- National:
- The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has extended the deadline for employers to upload wage details for those opting for higher pension. The new deadline is now May 31, 2024.
- The West Bengal government has declared ‘Poila Boisakh’, the first day of the Bengali New Year, as the State Day. This day will be observed as 'Bangla Divas’. In addition, ‘Banglar Mati Banglar Jal’, a song written by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, has been declared as the State Song.
- The 14th Chandubi Festival was celebrated in the Kamrup district of Assam from January 1 to January 5, 2024. This festival, which attracts thousands of tourists, is held every year to promote awareness about the preservation of Chandubi Lake and to promote it as a tourist destination. The festival is organized by the All Rabha Students Union, Borduar Bholagaon Anchalik Committee, in association with several other Rabha organizations.
- On 5th January 2024, The Education Ministry has launched the 'Prerana: An Experiential Learning Programme' for students in Classes 9 to 12 in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. This residential initiative, held weekly, caters to 20 selected students and takes place at a vernacular school in Mehsana, Gujarat.
- The IIJS 2024 is a trade show for the jewelry industry, organized by the All India Gem And Jewellery Domestic Council. It will be held from January 5 to January 8, 2024 at the Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) in Mumbai. The show will feature a wide range of products and services related to gems, jewelry, fashion accessories, and more. It is expected to attract over 1,300 exhibitors and 40,000 visitors from India and abroad. The show was inaugurated by the Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on January 5, 2024.
- The Assam Government has launched ‘Gunotsav 2024’, a comprehensive state-wide assessment aimed at evaluating the performance of approximately 40 lakh students. The exercise is scheduled to take place from January 3 to February 8.
- The Himachal Pradesh government issued a notification granting Scheduled Tribes (ST) status to the Hatti community of Sirmaur district’s Transgiri area on January 2, 2024. The Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, announced this to the community members in Nahan on January 3, 2024.
- International:
- Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri was indeed killed in a drone strike in Beirut. The Israeli government has not publicly claimed responsibility for the attack, but it has been confirmed by one Israeli and two US officials.
- Banking:
- AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) collaborated with Mastercard to launch a Platinum Debit Card in India. This collaboration aims to provide a premium debit card experience with exclusive benefits and rewards to AU SFB's corporate salary customers.
- The World Bank (WB) has raised funds by issuing bonds in three different currencies namely Canadian dollars (CAD), Australian dollars(AUD), and United States Dollars (USD) to support the financing of green and social projects, programs and activities in the member countries.
- Economy:
- India’s pulses imports are projected to reach a six-year high in the 2023-24 financial year due to a domestic output shortfall. Imports may touch 3 million tonnes, up 31% from last year. The government has extended duty-free imports of certain pulses till March 2025 to maintain supply and control prices.
- Exports of toys from India increased 239 percent over the last eight years to $326 million in 2022-23 from $96 million in 2014-15 while imports declined 52 percent to $159 million from $332 million in the same period because of a combination of measures including import tariff increase and quality control.
- The manufacturing sector index released on January 3 for December declined to 54.9, the robust performance of the services industry pushed the overall HSBC India Composite PMI Output Index to a three-month high of 58.5.
- The Indian economy is expected to grow by 7.3% in the current financial year (FY24), according to the first advance estimate released by the National Statistical Office. This growth rate is higher than the previous government forecast of around 7%, and also above the Reserve Bank of India’s forecast of 7.0 percent. This growth is driven by various sectors such as manufacturing, construction, and exports.
- Mous:
- The Power Finance Corporation (PFC), a Maharatna CPSE and the leading NBFC in the power sector, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Gujarat. The MoU, signed on January 3, 2024, in Gandhinagar, is aimed at providing comprehensive financial backing for the state’s generation, transmission, and distribution projects.
- On 3rd January 2024, Paytm signed an MoU with Ayodhya Nagar Nigam at the office of the Ayodhya Nagar Nigam to enable mobile payments in the city ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple on January 22. Ahead of the Ram Temple consecration ceremony, Paytm has partnered with Ayodhya Nagar Nigam to facilitate digital/mobile payments in the city.
- The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) under the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for three years to develop and report a “Green Cover Index” for the extensive network of National Highways in India on 3rd January 2024 in Hyderabad.
- Science & Technology:
- SpaceX actually launched its first batch of 'direct-to-cell' Starlink satellites on January 2nd, 2024. Six Starlink satellites with direct-to-cell capabilities were launched alongside 15 other standard Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket. These satellites act as cell towers in space, equipped with advanced eNodeB modems that allow network integration similar to roaming partners.
- Apps & Portals:
- The government has indeed launched a procurement portal for tur dal-growing farmers. The portal was launched by Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on 4th January 2024. This initiative aims to empower tur dal producers with better prices through procurement, streamlined processes, and direct bank transfers by NAFED and NCCF.
- Reports:
- The Tracxn FinTech Report 2023, which recorded a 63% decrease in funding in the Indian fintech sector, was released on January 5, 2024. The Indian fintech sector experienced a significant setback in 2023, with a 63% decline in funding. Despite this, the sector managed to retain its position as the third-highest funded globally. The total funding raised was $2 billion, down from $5.4 billion in 2022. The late-stage rounds secured $1.4 billion in funding, reflecting a 56% drop compared to the $3.2 billion raised in 2022. Early-stage rounds also faced a similar trend, with funding plummeting to $489 million, marking a stark 73% decline from the $1.8 billion raised in 2022. Seed-stage rounds were not immune to this downward trajectory, securing $145 million, a 69% drop compared to the $474 million raised in the preceding year.
- Important Days:
- National Birds Day is observed every year on January 5. This day is dedicated to celebrating the beauty, importance, and significance of birds. It also aims to raise awareness about the challenges that birds face, such as being captured or produced in captivity for monetary gain or pleasure. The specific theme for National Bird Day on January 5th, 2024, is "Right to Fight".
- Awards & Honours:
- The renowned Bengali writer and novelist, Shirshendhu Mukyopadhyaya, is the recipient of the 2023 Kuvempu Rashtriya Puraskar. The award selection committee, headed by B.L. Shankar, president of the Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Trust, praised Mukyopadhyaya for bringing "new sensibilities to his writings and enriching Indian literature through his works in the Bengali language".
- Appointments:
- On 4th January 2024, Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi has indeed assumed the charge as Vice Chief of the Indian Navy. He succeeded Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh. Before this, Vice Admiral Tripathi was serving as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command.
- Shashi Singh was elected as the president of the All India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA) on January 3, 2024. Prior to assuming the role of President, Shashi Singh held the position of senior vice president within AIRIA.
- P Santhosh, the Chief General Manager of Canara Bank, has been appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Asset Reconstruction of India Ltd (NARCL) effective from January 5. This appointment follows the resignation of Natarajan Sundar, the former MD and CEO of NARCL.
- Puneet Chhatwal has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) on 3rd January 2024. He takes over from Nakul Anand, who has retired and will no longer be a member of the HAI Executive Committee.
Questions:
Q.1 When was the 14th Chandubi Festival celebrated?a. December 25 to December 29, 2023
b. January 1 to January 5, 2024
c. January 10 to January 15, 2024
d. December 31, 2023 to January 4, 2024
Q.2 Who has been appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Asset Reconstruction of India Ltd (NARCL)?
a. Natarajan Sundar
b. P Santhosh
c. Ramesh Kumar
d. Suresh Prabhu
