Current Affairs 6 January 2022

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 6 January 2022, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2021 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

PM Narendra Modi visited Manipur & Tripura; Inaugurated & laid Foundation Stone of Developmental Projects

i.On January 4, 2022, the Prime Minister (PM) of India, Narendra Damodardas Modi, visited the states of Manipur and Tripura. He inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 22 Developmental Projects worth over Rs. 4800 crore in Imphal, Manipur.
ii.After that, in Agartala, Tripura he inaugurated the New Integrated Terminal Building at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport and will also launch two key development initiatives viz. Mukhyamantri Tripura Gram Samriddhi Yojana and Project Mission 100 of Vidyajyoti Schools.
iii.In Manipur, the PM inaugurated 13 Projects worth ~Rs 1850 crores and laid the foundation stone of 9 projects worth ~Rs 2950 crore. These projects related to Road Infrastructure, Drinking Water Supply, Health, Urban Development, Housing, Information Technology, Skill Development, Art and Culture, among others.
About Manipur:
Chief Minister– Nongthombam Biren Singh
Rivers– Imphal river, Barak River, Iril River.
Dance- Cymbal Dance, Khamba Thoibi, Lai Haraoba
>> Read Full News

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh Launches the 75th Platinum Jubilee Year Of CSIR-NPL

On 4^th January 2022, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology (S&T), Dr Jitendra Singh released a Special Postage Stamp commemorating the 75th Platinum Jubilee year of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) -National Physical Laboratory (NPL), New Delhi.

• It is one of the earliest CSIR laboratories that was set up during independence that the celebration coincides with 75th year of India’s independence and also highlights the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The foundation of NPL was laid by Former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on 4th January 1947. The main building of the laboratory was formally opened by Late Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on 21st January 1950.

Highlights:
i.Jitendra Singh also dedicated the New Delhi-based ‘LED Photometry Laboratory’ at CSIR-National Physical Laboratory to develop energy-efficient illumination technology.
ii.About LED Photometry Laboratory: LED Photometry Laboratory contributes towards calibration and testing of LED lighting products, which could save the foreign exchange spent on availing testing and calibration services from abroad and also reduces turn-around time.
About Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR):
Director – General – Shekhar C.Mande
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
>> Read Full News

WFP & TAPF Partners to Enhance PM POSHAN Scheme The United Nations(UN)’s World Food Programme (WFP) in India, has partnered with The Akshaya Patra Foundation (TAPF), a not-for-profit organisation, to enhance the effectiveness of the Pradhan Mantri – Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) scheme (earlier known as National Programme for Mid-Day Meal in Schools).
Aim:
The partnership aims to enhance food safety and hygiene projects, capacity building of cooks-cum-helpers and nutritional quality of school meals.
Signatories:
Bishow Parajuli, Representative and Country Director for WFP in India and Chanchalapthi Dasa, Vice Chairman of TAPF has signed the agreement of the collaboration in New Delhi, Delhi.
Features of the Partnership:
i.Under this collaboration, WFP and TAPF will share knowledge through workshops and policy and strategy dialogues with the government to enhance the quality of the school meal programme.
ii.Under this partnership, WFP and TAPF will form a steering committee with representatives from both WFP and TAPF.
iii.The committee will meet quarterly to plan, discuss and review the aspects of the collaboration between both WFP and TAPF.
iv.WFP and TAPF will bring in the required financial resources to support the implementation of the activities.
PM POSHAN Scheme:
i.The PM POSHAN scheme is one of the 3 main food-based safety nets in India, which benefits around 100 million school-aged children with cooked meals.
ii.The scheme plays a major role in the retention of children in school and provides nutritional security.
Background:
In September 2021, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi approved a new meal scheme known as the ‘Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman’ scheme (PM Poshan Scheme) for government and government-aided schools for the next five years, from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
About World Food Programme (WFP):
Executive Director– David Beasley
Headquarters– Rome, Italy
Established in 1961

UJALA Completes 7 years; Saves ~48 Bn kWh Energy Every Year

On 5th January 2022 The Power Ministry successfully completed 7 years of distributing and selling LED lights under its flagship Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) programme.

• UJALA initiative is the world’s largest zero subsidy domestic lighting programme with more than 78 crore LEDs distributed across the country.
• As on 5th January 2022, 47,778 Million (~48 Billion(Bn)) kilowatt hour (kWh) per annum energy has been saved.
• The demand of 9,565 Megawatt (MW) has been avoided, along with 386 crore tonnes of reduction in CO2 emissions.

About Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA):
Launched – 2015
UJALA is under the Ministry of Power based on Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP).
>> Read Full News

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Antigua & Barbuda Becomes 102nd Member of International Solar AllianceOn 4^th January 2022, The Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as the 102^nd member by signing the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement, the India-led global green energy initiative.

• The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne signed the framework agreement in the presence of Indian High Commissioner Dr K. J. Srinivasa to catalyze global energy transition through a solar-led approach.
• K. J. Srinivasa became the High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, and the 15-member CARICOM ( Caribbean Community and Common Market) in 2019.

About International Solar Alliance (ISA):
i.ISA was jointly launched by India and France in 2015 during the 21st session of the United Nations Climate Change COP-21 in Paris, France to promote solar energy.
ii.The ISA is an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for solar resource-rich countries to address special energy needs and to provide a platform for collaboration.

• It also facilitates energy access, security & transition which creates a global market system by promoting clean energy applications.

iii.At present, 102 countries are signatories to the ISA Framework Agreement, of which 81 countries have submitted the necessary instruments of ratification to become full members of the ISA
Director General– Dr. Ajay Mathur
Headquarter– Gurugram, Haryana
About Antigua and Barbuda:
Prime Minister – Gaston Browne
Capital – Saint John’s
Currency – East Caribbean Dollar

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI granted Scheduled Payment Bank Status to Airtel Payments Bank

On January 4, 2022, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted a Scheduled Payment Bank status to Airtel Payments Bank by including it into the Second Schedule to the RBI Act, 1934. With this inclusion, it becomes the 4^th payment bank to get this status.

• This status will help Airtel Payments Bank to explore new central and state government business opportunities, including participation in government-issued Request for Proposals (RFP), and primary auctions, along with participation in government-operated welfare schemes.

Key Points:
i .Airtel Payments Bank is among the fastest-growing digital banks in India.
ii.Apart from Airtel Payments Bank, other payment banks that are in the List of Second Schedule of the RBI Act are Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL), India Post Payments Bank Limited (IPPBL), and Fino Payments Bank Limited (FPBL).
iii.The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of Airtel Payments Bank is Anubrata Biswas, and is headquartered in New Delhi, Delhi.

• In 2016, it became the first entity in India to receive a payments bank license from the RBI.Airtel Payments Bank’s national operations was formally launched in January, 2017.

iv. Click Here for the Official List  of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs).

RBI Introduces Market Making Scheme to Promote PDs to Trade in RD Scheme 

On January 04, 2022, to provide liquidity in the secondary market, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced the market-making scheme to promote retail participation in Government Securities (G-Secs) by providing prices/quotes to Retail Direct Gilt Account Holders (RDGAHs) enabling them to buy/sell securities under the RBI Retail Direct (RBI-RD) Scheme.

• RBI allowed the Primary Dealers (PDs) to be present on the Negotiated Dealing System- Order Matching (NDS-OM) platform (odd-lot and Request for Quotes (RFQ) segments) throughout market hours and respond to buy/sell requests from RDGAHs.
• RBI has created a special Switch window for bond houses, known as PDs, which will be opened every month, wherein they could exchange the illiquid/semi-liquid securities acquired through the RFQ segment from the RDGAHs with liquid securities from RBI at FBIL (Financial Benchmarks India Limited)/market prices.

Background:
i.On November 12, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually launched the RBI Retail Direct (RBI-RD) scheme to enable small investors to have their small savings directly and securely in G-Secs issued by both Centre and state governments.
ii.Under the Scheme, the retail individual investors could open a Retail Direct Gilt (RDG) Account with the RBI (maintained in the books of RBI), using an online portal.
About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Establishment– April 1, 1935
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors– Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao, T. Rabi Sankar
>> Read Full News

RBI Cancels Authorisation Certificates of Two Payment System Operators

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancelled the Certificate of Authorisation (CoA) of two Payment System Operators (PSOs) – Muthoot Vehicle & Asset Finance, and Eko India Financial Services for non-compliance with regulatory requirements.

• The CoA was cancelled by RBI on 31^st December 2021, in the exercise of the powers conferred on it under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.

Key Points:
i.Both the PSOs had authorisation for the issuance and operation of prepaid payment instruments.
ii.Following the CoA cancellation, the companies will not be able to transact the business of issuance and operation of prepaid payment instruments
iii.The customers or merchants having a valid claim on these companies as PSOs, can approach them for settlement of their claims within 3 years from the date of cancellation.
About Muthoot Vehicle & Asset Finance:
Muthoot Vehicle & Asset Finance was incorporated in 1992 (as Muthoot Leasing and Finance Ltd) & in 2008 (changed its name as  Muthoot Vehicle & Asset Finance Ltd (MVFL))
About Eko India Financial Services:
Established – 2006
Headquarters – Gurgaon,Haryana
Founders – Abhinav and Abhishek

SBI, ICICI and HDFC Bank continue to be Domestic Systemically Important Banks

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that SBI (State Bank of India), ICICI (Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India) and HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited) banks will continue to be identified as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs).

• Therefore they will have to maintain additional Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital ratios in the same manner prescribed in 2020.

Key Points:
i.For SBI, the additional CET1 requirement is maintained at 0.6% of the bank’s risk weighted assets, while for HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, the requirement is kept at 0.2%.

ii.The additional CET1 requirement is in addition to the capital conservation buffer (2.5% of a bank’s total exposures) to strengthen these bank’s capital.

• The additional CET1 requirement for D-SIBs became fully effective from April 1, 2019.

iii.SBI and ICICI Bank were first named as D-SIBs in 2015 and 2016 respectively. HDFC Bank was classified as a D-SIB in 2017.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Airtel Partners with HCIPL to Offer Satellite Broadband Services

On 5th January 2022, Bharti Airtel Limited and Hughes Communications India Private Limited (HCIPL), a majority-owned subsidiary of Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes) announced joint venture (JV) to provide satellite broadband services in India.The JV is Operational as HCIPL.

• HCIPL will hold a 67 percent stake in the joint venture, while Airtel will hold a 33 percent

Highlights:
i.HCIPL will combine the Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) business of both companies.
ii.HCIPL provides broadband networking technologies, solutions and services for government offices and enterprises such as banking, aeronautical and maritime mobility, small to medium-sized businesses, education, and telecom industry.
About  Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT):
VSAT is a two-way Satellite ground station that transmits and receives data from satellites that provides satellite-based internet and telecom access to individuals and enterprise customers.

• The JV has a combined base of over 2 lakh VSATs, making it the largest satellite service operator in India.

Background:
The agreement, announced in May 2019, has received all statutory approvals, including those from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and Department of Telecom (Government of India) and the joint venture has been formed.
About Bharti Airtel Limited:
Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Gopal Vittal
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
About Hughes Communications India Private Limited (HCIPL):
President and Managing Director (MD) – Partho Banerjee
Headquarters – Gurugram, Haryana

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS    

South Indian Bank wins UiPath Automation Excellence awards 2021 for Best Automation

On 4 January 2022, the South Indian Bank (SIB) won the UiPath Automation Excellence Awards 2021 for Best Automation under ‘Crisis for Business Continuity’.
Key points:
i.The 2021 edition of the award recognises contribution of the individuals and organizations across India and South Asia (Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal) for bringing change through  transformative automation projects.
ii.The SIB improved its Robotic Process Automation capabilities during the time of pandemic and  supported the customer solving operational problems through its excellent automation services.
Other Awards:

About South Indian Bank (SIB):
CEO- Murali Ramakrishnan
Headquarters-Thrissur, Kerala
Tagline- Experience Next Generation Banking
Online Assistant- Sona

Indian Numerologist JC Chaudhry Achieved 1st Guinness World Record on Numerology; the 1st Record of 2022

JC Chaudhry, India’s one of the top numerologists, has achieved the first-ever Guinness World Record in Numerology and the first world record of 2022 by educating about ancient science to around 6000 participants, enthusiasts of numerology joined from the United States, the United Kingdom(UK), Middle East, and India.

• The Guinness World Record London office has opened a new category, “Numerology” for this achievement.
• The initiative was organised by CNPL (Chaudhry Nummero Pvt Ltd) and the Indian Institute of Numerology to create awareness regarding numerology, which is prevalent across ancient cultures like Greece, Egypt, China, Chaldea and India.    

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS        

BoB Appoints cricketer Shafali Verma as Brand Endorser

Bank of Baroda (BoB) appointed Indian Women’s Cricketer Shafali Verma as the Brand Endorser of the bank. A contract was signed between the Bank and the Cricketer Shafali Verma to confirm their association.
i.Shafali Verma is a 17 year old young cricketer, hails from Rohtak, Haryana. She plays for the Indian women’s national cricket team.
ii.In 2019, at the age of 15, Shafali became the youngest cricketer to play in a Women’s Twenty20 International match for India.
Note – Previously in 2021, Shafali Verma became the 1st Women Cricketer to Hit 3 Sixes in Test Match
Related information:
In 2021, the Bank launched ‘BoB World Wave’ – a wearable payment solution with a complete health ecosystem, under the bob World umbrella.

• It offers seamless digital payment option on-the-go which gives a convenience to shop and transact with ease.

About Bank of Baroda (BoB):
MD & CEO- Sanjiv Chadha
Headquarters- Vadodara, Gujarat
Amalgamated banks- Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank (2019)  

Ajay Kumar Choudhary & Deepak Kumar Appointed as Executive Directors of RBI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Deepak Kumar, Chief General Manager, Department of Information Technology, RBI and Ajay Kumar Choudhary, Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Department of Supervision, RBI, as the new Executive Directors (ED) of RBI with effect from 3rd January 2022.

• Choudary will look after the fintech department, risk monitoring department and inspection department and Deepak Kumar will look after Foreign Exchange Department, Department of Communication and Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the RBI.

SPORTS

Sri Lankan Cricketer Bhanuka Rajapaksa announces Retirement from International Cricket

On 5 January 2022, the Sri Lankan Cricketer Bhanuka Rajapaksa proposed a letter of resignation to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). He announced his retirement from International cricket with immediate effect, due to personal reasons.
i.Bhanuka Rajapaksa is a 30-year-old Srilankan cricket player, who has represented the country in 5 ODIs (One Day International) and 18 T20Is, scoring a total of 409 across formats which included three fifties.
iii.He was part of Sri Lanka’s ICC (International Cricket Council) Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 team, where he scored 155 runs in 8 matches and became the 3rd highest run-scorer of the tournament.
About Sri Lanka:
i.Sri Lanka was formerly known as ‘Ceylon’.
ii.It is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.
President-Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Capitals- Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Currency-Sri Lankan rupee

OBITUARY

Social worker & Padma Shri awardee Sindhutai Sapkal passed away

Renowned social worker and Padma Shri recipient Sindhutai Sapkal passed away at the age of 74 years in Pune, Maharashtra. She was popularly known as the ‘mother of orphaned children’.
i.Sindhutai Sapkal was born on 14 November 1948 in Wardha, Maharashtra.
ii.She was also a social activist, fought against the exploitation of local women.
iii.A biographical movie was  made on her in Marathi titled ‘Mee Sindhutai Sapkal’.
Welfare organisations:

• ‘Maai’ or Sindhutai Sapkal has adopted around 1,500 children and founded the orphanage ‘Sanmati Bal Niketan Sanstha’.

Awards-

• Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize (2014),
• Mother Teresa Awards for Social Justice (2013),
• Nari Shakti Puraskar (2017) which is India’s highest civilian award dedicated to women.
• Padma Shri (2021) in the Social Work category.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

HarperCollins Announced the Release of New Book “Mamata: Beyond 2021” by Jayanta Ghosal; Translated by Arunava Sinha

HarperCollins Publishers India is set to publish a new book titled “Mamata: Beyond 2021”, authored by political journalist Jayanta Ghosal and translated by Arunava Sinha. 
The announcement about the release of the book was made on 5th January 2022, the birthday of Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister (CM) of West Bengal and the leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party.

• The book will be published on 24th January 2022.

About the book:
i.The book explores and examines why the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost the 2021 West Bengal Election.
ii.Jayanta Ghosal, author of the book, has travelled across West Bengal (to all the districts) and discovered certain key factors that helped TMC win the West Bengal Election of 2021.
iii.The book also describes how Mamata Banerjee portrayed herself as a daughter of Bengal who works for the poor and disadvantaged people of the state.
About Jayanta Ghosal:
i.Jayanta Ghosal, born in 1962, is a Delhi-based political journalist, writer, teacher, and speaker. He is currently serving as the consulting editor of India Today Group.
ii.He has authored several books in Bengali about the region, and he is also a biographer of West Bengal’s CM, Mamata Banerjee.
About Arunava Sinha:
i.Arunava Sinha who hails from Kolkata, West Bengal, translates classic, modern and contemporary Bengali fiction and non-fiction from Bangladesh and India into English.
ii.He has translated around 65 books which include, The Sickle by Anita Agnihotri, Khwabnama by Akhtaruzzaman Elias, and Imaan by Manoranjan Byapari.
iii.He teaches at Ashoka University, and is the books editor at Scroll.in.

Dhirendra Jha Authored a New Book Titled “Gandhi’s Assassin: The Making of Nathuram Godse and His Idea of India”

Dhirendra K. Jha, a Delhi based journalist, has authored a new book titled “Gandhi’s Assassin: The Making of Nathuram Godse and His Idea of India”. The book is published by Vintage Books.

• The book explores Godse’s relationship with the organizations that influenced his view and gave him a sense of purpose and draws out the gradual hardening of Godse’s resolve that led to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination.
• Dhirendra Jha’s other books: Shadow Armies: Fringe Organizations and Foot Soldiers of Hindutva, Ascetic Games: Sadhus, Akharas and the Making of the Hindu Vote and co-author of Ayodhya The Dark Night: The Secret History of Rama’s Appearance in Babri Masjid.

IMPORTANT DAYS

5th POSOCO Day – 3rd January 2022

Power System Operation Corporation Limited (POSOCO) Day is annually observed on 3rd January to commemorate the day (3rd January 2017) on which POSOCO stated its independent functioning under the Ministry of Power as one of the Power Public sector undertakings (PSUs).

• POSOCO was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) till 2 January 2017.

3rd January 2022 marks the commemoration of the 5th POSOCO Day. 
On the occasion of the 5th POSOCO day, Raj Kumar Singh (RK Singh), Union Minister of Power, dedicated Automatic Generation Control (AGC) to the nation.  AGC project is a significant milestone in enhancing the resilience of the Indian Power System.

• The Union Minister also released a report titled ‘Assessment of Inertia in Indian Power System’, prepared by POSOCO in collaboration with the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Bombay.

>> Read Full News

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