Daily Current Affairs and GK | 11 January 2025

Topic: State News / Himachal Pradesh

1. Himachal Pradesh Cabinet approved renaming Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administration after Manmohan Singh.

• The suspense continues over the selection of a memorial site for former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in the national capital.
• However, the Congress government of Himachal Pradesh on January 9, 2025 approved the renaming of an institution after Dr Singh, acknowledging his significant contribution to the development of the hill state.
• The State Cabinet, which met in Shimla under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, approved renaming Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administration (HIPA) as Dr. Manmohan Singh Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administration.
• The Cabinet appreciated the transformational contribution of Dr Singh to the nation and Himachal Pradesh and highlighted his role in tackling the economic crisis and laying the foundation of India's financial reforms.
• Apart from this, the establishment of a Special Task Force (STF) to combat drug abuse in the state was approved by the Cabinet.
• The STF will work to dismantle drug trafficking and organised crime networks through a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Rankings

2. India's ranking in Henley Passport Index falls to 85th.

• In the Global Passport Index, India's ranking has dropped five points to 85 this year, with Singapore topping the list for the second consecutive year.
• In 2024, India's ranking in the Henley Passport Index was 80th globally.
• According to the 2025 Index, Pakistan and Bangladesh were ranked 103rd (101st in 2024) and 100th (97th in 2024) respectively.
• This data is taken from the Henley Passport Index, released on January 8, 2025, by citizenship consultancy firm Henley & Partners.
• With 19 years of historical data, the Henley Passport Index is the only index of its kind based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority [IATA].
• The index covers 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations.

Topic: State News/ Madhya Pradesh

3.Madhya Pradesh government launched the PARTH scheme.

• The main purpose of the scheme is to prepare youths physically and mentally before recruitment in the Indian Army, Police, Para Military etc.
• The full form of the PARTH scheme is Police Army Recruitment Training and Hunar.
• During the closing ceremony of the State Level Youth Festival, this scheme has been launched by CM Mohan Yadav.
• Under this scheme, youth will be given pre-recruitment training for physical fitness and preparation for the written examination.
• The youths will receive the training at the divisional level infrastructure of the sports department.
• The government will create a youth portal, in which interested youth will be able to register themselves.
• The list of training centers will be provided on the portal.

Topic: International Appointments

4. Lebanon parliament elected Joseph Aoun as head of state.

• After a two-year gap, army commander Joseph Aoun has been elected president of Lebanon.
• Aoun received 71 out of 128 votes in the first round, and in the second round, he received 99 votes.
• He also promised to control Lebanon’s borders.
• Joseph Aoun is the fifth former army commander to ascend to Lebanon’s presidency.
• In Lebanon, a president is elected by a two-thirds majority of the 128-member house in the first round of voting or by a simple majority in the next round.
• Joseph Aoun was appointed army chief in March 2017. His term was extended twice during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.