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Current Affairs 29 December 2022

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Govt Amends Allocation of Business Rules; MeitY Becomes Nodal Agency of Online GamingGovernment amends rules to place online gaming under MeitYPresident of India Droupadi Murmu has signed a notification to amend the Allocation of Business (AOB) Rules to place online gaming under the Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology (MeitY).

  • According to the 377th amendment of AOB rules, MeitY becomes the nodal agency of online gaming and its intermediaries.
  •  For e-sports, the Department of Sports, under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), has been notified as the nodal agency.

Note: This decision of the government is in line with its initiative to promote the growth of the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comic (AVGC) sector and make India a global hub for online gaming.
Key Points:
i.MeitY is set to publish the rules for online gaming intermediaries and start public consultation.
ii.These rules will also encourage innovations to ensure that there are no possibilities of illegal content or service.
iii.The appointment of Meity as the nodal agency will offer clarity and certainty to investors, industry and consumers.
iv.The allocation of MeitY as the nodal agency for online gaming will address existing regulatory issues such as

  • clear guidelines to determine what qualifies as a game of skill or chance.
  • specific legal provisions to block foreign betting websites that promote money laundering.
  • Address several consumer protection issues like child safety, financial losses, grievances redressal and Know Your Consumer(KYC).

Legal Issues: 
Current legal provisions related to online gaming are mainly based on Entry 34 of in the State list of the Constitution which deals with ‘Betting & Gambling’.
Some of the states have regulatory approaches to online gaming:

  • Meghalaya, Sikkim and Nagaland have implemented a licensing mechanism for online gaming and gambling or betting activities.
  • Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have prohibited both online gaming and online gambling or betting.

Background: 
i.At present, there are no specific entry in the rules for online gaming and the Ministry of Finance only involves only in taxation-related matters.
ii.In May 2022, the government of India formed a 7-member inter-ministerial task force to draw up a framework to regulate online gaming. The task force proposed to put up a cap on the amount of money spent by players in games.
Allocation of Business (AOB) Rules:
AOB rules describe which Ministry or department is responsible for drafting the law, implementation of law post-enactment, framing rules and formulating the policy for the subject listed against its name.

DGCA approves Type Certification for Marut Drones’ AG365Marut Drones gets DGCA approval for agricultural droneMarut Dronetech Private Limited, Hyderabad (Telangana)-based drone technology manufacturer, has received the Type Certification approvals from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for Marut Drones’ multi-utility agricultural drone AG 365.

  • AG 365 – Agricopter is India’s 1st Multi-utility Agriculture Medium Category Drone to receive the prestigious certificate.
  • Marut has also received Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO) approvals from DGCA. The RPTO approval will enable Marut to engage in training and capacity building of drone pilots focussed on safe agriculture operations, repair and maintenance.

Note: An RPTO is authorised to impart remote pilot training to individuals seeking a remote pilot certificate under Rule 34 of Drone Rules 2021.
Key points:
i. After receiving a Type Certificate for the AG 365 model, the Drone is now qualified for unsecured loans from the Agri Infrastructure Fund in the amount of Rs 10 lakh at a minimum interest rate of 5-6%.

  • Additionally, the Government of India offers subsidies ranging from 50% to 100%.

ii. The AG 365 drone was created and built for Indian circumstances. It may be utilised for a variety of tasks, increasing the user’s Return on Investment (ROI).
iii. Marut Drones is partnering with major universities to provide drone pilots with the best possible training, and as a result, it envisions the growth of 2 lakh drone entrepreneurs in rural areas.
AG 365 Drone:
i. AG 365 is designed and developed for Indian conditions and can be used for multiple purposes giving a higher Return on Investment (ROI) to the user.
Marut Drones’ ‘Made-in-India’ kisan drone AG 36 was created to assist farmers and was particularly developed for agricultural purposes to reduce crop loss, lower agrochemical usage, and better yield and profits to the farmers.
ii. The Drone is extensively tested for more than 1.5 lakh acres in 10 states across India and optimized for performance to be used in agriculture.
About the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA):
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is an attached office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

  • It is a regulatory body in the field of Civil Aviation primarily dealing with safety issues.

About the Marut Dronetech Private Limited:
Founder & Chief Innovator- Prem Kumar
Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)- Sai Kumar
Headquarters- Hyderabad, Telangana
Establishment- 2019

IndianOil signs MoU with Central TB Division to undertake TB elimination project in Uttar Pradesh & ChhattisgarhIndian Oil to undertake TB elimination project in Uttar Pradesh, ChhattisgarhIndian Oil Corporation Limited(IndianOil) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Tuberculosis (TB) Division (CTD) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) and the states of Uttar Pradesh(UP) and Chhattisgarh to undertake intensified TB elimination project.

  • This MoU will bolster the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to end TB in India by 2025, 5 years ahead of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2030.
  • This MoU for the Anti-TB campaign was signed as a part of the IndianOil’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Aim: 

  • To ensure early identification of presumptive TB and prompt diagnosis using high-sensitivity diagnostic tests at the doorstep with a multi-pronged approach
  • To offer sustainable and equitable access to free high-quality TB treatment, care, and support services to the people of UP and Chhatisgarh.

Signatories: 
The MoU was signed by Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra, Director (HR), IndianOil, Vishal Chauhan, Joint Secretary (Policy), MoH&FW, Dr Dharmendra Gahwai, State TB Officer, Chhattisgarh and Dr Shailendra Bhatnagar, State TB Officer, UP.

  • The MoU was signed in the presence of the Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing & Urban Affairs, Mr Hardeep Singh Puri and the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya.

Key Points:
i.With this, IndianOil becomes the 1st corporate to implement a large-scale Active Case Finding campaign (ACF) in all 75 districts of UP, covering around 10% population once a year for 3 years.
ii.Under this project, IndianOil will introduce Mobile Medical Vans equipped with modern diagnostic technology in UP. the company will also introduce the cost-effective, diagnostic machine, Truenat, to improve access and availability of TB Diagnostic services in remote tribal regions.
iii.These machines will be provided to all TB units of the 8 Aspirational Districts of UP – Bahraich, Balrampur, Chandauli, Chitrakoot, Fatehpur, Shravasti, Siddharthnagar & Sonbhadra and Community Health Centres (CHC) in Chhattisgarh.
iv.The company will also provide a handheld Xray Unit covering all 18 State Head Quarters and 8 Aspirational Districts of UP and 5 Divisions of Chhattisgarh.
Note: 
i.TB is one of the World’s top infectious killers that infects around 10 million people annually killing around 1.5 million.
ii.Annually India accounts for around one-fourth of the global TB cases. UP and Chhatisgarh account for the highest number of TB cases among large states in India.

GoI & Manipur Govt Signs ‘Cessation Of Operation Agreement’ with ZUF to Promote Peace

The Government of India (GoI) and Manipur government have signed a ‘Cessation of Operation Agreement’ with Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF), an insurgent group of Manipur, in New Delhi. The agreement was signed by senior officers of the Union Home Ministry, the Manipur government, and the representatives of ZUF in the presence of State Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.

  • Under the agreement, rehabilitation and resettlement of the armed cadres will be provided and a Joint Monitoring Group will be constituted to oversee the enforcement of the ground rules.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

India Assisted Mangdechhu Hydro Project was Handed Over to Bhutan’s DGPC India-assisted Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project handed over to Bhutan's Druk Green Power CorpOn 27th December 2022, the India-assisted Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project(HEPP), a  720 Megawatts(MW) run-of-river power plant built on the Mangdechhu River in Trongsa Dzongkhag District, Bhutan, was handed over to Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) in Bhutan. The handover event was held in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan.

  • With this handing over, India and Bhutan have successfully completed 4 mega hydroelectric power projects.

Key People:
Lyonpo Loknath Sharma, Minister of Economic Affairs, Bhutan and India’s Ambassador to Bhutan, Sudhakar Dalela were present during the event.
Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project
i.The construction of the hydropower project began in June 2012. The first of the four power plant units were commissioned in June 2019, while the second unit was commissioned in July 2019.
ii.The project was officially inaugurated by Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister(PM) of India,  and Lotay Tshering, PM of Bhutan, in August 2019.
iii.PTC India Limited and Druk Green Power Corporation signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the Mangdechhu Hydroelectric project in August 2019.
iv.The commissioning of this project takes Bhutan’s electrical power generation capacity to 2326 Mega Watts, an increase of ~44% on the previous capacity of 1606MW.
Note: The Indian Government funded the project through a 70% loan and a 30% grant. India approved a revised cost estimate of Rs 40.20 billion (USD 602.7 million) for the project in 2016.
Key Points:
i.The commissioning of this Project led to an increase of 31% in hydropower revenues of Bhutan in 2020.
ii.It also exported electricity worth Rs 12.13 billion to India in 2021, increasing Bhutan’s electricity exports to Rs 24.43 billion.
iii.Since its commissioning, The project has generated more than 9000 million units of energy and reduced 2.4 million tons of emissions annually.

  • The Institute of Civil Engineers, London awarded the project with Brunel Medal 2020 as a recognition of its excellence in civil engineering.

About Bhutan: 
Prime Minister– Lotay Tshering.
Capital– Thimphu
Currency– Bhutanese Ngultrum

BANKING & FINANCE

Indian Bank’s GNPA declines to 5% in Sept 2022: RBI’s Report on Trends and Progress of Banking in India 2021-22
Banks’ gross NPAs decline to 5% in H1 on lower slippagesi.According to the Report on Trend and Progress of Banking in India 2021-22 published by the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) on 27th December 2022, the Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) ratio of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) declined to 5% in September 2022 from 9% in 2017-18.
ii.This is an annual report, a statutory publication in compliance with Section 36 (2) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
iii.This decrease was led by lower slippages and a reduction in outstanding GNPAs through recoveries, upgradations and write-offs.
iv.The consolidated balance sheet of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) showed double digit growth in 2021-22, after a gap of seven years, led by credit growth, which accelerated to a ten-year high in the first half of this financial year ending March 2023 (H1:2022-23).
v.In FY22, banks reported 9,102 frauds of Rs 60,389 crore against 7,358 frauds with an amount involved of Rs 1.37 lakh crore in FY21.
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
>> Read Full News

ADB Approves USD 125 Million Loan to Improve Urban Services in TNCentre, ADB sign $125 m loan to improve urban services in Tamil NaduOn 27th December 2022 Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a USD 125 million (about Rs 1,025 crore) loan agreement with Government of India (GoI) to develop climate-resilient sewage collection and treatment along with the drainage and water supply systems in three cities, Coimbatore, Madurai and Thoothukudi of Tamil Nadu (TN).
Signatories: The loan for the TN Urban Flagship Investment Programme was signed by Rajat Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance and Hoe Yun Jeong, Officer-in-Charge of ADB’s India Resident Mission.
Key highlights:
i.This is the third and the last tranche (tranche 3 loan) of the USD 500 million multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) for the Flagship Program approved by ADB in 2018 for building priority water supply, sewerage, and drainage infrastructure in strategic industrial corridors across 10 cities in TN.

  • The 3rd tranche of the loan covers projects in Coimbatore, Madurai and Thoothukudi.

Through these projects, the ADB will support the development and improve the urban services in Tamil Nadu by developing new approaches like building and operating modality, automatic metres for bulk water users, and real time monitoring through supervisory control and data acquisition systems.
About the Projects:
i.In Coimbatore, 2 sewage treatment plants with 529 kilometres (km) of sewage collection pipelines and also supports in installing 14 pumps and lifting stations and building around 14 km of sewage pumping mains will be developed.

  • The loan will support the development of two sewage treatment plants in Coimbatore with 529 kilometres (km) of sewage collection pipelines and also support in installing 14 pumps and lifting stations and building around 14 km of sewage pumping mains.

ii.In Thoothukudi, a climate-resilient stormwater drainage system will be developed.
iii.In Madurai, the project will support the commissioning of 813 km of new water supply distribution pipelines, which connects almost 163,958 households to 115 newly established district-metered areas with smart water features to reduce non-revenue water.
iv.In Coimbatore and Madurai, two all-female Self-Help Groups (SHG) will be trained on the benefits of household connection to the sewage collection system, water conservation, sanitation, and health & hygiene.
About Asian Development Bank (ADB):
President – Masatsugu Asakawa
Establishment – 1966
Headquarters – Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Members – 68 members (49 from Asian and the Pacific and 19 outside)

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS  

Rajasthan Government’s DIPR receives Award for ‘Effective Government Communication’

On 27th December 2022, the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Government of Rajasthan, has been honoured with “Effective Government Communication Award” for taking public welfare schemes through digital media to the general public and the beneficiaries.

  • The award was given by the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI) during the 44th Annual Convention of PSRI held in  Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

The award was presented by Mangubhai Chhaganbhai Patel, Governor of Madhya Pradesh to Arun Joshi, Additional Director of DIPR.

  • Uday Singh, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), National President of PRSI Ajit Pathak, and public relations professionals from different states were present on the occasion.

Key Points:
i. Daily publicity materials are being distributed through WhatsApp groups, with nearly 20 lakh people connected in WhatsApp groups at all ram panchayat and ward levels throughout Rajasthan.
ii. DIPR Innovations: The Information e-Bulletin, Sujus Video Bulletin, and Sujus Awaaz (Podcast) are mediums via which information regarding daily news, beneficiary interviews, and significant government decisions are made available.
iii. DIPR launched a Sujus Mobile App in which all press notes, special articles, success stories, important photographs, e-bulletin, video bulletin, Sujus Awaz, and live programs of welfare schemes are displayed on mobile.

Indian Scientist Mahima Swamy Honoured as One of Europe’s Top Talents in ImmunologyIndian scientist honored as one of Europe's top talents in biologyMahima Swamy, an Indian scientist hailing from Bengaluru, Karnataka, has been chosen to join the prestigious European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Young Investigator network, recognising her as one of the top talents in biology – Immunology in Europe.

  • Mahima Swamy’s membership is between 2023-2026 and her subject area is Immunology.
  • She is one among the 24 researchers in the EMBO Young Investigator network.

About Mahima Swamy:
i.Dr Mahima Swamy is affiliated with the University of Dundee, Dundee, the United Kingdom(UK) and a most revered expert within their School of Life Sciences where she heads a research group that investigates immune responses in the intestine.
ii.The 24 researchers will become a part of the network of 135 current and 390 former members of the EMBO programme, based within the University’s Medical Research Council Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRC-PPU).
iii.Mahima will be a part of the study about inflammatory bowel diseases and how these can be prompted by the body’s immune system attacking the gut lining in the absence of infection.

  • The research aims to address harnessing the gut immune system to protect against harmful invasion and also prevent it from damaging the gut.

About EMBO Young Investigator Network:
i.EMBO Young Investigator Network is a Global network of young group leaders who demonstrated excellence in their fields.
ii.EMBO Young Investigators receive an award of 15,000 euros in the second year of their tenure and can apply for additional grants of up to 10,000 euros per year.

Indian Student Vishal Mittal bags Prestigious Ambassadors of Change Award

Vishal Mittal, an Indian student at the University of Canberra (UC), Australia, was recognised as an Ambassador of Change Award, for his outstanding work as a Student Mentor and contribution to the UC community.
Vishal Mittal is one of the 9 Ambassadors of Change, who were recognised for their work in various areas.

  • The award was presented at the official awards night hosted by the University’s Equity and Participation team, which coincides with World Access to Higher Education Day (17th November 2022).
  • Vishal Mittal has just completed his final year of a Master of Data Science and was recognised as an Ambassador of Change for his volunteer work with the UC Mentor Program through UC Thrive.      

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS     

RBI Approves Re-appointment of Baskar Babu Ramachandran as MD & CEO of Suryoday SFBRBI approves Baskar Babu’s re-appointment as Suryoday Bank’s ChiefOn 26th December 2022 the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the re-appointment of Baskar Babu Ramachandran as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Suryoday Small Finance Bank (SFB) Limited for a further period of three years with effect from 23rd January 2023. 

  • RBI has approved the appointment under terms of the provisions of Section 35B of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

About Baskar Babu Ramachandran:
i.Baskar Babu Ramachandran was the MD and CEO of the Bank since 23rd January 2017
ii.He co-founded Suryoday Micro Finance Private Limited along with Ganesh Rao and V. L. Ramakrishnan in 2008. It was later transformed into a small finance bank and commenced operations as SFB in January 2017.
iii.Prior to co-founding Suryoday Micro Finance Private Limited, he was associated with various companies including GE Capital Transportation Financial Services Limited as the Vice-President- Quality and Operations and HDFC Bank Limited as Assistant Vice President.
About  Suryoday Small Finance Bank Limited:
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Baskar Babu Ramachandran
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Establishment – 23 January 2017

Nepal’s Newly appointed Deputy Prime Ministers & Ministers to take oath

On 26th December 2022, President Bidya Devi Bhandari has administered the oath of office and secrecy of 3 new deputy Prime Ministers(PM) and Ministers.
The 3 New Deputy PM and Ministers are Bishnu Prasad Paudel, Deputy PM and Finance Minister; Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Deputy PM and Minister of Physical Infrastructure and Transport; and Rabi Lamichhane, Deputy PM and Home Minister.

Late Vikram Kirloskar’s daughter Manasi Tata named Director of KSPL JV firms

On 26th December 2022, Kirloskar Systems Pvt. Ltd. (KSPL) appointed Manasi Tata, late Vikram Kirloskar’s daughter, as Director on the board of KSPL’s joint-venture (JV) companies with an immediate effect.
Manasi Tata is a 5th-generation scion of the Kirloskar empire.

  • The JV Companies including Toyota Industries Engine India Pvt. Ltd. (TIEI), Kirloskar Toyota Textile Machinery Pvt. Ltd. (KTTM), Toyota Material Handling India Pvt. Ltd. (TMHIN), and Denso Kirloskar Industries Pvt. Ltd. (DNKI).
  • Manasi Tata, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design in the United States (US), has trained in both the Japanese and Toyota production methods.         

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Piyush Goyal Launches Right to Repair Portal & New Premise of National Consumer HelplineGoyal launches right-to-repair portal, new premise of National Consumer HelplineOn the occasion of the National Consumer Day 2022 (24th December 2022), Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution,  launched new initiatives, including the right to repair portal, an NTH mobile app and also opened new premises of National Consumer Helpline centre in New Delhi.

  • A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between the Consumer Affairs Department and Indian Institute of Technology(IIT) (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh  and launched a capacity building programme of consumer commissions.

About Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution:
Union Minister – Piyush Goyal (Rajya Sabha – Maharashtra)
Minister of State (MoS) – Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Ashwini Kumar Choubey
>> Read Full News

IIT Roorkee & AIIMS Delhi develops ‘SwasthGarbh’ mobile app for pregnant womenIIT Roorkee, AIIMS Delhi develop 'SwasthGarbh' mobile app for pregnant womenThe Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee (Uttarakhand) researchers, in collaboration with All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, have developed a mobile application named ‘SwasthGarbh‘ to provide antenatal care and real-time medical support to pregnant women.

  • SwasthGarbh is the 1st pregnancy App that provides immediate access to doctor’s advice and is clinically endorsed and credible.
  • This can be a vital tool for women in rural areas and those who do not have easy access to doctors.

Note:
i. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased awareness of telemedicine’s value in the healthcare industry.
ii. A research paper highlighting the benefits of the SwasthGarbh App has been published in the prestigious peer-reviewed Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics.
Goal:
To make the SwasthGarbh App reach every household in India and thus save precious maternal-fetal lives.
SwasthGarbh:
i. Both patients and doctors can profit from the features of the App free of cost as it is available on the Google Play Store.
ii. This app will provide real-time medical support to all pregnant women and improve maternal-foetal health.

  • The app enables 2-way communication between doctor and patient to improve pregnancy outcomes.

iii. The pilot study showed that the App was well accepted by pregnant women and doctors.
iv. The app also keeps track of recommended clinical tests and automatically sends customised notifications to patients.
Key Points:
i. The clinical evaluation of 150 patients showed how useful the app is for enhancing antenatal care quality and reducing complications.
ii. Patients who used the app to register for care had considerably more mean antenatal visits and better compliance with WHO guidelines.

SPORTS

South African Cricketer Farhaan Behardien Announces Retirement

On 27th December 2022, Farhaan Behardien, a 39-year-old South African Cricketer, announced his retirement from professional cricket concluding his 18-year international cricket career.
He made his first-class debut in 2004 and made his T20I debut for South Africa against India in the year 2012.

  • He has represented South Africa (Proteas) in 59 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 38 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) scoring 1592 runs and scalping 17 wickets across formats.
  • He captained the South Africa national cricket team in a 3-match T20 series against Sri Lankan in 2017.
  • He was a part of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup in 2012, 2014 and 2016 as well as the Cricket World Cup in 2015.

STATE NEWS

TNFD & HCL Foundation join hands for Debris-free Gulf of MannarTamil Nadu, HCL Foundation join hands for debris-free Gulf of MannarThe Tamil Nadu Forest Department (TNFD) has joined hands with HCL Foundation (HCLF), the CSR(Corporate Social Responsibility) arm of HCLTech, to address the issue of ghost nets and marine debris in the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, Tamil Nadu.
Key Highlights:
i. TNFD & HCLF will work on baselining the current situation of ghost nets and marine debris at the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park.

  • The baselining and marine debris removal will be done by the Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve.

ii. Additionally, a 3-year action plan and widespread awareness campaigns for a “Debris-Free Gulf of Mannar” will be conducted.
Ghost nets, also known as abandoned or lost fishing gear, represent a severe threat to coastal and marine habitats.
Gulf of Mannar:
i. The Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve is the 1st Marine Biosphere Reserve in South and South-East Asia. It is one of the most biologically diverse regions in India.

  • It is a protected area of India consisting of 21 small islands (islets) and adjacent coral reefs in the Gulf of Mannar in the Indian Ocean.
  • In August 2022, the Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve was recognised as the RAMSAR site.

ii. Currently, the Gulf of Mannar is severely impacted by unsustainable fishing practices, the disposal of plastics, and the use of ghost nets, all of which constitute a serious threat to marine life.
Efforts of HCLF in protecting marine ecosystem: 
i. HCL Foundation is already working with NGO partners towards protecting, restoring and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
ii. HCLF has been working on an incentive-based model for retrieving ghost nets for more than a year.
iii. Fishermen communities along the coast of Chennai were involved in this model to retrieve 57,000 kg of ghost nets and marine debris,
Note: 

  • Marine ecosystems, one of the most diversified aquatic ecosystems in the world, produce 50% of the oxygen generated on Earth.
  • Coral reefs, which take up less than 1% of the planet’s surface, are critical marine habitats that host a wide variety of creatures and account for at least 30% of all marine biodiversity.

About the HCL Foundation (HCLF):
Vice President- Dr Nidhi Pundhir
Headquarters- Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Establishment- 2011

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S.noCurrent Affairs 29 December 2022
1Govt Amends Allocation of Business Rules; MeitY Becomes Nodal Agency of Online Gaming
2DGCA approves Type Certification for Marut Drones’ AG365
3IndianOil signs MoU with Central TB Division to undertake TB elimination project in Uttar Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
4GoI & Manipur Govt Signs ‘Cessation Of Operation Agreement’ with ZUF to Promote Peace
5India Assisted Mangdechhu Hydro Project was Handed Over to Bhutan’s DGPC
6Indian Bank’s GNPA declines to 5% in Sept 2022: RBI’s Report on Trends and Progress of Banking in India 2021-22
7ADB Approves USD 125 Million Loan to Improve Urban Services in TN
8Rajasthan Government’s DIPR receives Award for ‘Effective Government Communication’
9Indian Scientist Mahima Swamy Honoured as One of Europe’s Top Talents in Immunology
10Indian Student Vishal Mittal bags Prestigious Ambassadors of Change Award
11RBI Approves Re-appointment of Baskar Babu Ramachandran as MD & CEO of Suryoday SFB
12Nepal’s Newly appointed Deputy Prime Ministers & Ministers to take oath
13Late Vikram Kirloskar’s daughter Manasi Tata named Director of KSPL JV firms
14Piyush Goyal Launches Right to Repair Portal & New Premise of National Consumer Helpline
15IIT Roorkee & AIIMS Delhi develops ‘SwasthGarbh’ mobile app for pregnant women
16South African Cricketer Farhaan Behardien Announces Retirement
17TNFD & HCL Foundation join hands for Debris-free Gulf of Mannar