- National:
- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in India is planning to implement a GPS-based toll collection system across the nation by March 2024. This initiative aims to alleviate traffic congestion and ensure motorists are charged accurately for the distance traveled on highways.
- On 26th December 2023, OYO has indeed partnered with Khelo India and other organizations to support differently-abled talent across India. This initiative aims to promote wheelchair-friendly infrastructure, such as ramps and wider doorways, and a staff trained to understand the needs of differently-abled guests.
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Copra for the 2024 season on 27th December 2023. The MSP for Fair Average Quality of milling copra has been fixed at Rs 11,160 per quintal and for ball copra at Rs 12,000 per quintal for the 2024 season. This represents an increase of Rs 250-300 per quintal compared to the previous season.
- The Indian Railways has renamed the city’s railway station from ‘Ayodhya Junction’ to 'Ayodhya Dham’. This move comes ahead of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, and the new building of the station is scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 30.
- The Muslim League Jammu Kashmir (Masarat Alam faction) was declared an unlawful association by the Government of India on December 27, 2023 due to its involvement in anti-national and secessionist activities. Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the organisation and its members were involved in anti-national and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
- The Finance Ministry of India has imposed a definitive anti-dumping duty on “gypsum board/tiles with lamination at least on one side” from China and Oman. This decision was based on the recommendations of the designated authority in the Commerce Ministry. The anti-dumping duty varies depending on the producer. For imports from China, the duty ranges from $23.46 to $47.62 per tonne.
- The Ministry of Electronics and IT has recently issued a directive to social media platforms to take additional measures to ensure that they don’t host advertisements of fraudulent loan apps. This move is part of the government’s efforts to crack down on fraudulent loan app advertisements on social media.
- International:
- Over 1500 people performed tabla simultaneously at the ‘Taal Darbar’ in Gwalior, setting a Guinness World Record. The event was part of the 99th Tansen Samaroh. Participants came from over 50 cities. December 25 was declared ‘Tabla Divas’ by the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mohan Yadav.
- The Migration and Mobility Agreement between India and Italy was signed on November 3, 2023 during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Italy. The agreement aims to facilitate the smooth movement of workers, students, and professionals between the two countries and also address the challenges of illegal migration. The agreement was approved by the Union Cabinet on December 27, 2023.
- Angola, Africa’s second-largest oil producer, has announced its exit from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) due to disagreements over production targets. This decision comes after OPEC reduced Angola’s oil output target last month as part of broader production cuts led by Saudi Arabia to support prices.
- Banking:
- The Bank of Maharashtra has indeed unveiled a comprehensive suite of new products and services. The bank celebrated Maha Parivartan Diwas on 19th December, showcasing its commitment to digital innovations to meet the diverse needs of its customers. They introduced a range of cutting-edge products and services designed to redefine the banking experience.
- The State Bank of India (SBI) has purchased non-convertible debentures (NCDs) worth Rs 200 crore issued by Muthoot Fincorp. This debt issue has a five-year maturity with half-yearly being the frequency of the interest payment. The proceeds from the NCD issue will be utilised for onward lending, business operations, and further expansion and growth plan.
- Karnataka Bank has recently enabled the facility for its customers to make direct tax payments. This includes payments for income tax and advance tax. Customers can make these payments at their convenience through the bank’s Internet banking facility or at any branch of Karnataka Bank. This initiative aligns with the bank’s vision of leveraging technology to simplify financial transactions.
- The State Bank of India (SBI) has indeed signed a Line of Credit (LoC) with the World Bank for USD 165 million (over Rs 1,300 crore). This LoC is aimed at promoting grid-connected rooftop Solar PV Projects in residential and institutional sectors.
- Mous:
- Adani Total Gas Ltd (ATGL) and Flipkart signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 27th December 2023, at the headquarters of ATGL in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The MoU between ATGL and Flipkart aims to reduce carbon footprint across the supply chain of e-commerce by deploying electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and contributing to the decarbonisation of e-commerce logistics.
- Science & Technology:
- NASA has launched a mission to intercept the asteroid known as the ‘God of Chaos’. The asteroid, officially named Apophis, is predicted to pass close to Earth on April 13, 2029, at a distance of only 20,000 miles. The spacecraft being used for this mission is OSIRIS-REx, which has been renamed to OSIRIS-APEX for this mission.
- FEAST, which stands for Finite Element Analysis of Structures, is a structural and heat transfer analysis software developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) under the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The software is based on the finite element method and is supported by a state-of-the-art pre/post processor called PreWin.
- Defence:
- Pakistan’s military wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), announced on December 27, 2023, that they had successfully conducted the flight test of Fatah-II. This guided multi-launch rocket system (MLRS) is equipped with state-of-the-art avionics, a sophisticated navigation system, and a unique flight trajectory.
- Appointments:
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of C S Rajan as the Part-time Chairman of Kotak Mahindra Bank. Mr. Rajan, who currently serves as an Independent Director of the bank, will assume his new role on January 1, 2024. His appointment is slated to last for two years.
- Books:
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has released a book on Finite Element Analysis using ‘FEASTsmt’ software. The book is titled 'Introduction to Finite Element Analysis. It has been written by practicing structural analysis experts of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC). The book was edited by Dr S Somanath, Chairman, ISRO, Secretary, Department of Space and Dr Unnikrishnan Nair.
- Obituaries:
- Vijayakanth, the founder of Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and a popular actor in Tamil cinema passed away on December 28, 2023, at the age of 71. He had been suffering from respiratory illness and was admitted to MIOT Hospital in Chennai.
Questions:
Q.1 Who are the authors of the book?a. Dr S Somanath and Dr Unnikrishnan Nair
b. Practicing structural analysis experts of VSSC and LPSC
c. Scientists of ISRO
d. Researchers of the Department of Space
Q.2 Where was the ‘Taal Darbar’ event held?
a. Gwalior
b. Chandigarh
c. Delhi
d. Mumbai
