Daily Current Affairs and GK | 7 December 2024

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

1. India developed the first indigenous Antibiotic ‘Nafithromycin’.

• ‘Nafithromycin’ has been designed to treat both typical and atypical drug-resistant bacteria.
• It has been developed by ‘Wockhardt’ with support from the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).
• It is the first in its class to be introduced globally in over 30 years.
• Its main aim is to tackle community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), which is a deadly infection.
• The drug is currently waiting for the final manufacturing approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).
• This drug is more effective than the current antibiotics like azithromycin and requires a shorter three-day treatment.
• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines.

Topic: Sports

2. Shammi Silva became the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

• Sri Lanka's Shammi Silva became the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
• He has succeeded India's Jay Shah, who recently became the chairman of the International Cricket Council.
• Jay Shah's term has ended after three times as ACC president.
• Shammi Silva was previously working as the chairman of the organisation's Finance & Marketing Committee.

Topic: National News

3. 7th Smart India Hackathon will start from 11th December.

• The 7th edition of Smart India Hackathon (SIH) will start on December 11, 2024, at 51 centers across the country.

• The program will be inaugurated virtually by Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan.
• SIH is a nationwide initiative and aims to inculcate a culture of product innovation and problem-solving mindset by providing students a platform to solve some of the pressing problems faced in daily life.
• Like previous editions, student teams will work on problem suggestions provided by Ministries/Departments/Industries or submit their ideas in the Student Innovation category on any of the 17 themes.
• Over 250 problem ideas have been submitted for AIH 2024 by 54 ministries, departments, state governments, public sector undertakings, and industries.
• This year, internal hackathons at the institute level have witnessed an impressive growth of 240%, growing from 900 at AIH 2023 to over 2247 at AIH 2024, making it the largest edition to date.
• More than 86,000 teams have participated in AIH 2024 at the institute level, and around 49,000 student teams (each consisting of 6 students and 2 mentors) have been recommended by these institutes for the national level stage.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

4. The world's largest grain storage scheme expanded by India in the cooperative sector.

• Under the pilot phase of the world's largest grain storage scheme in the cooperative sector, warehouses have been successfully constructed in Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) in 11 states across India.
• These include Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam, Telangana, Tripura, and Rajasthan.
• Supported by the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), NABARD, and NABARD Consultancy Services (NABCONS), this initiative has achieved a total storage capacity of 9,750 metric tonnes.
• Of the 11 storage units built, three—located in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Telangana—are earmarked for PACS’ own use.
• The other three facilities in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat have been leased to state or central agencies, demonstrating the project's versatility in meeting local and institutional grain storage needs.
• As of November 21, 2024, more than 500 additional PACs have been identified across the country for the construction of warehouses, taking forward the plan to enhance storage infrastructure at the ground level.
• The initiative integrates subsidies and interest subventions through various government schemes, such as the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) and Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure Scheme (AMI).

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

5. An MoU signed by the Government of Puducherry with Karmayogi Bharat and the Capacity Building Commission.

• The MoU has been signed to onboard government employees onto the iGOT Karmayogi platform.
• With this initiative, Puducherry becomes the 14th state or union territory in India to join the iGOT Karmayogi platform.
• IGOT Karmayogi platform is an online portal to provide guidance to government officials in their capacity-building journey.
• The portal connects 6 functional centers for online learning, competency management, career management, mentorship, events, and networking.
• Karmayogi Bharat is a government-owned non-profit SPV, set up by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions.
• It is entrusted with the responsibility of owning, managing, maintaining, and improving iGOT (Integrated Government Online Training), the Karmayogi platform.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: National News

6. 4th Mekong-Ganga Dhamma Yatra started in New Delhi.

• The 4th Mekong Ganga Dhammayatra brought more than 20 Buddhist experts, retired civil servants, and distinguished Thailand residents to Delhi.
• The purpose of the 4th Mekong Ganga Dhammayatra is to deepen the ties that bind the Mekong and Ganga civilisations together.
• Dr. Supachai Viraphuchong, Secretary-General of the Bodhgaya Institute 980, is in charge of the Dhammayatra.
• Thailand and India are partners in the Dhammayatra.
• In order to proclaim the Century of Dharma, it supports collaboration across all spheres, including the private, and public sectors.
• The Yatra's aim is to spread the Dhamma's timeless teachings on avoiding conflict and being environmentally conscious throughout the world.
• BodhiGaya Vijjalaya 980 is organising the event in association with other organisations from Thailand and India.
• The 97th anniversary of the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej's birth is being commemorated with the 4th Dhamma Yatra.

Topic: Indian Economy

7. Interest rate ceilings on FCNR (B) deposits have been increased by RBI.

• This will enable Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to earn more on their savings.
• The move is aimed at attracting more foreign capital.
• Effective from December 6, 2024, banks are allowed to raise fresh FCNR (B) deposits of 1 year to less than 3 years maturity at rates not exceeding ARR plus 400 bps.
• They are allowed to raise deposits with maturity between 3 to 5 years at rates not exceeding Alternative Reference Rate (ARR) plus 500 bps.
• This relaxation will be available till March 31, 2025.
• Foreign Currency Non-Resident Bank deposits or FCNR (B) deposits are accounts where NRIs can keep their earnings in foreign currencies like USD or GBP.
• RBI has also decided to introduce the Secured Overnight Rupee Rate (SORR).
• SORR is a benchmark based on the secured money markets.
• Financial Benchmarks India Ltd (FBIL) will take this proposal forward.
• The proposal is in line with the recommendation of the RBI’s Committee on the MIBOR Benchmark.
• The Committee on the MIBOR Benchmark was headed by Ramanathan Subramanian.
• It was set up to review the rupee interest rate benchmarks in the country, especially the usage of Mumbai Interbank Outright Rate (MIBOR).

Topic: International News

8. For the first time, India will chair the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

• India has been selected to chair the 68th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND).
• Shambhu Kumaran, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Vienna, officially assumed the Chairmanship of CND.
• Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) is the national policy-making body of the United Nations on drug-related matters.
• This is the first time India has been named chair of this important UN body.
• Under the chairmanship, India is expected to articulate the interests of the Global South in line with its role in promoting the interests and perspectives of developing nations in global discussions.
• India will also work on the ongoing work of the CND to foster dialogue and understanding on drug policy issues.
• The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) was established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 1946.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

9. PM e-Vidya DTH 24×7 channel for Indian Sign Language has been launched.

• Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the PM e-Vidya DTH 24×7 channel for Indian Sign Language (ISL).
• This channel will promote Indian Sign Language, which has been conceptualized to promote ISL as a language and a subject.
• It is a step in line with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and will transform the educational experience for hearing-impaired students across the country.
• The channel will provide learning content for schoolchildren, teachers, educators, and other stakeholders.
• The channel will serve as an accessible platform to promote ISL as both a language and an academic subject.
• The channel will cover various topics including skill development, career guidance, mental health, communication skills, etc.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

10. An agreement signed by Google to set up a security engineering center in Hyderabad.

• On 4 December, a strategic agreement was signed by the Telangana government with Google for the establishment of India’s first Google Safety Engineering Centre (GSEC) in Hyderabad.
• The GSEC in Hyderabad will be the first of its kind in the Asia Pacific region, after Tokyo, and the fifth in the world, with similar facilities in Dublin, Munich, and Malaga.
• GSEC is a specialized international cybersecurity center that will play a key role in developing advanced security and online safety products in the Indian context.
• The center will focus on cutting-edge research, AI-powered security solutions, and creating a collaborative platform for leading experts and researchers in cybersecurity.
• The centre also aims to promote skill development, boost employment, and enhance cybersecurity capabilities in India.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

11. A 100-day intensive TB campaign launched in Haryana by Health Minister JP Nadda.

• A 100-day intensified campaign to address the challenges of tuberculosis (TB) incidence and mortality across the country has been launched by Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on 7 December in Haryana’s Panchkula.
• The initiative will be implemented in 347 districts across 33 states and union territories.
• It is in line with the vision of a TB-free India laid out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2018 Delhi End TB Summit.
• Since then, important initiatives have been launched by the program to strengthen prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services across the country.
• The aim of the 100-day campaign is to improve program performance on key output indicators such as TB incidence rates, diagnostic coverage, and mortality rates.
• Some of the key focus areas of the campaign are increasing access to advanced diagnostics, targeted screening among vulnerable groups, specialized care for high-risk individuals, and provision of expanded nutritional support.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

12. India received the award for social security good practices at the Asia-Pacific forum.

• The 'Good Practice Award for Asia and Pacific 2024' has been presented to India in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 
• India has received awards for adopting good practices in providing social security to its workforce.
• The Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) received five certificates of merit for communication channels.
• On behalf of EPFO, the awards were received by Ashok Kumar Singh, DG, ESIC.
• These awards recognise the efforts undertaken by EPFO to reform and adopt good practices.

Topic: State News/ Assam

13. Assam government banned public consumption of beef.

• The consumption of beef in hotels, restaurants, festivals, and community events has been prohibited in Assam with immediate effect.
• Beef will be not served in religious, social, and other public functions.
• This provision has been added to strengthen the Assam Cattle Preservation Act of 2021.
• The Act bans cattle slaughter and the sale of beef in certain areas where Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs are in the majority.
• The issue of beef consumption arose after allegations that political parties distributed beef to attract voters in the Samaguri election in Assam.