1 President presented Prime Minister National Bal Puraskar to 17 children
President Draupadi Murmu conferred the Prime Minister’s National Bal Puraskar on 17 children for their exceptional achievements in New Delhi on Veer Bal Diwas . These children were honoured for their exceptional achievements in the field of art and culture, bravery, innovation, science and technology, social service, sports and environment . Seven boys and 10 girls were among the honoured children . The President honoured them by giving them a medal, certificate and a citation booklet. The youngest award winner at the ceremony was Master Anish Sarkar of Kolkata , who is in the age group when children are in play school and nursery class. Master Anish (3 years, 8 months) has become the youngest chess player in the world to get world ranking . Fifteen-year-old daughter Hembati Nag ‘s parents have passed away. She hails from the Naxal-affected area of Chhattisgarh . Amidst all the challenges, Hembati has made her mark at the national level in Judo on the strength of her patience, courage and skill . The National Bal Puraskar was instituted by the Central Government in the year 1996. The National Child Award was started by the Ministry of Women and Child Development with the aim of honoring children who have achieved extraordinary achievements in different fields. Children who are below 18 years of age. Also, those who are citizens of India and live in the country. This award is given to them. In the year 2018, children who have achieved achievements in the field of bravery were also included. These children, who have received the award since 1996, participate in the Republic Day parade held on Kartavyapath (formerly Rajpath).
2 PM Modi launched ‘Well-nourished Gram Panchayat Campaign’
PM Modi on 26 December attended the nationwide celebration ‘ Veer Bal Diwas Program ‘ organized at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi . On this occasion, PM Modi launched the Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyan . Veer Bal Diwas is celebrated every year on 26 December. This day is dedicated to the martyrdom of the four sons of the 10th Sikh Guru Guru Gobind Singh Ji . January 9, 2022 on the day of Prakash Parv of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Prime Minister had announced that ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ will be celebrated on 26 December in memory of the martyrdom of Sahibzadas Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh, sons of Guru Gobind Singh. On the occasion of the launch of Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyan, 10,000 Gram Panchayats were awarded. 50% of its prize money will be given to Anganwadi workers, assistants and Gram Panchayats. Along with this, the remaining 50% of the prize money will be given to spend on nutrition level in Anganwadi centers.
3 Trial run completed on cable-stayed Anji Khad bridge in Jammu and Kashmir
Indian Railways has successfully completed the trial run of tower wagon on Anji Khad Bridge, the country’s first cable-stayed rail bridge located in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir . The achievement is a major step towards enhancing railway connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir, which is expected to be operational in January 2025. According to the Ministry of Railways, ” Trial run on Anji Khad Bridge, a major component of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project, has been successfully completed.” The Anji Khad Bridge, which was completed last month, is a marvel of engineering with a single support tower structure rising 331 metres above the river bed. It is supported by 48 cables on its lateral and central spans and is 473.25 metres in total length . The longest bridge spans 120 metres, while the central embankment extends 94.25 metres. It is the second highest railway bridge in India after the Chenab Bridge, which is the world’s highest bridge at a height of 359 metres from the river bed. Both bridges are part of the ambitious USBRL project aimed at enhancing connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir.
4 8-member panel formed on ethical use of AI in financial services in India
RBI on Thursday announced the formation of an 8-member committee to prepare a framework for the responsible and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the financial sector . This committee will submit its report within six months from the date of the first meeting. According to the Reserve Bank, Professor Pushpak Bhattacharya of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai will be the chairman of this committee. This panel headed by Bhattacharya will assess the current level of adoption of AI in financial services globally as well as in India. This committee will review the regulatory and supervisory approach to AI with a focus on the financial sector globally. This panel will identify the potential risks associated with AI and recommend the resulting compliance requirements. This committee will recommend a framework including governance aspects for responsibly and ethically adopting AI models or applications in the Indian financial sector.
5 Exercise SLINEX: Maritime cooperation between India and Sri Lanka grows stronger
The bilateral naval exercise ‘SLINEX’ hosted by Eastern Naval Command has strengthened maritime cooperation between India and Sri Lanka . In two phases off Visakhapatnam coast, INS Sumitra of Eastern Fleet participated from Indian side with Special Forces team while Offshore Patrol Vessel Sayura participated from Sri Lanka Navy side with Special Forces team.
6 IAS officer Arunish Chawla became Revenue Secretary
On 26 December, Arunish Chawla, a 1992 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre, was appointed Revenue Secretary in the Finance Ministry . Chawla is currently working as the Pharmaceuticals Secretary in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. Amit Agarwal, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Unique Identification Authority of India, has been appointed as the new Pharmaceutical Secretary.
7 N Srinivasan resigns as MD and CEO of India Cements
On 26 December, N Srinivasan resigned as MD and CEO of India Cements . Srinivasan has stepped down after Aditya Birla Group company UltraTech completed the acquisition of 32.72% stake (10.13 crore shares) of promoters in India Cements. After the acquisition, UltraTech’s total stake in India Cements has increased to 55.49% (17.19 crore shares). Prior to this deal, UltraTech held 22.77% (7.05 crore shares) in India Cements. Last week, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved this deal worth more than Rs 7,000 crore. After this acquisition, India Cements has become a subsidiary of UltraTech Cement from 24 December 2024.
8 125th Birth Anniversary of Martyr Udham Singh
Sardar Udham Singh ‘s birth anniversary was celebrated on 26 December , commemorating his legacy as a symbol of relentless pursuit of justice in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre . Udham Singh was born on 26 December 1899 in Sunam in Sangrur district of Punjab . He grew up in the Central Khalsa Orphanage in Amritsar after his parents died when he was young . Udham Singh survived the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 13 April 1919 , where British Brigadier General Dyer shot dead the army . killed more than 400 unarmed civilians. Deeply affected by the massacre, Udham Singh joined the Ghadar Party in 1924 to organise Indians abroad against British rule. In 1927, he was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for possession of firearms. On 13 March 1940, Udham Singh assassinated Michael O’Dyer during a meeting at Caxton Hall in London. He was hanged at Pentonville Prison, London on 31 July 1940.
9 20th anniversary of the devastating tsunami that struck the coast of South India on December 2004
The 20th Tsunami Memorial Day was observed on the 20th anniversary of the tsunami that struck the coast of South India on 26 December 2004. Thousands of people died in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry . The tsunami, caused by a 9.1 magnitude underground earthquake, was one of the deadliest natural disasters in history.
10 Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92
Former Prime Minister of the country Dr Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92. Former PM Manmohan Singh rose to prominence as the country’s finance minister in the PV Narasimha Rao -led government during 1991-96 , bringing in sweeping reforms that transformed the economy. As a two-term UPA prime minister, he held the top post from 2004 to 2014 and served as a member of the Rajya Sabha until earlier this year. In his political career, Singh has been a member of the Rajya Sabha since 1991 , where he was the leader of the opposition between 1998 and 2004. He represented Assam for five terms in the Upper House and moved to Rajasthan in 2019. His last intervention in Parliament was against demonetisation , which he described as ” organised loot and statutory plunder “. Born on 26 September 1932 in Punjab , Singh obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from Punjab University in 1952 and 1954 respectively. Manmohan Singh completed his Economic Tripos from Cambridge University in 1957. He then did his D.Phil in Economics from Oxford University in 1962. Seven days of national mourning has been declared on the demise of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.
