1.Karnataka’s first LNG terminal to come up in Mangaluru
Karnataka government recently Mangalore in the first state LNG terminal to establish a Singapore -based LNG Alliance Company have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with. Establishment of this terminal ‘ New Mangalore Port Trust‘ (NMPT) with an investment of Rs 2250 crore. According to the announcement made in this regard, this project will provide direct employment to 200 people. This will be Karnataka’s first and the country’s sixth ‘Liquefied Natural Gas’ (LNG) terminal. This could prove helpful in the Centre’s comprehensive plan to promote the alternative fuel market to achieve the goal of net zero carbon by 2070. Once completed, the project will be able to supply ‘liquefied natural gas’ (LNG) within a radius of 300 km around Mangaluru. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is the liquefied form of natural gas, usually shipped in large quantities to countries where pipeline expansion is not possible. Natural gas is cooled to 160 °C and brought to a liquid state.
2.Captain Harpreet Chandi the first black woman to complete a trekking expedition to the South Pole alone
Captain Harpreet Chandi , a 32-year-old Indian-origin British Sikh Army officer and physiotherapist, has created history by soloing a trekking expedition to the South Pole, becoming the first black woman to do so . As part of a medical regiment in the north-west of England, Harpreet Chandi’s primary role is to organize the training of physicians as clinical training officers for the army. In addition, she is currently pursuing her Masters in Sports and Exercise Medicine (part-time) at Queen Mary University in London.
3.Approval for amendment in Shri Jagannath Temple Act of 1954
Recently, in a historic decision, the Odisha State Cabinet approved the Shri Jagannath Temple Act of 1954 .The amendment has been approved. In the year 1806, the then British Government issued rules for the management of Jagannath Temple, which was called Juggernaut Temple by the colonial rulers. Under these rules, pilgrims visiting the temple were expected to pay taxes. The British government was entrusted with the task of appointing senior priests to the temple. The temple’s management powers were handed over to the Raja of Khordha three years later while the colonial government retained its control. After India got independence, Jagannath Temple Act, 1952 was introduced which came into force in the year 1954. The Act envisages the land rights of the temple, the duties of the priests, the administrative powers of the Shree Jagannath Temple Management Committee, Includes the prerogatives of the Raja of Puri and other persons associated with the management and administration of the temple. The power to sell and lease land in the name of Jagannath Temple will now be delegated to the temple administration and the concerned authorities. Unlike earlier, this process would not require any approval from the state government.
4.About 11 lakh waterfowl and other species dependent on wetlands in Chilika Lake
According to the Waterfowl Status Survey-2022 conducted in Chilka Lake , about 11 lakh waterfowl and other species dependent on the wetland came towards this lake. Chilka Lake is the largest salt water lake located in the Indian subcontinent and the largest place for birds to visit during the winter season. Chilka is the largest lagoon in Asia and the second largest in the world. It is home to several endangered species of plants and animals, as well as being the largest ground for attracting migratory birds in the Indian subcontinent during winters. In 1981, Chilka Lake was designated the first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. The major attractions in Chilka are the Irrawaddy Dolphins which are often sighted near the Satapada Island.
5.A ‘Made-in-India’ test kit named Omisure to detect Omicron variants
Recently the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has launched a ‘ Made-in-India ‘ named Omisure to detect the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus .’ The test kit is approved. The kit currently used to detect Omicron in the country has been developed by Thermo Fisher, a US-based scientific instrument company. In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed some measures to strengthen laboratory capabilities, with a focus on addressing inequalities in access to COVID-19 diagnostic equipment. This RT-PCR kit is manufactured by ‘Tata Medical & Diagnostics’. It uses the ‘s-gene target failure’ (SGTF) strategy. Currently Omicron patients are detected only after genome sequencing. Omisure Test Kit helps to eliminate this process and detects Omicron variants of SARS-CoV2 in nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal samples during RT-PCR tests.
6.Atul Keshap appointed President of US-India Business Council
American diplomat of Indian origin Atul Keshp (Atul Keshap) the US Chamber of Commerce by the US-India Business Council (USIBC) has been appointed chairman of. His term is effective from January 05, 2022. The US Chambers of Commerce is the parent body of USIBC. Atul Keshap will replace Nisha Desai Biswal . Prior to this, Keshap served in India as the United States Charged Affairs in Delhi, leading the US Embassy team. USIBC represents top global companies operating in the United States, India and the Indo-Pacific.
7.Ajay Kumar Choudhary and Deepak Kumar appointed as new executive directors of RBI
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Deepak Kumar and Ajay Kumar Choudhary as the new Executive Directors (EDs) with effect from January 03 . Before being promoted as ED, Deepak Kumar was heading the Information Technology Department of RBI, while Ajay Choudhary was the Chief General Manager in-charge of the Supervision Department.
8.High Court of Kerala: India’s first paperless court
Kerala High Court is all set to become India’s first paperless court . Supreme Court Judge Justice DY ChandrachudInaugurated the Smart Court Room on 1 January 2022. In the first phase, six courts, including the Chief Justice’s chamber, will be converted into smart courts. Also the case file will be made available on the computer screen to the lawyers. E-filed cases will be processed, verified and rectified through e-mode, stakeholders can avail the option of hearing of cases in hybrid mode through physical hearing as well as videoconferencing, and order and judgment Will also be distributed through e-mode. Each part of the process can be viewed, processed through the dashboard or virtual box of individual stakeholders and participants in the judicial process. All stakeholders including Litigant can access, work and update matters from the comfort of their homes, offices or in transit.
9.Himachal Pradesh becomes the first LPG enabled and smoke free state in the country
Himachal Pradesh has become the first LPG enabled and smoke free state . This milestone is the Ujjwala scheme and Grahini Suvidha Yojana launched by the center.was achieved due to The government had started the Ujjwala scheme to get rid of smoke. Grihini Suvidha Yojana was launched to help the women of rural areas. The Ujjwala scheme was launched by the central government with the aim of making the women of the country free from indoor pollution. Along with this, Himachal government also started Grihini Suvidha Yojana to benefit more and more women under the scheme. Under the Ujjwala scheme, 1.36 lakh free domestic connections at a cost of Rs 21.81 crore were provided in Himachal, while under the Grihini Suvidha Yojana of the Himachal government, 3.23 lakh housewives were provided free gas cylinders at a cost of Rs 120 crore.
10.NBBL launches UPMS to ease recurring bill payments
NPCI Bharat Billpay Limited (NBBL) , a wholly owned subsidiary of National Payments Corporation of India , has introduced a functionality called ‘ Unified Presentation Management System ( UPMS )’. Through UPMS, NBBL will enable customers to set up standing instructions on their recurring bill payments from any channel and for any mode. In terms of auto-debit and bill payment management, bills will be automatically received from the billers and presented to the customers for their action.
11.Google acquires Israeli cyber security startup SimpliFi for $500 million
Owned by Alphabet Inc. , Google has tied up with Israeli cyber security startup Simplify in a $500 million deal. has acquired. The acquisition will expand the US tech giant’s security offerings in the country amid rising cyber attacks. Simplify will be integrated into Google Cloud’s Chronicle operations. As part of Google Cloud’s security team, Simplify will help companies better manage their threat response. The purchase marks the fourth acquisition by Google of an Israeli company and its first in the cyber security industry outside the US. Simplify was founded in 2015 by Amos Stern (CEO), Elon Cohen (CTO) and Gary Fatakhov (COO). It has offices in Tel Aviv and headquarters in New York. Simplify specializes in end-to-end security services for enterprises, commonly referred to as security orchestration, automation, and response.
12.Odisha’s Ganjam district is now child marriage free
Odisha ‘s Ganjam has declared itself as a child marriage free district , the first in the state. The district administration has been able to stop 450 child marriages and video-record 48,383 marriages in two years – 2020 and 2021. After verification, the Ganjam administration declared it a child marriage free district. The sarpanches and task force committee members had sent recommendations that no child marriages take place in their respective areas. Ganjam had started a program called Nirbhaya Kadhi (fearless bud). Heads of all educational institutions have been directed to inform the administration if a girl child between the age group of 12 to 18 years is absent from school for five days. At least one lakh adolescents have been counseled in the last two years. The administration has also made mandatory submission of Aadhar card for any marriage.
13.Indian women’s squad for ICC Women’s World Cup and New Zealand series announced
BCCI ‘s ICC Women’s World Cup and New Zealand series for the Indian women’s team has announced. The captain of this team is Mithali Raj while Harmanpreet Kaur has been made the vice-captain. There are 15 players in this team including wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh and Jhulan Goswami . Other players include Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Sneh Rana, Jhulan Goswami, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur, Tania Bhatia, Rajeshwari Gaikwad and Poonam Yadav. The standby players are Sabbhineni Meghna, Ekta Bisht and Simran Dil Bahadur.
14.Approval of signing of MoU between India and Turkmenistan on cooperation in the field of disaster management
The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between India and Turkmenistan on cooperation in the field of disaster management . India and Turkmenistan will benefit from each other’s disaster management mechanisms through the mechanisms established under the MoU. It will help in strengthening the areas of preparedness and capacity building in the area of disaster management.
15.244 Meri Saheli teams deployed at major railway stations for the safety of women passengers
Railway Protection Force has deployed two hundred 44 Meri Saheli teams at major railway stations across the country for the safety of women passengers traveling long distances . The Ministry of Railways said that the RPF assesses the effectiveness of security by taking feedback from the women who have completed the journey. Apart from this, security arrangements like rail security have been made for women passengers, CCTV cameras have been installed in eight hundred 40 stations and about four thousand coaches, regular drive against unauthorized passengers in women coaches has been carried out, the ministry said.
16.Cabinet’s Economic Action Committee approves Phase II of Inter-State Transmission System-Green Energy Corridor
The Union Cabinet has approved the second phase of the Inter-State Transmission System – Green Energy Corridor . With this scheme, about ten thousand seven hundred and 50 circuit kilometers of transmission lines and about 27 thousand five hundred mega volt ampere capacity of the sub-stations will be increased. The Cabinet also approved the construction of a bridge over the Mahakali River at Dharchula in India and Nepal.
17.RBI: Airtel Payments Bank gets scheduled bank status
Airtel Payments Bank is classified as a scheduled bank by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the Second Schedule to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 . With this, Airtel Payments Bank can now lobby the government. Airtel Payments Bank is one of the fastest growing digital banks in the country with a base of 115 million users. It offers a suite of digital solutions through the Airtel Thanks app and a retail network of over 500,000 neighborhood banking points. The bank turned profitable in the quarter ended September 2021.
18.Cryptowire releases India’s first cryptocurrency IC15 Global Index
CryptoWire , a global crypto super app, an exclusive business unit of Tickerplant , announced the launch of India’s first cryptocurrency index – IC15 , a rules-based broad market index by market capitalization. The company said that IC15 tracks and measures the performance of the top 15 widely traded liquid cryptocurrencies listed on the world’s major crypto exchanges. The Mumbai-based company is designed to provide insights into crypto mining and real benchmarks and a mirror of the underlying crypto market, a barometer of the industry in a sense, with a diverse representation of overall market sentiments.
19.Traditional New Year ‘Losar Festival’ celebrated in Ladakh
The Losar Festival in Ladakh marks the beginning of the new year in the traditional program of Tibetan Buddhism . It is celebrated by the Buddhist community in the Ladakh region. Losar is a 15-day festival from the beginning of the Tibetan lunar calendar, marking the first day of 11 months in the Tibetan calendar. Losar is a Tibetan word meaning ‘ New Year ‘. The festivities began with the celebration of the birth and nirvana anniversary Je Tsongkhapa with the lighting of religious places such as monasteries, stupas, residential and other places. The eve of Losar festival is also celebrated with commemorative food offerings for the departed loved ones.
20.Nippon India MF launches India’s first auto ETF
Nippon Life India Asset Management Limited, the asset manager of Nippon India Mutual Fund ( NIMF ), has announced the launch of India’s first auto sector ETF – Nippon India Nifty Auto ETF . The Nippon India Nifty Auto ETF will primarily invest in stocks comprising the Nifty Auto Index in the same proportion as the index. It will provide exposure to the top 15 (as per Nifty Auto Index methodology) companies representing auto-related sectors such as automobile 4 wheeler, automobile 2 and 3 wheeler, auto ancillary and tyres.
21.RBI approves Fino Payments Bank for international remittance business
Reserve Bank of India has launched Fino Payments Bank to start international (cross-border) remittance business under the Money Transfer Service Scheme (MTSS) .Permission has been granted. With the approval, customers of Fino Payments Bank will be able to receive remittances from abroad. The bank also plans to implement the service in its mobile application and also plans to partner with more major money transfer operators (MTOs) to improve cross-border remittances. The bank will conduct inward cross-border money transfer activities and partner with a foreign principal. It is also approved to partner with one of the largest global remittance service providers as its overseas principal. Fino Bank’s customer segment in the middle of the pyramid targets families of many working overseas. Money remitted by family members abroad can now be withdrawn directly at the nearest Micro-ATM or Aadhaar-enabled Payment Service (AEPS) enabled Fino Bank’s neighborhood merchant point.
22.Zeeshan-e-Latif wins Ramnath Goenka Award in Photo Journalism
Jishan A. Latif ‘s photo journalism category in the Ramnath Goenka Award won. He won the award for his photo essay, struggling hard to be included in the NRC, which was published in The Caravan in October 2019 . He documented the plight of those who were removed from the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and confronted an untold human story. Almost a month after the NRC list was released, Latif made his way to four districts of Assam, documenting the struggle of people for inclusion in the NRC.
23.world war orphans day
Annually worldwide January 06 , “the World War Orphans Day is held. The day aims to raise awareness about children who have been orphaned by wars. This day presents to the world the condition of children orphaned during war and highlights the emotional, social and physical challenges children face as they grow up. According to statistics presented by UNICEF, there were approximately 140 million orphans globally in 2015, including 61 million in Asia, 52 million in Africa, 10 million in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 7.3 million in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
24.Music group Shillong Chamber Choir founder Neil Nongkirinh passes away
Neil Nongkirinh , the founder of ‘ Shillong Chamber Choir ‘ and noted musician , has passed away recently at the age of 51. Neil Nongkirinh was born on July 09, 1970 in East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya .Happened in. She received her early education from Meghalaya and received most of her musical education from her sister, Pauline Warjri, who was a jazz musician. In 1988, Neil Nongkirinh moved to the United Kingdom to study music. After graduating in music, Neil made several appearances as a pianist in the United Kingdom. In 2001, Nongkirinh returned to India and became a music teacher in Shillong. In the same year he founded the famous ‘Shillong Chamber Choir’. It is noteworthy that in the year 2010, the Shillong Chamber Choir led by Neil Nongkirinh won a TV program titled ‘India’s Got Talent’. Apart from this, in the year 2015, he was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award.
25.Legendary Kenyan conservationist and paleontologist Richard Leakey dies
World-renowned Kenyan politician , conservationist and paleontologist Richard Leakey has passed away. The great paleoanthropologist is credited with the discovery of the ‘ Turkana Boy ‘ in 1984, proving that the human race evolved in Africa. Turkana Boy is the most complete fossil skeleton of a human ancestor ever found. Paleoanthropology is the study of human evolution through fossil and archaeological records. Leakey is also known for campaigning against the ivory trade to save the African elephant population.
26.3-time Olympic gold-winning triple jump champion Viktor Sanaev passes away
Olympic triple jump 3-time gold medalist and former world record holder, Viktor Danilovich Sanaev , passed away in Australia. He was one of the third tallest players to have represented the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) at the Olympic Games. He later worked as a coach in Australia. He won gold medals at the 1969 Athens and the 1974 European Games held in Rome.
