Daily Current Affairs and GK | 10 December 2022

Topic: Indian Economy

1. ADB approved a loan of USD 250 million to strengthen the logistics sector in India.

• ADB’s USD 250 million policy-based loan will support the projects for strengthening and modernizing the logistics infrastructure of India.
• It will also help in improving efficiency and reduces cost of logistics in India.
• The loan will finance the sub-program for strengthening the multimodal and integrated logistics ecosystem program.
• The program will support the government initiatives to create a comprehensive policy, planning, and institutional framework at the federal, state, and city level.
• The program will also help in strengthening supply chains by simplifying external trade logistics and domestic cargo movements.
• It will also modernize warehouses and improve business process and attract private investments in the logistics sector.
• The program will also support the initiatives of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to issue a standard for warehousing.
• The government of India has recently approved National Logistics Policy and Prime Minister Gati Shakti National Master Plan for improving the logistics ecosystem in the country.

Topic: Indian Polity

2. Aam Aadmi Party becomes 9^th ‘National party’ of India.

• Within a decade of its formation, AAP becomes India’s ninth national party with its performance in Gujarat elections.
• The Election Commission of India gives “national” and “state” tags to parties, which allows them to use their symbol across India or in a respective state.
• AAP was a state party in both Delhi and Punjab. Earlier this year, it won two seats and a 6.3 percent vote share in Goa.
• The 12.9 percent of the votes as well as five seats in Gujarat elections has made it a state party in Gujarat also.
• The conditions for a national or a state party are specified under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
• A party may gain or lose national party status from time to time, depending on the fulfilment of the conditions.
• Congress, BSP, Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI (Marxist), Nationalist Congress Party, Trinamool Congress, BJP, and National People’s Party are the other National Parties in India.
• Criteria for the State party and National Party are given below:

Topic: Committees/Commissions/Taskforces

3. A panel formed by UGC to work on textbooks in Indian languages.

• On December 7, the University Grants Commission met with international publishers to discuss the publication of textbooks in Indian languages for undergraduate courses.
• The commission has set a schedule of 6 to 12 months for the same.
• An online meeting organised by UGC Chairperson M. Jagadesh Kumar included representatives from Wiley India, Cambridge University Press India, Cengage India, and McGraw-Hill India.
• An apex committee has been constituted to work towards bringing out textbooks in Indian languages used in undergraduate programs like B.A., B.Com, and B.Sc.
• It has also suggested that a model needs to be developed jointly to provide textbooks in digital format at affordable prices.
• The course books will be translated into various languages, including Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati, Odiya, Bengali, Assamese, Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu.
• All India Council for Technical Education has already published 270 first-year engineering textbooks in 12 regional languages.
• In October, Home Minister Amit Shah launched the first set of the first-year M.B.B.S. books in Hindi in Madhya Pradesh.
• The Bar Council of India formed a panel led by former Chief Justice of India S. A. Bobde to translate legal books into regional languages at the UGC's request.

Topic: Art and Culture

4. Karthigai Deepam chariot festival celebrated in Madurai.

• After a gap of two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival was held at Thiruparankundram in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
• On 28 November, the Karthigai Deepam festival began with flag hoisting.
• On 6 December, a chariot ride carrying the idols of the Lord was carried out, and a lamp was lit on the top of Tiruparangunram hill.
• It is one of the most important festivals in Madurai which is attended by many devotees. This festival is of great importance among Tamils.
• It is also celebrated in neighboring states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
• The festival of lights finds reference in the ancient Tamil literature Ahananooru, which is a collection of poems.
• It is one of the great books of Sangam literature which talks about the events between 200 BC and 300 AD.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. The project on ‘Capacity Building Programme for Leveraging Community and Local Resources Based on Technology’ launched by NMCG.

• The project has been launched by the Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga, Shri G. Asok Kumar under Arth Ganga.
• Founder of Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization (HESCO) and Padma Vibhushan Shri Anil Joshi was present on the occasion.
• The project is being jointly implemented by NMCG and HESCO.
• The objective of the program is to develop new need-based skills for the future among the local community living along the banks of river Ganga.
• This program is to provide alternative solutions to the community members under Arth Ganga.
• One of the targeted areas under Arth Ganga has been the promotion of natural farming among farmers.
• Under Namami Ganga and Arth Ganga, NMCG is preparing to launch products related to Ganga in the market as a brand.
• The project also envisages setting up of Arth Ganga Centers (AGCs) and three Ganga Resource Centers (GRCs).
• Under this project, capacity-building workshops/trainings for communities in 4 states- Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand will be organized under the guidance of master trainers from HESCO.

Topic: State News/ Kerala

6. Cochin International Airport’s business jet terminal inaugurated by Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.

• On December 10, the country’s largest business jet terminal has been commissioned at the Cochin International Airport.
• The terminal has been built at a cost of Rs 40 crore and covers an area of 40,000 square feet.
• It will work as a platform for integrating domestic and international jet services, travel, and business gatherings.
• The entrance hall houses a drive-in porch, lobby, comfortable lounge, business center, customs and immigration facilities, and so forth.
• Flights will start from the new terminal from December 11.
• Cochin International Airport has become one of four airports in the country to operate a private jet terminal with its opening.

Topic: Banking System

7. Razorpay has become the first payment gateway in India to support credit cards on UPI.

• This has come after NPCI announced linking RuPay credit cards to BHIM UPI app on 4th October 2022.
• Customers of HDFC Bank, Punjab National Bank, Union Bank and Indian Bank will be the first to enjoy the benefits of this innovation.
• Razorpay merchants can start accepting credit card payments on UPI. This is made possible in partnership with Axis Bank.
• Customers can link their credit cards with UPI. They will not have to carry their credit cards with them at all times for payments.
• As per RBI data, credit card industry has grown steadily at the rate of 30% over the last three years.
• However, only 6% of Indians having access to a credit card.
• UPI has recorded over 731 crore transactions in October 2022 alone being used by over 40% of Indians.
• Razorpay:
  • It is India’s Leading Full-Stack Payments and Banking Platform for Businesses. Shashank Kumar is its MD & Co-founder.
  • It was founded in 2014 by Harshil Mathur and Shashank Kumar.

Topic: International News

8. UK, Italy, and Japan joined hands to build sixth-generation fighters by 2035.

• British PM Rishi Sunak has announced a partnership between the UK, Italy and Japan to build the fighter jet of the future.
• It will be called the “Tempest”. It is conceived as a sixth-generation stealth fighter with multiple capabilities.
• It will have the ability to operate manned or unmanned. It will have the ability to control swarms of attack drones. 
• It will have innovative data systems. It will be armed with cutting-edge weapons like hypersonic missiles.
• This advanced aircraft will be produced through the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), which is a partnership between London, Rome and Tokyo.
• Britain and Italy have been developing the Tempest. Japan joined them in July. The agreement is likely to be finalized this year.
• The Tempest is expected to replace the Typhoon, a fighter that served British air defence for two decades.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

9. Government has extended rooftop solar scheme till March 2026.

• The government will give subsidies under this scheme until the target for the scheme is achieved.
• Any consumer who want to install rooftop solar from any part of the country can apply and track the complete process on the National Portal.
• The government gives a subsidy of Rs 14,588 per kW (for a capacity up to 3 kW) under the scheme.
• For the implementation of the scheme, a National Portal was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 30, 2022.
• The ministry of new and renewable energy is implementing the rooftop solar programme Phase-II.
• As per a report, the residential rooftop solar market will reach 3.2GW by FY23.
• Gujarat is on the first position in terms of total rooftop solar installations.
• Solar rooftop subsidy scheme:
  • Its main aim is to promote solar rooftop usage in the country.
  • Its main aim is to achieve the capacity of 40,000 MW from Rooftop Solar Projects by 2022.
  • Under this scheme, 40% subsidy for the first 3 kW and 20% subsidy beyond 3 kW and up to 10 kW is provided by the government.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

10. Indian startup ‘Kheyti’ won the 2022 Earthshot Prize.

• A Telangana-based startup ‘Kheyti’ is one of the five winners of this year's prestigious Earthshot Prize.
• Kheyti won the prize in the Protect and Restore Nature category. It has won 1 million pounds as Prize money.
• Kheyti’s Greenhouse-in-a-Box is solution for local smallholder farmers to reduce costs, increase yields and protect livelihoods, in regions impacted due to climate change.
• It is providing a Greenhouse solution which is 90% cheaper than a standard greenhouse. It reduces the use of water and pesticide.
• Earthshot Prize:
  • It was founded by Britain’s Prince William.
  • It is also known as the “Eco Oscars”.
  • Every year five projects working to find solutions to the earth’s environmental problems are awarded the Earthshot award.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Rankings

11. Passport Index 2022 has been published by Arton Capital.

• Arton Capital ranks the world's strongest and weakest passports.
• A passport is a travel document issued by the government of a country to its citizens to confirm the identity and nationality of the holder for the purpose of international travel.
• UAE has been ranked first in the world's strongest passport list for 2022, while India has been ranked 87.
• The UAE was followed by Germany, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain, and France.
• Afghanistan ranked last, and Pakistan ranked 94th.
• Japan has been ranked 24, while Henley & Partners ranked Japan’s passport as the world's best passport.
• The Passport Index is based on the 139 members of the United Nations with six regions considered for the list.

Topic: Important Days

12. Human Rights Day 2022: 10 December

• Every year on 10 December, Human Rights Day is observed.
• It is celebrated to raise awareness about the social, cultural, and physical rights of people.
• It is celebrated to mark the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.
• The theme of Human Rights Day 2022 is "Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All."
• The principle of equality and non-discrimination are the two main human rights. Human rights are the best ways to reduce inequalities in society.
• United Nations Human Rights Council, established in the year 2006, is responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights in the world.
• Human rights:
  • These are basic rights for all humans around the globe.
  • It includes the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, etc.

Topic: State News/ Tamil Nadu

13. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu launched scheme to promote welfare of sanitation workers and their family members.

• CM M K Stalin launched the Sanitation Workers Development Scheme on 9 December 2022 in Madurai.
• He unveiled the logo for the sanitary workers in the state.
• He also launched a mobile app “SHWAS” (Sanitation Workers Health Welfare and Safety) as part of this scheme.
• Under the scheme, safety equipment like gloves and boots will be distributed to beneficiaries.
• The scheme aims to protect the welfare of sanitary workers in the state.
• It will ensure proper education for the children of conservancy workers.
• Initially, the scheme will be implemented on a pilot basis in 5 local bodies of the state.
• Many permanent and contract-based conservancy workers will benefit under the scheme.
• CM also unveiled a 13-foot-tall bronze statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at the Perungudi junction near Madurai Airport.

Topic: International Appointments

14. N Chandrasekaran assumed charge as Chair of B20 India.

• Chairman of Tata Sons, N Chandrasekaran, has been appointed as the chair of B20 India on 1 December 2022.
• He will lead the business agenda during G20 presidency of India.
• B20 India represents the entire G20 business community.
• Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has assumed charge as the B20 India Secretariat to lead the B20 India process.
• CII said that B20 India has identified priorities for discussions among G20 businesses under the theme “RAISE- Responsible, Accelerated, Innovative, Sustainable, and Equitable Businesses”.
• B20 was formed in 2010. It is the official G20 dialogue forum with global business community.
• G 20 is a group of 19 Countries and European Union. The members of the G20 are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, and the European Union.
• India is currently holding the Presidency of G20.