clarification on the treatment of SDF under the Liquidity Risk Management Framework.

Key Points:
i.This circular is effective immediately and applicable to all Commercial Banks (excluding Local Area Banks, Regional Rural Banks and Payments Banks).
ii.This will improve banks’ ability to achieve a high Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR).
Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR)
The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) developed the LCR to increase the short-term resilience of the liquidity risk profile of banks.
Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)
The Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) is a collateral-free liquidity absorption tool that intends to move funds from the commercial banking system into the RBI.
About the Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
>> Read Full News

IDFC FIRST Bank Launches FIRSTAP, India’s 1st Sticker-based Debit CardOn 23rd November 2022, IDFC FIRST Bank in collaboration with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) launched FIRSTAP, India’s first sticker-based debit card, to facilitate transactions by tapping the sticker on a Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled point-of-sale (PoS) terminal.

• This sticker-based debit card is one-third smaller compared to the regular debit card and can also be affixed on any surface of customers choice including cell phones wallets, Identity cards, watches and rings.

Features:
i.The debit card has a complimentary personal accidental cover, round-the-clock concierge services, and a variety of RuPay offers.
ii.The card can be used to tap and pay in restaurants, stores and such other places.

• The tap and pay option in the card is applicable for transactions up to Rs. 5,000, whereas above Rs. 5,000 requires a tap and PIN to proceed on payments.

About IDFC FIRST Bank:
IDFC FIRST Bank was formed by the merger of erstwhile IDFC Bank and Capital First, a Non Banking financial Company (NBFC) on 18th December 2018.
MD & CEO – V. Vaidyanathan
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra

Canara Bank Partners with NeSL to Launch Electronic Bank Guarantee Canara Bank in partnership with National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL) launched an Electronic Bank Guarantee (e-BG) on its 117th Founder’s day, celebrated on 19th November 2022.
Highlights:
i.The new e-BG platform offers several advantages including greater transparency, better monitoring triggers, secured transmission of BG to beneficiary which shall lead to a higher degree of compliance.
ii.With this launch, Canara Bank now offers an API based digital workflow of BG which will eliminate physical issuance, stamping, verification and paper-based record maintenance of BGs.

• This paves way to augment integration of the Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) framework into Business.

Note – As on 31st March 2022 (FY22), Canara Bank has ranked No 1 under the Digital Payment performance by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) and has recently, launched Canara ai1, mobile banking superapp with the vision of ‘One Bank, One App’.
About Canara Bank:
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – L V Prabhakar
Headquarters – Bengaluru, Karnataka
Establishment – 1906

GSTN included in FIP list under Account Aggregator frameworkThe Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has included Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) in the list of Financial Information Providers (FIPs) under the Account Aggregator (AA) Framework. This decision has been taken to facilitate cash flow-based lending to MSMEs (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises).
Key Points:
i.For this purpose, GSTN will be regulated by the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
ii.The financial information will be Goods and Services Tax (GST) Returns, viz. Form GSTR-1 and Form GSTR-3B,
iii.GSTN has 1.40 crore registered taxpayers.
iv.As per the latest data, around 2.47 million cumulative accounts have been linked to the AA network while 2.5 million cumulative counts of consent request have been successfully fulfilled.
What is AA?
Launched in September 2021, it is a type of RBI-regulated entity with an NBFC (Non-Banking Financial Company)-AA license that enable instant exchange of financial data between FIP (Financial Information Provider) and FIUs (Financial Information User) with the customer’s consent. Their service is related to transfer but not storing of a customer’s data.

• So far, there are six AAs in India with operating licenses and nine AAs with in-principle approval from RBI. Click Here for the List
• FIPs include banks, non-banking financial companies, asset management companies, depository, depository participants, insurance companies, and pension funds.

About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors– Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao, T. Rabi Sankar
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Establishment– 1st April 1935

Federal Bank Ties Up with JCB India to Finance Heavy Equipment Buyers

Federal Bank, a private sector lender, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with JCB India, a leading manufacturer of earthmoving and construction equipment, to finance prospective buyers of heavy construction equipment and expand its loan portfolio.

• According to the agreement, Federal Bank will be the preferred financial partner of JCB India, and customers of JCB India can obtain loans from the lender at competitive interest rates.

Note:

• Shyam Srinivasan is the Managing Director (MD) and CEO of Federal Bank.
• Deepak Shetty is the MD & CEO of JCB India.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

FDI Equity Inflows declines by 14% during H1FY23 to USD26.9bn: DPIITAs per the data of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) equity inflows into India declined by 14% to USD 26.9 billion (bn) during the April-September FY23 (H1FY23) from USD 31.15 bn during H1FY22.

• The total FDI inflows, which include equity inflows, re-invested earnings and other capital, also declined to USD 38.9bn in H1FY23 by 9.1% as against USD 42.86bn in H1FY22.
• DPIIT works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI).

Key Points:
i.In rupee terms, the FDI equity inflows dipped by 9% to Rs 2.1 trillion in H1FY23 from Rs 2.29 trillion in H1FY22.

• In the Q1FY23, FDI equity inflows into India contracted by 6 % to $16.59 bn as compared to $17.56 bn during Q1FY22.

ii.Singapore is the top investor in India with USD 10 bn FDI in H1FY23.

• It is followed by Mauritius (USD 3.32 bn), UAE (USD 2.95 bn), USA (USD 2.6 bn), the Netherlands (USD 1.76 bn), and Japan (USD 1.18 bn).

iii.The computer software and hardware sector attracted the highest inflows of USD 6.3 billion in H1FY23.

• It was followed by services (USD 4.16 bn), trading (USD 3.28 bn), chemicals (USD 1.3 bn), automobile industry (USD 932 mn) and construction (infrastructure) activities (USD 990 mn).

S&P Global Market Intelligence Report: India’s GDP Growth May Average 6.3% Between 2021 And 2030According to the Outlook for India’s Economic Growth and Policy Platforms, a report by the S&P Global Market Intelligence, India’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth is projected to average 6.3% annually in FY 2021–30.

• As a result, India will surpass Japan and Germany to become the world’s third-largest economy (in nominal USD terms).

Note: S&P Global Market Intelligence is a world-leading provider of financial information services.
Key Highlights from The Report:
i.Indian households are expected to spend the most among the G20 nations, with real income per capita projected to grow by a significant average of 5.3%.
ii.According to the report, the Government of India (GoI) is very likely reliant on Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes to make the Indian economy more export-driven and interlinked in global supply chains.
iii.India’s share of manufacturing in GDP has decreased from 17% in FY 2009 to 14% in FY 2021 and it has struggled to expand its manufacturing exports on the global market.
iv.The GoI is promoting “National Champions”—a few India-based conglomerates that the government wants to position as competitors to companies from mainland China, Europe, Japan, South Korea, and the United States.
About the S&P Global (Formerly McGraw Hill Financial):
President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Douglas L. Peterson
Established – 2016
Headquarters – New York, United States

MoHFW Discontinues Air Suvidha Form for International Arrivals

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW) has removed the provision of uploading the self-declaration forms on the Air Suvidha portal with effect from 22nd November 2022.

• The revised guidelines for international arrivals state that the “Planning for Travel: All travellers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per approved primary schedule against Covid in their country.”
• To ensure the prevention of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus, the exemption forms from the Air Suvidha portal have been discontinued, and the filling of the details had been made compulsory for all international passengers arriving in India.

Air Suvidha, introduced in August 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, was a self-declaration form to be mandatorily filled out by all international arriving passengers to India disclosing their current health status, recent travel details and others.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS 

Young entrepreneur Ravi Kumar Sagar conferred with Dr Abdul Kalam Seva PuraskarOne of India’s youngest entrepreneurs, Ravi Kumar Sagar,(RK’S) (22 years old), founder and CEO of the INNO group, was honoured with Dr Abdul Kalam Seva Puraskar for his persistent service to society.

• The award was given to him for his steadfast service to society.

About Dr Abdul Kalam Seva Puraskar: 
Dr Kalam Seva Puraskar is hosted every year by Vande Bharat Foundation and Lead India Foundation to commemorate the birth anniversary (15th October) of the late former President of India Dr APJ Adul Kalam. It is given to deserving candidates in honour of all the people who have contributed greatly to society.
About Ravi Kumar Sagar:
i. Ravi Kumar Sagar, often known as RK’S from the two Telugu states (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana), became an Entrepreneur during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ii. He started his entrepreneurship journey with an initial investment of Rs 50,000 by selling Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits, sanitisers, and face masks to medical stores and hospitals and generated a business turnover of Rs 2 crore.
iii. At the age of 22, he founded the INNO Group, which consists of Achieve Entrepreneurs Academy Pvt Ltd, INNO Technologies Pvt Ltd, and INNO Businesses Pvt Ltd.
iv. He was awarded the ‘Indian Icon Award’ in 2020 and the ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ in 2021.He also authored the book “Yuvata Vyaaparam“(Youth Business).

DG of the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce, Payal Kanwar Conferred the French National OrderPayal S Kanwar, Director General (DG) of the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce (IFCCI)/ CCI France-Inde, has been honoured with the  French National Order, the insignia of Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Mérit by the Ambassador of France to India, Emmanuel Lenain, at a special ceremony held in France.

• Payal S Kanwar was honoured in recognition of her outstanding commitment and contribution towards developing and promoting economic and bilateral relations between India and France and also upon expanding the French business ecosystem in India.

About Payal S Kanwar:
i.Payal S Kanwar joined the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce in 2011 and became its DG Director General in 2016, under which she leads a pan-India team of 30 staff members.
ii.At IFCCI, she has facilitated numerous interactions between French companies and the central and state ministries of India, for the companies to better understand investment opportunities in India’s dynamic business landscape.

• She has also contributed to several policy recommendations to key ministries.

iii.Under her leadership, IFCCI had received 3 international awards, ‘Best Performing Chamber’ (2018); ‘Best Contribution Award’ (2019) and ‘Best Solidarity Initiative’ (2022) by CCI France International (Les Chambres de Commerce et d’Industrie Françaises à l’International).
Other positions:
i.She has worked under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry(India),  Invest India, and many Indian states.
ii.She has also worked with Business France and the Regional Economic Service of the Embassy of France in India and the French Institute in India, which greatly benefitted French Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and large business groups.       

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS  

Vinit Kumar, IRSEE. Takes Over as CEO of KVIC at Mumbai

On 21st November 2022, Vinit Kumar, IRSEE (Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers) officer of the 1993 batch, took charge as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MoMSME) at KVIC Central Office, Mumbai, Maharashtra.

• He has previously served as the Chairman of Syama Prasad Mukherjee Port(erstwhile Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Port), Kolkata, West Bengal.
• He has also served as Chief Electrical Engineer in Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Limited and looked after World Bank-funded Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) project.

KVIC is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament (No. 61 of 1956, as amended by act no. 12 of 1987 and Act No.10 of 2006.
KVIC took over the work of All India Khadi and Village Industries Board in 1957.          

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS  

ICICI Bank, Axis Bank & SBI Life Insurance to Acquire 10% Stake Each in JV of IOCL, CPCL

ICICI Bank Limited, Axis Bank Limited and SBI Life Insurance Company Limited have signed an agreement for a Joint Venture(JV) Company of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) for implementing a 9 Million Metric Tonnes per Annum (MMTPA) refinery at Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu.

Note: The Refinery will produce petroleum products including Motor Spirit (MS) (Petrol), High-Speed Diesel(HSD), Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), etc. and petrochemical products such as polypropylene.

About the acquisition:
i.ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, and SBI Life Insurance have acquired 10% each, through the acquisition of 5000 equity shares of face value Rs 10 each, for a cash consideration of Rs 50000.
ii.The acquisition will be completed within 180 days from the date of the joint venture agreement.

Key Points:
i.IOCL and CPCL will hold a 50% equity stake (25% each) in the joint venture and the remaining stake will be held by the other JV partners.
ii.The JV is initially proposed to be incorporated through seed capital of Rs 5 lakhs, in which the Acquirers, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, and SBI Life Insurance, will subscribe 10% each of the total paid-up capital of the Target entity.

• The Acquirers do not have any obligation to fund the future equity requirement of the Project, beyond the initial seed capital contribution of Rs. 50,000.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

India successfully test firest IRBM Agni-3 from Odisha; DRDO’s Compendium on LIC Products released
i.On November 24, 2022, India carried out a successful training launch of an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM), Agni-3 from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha. This test was a part of routine user training launches carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command (SCF), which control, manage and administer the nuclear forces of India.
ii.The launch was carried out for a predetermined range and attained all parameters.
iii.Agni-3, the third entrant in the Agni missile series, is 16-meter-long missile, weighing more than 48 tonnes, and has a range of 3,000 kilometers, and is capable of carrying a payload of over 1.5 tonnes.
iv.On the lines of the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, DRDO’s  Compendium on Low Intensity Conflict (LIC) Products was released jointly by the Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and Chairman Samir V Kamat, DRDO.
About Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO):
Chairman– Dr Samir V Kamat
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi
Established– 1958
>> Read Full News

Manjula (Yard 786), 7th 250 Men Ferry Craft launched at Kolkata, West BengalOn 23rd November 2022, Binod Kumar, Indian Administrative Officer (IAS), Principal Secretary Transport, West Bengal launched the seventh 250 Men Ferry Craft ‘Manjula’ (Yard 786) at M/s Shalimar Works Ltd, Kolkata, West Bengal.

• It was launched in presence of Cmde Indrajit Dasgupta, Warship Production Superintendent (Kolkata).

About Manjula Ferry Craft:
Manjula Ferry Craft was built under the ‘Make in India’ initiative of Ministry of Defence (MoD) with all major and auxiliary equipment or systems sourced from indigenous manufacturers.

• These Ferry Crafts are being built with a life span of 25 years and provide impetus to operational and logistics requirements of the Indian Navy.

Key Points:
Contract for construction and delivery of seven 250 Men Ferry Craft was concluded with M/s Shalimar Works Ltd, Kolkata in line with ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ initiatives of the government of India (GoI).

• Six out of Seven Ferry Craft have already been delivered at Port Blair, Visakhapatnam and Mumbai.

DPIIT Launched Startup Applications for Registration on MAARG Portal

Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has launched Startup Applications for Registration on MAARG Portal, the National Mentorship Platform by Startup India to help and guide new start-ups grow and flourish.

• This aims to strengthen the startup ecosystem of India, which is currently ranked as the 3rd largest globally.

About MAARG Portal:
MAARG portal – Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience and Growth, is a one-stop platform that offers mentorship to startups across diverse sectors, stages, functions, and backgrounds.
Objective: 

• To provide sector-focused guidance, handholding, and support to startups throughout their lifecycle.
• To establish a formalized and structured platform to facilitate intelligent matchmaking between the mentors and mentees.
• To facilitate efficient and expert mentorship for startups and build an outcome-oriented mechanism that allows timely tracking of mentor-mentee engagements.

The MAARG Portal is being operationalized in three phases: 

• Phase I: Mentor Onboarding: onboarded 400+ expert mentors across sectors.
• Phase II: Startup Onboarding; DPIIT launched the onboarding of startups on the MAARG Portal with effect from 14th November 2022.
• Phase III: MAARG Portal Launch and Mentor Matchmaking.

Note:
Under phase II, the final launch for the meteors to match with startups has been initiated. The startups can apply at https://maarg.startupindia.gov.in.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Day 2022 – November 16World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Day is annually observed across the globe on the 3rd Wednesday of November to raise awareness about COPD, one of the most widespread illnesses across the globe.
World COPD Day 2022 was observed on 16th November 2022.

• World COPD Day 2021 was observed on 17th November 2021.
• World COPD Day 2023 will be observed on 15th November 2023.

The theme of World COPD Day 2022 is ‘Your lungs for life’.
i. World COPD Day is organised by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), a member of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), in collaboration with international COPD patient groups and medical specialists.
ii. The 1st World COPD Day was observed on 20th November 2002.
About the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD):
The GOLD was launched in 1997 in collaboration with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA, and the World Health Organization.
Chair- Alvar G. Agusti, MD
>> Read Full News

STATE NEWS

Odisha CM launches AMLAN: Mission to Eradicate AnaemiaOn 23rd November 2022, Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister (CM) of Odisha, virtually launched AMLAN- Anaemia Mukta Lakhya Abhiyan, a multipronged approach to ensure the complete eradication of anaemia among women and children in Odisha.

• AMLAN will be implemented with the joint efforts of many departments including Health and Family Welfare, School and Mass Education, Women and Child Development, Mission Shakti and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (ST & SC) Development Department.
• The CM also released the Operational Guidelines for AMLAN.

CM Naveen Patnaik announces Special Package for Kendu Leaf Pluckers
CM Naveen Patnaik announced a special package for the welfare of around 8 lakh Kendu leaf pluckers and other workers engaged in the trade. With this, Odisha becomes the 1st State in India to give bonus to kendu leaf pluckers.

• Kendu leaf, referred to as Odisha’s green gold, is a significant non-wood forest product in Odisha.

About Odisha:
Governor- Ganeshi Lal
Wildlife sanctuaries- Gahirmatha sanctuary, Chilka Lake Bird Sanctuary
Airports- Biju Patnaik International Airport, Jharsuguda Airport
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