Daily Current Affairs January 26

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January 26 | Daily Current Affairs 2022

Important Days – Daily Current Affairs January 26

1. International Customs Day 2022:

• International Customs Day 2022: January 26 marks the celebration of International Customs Day (ICD) all across the world with the United Nations as the host.
• It is an annual event that is meant to acknowledge and appreciate the role that customs officials and agencies play in ensuring the smooth flow of goods across the world borders.
• The endeavour is to emphasise the working conditions and challenges that customs officers face in their jobs.

International Customs Day: History

• The inception of the ICD dates back to 1953.
• The Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) formally announced the observance of ICD on January 26 that year in an inaugural session held in Brussels, Belgium.
• It was attended by representatives from 17 European countries. CCC was renamed World Customs Organization (WCO) in 1994.
• Now WCO comprises 182 member states from all parts of the world.

International Customs Day: Theme

• This year, the theme chosen by WCO for ICD is ‘Scaling up Customs Digital Transformation by Embracing a Data Culture and Building a Data Ecosystem’. In 2021, the theme was ‘Customs bolstering Recovery, Renewal and Resilience’.

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Sports – Daily Current Affairs January 26

2. Santosh Trophy football tournament postponed due to rise in COVID-19 cases:

• The National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy, which was scheduled to be held at Malappuram in Kerala from February 20 to March 6, was postponed till further notice due to a rise in COVID-19 cases.
• The All-India Football Federation said it will review the circumstances next month before announcing the new schedule.

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3. Sri Lanka’s Dilruwan Perera announces retirement from international cricket:

• Sri Lanka all-rounder Dilruwan Perera has announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket with immediate effect. In his retirement letter written to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Perera however said that he will continue to play domestic Cricket.
• The off-spinner represented Sri Lanka across all international formats.
• He hit 1456 runs across formats and scalped 177 wickets during his international career.

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4. Odisha Open 2022 to kick off at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack:

• Badminton, Odisha Open 2022, will kick off at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack.
• The Super 100 tournament which is the third event of the 2022 BWF World Tour calendar will continue till January 30. It is the first edition of the Odisha Open and is being organised by the Badminton Association of India.
• Olympics bronze medallist Saina Nehwal will be the star attraction in Odisha Open Super 100.
• And Over 300 shuttlers from a total of 18 countries will lock horns against each other to win in the categories of Men’s and Women’s Singles, Men’s and Women’s doubles apart from Mixed doubles.

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Ranking – Daily Current Affairs January 26

5. TCS 2nd most valuable IT services brand globally, 5 others in top 25 tally: Brand Finance:

• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has become the second most valuable brand in the IT services sector globally, while Infosys and four other Indian tech majors have firmly established their position among the top 25 IT services brands tally, according to Brand Finance.
• Following TCS and Infosys (third spot), there are four more Indian brands now firmly established among the global elite – Wipro (7th), HCL (8th), Tech Mahindra (15th) and LTI (22nd), as per the Brand Finance IT Services 25 2022 report.
• All six Indian brands feature among the top 10 fastest-growing IT Services brands over the course of 2020-2022, the brand valuation firm added.
• Accenture retained the title of world’s most valuable and strongest IT services brand, boasting record brand value of USD 36.2 billion, as per the report.
• Indian IT services brands made a leap with average growth from 2020 to 2022 at 51 per cent, compared to a seven per cent drop for brands from the US.

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6. India ranks 85 in corruption perception index, concern over country’s democratic status: Transparency International report:

• India’s rank improved one place to 85 among 180 countries in a corruption perception index (CPI) of 2021, according to a new report by Transparency International which, however, raised concern over the country’s democratic status.
• The index, which ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption according to experts and business people, uses a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.
• Among those with weak scores are some of the world’s most populous countries such as China (45) and India (40), and other large economies such as Indonesia (38), Pakistan (28) and Bangladesh (26), the report by the anti-corruption watchdog said.
• India’s rank improved by one place to 85 in 2021 from 86th in 2020, according to the index.
• Except Bhutan, all of India’s neighbours are ranked below it. Pakistan dropped 16 spots in the index and was ranked at 140.
• Calling the case of India particularly worrying, the report released said while the country’s score has remained stagnant over the past decade, some of the mechanisms that could help reign in corruption are weakening.
• Denmark, Finland, New Zealand and Norway topped the list with the highest score.
• While corruption takes vastly different forms from country to country, this year’s scores reveal that all regions of the globe are at a standstill when it comes to fighting public sector corruption.
• At the top of the CPI, countries in Western Europe and the European Union continue to wrestle with transparency and accountability in their response to COVID-19, threatening the region’s clean image.
• In parts of Asia Pacific, the Americas, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, increasing restrictions on accountability measures and basic civil freedoms allow corruption to go unchecked.
• Even historically high-performing countries are showing signs of decline, the report said.

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Banking and Finance – Daily Current Affairs January 26

7. Karnataka Bank launches NRI mobile banking:

• The city-headquartered Karnataka Bank has launched mobile banking facility to its NRI customers through its existing mobile banking application ‘KBL MobilePlus’ app.
• A bank release here said that with this facility, NRI customers can access a whole range of banking facilities at their fingertips including fund transfer, bill payments, recharge, credit card payments and deposit opening and closing.
• The bank has also incorporated an added feature of Kannada language user interface in its mobile banking app to cater to the preferences of customers who wish to operate in the regional language.
• The customers can download KBL MobilePlus app from Google Play Store or Apple AppStore to access the NRI mobile banking.
• All the services of the bank are now available to the customers through digital mode and KBL MobilePlus app will also be enabled in the Hindi and other regional languages, bank managing director and CEO M S Mahabaleshwara said in the release.

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8. Max Life, Policybazaar join hands to offer independent term insurance cover for homemakers:

• Housewives can now buy term insurance cover independently without being linked as an add-on cover to the spouse’s life insurance cover.
• Max Life Insurance has joined hands with Policybazaar to offer its ‘Max Life Smart Secure Plus Plan’ on the latter’s platform as an independent cover to homemakers.
• Currently, homemakers in India are typically allowed term cover only as an add-on to their earning spouse’s cover.
• Sajja Praveen Chowdary, Head – Term Life Insurance, Policybazaar.com told BusinessLine that an independent term cover was now available for the housewives segment irrespective of the fact whether the husband had a policy or not.
• So long as the household had an annual income of over ₹5 lakh, the housewife in the age group of 18-21 could now buy the independent cover from ₹25 lakhs to ₹49 lakhs.

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9. Pencilton unveils India’s first debit card with NCMC for teens:

• Pencilton, a teen-focused fintech startup, has unveiled India’s first debit card with NCMC for teens.
• Christened as PencilCard, the new launch is an NCMC-compliant (National Common Mobility Card) RuPay debit card specially designed for the teenager segment.
• It has been launched in partnership with Transcorp.
• For users, a single PencilCard will serve multiple needs as this debit card which works for online & offline payments just like any other debit card also doubles up as a metro card, and bus card – an all-in-one card.
• The debit card can already work as a metro card for travel in Delhi (Airport line) & as a bus card in Goa (across KTC buses). It is also scheduled to be accepted for metro travel in Pune, Chennai & Mumbai as well as in BEST buses (Mumbai) very soon.
• It transforms the entire debit card experience as it is equipped with NCMC’s unique features.
• This card is a part of the most advanced generation of contactless prepaid debit cards that can be used for payments across various channels, including retail shopping offline, online shopping, travel and in the future – tolls and parking, among others.
• It comes with the capability to store seasonal tickets & monthly passes, using which Mumbai Local authorities are planning to let season ticket holders top up the ticket via the card and purchase tickets.
• Pencilton’s PencilCard is also a Platinum RuPay card, and therefore, it comes with some additional benefits like free access to lounges at all airports in India.

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Awards – Daily Current Affairs January 26

10. Nine-year-old Virat Chandra awarded PM Bal Puraskar for scaling Mount Kilimanjaro:

• Nine-year-old Virat Chandra Telukunta from Hyderabad was awarded Prime Minister Bal Puraskar in Sports for scaling Mount Kilimanjaro.
• While climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Chandra overcame the challenges like extreme cold weather, finger pain, hand pain, and leg pain caused due to chilly weather.
• Talking about his future expeditions, he’s planning to attend the Australian Summit and climb Mount Kosciuszko once the border restrictions ease out.

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11. Param Vishisht Seva Medal and Padma Shri for Olympic champion Subedar Neeraj Chopra:

• Subedar Neeraj Chopra, who created history last year by winning India’s first athletics gold medal in Olympics, was awarded Param Vishisht Seva Medal and fourth highest civilian honour Padma Shri.
• Chopra, a Subedar with the 4 Rajputana Rifles in the Indian Army, had produced a second-round throw of 87.58m in the javelin throw finals at Tokyo Olympics in August 2021 to win the gold medal.
• Chopra has been awarded Padma Shri, the MHA noted.
• Chopra was conferred with the Arjuna Award in 2018 and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in 2020 for his excellence in sports.
• Chopra was enrolled into the 4 Rajputana Rifles as a Naib Subedar on May 15, 2016.
• After joining the Army, he was selected for training at the ‘Mission Olympics Wing’ as well as at the Army Sports Institute, Pune.
• The Mission Olympics Wing is an initiative by the Indian Army to identify and train promising sportspersons in 11 disciplines for various national and international competitions.

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12. Khaman seller from Surat gets PETA award for saving birds from kite string:

• A khaman (snack) seller from Gujarat’s Surat has been given an award by PETA India for his initiative to dissuade people from using manja or nylon string thus saving the lives of many birds.
• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA India) said in a release that Chetan Patel had offered 1 kg of khaman in exchange of 1 kg of discarded manja after Uttarayan festival celebrated on January 14.
• The “Hero to Animals Award”, in the form of a certificate, was recently handed over to Patel, the owner of Jay Gopinath Khaman and Locho in the Vesu area of Surat city.

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Science and Technology – Daily Current Affairs January 26

13. China launches satellite to conduct mass terrain survey at millimetre level:

• Building on launches from 2021, China lifted off the Long March-4C carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.
• The rocket carried the L-SAR 01A satellite into preset orbit kicking off plans for Beijing to launch over 40 missions in 2022.
• The L-SAR 01A is a synthetic aperture radar that will be used to study the geological environments and monitor landslides and earthquakes.
• According to CGTN, the microwave remote sensing technology-based satellite is the country’s largest land observation spacecraft operating in orbit.
• The satellite is 3.2 tonnes in weight and has an antenna spanning over 33 square meters.
• The operation of the satellite will enable China to conduct mass terrain surveys at millimetre precision and provide accurate data to scientists to better survey areas covered by forest.
• The launch marked the 407th flight of the Long March carrier rocket that has emerged as a workhorse for China’s ambitious space programme. Developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, the Long March-4C rocket can carry satellites into different orbits around Earth.
• A three-stage storable liquid propellant launch vehicle, 47 metres in length and 3.35 metres in diameter, the rocket is used for SSO, LEO and highly elliptic orbit satellite missions.
• The Long March-4C was successfully launched for the first time on April 27th, 2006.

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International Affairs – Daily Current Affairs January 26

14. India, France sign MoU with scope for cooperation in health research:

• India and France have signed an MoU with a scope for cooperation in health research. Science and Technology Ministry said, the MoU was signed between Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR and Institut Pasteur, France.
• CSIR and Institut Pasteur will jointly research and focus on emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and inherited disorders and enable delivery of effective and affordable healthcare solutions not only for the people of India and France but for the global good.
• The MoU provides for developing potential scientific and technological cooperation and networking in advanced and emerging areas of Human Health.

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National Affairs – Daily Current Affairs January 26

15. Punjab govt ties up with Khan Academy to generate educational content in Punjabi for school students:

• The Punjab government and Khan Academy with the support of SBI Foundation will work towards making high-quality educational content in Punjabi accessible to students in the state and accelerate content localisation so that students can learn in their own language.
• This partnership strengthens efforts in content localisation as prescribed in the latest National Education Policy with support from the state governments and public schools to democratise access to high-quality learning resources.
• This content will also be available on Khan Academy’s platform for free for all students.
• This will help students from Classes 6-12 build a solid foundational understanding in math and learn at their own pace while enabling teachers to identify learning gaps and address them individually, it said.
• As a part of this initiative, the team at Khan Academy will work closely with the Punjab government to educate over 5,000 teachers on how to use its learning content and effectively implement personalised math learning in the classroom.

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16. ‘Coal Directory of India 2020-21’ released:

• Coal Controller’s Organization, a subordinate office under the Ministry of Coal, released one of its flagship publications, the ‘Coal Directory of India 2020-21’ here.
• The Statistical Publication was released by the Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Dr. Anil Kumar Jain at the Office of the Coal Controller, Delhi.
• The ‘Coal Directory of India 2020-21’ contains information regarding the performance of Coal and Lignite sectors during the financial year 2020-21.
• It incorporates the grade wise data of production and dispatch and reserves of coal.
• The publication also provides information on pit head closing stock, import- export and prices of coal for last few years.
• It provides valuable and comprehensive ready reference of data to all the stakeholders, policy makers, researchers, industry and institutions.
• The Directory is accessible from the official websites of the Coal Controller’s Organisation and Ministry of Coal.

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17. Power Minister R K Singh flags off four ambulances with advance life support facility to IGIMS Patna under NTPC’s CSR:

• Union Minister of Power, New and Renewable Energy RK Singh on Tuesday flagged off four high-tech ambulances, under National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) corporate social responsibility (CSR) grant to Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) Patna.
• The keys were handed over to Dr Manish Mandal, the medical superintendent of IGIMS in a function organised in the IGIMS administrative office complex where Union Minister of Power, Singh joined virtually from Delhi whereas Energy Minister of Bihar Bijendra Prasad Yadav and State Health Minister Mangal Pandey were physically presen
• In the past, NTPC has also provided financial support for building a dedicated Burn Unit at AIIMS, Patna with a total cost of 21.06 Crores apart from providing ambulances to various states and has supported medical infrastructure projects.

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18. Army signs MoU with Indrani Balan Foundation for financial sustainability of AGSs:

• Army signed an MoU with Indrani Balan Foundation for financial sustainability of five schools run by it in Kashmir which will entail a support of over three crore rupees per year for the next five years, and help ramp up the infrastructure and run the educational institutions better.
• This is the second MoU between the Army’s 15 Corps or the Chinar Corps with Indrani Balan Foundation after the first one last year.
• The MoU was signed for financial sustainability of additional four Army Goodwill Schools (AGSs) at Baraub, Dawar, Balapur and Behibagh in Kupwara, Shopian and Kulgam districts and the Army Goodwill Public School (AGPS) in Pahalgam area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
• The event was presided over by GoC Chinar Corps, Lt Gen DP Pandey, along with Punit Balan and Jahanvi Dhariwal of Indrani Balan Foundation.

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19. 20-day joint maritime exercise off West Coast ends:

• Ajoint maritime exercise involving all three wings of Indian armed forces and also the Coast Guard, that provided the participants an opportunity to operate together under realistic conditions and enhance inter-service synergy, has concluded, the Navy said on Wednesday.
• The exercise, ‘Paschim Lehar (XPL-2022)’, involving the Navy, the Air Force, the Army and the Coast Guard concluded off the West Coast, the Navy said in a statement.
• The drill was conducted over a duration of 20 days with an objective to validate operational plans of the Western Naval Command and enhance inter-service synergy among the Navy, the IAF, the Army and the Coast Guard, it said.
• The exercise was conducted under the aegis of FOC-in-C (flag officer commanding–in-chief), Western Naval Command.
• The intra-theatre exercise included mobilisation and participation of over 40 ships and submarines of the Indian Navy, the statement said.
• In addition, the IAF deployed Su-30 MKI, Jaguar maritime strike aircraft, flight refuelling aircraft and AWACs, alongside the Indian Navy’s maritime reconnaissance aircraft P8i, Dorniers, IL 38 SD, unmanned aerial systems and MiG 29K strike jet for the manoeuvres.
• Various elements of the Army, including air defence batteries, were also mobilised for the exercise.
• After a long gap, many Offshore Patrol Vessels, Fast Patrol Vessels and Air Cushion Vessels of the Coast Guard also participated in ‘Paschim Lehar’, the statement said.
• A variety of weapon firings in a realistic tactical scenario, besides validation of operational missions and tasks under varying settings were undertaken during the drill, it said.
• The exercise provided all participating forces an opportunity to operate together under realistic conditions, in responding to contemporary maritime challenges, across the areas of the command’s responsibility, the statement added.

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20. BSF launches Boat Ambulance Service in Odisha’s Balimela reservoir:

• The Border Security Force (BSF) launched a boat ambulance service in the Balimela reservoir for the people of Swabhimaan Anchal in Odisha’s Malkangiri district on the occasion of the 73rd Republic Day.
• BSF DIG Sanjay Singh inaugurated the boat ambulance service near Gurupriya bridge in the Swabhiman Anchal.
• The ambulance will facilitate in providing emergency medical services to around 10,000 people of the area, he said.

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21. Andhra Pradesh approves creation of 13 new districts:

• On the eve of Republic Day, the Andhra Pradesh government has issued a new official gazette notification for carving out 13 new districts in the state under the AP Districts Formation Act, Section 3(5).
• These have been carved out from the existing 13 districts, bringing the number of districts in the state to 26.
• The new names of the new 13 districts are as follows, Manyam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalli, Kakinada, Kona Seema, Eluru, NTR District, Bapatla, Palnadu, Nandyal, Sri Satyasai, Annamayya and Sri Balaji district.
• The names of the existing 13 districts include Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, Nellore, Anantapuram, Kadapa, Kurnool and Chittoor were also carried while forming the new districts.
• The new districts are Srikakulam district with Srikalam as headquarter, Vizianagaram district with Vizianagaram as headquarter, Manyam district with Parvathipuram as headquarter, Alluri Sitharama Raju district with Paderu as headquarter, Visakhapatnam district with Visakhapatnam as headquarter, Anakapalli district with Anakapalli as headquarter, Kakinada district with Kakinada as headquarter, Kona Seema district with Amalapuram as headquarter, East Godavari district with Rajamahendravaram as headquarter, west Godavari district with Bheemavaram as headquarter, Eluru district with Eluru as headquarter, Krishna district with Machilipatnam as headquarter, NTR District with Vijayawada as headquarter, Guntur district with Guntur as headquarter, Bapatla district with Bapatla as headquarter, Palnadu district with Narasaraopeta as headquarter, Prakasam district with Ongole as headquarter, SPS Nellore district with Nellore as headquarter, Kurnool district with Kurnool as headquarter, Nandyal district with Nandyal as headquarter, Ananthpuram district with Ananthapuram as headquarter, Sri Satyasai District with Puttaparthy as headquarter, YSR Kadapa with Kadapa as headquarter, Annamayyaa district with Rayachoty as headquarter, Chittoor district with Chittoor as headquarter and Sri Balaji district with Tirupati as headquarter.
  Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has named the NTR District as he announced during his padayatra.
• NTR was the founder of the Telugu Desam Party and a former Chief Minister for Andhra Pradesh.
• Now, the TDP is in opposition and headed by NTR’s son-in-law and former CM Nara Chandrababu Naidu.

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22. Tableaux on Rajpath amalgamation of India’s cultural diversity:

• Alongside India’s military might showcased on Rajpath on the 73rd Republic Day, there were 12 tableaux from various states and union territories, representing the history and cultural diversity of the country.
• The themes of the tableaus were prepared keeping in mind the 75th Independence anniversary in line with the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
• This year’s Republic Day celebrations have been curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but that has not fazed the spirits of anyone, as a grand flypast with unseen views at sky heights enthralled the audiences glued to their television sets.
• The recently renovated Kashi Vishwanath Dham was showcased in the tableau of poll-bound Uttar Pradesh at the 73rd Republic Day parade.
• The front portion of the tableau showed products of different districts, while the central part showcased sadhus at the ghats of Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The rear of the tableau showcased the redeveloped KVD Corridor that was recently inaugurated at a grand ceremony.
• Uttarakhand’s state tableau was based on the theme ‘Pragati Ki Or Badhta Uttrakhand’.
• It is also inspired by the progressive development and projects in the area of connectivity and religious sites.
• In the front it showcased the Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara and at the rear it depicted the Badrinath Temple.
• The theme for Arunachal Pradesh was based on ‘Anglo Abor Adiverse’.
• The tableau highlighted the resistance of indigenous people of the state particularly of the Siang region formerly known as Abors by the British who bravely fought against their imperial policy of expansion in India.
• The southern state of Karnataka showcased the theme of ‘Credo of Traditional Handicrafts’.
• The tableau also depicted Mysore Rosewood ivory Inlay, the eye-catching Bidriware, Kinhala craft, Bronze Statue, and Lacquer ware toys from Channapatna.
• Jammu and Kashmir’s tableau highlighted the changing face of the Union Territory in the developmental scenario.
• It depicted the recently constructed Banihal Qazigund highway tunnel which has been thrown open to the traffic.
• Also on display was the Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan located in Katra in the Trikuta Mountains of Jammu Division.
• Chhattisgarh highlighted its ‘Godhan Nayay Yojna’ and also portrayed the various ways in which the scheme addresses multiple global concerns at once by synergizing traditional knowledge and scientific approach to the use of rural resources.
• The observer of the Tableau depicted rural women in traditional tribal costumes collecting cow dung and taking them to a collection centre in Gauthans for sale.
  Tableau from Maharashtra showcased the biodiversity of the state, displaying 15 animals and 22 plants, including the Blue Mormon butterfly, the ‘state butterfly’, and Indian Giant Squirrel, the state animal.
• Punjab depicted the contribution of the state in the freedom struggle.
• The tableau displayed huge statues of freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev.
• Besides depicting protests against Simon Commission by Lala Lajpat Rai, and Shaheed Udham Singh.
• The Gujarat tableau showcased the tribal freedom movement of the state. It depicted 100 years ago how Bhil tribes from Paal and Dadhvav villages of Sabarkantha district gathered under the leadership of Motilal Tejawat who worked for the upliftment of the community.
• On March 7, 1922, Tejawat addressed thousands of tribals to protest against the land revenue system imposed by the British.
• Symbols of Goan heritage were showcased by Goa on the Rajpath.
• In the front portion of the tableau, Ford Aguada was depicted.
• The fort with a historical legacy of 450 years was build by the Portuguese in 1612 to face possible Dutch invasion.
• During the Goan liberation struggle, it served as the Central Jail where freedom fighters were imprisoned.
• In the centre was the Martyrs’ Memorial of Panaji, which is a symbol of selfless sacrifice made the freedom fighters for the liberation of Goa.
• Haryana showcased achievements in the field of sports on the theme ‘Number one in sports’.
• The front depicted the Conch of Lord Krishna and the wrestlers in the arena took up the centre.
• The rear showed participants and winners in the national and international sports competitions, including the Olympics.
• The Meghalaya tableau showcased 50 years of Statehood and it’s tribute to women-led cooperative societies and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to the state’s economy.
• The tableau from the North Eastern state depicted bamboo and cane handicrafts, and Lakadong turmeric which are a testimony to the relentless efforts of the women-led cooperative societies and SHGs.
• The front showed a woman weaving bamboo basket, and several bamboo and cane products of Meghalaya.
• IAF tableau titled ‘Indian Air Force, transforming for the Future’ showcases scaled down models of MiG-21, Gnat, Light Combat Helicopter and Rafale aircraft, besides the Aslesha radar.
• Tableau parade begins with Indian Navy’s showcasing its multi-dimensional capabilities and highlighting key inductions under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
• A total of 21 tableaux, 12 of various states and Union Territories, and nine of different Ministries were showcased at the Republic Day parade this year.

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23. J’khand Cabinet clears petrol subsidy scheme:

• The Jharkhand cabinet approved the petrol subsidy scheme aimed at providing ₹250 every month through direct benefit transfer (DBT) to each of the eligible ration card holders in the state who own an on-road two-wheeler.
• In order to roll out the scheme on Republic Day from Dumka, chief minister Hemant Soren also launched CMSUPPORTS App for registration and verification of all beneficiaries under the scheme.
• “All beneficiaries registered under the national food security Act and the state food security Act who have an on-road two-wheeler would be eligible for ₹250 as petrol subsidy every month.
• The money would be transferred through DBT in their bank account.
• The scheme is estimated to cost the state government ₹901.86 crore annually.
• A provision of ₹100.49 crore has been made for the remaining months of the current financial year 2021-22,” said cabinet secretary Vandana Dadel.
• Though the exact number of beneficiaries are yet to be ascertained, there are around 59 lakh beneficiaries under the NFSA in the state.
• The petrol subsidy scheme would be rolled by chief minister from Dumka on January 26.
• To avail the scheme, beneficiaries ought to be a ration card holder of the state and their card needs to be linked with Aadhar.

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24. CM Jagan launches Rs 589 crore EBC Nestham plan:

• Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy disbursed Rs.589 crore into the accounts of 3,92,674 economically-backwards women from upper castes under the state’s EBC Nestham scheme.
• Jagan Mohan Reddy said the scheme is providing financial assistance of Rs 15,000 per annum to such women between age 45-60.
• EBC Nestham was not mentioned in the election manifesto, yet the government came up with a scheme to help the poor, he said.
• The CM said his government has implemented schemes like YSR Cheyutha and Kapu Nestham that benefited middle-aged women and empowered them.
• This benefited over 32 lakh women.
• The YSRC government is committed to women’s empowerment and has partnered with top companies like ITC, Amul, Proctor and Gamble and Reliance to help women find business opportunities.
• Such initiatives would boost the confidence among women to run their businesses effortlessly and make them self-reliant, he said.

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25. Karnataka launches ‘Brain Health Initiative’ to help people beat Covid stress:

• Karnataka has launched ‘Brain Health Initiative’, a first-of-its-kind in the country, undertaken by NIMHANS in association with NITI Aayog in the state.
• Under this programme, the doctors will be trained in screening and treating mental health patients.
• The initiative is being rolled out in Bengaluru, Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts on pilot basis.

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26. Government approves PMC Bank merger with Unity Small Finance Bank:

• Notifying the scheme for amalgamation, the Centre today announced that the branches of Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank will operate as Unity Small Finance Bank branches from January 25, 2022.
• The central bank in December extended the restrictions on Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank for another three months till the end of March 2022, as all necessary process on the draft scheme for the takeover was not complete.
• Unity SFB is the 12th small finance bank and opened its first branch in Mumbai on 1 November 2021 with over Rs 1,100 crore of equity capital, over 200,000 customers and an asset base of over Rs 2,400 crore which comes from the existing MSME and MFI credit business of the Centrum Group

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27. Delhi Metro launches special train to mark ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’:

• The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) flagged off a specially decorated train at Yamuna Bank Metro station on the Blue Line.
• The metro train was launched as part of the ongoing ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ (AKAM) celebrating the 75 years of India’s Independence and was inducted into passenger services.
• The exterior of the eight-coach special train has been exclusively wrapped and decked with collages of photographs and slogans depicting the glorious history of India’s people, culture and achievements in the last 75 years, signifying the spirit of ‘Aatmnirbhar Bharat’, officials said.
• Decked in the tri-colour theme, the coaches bear slogans like ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Celebrating 75 years of progressive India’.
• The special metro train was launched in the presence of Mangu Singh, Managing Director, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and other senior officials.
• It will remain in service throughout the commemorative period of ‘AKAM’.
• Earlier in July 2021, commemorative activities at the Lal Quila metro station on the Violet Line were launched in the form of an exhibition to bring out the significance of the historic venue from where the Prime Minister addresses the nation on every Independence Day, DMRC said in a statement.
• In addition to this, event corners, display panels inside and outside several metro stations and digital screens at stations and inside trains are also being utilised regularly to disseminate theme-based interesting messages on the anniversary celebrations, it added.

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