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Dec 2022 Daily News Current Affairs

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  1. Dec 31, 2022
    1. Notable Points from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Visit to West Bengal -
      1. Flagged off Vande Bharat Express, connecting Howrah to New Jalpaiguri.
      2. Inaugurated Joka-Taratala Stretch of Joka-Esplanade Metro Project (Purple Line, Kolkata Metro's Line 3).
      3. Chaired 2nd meeting of National Ganga Council (NGC) in Kolkata.
      4. Inaugurated Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee National Institute of Water and Sanitation (SPM-NIWAS) at Joka in Kolkata (West Bengal). It will serve as an apex body on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in country.
    2. Visits to India (Dec 2022) -
      1. Tipu Munshi, Commerce Minister of Bangladesh visited India.
      2. Annalena Baerbock, Foreign Minister of Germany visited India. During the visit, India & Germany signed Migration and Mobility Agreement to facilitate easier access for people to study, research & work in both countries.
    3. Visits from India (Dec 2022) -
      1. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited UN HQ in New York (USA), and unveiled bust of M K Gandhi. Notably, India holds monthly rotating presidency of UN Security Council in Dec 2022.
      2. Union Minister Jitendra Singh visited United Arab Emirates (UAE), to attend Abu Dhabi Space Debate.
      3. Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Skill Development, Rajeev Chandrasekhar attended India Global Forum at Dubai (UAE).
    4. General News / Events (Dec 21-31, 2022) -
      1. President Droupadi Murmu laid foundation stone for Development of Pilgrimage Facilities at Bhadrachalam Group of Temples and Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple in Telangana State, under PRASHAD (National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) Scheme.
      2. Central Govt and Manipur Govt signed Cessation of Operation Agreement with Zeliangrong United Front, as a boost for peace process in Manipur.
      3. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched 2 key initiatives to boost Urban Rejuvenation across nation -
        1. City Finance Rankings - To evaluate and reward cities on the basis of quality of their current financial health and improvement over time in financial performance.
        2. City Beauty Competition - To encourage transformational efforts made by cities and wards, to create beautiful, innovative and inclusive public spaces.
      4. 14-km Angul-Balram rail link has been inaugurated, to enable Mahanadi Coalfields (MCL) to increase daily despatch of coal (from Talcher coalfields) by 40000 tonne.
        1. It is first phase of 68-km-long Inner Corridor Angul-Balram-Putugadia Jarapada-Tentuloi, which will cater to coal mines of Talcher coalfields in Angul district of Odisha.
        2. In Phase-II, 54-km Balram-Putugadia-Jarapada-Tentuloi rail-link would be completed.
      5. CCRAS institutes Central Ayurveda Research Institute New Delhi (CARI), and Central Ayurveda Research Institute Jhansi have been accredited with NABH and NABL accreditations respectively. CARI New Delhi is first Institute under CCRAS to get NABH accreditation.
      6. Ministry of Rural Development launched Prajjwala Challenge under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), to invite ideas that can help transform rural economy.
      7. First metro rail in Bangladesh has been inaugurated in Dhaka by PM Sheikh Hasina.
      8. Uttar Pradesh govt inaugurated E-Sushrut Hospital Management Information System (HMIS ) in 22 state medical colleges, in collaboration with Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC).
      9. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s Dharmadam constituency became only constituency in India to have a library in all the wards.
      10. First-of-its-kind Tribal Winter Festival held in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir.
      11. J&T Lt Governor Manoj Sinha announced 3 New Schemes - Holistic Development of Agriculture & Allied Sectors, Aspirational Towns, and Aspirational Panchayats, with combined outlay 5013 crore rupees. These 5 year projects will aim at transforming agriculture economy of J&K.
      12. Losar Festival observed in Ladakh, to mark Ladakhi New Year.
      13. 10th Edition of North East Festival held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
      14. Dhanu Yatra festival organized in Bargarh (Odisha), as largest open-air theatre festival.
    5. A project designed by SBI Foundation and Himalayan Environment Studies and Conservation (HESCO) has been initiated in 10 disaster-prone villages in Joshimath Block of Chamoli District (Uttarakhand), to promote equitable economic and ecological development.
    6. Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) announced to introduce Bima Vahaks in each gram panchayat, to enhance insurance force in India.
      1. Bima Vahaks will be tasked to distribute various insurance products across their gram panchayat.
    7. Next (13th) World Trade Organization ministerial conference will be held in Abu Dhabi (UAE) in February 2024.
      1. Notably, UAE willl also host COP28 (Conference of the Parties of UNFCCC) in Dec 2023, the UN’s 28th Climate Change conference, in Dubai.
    8. Steel Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched India's first Green Steel Brand - Kalyani Ferresta.
      1. This first-of-its-kind steel has been manufactured by a Pune-based Steel company Kalyani group, by using renewable energy resources, leaving zero carbon footprints.
    9. Construction of 12.89 km long escape tunnel (longest escape tunnel of India, called T-13) has been completed on 111 km under-construction Banihal-Katra railway line in Jammu and Kashmir, as part of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line project.
      1. T-13 has been constructed to facilitate rescue work in case of an emergency.
    10. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar nominated noted former athlete PT Usha to panel of vice-chairperson in Rajya Sabha, along with YSRCP member Vijai Sai Reddy.
      1. Notably, PT Usha was also elected as president of Indian Olympic Association recently.
  2. Dec 30, 2022
    1. Govt announced completion of operationalization of 150000 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) across nation, to help strengthen country’s health infrastructure.
    2. In pursuance to request from Ministry of Law & Justice, Election Commission of India initiated delimitation exercise of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies in State of Assam, as per Section 8A of Representation of People Act 1950.
      1. Under it, ban will be imposed on creation of new administrative units in state, wef 1st January 2023, till completion of delimitation exercise in State.
      2. Census figures (2001) shall be used for readjustment of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies in State.
      3. Under Delimitation Act 1972, last delimitation of constituencies in Assam was done on basis of census figures 1971, by then Delimitation Commission in 1976.
    3. RBI Launched its Medium-term Strategy Framework for 2023-2025, titled Utkarsh 2.0.
      1. Vision in Utkarsh 2.0 includes -
        1. Excellence in performance of its functions
        2. Strengthened trust of citizens and Institutions in RBI
        3. Enhanced relevance and significance in national and global roles
        4. Transparent, accountable and ethics-driven internal governance
        5. Best-in-class and environment-friendly digital and physical infrastructure
        6. Innovative, dynamic and skilled human resources
      2. Notably, first strategy framework (Utkarsh 2022) covering 2019-2022 was launched in July 2019.
    4. 16th Edition of Indo-Nepal joint Army training Exercise SURYA KIRAN-XVI conducted at Nepal Army Battle School, Saljhandi (Nepal).
    5. Praveen Kumar Srivastava (Vigilance Commissioner) has been named as acting Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC), after Suresh N. Patel completed his term as CVC.
    6. Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated phase 1 of New Zuari Bridge in Goa, on Margao-Panaji National Highway, as country’s second longest cable-stayed Bridge with length 1.225 km. It conects North and South Goa, and will help ease traffic woes in Goa.
      1. Notably, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated 1.4 LM long four-lane bridge over river Narmada in Bharuch (Gujarat) in 2017, as longest cable-stayed bridge in India.
    7. As first such initiative, Tamil Nadu government announced Nilgiri Tahr project, aimed at restoring state animal's original habitat and stabilising its population, with 25 crores budget during 5 years.
  3. Dec 29, 2022
    1. India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (Ind-Aus ECTA) entered into force on Dec 29, 2022. Under this -
      1. Duties on 100 % tariff lines are to be eliminated by Australia, expected to boost bilateral trade to US$ 45-50 Billion in 5 years (from existing US$ 31 Billion).
      2. Indian Yoga teachers and chefs are set to gain with the annual visa quota.
      3. It is estimated that an additional 10 lakh jobs would be created in India under ECTA.
      4. Over 1 lakh Indian students would benefit from post-study work visa (1.5-4 years) under the ECTA.
    2. As per RBI Data, higher trade gap caused India's current account deficit (CAD) to widen to USD 36.4 billion (4.4 % of GDP) in Jul-Sep quarter (Q2 FY23), compared to USD 18.2 billion (2.2 % of GDP) during April-June (Q1 FY23). CAD was US$ 9.7 billion (1.3 % of GDP) a year ago.
    3. India signed $125 million loan agreement with Asian Development Bank (ADB), to help develop climate-resilient sewage collection and treatment, and drainage and water supply systems in three cities of Tamil Nadu.
      1. The financing is 3rd and last tranche of $500 million multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) for the Program approved by ADB in 2018 to build priority water supply, sewerage, and drainage infrastructure in strategic industrial corridors across 10 cities in state.
      2. Tranche 3 will cover Coimbatore, Madurai, and Thoothukudi.
    4. India-assisted Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project has been handed over to Bhutan's Druk Green Power Corp. It will increase Bhutan's Electrical Power Generation Capacity by 44 % to 2326 Mega Watts.
    5. Maharashtra assembly passed Lokayukta Bill 2022, which brings chief minister and council of ministers under ambit of the anti-corruption ombudsman. Maharashtra is first state to have such a law.
  4. Dec 28, 2022
    1. 6th Edition of Indo - Kazakhstan joint Army exercise KAZIND-22 held at Umroi (Meghalaya).
    2. Book Forks in the Road: My Days at RBI and Beyond, authored by Former RBI Governor C Rangarajan has been released.
    3. Santosh Kumar Yadav has been named Chairman of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
    4. Ganji Kamala V Rao has been named Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
    5. Anil Kumar Lahoti has been named as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Railway Board, to succeed Vinay Kumar Tripathi.
    6. Social Progress Index (SPI) for States and Districts has been released by Bibek Debroy chaired Economic Advisory Council- Prime Minister (EAC-PM) (made by Institute for Competitiveness and Social Progress Imperative) -
      1. SPI assesses states and districts on 12 components across 3 critical dimensions of social progress - Basic Human Needs, Foundations of Wellbeing, and Opportunity.
      2. Based on SPI scores, states and districts have been ranked under 6 tiers of social progress, ranging from Very High Social Progress (Tier 1) to Very Low (Tier 6).
      3. Among States / UTs -
        1. Tier-I (Very High Social Progress) - Puducherry (1), Lakshadweep (2), Goa (3)
        2. Tier-VI (Very Low Social Progress) - Jharkhand (36), Bihar (35), Assam (34)
      4. Among Districts -
        1. Top 3 - Aizawl (Mizoram), Solan (Himachal Pradesh), Shimla (Himachal Pradesh).
  5. Dec 27, 2022
    1. Dec 27 is observed as International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, observed by United Nations since 2020.
    2. Indian cyclist Swasti Singh has been honoured with 30th Ekalabya Puraskar for year 2022, conferred by IMFA's charitable wing IMPaCT. Award includes cash prize of 5 lakh.
    3. Credit information company TransUnion Cibil launched a ranking system called FIT Rank for MSME borrowers, to help deepen credit flow to small businesses and help lenders avoid bad loans. It has been launched in association with Online PSB Loans.
    4. As per London-based consultancy Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), India will become third largest economy by 2037, and will attain size of $10-trillion economy by 2035.
      1. Report says that world is moving towards recession. However, annual rate of India's GDP growth is to average 6.4% over 5 years, and 6.5% in subsequent 9 years.
  6. Dec 26, 2022
    1. Pushpa Kamal Dahal has been named Nepal's Prime Minister, for his 3rd term.
    2. Dec 26 is marked as Veer Bal Diwas, to mark martyrdom of sons of Sri Guru Gobind Singh - Sahibzadas Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji. It was marked by Govt in Jan 2022.
      1. On Dec 26 in 1704, Guru Gobind Singh's two sons Sahibzada Fateh Singh and Zorawar Singh Ji, were bricked alive in wall by Mughal Governor Wazir Khan, under rule of Cruel Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. They were killed after refusing a safe passage on converting to Islam.
      2. Wazir Khan was beheaded by a Sikh Khalsa warrior named Fateh Singh, during Battle of Chappar Chiri, in May 1710.
    3. As per FIFA's 2022 world rankings -
      1. Top 3 - Brazil (1), Argentina (2), France (3).
      2. India ranks 106th in List.
    4. Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud constituted a committee headed by SC judge S Ravindra Bhat, to conduct an audit of "physical and functional access" of Supreme court premises, to make them disabled friendly.
    5. Atal Incubation Centre - Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (AIC-BARC) has been launched at BARC (Mumbai), to boost incubation of prominent DAE technologies for societal and industrial applications.
      1. Established under aegis of NITI Aayog's AIM, AIC-BARC has been setup as one of three Aatma Nirbhar projects of DAE, in consonance with 2020 Budget Speech.
      2. AIC-BARC will complement Aatma Nirbhar Bharat initiative, to promote start-ups.
    6. Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards honored 2 IIT Madras courses -
      1. BS in Data Science and Applications programme earned Silver in category of Best Online Program.
      2. National Program on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) won Gold award in category of Lifelong Learning. NPTEL is conducted jointly with IISC Bangalore.
    7. Three new cultural sites, including Sun Temple at Modhera (Gujarat), historic Vadnagar town (Gujarat) and rock-cut relief sculptures of Unakoti (Tripura), have been added to tentative list of UNESCO world heritage sites.
      1. UNESCO describes a tentative list as an inventory of those properties which each State Party intends to consider for nomination.
  7. Dec 25, 2022
    1. Dec 25 - Birth Anniversary of Former PM and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It is observed as Good Governance Day in India, since 2014.
      1. On this occasion, Prabhu Chandra Mishra has been honoured with Atal Samman Award (Atal Anveshi Shikhar Samman), for his work in Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, as a great cure for infertility.
      2. Dec 25 is also Birth anniversary of Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya,  noted educationist and independence activist.
    2. Sitiveni Rabuka has been elected as Prime Minister of Oceanic nation Fiji.
    3. World Bank Group member International Finance Corporation (IFC) extended USD 400 million loan to Indian mortgage firm HDFC, for financing green affordable housing units, as part of efforts towards supporting climate goals.
    4. Spain passed new transgender law, allowing individuals over age of 16 years to change their legally recorded gender without need for medical supervision.
    5. Under Forbes' World's Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2022 -
      1. Indian badminton player PV Sindhu is only Indian player in List, with 7 million USD earnings.
      2. Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka tops the list, with 51.1 million USD earnings. This is Naomi's 3rd consecutive year of topping the list.
  8. Dec 24, 2022
    1. Dec 24 is observed as National Consumer Day in India. Consumer Protection Act 1986 was enacted on 24th December, 1986. On this occasion -
      1. Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal launched several initiatives including right to repair portal and an NTH mobile app.
        1. On right to repair portal, manufacturers will share manual of product details with customers so that they can either repair by self, by third parties, rather than depend on original manufacturers. Initially, mobile phones, electronic, consumer durables, automobile and farming equipment will be covered.
      2. Consumer Affairs Department and IIT (BHU) Varanasi signed MOU and launched a capacity building programme of consumer commissions.
    2. Mormugao, the second ship of Project 15B stealth guided missile destroyers, has been commissioned into Indian Navy Service. It has been built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL).
      1. Contract for four ships of Project 15B was signed in 2011, as a follow-on of Kolkata class (Project 15A) destroyers commissioned in last decade.
      2. Lead ship of Project 15B - INS Visakhapatnam has already been commissioned into Indian Navy.
      3. Other two ships under Project 15B - Imphal & Surat, have been launched, and are awaiting delivery to Indian Navy.
    3. Indian Railways issued Letter of Award (LoA) for Manufacturing and Maintenance of 9000 HP Electric Freight Locomotives to Siemens India.
      1. Under it, Railways factory at Dahod (Gujarat) will manufacture 1200 high horse power (9000 HP) electric locomotives over 11 years, along with maintenance of these locomotives for 35 years. Estimated value of contract is 26000 Crores.
      2. Technological partner Siemens will manufacture these locomotives at Dahod and maintain these locomotives at four maintenance depots - Vishakhapatnam, Raipur, Kharagpur, Pune for 35 years.
      3. These High Horse Power (9000 HP) locomotives will be used primarily on Western DFC and on graded sections of Railways, to improve average speed of such trains to around 50-60 kmph over existing 20-25 kmph. This jump in operating parameters will lead to increase in throughput and enhanced line capacity.
    4. Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2021-22 has been jointly won by Sudeep Sen for his genre and formbender Anthropocene Climate Change, Contagion, Consolation and Shobhana Kumar for her haibun collection A Sky Full of Bucket Lists.
      1. Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize is a literary honour in India conferred annually to published works of Indian authors in novel, short stories, poetry and drama, originally written in any of Indian official languages and dialects, but translated to English.
      2. It was founded in 2018 by US-based independent and non-profit publishing house Maitreya Publishing Foundation. Winners receive USD 10000 as prize money.
      3. Also Notably, TagorePrize for Social Achievement 2021-22 was awarded to Sanjoy K. Roy, for his outstanding work towards philanthropy, literature and arts. Roy is MD of Teamwork Arts, and a producer of several art festivals across world including iconic Jaipur Literature Festival.
    5. Indian scientist Thalappil Pradeep (IIT Madras) received VinFuture prize (under Developing Country Innovator category) in Hanoi (Vietnam) for innovation of a low-cost filtration system to remove arsenic and other heavy metals from groundwater.
      1. VinFuture Prize (established in 2021) honors remarkable scientific breakthroughs and promotes innovations for mankind. It is first influential and worldwide prize to be founded in Vietnam, hosted by VinFuture Foundation.
    6. 1st K R Gouri Amma national award has been given to Cuban social activist Aleida Guevara.
      1. Award is instituted by K R Gouri Amma Foundation, commemorating K R Gouri, noted activist from Kerala.
  9. Dec 23, 2022
    1. Dec 23 is observed as National Farmers Day in India, to commemorate birth anniversary of 5th Prime Minister of India, Choudhary Charan Singh.
      1. He was a farmer’s leader and introduced many policies to improve lives of farmers. The day is observed since 2001.
    2. Cabinet Approvals (Dec 23, 2022) -
      1. General -
        1. Approved revision of pension of Armed Forces Pensioners under One Rank One Pension (OROP) w.e.f. July 01, 2019.
          1. Armed Forces Personnel retired up to June 30, 2019 to be covered.
          2. Over 25.13 lakh to be benefitted Rs 23,638 crore to be paid as arrears from July 2019 to June 2022.
      2. CCEA -
        1. Approved Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for copra for 2023 season.
          1. MSP for Fair Average Quality of milling copra has been fixed at 10860 per quintal (increase of 270) and for ball copra at 11750 per quintal (hike of 750), to ensure margin of over 50 % over all India weighted average cost of production.
    3. Former Supreme Court judge Hemant Gupta has been named chairperson of New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC).
    4. Assam cabinet approved proposal for grant of industrial status to tourism sector in state, to boost growth in tourism sector.
    5. UN Security Council adopted its first ever resolution on Myanmar, to demand an end to violence and urge military junta to release all political prisoners, including ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
      1. Notably, India, Russia and China abstained from voting on this resolution criticising Myanmar’s military regime.
    6. Winter Session of Parliament 2022 -
      1. Notable Info disseminated during the session -
        1. Govt extended PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme beyond March 2022, with given provisions -
          1. Extension of lending period till December 2024.
          2. Introduction of 3rd loan of upto ₹50,000 in addition to 1st & 2nd loans of ₹10,000 and ₹20,000 respectively.
          3. To extend ‘SVANidhi Se Samriddhi’ component for all beneficiaries of PM SVANidhi scheme across the country.
        2. Govt extended Rooftop Solar Programme till 31-03-2026, which aims to achieve a cumulative installed capacity of 40000 MW from Grid Connected Rooftop Solar (RTS) projects.
          1. Central Financial Assistance (CFA)/Subsidy is provided to the residential electricity consumers under Component-A and incentives are provided to DISCOMs under Component-B of this programme.
          2. Subsidy under National Portal has been fixed at Rs. 14588/ per kW (for capacity upto 3 kW) for entire country.
        3. Govt. operationally merged Ministry of Food Processing Industries's One District One Product (ODOP) initiative with Districts as Export Hub (DEH) initiative of Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
        4. Government is setting up Hub for Empowerment of Women (HEW) at National, State and District levels under ‘Samarthya’ sub-scheme of ‘Mission Shakti, an Umbrella Scheme for safety, security and empowerment of women.
        5. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) launched a portal namely GHAR - GO Home and Re-Unite (Portal for Restoration and Repatriation of Child), to digitally monitor and track restoration and repatriation of children.
        6. Govt announced to launch a Digital India Innovation Fund that will support deeptech startups.
        7. India plans to commission 20 nuclear power plants by 2031, adding 15000 MW in power generating capacity.
        8. Govt renamed Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Ko Kaam Karyakram (PMKKK) as Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) Scheme. The integrated scheme converges five erstwhile schemes of the Ministry - Seekho aur Kamao, USTTAD, Hamari Dharohar, Nai Roshni and Nai Manzil.
        9. India gained from 7th to 3rd in global scientific publications and scholarly output (After China and USA).
        10. India’s 1st human space flight mission, Gaganyaan, is targeted to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2024.
        11. Recently launched Amrit Bharat Station Scheme aims at upgradation/modernisation of 1275 stations on Indian Railways.
        12. As per Govt data - Meghalaya tops across country in terms of average monthly income per agricultural household (Rs 29,348), followed by Punjab (26701), Haryana (22841), Arunachal Pradesh (19225) and Jammu and Kashmir (18918).
        13. Govt has put in additional 5000 crores into SWAMIH Invest Fund-I (Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing), which is India’s largest social impact fund specifically formed for completing stressed and stalled residential projects.
          1. Sponsored by Ministry of Finance and managed by SBICAP Ventures Ltd, this Fund has raised 15530 crores so far, to provide priority debt financing for completion of stressed residential projects in affordable, mid-income housing category.
      2. 9 Bills Passed by Both houses (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) -
        1. Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill 2022 -
          1. Bill amends Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972, regulates protection of wild animals, birds and plants.
          2. Bill seeks to increase species protected under the law, and implement the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
          3. Key Features -
            1. CITES -
              1. It is an international agreement between governments to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.   Under CITES, plant / animal specimens are classified into three categories, based on threat to their extinction.
              2. CITES requires countries to regulate trade of all listed specimens through permits.  It also seeks to regulate possession of live animal specimens.
              3. Bill seeks to implement these provisions of CITES.
            2. Rationalising schedules -
              1. Currently, Act has six schedules for specially protected plants (one), specially protected animals (four), and vermin species (one).  Vermin are small animals that carry disease and destroy food. Bill reduces the total number of schedules to four, by reducing number of schedules for specially protected animals to 2, removes schedule for vermin species, and inserts a new schedule for specimens listed under CITES.
            3. Obligations under CITES -
              1. Bill enable government to designate a Management Authority, which grants export or import permits for trade of specimens, and Scientific Authority, which gives advice on aspects related to impact on the survival of the specimens being traded.  
              2. As per CITES, Management Authority may use an identification mark for a specimen. Bill prohibits any person from modifying / removing identification mark of specimen.
            4. Invasive alien species -
              1. Bill empowers government to regulate import, trade, possession or proliferation of invasive alien species. Invasive alien species refers to plant or animal species which are not native to India and whose introduction may adversely impact wild life or its habitat.  
            5. Control of sanctuaries -
              1. Act entrusts state government appointed Chief Wild Life Warden to control, manage and maintain all sanctuaries in a state.
              2. Bill specifies that actions of Chief Warden must be in accordance with management plans for sanctuary.  
              3. These plans will be prepared as per guidelines of central government, and as approved by Chief Warden. For sanctuaries in special areas, management plan must be prepared after due consultation with concerned Gram Sabha.  
                1. Special areas include a Scheduled Area or areas where Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 is applicable.
            6. Conservation reserves -
              1. Under Act, state governments may declare areas adjacent to national parks and sanctuaries as a conservation reserve, for protecting flora and fauna, and their habitat. Bill empowers central government to also notify a conservation reserve.
            7. Surrender of captive animals -
              1. Bill provides for any person to voluntarily surrender any captive animals or animal products to Chief Wild Life Warden. No compensation will be paid to person for surrendering such items. Surrendered items become property of the state government.
        2. Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill 2022 -
          1.  Bill amends the Energy Conservation Act 2001 to empower the central government to specify a carbon credit trading scheme.  Key Features -
            1. Bill empowers central government to specify a carbon credit trading scheme. Carbon credit implies a tradeable permit to produce a specified amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse emissions.
            2. Obligation to use non-fossil sources of energy - Act empowers govt to specify energy consumption standards.  Bill adds that govt may require designated consumers to meet a minimum share of energy consumption from non-fossil sources. Different consumption thresholds may be specified for different non-fossil sources and consumer categories.  Failure to meet this obligation will be punishable with a penalty of up to 10 lakh.
            3. Energy conservation code for buildings - Act empowers govt to specify Energy Conservation Code for buildings. Code prescribes energy consumption standards in terms of area. Bill amends this to provide for an Energy Conservation and Sustainable Building Code, which will provide norms for energy efficiency and conservation, use of renewable energy, and other requirements for green buildings.
              1. Under the Act, energy conservation code applies to commercial buildings erected after notification of the Code, and having minimum connected load of 100 kilowatt (kW) or contract load of 120 kilo volt ampere (kVA). Under Bill, the new Energy Conservation and Sustainable Building Code will also apply to office and residential buildings meeting the above criteria. Bill also empowers state governments to lower the load thresholds.
            4. Standards for vehicles and vessels - Under the Act, the energy consumption standards may be specified for equipment and appliances which consume, generate, transmit, or supply energy.  Bill expands the scope to include vehicles and vessels.
            5. Act provides for setting up of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), with governing council of 20 - 26 members. Bill amends this to provide that number of members will be between 31 - 37.  It increases number of secretaries to 12, and provides for up to 7 members representing industries and consumers.
            6. Notably, Government has set a target to raise the share of natural gas in energy mix to 15% in 2030 from about 6.3% now.
        3. New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (Amendment) Bill 2022 -
          1. It amends New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Act 2019, which provides for setting up New Delhi International Arbitration Centre and designates it as an institute of national importance. The New Delhi International Arbitration Centre replaced the International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution.
          2. Key features of the Bill -
            1. Bill renames New Delhi International Arbitration Centre as India International Arbitration Centre.
            2. Act requires Arbitration Centre to strive to facilitate conduct of international and domestic arbitration and conciliation. Bill expands this to include conduct of other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
            3. Act allows central government to provide for removing any difficulties in implementing the Act up to two years from the date of commencement of the Act. Bill extends this time period to five years.
        4. The Appropriation (No.4) Bill, 2022
        5. The Appropriation (No.5) Bill, 2022
        6. Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill 2022 -
          1. Bill provides for prevention of maritime piracy and prosecution of persons for such piracy related crimes. It will apply to all parts of sea adjacent to and beyond limits of Exclusive Economic Zone of India. EEZ refer to area of sea to which India has exclusive rights for economic activities.
          2. An act of piracy will be punishable with imprisonment for life or death, if act of piracy includes attempted murder, or causes death.  Offences will be considered extraditable.  This means that the accused can be transferred to any country for prosecution with which India has signed an extradition treaty.
          3. Seizure may be carried out only by Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard or ships / aircrafts on government service.
          4. Govt may notify Sessions Courts to be Designated Courts under this Bill. 
          5. Court will not have jurisdiction over offences committed on a foreign ship, unless an intervention is requested by country of origin of ship, ship owner, or any other person on ship. Warships and government ships employed for non-commercial purposes will not be under jurisdiction of Court.
        7. Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Second Amendment) Bill 2022 -
          1. Bill seeks to amend Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) (Uttar Pradesh) Order 1967 (ST Order) and Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order 1950 (SC Order) with respect to its application to Uttar Pradesh.
          2.  Bill amends SC order to exclude Gond community as a Scheduled Caste in four districts of Uttar Pradesh - Chandauli, Kushinagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, and Sant Ravidas Nagar. It amends the ST order to recognise Gond community as a Scheduled Tribe in these four districts.
        8. Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Second Amendment) Bill 2022 -
          1. Bill seeks to amend Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order 1950, with respect to its application to Tamil Nadu.   The Order lists the tribal communities deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in states and union territories.
          2.  Bill includes Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes in Tamil Nadu. 
        9. Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fourth Amendment) Bill 2022 -
          1. Bill seeks to amend Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, with respect to its application to Karnataka.  The Order lists the tribal communities deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in states and union territories.
          2.  Bill includes Betta-Kuruba as a synonym for the Kadu Kuruba community in the list of Scheduled Tribes in Karnataka.
      3. Bills Introduced in Lok Sabha (Currently in pending state) -
        1. Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2022 -
          1. Bill amends Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, with respect to its application to Chhattisgarh.  The Order lists the tribal communities deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in states and union territories.
          2. Bill includes the Dhanuhar, Dhanuwar, Kisan, Saunra, Saonra, and Binjhia communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes in Chhattisgarh.  
        2. Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill 2022 -
          1. Bill seeks to amend Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order 1950, with respect to its application to Himachal Pradesh.  The Order lists the tribal communities deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in states and union territories.
          2. Bill includes the Hattee community of Trans Giri area of Sirmour district in the list of Scheduled Tribes in Himachal Pradesh. 
        3. Repealing and Amending Bill 2022 -
          1. It seeks to repeal 65 laws that are obsolete or that have been made redundant by other laws.  It also corrects a minor drafting error in the Factoring Regulation Act 2011.
          2. Repeal - First Schedule of the Bill lists 24 laws that would be repealed.  Of these, 16 are amending Acts, and two are from before 1947.
          3. Repeal of Appropriation Acts - 2nd Schedule of Bill lists 41 Appropriation Acts that would be repealed.  These include 18 Appropriation Acts for the Railways.   These Acts span the years from 2013 to 2017.
        4. Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2022 -
          1. It amends 42 Acts to reduce compliance burden on individuals and businesses and ensure ease of doing business.   Some notable Acts that are amended by the Bill include Indian Post Office Act 1898, Environment (Protection) Act 1986, Public Liability Insurance Act 1991, and Information Technology Act 2000.
          2. Under the Bill, several offences with an imprisonment term in certain Acts have been decriminalised by imposing only a monetary penalty. Such as -
            1. Under Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act 1937, counterfeiting grade designation marks is punishable with imprisonment of up to 3 years and fine of up to 5000.  Bill replaces this with a penalty of eight lakh rupees.
            2. Under IT Act 2000, disclosing personal information in breach of a lawful contract is punishable with imprisonment of up to 3 years, or a fine of up to 500000. Bill replaces this with a penalty of up to 25 lakh rupees.
            3. Under Patents Act 1970, a person selling a falsely represented article as patented in India is subject to a fine of up to 1 lakh. Bill replaces the fine with a penalty, which may be up to ten lakh rupees.
          3. Bill increases fines and penalties for various offences in specified Acts. Further, these fines and penalties will be increased by 10% of the minimum amount every three years.
          4. As per the Bill, govt may appoint adjudicating officer(s) for determining penalties. These Acts include Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act 1937, Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981, Environment (Protection) Act 1986, and Public Liability Insurance Act 1991.
          5. Bill also specifies appellate mechanisms for any person aggrieved by order passed by an adjudicating officer. For instance, in Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, appeals may be filed with National Green Tribunal within 60 days from the order.   
        5. Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill 2022 -
          1. It amends Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act 2002.
          2. Election of board members -
            1. Under the Act, elections to board of a multi-state co-operative society are conducted by its existing board.
            2. Bill amends this to specify that the central government will establish Co-operative Election Authority to conduct such elections and perform other related prescribed functions.
            3. Authority will consist of a chairperson, vice-chairperson, and up to three members appointed by central government.
          3. Redressal of complaints -
            1. As per the Bill, govt will appoint one or more Co-operative Ombudsman with territorial jurisdiction, to inquire into complaints made by members of co-operative societies. Ombudsman shall complete the process of inquiry and adjudication within three months from receipt of complaint.  Appeals against directions of Ombudsman may be filed with Central Registrar within a month.
          4. Amalgamation of co-operative societies -
            1. Act provides for amalgamation and division of multi-state co-operative societies, by passing a resolution at a general assembly.  
            2. Bill allows co-operative societies to merge into an existing multi-state co-operative society.
          5. Fund for sick co-operative societies -
            1. Bill establishes Co-operative Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Development Fund for revival of sick multi-state co-operative societies. Govt may also prepare a scheme for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the society.
            2. Fund shall be financed by multi-state co-operative societies that are in profit for preceding 3 financial years. They will deposit either one crore rupees or 1 % of net profit into the Fund, whichever is less. 
          6. Specified co-operative societies -
            1. Under the Act, govt may give directions and supersede boards of specified multi-state co-operative societies, where central government has shareholding of at least 51%.  
            2. Bill amends this definition to include any multi-state co-operative society where the government has any shareholding, or has extended any loan, financial assistance, or guarantee.
          7. Composition of board of directors -
            1. Under the Act, board of a multi-state co-operative society will have a maximum of 21 directors.  
            2. Bill amends the composition of the board of directors to mandate inclusion of one Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe member, and two women members.
          8. Increasing penalties -
            1. Under the Act, certain offences by a multi-state co-operative society or its officer or member include making false returns, furnishing false information, or disobeying any summons are offences.  Fine for such offences extends from Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000.  
            2. Bill adds that the failure to file any return or information will also be an offence.  Fine for all these offences will extend from 5000 - 1 lakh. 
  10. Dec 22, 2022
    1. Dec 22 is observed as National Mathematics Day in India, to commemorate birth anniversary of Legendary Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.
      1. He contributed greatly to mathematics and is also known for Hardy-Ramanujan number- ‘1729’, which is smallest number which can be represented as sum of two different cubes in two different ways.
    2. Indian Navy launched Arnala (built by GRSE Kolkata), first of 16 anti-submarine warfare vessels being built under Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft project.
      1. Under this project, 8 ships are being made by each of Cochin Shipyard (CSL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).
      2. ASW SWC project consists 16 planned ships, with over 80% indigenous content. Notably, Keel laying of two warships (Yard 3033 and Yard 3036) of Anti-submarine Warfare Shallow Craft (ASW SWC) project was also undertaken recently by GRSE (Kolkata).
    3. As per 4th cycle of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) -
      1. Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) achieved best Grades across country (3.89 out of 4), followed by Amristar-based Guru Nanak Dev University (3.85).
      2. GNDU is only state/central/private university in India to achieve A++ grade, which will be valid for the next seven years. GNDU has improved its grade from 3.51 to 3.85 from the last accreditation cycle, which was done in 2014.
    4. Sethrichem Sangtam has been awarded first Rohini Nayyar prize for outstanding contribution to rural development, for helping increase income of 1200 marginalised farmers in Eastern Nagaland.
      1. The prize commemorates Rohini Nayyar, an eminent scholar known for working on issues related to rural development in India.
    5. Bollywood Actor Shah Rukh Khan is only Indian actor to be named in British Magazine Empire's coveted list of 50 Greatest Actors of all Time.
    6. Notable awards under 28th Kolkata International Film Festival -
      1. Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award for Best Film - Upon Entry (Spanish Film) and The Golden Wings of Watercocks (Bangladeshi art film)
      2. Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award for Best Director - Ernesto Ardito, Virna Molina for Hitler's Witch (Argentine film).
  11. Dec 21, 2022
    1. International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Champions 2022 -
      1. Men's - Rafael Nadal (Spain). Its his 5th men's title after 2008, 2010, 2017 and 2019.
      2. Women's - Iga Świątek (Poland).
    2. US Space Agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and French space agency Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) jointly launched Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) spacecraft, to remain operational for 3 years.
      1. Objectives of the mission are to make first global survey of the Earth's surface water, to observe fine details of ocean surface topography, and measure how terrestrial surface water bodies change over time.
      2. While past satellite missions like Jason series altimeters (TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1/2/3) provided variation in river and lake water surface elevations at select locations, SWOT will provide first truly global observations of changing water levels, stream slopes, and inundation extents in rivers, lakes, and floodplains.
    3. As per 2022 Global Food Security Index (GFSI) report released by British weekly The Economist -
      1. Global Food Security Index shows deterioration in global food environment for the third year, threatening food security.
      2. Top 3 - Finland (1), Ireland (2), Norway (3)
      3. Bottom 3 - Syria (113), Haiti (112), Yemen (111)
      4. India ranks 68th (along with Algeria).
      5. Neighbors - China (25), Pakistan (84), Bangladesh (80), Sri Lanka (79).
    4. Book The Indian Navy@75 Reminiscing the Voyage, by Ranjit B Rai has been released.
    5. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma launched 2nd version of Orunodoi flagship scheme of state government, aimed at providing financial security to financially disadvantaged families. It would benefit up to 27 lakh people (over 10 lakh added in phase 2), with minimum cash assistance of Rs 1250 per month.
      1. Existing beneficiaries of Deen Dayal Divyangan Pension Yojana and Indira Miri Widow Pension Scheme would be subsumed under Orunodoi from Phase 2 onwards, along with transgenders.
  12. Dec 20, 2022
    1. General News / Events (Dec 11-20, 2022) -
      1. India Water Impact Summit (IWIS) 2022 organised at New Delhi.
      2. State Forest department (in association with Noolpuzha grama panchayat) launched Vanikaran (afforestation) project, to root out invasive plants and restore natural forests.
      3. France hosted an International conference Standing with the Ukrainian People in Paris, to coordinate international support for civilian resilience in Ukraine amid war.
      4. Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud inaugurated 10 district court digitisation hubs (DCDH) in Odisha, taking number of DCDHs in state to 15.
    2. Dec 20 is observed as International Human Solidarity Day, proclaimed by UN in 2005.
    3. European Union adopted a plan for a global minimum 15% tax on big businesses, aiming to stop governments racing to cut taxes in a bid to attract companies, and even the playing field.
      1. The plan has been drawn up under Pillar 2 of OECD’s agreement for reform of international taxation. The first pillar primarily targets digital giants by providing for taxation of companies where they make their profits.
  13. Dec 19, 2022
    1. FIFA Football World Cup 2022 (Qatar) -
      1. Argentina won the title (their 3rd), defeating France in Final. Croatia remained at 3rd place, followed by Morocco (4th).
        1. French player Kylian Mbappé became first player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, since Geoff Hurst in 1966 final.
        2. Awards -
          1. Golden Boot (Most Goals) - Kylian Mbappé (France), for scoring most goals (8) during the tournament.
          2. Golden Ball (Player of the Tournament) - Lionel Messi (Argentina).
          3. Best young player - Enzo Fernández (Argentina)
          4. Best goalkeeper (Golden Glove) - Emiliano Martínez (Argentina)
      2. About -
        1. It was first World Cup held in Arab world, and second held entirely in Asia after 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan.
        2. While 2022 Edition was contested by 32 teams, the 2026 edition will see participation of 48 teams.
        3. With 172 goals, 2022 edition has set a new record for the highest number of goals scored in a FIFA World Cup.
        4. Indian Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar attended the inauguration ceremony of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
        5. Stephanie Frappart of France became first woman to referee a men’s’ World Cup match, during FIFA 2022.
    2. Dec 19 is Goa Liberation Day, which was liberated on December 19 in 1961 under operation Vijay, after around 450 years of Portuguese rule.
    3. Actress Sonakshi Sinha has been named PETA India’s 2022 Person of the Year, for her work in saving lives of many animals killed for various reasons.
    4. Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari launched India's first surety bond insurance (from Bajaj Allianz General Insurance), to improve participation by contractors in project bids, freeing up of collaterals to support working capital requirements.
      1. A surety bond is a risk transfer tool for Principal and shields Principal from losses that may arise in case the contractor fails to perform their obligations.
  14. Dec 18, 2022
    1. December 18 is observed as International Migrants Day, marked by UN in December. It marks adoption of International Convention on Protection of Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, adopted by UN on 18 December, 1990.
      1. Dec 18 is also observed as Minorities Rights Day in India.
      2. Dec 18 is also observed as UN Arabic Language Day.
    2. Inter Services affiliation of Mahar Regiment of Indian Army and 8 Squadron of Indian Air Force signed at Air Force Station Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh).
      1. Mahar Regiment of Indian Army was raised on 01 October 1941, and 8 Squadron Air Force was raised on 01 December 1942.
    3. 15th meeting of Conference of Parties (COP 15) to Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held at Montreal (Canada), attended by Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on India’s Behalf. Nations adopted a global framework to protect biodiversity, incluidng 4 Goals, 23 Targets for 2030.
      1. Notable Targets -
        1. Effective conservation of at least 30% of world’s lands, inland waters, coastal areas and oceans, with emphasis on areas of particular importance for biodiversity.
        2. Have restoration completed or underway on at least 30% of degraded terrestrial, inland waters, and coastal and marine ecosystems.
        3. Reduce to near zero the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance,including ecosystems of high ecological integrity.
        4. Cut global food waste in half and significantly reduce over consumption and waste generation.
        5. Phase out / reform by 2030 subsidies that harm biodiversity by at least $500 billion per year, while scaling up positive incentives for biodiversity’s sustainable use.
        6. Mobilize by 2030 at least $200 billion per year in domestic and international biodiversity-related funding from all sources – public and private.
        7. Raise financial flows from developed to developing countries, to at least US$ 20 billion per year by 2025, and to at least US$ 30 billion per year by 2030.
      2. During the conference, United Nations released list of top 10 World Restoration Flagship projects to revive natural world, notably Including India's Namami Gange initiative to rejuvenate sacred River Ganga.
        1. Projects are selected under banner of UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a global movement coordinated by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
    4. Notable Points from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Meghalaya and Tripura -
      1. Meghalaya -
        1. To boost telecom connectivity, PM dedicated 4G mobile towers, of which more than 320 have been completed and around 890 are under construction.
        2. Inaugurated Integrated Beekeeping Development Centre in Meghalaya to improve livelihood of beekeeping farmers.
        3. Laid foundation stone of Integrated Hospitality and Convention Centre at Tura and Shillong Technology Park Phase -II, to provide over 3000 jobs.
      2. Tripura -
        1. Launched Grih Pravesh programme for 2 lakh beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban / Rural, developed at cost over 3400 crores.
        2. Inaugurated State Institute of Hotel Management at Anandnagar and Agartala Government Dental College.
  15. Dec 17, 2022
    1. 48th GST Meeting Highlights (Presided by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman) -
      1. Higher rate of compensation cess of 22% is applicable to motor vehicle fulfilling all four conditions (known as SUV (Sport Utility Vehicles)) - engine capacity over 1500 cc, length over 4000 mm and ground clearance over 170 mm.
      2. Decriminalization -
        1. Raised minimum threshold of tax amount for launching prosecution under GST from 1 Crore to 2 Crores, except for offence of issuance of  invoices without supply of goods/services.
        2. Reduced compounding amount from present range of 50% to 150% of tax amount to range of 25% to 100%.
      3. Facilitate e-commerce for micro enterprises - GST Council in its 47th meeting had approved allowing unregistered suppliers to make intra-state supply of goods through E-Commerce Operators (ECOs). Council has now approved amendments in GST Act and GST Rules, to enable the same. Scheme will be implemented from 01-10-2023.
    2. Tamil Nadu government mandated Aadhaar number for availing benefits under various government schemes, under Integrated financial and human management system.
    3. Tamil Nadu government initiated Friends of Library project, under which books would be directly given to those who are unable to access state-run libraries.
    4. Tamil Nadu became first state to launch its own Climate Change Mission, after setting up Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company (TNGCC), which will implement State Climate Action Plan. Earlier, state govt had launched Green Tamil Nadu Mission and Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission.
    5. 16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) (Melbourne, Australia) -
      1. Medal Table -
        1. Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
          1  United States 17 13 6 36
          2  Australia 13 8 5 26
          3  Italy 5 6 5 16
          4  Canada 3 4 7 14
          5  South Africa 3 1 1 5
      2. India could not win any medal. Notably, India's Chahat Arora set a national record in women’s 100-metre breaststroke, with timing of 1 minute 13.13 seconds.
  16. Dec 16, 2022
    1. Dec 16 is observed as Vijay Diwas, commemorating Indian victory over Pakistan in war of 1971.
      1. India fought against Pakistan helping Bangladesh obtain its freedom and won the war. It also resulted in largest Military Surrender after World War – II, when 93000 Pakistani Soldiers surrendered. On the same day, Bangladesh celebrates its independence.
    2. Japanese capital Tokyo mandated homes to be built after April 2025, to install solar power panels to cut household carbon emissions.
    3. Indian-Origin person Leo Varadkar has been named as Taoiseach (head of government, or prime minister of Ireland), for his 2nd term.
    4. India's Sargam Koushal won Mrs World 2022 title, making India win the pageant after a gap of 21 years..
    5. 1st FIH Nations Cup Hockey Title -
      1. Men's (Potchefstroom, South Africa) -
        1. South Africa won the title, defeating Ireland in Final.
      2. Women's (Valencia (Spain)) -
        1. India won the title, defeating Spain in Final.
        2. India as the winner, was promoted for 2023–24 Women's FIH Pro League.
    6. India's first infantry museum has been inaugurated in Mhow cantonment in Indore district of Madhya Pradesh.
      1. Infantry Museum covers history of Infantry from 1747 to 2020, depicting rich heritage, and sacrifice of soldiers preserved in sculptures, murals, and photo galleries.
  17. Dec 15, 2022
    1. Govt granted Geographical Indication (GI) tags to 9 new items including Gamosa of Assam, Tandur Redgram of Telangana, Raktsey Karpo Apricot of Ladakh, Alibag White Onion of Maharashtra and 5 prodcts from Kerala, taking number of Registered Geographical Indications (GI) to 432.
      1. Notably, govt recently approved 75 crores over three years for promotion of GI tagged products.
    2. As per Cost of Living Index 2022 released by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) -
      1. Average cost of living went up by 8.1 % in 2022, due to Russia-Ukraine war and effects of the pandemic.
      2. Top 5 costliest cities - New York and Singapore (1st-Tied), Tel Aviv (3), Hong Kong and Los Angeles (4th-Tied)
    3. 5th edition of Youth Co: Lab India, as Asia Pacific’s largest youth innovation movement jointly launched by Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, UNDP India, and Citi Foundation.
      1. Launched in 2019, Youth Co: Lab India aims to regionally establish a common agenda for Asia-Pacific countries to invest in and empower youth to accelerate implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
    4. Book The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times, written by Michelle Obama (Former US First Lady) has been published.
    5. Iran has been removed from United Nation’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), under a US proposal. India abstained from voting under this proposal.
      1. This came after widespread protests in Iran sparked by outrage against the edict compelling women to wear hijabs.
  18. Dec 14, 2022
    1. Dec 14 is observed as National Energy Conservation Day in India, observed by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under Ministry of Power, since 1991.
    2. New Zealand government passed a Bill to diminish use of tobacco and cigarettes. It'll ban people born after 2008 from buying cigarettes or tobacco products ever. It will mean the number of people able to buy tobacco will shrink each year.
    3. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (US) announced to have achieved a nuclear fusion breakthrough, as a step towards more clean energy and curb climate change.
      1. California based LLNL researchers for the first time produced more energy in a fusion reaction than was used to ignite it, called net energy gain. This is significant as it will pave way for advancements in clean power.
    4. Under Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), 9 developed nations (G7 along with Norway and Denmark) approved to provide Vietnam with $15.5 billion, to help it move faster from coal power to renewable energy and reach net zero emissions by 2050.
      1. About -
        1. First Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) was announced at 26th UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP 26) in Glasgow (Oct 2021), when South Africa was promised USD 8.5 billion in financing by France, Germany, UK, US, and European Union. Next approached countries were India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Senegal.
        2. At G20 Bali (Indonedia) Summit in Nov 2022, Indonesia's JETP deal was announced, promising USD 20 billion in finance over 3 - 5 years.
        3. Notably, India hasn't yet reverted over the JETP deal offered.
    5. Inflation and Trade Data for November 2022 -
      1. Wholesale price Index Based (WPI) -
        1. WPI based inflation remained at 5.85%  in November 2022, which is lowest in 21 months.
        2. WPI Inflation in last 12 months -
          1. October 2022 - 8.39 %
          2. September 2022 - 10.07 %
          3. August 2022 - 12.41 %
          4. July 2022 - 13.93 %
          5. June 2022 - 15.18 %
          6. May 2022 - 15.88 % (30 Year High)
          7. April 2022 - 15.08 %
          8. March 2022 - 14.55 %
          9. Feb 2022 - 13.11 %
          10. Jan 2022 - 12.96 %
          11. Dec 2021 - 13.56 %
          12. Nov 2021 - 14.23 %
      2. Consumer Price Index (CPI) Based (retail inflation) -
        1. CPI-based inflation rate for November 2022 fell to 5.88 % to, compared to 6.77 % in October 2022.
        2. CPI Inflation in Last 12 Months -
          1. October 2022 - 6.77 %
          2. September 2022 - 7.41 %
          3. August 2022 - 7.01 %
          4. July 2022 - 6.71 %
          5. June 2022 - 7.01 %
          6. May 2022 - 7.04%
          7. April 2022 - 7.79 % (8 Year High)
          8. March 2022 - 6.95 %
          9. Feb 2022 - 6.07 %
          10. Jan 2022 - 6.01 %
          11. Dec 2021 - 5.66 %
          12. Nov 2021 - 4.91 %
      3. Trade -
        1. Overall Trade in November 2022 (Merchandise + Services) -
          1. Overall Imports - 69.33
          2. Overall Exports - 58.22
          3. Overall Trade Deficit - 11.11 Billion USD
          4. Compared to Last Month (Ocotber 2022)
            1. Overall Imports - 73.00
            2. Overall Exports - 58.36
            3. Overall Trade Deficit - 14.63 Billion USD
  19. Dec 13, 2022
    1. Indian Army’s Airawat Division conducted Exercise Sanchaar Bodh in Punjab, to validate tactical communication capabilities.
    2. First ever Arab-built lunar spacecraft has been launched onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida (US).
      1. The Rashid Rover has been built by Dubai’s Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in UAE, and is being delivered by HAKUTO-R lander, engineered by Japanese lunar exploration company ispace. The mission will arrive at Moon around April 2023.
      2. Notably, This was also World’s first commercial moon launder launch, undertaken by Japanese firm ispace's HAKUTO-R lander.
    3. World Health Organization (WHO) named Noted British medical researcher Jeremy Farrar as its new Chief Scientist.
    4. To promote use of India made GPS Rival NAVigation with the Indian Constellation (NavIC), ISRO will introduce L1 frequency in all its future satellites.
      1. 7 satellites in NavIC constellation currently use two frequencies for providing positioning data - L5 and S bands. However, most mobile System on Chips (SoCs) and wearable devices support L1 band.
      2. To overcome this, ISRO announced that new satellites from NVS-01 onwards which are meant to replace these satellites will also have L1 frequency.
    5. HDFC Bank launched its sixth annual grants program for social startups in partnership with Govt’s flagship initiative Startup India. Known as Parivartan SmartUp Grants, it aims to identify startups working in social impact space and support them through monetary grants.
  20. Dec 12, 2022
    1. Govt named Krishnakumar Gopalan as CMD of Maharatna PSU Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL).
    2. Dec 12 is observed as UN Universal Health Coverage Day, designated by UN in 2017. 2022 theme is Build the world we want: A healthy future for all.
      1. The day marks anniversary of UN’ unanimous endorsement of universal health coverage (UHC) and providing affordable, quality health care in 2012. On 12 December 2017, UN proclaimed 12 December as International Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day).
      2. Dec 12 is also observed as UN International Day of Neutrality, proclaimed by UN in 2017.
    3. As per 2022 Hurun Global 500 list -
      1. Nations -
        1. India, with 20 of most valuable companies, has moved to 5th position among countries that are home to world’s top 500 firms. Last year, India ranked 9th. India added 8 companies in list in one year.
        2. Top 5 - USA (260), China (35), Japan (28), UK (21), India & Canada (20).
      2. Companies -
        1. Apple Retained Title of Most Valuable Company in World (US$2.4 Trillion), followed by Microsoft ($1.8 Tn), Alphabet ($1.3 Tn) & Amazon ($1.2 Tn).
        2. Top 3 Indian Companies -
          1. Reliance ($202 bn), Tata Consultancy Services ($139 bn), HDFC Bank ($97 bn).
      3. Cities -
        1. Ahmedabad in India remained fastest-growing city in the world for G500 companies, with four of Adani Group companies making to the list.
    4. US Treasury printed its first banknotes (of $1 & $5 Denomination) bearing two women’s signatures - Secretary (Finance Minister) Janet Yellen and Treasurer Lynn Malerba.
      1. Lynn Malerba is also first Native American to serve as US Treasury Chief (also called treasurer).
    5. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated India's first chartered gateway, and a business jet terminal at Cochin International Airport, making Cochin airport 4th airport in country to operate a private jet terminal.
      1. He also declared a seed farm, located in Aluva, as first carbon neutral farm in country.
  21. Dec 11, 2022
    1. Noted Former athlete PT Usha has been named new chief of Indian Olympic Association (IOA), as well as its first woman president.
    2. Joint India-Australia Army exercise AUSTRA HIND 22 held at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan.
    3. India - Malaysia joint Army Exercise Harimau Shakti 2022 held at Kluang (Malaysia).
    4. University Grants Commission (UGC) announced to observe Dec 11 annually as Bharatiya Bhasha Divas, across higher educational institutions in Country.
    5. Dec 11 is observed as UN International Mountain Day, being observed since 2003. 2022 Theme is Women move mountains.
      1. Dec 11 is also formation day of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), established on this day in 1946.
  22. Dec 10, 2022
    1. Notable Points from PM Narendra Modi's Visit to Goa and Maharashtra -
      1. Goa -
        1. Inaugurated Mopa International Airport in Goa (Named after former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar), whose foundation stone was laid by PM in November 2016. Developed at cost 2870 crores, Phase 1 of Airport will cater to around 4.4 million passengers per annum, expandable to a saturation capacity of 33 MPPA. Notably -
          1. Indigenous AI Based Intelligent Tray Retrieval System (ITRS) (Manufactured by SJK Innovations Pvt. Ltd) has been installed at Goa's MOPA Airport, to provide enhanced passenger security and advanced screening.
          2. Goa's MOPA Airport has been named Best Sustainable Greenfield Airport by ASSOCHAM.
        2. Inaugurated 3 National Ayush Institutes and attended 9th World Ayurveda Congress (Goa). Institutes are Goa-based All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Ghaziabad-based National Institute of Unani Medicine (NIUM) and Delhi based National Institute of Homoeopathy (NIH).
      2. Maharashtra -
        1. Inaugurated Phase I of Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, covering 520 Kms and connecting Nagpur and Shirdi.
          1. 701 Km Samruddhi Mahamarg or Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Expressway project, is being built at cost 55000 crores. Passing through Maharashtra’s 10 districts, it will help improve connectivity of adjoining 14 other districts.
          2. It will connect to Delhi Mumbai Expressway, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and tourist locations like Ajanta Ellora Caves, Shirdi, Verul, Lonar.
        2. Dedicated Nagpur Metro Phase I to the nation, with 2 Lines (Orange line and Aqua line), developed at cost 8650 crores. PM also laid foundation stone of Nagpur Metro Phase- II, to be developed at cost 6700 crores.
          1. Notably, Nagpur Metro created a Guinness World Record by constructing longest double-decker viaduct (metro) of length 3140 meters on Wardha Road with 3 metro stations - Chhatrapati Nagar, Jai Prakash Nagar and Ujjwal Nagar.
        3. Dedicated AIIMS Nagpur to the nation, developed with cost 1575 crores under Central sector scheme Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana.
        4. Rail Projects -
          1. Flagged off Vande Bharat Express between Nagpur and Bilaspur.
          2. Laid foundation stone for redevelopment of Nagpur Railway Station and Ajni Railway Station, with cost 590 crore and 360 crores respectively.
        5. Laid foundation stone for National Institute of One Health (NIO) Nagpur.
          1. One Health approach recognises that health of human beings is connected to health of animals and environment. The institute will collaborate with stakeholders, to improve research and capacity building in One Health approach across country.
        6. Laid foundation stone of project for pollution abatement of river Nag at Nagpur, at cost 1925 crores.
        7. Launched Centre for Research, Management and Control of Haemoglobinopathies at Chandrapur, whose foundation was laid in February 2019.
          1. The new centre will look to address issue of prevalence of Sickle Cell Disease, which is relatively high in Vidarbha region. The disease along with other haemoglobinopathies like thalassemia and HbE cause significant disease burden in country.
        8. Launched Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET) Chandrapur, aiming to develop skilled human resources to meet requirements of polymer & allied industries.
    2. General News / Events (Dec 1-10, 2022) -
      1. China organized first high-level China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation, with 19 countries from the region except for India.
      2. International Gita Mahotsav 2022 organized at Kurukshetra (Haryana).
      3. 21st World Congress of Accountants organized in Mumbai (Maharashtra).
      4. 9th World Ayurveda Congress held at Panaji (Goa).
      5. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a new train service Kashi Tamil Sangamam Express between Kashi and Tamil Nadu, to commemorate Kashi Tamil Sangamam, a month-long event organized by Ministry of Education, to reaffirm age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Varanasi.
      6. Science & Technology Minister Jitendra Singh launched One Week, One Lab countrywide campaign of CSIR. In this, each of 37 Laboratories/Institutes of CSIR across country will, one after the other in every successive week, showcase their innovations and technological breakthroughs.
      7. Election Commission of India approved name change of Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao's party from Telangana Rashtra Samithi to Bharat Rashtra Samithi.
      8. Karthigai Deepam Chariot festival held at Thiruparankundram in Madurai (Tamil Nadu).
      9. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated India’s first Drone Skilling and Training Virtual E-Learning Platform at Chennai facility of Garuda Aerospace. He also flagged off Garuda Aerospace’s drone yatra Operation 777, which will educate efficacy of drones for agricultural uses across 777 districts.
      10. 3rd Global Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance held in Oman, aiming to accelerate One Health actions on antimicrobial resistance to achieve 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
      11. International Lusophone Festival has been organized in Goa.
        1. Lusophones are people that speak Portuguese as a native or as common second language and nations where Portuguese features prominently in society.
      12. Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin inaugurated State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT)'s industrial park at Eraiyur in Tamil Nadu’s Perambalur district.
      13. On occasion of birth anniversary of Noted Indian scientist Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose (Nov 30), Ministry of Culture organized International conference on the contributions of J C Bose: A Satyagrahi Scientist, in New Delhi.
      14. Severe Cyclonic Storm Mandous struck Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of South India.
      15. World Bank launched a Toolkit on Enabling Gender Responsive Urban Mobility and Public Spaces in India, to guide Indian cities on how to design public transport that is more inclusive of women’s travelling requirements.
    3. Dec 10 is observed as International Human Rights Day. 2022 theme is Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All.
      1. On this day in 1948, Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was proclaimed by UN. Later in December 1993, UNGA announced to celebrate Human Rights Day annually.
      2. Also, Dec 10 is marked as Swahid Diwas in Assam, commemorating martyrs of Assam Movement, which was an uprising in Assam during 1979-1985, demanding Government to detect and deport outsiders from state.
    4. Earthshot prize Winners 2022 (also called Eco Oscars), presented by Queen Elizabeth II's grandson Prince William -
      1. Winners -
        1. Protect & Restore Nature - Kheyti (India)
          1. Uses Greenhouse-in-a-Box technique to protect small farms from effects of climate change.
        2. Clean Our Air -  Mukuru Clean Stoves (Kenya).
          1. Provides cleaner burning stoves that use processed biomass to reduce indoor pollution.
        3. Revive our Oceans - Indigenous Women of the Great Barrier Reef (Australia).
          1. A network of indigenous women rangers who use their knowledge and digital technologies to preserve nature.
        4. Build a Waste Free World - Notpla (United Kingdom).
          1. Produces packaging using seaweed and plants as an alternative to plastic.
        5. Fix our Climate - 44.01 (Oman).
          1. Eliminates CO2 by mineralising it in peridotite.
      2. About -
        1. Earthshot Prize is awarded to 5 winners each year for their contributions to environment, first awarded in 2021 and is planned to run annually until 2030.
        2. Each winner receives a grant of £1 million to continue their environmental work.
        3. Earthshot Prize was launched in 2020 by Prince William and David Attenborough. Winners are selected by the Earthshot Prize Council.
  23. Dec 09, 2022
    1. Dec 09 is observed as International Anti-Corruption Day, marked by United Nations in 2003. 2022 Theme is Uniting the World against Corruption. Ending corruption is important to achieve Sustainable Development Goals 16 and 17.
      1. On this occasion, US State Department of State announced awardees of 2022 Anti-corruption Champions Award -
        1. Stevan Dojcinovic (Serbia)
        2. Antonio Cervantes García (Mexico)
        3. Jean de Dieu Rakotondramihamina (Madagascar)
        4. Cynthia Gabriel (Malaysia)
        5. Rozina Islam (Bangladesh)
        6. Marco Antonio Rueda Soto (Colombia)
        7. Qismah Salih Ali Mendeli (Iraq)
        8. Janet Zhou (Zimbabwe).
    2. Cardiologist C.N. Manjunath, writer Krishnappa G. and social activist S. Shadakshari have been selected for Nadoja Award given by Kannada University.
      1. Nadoja Award is presented annually by Kannada University, to eminent personalities for their contribution in various fields. Word Nadoja belongs to Adikavi Pampa which means teacher to the Land.
    3. Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation announced winners of Jamnalal Bajaj awards 2022 -
      1. Constructive Work - Nilesh Desai (Sampark Samaj Sevi Sanstha, Madhya Pradesh)
      2. Application of Science & Technology for Rural Development - Mansukhbhai Prajapati (Mitticool Clay Creation, Gujarat)
      3. Development and Welfare of Women and Children - Sophia Shaik (Society for Weaker Community, Odisha)
      4. Promoting Gandhian Values Oustide India - Ogarit Younan & Walid Slaybi (Academic University College for Non-Violence and Human Rights Lebanon)
      5. About -
        1. Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation established in 1977, instituted four Awards, to globally propagate ideals of Jamnalal Bajaj. Each award carries Cash Prize of 10 Lakh.
    4. World Athlete of the Year awards 2022 (Conferred by World Athletics) -
      1. Winners -
        1. Men - Armand Duplantis (Swedish Pole Vaulter)
        2. Women - Sydney McLaughlin (American hurdler and sprinter)
      2. Rising Stars -
        1. Men - Erriyon Knighton (American sprinter)
        2. Women - Adriana Vilagoš (Serbian javelin thrower)
    5. Japan announced to jointly develop its next-generation fighter jet with UK and Italy, to expand defense cooperation.
      1. Japan's Mitsubishi F-X and Britain's Tempest, a successor to Eurofighter Typhoon, will be combined into next-generation combat aircraft for deployment in 2035. It will replace aging fleet of F-2 that Japan previously developed with US.
  24. Dec 08, 2022
    1. Dec 8 is observed as SAARC Charter Day, commemorating establishment of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) by Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka at First Summit meeting in Dhaka (Bangladessh). Afghanistan later joined as 8th SAARC member in 2007.
      1. On this occasion, RBI signed Currency Swap Agreement with Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) under SAARC Currency Swap Framework, to enable MMA to make withdrawals in multiple tranches up to a maximum of $200 million from RBI.
      2. Dec 8 is also observed by Indian Army as 260th Corps Day of the Army Service Corps. Indian Army Service Corps handles Army's logistic support function, set up on Dec 08, 1760.
      3. Dec 8 is also observed by Indian Navy as Submarine Day.
    2. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and the spirit of Ukraine has been titled Person of the Year 2022 by Time Magazine, for leading fight Against Russia.
    3. India will overtake Brazil to become 8th largest advertising market in 2023, as per GroupM's global end-of-year forecast.
      1. India's total advertising revenue in 2022 has grown by 15.8% to touch $14.9 billion, led by growth in digital advertising. It is expected to grow by 16.8% in 2023.
    4. Four diplomats and a US lawmaker have been honoured with annual Diwali- Power of One awards 2022.
      1. Winners -
        1. Kaha Imnadze (Former Representative of Georgia to UN)
        2. Keisha McGuire (Former Permanent Representative of Grenada to UN )
        3. Georgi Velikov Panayotov (Former Representative of Bulgaria to UN)
        4. Jean-Claude do Rego (Former Representative of Benin to UN)
        5. Eliot Lance Engel (Former Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee of US House of Representatives)
      2. Presented by Diwali Foundation USA since 2017, these honors are also known as Oscars of Diplomacy, presented to former top diplomats for helping to form a more peaceful world.
    5. As per Sweden-based Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)'s report on top 100 arms producing firms -
      1. India's HAL and BEL are named in list of top 100 companies worldwide, supplying arms totaling $5.1 billion in 2021. HAL and BEL are ranked at 42nd and 63rd places respectively.
  25. Dec 07, 2022
    1. Dec 7 is observed as Armed Forces Flag Day, being observed annually since 1949. This day marks responsibility of every citizen to take care of families and dependents of armed forces personnel.
    2. Dec 7 is observed as International Civil Aviation Day, established in 1994 and officially recognised by UN in 1996. On this day in 1944, participants from 54 nations gathered in Chicago (US), had signed Convention on International Civil Aviation, known as ‘Chicago Convention’.
    3. Govt named Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran as Chair of B20 India, to lead business agenda during India's G-20 presidency.
      1. Also, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has been appointed as B20 India Secretariat by govt.
    4. Govt named Arun Kumar Singh as CEO & Chairman of ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation).
    5. US honored Indian-American Krishna Vavilala with Presidential Lifetime Achievement (PLA) Award, for his contributions to community and country.
      1. Led by US Govt agency AmeriCorps, Presidential Lifetime Achievement (PLA) Awards honor citizens with exemplary contributions.
    6. 2022 Legislative Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh -
      1. Gujarat -
        1. Bharatiya Janata Party won 156 seats, the most ever won by any party in Gujarat's electoral history. Indian National Congress won 17 seats and Aam Aadmi Party won 5 seats.
        2. Bhupendrabhai Patel has been named Gujarat's new (17th) CM.
        3. Shankar Chaudhary is elected as new Speaker of Gujarat Assembly.
      2. Himachal Pradesh -
        1. Indian National Congress won majority, by winning 40 seats, followed by BJP (25 Seats).
        2. Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has been named new (15th) Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, with Mukesh Agnihotri named as Deputy Chief Minister.
        3. Kuldeep Singh Pathania is elected as new Speaker of Himachal Pradesh Assembly.
    7. R K Singh (Minister of Power & New and Renewable Energy) launched Plan document Transmission System for Integration of over 500 GW RE Capacity by 2030.
      1. Document is framed by a committee headed by Central Electricity Authority Chairperson, which was formed for planning transmission system required for having 500 GW of non-fossil fuel based installed capacity by 2030.
      2. The Plan will aid towards integrating 500 GW of non-fossil fuel based capacity by 2030, by providing broad plan of required transmission system for having 537 GW of Renewable Energy capacity by 2030.
      3. Currently, installed electricity generating capacity in India is 409 GW, comprising of 173 GW from non-fossil fuel sources (42%).
    8. To mark 51st anniversary of India's victory in Longewala battle during 1971 war, Parakram Diwas was observed at Jaisalmer Military Station and Longewala War Memorial in Rajasthan.
      1. Battle at border post of Longewala was fought between 120 Indian soldiers accompanied by four Hunter fighter aircraft and approx 3000 Pakistani soldiers accompanied by 30–40 tanks. It was won by India.
      2. Bollywood Movie Border was inspired by Battle of Longewala.
  26. Dec 06, 2022
    1. India Opposed G7’s Just Energy Transition Plan (JETP), an initiative to accelerate phasing out of coal and reducing emission.
      1. India has refused to take ahead negotiations for coal phase-out under JETP, and stated to design its own transition plan. Germany and US are co-leading negotiations with India to join JETP.
      2. According to updated NDC, India aims to reduce emission intensity of its GDP by 45 % by 2030, from 2005 level and achieve about 50 % cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.
    2. S V Gangapurwala has been appointed as Acting Chief Justice of Bombay High Court.
    3. Dec 06 is Mahaparinirvan Diwas (Death anniversary) of Babasaheb Ambedkar, Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee. He was also 1st Minister of Law and Justice.
      1. Also, India and Bangladesh decided to observe December 6, the day on which India formally recognized Bangladesh, as Maitri Diwas.
    4. Adani Green Energy (AEGL) commissioned a 450 MW wind-solar hybrid power plant in Rajasthan, with Power Purchase Agreements with SECI at Rs 2.67/kwh for 25 years.
      1. With this, Adani Green Energy became world's largest wind-solar hybrid power developer.
      2. Earlier commissionings by AEGL at its hybrid power plant at Jaisalmer in Rajasthan -
        1. India’s first hybrid power plant of 390 MW (May 2022).
        2. World’s largest co-located hybrid power plant of 600 MW (Sep 2022).
  27. Dec 05, 2022
    1. Dec 5 is observed as UN International Volunteer Day, to show gratitude towards people who help others without monetary benefits. 2021 theme is Volunteer now for our common future. It was proclaimed by United Nations in 1985.
      1. Dec 5 is also observed as World Soil Day, proclaimed by Food and Agriculture Organization of UN in 2013.
      2. Dec 5 is also observed as Honey Bee Day in Nagaland, observed since 2018.
    2. Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar inaugurated setting up of integrated Agriculture Investment Portal, which will act as a centralized one stop portal for agri-investors to avail benefits of various government schemes.
    3. Book Brave Hearts of Bharat, Vignettes from Indian History, authored by Vikram Sampath has been released.
    4. WMO (World Meteorological Organization) released its first annual State of Global Water Resources Report 2021, to support monitoring and management of global freshwater resources. Notably -
      1. Over 3.6 billion people face inadequate access to water at least a month per year, expected to increase to more than 5 billion by 2050.
      2. Between 2001 and 2018, 74% of all natural disasters were water-related.
      3. Area with below-average streamflow is two times larger than the above-average area when compared with 30-year hydrological average.
    5. IIFL Mutual Fund launched IIFL ELSS Nifty 50 Tax Saver Index Fund, as India's first passive tax saver fund, almost six months after SEBI introduced passive alternative in Equity Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS) space. As it will be passively managed, investors will be charged lower expenses compared to active ELSS funds.
    6. Uttar Pradesh government launched One District One Sport (ODOS) programme, for promoting local sporting talent across state. Under it, one sport will be identified in each of 75 districts of UP (similar to One district one product scheme).
  28. Dec 04, 2022
    1. Dec 4 is observed as Indian Navy Day, being observed in commemoration of Operation Trident which celebrates bravery of Indian Navy that forced Pakistan to admit defeat during Indo-Pak war of 1971.
      1. About -
        1. Pakistani army attacked India on December 03, 1971. India launched 'Operation Trident' in retaliation as the result 1971 war began. India targeted Pakistani Navy headquarters in Karachi with a tremendous attack, resulting port of Karachi being completely destroyed.
        2. Indian Navy was established in 1612, when East India Company formed an army in form of the East India Company's Marine to protect its ships. It was renamed Bombay Marine in 1686. Later in 1892, it was renamed as Royal Indian Marin.
      2. On this occasion -
        1. 7th edition of Exercise Sangam, a joint Naval Special Forces exercise between Indian Navy MARCOs and US Navy SEALs held at Goa.
      3. Dec 04 is also Birth anniversary of -
        1. 8th President of India, R. Venkataraman.
        2. 12th PM of India, Inder Kumar Gujral.
      4. Dec 4 is also observed as International Cheetah Day and Wildlife Conservation Day.
    2. Dec 4 is observed as International Day of Banks, proclaimed by UN in 2019.
    3. Indian Army’s Sudarshan Chakra Corps carried out Exercise Sudarshan Prahar in Rajasthan.
    4. Meghalaya govt approved a policy aimed at addressing issues of mental health and social care in state, through collaborative engagement with communities.
    5. New India Foundation named book The Chipko Movement: A People’s Movement by Shekhar Pathak as winner of Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize 2022.
    6. British writer Katherine Rundell’s biography Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne has been named winner of 50000 pound Baillie Gifford Prize.
      1. Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction (formerly Samuel Johnson Prize), is an annual British book prize for best non-fiction writing in English language.
    7. Govt named Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar (Professor Emeritus at Chennai Mathematical Institute) as part-time chairperson of National Statistical Commission (NSC).
  29. Dec 03, 2022
    1. Dec 3 is observed as International Day of Persons with Disabilities, being observed by UN since 1992.
      1. On this occasion, Maharashtra Govt announced setting up of a separate Divyang department for welfare of differently-abled people, making Maharashtra first state to have such a dedicated department for Divyangjans.
      2. Dec 3 is also Birth anniversary of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, first President of India.
    2. Meghna Ahlawat has been elected as first female president of Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI).
    3. Dina Boluarte has been named South American nation Peru’s first female president.
    4. Meghalaya government launched Asia's first drone delivery hub and network aimed at providing universal access to healthcare for people, in partnership with startup TechEagle. It aims at quickly and safely delivering vital medical supplies to different regions of state using a dedicated drone delivery network.
    5. Shaji K V has been named as Chairman of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
    6. South Korea’s Mina Sue Choi won Miss Earth 2022 beauty pageant, at Parañaque City (Philippines).
  30. Dec 02, 2022
    1. Saurashtra won 2022 - 23 Vijay Hazare Domestic Cricket Title, defeating Maharashtra in Final. It is Saurashtra's 2nd Vijay Hazare Title. During this tournament -
      1. Ruturaj Gaikwad hit a world record seven sixes in an over, against Uttar Pradesh. Rituraj became first batsman in List-A cricket to hit 7 sixes in an over.
      2. Tamil Nadu batter Narayan Jagadeesan broke world record for highest individual score in men’s List A cricket, by hitting 277 off 141 balls against Arunachal Pradesh.
    2. Dec 2 is observed as International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, being observed since 1986.
      1. Dec 2 is also observed as National Pollution Control Day in India, to commemorate people who lost their lives in unfortunate incident of Bhopal Gas Tragedy that occurred on this day in 1984.
      2. Dec 2 is also observed as World Computer Literacy Day, launched by Indian IT Firm NIIT in 2001.
      3. Dec 2 is also observed as Asom Divas, in state of Assam, which commemorates arrival of founder and first King of Ahom kingdom in ancient Assam.
        1. On this occasion, Assam government honored Tapan Saikia with Asom Bhaibav award 2022, for his services in Healthcare. It is highest civilian state award in state.
        2. Since 2022, this award is officially declared on the occasion of Asom diwas, carrying cash prize of 5 lakh, along with free medical treatment for awardee throughout his life.
        3. Noted industrialist Ratan Tata was first recepient of this award, in 2022.
    3. Misc. / Industrial Awards (Dec 2022) -
      1. Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) Headquarters in New Delhi has won GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) Exemplary Performance Award 2022, a top national level Green Building Award.
      2. PSU NHPC won Best Globally Competitive Power Company of India – Hydropower and Renewable Energy Sector at PRAKASHmay 15th Enertia Awards 2022.
      3. Indian Filmmaker SS Rajamouli won best director award at New York Film Critics Circle, for his film RRR.
      4. Canara Bank won Banker’s Bank of the Year Award 2022 for India segment at Global Banking Summit held in London.
      5. Bank of Baroda won EAG Laureate award in International Olympiad of Financial Security held at Sochi (Russia). Eurasian group on combating money laundering and terrorism (EAG) is a FATF type regional which comprises of 9 members including India.
      6. National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) won IEI (Institution of Engineers, India) Industry Excellence Award 2022.
      7. US-based International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) honored anti-drug & illicit liquor campaign Nijaat of Chhattisgarh police in Leadership in Crime Prevention category.
    4. 3 Indian-Origin women are among 60 awardees of Australia’s Superstars of STEM Awards, an initiative that honors women who have contributed in various spheres of society. Indian-Origin honorees include Neelima Kadiyala, Dr. Ana Baburamani, and Dr. Indrani Mukherjee.
    5. Indian-American Sushmita Shukla has been named First vice president and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Federal Reserve Bank of New York (One of 12 Federal Reserve Banks of USA).
      1. New York Fed is responsible for Second District of Federal Reserve System, which encompasses State of New York, 12 northern counties and U.S. Virgin Islands.
      2. It is largest (by assets), most active (by volume), and most influential of 12 Reserve Banks.
    6. 6 Indian women named in Forbes’ annual list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women -
      1. Nirmala Sitharaman (Finance Minister, ranked 36th)
      2. Roshni Nadar Malhotra (HCL Chairperson, ranked 53rd)
      3. Madhabi Puri Buch (SEBI Chairperson, ranked 54th)
      4. Soma Mondal (SAIL Chairperson, ranked 67th)
      5. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw(Biocon Founder, Ranked 77th)
      6. Falguni Nayar (Nykaa CEO, Ranked 89th)
    7. Book Miracles of Face Yoga, authored by Mansi Gulati (Manasvani Founder) has been released.
    8. Indian-origin teacher Veena Nair received 2022 Prime Minister's Prize in Australia for Excellence in Science Teaching in secondary schools.
  31. Dec 01, 2022
    1. India took over G20 Presidency, for period December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.
      1. Under this, India will hold G20 Summit 2023 in September 2023, at Pragati Maidan (New Delhi).
      2. Logo & Theme for India's G20 Presidency -
        1. Theme - One Earth, One Family, One Future
        2. Logo -
        3. Highlights -
          1. Under this, India will host over 200 meetings, with first being G20 Sherpa Meeting to be held in Udaipur (Rajasthan).
          2. As part of India's G20 presidency, Ashwini Vaishnaw (Minister for Electronics & Information Technology) launched Stay Safe Online campaign and G20 Digital Innovation Alliance.
          3. Amitabh Kant (Former CEO of NITI Aayog) is named as India’s G20 Sherpa.
          4. G20 Engagement Groups -
            1. Business20 - Chaired by N Chandrasekaran
            2. Civil20 - Chaired by Mata Amritanandamayi Devi
              1. 1st Civil20 Inception Meeting 2023 under India's G20 presidency held in Nagpur (Maharashtra).
            3. Labour20 - Chaired by Hiranmay Pandya
              1. 1st Labour20 Inception Meeting 2023 under India's G20 presidency held in Amritsar (Punjab).
            4. Science20 - Chaired by Vijay P Bhatkar. Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has been announced as Secretariat for Science20 Working group.
            5. Think20 - Chiared by Sujan R. Chinoy
            6. Startup20 -
              1. Startup20 engagement group has been initiated under the Indian presidency of G20 in 2023.
              2. It is chaired by Chintan Vaishnav.
            7. Urban20 - Cycle Chaired by Indian Heritage City of Ahmedabad.
              1. 1st Urban20 Inception Meeting 2023 under India's G20 presidency held in Ahmedabad (Gujarat).
            8. Women20 - Chaired by Sandhya Purecha
              1. 1st Women20 Inception Meeting 2023 under India's G20 presidency held in Aurangabad (Maharashtra).
            9. Youth20 - Chaired by Anmol Sovit
              1. 1st Youth20 (Y20) Inception Meeting 2023 under India's G20 presidency held in Guwahati (Assam).
            10. SAI20 - Chaired by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India (Girish Chandra Murmu Currently).
            11. Parliament20 - Chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker (Om Birla Currently).
        4. About -
          1. G20 (Group of Twenty) is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and European Union (EU).
          2. Member nations include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA.
    2. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched Digi Yatra paperless airport entry facility, functional at three airports - Delhi, Bengaluru, and Varanasi. It will be implemented at four more airports by March 2023.
      1. It will enable travelers to pass easily through various checkpoints at airports, through paperless and contactless processing using facial features.
    3. 7th edition of Global Technology Summit held in New Delhi, as India’s annual flagship event on Geotechnology, co-hosted by Ministry of External Affairs and Carnegie India.
    4. RBI launched Pilot project for Digital Rupee for Retail (e₹-R), a month after trial launch of Digital Rupee for Wholesale (e₹-W).
      1. Pilot would cover select locations in closed user group (CUG) comprising participating customers and merchants, with 8 banks identified for phase-wise participation.
      2. 1st phase will begin with four banks - SBI, ICICI Bank, Yes Bank, and IDFC First Bank, and 4 cities - Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Bhubaneswar.In 2nd phase, Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, HDFC Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank will join the project, with extension to more cities.
      3. e₹-R would be in form of a digital token that represents legal tender. It would be issued in same denominations that paper currency and coins are currently issued.
      4. It will be distributed through banks. Users will be able to transact with e₹-R through a digital wallet offered by participating banks.
      5. Notably, Reliance Retail announced to start accepting retail payments via RBI’s newly lanched Digital Rupee. More retailers and merchants are expected to join in soon.
    5. Misc. Science News / Events (Dec 2022)
      1. In a research led by Bengaluru-based Raman Research Institute (RRI), scientists estimated energy output, luminosity, and masses of the first generation of galaxies (formed 200 million years after Big Bang, a period known as Cosmic Dawn) that are bright in radio wavelengths, using India's SARAS 3 telescope.
        1. Under this, first time radio observations of averaged 21-centimeter line have been able to provide an insight to properties of earliest radio loud galaxies, that are usually powered by supermassive black holes.
      2. IIT Madras students launched electric formula racing car named RF23.
      3. Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated ICMR-NARFBR (National Animal Resource Facility for Biomedical Research) at Genome Valley (, Hyderabad).
      4. 15 Start-ups have been selected in first-of-its-kind product accelerator program for innovators developing sustainable solutions, called NIRMAN, launched by Start-ups Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) IIT Kanpur.
      5. British Airline EasyJet and aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce tested world's first hydrogen-powered aircraft engine.
      6. IIT Madras Researchers developed an Ocean Wave Energy Converter named Sindhuja-I, that can generate electricity from sea waves, and can help boost green energy generation plans.
      7. Uttarakhand govt will undertake genetic enhancement of its indigenous Badri Cow through sex-sorted semen and embryo transfer technology, to increase its productivity.
      8. IIT Kanpur researchers developed an artificial heart to help people with acute cardiac problems, aimed to be made available in 2 years after trials.
    6. Misc. MOUs (Dec 2022) -
      1. NTPC and GE Power India partnered to reduce carbon intensity at NTPC’s coal fired units, as first such step for coal fleet decarbonization in country.
        1. This first such MOU aims at enabling NTPC to reduce amount of coal fired in their units and gradually replace it by co-firing of alternate fuel in boiler - both carboneous (methanol, Carbon neutral fuel- agri-waste, biomass, etc) and non-carboneous  (such as ammonia).
      2. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) signed MoU with six high ranked engineering institutes (IIT BHU, MNIT Jaipur, IIT Indore, IIT Patna, IIT Madras and NIT Trichy), for introducing Indian standards as an integral part of the curriculum, in form of BIS Standardization Chair Professor.
    7. Misc. Defence News / Events (Dec 2022) -
      1. Annual Joint HADR Exercise Samanvay 2022 held at Air Force Station Agra (Uttar Pradesh).
      2. Indian Coast Guard concluded its first contract for 10 multicopter (VTOL) drones, to boost Marine Surveillance and Interdiction capabilities.
      3. Home Minister Amit Shah launched Border Security Force (BSF)'s Mobile App Prahari.
      4. Department of Defence Production's initiative Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) signed its 150th contract, relating to an Indian Navy project of the Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC 7) SPRINT edition, titled Expendable Mobile Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Training Target (EMATT).
      5. Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for 24 Capital Acquisition Proposals, including 6 for Army, 6 for Air Force, 10 for Navy and 2 for Coast Guard, for total value of 84328 crores. Out of these, 21 proposals (worth 82127 crores) are approved for procurement from indigenous sources.
      6. Indian Navy participated in 1st International Fleet Review (IFR) hosted by Bangladesh Navy at Cox’s Bazar.
      7. US unveiled its strategic bomber B-21 Raider, which is capable of carrying a nuclear payload and can be flown without a crew on board. US Air Force aims to acquire 100 B-21 aircrafts at cost $700 Million each.
      8. France completed delivery of all 36 Rafale aircrafts to Indian Air Force, under an agreement signed in 2016, under which France agreed to provide 36 Rafale fighter jets to India for approx 60000 Crore Rupees.
        1. Rafale fighter jets are stationed into Air force service at Ambala (Haryana) and Hasimara (West Bengal).
      9. Indian Air Force successfully tested extended range version of BrahMos Air Launched Missile, with range increased to 350 km from 290 km.
    8. Misc. Financial / Economy News (Dec 2022) -
      1. NPCI extended deadline for payment aggregators to meet guidelines on volumes of UPI (Unified Payments Interface) transactions by two years till December 31, 2024.
        1. Earlier in November 2020, NPCI mandated that volume of transactions initiated through a payment service provider must not exceed 30 % of overall volume of UPI transactions during preceding three months.
      2. Indian GDP Growth Forecasts (Dec 2022) -
        1. Asian Development Bank - 7 % for FY 23 (2022-23), and per 7.2 % for FY 24 (2023-24).
        2. World Bank - 6.9 % in FY 23 (2022-23).
      3. Financial Firm Paytm launched ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA)) Health Locker, to enable users to store their health documents.
      4. Asian Development Bank (ADB) in its report released on Annual Procurement, ranked Indian PSU WAPCOS At top amongst Consulting Services Firm in Water and other Infrastructure Sectors, with highest sanctioned financed amount.
      5. India's first Gold ATM and World's first real-time gold ATM has been opened in Hyderabad, allowing withdrawal of gold coins using debit / credit cards.
      6. Fintech firm Spice Money partnered with Axis Bank to facilitate financial inclusion through its Adhikari network.
      7. RBI enhanced capabilities of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) by introducing single-block-and-multiple debits functionality, which will allow customers to enable a payment mandate against a merchant by blocking funds for specific purposes in his/her bank account which can be debited, when needed.
      8. Insurtech platform TurtleFin partnered with YES BANK, to create EasyNsure, which will offer holistic insurance solutions on a single platform.
      9. State Bank of India (SBI) approved raising upto 10000 crores through issue of infrastructure bonds, during FY23.
      10. Adani Group acquired 27.26 % equity stake in media unit NDTV from its founders. After the deal, Adani Group will control 64.71% of NDTV.
      11. To enable better returns on its investment, Govt allowed Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) to invest up to 15% of its surplus funds into equity through exchange traded funds.
      12. Telecom firm Airtel collaborated with Facebook parent Meta, to support growth of India’s digital ecosystem. Airtel will extend 2Africa Pearls to India, in partnership with Meta and STC. 2Africa is world’s longest subsea cable system and is expected to provide faster internet connectivity to almost 3 billion people globally.
      13. SEBI Approved IDFC Asset Management Company's name change to Bandhan Mutual Fund, consequent to a related ownership change.
      14. NSE Indices launched a new index under Nifty Bharat Bond Index series, maturing in April 2033.
        1. Bharat Bond Index series follows a target maturity date structure wherein each index in series measures performance of a portfolio of AAA rated bonds issued by government owned entities maturing in a specific year.
      15. Debt support and risk mitigation platform Spocto inaugurated India’s first debt collection Innovation Lab.
      16. India became first nation to receive over $100 billion in annual remittances from overseas citizens, in FY 2022.
      17. Bank of Baroda (BoB) proposed to sell its majority stake (98.57 %) in Nainital Bank, which it acquired in 1973.
      18. Govt. announced to soon auction spectrum for satellite communication, Making India first country to do so.
      19. Indian firm EGIS India Consulting Engineers has been awarded a contract to provide consultancy for a capacity building project at Mongla port, Bangladesh's second largest seaport, to improve sub-regional connectivity in South Asia.
      20. Bajaj Allianz General Insurance launched unique health insurance rider Respect Senior Care Rider, to help fulfill parental responsibility smoothly.
      21. Stock brokerage firm HDFC Securities launched Roots, a dedicated platform providing comprehensive investor education and market analysis.
      22. Reliance Jio subsidiary Reliance Projects and Property Management Services acquired mobile tower and fibre assets of Reliance Infratel, for 3720 crores. Reliance Infratel has fibre assets of about 178,000 route kilometres and 43,540 mobile towers across country.
      23. Reliance Retail Ventures Limited acquired 100 % stake in Metro Cash and Carry India Pvt Ltd, which operates under Metro India brand, for 2850 crores.
    9. Obituaries (Dec 2022) -
      1. Pope Benedict XVI - He was head of Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, betweeen 2005 - 2013.
      2. Yoginder K Alagh - Noted economist and Former Union Minister (1996-1998).
      3. Mukta Tilak - Former Maharashtra MLA.
      4. Sulochana Tai Chavan - Noted Marathi Lavani singer.
      5. Lance Naik Bhairon Singh Rathore - BSF veteran and 1971 war hero
      6. Pele - Noted Former Brazilian footballer, regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. His 1279 goals in 1363 games, which includes friendlies, is recognised as a Guinness World Record.
      7. H R Keshava Murthy - Noted gamaka exponent and guru, from Karnataka. He was honoured by Padma Shri (2022) by Central Govt.
      8. Kaikala Satyanarayana - Noted Telugu Actor.
      9. Jiang Zemin - Former president of China.
      10. Dominique Lapierre - Noted French Author. He was awarded Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award, in 2008.
      11. Miroslaw Hermaszewski - Poland’s only cosmonaut. He circled around Earth in a Soviet spacecraft in 1978.
      12. Heeraben Modi - Mother of PM Narendra Modi.
      13. George Cohen - Former England Footballer and 1966 World Cup-winning team member.
      14. Arata Isozaki - Pritzker-winning Noted Japanese architect.
    10. Misc. Sports News / Events (Dec 2022) -
      1. 19-year-old US Open 2022 Champion Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) became youngest men’s tennis player in ATP history to finish the season at world No 1.
      2. India won blind T20 World Cup 2022, for third time in a row, defeating Bangladesh in Final.
        1. Former cricketer Yuvraj Singh was named brand ambassador of Blind T20 World Cup 2022.
      3. Belgium Footballer Eden Hazard announced his retirement from international football.
      4. France footballer Karim Benzema announced his retirement from International football.
      5. India's Rudrankksh Patil won International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) President’s Cup in Cairo (Egypt), defeating Italy’s Danilo Sollazzo in 10-metre rifle play-off.
      6. Noted Portugese Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr on a 2.5 year deal worth 200 million euros.
      7. India won 14 medals (6 gold, 1 silver and 7 bronze) at Peru Para-Badminton International 2022. Notable Gold winners -
        1. Sukant Kadam - Men's Singles.
        2. Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan - SH6 (Women's)
        3. Mandeep Kaur - SL3 (Women's)
      8. England Cricketer Joe Root became 3rd cricketer in history to score 10000 runs and pick up 50 wickets in Test cricket, after South Africa's Jacques Kallis and Steve Waugh (Australia).
      9. 18 years old England Cricketer Rehan Ahmed became youngest bowler in Test Cricket history to take a five-wicket haul on debut.
      10. Hyderabad Strikers won 4th Tennis Premier League 2022, defeating Mumbai Leon Army in Final.
      11. Uttarakhand govt announced to develop World Class Kayaking Canoeing (boating activity / paddle sport) Academy at Tehri.
      12. South African cricketer Farhaan Behardien announced retirement fr0m International Cricket.
      13. As per International Olympic Committee, Viacom18 Media secured media rights to broadcast Olympic Games Paris 2024 & Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024, across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
      14. Brand value of Domestic Cricket league Indian Premier League (IPL) became $10.9 billion in 2022, becoming decacorn, as per a report by consulting firm D and P Advisory.
      15. England Cricketer Sam Curran became most expensive player ever to be bought by any franchise under Indian Premier League (IPL), grabbing a 18.5 crores deal for 2023 season.
      16. English Female Footballer Beth Mead has been named BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2022, for vital role in winning Euro 2022, England’s first major women’s football trophy.
      17. Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated Sports Science Centre at MG Stadium at Udupi (Karnataka), aimed at bringing together sports scientists and athletes.
      18. India's Geta Sora (From Arunachal Pradesh) won under-9 category of Top Arena Junior International Badminton Championship in Malaysia.
    11. Misc. Appointments (Dec 2022) -
      1. Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi has been named CMD of PSU NHPC Limited.
      2. Ajit Kumar Saxena has been appointed CMD of PSU MOIL Limited.
      3. Mette Frederiksen has been re-elected as Prime Minister of Denmark.
      4. Dinesh Kumar Shukla has been named as Chairman of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).
      5. National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) named Meenesh C Shah as its Managing Director (MD).
      6. KV Suresh Kumar is named as CMD of PSU Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI).
      7. Sanjay Kumar has been named secretary in Department of School Education and Literacy, under Ministry of Education.
      8. Vijender Sharma has been named as president of Institute of Cost Accountants of India for 2022-23.
      9. Hansraj Gangaram Ahir has been named as Chairperson of National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).
      10. Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games committee named American executive Cindy Hook as its first CEO.
        1. Upcoming Olympics Hosts - Paris (2024), Los Angeles (2028), Brisbane (2032).
      11. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has been named as First Chancellor of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (Vadodara).
        1. Earlier, parliament passed a bill to transform National Rail and Transportation University into a central university to be called Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya.
      12. Harvard University (US) named Claudine Gay as its new president, and first African American to hold the post.
      13. Indian American Rajeev Badyal has been named to National Space Council’s Users Advisory Group (UAG), which is tasked to maintain a robust US space enterprise and preserve space for current and future generations.
      14. Mohit Seth has been named as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Army's Counter Insurgency Force Kilo, Which Operates in Kupwara, Baramulla And Srinagar.
      15. Arvind Walia has been appointed as New Engineer-in-Chief of Indian Army.
      16. RBI approved re-appointment of Baskar Babu Ramachandran as MD & CEO of Suryoday Small Finance bank.
    12. Gross GST revenue collected in November 2022 stood at 145867 crores, (CGST is 25681 crore, SGST 32651 crores, IGST 77103 crores and Cess 10433 crores).
    13. Indian Coast Guard Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mk-III squadron (840 Sqn (CG)) has been commissioned. It will boost abilities of Indian Coast Guard in securing sensitive waters off Tamil Nadu and Andhra region.
    14. 12th Edition of Exercise Agni Warrior, a bilateral exercise between Singapore & Indian Armies, concluded at Field Firing Ranges, Devlali (Maharashtra).
    15. Dec 1 - Statehood day of Nagaland, formed on Dec 1, 1963.
      1. Hornbill Festival, called the ‘Festivals of Festivals’, is a 10-day annual cultural fest of Nagaland that showcases diverse Naga ethnicity. It begins Dec 1 each year, on Nagaland's Statehood day.
      2. Dec 1 is also formation day of Border Security Force (BSF), border defence organisation of India. It is one of the seven Central Armed Police Forces of India, and was formed on 1 December 1965.
      3. Dec 1 is also obbserved as ‘Indigenous Faith Day’ in Arunachal Pradesh.
      4. Dec 1 is observed as World AIDS Day, to raise public awareness about Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), caused due to infection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). 2022 theme is Equalize.
    16. Misc. MOUs (Dec 2022) -
      1. International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) and Delhi based Think tank Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) signed MoU for mutual cooperation in area of sustainable finance.
      2. Ministry of Power signed MOU with Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), for Implementation of Early Warning System for Vulnerable Hydro Projects/Power Stations.
      3. NTPC signed MOU with Tecnimont Private Limited (Indian Subsidiary of Italy's Maire Tecnimont Group), to explore developing commercial scale Green Methanol Production facility at NTPC project in India.
      4. ISRO signed MoU with incubator and accelerator Social Alpha, to launch SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN), focused on innovation curation and venture development for space domain.
      5. IIT Ropar and Army Training Command of Indian Army signed MoU for setting up a centre of excellence for studies and applied research in defence and security.
      6. National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) signed MoU with American Retail Giant Walmart, to facilitate services to MSMEs under Walmart Vriddhi program.
      7. RBI and Financial Services Agency (FSA) of Japan exchanged letters of cooperation in field of central counterparties (CCPs), to improve mutual cooperation.
      8. Airbnb signed MoU with Goa Government, to jointly promote Goa as preferred tourism destination globally.
    17. Pune-based NGO Swayam Shikshan Prayog won Local Adaptation Champions Award at COP27 climate summit in Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt), in capacity and knowledge category, for supporting women farmers in adopting more sustainable agricultural practices in Marathwada (Maharashtra).

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