1. Report on the Status of Forests in India 2021
Union Environment and Forest Minister Bhupinder Yadav released the report 2021 on the state of forests in India . The total forest and tree cover in India in the year 2021 was 80.9 million hectares . It is 24 decimal six percent of the geographical area of the country. More than. An increase of 2,261 sq km has been registered in the total forest and tree covered area of the country as compared to the estimate of the year 2019. Out of this, an increase of 1,540 sq km has been found in the forest cover and 721 sq km in the tree-covered area. Mr. Yadav said that it is encouraging to have more than 33 percent of the geographical area under forest in 17 states and union territories. The highest increase in forest cover has been observed in open forest, followed by very dense forest. The top three states showing increase in forest area are Andhra Pradesh (647 sq km), followed by Telangana (632 sq km) and Odisha (537 sq km). In terms of area, Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest area in the country. It is followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra. In terms of forest cover as a percentage of total geographical area, the top five states are Mizoram (84.53%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%),
2. Formal talks begin for a free trade agreement between India and Britain
India and Britain have formally started talks for a free trade agreement . Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Britain’s Minister of State for International Trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan said in a joint statement that the free trade agreement would be a significant opportunity for the two countries’ economies and bilateral ties. The India-UK bilateral trade relationship is already significant. In May last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the Action Plan 2030 between the two countries. Under this, both the countries have agreed to double mutual trade by 2030. Both sides agreed that the first round of talks would begin on January 17 and that in future such talks would take place approximately every five weeks.
3. Indian Space Research Organization successfully test-fires cryogenic engine for Gaganyaan manned space program
The Indian Space Research Organization has successfully test-fired the cryogenic engine for the Gaganyaan manned space programme. The test duration of 720 seconds was conducted yesterday at ISRO campus in Tamil Nadu and its target was achieved. The successful test has ensured the reliability and robustness of the cryogenic engine for induction into the manned launch vehicle of Gaganyaan. The engine would have to undergo four more tests of a total duration of 1810 seconds. Thereafter, another engine would undergo two short duration and one long duration test to meet cryogenic engine qualification for the Gaganyaan programme. GSLV for Gaganyaan test Mark-III launch vehicle is to be used in which two cryogenic engines will be used. The engine developed by ISRO has been named Vikas.
4. An innovative student who inspired the world with her solar ironing cart is currently India’s baton bearer for the 16th official Queen’s Baton Relay.
Ms. Vinisha Umashankar , an innovative student from Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu , who has become an environmentalist , has been awarded ” Changemaker ” and baton holder for the 16th Official Queen’s Baton Relay (12 – 15 January 2022) going on in India from tomorrow.has been selected as. Ms. Vinisha, a young innovator and environmentalist, has been an inspiration to many, and she also deserves to be chosen as a baton-bearer. The 16th official Queen’s Baton Relay began on 7 October 2021 at Buckingham Palace in London and will conclude on 28 July 2022 at the opening ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games after visiting 72 countries and territories of the Commonwealth for 294 days. The Queen’s Baton Relay will continue to operate in India from January 12 to 15, 2022, with the arrival of this baton in India, the 27th nation in the route scheduled for this period. Ms. Vinisha Umashankar received the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Ignite (IGNITE) award instituted by National Innovation Foundation (NIF) India, an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, for her Mobile Solar Ironing Cart,
5.Center will hold 35.8% stake in Vodafone Idea as equity
The central government of India is set to become the largest shareholder in Vodafone Idea . The company’s board approved conversion of interest of Rs 16,000 crore into equity. India’s third largest network Vi or Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL) has approved interest on spectrum and Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) dues in government equity. VIL accepted a four-year moratorium as well as accepted equity conversion, which means the Indian government will hold around 35.8% stake in VIL , followed by Vodafone Group at 28.5 percent and Aditya Birla Group at 17.8%. will be part.
6. DRDO successfully tests final deliverable configuration of MPATGM
Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully test -fired a Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) in its final deliverable configuration . The MPATGM will be manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited at Bhanur, Telangana . The objective of the missile test was to check its consistent performance over a minimum range, which is 200-300 metres. The MPATGM has already completed a similar successful test for a maximum range of 4,000 meters. With this successful trial of MPATGM, the system is now ready for mass production in India.
7. UBS estimates India’s GDP at 9.1% in FY22
Swiss brokerage UBS Securities has cut its growth forecast for the Indian economy to 9.1 per cent for the current fiscal (FY22) due to a surge in Omicron infections . Earlier it was estimated to be 9.5 per cent. However, UBS Securities has revised its forecast for India’s real GDP for FY2023 to 8.2 per cent. Earlier it was estimated to be 7.7 per cent.
8. Alikhan Smilov appointed new prime minister of Kazakhstan
The Parliament of Kazakhstan has unanimously approved the appointment of Alikhan Smailov as the new Prime Minister of the country . He was nominated by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on January 11, 2022. Prior to this, 49-year-old Smilov served as the country’s finance minister from 2018 to 2020. He became the first Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet in 2019.
9. India Skills 2021 competition concluded
The India Skills 2021 National Competition concluded with over 200 participants felicitated by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The 270 winners of the competition were awarded with 61 Gold, 77 Silver, 53 Bronze and 79 Medals of Excellence.has been awarded. More than five hundred contestants from across the country participated in the competition to showcase their talent from 54 industrial sectors. These sectors include car paint, patisserie and confectionery, welding, additive manufacturing, cyber security, floristry, etc. Odisha stood first with 51 medals in this year’s ‘IndiaSkills 2021’ competition out of 26 states and union territories. Odisha won 10 gold, 18 silver, 9 bronze and 14 medals. Maharashtra finished second with 30 medals, while Kerala secured the third position with 25 medals. The winners of the India Skills 2021 competition will also have the opportunity to participate in the World Skills International competition in Shanghai, China in October 2022. The competitions were held from 7th to 9th of this month at various locations including Pragati Maidan and offsite locations in the National Capital Region.
10. India’s first heli-hub to be set up in Gurugram
Haryana Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala announced that Gurugram will get India’s first heli-hub with all aviation facilities . The heli-hub will be the first of its kind in India to have all the facilities for helicopters at one place. The heli-hub is proposed to be built in Gurugram and will be near metro facility with easy connectivity to industrial areas (Noida and Bhiwadi).
11. Indian Railways launches Mission Amanat to track lost luggage of railway passengers
Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Western Railway zone of Indian Railways has launched a new initiative named ” Mission Amanat ” to make it easier for rail passengers to get back their lost luggage . Under Mission Amanat, the details of lost luggage and baggage along with photograph will be uploaded on the official website of Zonal Railways https://wr.indianrailways.gov.in/. This will help the passengers to track and retrieve their lost luggage as well as ensure the safety and security of the passengers and their luggage and baggage.
12. Kevadiya Railway Station renamed as Ekta Nagar Railway Station
The Ministry of Railways has approved the renaming of Kevadiya railway station in Narmada district of Gujarat as Ekta Nagar railway station . Kevadiya railway station of Statue of Unity comes under Vadodara division. The station code of Ekta Nagar railway station will be EKNR . Station Numerical Code 08224620Will happen. Last year, the Railway Ministry had said that tourists visiting the world’s tallest statue “Statue of Unity” in Gujarat would be able to experience the rich cultural history of the state at Kevadiya railway station itself. Under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative, Vadodara Division of Western Railway had awarded a first of its kind contract in the Indian Railways network for the development of an art gallery with a souvenir shop at Kevadiya railway station in Gujarat.
13. Uttar Pradesh government declares 4 villages near Nepal border as revenue villages
The Uttar Pradesh government has declared four villages located near the Nepal border in the district as revenue villages . Bahraich District Magistrate Dinesh Chandra Singh said that this decision was taken before the announcement of general elections to the UP Assembly. These four villages are Bhawanipur, Tedhiya, Dhakia and Bichiya located in Mihinpurwa tehsil of the district . All these villages are Vantangiya villages . The Vantangia community consists of people who were brought from Myanmar to plant trees during the colonial rule. There are about 225 families in these four villages with more than 1500 members.
14. Chennai International Airport ranked 8th in the global list for ‘on-time performance’
Chennai International Airport is one of the top 10 major international airports in the world that ensures ‘ on-time ‘ departures. In a review conducted by Cirium , an organization specializing in offering aviation data for the travel, finance, aerospace and aviation industries, the airport has been rated for ‘on-time performance’ for the year 2021. 8th place is given. According to the latest traffic data of Chennai Airport, it has recovered 80 percent of the domestic traffic. It is the sixth busiest airport in India. Moreover, Chennai airport is the only Indian airport to feature in the top 10 spots on the list. The first three locations are Miami Airport in the United States ,Japan ‘s Fukuoka Airport and Haneda Airport have achieved.
15. RBL Bank ties up with Google to drive next generation customer experience
RBL Bank and Google announced a strategic collaboration to boost the bank’s customer experience strategy . Through this, the bank will expand its value proposition to serve its rapidly growing customer base through the digital platform, Abacus 2.0. This will enable better customer data management and analysis, thereby enabling effective cross-selling within the Bank’s large customer base. RBL Bank currently has over 40 lakh urban retail asset and liability customers. This collaboration will enable better customer data management and analysis, enable effective cross-selling within the Bank’s large customer base and significantly reduce subsequent customer acquisition costs.
16. ‘Kerala Arts and Crafts Village Organization’ wins ‘International Craft Award 2021’
The Kerala Arts and Crafts Village Organization (KACV) of Kovalam, Kerala has been awarded the ‘ International Craft Award for 2021 ‘ for the world’s best craft village by the World Crafts Council International . It is India’s only award received in the non-individual category. KACV was established by the Uralungal Labor Contract Cooperative Society (UL CCS) for the State Tourism Department of Kerala. In 2021, the Village of the Year award was won by ‘Kraf Komuniti Ku’ in Malaysia.
17. Finance Ministry: Deposits in Jan Dhan accounts cross Rs 1.5 lakh crore
According to the Finance Ministry , the deposits in the bank accounts opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) have crossed Rs 1.5 lakh crore . The total balance in the accounts under Jan Dhan Yojana was recorded at Rs 1,50,939.36 crore till the end of December 2021. The data revealed that more than 44.23 crore accounts have been opened under this scheme. Out of this, 349 crore accounts were opened in public sector banks, 8.05 crore in regional rural banks and the remaining 1.28 crore in private sector banks. RuPay Debit Cards were issued to 31.28 crore PMJDY beneficiaries under this scheme.
18. 20th Dhaka International Film Festival from 15 to 23 January
20th Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) 15 to 23 JanuaryTo be held in Dhaka. 225 films in 10 different categories from 70 countries will be screened at the festival. The film festival is being organized in a hybrid format. In this, many movies will be shown through online medium. 35 Indian films will be screened at the festival, including Kuzhangal directed by PS Vinothraj, Avijatrik directed by Subhrajit Mitra, Maiar Jonjal directed by Indranil Roychowdhury and Aandal directed by Sharif Isa. The festival will have ten sections including Asian Competition Section, Retrospective, Tribute, Bangladesh Panorama, Wide Angle, Cinema of the World, Children Film, Spiritual Film, Women Filmmakers Section and Short and Independent Films. A conference on ‘Role of Women in Films’ will also be organized on 16th and 17th January in which eminent filmmakers, scholars and film personalities will participate.
19. Bikaner-New Jalpaiguri Express derails near New Domohani railway station in West Bengal, three killed, 20 injured
Guwahati-Bikaner Express train derailed near New Domohani railway station in West Bengal . According to Indian Railways officials, the train had left New Domohani station at around 5.30 pm and on the way it derailed between New Domohani and New Mainagudi stations. Railway Board Chairman VK Tripathi and Director General – Safety have also left for the spot from Delhi. A high level inquiry has been ordered into the accident. Three people died and twenty people were injured in this incident.
20. Nigeria lifts ban on Twitter
Nigeria has lifted the ban on Twitter after seven months . The Nigerian government banned Twitter in June last year. The ban was imposed because of the removal of a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari about punishing regional separatists. Officials accused Twitter of favoring the separatists. But the government said the restrictions were being lifted after Twitter agreed to terms, including opening a local office in Nigeria.
21. New Zealand spinner Ejaz Patel won the ICC Player of the Month Award
India-born New Zealand cricketer Ejaz Patel has won the ICC Player of the Month award for December after his impressive 10-wicket haul against Virat Kohli & Co in the second Test in Mumbai . The left-arm spinner was nominated for the award along with India opener Mayank Agarwal and Australian pacer Mitchell Starc, but beat them on his incredibly rare feat.
22. Malvika Bansod defeated Saina Nehwal
Young shuttler Malvika Bansod has made a big difference in the India Open badminton tournament . This 20-year-old girl has managed to win the match in just 34 minutes by defeating veteran player Saina Nehwal 21-17, 21-9. While Saina is currently at number 25, this 20-year-old girl is in the early stages of her career and is currently at number 111 in the rankings. Malvika hails from Maharashtra .
23. Rishabh becomes Asian keeper to score first century in Africa
Rishabh Pant was named on the third day of the third Test between India and South Africa being played in Cape Town . Pant played an unbeaten innings of 100 runs while batting brilliantly. This is the fourth century of Pant’s Test career. At the same time, he scored the first century against Africa and the third century in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia). Along with this, Rishabh has also become the first Asian wicket-keeper batsman to score a century in South Africa. 24-year-old Rishabh Pant also became the Indian wicketkeeper to have played the biggest innings in South Africa. Prior to Pant, former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni had scored 90 runs in the Centurion Test during the 2010-11 tour of Africa.
24. South African all-rounder Chris Morris retires from cricket
South African all-rounder Chris Morris has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Morris has played four Tests, 42 ODIs and 23 T20 Internationals for South Africa. Morris made his Test debut in late 2016 and played only four games in the traditional format, scoring 173 runs and taking 12 wickets. In batting, Morris scored 467 runs in ODIs and 133 runs in T20s respectively. In February 2021, Rajasthan Royals earned a record Rs 16.25 crore for availing his services. Morris has also played in the IPL for the Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings franchises.
25. 9th edition of North East Festival concludes
The 9th edition of the North East Festival concluded in Guwahati, Assam . The main objective of this festival is to promote and highlight the commercial and tourism potential of the North East region. The festival was organized in the form of a carnival with live music and dance performances, which attracted visitors throughout the day in the open area, while serious discussions on issues of business, economic, socio-political spheres inspired intellectuals in the conference hall. attracted to.
26. India’s oldest bear ‘Gulabo’ dies at Van Vihar National Park
India’s oldest female sloth bear , named Gulabo , passed away at the Van Vihar National Park and Zoo in Bhopal , Madhya Pradesh . Gulabo was the oldest sloth bear in the country. He died at the age of 40. In May 2006, when she was 25 years old, she was rescued by a street artist (Madari). Gulabo was one of the major attractions of the park. The Van Vihar National Park on the banks of Bhopal’s Upper Lake also runs a rescue and breeding center for sloth bears.
