Daily Current Affairs November 27 & 28 2022

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Railways intend to export Vande Bharat trains by 2025–2026:

• According to a senior official, by 2025 or 2026, the railways hope to become a significant exporter of Vande Bharat trains to markets in Europe, South America, and East Asia.
• The latest iteration of the domestic trains with sleeper coaches will also be running by the first quarter of 2024.
• To make 75 Vande Bharat trains export-ready, he added that the railways planned to run 10–12 lakh kilometres on them over the following several years.
• Over the next two to three years, the environment for exporting trains needs to be developed.
• They want to produce 475 Vande Bharat trains over the next three years, and if they are operationally successful, our product will enjoy confidence in the international markets.
• To give the locally produced semi-high speed trains even more of a boost, the Union Budget for 2023–24 is likely to announce the addition of 300 more Vande Bharat trains.
• In the next five years, the nation will construct 800 trainsets if fiscal support materializes.
• As part of the national government’s preparations to commemorate 75 years of independence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has requested that the Railways create at least 75 Vande Bharat trains by August 2023 to commence the services connecting 75 important towns.

India Creates Panel to Redesign the Government Job Guarantee Program:

• The Union Rural Development Ministry of India has established a panel to restructure its sole job guarantee program in the hopes of distributing more work to the nation’s poorer regions.
• As India’s rural communities recovered from the epidemic amid skyrocketing prices and few non-farm job possibilities, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, or MNREGA, was in high demand.
• However, residents of relatively wealthy states would have done better in finding employment under the important anti-poverty job program, prompting calls for modifications to the program.
• The panel would offer institutional mechanisms, such as governance and administrative structures, for more efficient use of finances, particularly to alleviate poverty.
• The panel will study spending patterns across several states and pinpoint the causes of variances in its report, which is anticipated to be submitted by January.
• According to official data, states with lower per-capita incomes—such as Bihar and Odisha—spend less under the employment program than states with higher per-capita incomes, like Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan Has Released ‘India: The Mother of Democracy’

• In New Delhi, Union Education & Skill Development Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launched the book ‘India: The Mother of Democracy,’ which was prepared and published by the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR).
• The book is an attempt to highlight the democratic attitude that has been instilled in India since the birth of civilization.
• This book demonstrates that India has been permeated with democratic ethos since the dawn of civilization.
• According to the Minister, the foundations of democracy may be traced back to the fourth century in India.
• Thanjavur’s stone inscriptions are a living testament to this.
• Evidence of societal systems in place during the Kalinga and Lichchhavi periods also speaks volumes about India’s democratic DNA.
• In his address to the 76th United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi stated that India is not only the oldest democracy but also the mother of democracy.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS 

Odisha CM launches AMLAN, mission to eradicate anaemia

• Odisha Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik launched AMLAN (Anaemia Mukta Lakhya Abhiyan) a multi-pronged approach in a bid to ensure the complete eradication of the anaemia problem among women and children in
• Several departments including Health and Family Welfare, School and Mass Education, Women and Child Development, Mission Shakti and Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Scheduled Castes (SC) Development Department will carry out the program.

About AMLAN : 

• The program will benefit about 37 Crore people, which includes pregnant women, lactating mothers, women of reproductive age group, adolescents, and children.
• The major interventions of the Programme are
• To strengthen iron and folic acid supplementation
• To test for haemoglobin,
• To the treatment of anaemic cases
• To the capacity building of service providers and social behaviour change communication
• It will be rolled out in 55,000 government and government-aided schools and 74,000 Anganwadi Centres across Odisha.

About Odisha : 

• Governor: Ganeshi Lal
• Chief minister: Naveen Patnaik
• Capital: Bhubaneswar
• National Park: Simlipal National Park, Bhitarkanika National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Tikarpada Wildlife Sanctuary, Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary, Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary
• Dance : Ghumura Dance, Ranapa Dance
• Tribes : Bagata, Banjara, Munda

India’s first private Agri mandi set to come up in Nashik

• The Sahyadri Farmer Producer Company (FPC) becomes the first company in India to bag the license for setting up a private agricultural mandi at Dindori, in Nashik district, Maharashtra.
• The market will come up over the next three months at Rs 25 crore.

About the Agri Mandi :

• The private agri-mandi will have a 100-acre dedicated market space integrated with world-class infrastructure, services from banking to storage, processing, and packaging under one roof, options for offline and online trading, legalization of field trade, and ownership of farmers
• Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) is a statutory market committee constituted by a State Government in respect of trade in certain notified agricultural or horticultural or livestock products, under the Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act issued by that state government.

Note :

• India established its first regulated market, Karanja in 1886.

Odisha CM announces special package for Kendu leaf pluckers

• The Odisha chief minister Shri Naveen Patnaik announced a special package for the welfare of 8 lakh Kendu leaf pluckers and other persons engaged in the trade.
• The central government has imposed 18% Goods & Services Tax (GST) on the kendu leaf business.
• Odisha is the third largest producer of Kendu leaf next to Madhya Pradesh (MP) & Chhattisgarh and produces about 20% of the country’s annual production.

About the special package :

• In the first phase, Rs 10,000 will be given to each plucker and Rs 15,000 to each seasonal staff and binder. 
• All Kendu leaf pluckers and employees will be issued identity cards and included in Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana.
• The gratuity payment for circle checkers and binding checkers will be increased from 7 days to 15 days and all the kendu leaf pluckers will be provided with the Identity Card.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

IDFC First Bank launches India’s 1st sticker-based debit card – FIRSTAP

• IDFC First Bank in association with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced FIRSTAP, India’s first sticker-based debit card.

Aim :

• To permit transactions by simply tapping the sticker on a point-of-sale terminal that supports Near Field Communication (NFC).

About FIRSTAP : 

• This IDFC FIRST Bank Sticker debit card has a complimentary personal accidental cover, round-the-clock concierge services, and a variety of RuPay offers.
• The debit card is one-third the size of a regular debit card.
• Customers can affix the Sticker-based Debit Card on any surface of their choice, such as cell phones, identity cards, wallets, tabs, AirPods cases,
• The touch-free way to pay enables payments in seconds for transactions up to Rs 5,000 without a pin, and those beyond that, with a tap and PIN.

About IDFC First Bank : 

• Founded: October 2015
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : V. Vaidyanathan

About NPCI : 

• Founded: 2008
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : Dilip Asbe
• The NPCI is the specialized division of the Reserve Bank of India which is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

Flipkart & Axis Bank partner to launch ‘Flipkart Axis Bank Super Elite’ Credit Card

• Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, and Axis Bank, the third largest private sector bank in India, have partnered to launch the ‘Super Elite Credit Card.

Purpose :

• To scale the Flipkart SuperCoins reward program and enhance the customer shopping experience.

Key Highlights : 

• With the new credit card, customers on Flipkart can earn a total of eight SuperCoins for every Rs100 spent. 
• The customers can earn a maximum of 200 SuperCoins on every successful transaction.
• The Card bears a fee of 500 rupees per month.
• Flipkart Plus customers earn a total of 16 SuperCoins for every Rs 100 spent and they can earn a maximum of 400 SuperCoins on every successful transaction on Flipkart.
• For all other transactions outside of Flipkart, customers will earn two SuperCoins with no upper limit for every Rs 100 spent on all eligible spends.

About Flipkart : 

• Founded: 2007
• Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
• CEO: Kalyan Krishnamurthi

About Axis Bank : 

• Founded : 3 December 1993
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry
• Tagline : Badhti Ka Naam Zindagi

Axis Bank launches 7th edition of knowledge summit ‘Evolve’ for MSMEs

• Axis Bank has launched the 7th edition of ‘Evolve’ for Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with the theme of ‘Indian SMEs: Shifting Gears for Next Level Growth’. ‘Digitalisation to Building Indian SMEs’ and ‘Export Opportunities for SMEs in the New World Order.
• The seminar was addressed by Sangram Singh, President of Commercial Banking Coverage Group (CBG), Axis Bank, and Krishan Guptaa, MD, Organic Wellness Product Pvt Ltd.
• Axis Bank along with its knowledge-sharing partner Dun & Bradstreet will host Evolve across 20 cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, Indore, Bhubaneswar, Lucknow, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, etc.
• The 7th edition of Evolve will delve into how technology and digitalization can help achieve exponential growth from

Federal Bank Partners With JCB India To Finance Heavy Equipment Buyers

• Federal Bank has inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with JCB India, a leading manufacturer of earthmoving and construction equipment to finance the prospective buyers of heavy construction equipment and boost its loan portfolio.
• Under the arrangement, Federal Bank is the preferred finance partner of the construction equipment manufacturer, where JCB’s customers can avail of loans from the lender at competitive interest rates.
• This arrangement will boost the financing options for JCB’s customers in India

Note :

• CEO and Managing Director of JCB India: Deepak Shetty

About Federal Bank : 

• Headquarters: Aluva, Kochi, Kerala, India
• MD & CEO: Shyam Srinivasan

India’s GDP growth may average 6.3% between 2021 and 2030: S&P report

• The S&P Global Market Intelligence projected India’s real gross domestic product (GDP) growth to average 6.3% annually between financial years 2021 and 2030 in FY 2021-30.
• India will overtake Japan and Germany to become the world’s third-largest economy in nominal US dollar terms.
• Real income per capita is projected to achieve significant average growth of 5.3%, with Indian households becoming the greatest spenders among G20 economies.
• The government was banking on production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes as tools to make the Indian economy more export-driven and more interlinked in global supply chains.
• India’s manufacturing exports have struggled to gain global market share, while the share of manufacturing in India’s GDP declined from 17% in FY09 to 14% in

About S&P Global : 

• Headquarters:  New York, United States
• President & CEO: Douglas L. Peterson

Canara Bank Partners with NeSL to Launches Electronic Bank Guarantee

• Canara Bank in partnership with National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL) launched an Electronic Bank Guarantee (e-BG) on its 117th Founder’s day.

About Electronic Bank Guarantee (e-BG) : 

• The platform offers several advantages such as greater transparency, better monitoring triggers, and secured transmission of Bank Guarantees to the beneficiary which shall lead to a higher degree of compliance.
• Now, Canara Bank offers an API-based digital workflow of Bank guarantees which will eliminate physical issuance, stamping, verification, and paper-based record maintenance of Bank Guarantees to pave the way to augment the integration of the Environmental & Social Governance (ESG) framework into Business.

Note :

• NeSL MD & CEO Debajyoti Ray Chaudhuri

Recent News : 

• Canara Bank launched Canara ai1, a mobile banking super app with more than 250 features with the futuristic vision of “One Bank, One App” and was also ranked 1st under the Digital Payment performance as on Mar 31, 2022 (i.e. FY 2021-22) by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY).

About Canara Bank : 

• Founded: 1 July 1906
• Headquarters: Bangalore, Karnataka, India
• MD & CEO: Lingam Venkata Prabhakar

RBI Includes GSTN As A Financial Information Provider Under the Account Aggregator Framework

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has included the Goods and Service Tax Network (GSTN) as a financial information provider (FIPs) under the account aggregator (AA) frame to facilitate cash flow-based lending to the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• The Department of revenue shall be the regulator of GSTN for this specific purpose and GST returns, viz. Form GSTR-1 and Form GSTR-3B, shall be the financial information
• As per the latest data, around 2.47 million cumulative accounts have been linked to the AA network while 5 million cumulative counts of consent requests have been successfully fulfilled.

About AA : 

• Launched: September 2021
• Account aggregators have licensed Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) that enable the instant exchange of financial data between Financial Information Providers (FIP) and Financial Information Users (FIUs). 
• So far, there are 6 AAs in India with operating licenses and 9 AAs with in-principle approval from

About RBI :

• Established: 1 April 1935
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Governor : Shaktikanta Das
• Deputy governors: Mahesh Kumar Jain, M. Rajeshwar Rao, Michael Patra, and T. Rabi Shankar

BOB Partners with solar start-ups ASPL & AFPL

• Bank of Baroda has allied with Aerem Solutions Pvt Ltd (ASPL) and its subsidiary, Aerem Finance Pvt Ltd (AFPL) and its subsidiary, Aerem Finance Pvt Ltd (AFPL), for the financing of Solar Rooftop projects for captive use by Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• Aerem Solutions enables rooftop solar installations for MSMEs, while Aerem Finance is an NBFC registered with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

About the Partnership :

• Under the agreement, the public sector bank will provide collateral-free loans at affordable rates to MSMEs for the installation of captive solar rooftop projects.
• The collaboration is expected to encourage MSMEs to adopt solar energy, significantly reducing power bills and increasing the profitability of the business as well as supporting the development and growth of the renewable energy market in India.

Note : 

• Founder and CEO of AEREM: Anand Jain

About BoB : 

• Founded: 20 July 1908
• Headquarters: Vadodara, Gujarat, India
• MD & CEO: Sanjiv Chadha

FDI Equity Inflows decline 14% During April-September To $26.9 Billion- DPIIT

• According to the data of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) equity inflows into India contracted by 14% to USD 26.9 billion during the April-September FY23.
• The inflows had stood at USD 31.15 billion during the corresponding period of the previous year.
• The total FDI inflows (which includes equity inflows, reinvested earnings, and other capital) too declined to USD 39 billion during the first 6 months of the current fiscal year as against USD 42.86 billion in the year-ago period.
• During the first half of this fiscal, Singapore emerged as the top investor with USD 10 billion FDI. 
• It was followed by Mauritius (USD 3.32 billion), UAE (USD 2.95 billion), USA (USD 2.6 billion), the Netherlands (USD 1.76 billion), and Japan (USD 1.18 billion).
• The computer software and hardware sector attracted the highest inflows of USD 6.3 billion during the 6 months of this
• It was followed by services (USD 4.16 bn), trading (USD 3.28 bn), chemicals (USD 1.3 bn), automobile industry (USD 932 mn), and construction (infrastructure) activities (USD 990 mn).

About DPIIT : 

• The DPIIT is a central government department under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in India.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS 

LIC increases stake in Tech Mahindra to 6.874%

• Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has announced an increase in stake in Tech Mahindra Limited from 4.863% to 6.874%.

Key Highlights : 

• LIC’s shareholding in Tech Mahindra has increased from 4,73,44,343 to 6,69,25,392 equity shares in Tech Mahindra taking its shareholding from 4.863% to 6.874% in percentage terms.
• The average cost of the transaction was ₹1,042.24 apiece.
• LIC bought 1,95,81,049 shares, or 2.011% equity, at an average cost of Rs 1,042.24 via open market purchase during the period from 30 Nov 2021 to 21 November 2022.

About LIC : 

• Founded: 1 September 1956
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Chairperson : M R Kumar

About Tech Mahindra : 

• Founded: 24 October 1986
• Headquarters: Pune, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : C.P. Gurnani

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

7th 250 Men Ferry Craft, “Manjula” (Yard 786) launched at Kolkata, West Bengal

• Indian Administrative Officer (IAS), Principal Secretary Transport Shri Binod Kumar, launched the 7th 250 Men Ferry Craft, “Manjula” (Yard 786) at M/s Shalimar Works Ltd, Kolkata, West Bengal.
• Cmde Indrajit Dasgupta, Warship Production Superintendent (Kolkata) was also present.

Key Highlights : 

• With all major and auxiliary equipment/ systems sourced from indigenous manufacturers, this Ferry Craft is the proud flag bearer of the “Make in India” initiative of the Ministry of Defence.
• Contract for construction and delivery of seven 250 Men Ferry Craft was concluded with M/s Shalimar Works Ltd, Kolkata in consonance with “AatmaNirbhar Bharat” initiatives of the government of India.
• 6 out of 7 Ferry Crafts have already been delivered at Port Blair, Visakhapatnam, and
• These Ferry crafts are being built with a service life of 25 years.
• The Ferry Craft will provide impetus to the operational and logistics requirements of the Indian Navy.

Indian Navy & Oman Navy participates in the 13th edition of the bilateral exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’

• Indian Navy (IN) and Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) participated in the 13th Edition of the bilateral exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ or Sea Breeze, which took place off the coast of Oman.
• The highlight of the exercise was the participation of India’s guided missile stealth frigate, INS Trikand, offshore patrol vessel, INS Sumitra, and Maritime Patrol Aircraft Dornier. 

Aim : 

• To strengthen the ancient maritime and cultural linkages between India and Oman
• The first naval exercise between the two countries was conducted in 1993.
• The last edition of the exercise was conducted in Goa in 2019.
• The year 2022 marks the 30 th anniversary of Indian and Omanese bilateral naval exercises.

Key Highlights : 

• INS Trikand, a frontline frigate, is equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors.
• The ship is a part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet, based in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• INS Sumitra, a multirole offshore patrol vessel is part of the Eastern Fleet of the Indian Navy, based at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (AP).

About ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ or Sea Breeze : 

• The exercise had three phases: harbour phase, sea phase, and debrief.
• Activities undertaken during the harbour phase included professional interactions between IN and RNO operations teams and friendly sports fixtures between the two navies.
• IN Ships Trikand and Sumitra, along with RNO Ships Al Shinas and Al Seeb, sailed for the sea phase.
• IN – MPA Dornier, RNO MPA, and shore-based Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) fighter aircraft Hawks joined the exercise at sea.
• The last phase of the exercise, debrief, was conducted at the RNO Naval Base at Duqm

About Ministry of defence: 

• Cabinet Minister: Rajnath Singh
• Minister of State: Ajay Bhatt
• Defence Secretary: Giridhar Aramane

DRDO’s  Compendium on Low-Intensity Conflict Products Released

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Compendium on Low-Intensity Conflict (LIC) Products was released jointly by the Union Home Secretary Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Secretary DDR&D & Chairman DRDO Dr. Samir V Kamat.
• In line with the “Atma Nirbhar Bharat” campaign of the Government of India.
• The compendium consists of more than 100 technologies, systems, and products developed by DRDO for LIC operations.
• It is a valuable repository of information for the central security forces.
• Union Home Secretary and Secretary DDR&D & Chairman DRDO jointly reviewed the ongoing collaboration between the DRDO and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
• Low-intensity conflicts (LIC) are territorially limited politico-military conflicts aimed at achieving political, social, economic, or psychological goals.

About DRDO :

• Founded: 1958
• Headquarters:  New Delhi, Delhi
• Chairman: Dr. Sameer V Kamath

Garuda Shakti 2022: India & Indonesian troops engage in joint training exercises in Karawang, Indonesia

• Indian Army Special Forces and Indonesian Special Forces are participating in the eighth edition of the bilateral joint training military exercise ‘Garuda Shakti’ at Sangga Buana Training Area, Karawang, Indonesia. 

Aim :

• To enhance understanding, cooperation, and interoperability between the Special Forces of both armies.
• The first edition of the exercise ‘Garuda Shakti’ was conducted in 2012 in India.

About exercise ‘Garuda Shakti’ : 

• The joint exercise will facilitate both armies to know each other better and share their wide experiences and combat experience on countering terrorist operations, Regional Security Operations & Peace Keeping Operations in an international environment.
• The joint training would also focus on a high degree of physical fitness, tactical drills, techniques, and procedures for which a comprehensive 13-day training program has been worked out.
• The exercise will culminate in a 48-hour long validation exercise

Other Bilateral Military Exercises :

• MAITREE (India and Thailand)
• Hand-in-Hand (India and China)
• Mitra Shakti (India and Sri Lanka)
• Harimau Shakti (India and Malaysia)
• Ekuverin (India and Maldives)
• Kurukshetra (India and Singapore)
• Nomadic Elephant (India and Mongolia)
• Shakti (India and France)
• Yudh Abhyas (India and US)

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOUR

Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar awarded 39 schools for 2021-22

• The Ministry of Education awarded the Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar to 39 schools across the country for the 2021-2022 academic session.
• The schools were chosen from among 8.23 lakh submissions.
• There were 28 government and aided schools and 11 private schools.
• Two Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, one Navodaya Vidyalaya, and three Kendriya Vidyalayas have been recog
• The Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar recognizes schools that have done outstanding work in the areas of water, sanitation, and hygiene.
• It also serves as a standard and a road map for schools to progress further.
• Water, toilets, soap-free handwashing, operation and maintenance, behavioural change, and capacity building are the six basic factors used to grade the schools.
• There are 17 elementary schools and 22 secondary/higher secondary schools among the 39 schools.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND REPORTS

IIT Delhi is ranked in the top 50 of the Times Higher Education Employability Rankings:

• According to the Times Higher Education Global Employability University Ranking and Survey (GEURS), the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Delhi is placed 28th.
• IIT Delhi is the only Indian institute in the top 50.
• The varsity was ranked 27th last year.
• IISc is ranked 58th, and IIT Bombay is ranked 72nd.
• It has been ranked in the top 250 by seven Indian institutions.
• The top three US institutes are the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the California Institute of Technology, and Harvard University, in that order.
• The University of Cambridge and Stanford University have maintained their fourth and fifth positions, respectively.
• The University of Oxford rose from eighth to sixth place this year, while the University of Tokyo in Japan fell from sixth to seventh.
• Yale University, which was placed seventh last year, has fallen to tenth place.

With a 77% approval rating, Modi tops the list of the most well-liked world leaders:

• With a 77 per cent approval rating, Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to be the most well-liked president in the entire world.
• This information was disclosed in a Global Leader Approval Rating report published by the American consulting company Morning Consult.
• In second and third place, respectively, are Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, each with 69% and 56% of the vote.
• Joe Biden, the US president, and Rishi Sunak, the next prime minister of the UK, are ranked lower on the list with approval ratings of 41% and 36%,
• The most recent approval ratings are based on information gathered from this month’s 16th to 22nd.
• It is based on adult residents in each nation’s seven-day moving average, with sample sizes differing by nation.
• Prime Minister Modi had placed first in the previous ranking as well.
• In Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States, the survey monitors public opinion of political figures as well as national trends.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

India carries out successful training launch of Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-3 in Odisha

• India carried out a successful training launch of an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM), Agni-3 from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in
• The successful test was part of routine user training launches carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command.
• Agni-III, which is designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation is a two-stage ballistic missile that is capable of nuclear weapons delivery.

About Agni-III : 

• Agni-3 missile was carried out for a predetermined range and it validated all the operational parameters of the system.
• The 16-meter-long missile, weighing more than 48 tonnes, has a range of over 3000 kilometres.
• It is capable of carrying a payload of over 5 tonnes.
• Due to its high range of circular error probability(CEP), the Agni-3 missile is known as the world’s most accurate strategic ballistic missile of its range class.
• The missile is equipped with sophisticated navigation, guidance, and control systems and advanced onboard computer systems. 

Recent News :

• In Nov 2022, the DRDO conducted a successful flight test of the Phase-II ballistic missile defense interceptor AD-1 missile from Odisha’s coast.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the first male player to score in five World Cups:

• The first male player to score in five World Cups is Cristiano Ronaldo, who did so in Portugal’s opening match against Ghana in Qatar.
• At Doha’s stadium 974, Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 65th minute with a goal from the penalty spot.
• It was also the 118th goal for his nation.
• Portugal took a 1-0 lead after the 37-year-old striker scored from the penalty spot in the 65th minute.
• Since 2006, when he again converted a penalty against Iran in the group stage, he has now scored in every World Cup.
• Ronaldo scored once at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, once in Brazil in 2014, and four times in Russia in 2018.
• He has now scored in five FIFA World Cups.

About FIFA:

• Founded: 21 May 1904
• Headquarters: Zürich, ‎Switzerland‎
• Founded in: Paris, ‎France‎
• Membership: 211 national associations

Narayan Jagadeesan sets the record for highest ever List A score:

• Narayan Jagadeesan of Tamil Nadu set a new world record for the highest individual score in men’s List A cricket when he hit 277 off 141 balls against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy at the Chinnaswamy in Bangalore.
• Tamil Nadu became the first team in List A cricket to score 500 runs before winning the Group C match by 435 runs, the largest victory margin at this level.
• Somerset’s previous record was a 346-run victory over Devon in 1990.
• This happened after Jagadeesan, 26, became the first player in men’s List A cricket history to score five consecutive centuries.
• He also broke the record for the best individual score held by Alistair Brown and Rohit Sharma.
• Brown’s previous Surrey high was 268 against Glamorgan in 2002.
• Rohit Sharma set the Indian record for the highest List A score of 264 in an ODI against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens in 2014.
• The 416-run first-wicket stand between Jagadeesan and Sai Sudharsan (154) is the greatest for any wicket in List A cricket.

Daily CA on November 27 & 28:

• According to a senior official, by 2025 or 2026, the railways hope to become a significant exporter of Vande Bharat trains to markets in Europe, South America, and East Asia.
• The Union Rural Development Ministry of India has established a panel to restructure its sole job guarantee program in the hopes of distributing more work to the nation’s poorer regions.
• In New Delhi, Union Education & Skill Development Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launched the book ‘India: The Mother of Democracy,’ which was prepared and published by the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR).
• The Ministry of Education awarded the Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar to 39 schools across the country for the 2021-2022 academic session.
• According to the Times Higher Education Global Employability University Ranking and Survey (GEURS), the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Delhi is placed 28th.
• With a 77 per cent approval rating, Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to be the most well-liked president in the entire world.
• The first male player to score in five World Cups is Cristiano Ronaldo, who did so in Portugal’s opening match against Ghana in Qatar.
• Narayan Jagadeesan of Tamil Nadu set a new world record for the highest individual score in men’s List A cricket when he hit 277 off 141 balls against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy at the Chinnaswamy in Bangalore.
• Odisha Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik launched AMLAN (Anaemia Mukta Lakhya Abhiyan) a multi-pronged approach in a bid to ensure the complete eradication of the anaemia problem among women and children in
• The Sahyadri Farmer Producer Company (FPC) becomes the first company in India to bag the license for setting up a private agricultural mandi at Dindori, in Nashik district, Maharashtra.
• The Odisha chief minister Shri Naveen Patnaik announced a special package for the welfare of 8 lakh Kendu leaf pluckers and other persons engaged in the trade.
• IDFC First Bank in association with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced FIRSTAP, India’s first sticker-based debit card.
• Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, and Axis Bank, the third largest private sector bank in India, have partnered to launch the ‘Super Elite Credit Card’.
• Axis Bank has launched the 7th edition of ‘Evolve’ for Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with the theme of ‘Indian SMEs: Shifting Gears for Next Level Growth’. ‘Digitalisation to Building Indian SMEs’ and ‘Export Opportunities for SMEs in the New World Order’.
• Federal Bank has inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with JCB India, a leading manufacturer of earthmoving and construction equipment to finance the prospective buyers of heavy construction equipment and boost its loan portfolio.
• The S&P Global Market Intelligence projected India’s real gross domestic product (GDP) growth to average 6.3% annually between financial years 2021 and 2030 in FY 2021-30.
• Canara Bank in partnership with National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL) launched an Electronic Bank Guarantee (e-BG) on its 117th Founder’s day.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has included the Goods and Service Tax Network (GSTN) as a financial information provider (FIPs) under the account aggregator (AA) frame to facilitate cash flow-based lending to the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• Bank of Baroda has allied with Aerem Solutions Pvt Ltd (ASPL) and its subsidiary, Aerem Finance Pvt Ltd (AFPL) and its subsidiary, Aerem Finance Pvt Ltd (AFPL), for the financing of Solar Rooftop projects for captive use by Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• According to the data of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) equity inflows into India contracted by 14% to USD 26.9 billion during the April-September FY23.
• Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has announced an increase in stake in Tech Mahindra Limited from 4.863% to 6.874%.
• Indian Administrative Officer (IAS), Principal Secretary Transport Shri Binod Kumar, launched the 7th 250 Men Ferry Craft, “Manjula” (Yard 786) at M/s Shalimar Works Ltd, Kolkata, West Bengal.
• Indian Navy (IN) and Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) participated in the 13th Edition of the bilateral exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ or Sea Breeze, which took place off the coast of Oman.
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Compendium on Low-Intensity Conflict (LIC) Products was released jointly by the Union Home Secretary Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Secretary DDR&D & Chairman DRDO Dr. Samir V Kamat.
• Indian Army Special Forces and Indonesian Special Forces are participating in the eighth edition of the bilateral joint training military exercise ‘Garuda Shakti’ at Sangga Buana Training Area, Karawang, Indonesia. 
• India carried out a successful training launch of an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM), Agni-3 from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in