Exp. President Murmu inaugurated the 18th National Jamboree of the Bharat Scouts and Guides in Rajasthan

President Droupadi Murmu has inaugurated the 18th National Scout and Guide Jamboree, at Rohat in the Pali district of Rajasthan.

Rajasthan is hosting Jamboree after 66 years.

Theme of the 18th National Scout and Guide Jamboree: Progress with Peace.

Over 35,000 scouts and guides from all over the country will participate in this 7-day mega-event.

A smart jamboree village has been set up with all the facilities on a two hundred twenty hectare area at Nimblee village 3500 tents have been erected at the venue.

The first National Scout and Guide Jamboree was held in Andhra Pradesh in 1951. The 17th Jamboree was held in Mysuru, Karnataka in December 2016 -January 2017.

Recent Inauguration by President Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu lays foundation stone for PRASHAD project in Telangana
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated project worth Rs 43.08 cr at Srisailam Temple
President Droupadi Murmu launched startup platform ‘herSTART’ for women entrepreneurs
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated projects in Gujarat worth 1,330 crore
President Droupadi Murmu flags off two train services in Northeast

Exp. Government approved National Green Hydrogen Mission

The Union Government has approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission with an initial outlay of 19,744 crore rupees.

The Mission aims to make India a Global Hub for the production, utilization, and export of Green Hydrogen.

This Mission will play an important role in dealing with climate change. India will be the global hub of Green Hydrogen.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the launch of the National Hydrogen Mission during his Independence Day speech on the 15th of August 2021.

He said, 50 lakh tonnes of green hydrogen will be produced per year, with an associated renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 Giga Watt.

The targets by 2030 are likely to bring in over 8 lakh crore rupees investments and create over 6 lakh jobs.

The Mission will help save one lakh crore rupees in the import of fossil fuels. Through this mission, 50 million metric tonnes of carbon emissions will be averted annually.

Exp. 2nd Phase of Sari Festival “VIRAASAT” begins in New Delhi

The second phase of the Sari Festival “VIRAASAT” is celebrating 75 handwoven Saris of India in New Delhi.

This phase is being organized by the Ministry of Textiles from 3rd to 17th January 2023 at Handloom Haat, Janpath, New Delhi.

The second phase, having 90 participants from different parts of the country, will bring participation of famous handcrafted varieties of Saris like Tie and Dye, Chikan embroidered Saris, Hand Block Saris, Kalamkari printed Saris, Ajrakh, Kantha and Phulkari.

The first phase of “VIRAASAT”- started on the 16th and concluded on 30th of last month.

A social media campaign has also been launched under a common hashtag #MySariMyPride to support the Indian handloom weavers.

Exp. UP government signed MoU with UAE-based companies worth Rs 18,590 crore

Uttar Pradesh government has signed MoU with six UAE-based companies worth Rs 18,590 crore ahead of the Global Investors Summit to be held in Lucknow in February 2023.

This agreement will help in the creation of over 20,000 new employment opportunities.

The two companies, Astha Green Energy Venture and Shree Siddharth Infratech and Services will invest in renewable energy worth Rs 4480 and Rs 8000 crore respectively to create 2560 and 4800 new jobs.

Lulu Group will invest Rs 4500 crore in retail and food processing sectors, creating 10000 jobs. While Sobha Realty will invest Rs 100 crore in education and CSR. This will provide employment to 250 people.

Ahead of the Global Investors Summit, which will take place in February, eight teams of the Uttar Pradesh government visited 16 countries, receiving investment proposals totalling more than Rs 7.12 lakh crore.

The largest share of investment proposals worth Rs 4 lakh crore has been received from the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA).

About Uttar Pradesh

Capital – Lucknow
Chief Minister – Yogi Adityanath
Governor – Anandiben Patel

Recent MoUs Signed by State Government

Meghalaya signed MoU with Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for MSME borrowers
Haryana government signed an MoU with Dubai for economic cooperation
Haryana government has launched Nirogi Haryana project
Finland partnered with Kerala government to replicate Little KITEs model
IRCTC signed an agreement with Chhattisgarh toursim board to promote tourist spots of state

Exp.  Gaan Ngai festival celebrated in Manipur

The Gaan Ngai festival of the Zeliangrong community has celebrated in Manipur.

The Gaan Ngai festival is one of Manipur’s major festivals, which is celebrated every year after harvesting.

This festival also marks the end of the year when the farmers have stored their foodgrain in their ganeries.

During the festival, the Zeliarong community shows their gratitude by offering to the almighty a good harvest and praying for a better and prosperous life in the coming year.

It is a custom to produce new fire by rubbing dry wood and split bamboo pieces and distributing them to every household on the day of the festival to mark the beginning of the New Year.

The Zeliangrong community comprises Rongmei, Liangmei, and Zeme tribes.

About Manipur

Capital – Imphal
Chief Minister – Biren Singh
Governor – La Ganesan

Festivals of Manipur

Imoinu Eratpa festival
Sangai Festival
Amur Falcon Festival
Lai Haraoba Festival
Manipur Sangai Festival
Lui Ngai Ni Festival
Ningol Chakouba Festival
Kachai Lemon Festival
Shirui Lily Festival

Exp. Government formed Committee to protect Ladakh culture, language & employment

The government of India has constituted 17 member High Powered Committee (HPC) under the Chairmanship of Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai.

Objective – To ensure the protection of land and employment for the people of Ladakh.

The committee includes Ladakh LG, RK Mathur; MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal; Chairmans of Leh and Kargil Hill councils, representatives of Apex Body Leh, Kargil Democratic Alliance, and nominee officials of the Home ministry.

Recent Committee

CJI constituted committee to conduct accessibility audit of SC premises – SC Judge S Ravindra Bhat.
Centre constituted a panel for Higher Educational Institutions – Dr K. Radhakrishnan
Government formed 5-member committee to review pharma marketing practices – V K Paul
SEBI reconstituted 21 members Market Data Advisory Committee (MDAC) – M S Sahoo
SEBI restructured Secondary Market Advisory Committee (SMAC)- Gurumoorthy Mahalingam
SC appointed panel for recovery of money from NSEL defaulters- Pradeep Nandrajog

Exp. Madhya Pradesh government launched Chief Minister’s Residential Land Rights Scheme

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched the Chief Minister’s Residential Land Rights scheme (Mukhyamantri Awasiya Bhu Adhikar Yojana) in a programme organized at the Bagaj Mata temple complex in Tikamgarh district.

The objective of this scheme is to provide free plots to the poor living in rural areas for building their houses.

Under the scheme, plots worth about 129 crore rupees were distributed to 10 thousand 918 families of Tikamgarh district.

The land will be given completely free of cost and along with the plot, the benefits of all other schemes will also be provided.

About Madhya Pradesh

Capital – Bhopal
Chief Minister – Shivraj Singh Chauhan
Governor – Mangubhai C. Patel

Recent Scheme/Campaign launched by Madhya Pradesh government

Ladli Laxmi 2.0
Launchpad Scheme
Pankh abhiyan
Sickle Cell Mission
Mukhyamantri Awasiya Bhu-dhikar Yojana
Mukhyamantri Ration Aapke Dwar Yojna
Mukhya Mantri Udyam Kranti Yojana
Urja Saksharta Abhiyan
Ladli Laxmi scheme-2.0
Madhya Pradesh “Startup Policy and Implementation Plan – 2022

Exp. PM Modi presides over annual general meeting of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library society

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chaired the Annual General Meeting of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society in New Delhi.

He underlined the need to widen the scope of research on modern Indian history by involving individuals and institutions to create awareness about the country’s past.

He also emphasized the need for institutions in the country, in general, to create their well-audited and researched recorded memory for the benefit of the present as well as future generations.

The PM mentioned that the 200th birth anniversary of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, the founder of Arya Samaj, is in 2024.

PM Modi in News

PM Modi to launch world’s longest river cruise from Varanasi to Assam
PM Modi flagged off West Bengal’s first Vande Bharata Express train (7th)
PM Modi flagged off 6th Vande Bharat train in Nagpur, Maharashtra
PM Modi inaugurated 4th Vande Bharat Express in Himachal Pradesh
PM Modi participated in the historic programme marking ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ in Delhi
PM Modi addressed 75th Amrut Mahotsav of Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Rajkot Sansthan

Exp. Government signed agreement with ADB to boost infrastructure sector in India

India has signed various loan agreements with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to boost the infrastructure sector in the country.

A loan agreement was signed worth 350 million US dollars to improve connectivity in Maharashtra.

The government also signed an agreement worth 300 million US dollars to upgrade over 300 Km of State highways and district roads in Assam.

A 220 million dollar loan agreement has signed to improve energy security, quality of supply, efficiency, and resilience of the power sector in Tripura.

A loan agreement worth 350 million US dollars was signed to build new lines and improve the connectivity of the metro rail system in Chennai.

About Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Founded – 19 December 1966
Headquarters – Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines
President – Masatsugu Asakawa
Vice President – Ashok Lavasa
Director of ADB for India – Takeo Konishi
Executive Director – Sameer Kumar Khare
Member Countries – 68 (Nuie)

Recent Loan approved by ADB

ADB provides $100 million loans to Shriram Finance Limited
ADB approved $125 million loan to improve Urban Services in Tamil Nadu
ADB approved USD 350 million loan to Maharashtra for road connectivity
ADB approved USD 96 million loan to HP for safe drinking water project
ADB approves $112 million loan to establish Assam Skill University.
ADB approves $150 million loan for urban poor housing project in Tamil Nadu.

Exp. HDFC Bank partnered with Microsoft for digital transformation

The private sector lender HDFC Bank has partnered with Microsoft in the next phase of its digital transformation.

Objective – To unlock business value by transforming the application portfolio, modernizing the data landscape, and securing the enterprise with Microsoft Cloud.

The bank, as a part of its ‘future ready’ strategy, is developing in-house intellectual properties (IP) as well as partnering with several companies, including fintechs, to co-create technology IPs.

The bank has leveraged Microsoft Azure to consolidate and modernize its enterprise data landscape by Federated Data Lake.

About HDFC Bank

Founded – August 1994
Founder – Hasmukhbhai Parekh
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD & CEO – Sashidhar Jagdishan
Tagline – We understand your world

Recent MoU Signed in Banking Sector

SBI Card partnered with Punjab & Sind Bank to launch co-brand credit cards
Bandhan Bank signed MoU with Defence Ministry for defence pensioners
AU Small Finance Bank partnered with ICICI Lombard for bancassurance
Spice Money partnered with Axis Bank for financial inclusion in rural India
YES Bank partnered with Turtlefin to create tech platform ‘EasyNsure’

Exp. Niva Bupa and Sundaram Finance signed corporate agency agreement

Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited (formerly known as Max Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited) has signed a corporate agency agreement with Sundaram Finance Limited

Objective – To offer Niva Bupa’s select range of indemnity plans to its growing range of existing and past customers.

This partnership can provide an opportunity to Sundaram Finance customers to secure themselves and their families against medical expenditures related to Covid-19 or any other critical illnesses.

The plan will provide peace of mind to customers to tide through any medical emergencies.

Sundaram Finance will use its strong network of over 640 branches across the country to reach out to customers as part of this partnership.

Sundaram Finance Limited MD  -Rajiv Lochan

Niva Bupa Health Insurance MD & CEO –  Krishnan Ramachandran

Recent MoU Signed in Banking Sector

Tata Power Solar Systems partnered with Union Bank of India to help MSME sector
Federal Bank partnered with JCB India to finance heavy equipment buyers
IFSCA signed MoU with the Reserve Bank of India for collaboration in the field of regulation
NIIFL signed an agreement with JBIC to boost Japanese investments in India
SIDBI signed an MoU with Bureau of Energy Efficiency to finance green MSMEs

Exp. Bandhan Bank launched ‘Jahaan Bandhan, Wahaan Trust’ campaign

Bandhan Bank has launched its ‘Jahaan Bandhan, Wahaan Trust’ campaign featuring cricketer Sourav Ganguly as its brand ambassador.

This is the first time that Bandhan Bank has appointed a pan-India brand ambassador.

The campaign was conceptualized by Leo Burnett Orchard, which was brought in as the bank’s creative agency in August 2022.

The marketing campaign will be visible across TV, print, out-of-home (OOH), cinema, and digital media.

Bandhan Bank, in the last seven years, has established its presence in 34 states and union territories and has more than 2.77 crore customers.

About Bandhan Bank

Founded – 2001
Founder – Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
Headquarters – Kolkata
MD & CEO – Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
Chairperson – Anup Kumar Sinha

Recent Brand Ambassador

Anushka Sharma – Puma India
Deepika Padukone – American furniture retailer Pottery Barn
Virat Kohli – Wearables martwatch leader Noise
Prasoon Joshi – Uttarakhand State
Janhvi Kapoor – Marico’s Saffola Fittify
Deepa Malik – Ambassador of Nikshay Mitra (TB Campaign)

Exp. Nalin Negi appointed as interim CEO of BharatPe

Fintech unicorn BharatPe has appointed current Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Nalin Negi as the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

He has replaced Suhail Sameer, who stepped down from the position.

Sameer’s exit comes at a time when he has come under personal attacks on social media by Grover, who responded to civil and criminal suits alleging fraud filed by BharatPe.

He joined BharatPe in August 2020 as president.

Negi, who comes with over 28 years of experience, has previously worked at GE Capital and SBI Card. He was the CFO of SBI Card for over ten years.

Recent Appointment in Banking Sector

CEO of Bank of Singapore – Jason Moo
MD and CEO of the Indian Overseas Bank – Ajay Kumar Srivastava
MD & CEO of BSE – Sundararaman Ramamurthy
MD & CEO of Suryoday Small Finance Bank – Baskar Babu Ramachandran (re-appointement)
MD & CEO of Equitas Small Finance Bank – P N Vasudevan
MD and CEO of SBI Funds – Shamsher Singh

Exp. Odisha won World Habitat Award 2023

Odisha has won the UN-Habitat’s World Habitat Awards 2023 for Jaga Mission, a 5T initiative of the state.

The Jaga mission is the land titling and slum upgrading program that aims at empowering the lives of slum dwellers.

The Government of Odisha has set itself the ambitious target of becoming the first slum-free state in India and is leading the Jaga Mission programme to upgrade all of the state’s 2,919 slums.

The initiative in the last five years, 1,75,000 families have been granted land tenure security.

100 percent of households in 2,724 slums have been provided with pipe water connections, 707 slums have transformed fully into liveable habitats, 100 percent of households in 666 slums have individual toilets, and 8 cities have become slum-free.

In 2019, Odisha’s Jaga mission received World Habitat Awards for its success in providing land tenure security to slum dwellers.

About Odisha

Capital – Bhubaneswar
Chief Minister – Naveen Patnaik
Governor – Ganeshi Lal

Recent Awards

ICC emerging Men’s player of the year award 2022 – Arshdeep Singh
ICC emerging Men’s player of the year award 2022 – Renuka Singh & Yastika Bhatia
Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards 2022 – IIT Madras
Atal Samman Award – Prabhu Chandra Mishra
First KR Gouri Amma national award – Aleida Guevara
BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2022 award – Beth Mead (England)

Exp. A book titled ‘Ambedkar: A Life’, authored by Shashi Tharoor

A book titled ‘Ambedkar: A Life’, authored by Shashi Tharoor has been launched at the Kitaab Kolkata event.

The event was organized by Prabha Khaitan Foundation (PKF) at the ITC Sonar presented by Shree Cement.

The event was attended by bibliophiles young and old, members of Ehsaas Women and FICCI FLO.

The biography of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar is neither the first one nor the last, but Shashi Tharoor’s meticulously-researched work adds a new perspective to one of India’s most revered icons and an intellectual giant.

In Tharoor’s own words, “Dr. Ambedkar’s greatness cannot be reduced to any one of (his) accomplishments, because all were equally extraordinary.”

Other notable books of Shashi Tharoor – India: From Midnight to the Millennium (1997), Riot: A Love Story(2001), Why I Am A Hindu (2018), The Paradoxical Prime Minister (2018)

Recent Book

Forks in the Road: My Days at RBI and Beyond – C. Rangarajan
The Indian Navy@75 Reminiscing the Voyage – Ranjit B Rai and Aritra Banerjee
Fit At Any Age – Launched Retd. Air Marshal PV lyer
Miracles of Face Yoga – Mansi Gulati
India: The Mother of Democracy – Prepared and published by ICHR & launched by Dharmendra Pradhan
Now You Breathe – Rakhi Kapoor
The World: A Family History – Simon Sebag
Nuclearization of Asia – French author Rene Naba
The Last Heroes – P Sainath
Muskurate Chand Lamhe aur Kuchh Khamoshiyan – Jiwesh Nandan