- National:
- Mohan Yadav, an MLA from Ujjain South, has been sworn in as the 19th Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. Rajendra Shukla, a five-time MLA from Rewa, and Jagdish Devda, an MLA from Malhargarh, have been appointed as the Deputy Chief Ministers.
- RattanIndia believes that the L07 drone has the potential to revolutionize the way that healthcare and e-commerce deliveries are made in India. The drone can be used to deliver essential medical supplies to remote areas, or to provide last-mile delivery of e-commerce goods.
- The newly sworn-in Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mohan Yadav, has indeed ordered a ban on the unregulated use of loudspeakers in religious places and other public places. The state government has also decided to form flying squads in all the districts to check noise pollution and illegal use of loudspeakers.
- The Union Home Ministry has ordered an enquiry into the Parliament security breach incident on a request from Lok Sabha Secretariat. In Dubai, the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) has come to a historic close, marking a turning point in global efforts to combat climate change.
- The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was passed in the Lok Sabha on December 7, 2023. This bill amends the Central Universities Act, 2009, which establishes central universities for teaching and research in various states. The amendment establishes a Central Tribal University in Telangana, named the ‘Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University’.
- The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) has developed a promising technology called AMRIT (Arsenic and Metal Removal by Indian Technology) for removing harmful arsenic and metal ions from contaminated water. The AMRIT technology utilizes a special filter made of nano-scale iron oxy-hydroxide.
- International:
- Javier Milei was sworn in as the 51st president of Argentina on December 10, 2023, marking a significant shift in the country's political landscape. His inauguration was met with both celebration and concern, as his unorthodox views and promises of radical change have generated both excitement and apprehension among Argentines.
- Banking:
- On December 12, 2023, SEBI has allowed Stock Brokers (SBs) and Clearing Members (CMs) to park client funds in Mutual Fund Overnight Schemes (MFOS). These schemes invest only in risk-free government securities, offering a safe haven for short-term parking of funds. The move aims to improve the utilization of client funds and potentially generate some returns while ensuring security.
- In the RBI report an increase in the weighted average cut-off yield of State Government Security (SGS) issuances to 7.71% could have several implications, both for the states and for investors.
- On December 14, 2023, the State Bank of India (SBI) signed a €70 million (approximately Rs 630 crore) Line of Credit (LoC) with KfW, the German development bank. This agreement aims to promote solar projects in India. The agreement was signed at SBI's IFSC Gift City Branch in Ahmedabad. This LoC will provide financial assistance to Indian entities involved in developing solar power projects.
- Kotak Mahindra Bank and IIT Kanpur have indeed collaborated to launch the Kotak School of Sustainability. The school aims to excel in sustainability education, research and innovation, technology development, entrepreneurship, and outreach. The launch event was attended by Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India.
- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of a stake in the company by Temasek and Motilal Oswal's India Business Excellence Fund IV (IBEF-IV). Investment amount: A total of Rs 800 crore will be invested by the consortium, for a minority stake in Niva Bupa.
- State Bank of India's (SBI) Mutual Fund has acquired a 1.5% stake in Karur Vysya Bank for Rs 194.4 crore through open market transactions. The shares were purchased at an average price of Rs 162 apiece, taking the combined aggregate deal size to Rs 194.40 crore.
- Economy:
- Retail inflation in India did indeed rise to a three-month high of 5.55% in November 2023, as reported by the National Statistical Office (NSO). This increase was primarily driven by a surge in food prices, which rose 8.7% year-on-year compared to 6.6% in October
- Science & Technology:
- A new species of marine amphipod, Demaorchestia Alanensis, was discovered in Chilika Lake, Odisha, India. This discovery was made by researchers at Berhampur University, Odisha. The species was named after Professor Alan Myers of University College Cork, Ireland, who has significantly contributed to global marine amphipod studies.
- Summits & Conferences:
- The first-ever deal on reducing the use of fossil fuels was agreed at the COP28 Climate Summit on December 11, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The agreement recognizes the need for deep, rapid, and sustained reductions in fossil fuel usage to limit global temperature rises to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
- Reports:
- The Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2023: Statistics and Trends report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) was released on December 13, 2023. which stated that 74.1% of Indians were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2021. This is a slight improvement from 2020 when the percentage was 76.2%.
- According to Mercer’s Quality of Living report, Hyderabad has been ranked as the best city to live in India for several years. The global survey highlighted many favorable attributes of Hyderabad, such as investment in economic and public infrastructure, availability of a variety of consumables, medical supplies, and a large pool of international and local talent.
- Defence:
- The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has approved the purchase of 70,000 semi-automatic assault rifles for the Indian Army (IA) at a cost of Rs 800 crore, during a high-level MoD meeting.
- Important Days:
- The Indian Navy celebrated its 56th Submarine Day on December 8, 2023. This day marks the formation of the Indian Navy’s submarine arm with the commissioning of its first submarine, the erstwhile INS Kalvari, on December 8, 1967. The theme for the Indian Navy’s 56th Submarine Day in 2023 was "Operational Efficiency, Readiness, and Mission Accomplishment in the Maritime Domain".
- Appointments:
- The renowned lyricist and screenwriter, Javed Akhtar, will be felicitated with the Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award at the 9th Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival. The festival is an annual celebration of unique films from around India and the world.
- The President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, reappointed Geraldo Martins as Prime Minister. This appointment comes after Embalo dissolved the parliament last week.
- Awards & Honors:
- Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami has been nominated for the Arjuna Award. This nomination comes after his stellar performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he emerged as the leading wicket-taker. On the other hand, the men’s doubles badminton team of Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty has been nominated for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, which is the highest sports prize in India.
Question:
Q.1 Which bank signed a €70 million LoC with KfW for solar projects in India?a. HDFC Bank
b. ICICI Bank
c. SBI
d. Axis Bank
Q.2 What is the percentage of Indians who were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2021 according to the FAO report?
a. 76.2%
b. 74.1%
c. 82.2%
d. 66.1%
