Daily Current Affairs December 31 2022

 CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri launches guidelines for City Finance Rankings and City Beauty Competition:

• Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has launched the guidelines for City Finance Rankings and City Beauty Competition in New Delhi.
• The City Finance Ranking aims to evaluate, recognize and reward the cities on current financial health and improvement in financial performance over time.
• Guidelines for City Beauty Competition are aimed at encouraging and recognizing the transformational efforts of wards and cities to create beautiful, innovative, and inclusive public spaces.
• All cities and wards can participate in the City Beauty Competition.
• Puri claimed that this time, the efforts would advance the nation’s effort to revitalize its cities
• The Swachh Bharat Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation, and Urban Transformation Mission, he claimed, are just a few of the government’s programs that have changed the nation.

Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw launches ‘Stay Safe Online’ Campaign and ‘G20 Digital Innovation Alliance’:

• As part of India’s G20 presidency, the Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, Communications, and Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, introduced the “G20 Digital Innovation Alliance” (G20-DIA) and the “Stay Safe Online” campaign.
• The major goal of the ‘Stay Safe Online Campaign’ is to raise public awareness about staying safe online.

About Stay Safe Online Campaign:

• The ‘Stay Safe Online Campaign’ attempts to improve citizen awareness about staying safe online.
• It would also make Indian citizens aware of cyber hazards and how to cope with them.
• To reach a larger audience, the campaign will be executed in English, Hindi, and local languages.
• The Stay Safe Online Campaign involves the distribution of multilingual awareness content in the form of infographics, cartoon stories, riddles, short videos, and so on.

Finance Minister inaugurates two-day long 65th Foundation Day celebrations of DRI in New Delhi:

• Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the two-day-long 65th Foundation Day celebrations of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in New Delhi.
• She will also launch the current edition of Smuggling in India Report 2021-22 on the occasion.
• As many as 22 Customs administrations covering the Asia-Pacific region along with international organizations are invited to the event this year.
• The 8th Regional Customs Enforcement Meeting (RCEM) will also be held at the event.

About the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI):

• Under the supervision of the Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) of the Government of India, DRI serves as the primary intelligence and enforcement agency for anti-smuggling issues.
• It was founded on December 4th, 1957.
• It has a New Delhi headquarters and about 800 personnel working in 12 zonal units, 35 regional units, and 15 sub-regional units.
• In addition to narcotics, gold, diamonds, electronics, foreign cash, and fake Indian currency, it is responsible for stopping the smuggling of these items.
• It works to stop smuggling items including drugs, jewellery, gadgets, cash in foreign currencies, and fake Indian currency.
• Additionally, it tries to stop commercial fraud and duty avoidance in connection with foreign trade.

REC organizes ‘Bijli Utsav’ in Assam as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav:

• As a part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ – to celebrate 75 years of Independence, REC Limited organized ‘Bijli Utsav’ in Anandapur Gaon of Baksa district and adjoining villages in Assam.
• Numerous dignitaries such as Katiram Boro, Speaker – Dr. Ashraful Amin – Addl. Deputy Commissioner – Baksa, Khagendranath Sarania, Principal – Anandapur Primary School, Nagen Chandra Das, Retd. Principal – Nehru Anchalik High School, Manasjyoti Pathak, AGM (RE) Baksa – Assam Power Distribution Co. Ltd. (APDCL), and officials from REC Regional Office in Guwahati graced the occasion.
• The event witnessed speaker sessions by dignitaries and esteemed guests highlighting the consumer rights of electricity, the benefits of electricity and the challenges faced during electrification in remote areas, and how the quality of life improves with access to power.
• Beneficiaries from the villages were also invited on stage to share their experience and views on how electricity has transformed their lives.
• To engage with the villagers and children, various competitions and cultural programs were also held.
• Nukkad Natak was also performed to impart knowledge on subjects such as consumer rights of electricity, energy conservation, and the benefits of electricity.
• The event concluded with the distribution of LED bulbs and geometry boxes as prizes to the winners of the competitions.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Odisha Cabinet approves Rs 367 crores for ’empowerment of women in agriculture

• The Odisha Cabinet headed by Chief Minister (CM) Shri Naveen Patnaik approved the provision of Rs 367.19 crores for 5 years from 2022-23 to 2026-27 for implementation of the State Sector Scheme “empowerment of women in agriculture-promotion of entrepreneurship for Women Self Help Group (WSHG).

Objective :

• To double the mushroom production across the State through area expansion involving women beneficiaries/WSHGs and to make the state self-sufficient in the production of button mushrooms and loose flowers.
• The scheme will ensure sustainable income generation of women beneficiaries/WSHGs & the state shall emerge as the net exporter of mushrooms and high-value flowers over the mission period.
• Also, the Odisha Cabinet has approved the provision of Rs 1142.24 crore for 4 years from 2022-23 to 2025-26 for implementation Of the State Sector Scheme- “Development of Potato, Vegetable, and Spices” with the involvement of WSHGs and Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs).

Objective :

• To provide financial assistance to the farmers for the cultivation of Potato, Onions, Hybrid vegetables, and Spices to make the State self-sufficient in the production of 5 vegetables (Potato, Onion, Tomato, Cauliflower & Cabbage) along with an increase in area and production under spices

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, Kotagarh Wildlife Sanctuary
• Dance : Ghumura Dance, Ranapa Dance
• Tribes : Bagata, Banjara, Munda

TN government sets up Nilgiri Tahr conservation project

• The Tamil Nadu (TN) government launched India’s first Nilgiri Tahr (locally known as Varaiaadu) project to conserve the State animal of Tamil Nadu will be taken up for ₹14 crores.
• The project would be implemented for 5 years from 2022-2027.
• In the 2022-2023 TN Budget, the Finance Minister announced in the Assembly that for the conservation of Tamil Nadu’s State animal, expansion of its habitat and to spread awareness among the public, the government will implement the project the Nilgiri Tahr with an initial allocation of ₹10 crores.

About the Project :

• The project will have 9 components, including bi-annual synchronized surveys across the division, diagnosis, and treatment for affected individuals, and the Shola grassland restoration pilot in Upper Bhavani.

About Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius) :

• The Nilgiri Tahr is the only mountain ungulate in Southern India among the 12 species present in India.
• As per a Worldwide Fund for Nature Report 2015, there are 3,122 Tahrs in the wild.
• The tahr has been an endangered species and protected under schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972. 
• It is endemic to the Western Ghats

About Tamil Nadu :

• Governor: R. N. Ravi
• Chief Minister: M. K. Stalin
• Capital: Chennai
• Dance : Bharatnatyam, Karakattam
• National Park: Mudumalai National Park, Mukurthi National Park, Guindy National Park, Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Kalakad Wildlife sanctuary, Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
• Tiger Reserve: Anamalai Tiger Reserve
• Biosphere Reserve: Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve

Tata Power Renewable Energy to set up 255 MW hybrid power project in Karnataka

• Tata Power Renewable Energy (TPREL), a subsidiary of Tata Power, has received the “letter of the award” (LoA) from Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd, a joint venture of Tata Power and the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, for setting up a 255 megawatt (MW) hybrid (wind and solar) power project in Karnataka.

Key Highlights :

• The project will be commissioned within 24 months from the PPA execution date.
• The letter was awarded through an e-reverse auction.
• The power generated from the project will be supplied to Tata Power- DDL, which supplies electricity to a populace of over 7 million in North Delhi.
• The letter indicates the current capacity bifurcation as 85 MW solar and 170 MW wind power with the green-shoe option of additional capacity of 85 MW solar and 170 MW wind.
• With this win, the total renewables capacity of TPREL reaches 6,048 MW with an installed capacity of 3,884 MW (Solar – 2,956 MW & Wind – 928 MW) and 2,164 MW under various stages of implementation.

About Karnataka :

• Governor: Thawar Chand Gehlot
• Chief Minister: Basavaraj Bommai
• Capital: Bengaluru
• National Park : Bandipur NP, Kudremukh NP, Bannerghatta NP, Rajiv Gandhi NP
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: B R Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, Gudavi Bird Sanctuary, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary
• Tiger Reserve: Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, Bhadra Tiger Reserve
• Festival: Hampi, Mahamastakabhisheka (Shravanabelagola)
• Dance : Yakshagana, Dollu Kunitha, Bolak-aat (Bolak Dance)

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

ADB approves USD 125 mn loan to improve urban services in TN

• Multilateral funding agency Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India (GoI) signed a $125 million (about 1025 crore) loan to develop climate-resilient sewage collection and treatment, and drainage and water supply systems in 3 cities Coimbatore, Madurai & Thoothukudi of Tamil Nadu (TN).

Signatories :

• Rajat Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance signed for the GoI.
• Hoe Yun Jeong, Officer-in-Charge of ADB’s India Resident Mission signed for ADB.
• The financing is the third and the last tranche of the $500 million multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) for the Program approved by ADB in 2018 to build priority water supply, sewerage, and drainage infrastructure in strategic industrial corridors across 10 cities in TN.

About the Projects :

• The financing will support the development of two sewage treatment plants in Coimbatore with 529 kilometres of sewage collection pipelines, install 14 pumps and lift stations and build 14 km of sewage pumping mains.
• In Thoothukudi, a climate-resilient stormwater drainage system will be developed.
• In Madurai, the project will support the commissioning of 813 km of new water supply distribution pipelines that will connect 163,958 households to 115 newly established district-metered areas with smart water features to reduce non-revenue water.
• In Coimbatore and Madurai, two all-female self-help groups will be trained on the benefits of household connection to the sewage collection system, water conservation, sanitation, and health and hygiene.

About ADB :

• Established: 19 December 1966
• Headquarters: city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines
• President : Masatsugu Asakawa
• Membership: 68 members
• ADB is a regional development bank.

Spice Money Partnered with Axis Bank for Financial Inclusion in Rural India

• Fintech player Spice Money has partnered with private sector lender Axis Bank to facilitate the opening of instant, zero-balance savings or current accounts for rural citizens through its Adhikari network.

Aim :

• To bridge the rural-urban divide and bring financial inclusivity by providing access to banking products at the doorstep, thereby financially empowering thousands of rural citizens living in the hinterlands of India
• A regulated entity under the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the fintech firm delivers various financial services such as cash deposits and withdrawals, insurance premiums, bill payments, and loans to the rural masses.
• Recently, the company has come on board the government-promoted e-commerce platform ONDC (Open Network Digital Commerce) to facilitate smaller merchants in rural locations.

About ONDC :

• Founded: December 31, 2021
• ONDC is a private non-profit Section 8 company established by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of the Government of India to develop open e-commerce. 

Aim :

• To create a facilitative model to revolutionize digital commerce, giving greater thrust to the penetration of retail e-commerce in India

About Spice Money :

• Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
• CEO: Mr. Sanjeev Kumar
• The Spice Money network, comprising more than 10 lakhs Adhikaris, covers more than 18,000 pin codes, 700 districts, and 5,000 blocks, serving over 10 crore households.

About Axis Bank :

• Founded : 3 December 1993
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry
• Axis Bank is the third largest private sector bank in India.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPS AND PORTALS

Home Minister Amit Shah launches mobile App ‘Prahari’ and manual of Border Security Force:

• The Border Security Force’s (BSF) mobile app, Prahari, was introduced by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
• Among the dignitaries in attendance were Nityanand Rai, the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, and Pankaj Kumar Singh, the Director General of the BSF.

The Prahari app’s utility

• According to Amit Shah, the BSF “Prahari” app is an excellent illustration of proactive governance.
• Jawans can now access personal information, information about lodging, Ayushmann-CAPF, and information about leaves on their mobile devices.
• All of this information, including GPF, Bio Data, grievance redressal through the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System” (CP-GRAMS), and details on various welfare programs, is now available to Jawans via an app that also connects them to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ portal.
• The recovered drones from Pakistan have been thoroughly mapped for their connections and positions across the border using a “BSF Drone/UAV and Cyber Forensic Lab” that has been established in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, according to the Union Home Minister.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

3 Indian-Origin Women Scientists Among Australia’s “Superstars Of STEM”:

• Neelima Kadiala, Dr. Ana Baburamani, and Dr. Indrani Mukherjee will be honoured as STEM superstars in 2022.
• They are all women of Indian descent.
• Three Indian-origin women are among 60 scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians who have been selected as Australia’s Superstars of STEM, an initiative that aims to smash society’s gender assumptions about scientists and increase the public visibility of females and non-binary people
• This effort aims to alter how society views scientists in terms of gender.
• In addition to Indians, women scientists of Sri Lankan descent have also been chosen.
• Every year Science and Technology Australia (STA), which is the country’s peak body in the sector and represents more than 105,000 scientists and technologists, supports 60 Australian experts employed in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to become highly visible media and public role models.

About Neelima Kadiyala:

• Kadiala is an IT program manager at Challenger Limited with 15 years of experience working in a variety of sectors, including financial services, telecommunications, and fast-moving consumer goods.
• To obtain a Master of Business in Information Systems, she relocated to Australia in 2003 as an international student.

About Ana Baburamani:

• Baburamani has always been fascinated by how the brain grows and works.
• He currently serves as a Scientific Adviser for the Department of Defense’s Science and Technology Group.
• After earning her Ph.D. at Monash University, Baburamani worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Europe for ten years.

About Indrani Mukherjee:

• Mukherjee is a geologist who studies what caused the biological shift.
• She works at the University of Tasmania.
• She is engaged in public outreach, geoscience communication, and diversity initiatives while working as a postdoctoral researcher in Tasmania.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

Tata Steel and TuTr Hyperloop join hands to develop hyperloop technology:

• Tata Steel and TuTr Hyperloop signed an agreement to jointly work on the development and deployment of hyperloop technology.
• The research will focus on key challenges of design and materials selection.
• The partnership seeks to design, develop, and scale up the technology for commercialization.
• Phase-I work will take place on the 50-meter test track at IIT Madras.
• The subsequent work to achieve a 10-km track will be completed in Phase-II and -III involving a consortium of other industry partners from the automotive, construction, and engineering sectors.
• Hyperloop is a future option for a high-speed, low-cost, sustainable transport system for both passengers and cargo.
• The hyperloop system has key elements such as tubes, pods, propulsion systems, and tracks.

About TuTr Hyperloop:

• TuTr Hyperloop is a deep-tech startup that is focused on developing hyperloop technologies.
• It endeavours to provide customers with fast and reliable ‘on-demand’ transportation that is both affordable and greener in comparison with other modes of transport.
• Currently, India’s (and Asia’s) first hyperloop test track is under implementation at the Discovery campus of IIT Madras.
• TuTr seeks to leverage its partnership with IIT Madras and its co-location with India’s largest deep tech ecosystem to catalyze the development of cost-effective Hyperloop technologies that help enhance the productivity of various industries by solving their pain points about goods movement.

About Tata Steel:

• Tata Steel group is among the top global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 34 million tonnes per annum.
• It is one of the world’s most geographically diversified steel producers, with operations and commercial presence across the world.
• The group recorded a consolidated turnover of US $ 32.83 billion in the financial year ending March 31, 2022.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Mr. Abdullah Abdul Samad Dashti of Kuwait was appointed as United Nations Coordinator for Black Sea Grain Initiative

• United Nations Secretary-General Mr. António Guterres has appointed Mr. Abdullah Abdul Samad Dashti of Kuwait as United Nations Coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
• Dashti succeeds Mr. Amir Mahmoud Abdulla of Sudan who has served as United Nations Coordinator since August 2022.

About Mr Abdullah Abdul Samad Dashti :

• Dashti retired in 2021 from the Kuwaiti armed forces at the rank of Vice Admiral.
• He has brought 40 years of experience in the areas of naval operations, leadership, and management, both within Kuwait and multinational deployments.
• From 2019 to 2020, he was the military defence attaché of Kuwait in Belgium and the Kuwaiti Mission’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
• From 2015 to 2019, he was the Commandant of the Mubarak Al-Abdullah Joint Command and Staff College of Kuwait, overseeing and developing policy and strategy and managing personnel and infrastructure.
• He served as Director of Studies at the College (2011-2015) and the principal adviser to the

About Black Sea Grain Initiative :

• The Black Sea Grain Initiative was launched by Ukraine, Türkiye, Russian Federation, and the United Nations on 22 July 2022.

Aim :

• To enable the resumption of exports from Ukraine of grain, foodstuffs, and fertilizer, including ammonia, through a safe maritime humanitarian corridor.

About United Nations :

• Established: 1945
• Headquarters: New York, United States of America
• Secretary General : António Guterres

Mr. Praveen Kumar Srivastava was appointed as the acting Central Vigilance Commissioner

• The government of India (GoI) has appointed the vigilance commissioner Praveen Kumar Srivastava as the acting Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC).
• He replaced Mr. Suresh N Patel, who completed his term as the chief of CVC.
• Besides Srivastava, former Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Mr. Arvind Kumar is the other Vigilance Commissioner.

About Mr Praveen Kumar Srivastava :

• Srivastava is a 1988-batch (retired) Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre.
• During his tenure as Special Secretary and Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, he handled matters relating to cadre management of the Indian Police Service, personnel, and general administration of central armed police forces and Union territories.
• He assisted the government in negotiations relating to trade in services under the World Trade Organization (WTO) as Director/Deputy Secretary of, the Department of Commerce.
• He also served as Chief Vigilance Officer in RITES Ltd and as Joint Secretary and Mission Director, of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
• He retired as Secretary (Coordination) of, the Cabinet Secretariat on January 31, 2022.

About CVC :

• The Vigilance Commission is headed by a CVC and can have a maximum of two other Vigilance Commissioners.
• The tenure of a CVC and vigilance commissioner is of 4 years or till the incumbent attains the age of 65 years.
• It was set up by the Government in February 1964 on the recommendations of the Committee on Prevention of Corruption, headed by Shri K. Santhanam, to advise and guide Central Government agencies in the field of vigilance.

Senior journalist Mr. Ravish Kumar resigns from NDTV amid Adani acquisition

• Senior Hindi journalist and anchor Mr. Ravish Kumar, who hosted the widely lauded primetime show on NDTV India has resigned from the channel.
• This comes just a day after the channel’s founders and promoters Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy resigned from their positions as directors on the board of RRPR Holding Private Limited (RRPRH).
• The senior journalist’s resignation came after the news channel was acquired by the Adani Group, which holds a 18% stake in the news channel.
• Sudipta Bhattacharya, the chief technology officer of Adani group; Sanjay Pugalia, senior journalist and CEO of Adani’s AMG Media Network; and journalist Senthil Sinniah Chengalvarayan are taking over as directors of the board.

About Ravish Kumar :

• Ravish Kumar has been an integral part of NDTV for more than two decades.
• He used to host several programs including Ravish ki Report, Prime Time, Hum Log, and Des Ki Baat.
• He has won the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award twice, as well as the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2019.

About NDTV :

• Founded: 1984
• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• President : Suparna Singh
• New Delhi Television Ltd is the first independent news network in the country & before that, state-run Doordarshan was the only TV news channel that had a large reach.

Manasi Tata was appointed as director of  Kirloskar Systems Pvt. Ltd

• Kirloskar Systems Pvt. Ltd. (KSPL) has appointed Manasi Tata, daughter of late Vikram Kirloskar, as Director on the board of the KSPL’s joint-venture firms with immediate effect.
• These joint ventures include Toyota Industries Engine India Pvt Ltd, Kirloskar Toyota Textile Machinery Pvt Ltd (KTTM), Toyota Material Handling India Pvt Ltd (TMHIN), and Denso Kirloskar Industries Pvt Ltd (DNKI).
• She was appointed to the post after the demise of her father Vikram S Kirloskar.
• Vikram S Kirloskar’s wife Geetanjali Kirloskar has already taken charge as the new Chairman & Managing Director at KSPL
• Manasi Tata is a fifth-generation scion to one of India’s oldest, most established, and most reputed business families, the Kirloskars.

About Manasi Tata :

• Manasi Tata is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design in the US, trained in Toyota manufacturing processes and the Japanese work culture.
• She is the Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Kirloskar Systems Ltd., Director of Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Limited, Director of Kirloskar Technologies Ltd., and Director of Toyota Tsusho Insurance Broker India Pvt. Ltd.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

Indian Army inaugurates first 3D-printed dwelling unit for soldiers in Ahmedabad

• The Indian Army inaugurated its first 3-D Printed House Dwelling Unit (with Ground plus One configuration) for soldiers at Ahmedabad Cantonment, Gujarat, India.
• The dwelling unit has been constructed by the Military Engineering Services (MES) in collaboration with MiCoB Pvt Ltd incorporating the latest 3D Rapid Construction Technology.

Key Highlights :

• The Construction work of the dwelling unit measuring 71 sqm with garage space was completed in just 12 weeks by utilizing the 3D printed foundation.
• The disaster-resilient structures comply with Zone-3 earthquake specifications and green building norms.
• The 3-D printed houses are symbolic of the modern-day rapid construction efforts to cater to the growing accommodation requirements of the Armed Forces personnel.
• The technique utilizes a concrete 3D printer that accepts a computerized three-dimensional design and fabricates a 3-D structure in a layer-by-layer manner by extruding a specialized type of concrete specifically designed for the purpose.
• Currently, these structures are being validated over 1 year and can be seen being incorporated in all terrains.

About the Indian Army :

• Chief of the Army Staff: General Manoj Pande
• Vice Chief of the Army Staff: Lieutenant General B. S. Raju

About MoD :

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

IAF conducts trial run for emergency landing of flights on Andhra Pradesh highway

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully conducted a trial run of the1 km long and 33-metre-wide ’emergency landing facility (ELF)’ constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on a national highway in Andhra Pradesh (AP).
• The ELF strip is located near the Pichikala Gudipadu village of the Korishapadu Mandal in the Bapatla district of AP.
• This ELF in Andhra Pradesh would be the first one to be operational in peninsular India.
• Two such airstrips are already operational in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Rajasthan

Key Highlights :

• The aircraft flew at a height of 100 meters without touching the ground.
• The IAF fighter and transport aircraft carried out practice flying including circuit, approach, and

About IAF :

• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• Chief of the Air Staff:  Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari
• Motto: Touch the sky with Glory

Indian Army conducts exercise ‘Sudarshan Prahar’ in Rajasthan

• Indian Army’s Sudarshan Chakra Troops carried out Exercise Sudarshan Prahar in the deserts of Rajasthan.
• The exercise was conducted by the Shahbaaz Division of Sudarshan Chakra Corps.
• The exercise was witnessed by GOC-in-C Southern Command, Lt Gen AK Singh along with his formation commanders.
• The exercise was focused on the synergized application of combat power through the integration of force multipliers and practicing new battle techniques and procedures.

Additional Info :

• General Officer Commanding In Chief of the Southern Command: Lieutenant General A K Singh

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

SpaceX launches first mission for Starlink Gen2 constellation

• SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket with 54 more Starlink internet satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States (US).
• The mission marked a successful end to SpaceX’s 60th launch of SpaceX in 2022, nearly doubling the 31 launches set as a SpaceX record in 2021.
• The Falcon 9 first stage on this mission made its 11th flight with this launch.
• The booster previously flew 5 Starlink missions, launched 2 U.S. GPS satellites, the Nilesat 301 commercial satellite, and carried two different private astronaut crews on the Inspiration4 and Ax-1 missions.
• Starlink is a satellite internet constellation designed and manufactured by SpaceX to provide high-speed, low-latency internet to people living in remote and rural locations around the globe.
• On Dec 1, 2022, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved for SpaceX to deploy 7,500 Gen2 satellites. 

About SpaceX :

• Founded: March 14, 2002
• Headquarters: Hawthorne, California, United States
• CEO & Chairman: Elon Musk

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

Aditya Mittal becomes India’s 77th GM:

• Sixteen-year-old Aditya Mittal has become India’s 77th chess Grandmaster during an ongoing tournament in Spain.
• The Mumbai player, who had secured three GM norms, crossed the 2,500 ELO points mark during the sixth round of the ongoing Ellobregat Open tournament in Spain.
• He drew the game against Spain’s No.1 Francisco Vallejo Pons to achieve the feat.
• To become a GM, a player has to secure three GM norms and cross the live rating of 2,500 ELO points.

About Mittal:

• Mittal earned his maiden GM norm at Serbia Masters 2021.
• Subsequently, he obtained his second GM norm at Ellobregat Open 2021.
• The teenager secured his third GM norm at Serbia Masters 2022.
• He is among the five players sharing the lead with five points at the ongoing Ellobregat Open.
• Mittal is also the fifth Indian to achieve the GM title in 2022 after Bharath Subramaniyam, Rahul Srivatshav, V Pranav V, and Pranav Anand.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

Eminent scholar, Padma Shri awardee Sribhashyam Vijayasarathi passed away

• Veteran Sanskrit scholar, Sribhashyam Vijayasarathi, who is known for his poetry, has passed away at the age of 86 in Telangana.

About Sribhashyam Vijayasarathi :

• Sribhashyam Vijayasarathi was born on March 10, 1936, in Chegurthi village in Karimnagar district, Telangana.
• He was an Indian author, Sanskrit grammarian, Philosopher, and
• He began composing poetry at the age of
• He was also the founder of Sri Yagna Varaha Swamy Kshetram (temple complex).
• He has written over 100 books in Sanskrit and Telugu.
• He introduced ‘seesam’, a Telugu poetic form and he is the first man who introduced the epistolary form in

Awards & Honors :

In 2020, he was honoured with India’s highly prestigious award Padma Shri for his excellent work in the field of Literature and Education.

Daily CA on December 31:

• Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has launched the guidelines for City Finance Rankings and City Beauty Competition in New Delhi.
• As part of India’s G20 presidency, the Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, Communications, and Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, introduced the “G20 Digital Innovation Alliance” (G20-DIA) and the “Stay Safe Online” campaign.
• Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the two-day-long 65th Foundation Day celebrations of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in New Delhi.
• As a part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ – to celebrate 75 years of Independence, REC Limited organized ‘Bijli Utsav’ in Anandapur Gaon of Baksa district and adjoining villages in Assam.
• The Border Security Force’s (BSF) mobile app, Prahari, was introduced by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
• Neelima Kadiala, Dr. Ana Baburamani, and Dr. Indrani Mukherjee will all be honoured as STEM superstars in 2022.
• Tata Steel and TuTr Hyperloop signed an agreement to jointly work on the development and deployment of hyperloop technology.
• Sixteen-year-old Aditya Mittal has become India’s 77th chess Grandmaster during an ongoing tournament in Spain.

• The Odisha Cabinet headed by Chief Minister (CM) Shri Naveen Patnaik approved the provision of Rs 367.19 crores for 5 years from 2022-23 to 2026-27 for implementation of the State Sector Scheme “empowerment of women in agriculture-promotion of entrepreneurship for Women Self Help Group (WSHG).
• The Tamil Nadu (TN) government launched India’s first Nilgiri Tahr (locally known as Varaiaadu) project to conserve the State animal of Tamil Nadu will be taken up for ₹25.14 crores.
• Tata Power Renewable Energy (TPREL), a subsidiary of Tata Power, has received the “letter of the award” (LoA) from Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd, a joint venture of Tata Power and the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, for setting up a 255 megawatt (MW) hybrid (wind and solar) power project in Karnataka.
• Multilateral funding agency Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India (GoI) signed a $125 million (about 1025 crore) loan to develop climate-resilient sewage collection and treatment, and drainage and water supply systems in 3 cities Coimbatore, Madurai & Thoothukudi of Tamil Nadu (TN).
• Fintech player Spice Money has partnered with private sector lender Axis Bank to facilitate the opening of instant, zero-balance savings or current accounts for rural citizens through its Adhikari network.
• United Nations Secretary-General Mr. António Guterres has appointed Mr. Abdullah Abdul Samad Dashti of Kuwait as United Nations Coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
• The government of India (GoI) has appointed the vigilance commissioner Praveen Kumar Srivastava as the acting Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC).
• Senior Hindi journalist and anchor Mr. Ravish Kumar, who hosted the widely lauded primetime show on NDTV India has resigned from the channel.
• Kirloskar Systems Pvt. Ltd. (KSPL) has appointed Manasi Tata, daughter of late Vikram Kirloskar, as Director on the board of the KSPL’s joint-venture firms with immediate effect.
• The Indian Army inaugurated its first 3-D Printed House Dwelling Unit (with Ground plus One configuration) for soldiers at Ahmedabad Cantonment, Gujarat, India.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully conducted a trial run of the 4.1 km long and 33-metre-wide ’emergency landing facility (ELF)’ constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on a national highway in Andhra Pradesh (AP).
• Indian Army’s Sudarshan Chakra Troops carried out Exercise Sudarshan Prahar in the deserts of Rajasthan.
• SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket with 54 more Starlink internet satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States (US).
• Veteran Sanskrit scholar, Sribhashyam Vijayasarathi, who is known for his poetry, has passed away at the age of 86 in Telangana.