Daily Current Affairs and GK | 26 November 2024

Topic: National Appointments

1. The name of Binod Kumar has been recommended by FSIB for the post of MD and CEO of Indian Bank.

• Kumar is serving as Executive Director of Punjab National Bank.
• Kumar will replace S L Jain on his superannuation next month.
• Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) interviewed 15 candidates for the post.
• FSIB had selected Asheesh Pandey for the post in April. But RBI had raised some reservation over his name.
• Appointments Committee of the Cabinet will take final decision on the FSIB recommendation.
• FSIB is headed by Bhanu Pratap Sharma, who is former Department of Personnel and Training Secretary.
• Its other members are Animesh Chauhan, Deepak Singhal, and Shailendra Bhandari.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

2. PAN 2.0 Project of Income Tax Department has been approved by centre.

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the PAN 2.0 Project of the Income Tax Department.
• This project will have financial implications of one thousand 435 crore rupees.
• Under this project, the existing system will be completely upgraded and there will be unified portal.
• The existing Permanent Account Number will be the same.
• The PAN 2.0 Project is an e-Government initiative.
• It aims to improve the digital experience of taxpayers by re-engineering the business processes of taxpayer registration services through technology-driven transformation of PAN/TAN services.
• The present PAN/TAN 1.0 eco-system will be upgraded with this, which will combine the core and non-core PAN/TAN operations and provide PAN validation services.
• By making it possible to utilise PAN as a Common Identifier for all digital systems of designated government agencies, the PAN 2.0 Project aligns with the government's objective as embodied in Digital India.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

3. Union Cabinet launched the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF).

• The National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) has been launched as a standalone Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• The mission has been launched with a financial outlay of ₹2,481 crore.
• The mission aims to move farmers towards natural farming methods.
• National Mission on Natural Farming has been designed to support farmers in reducing the cost of cultivation by decreasing reliance on externally purchased inputs.
• It will support the integration of local livestock with diversified crop systems, utilizing location-specific technologies, and promoting agro-ecological principles tailored to local conditions.
• It will foster healthy soil ecosystems, encourage biodiversity, and promote diverse cropping systems.
• Natural Farming (NF) will also provide safe, nutritious food for consumers and will also ensure long-term soil health and environmental sustainability.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

4. 'One Nation One Subscription' scheme has been approved by the Union Cabinet.

• Union Cabinet has approved the 'One Nation One Subscription' scheme for providing country-wide access to scholarly research articles and journal publications.
• Rs 6,000 crore has been allocated for One Nation One Subscription for three years.
• All higher educational institutions under the management of the Central or state government and research & development institutions of the Central government will benefit from the scheme.
• More than 6,300 institutions will be able to potentially avail benefits of ‘One Nation One Subscription’.
• It is in line with the goals of Viksitbharat@2047, National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).
• The institutions will get access to the journals through a unified portal 'One Nation One Subscription'.

Topic: Indian Polity

5. Supreme Court uphold ‘secular, socialist’ words in the Preamble of the Constitution.

• The word ‘secular’ means a Republic that upholds equal respect for all religions.
• ‘Socialist’ represents a republic dedicated to eliminating all forms of exploitation.
• This decision came on a batch of petitions filed in 2020 to challenge the validity of the inclusion of ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ in the Preamble through the 42nd Constitution Amendment in 1976.
• They argued that the word ‘secular’ was deliberately eschewed by the Constituent Assembly.
• The court held that the Preamble is part of the Constitution and parliament has the power to amend the Constitution under Article 368.
• The court held that India has developed its own interpretation of secularism under which the government neither supports any religion nor penalises the profession and practice of any faith.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

6. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the Teacher App.

• Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan unveiled the TeacherApp.
• It is an innovative digital platform designed to revolutionize education in India by equipping educators with future-ready skills to meet the demands of 21st-century classrooms.
• It has been developed by Bharti Airtel Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bharti Enterprises.
• This app will empower teachers through continuous capacity building, leveraging innovative course content, technology, and community-building features.
• This platform will provide both time-tested and future-ready skills through innovative digital resources to teachers.
• This platform provides more than 260 hours of high-quality resources, both created and curated including courses, learning bytes, short videos, podcasts, and interactive webinars.
• The app combines tech innovation with partnerships across 12 states to transform education.
• This platform has a unique section called Teaching Kits comprising content of 900 hours.
• It is designed to support teachers with tools Including teaching videos, project-based learning activities, worksheets, lesson plans, question banks, etc.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Rankings

7. KIIT-DU ranked 4th in India in the inaugural Times Higher Education (THE) Interdisciplinary Science Rankings 2025.

• It recognises universities that achieve excellence in interdisciplinary scientific research.
• However, only four Indian universities—both private and public—feature in the top 100 universities globally, and KIIT is one of them, ranked 92nd globally.
• India has a strong representation in the recently released rankings, with 65 universities featuring, seven of them in the top 100.
• It is noteworthy that Anna University is leading among Indian institutions and has secured the 41st position globally.
• This recognition underlines KIIT University's commitment to promote interdisciplinary research and innovation.
• Among Indian institutions, KIIT is one of the top-performing institutions, contributing significantly to the nation's presence in the global interdisciplinary science landscape.
• This recognition underlines the commitment of KIIT University to promote interdisciplinary research and innovation.
• Among Indian institutions, KIIT is one of the top performers, contributing significantly to the country's presence in the global interdisciplinary science landscape.

Topic: National News

8. Multitracking projects worth Rs 7,927 crore approved by the Cabinet to increase rail connectivity.

• Three major multitracking projects at a cost of approximately Rs 7,927 crore have been approved for Indian Railways by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The initiative aims to enhance rail connectivity, reduce congestion, and contribute to economic development.
• These projects include Jalgaon-Manmad 4th line (160 km), Bhusaval-Khandwa 3rd and 4th lines (131 km), and Prayagraj (Irdatganj)-Manikpur 3rd line (84 km), with a total length of 639 km.
• These tracks are part of the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which is designed to integrate multi-modal connectivity and ensure seamless movement of people and goods.
• These projects are spread across seven districts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, which will impact about 1,319 villages and benefit a population of about 38 lakh.
• Notably, improved connectivity will benefit two aspirational districts, Khandwa and Chitrakoot, and will give a boost to the major rail corridor, the Mumbai-Prayagraj-Varanasi route.
• Eco-friendly rail infrastructure will contribute to India's climate goals, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 271 crore kg per year—equivalent to planting 11 crore trees.

Topic: National Appointment

9. Dinesh Bhatia has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Brazil.

• On 25 November, the Ministry of External Affairs informed that Dinesh Bhatia, a 1992 batch Indian Foreign Service officer, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Brazil.
• Currently, Bhatia is serving as India's Ambassador to Argentina, a position he assumed on August 21, 2019.
• Prior to this, he served as Consul General of India in Toronto and Ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Liberia.
• Bhatia was appointed by the government in the Department of Atomic Energy in Mumbai and also served as Private Secretary to the Minister of Tourism of India.
• He has authored Devi Purana, "a version of the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam," published by Bloomsbury in 2023, and Physics for the Civil Services Preliminary Examination, published in 1994.

Topic: Indian Economy

10. Strategy Cell launched by CII in Coimbatore.

• A strategy cell has been launched by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Coimbatore, to help industries grow their businesses.
• The six-member cell will work with select industries for 6 to 12 months.
• During this period, they will listen to the industry owners about their ambitions and plans, document them, and advise the units to move forward and become global companies.
• Launched in May this year, the initiative currently sees seven industries being mentored by the strategy cell.
• The units were selected over the past six months, and the mentors will now start working with them.
• Strategy Cell members have 200 hours of experience, and their services are offered free of cost to select industries.
• Each industry will be assigned a strategy consultant who will work with the industries for medium- and long-term goals.
• The initial focus will be on the manufacturing sector and will include medium- and long-term strategies of participating industries for sustainable growth.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Rankings

11. India is among the top 10 countries in terms of AI readiness.

• AI is already transforming industries and beginning to reshape economies and is set to profoundly shape the future of economic growth over the next few years.
• However, new research from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has revealed that most economies are not ready for AI-driven disruption.
• On November 23, the study released shows that more than 70% of the economies included in the study score below average in key areas such as ecosystem participation, skills, and R&D.
• BCG’s AI Maturity Matrix offers a comprehensive overview of the AI ​​landscape across 73 economies by focusing on two key aspects.
• First, it assesses each economy’s vulnerability to AI-driven changes such as job displacement and industry-wide productivity gains.
• Second, it evaluates each economy’s preparedness to deal with AI-associated risks while leveraging its potential to stimulate economic growth.
• According to the report, there are six sectors that are most vulnerable to AI-driven transformation: information and communications, high-tech goods, retail, financial services, public services, and automotive manufacturing.
• “Readiness” for AI refers to the economy’s ability to effectively implement and integrate AI.
• The study measures readiness across the six dimensions that make up BCG’s ASPIRE Index: ambition, skills, policy and regulation, investment, research and innovation, and ecosystem.

Topic: Important Days

12. Constitution Day 2024: 26 November

• Every year on 26 November, Constitution Day or Samvidhan Divas is celebrated in India.
• It is celebrated to commemorate the Constituent Assembly's adoption of the Indian Constitution in 1949.
• India's Constitution is the longest-written constitution of any sovereign country in the world.
• The Constituent Assembly of India enacted the Indian Constitution on November 26, 1949, and it came into effect on January 26, 1950.
• On November 19, 2015, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment announced the Government of India's plan to commemorate the 26 November each year as "Constitution Day" in order to promote constitutional principles among citizens.
• Dr. B R Ambedkar, widely known as the Father of the Indian Constitution, was a well-known social reformer, politician, and jurist.
• On August 29, 1947, he was assigned as the chairman of the constitution drafting committee.
• As part of this effort to create awareness about constitutional ideals, the year-long “Hamara Samvidhan, Hamara Samman” campaign has been launched.
• The year 2024 commemorates the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution, which took place on 26 November 1949 but came into force on 26 January 1950.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Important Days

13. National Milk Day 2024: 26 November

• National Milk Day is observed every year on 26th November in honour of Dr Verghese Kurien, the architect of India's White Revolution.
• This day highlights the crucial role of milk in human nutrition and raises awareness about its health benefits.
• It aims to strengthen the dairy industry by promoting increased production and consumption of milk and its products.
• White Revolution helped India to become the largest milk producer in the world.
• On this occasion, two significant publications- Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics (BAHS)-2023 and Manual on the Identification of Elite Cows will be released.
• Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh will also confer the prestigious National Gopal Ratna Awards on this occasion.

Topic: State News/ Delhi

14. Delhi government announced a new pension scheme for senior citizens.

• The Delhi government has announced a pension scheme to provide financial aid to residents aged 60 and above.
• An additional 80,000 people are now eligible for the old-age pension in Delhi. The total number of beneficiaries has reached 5.3 lakh.
• The scheme has received more than 10,000 applications.
• Delhi government announced that Rs 2,000 will be provided to individuals aged 60-69 and Rs 2,500 for those aged 70 and above.
• The Delhi government launched a portal for the elderly to apply for pensions.
• An individual with a minimum of 5 years of residence in Delhi before the date of application and an annual income of less than Rs 1,00,000 from all sources is eligible for this scheme.