Daily Current Affairs and GK | 24 December 2022

Topic: Indian Economy

1. NSE to set up Social Stock Exchange for social organisations.

• SEBI has approved NSE for establishing Social Stock Exchange as a separate segment.
• Social Stock Exchange was proposed by Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget for 2019-20. SEBI had notified the framework for SSE in July.
• With the help of this exchange, social organizations can raise capital through equity or debt instruments.
• It will help social organizations to contribute to sustainable development goals.
• In October, BSE received the approval for setting up a Social Stock Exchange.
• Under the Securities Contracts Regulations Act, the government has announced a new security called “zero coupon zero principal” for the fundraising of non-for-profit-organisations.
• This instrument can be issued by organizations to raise funds publicly or privately.
• At present, the minimum issue size is Rs 1 crore and the minimum application size for subscription is Rs 2 lakh.
• NPOs and for-profit social enterprises are the social enterprises eligible to participate in the Social Stock Exchange.
• Social enterprises must be involved in one of the 16 general activities that the regulator has defined.
• Corporate foundations, political or religious organisations or activities, and professional or trade associations will be not identified as social enterprises and are not eligible for SSE.
• Many countries including Brazil, Portugal, South Africa, the UK, Canada and Singapore already have established Social Stock Exchanges.

Topic: State News/ Manipur

2. Manipur CM launched an upgraded Inner Line Permit (ILP) System portal.

• The ILP system portal upgraded version has been launched for the convenience of visitors from outside for getting the Inner Line Permit.
• It has been launched by seeing the importance of saving the indigenous people population of the state.
• The portal has been opened for Deputy Commissioners and Labour Commissioners of Manipur.
• Now, the Inner line permit can be issued by Deputy Commissioners and Labour Commissioners through online medium.
• Temporary permits are issued for 30 days, regular permits for three months and labour permits for a year.
• A bar code has been put in the permit, which reveals the identity of the possessor by scanning the code.
• With the help of this portal, the duplicity and fraud in ILP could be checked.
• Inner Line Permit (ILP):
  • It is an official travel document issued by the Government of India to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected area for a limited period.
  • An Inner Line Permit is required for Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Manipur.

Topic: Defence

3. India and Japan will conduct the first bilateral aerial combat exercise next month to enhance mutual skills.

• The exercise will be conducted from 16 to 26 January at Hyakura Air Base and its surrounding airfields at Omitama and Iruma Air Base at Sayama.
• The aim of the exercise with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) is to strengthen defense cooperation, enhance tactical skills and promote mutual understanding between the armies.
• More than 150 Indian Air Force personnel will participate in the exercise, and India’s Su 30 MKI will also take part.
• According to the JASDF, four F-2s, 7 Air Wing (Hyakuri), four F-15s, Air Tactics Development Wing (Komatsu), and Central Aircraft Control and Warning Wing (Iruma) will participate.
• India and Japan conduct both army and naval-level exercises.
• In February 2022, both armies had conducted "EX DHARMA GUARDIAN-2022" in Belagavi, Karnataka.
• In 2018, the bilateral army exercise was initiated, while the Indian Navy has been conducting the Japan-India Maritime Exercise (JIMEX) every year since 2012.

Topic: Art and Culture

4. North East Festival began at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.

• The 10th edition of the North East Festival began on 23 December at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
• The event will conclude on 26 December.
• The aim of the festival is to promote the diverse life, culture, traditions, and tourism of the North-East region.
• Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Minister Narayan Rane inaugurated the MSME exhibition at the North East Festival.
• The festival will give an opportunity to North-East entrepreneurs, especially women and SC/ST entrepreneurs, to demonstrate their skills, products, and growth opportunities.
• The four-day cultural fest will showcase the best of North East India's cultural resources in Delhi.
• More than a hundred MSME businesses are participating in the festival.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Awards and Prizes

5. DSCI Award given to UIDAI for 'Best Security Practices in Government Sector'.

• The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has bagged the Data Security Council (DSCI) Best Security Practices in Government Sector award.
• The Data Security Council of India (DSCI) is a non-profit industry body on data security in India established by NASSCOM.
• UIDAI has been honoured for its key role in securing the nationally significant 'Aadhaar' infrastructure that provides digital identity-based welfare services to residents.
• The jury recognized the forward-looking security strategy, good security practices to protect residents' demographic and biometric data, and proactive approach in addressing new-age cyber security risks.
• The award was given at the recently concluded three-day 'Annual Information Security Summit (AISS)' of DSCI in New Delhi.
• Out of over 270 nominations in five award categories, UIDAI was awarded by the DCSI Jury Panel.
• Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI):
  • It was established as a statutory authority under the Aadhaar Act 2016.
  • It works under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
  • Dr. Saurabh Garg is the Chief Executive Officer of the Unique Identification Authority of India.

Topic: National News

6. Government has approved free food grains under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) till December 2023.

• Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal informed that 81 crores 35 lakh people will now get food grains free of cost under NFSA.
• An additional expenditure of Rs 2 lakh crore will be incurred on this, which will be borne by the Central Government.
• Under the NFSA, the government currently provides 5 kg of food grains per person per month at Rs 2-3 per kg.
• During COVID-19 pandemic, the government distributed free ration to poor people under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana launched in April 2020. The government has decided not to extend Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), which is to expire on December 31.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has also approved the minimum support price of copra for the year 2023.
• I&B Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said that the minimum support price for the milling copra of average quality has been fixed at Rs 10, 860 per quintal.
• The minimum support price for ball copra will be Rs 11, 750 per quintal.
• Mr. Thakur said that compared to the last season, the MSP for the milling copra has been increased by Rs 270 per quintal and for the ball copra by Rs 750 per quintal.
• The Union Cabinet has approved pension reforms for ex-servicemen and family pensioners under the One Rank One Pension Scheme.
• Mr. Anurag Singh Thakur said that now the number of ex-servicemen and family pensioners will increase to more than 25 lakhs 13 thousand.
• Presently their number is 20 lakh 60 thousand.
• He said that Rs.8,450 crore would be spent on this every year.
• The benefit of the revised pension will be available from July 1, 2019, and the dues would be paid in four half-yearly installments.
• However, arrears to all family pensioners, including special and liberalized family pensioners and gallantry award winners, will be paid in a single installment.
• The pension of the previous pensioners will be determined afresh in the year 2018 on the basis of the average of the minimum and maximum pension of the retired servicemen of the same rank and with the same length of service.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

7. NHPC Limited has won the award for ‘Best Globally Competitive Power Company of India – Hydropower and Renewable Energy Sector’.

• It has won this award at PRAKASHmay ‘15th Enertia Awards 2022’.
• Shri U.S. Sahi, Executive Director (EMS/CC/CSR), NHPC received the award on behalf of NHPC at a function held on 22nd December 2022.
• Shri V.M. Bansal, Chairman, of New Delhi Institute of Management gave the award.
• The award recognizes NHPC’s leadership in the hydropower sector with a gross asset class renewable energy capacity of more than 7000 MW.
• The award also recognizes that NHPC has more than 5000 MW of projects under construction.
• It also recognizes that NHPC has 7000 MW plus plan for Solar capacity addition.
• NHPC Limited is a Scheduled ‘A’ Mini Ratna Public Sector Enterprise incorporated in 1975 and headquartered in Faridabad, Haryana.

Topic: Committees/Commissions/Taskforces

8. Chief Justice of India has formed a committee headed by Justice S Ravindra Bhat to conduct an accessibility audit of SC premises.

• The committee has been formed to conduct an audit of "physical and functional access" of Supreme Court (SC) premises to make them disabled-friendly.
• The mandate of the Supreme Court Committee on Accessibility is to prepare and release a questionnaire for persons with disabilities.
• This questionnaire will be for the Supreme Court employees, advocates, litigants and interns, who visit the Supreme Court premises.
• The questionnaire will assess the nature and extent of the problems they face.
• The committee will prepare a report on the accessibility audit and results of the survey of persons with disability.
• It will also prepare a report on recommendations/proposals geared towards removing the barriers to access.
• Justice S Ravindra Bhat is a judge of Supreme Court of India. Other members of the Committee are Dr Sanjay Jain, Shakti Mishra, V Sridhar Reddy and Nilesh Singit.
• Additional registrar of the Supreme Court, Ajay Agrawal, is a member (secretary) of the committee.
• The committee will conduct an accessibility audit extending to both physical as well as technology accessibility.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

9. Indian Authors Sudeep Sen and Shobhana Kumar jointly won the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2021-22.

• Sudeep Sen has won the award for his book ‘Anthropocene: Climate Change, Contagion, Consolation’.
• It was published by Pippa Rann Books, UK. The book is focused on Climate Change and pandemics.
• Shobhana Kumar won the award for her book ‘A Sky Full of Bucket Lists’ (Red River, 2021).
• Shobhana Kumar received the award for his contribution towards sustenance and arts.
• They were shortlisted out of 11. The awards were presented at India International Centre in New Delhi.
• Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize:
  • It was launched in 2018 to recognize literary and social accomplishments.
  • The winners received an award of $10,000 and a Rabindranath Tagore statuette.
  • It is conferred annually to published works of Indian authors (residing in India or abroad) in novels, short stories, poetry, and drama.
  • In 2020, it was won by Raj Kamal Jha.       

Topic: Awards and Prizes

10. Anuradha Roy wins the Sahitya Akademi Award for her novel 'All The Lives We Never Lived'.

• The winners of the 2022 Sahitya Akademi awards were announced on December 22.
• Anuradha Roy won the award in the English language category.
• N Kalyan Raman’s translation of the novel Poonachi into English won the Sahitya Akademi Prize for Translation.
• Sanskrit Poet Janardan Prasad Pandey won the award for his book ‘Mani’.
• Prof Badri Narayan has won the award for his collection of poems 'Tumadhi ke Shabd'.
• Anis Ashfaq has bagged the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award 2022 for his Urdu novel, ‘Khwab Saraab’.
• Seventeen books have been selected in the translation category. The award has been given in 23 languages.
• It includes seven books of poetry, six books of novel, two books of short stories, three dramas, two literary criticism and one each of autobiographical essays, collection of articles and literary history.
• The Bal Sahitya Puraskar has been given in Santhali to Ganesh Marandi for his book titled ‘Hapan Mai’.
• The winners were selected on the recommendations of a jury of three members each in the languages.
• Sahitya Akademi Award is the second-highest literary honour in India.
• Winners in other languages are:

Topic: Defence

11. Ministry of Defence has approved 24 proposals for procurement of weapons for the Armed forces and Indian Coast Guard.

• These defence acquisition proposals costing Rs 84,328 crore have been approved by the Defence Acquisition Council.
• 97.4% of these 24 proposals have been approved for procurement from indigenous sources.
• These 24 proposals include- 6 for Indian Army, 6 for Indian Air Force, 10 for Indian Navy and 2 for Indian Coast Guard.
• The proposals include the procurement of Ballistic Helmets with enhanced protection, Light Tanks, Infantry Combat Vehicles, Mounted Gun System, Advanced Surveillance systems, Long Range Guided Bombs, Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels, etc.
• This step will modernize the Indian Armed Forces and give boost to achieve the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence industry.
• Defence Acquisition Council:
  • It is headed by Defence Minister as Chairman of the Council.
  • It approves the procurement of the defense equipment for the defense forces.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

12. Indian Scientist Professor Thalappil Pradeep has been awarded VinFuture Special Prize 2022.

• IIT Madras Professor Pradeep has received the prize in Hanoi for the innovation of a low-cost filtration system to remove arsenic and other heavy metals from groundwater in developing country innovators category.
• Other winners are:

• VinFuture Prize:
  • The prize is announced by the VinFuture Prize Council.
  • It was launched in 2020 to recognize exceptional inventors and researchers from global academic institutions, research labs, and industry to honor breakthrough scientific research and technological innovations.
  • VinFuture Grand Prize is valued at US $ 3 million. It is one of the largest ever annual prizes given globally. 
  • Three special prizes are given to Female innovators, Developing country innovators and innovators with outstanding achievements in emerging fields.
  • Each special prize carries a value of US $ 500,000.

Topic: India and its neighbourhood

13. India and Bangladesh agreed to discuss on Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

• During a meeting between Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal and Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi in Delhi, the two sides decided to start the discussion early. The last meeting between the two commerce ministers was held in September 2018.
• A joint feasibility study on CEPA confirmed that it would increase trade and commercial partnership between the two countries.
• CEPA will also create new jobs, raise living standards, and provide wider social and economic opportunities in both the countries.
• As per the official release of the Ministry of Commerce, the partnership would establish reliable and sustainable Regional Value Chains (RVCs).
• Bangladesh is India’s sixth largest trading partner. Bangladesh has a trade deficit of $14 billion with India in 2021-22.
• In 2021-22, Bangladesh has emerged as the largest trading partner for India in South Asia. It has also become the fourth largest destination for Indian exports.
• The Ministers discussed various issues including:
  • Removal of non-tariff barriers and port restrictions
  • Re-opening of border haats
  • Harmonisation and mutual recognition of standards and procedures
  • Settlement of trade in Indian rupees
  • Strengthening connectivity and trade infrastructure
• Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA):
  • It is a free trade agreement between two countries.
  • It usually covers negotiation on trade in service and investment and other areas of economic partnership. These are more comprehensive than FTAs.  
  • India has signed CEPA with South Korea, Japan and UAE.

Topic: Personality in News

14. Sania Mirza to become India’s first Muslim female fighter pilot.

• Sania Mirza from Mirzapur, UP, has been selected as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force.
• She will become the first Muslim girl fighter pilot in India and the first IAF pilot from Uttar Pradesh.
• In the 2022 NDA exam, only two seats were reserved for women in fighter pilot.
• Bhawana Kanth, Mohana Singh and Avani Chaturvedi are the first female fighter pilots of India. They were inducted into the IAF fighter squadron in June 2016.
• Shivangi Singh is India’s first female pilot for the Rafale fighter aircraft.