Current Affairs December 30th 2022| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Oxford Dictionaries names ‘goblin mode’ word of the year via online vote:

• Oxford Dictionaries declared that goblin mode has been selected by online vote as its word of the year.
• It defines the term as a type of behaviour that is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.
• The word of the year is intended to reflect the ethos, mood, or preoccupations of the past twelve months.
• For the first time this year’s winning phrase was chosen by public vote, from among three finalists selected by Oxford Languages lexicographers: goblin mode, metaverse, and the hashtag IStandWith.
• Merriam-Webster announced that its word of the year is gaslighting psychological manipulation intended to make a person question the validity of their thoughts.
• In 2021 the Oxford word of the year was vaxxed and Merriam-Webster’s was “vaccine”.

President of India lays foundation stone for PRASHAD project and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Telangana:

• The President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu laid the foundation stone for the project ‘Development of Pilgrimage Facilities at Bhadrachalam Group of Temples’ today at Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamivari Devasthanam, Bhadrachalam in the Bhadradri Kothagudem District of the state of Telangana.
• She also laid the foundation stone for another project called ‘Development of Pilgrimage and Heritage Infrastructure of UNESCO World Heritage Site at Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple’ at Mulugu in the state.
• Both these projects have been approved under the PRASHAD (National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
• The President appreciated the Ministry of Tourism for boosting spiritual and cultural tourism by developing pilgrimage sites under the ‘PRASHAD’ scheme.
• Launched in the year 2014-15, the scheme aims to provide integrated infrastructure development to pilgrimage and heritage tourism destinations in the country.
• The project ‘Development of Pilgrimage Facilities at Bhadrachalam Group of Temples, Telangana’ has been approved by the Ministry of Tourism at an estimated cost of Rs 41.38 Crores.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina inaugurates the first Metro rail in Dhaka

• Bangladesh Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the country’s first metro rail service in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• The PM opened the 73-km part of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-6 of the metro rail project from Diabari to Agargaon.
• The government-owned company Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) is implementing the metro rail project.
• This is part of the ambitious Bangladesh project of Mass Rapid Transit to be completed by 2030.
• She also released a commemorative banknote of Taka 50 to mark the metro’s opening. 

Key Highlights :

• Mariam Afiza became the first operator of the metro & PM Sheikh Hasina became the first passenger to travel on the metro rail.
• It is built with financial and technical support from Japan.
• The metro rail network after completion in 2030 will cover a total length of 129 kilometers out of which 61 kilometers will be underground.
• Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been constructing the metro rail and providing soft loans for the project.
• The construction work of the MRT Line-6 began in 2016.
• Ten pairs of trains with 6 six coaches each will run on this route initially for 4 hours carrying about 5 lakh passengers daily.
• It is a great achievement for Bangladesh being the first high-speed rail service with a top speed of 110 kilometers per hour.
• It is also the first time that  Bangladesh will be running an electric train in a country that is environmentally safe. 

About Bangladesh :

• President: Mohammad Abdul Hamid
• Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina
• Capital: Dhaka
• Currency: Taka

India hands over 720 MW Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project to Bhutan

• The India-assisted 720 Megawatts (MW) Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project (HEPP) has been handed to Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) in
• The handover was held in Thimphu, in a ceremony that was witnessed by Bhutan’s Minister of Economic Affairs Lyonpo Loknath Sharma, and India’s Ambassador to Bhutan, Sudhakar Dalela.
• With the handing over of the project, India and Bhutan have completed 4 mega hydroelectric power projects.

About Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project :

• The Project was jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and his Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering in
• The commissioning of the project has increased Bhutan’s Electrical Power Generation Capacity by 44% and it is now at 2,326 Mega Watts.
• The Project has generated more than 9000 million units of energy since its commissioning, reducing 4 million tons of emissions annually.
• The commissioning of the Project led to an increase of 31% in hydropower revenues of Bhutan in 2020.
• In 2021, the Project exported electricity worth Rs 12.13 billion to India, increasing Bhutan’s electricity exports to Rs 24.43 billion.

About Bhutan :

• Prime Minister: Lotay Tshering
• Capital: Thimphu
• Currency: Bhutanese Ngultrum

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Tamil Nadu govt launches ‘Friends of Library’ program to promote reading

• The school education minister of Tamil Nadu (TN) Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, has launched the “Friends of Library” program, through which books would be directly supplied to those who are unable to access state-run libraries.  

About the Friends of Library program:

• The project will be helpful to people with differently-abled persons, senior citizens, children, and hospital in-patients among others who cannot come to a library will benefit from the initiative.
• Volunteers will hand over the books to such people from the libraries.
• The program will involve 2,500 libraries in its initial phase, including 31 district libraries.
• A knowledge-based society was to be promoted as a result of this program.

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

UP govt launches E-Sushrut Hospital Management Info System in medical colleges

• Uttar Pradesh (UP) Deputy chief minister Shri Brijesh Pathak and Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh launched E-Sushrut Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) in 22 state medical colleges.
• The initiative was launched by the state medical education department in collaboration with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC).

Aim :

• To provide better treatment facilities to

About E-Sushrut HMIS software :

• With this software patient registration, admission, discharge, ambulance, food, medicines, and details of doctors will be done online.
• Through this system, the availability of doctors in the hospital can also be easily ascertained and patients will be able to pay the fee through online and net banking.
• It will ensure that all work related to the treatment of patients can be done easily and
• HMIS has been implemented in Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Agra, Meerut, King George Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Science Saifai, GIMS Greater Noida, Lohia Institute, Sanjay Gandhi PGI, and Mirzapur Medical College.
• The software will have Records of facilities like ambulance, bed allotment, linen, food, etc to maintain transparency.

About UP :

• Governor : Anandiben Patel
• Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath
• Capital: Lucknow
• National Park: Dudhwa National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuary: Chandra Prabha Wildlife Sanctuary, Hastinapur WS, Katarniaghat WS
• Tiger Reserve: Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
• Airport: Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport

Dhanu Yatra’ Begins In Odisha’s Bargarh

• The ‘Dhanu Yatra’ festival, considered to be the world’s largest open-air theatre, began after a gap of two years, in Bargarh in Odisha.
• The vibrant Dhanu Yatra is associated with the culture of Odisha. 
• The Festival is being held from December 27, 2022, to Jan 6, 2023.
• Several artists from 130 cultural troupes from across the country are scheduled to perform during the festival.

About the ‘Dhanu Yatra’ festival :

• Dhanu Yatra, the 11-day-long annual extravaganza places Bargarh on the Cultural Map of India.
• The festival marks the victory of good over evil, came into existence in Bargarh in 1947-48 as part of the celebration of the country’s Independence, and is held annually.
• Dhanu yatra was held last time from December 31, 2019, to January 10, 2020. 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

Indian Banks’ GNPAs decline to 5% in September 2022 – RBI report

• The Gross non-performing assets (GNPA) ratio of Scheduled Commercial banks (SCBs) has declined sequentially to 5% as of September 2022 from the peak levels of around 9% in 2017-18 led by lower fresh slippages.
• The reduction in NPAs was mainly contributed by written-off loans in the case of PSBs (public sector banks), while the upgradation of loans was the primary driver for asset quality improvement for PVBs (private banks), the central bank stated in its report on Trend and Progress of Banking in  India for 2021-2022. 

Key Highlights :

• As of March 2022, gross NPAs were at 5.8%, lower than 7.3% in 2021.
• Over the same period, the net NPA ratio improved to 1.7% from 2.4%.
• The share of large borrowers accounts, those with a total exposure of ₹5 crores and above comprised 47.8% of the total advances in 2021-22 compared with 48.4% in 2020-21. 
• Correspondingly, their share in total NPAs also declined to 63.4% from 66.4%.
• On the other hand, the share of special mention accounts-0 (SMA-0) loans that are overdue for 0-30 days shot up for both PSU and private banks as of March 2022, reflecting temporary stress among borrowers.
• The share of restructured standard advances to gross loans also increased by 110 bps for all borrowers and 50 bps for large borrowers. 
• This was lower than the increase of 30 bps for all borrowers and 40 bps for large borrowers in 2020-21, owing to the RBI’s resolution framework for restructuring stressed retail loans and MSME loans during the pandemic.
• However, the share of SMA-1 and SMA-2 loans, which indicate impending stress for longer time buckets declined to their lowest levels since March 2016 for all accounts.

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

Indian Bank launches ‘MSME Prerana’ flagship program in Rajasthan

• Indian Bank, one of the leading public sector banks in the country, has launched its flagship business mentoring program for Micro Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) entrepreneurs – ‘MSME Prerana’ in
• “MSME Prerana”, is a first-of-its-kind initiative for the MSME sector in the country by any bank.

Aim :

• To empower MSME Entrepreneurs through skill development and capacity building training in their local languages, assisting them in acquiring necessary financial and managerial skills, capacity to handle the crisis in business, and understanding of dynamics of credit rating and risk management.
• Indian Bank has already conducted this online program in 7 languages across 10 states.

About Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) :

• MSMEs are regulated under the ‘Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development Act, of 2006’. 
• Cabinet Minister: Narayan Rane
• Minister of State: Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma

 Micro enterprises :

• The Enterprises with an annual turnover of less than Rs 5 crore and the maximum investment in plant and machinery or equipment shall not be more than 1 crore rupees.

 Small Enterprise:

• The enterprises where the investment in plant and machinery or equipment does not exceed 10 crore rupees and turnover does not exceed 50 crore rupees.

 Medium Enterprise:

• The enterprises where the investment in plant and machinery or equipment does exceed 50 crore rupees and turnover does not exceed 250 crore rupees.

About Indian Bank :

• Founded: 15 August 1907
• Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
• MD & CEO: Shri Shanti Lal Jain
• Tagline: Your own Bank

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

IIT Madras wins Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards:

• The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT) Madras has won the Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards at the recently concluded ceremony held at the Wharton Campus, Philadelphia, USA.
• The institute has been awarded and its BS in Data Science and Applications is awarded the silver in the best online program category.
• While, the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), a joint initiative of IITs and IISc, run by IIT Madras, won the gold in the lifelong learning category.
• NPTEL aims to enhance the quality of engineering education in India by developing an educational ecosystem and providing free online courses, and video lectures.
• Andrew Thangaraj, NPTEL, course coordinator, at IIT Madras, said, “NPTEL has become a pillar of the open education community.
• Its more than 4,000 certification courses enable quality and equitable access to a wide variety of learners from different social, economic, and demographic backgrounds who can benefit from these courses to up-skill and re-skill.
• The Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards recognize outstanding achievements of educators, institutions, and organizations that drive innovation and excellence in education.

Indian-origin science teacher wins Prime Minister’s prize in Australia:

• An Indian-origin teacher in Australia has received the 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in secondary schools.
• Melbourne-based Veena Nair, who is ViewBank College’s Head of Technology and STEAM project leader, has been awarded for demonstrating the practical application of STEAM to students, and how they can use their skills to make a real impact in the world.
• As a leading educator in STEAM, Nair has more than 20 years of experience in teaching science-based subjects across India, the United Arab Emirates, and now Australia.
• Through her work, she has increased the number of students who receive first-round offers to study engineering and technology subjects at university, especially young women and students from diverse backgrounds.

About Veena Nair:

• Nair began her teaching career in Mumbai, where she provided computers to low socio-economic schools and taught students how to code.
• Nair’s students participate in the Swinburne Youth Space Innovation Challenge — a 10-week program that sees secondary students competing to create the best experiment to launch into space.
• The winning project is then sent to the International Space Station. She also supports the Young Persons’ Plan for the Planet program, a STEM-based enterprise development program that allows students to engage with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as changemakers at a global level.
• Via this program, she has led a team of Australian teachers to conduct STEAM workshops for teachers in low socio-economic schools in Mumbai.
• Nair is a BSc in Physics and a BEd in Science and Mathematics from the University of Mumbai and an MEd (maths education) from Deakin University.
• She won the Educator of the Year Award from the Design and Technology Teachers’ Association of Australia in 2018.
• The annual awards celebrate the contributions of 12 of the country’s leading scientists, innovators and science teachers.

Prabhu Chandra Mishra was honoured with Atal Samman Award at Vigyan Bhawan New Delhi:

• Shri Prabhu Chandra Mishra received an honourable Atal Samman Award (Atal Anveshi Shikhar Samman) during this event for his excellence in the field of science & research.
• On the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister of the country Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, many personalities who played an important role in various fields were honoured at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi during the 9th Atal Samman Samaroh.
• On this occasion, famous MP and actor Manoj Tiwari, Shri Santosh Tandon former National Vice President of BJP and patron of the ceremony Shyam Jaju, MLA Ajay Mahawar, Vice Chairman of the ceremony Neeraj Gupta and many other luminaries were present.

About His Work:

• His area of work is StemCell & Regenerative Medicine in infertility especially when IVF also fails.
• The diseases like a premature ovarian failure, thin endometrium, Asherman syndrome Etc.., have shown satisfactory results with the body’s cells.
• PRP & bone marrow-derived StemCells Research has shown promising hope for these patients/ couples who are struggling for their children.
• Shri Prabhu Mishra is the President of the International Association of StemCell & Regenerative Medicine and an ace Regenerative Medicine scientist who travelled around the globe for his work.
• He also wrote an interesting book on stem cells, called StemCell & Regenerative Medicine in infertility.
• IASRM also conducts various training programs in Regenerative Medicine to create awareness in the community and among healthcare providers.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND REPORTS

India Ranks 8th Among Countries at Highest Risk for Mass Killing: US Research Org’s Report

• India is ranked eighth among the countries that are at the highest risk for mass killing in 2022 and 2023, a US-based research organization.
• India has seen a drop in rank from the second position in the earlier year.
• There is a 7.4% – or approximately one in 14 – chance of a new mass killing beginning in India in 2022-2023,” the Early Warning Project, that identifies countries at risk of mass violence.
• The Project is a joint initiative of the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Dickey Center for International Understanding at Dartmouth College.
• “This assessment identifies the risk – the possibility – that a mass killing may take place,” the report states as its objective
• A mass killing, as per the report, is 1,000 or more civilians deliberately killed by armed forces (whether government or non-state), over a year or less, because of their membership in a particular group.
• Virtually all cases of genocide include mass killings, if they match this definition, the report said.
• While Pakistan topped the list this year, Yemen ranked second, Myanmar third, Ethiopia fifth, Nigeria sixth, and Afghanistan seventh, among all 162 countries, the 2022-23 report.

HAL, BEL ride government orders, find a place in SIPRI’s list of top 100 global arms companies:

• Two Indian defence PSUs, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and Bharat Electronics (BEL), figure in the list of the top 100 arms-producing companies released by Swedish think-tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
• The government’s Make-in-India push in indigenous defense production seems to be bearing positive results as the two Indian Defence Public Sector Undertakings, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), have improved upon their previous rankings among the arms-producing companies of the world.
• HAL ranked 42nd and BEL bagged 63rd place with a total evaluation of $5.1 Billion in 2021.
• The two companies saw an increase of 1.9 per cent in their total arms sales for 2021. Individually, HAL’s sales increased by 6.7 per cent while BEL’s 20 per cent.
• They were ranked 43 and 69 in 2020.
• The think tank attributed this raise in their rankings due to major orders placed by the Indian armed forces in the recent year.
• The Ordnance Factory Board which had made the list in 2020, could not get a place this time because of restructuring in its organization.
• This is the seventh consecutive year of rising global arms sales.
• However, while the rate of growth in 2020–21 was higher than in 2019–20 (1.1 per cent), it was still below the average for the four years leading up to the Covid-19 pandemic (3.7 per cent).
• According to the report, sales of arms and military services by the 100 largest companies in the industry reached $592 billion in 2021, a 1.9 percent increase compared with 2020 in real terms.
• China, for the second successive year, has been placed in the second spot behind the US in making arms, weapons, and military equipment.
• The combined arms sales of the eight Chinese companies included in the ranking amounted to $109 billion, a 6.3 percent increase over last year.

ADB ranks WAPCOS amongst the Top Consulting Services Firms in Water and other Infrastructure Sectors:

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has named Water and Power Consultancy Services India Limited (WAPCOS) as the best Consulting Services Firm in the Water and Other Infrastructure Sectors in its annual Procurement Report 2022.
• WAPCOS was named one of the top three Indian consultants involved in Consulting Services Contracts under ADB Loan, Grant, and Technical Assistance Projects in the Energy, Transportation, Water, and other Urban Infrastructure Sectors in another report on its Members’ Fact Sheet – 2022 released by the ADB.
• WAPCOS is the only Indian public sector organization represented in the aforementioned categories.

About ADB:

• Asian Development Bank, headquartered in Manila, Philippines, is a regional development bank serving Asia and the Asia-Pacific area.
• It has 68 member countries and is led by Masatsugu Asakawa.
• It also publishes the Asian Development Outlook report.

About WAPCOS:

• It was founded in 1969 by the Indian government under the auspices of the Ministry of Water Resources to utilize India’s knowledge and competence in the field of water resources by sharing and exporting technology to friendly developing nations.
• Water and Power Development Consultancy Services (India) Limited was renamed “Water and Power Consultancy Services (India) Limited” in 1979.
• Apart from India, the Company has completed/is currently doing consultant engagements in over 51 countries across Asia, Africa, the CIS, the Pacific Islands, and South America.
• Rajni Kant Aggrawal, Chairman and Managing Director
• The headquarters are in New Delhi.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

RBI approves the re-appointment of Baskar Babu Ramachandran as MD & CEO of Suryoday SFB

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the re-appointment of Baskar Babu Ramachandran as Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Suryoday Small Finance Bank (SFB)
• He was re-appointed for three years with effect from January 23, 2023, in terms of the provisions of Section 35B of the Banking Regulation Act, of 1949.
• He was the MD & CEO of the Suryoday Small Finance Bank (SFB) since 23rd Jan 2017.
• Before co-founding Suryoday Micro Finance Pvt Ltd, he held various positions with various companies including GE Capital Transportation Financial Services Ltd, and HDFC Bank Ltd.

About Suryoday Small Finance Bank :

• Founded: January 23rd, 2017
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Suryoday Small Finance Bank (Suryoday SFB) is a scheduled commercial bank. 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Ministry of Power signs MoU with DRDO for Implementation of Early Warning System      

• The Ministry of Power signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Ministry of Defence for the Implementation of an Early Warning System (EWS) for Vulnerable Hydro Projects/Power Stations. 
• The MoU was signed by Shi Alok Kumar, Secretary, of the Ministry of Power, and Samir V Kamat, Secretary of, the Department of Defence (R&D) & Chairman, of DRDO.
• The Ministry of Power has already signed MoUs with the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) – National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) and National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC)- Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for implementation of EWS.

 About EWS :

• EWS is an integrated system of hazard monitoring, forecasting and prediction, disaster risk assessment, communication, and preparedness for timely action to reduce disaster risks in advance of hazardous events.

 About the MoU :

• The Ministry of Power and DRDO will jointly work towards developing suitable mitigation measures against avalanches, landslides, glaciers, glacial lakes, and other geo-hazards.
• The expertise of DRDO will also be utilized in developing a comprehensive Early Warning System for vulnerable hydro projects/ power stations in hilly regions.
• Separate and specific tasks will be formulated between DRDO & respective project developer(s) in agreement with the broad understanding developed through this MoU.

About Ministry of Power :

• Union Minister: Raj Kumar Singh
• Minister of State: Krishan Pal Gurjar

About DRDO :

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

The DRDO is the premier agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India (GoI)

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

South Africa’s Farhaan Behardien announces retirement:

• South African batter Farhaan Behardien announced retirement, concluding an 18-year international cricketing career.
• The 39-year-old has represented the Proteas in 59 ODIs and has 1074 runs and 14 wickets under his belt.
• Behardien took to his official Twitter handle to announce his retirement.
• Behardien also has 38 T20I caps for South Africa and has amassed 518 runs at an average of 32.37.
• He also led the Proteas in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in January 2017.
• His last international game came way back in 2018, in South Africa’s 21-run win over Australia in a T20I at the Carrara stadium.
• The batter remained not out for three off two deliveries.

Daily CA on December 30:

• Oxford Dictionaries declared that goblin mode has been selected by online vote as its word of the year.
• The President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu laid the foundation stone for the project ‘Development of Pilgrimage Facilities at Bhadrachalam Group of Temples’ today at Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamivari Devasthanam, Bhadrachalam in the Bhadradri Kothagudem District of the state of Telangana.
• The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT) Madras has won the Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards at the recently concluded ceremony held at the Wharton Campus, Philadelphia, USA.
• An Indian-origin teacher in Australia has received the 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in secondary schools.
• Shri Prabhu Chandra Mishra received an honourable Atal Samman Award (Atal Anveshi Shikhar Samman) during this event for his excellence in the field of science & research.
• India is ranked eighth among the countries that are at the highest risk for mass killing in 2022 and 2023, a US-based research organization.
• Two Indian defence PSUs, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and Bharat Electronics (BEL), figure in the list of the top 100 arms-producing companies released by Swedish think-tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has named Water and Power Consultancy Services India Limited (WAPCOS) as the best Consulting Services Firm in the Water and Other Infrastructure Sectors in its annual Procurement Report 2022.
• South African batter Farhaan Behardien announced retirement, concluding an 18-year international cricketing career.
• Bangladesh Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the country’s first metro rail service in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• The India-assisted 720 Megawatts (MW) Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project (HEPP) has been handed to Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) in
• The school education minister of Tamil Nadu (TN) Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, has launched the “Friends of Library” program, through which books would be directly supplied to those who are unable to access state-run libraries.  
• Uttar Pradesh (UP) Deputy chief minister Shri Brijesh Pathak and Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh launched E-Sushrut Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) in 22 state medical colleges.
• The ‘Dhanu Yatra’ festival, considered to be the world’s largest open-air theatre, began after a gap of two years, in Bargarh in Odisha.
• The Gross non-performing assets (GNPA) ratio of Scheduled Commercial banks (SCBs) has declined sequentially to 5% as of September 2022 from the peak levels of around 9% in 2017-18 led by lower fresh slippages.
• Indian Bank, one of the leading public sector banks in the country, has launched its flagship business mentoring program for Micro Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) entrepreneurs – ‘MSME Prerana’ in
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the re-appointment of Baskar Babu Ramachandran as Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Suryoday Small Finance Bank (SFB)
• The Ministry of Power signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Ministry of Defence for the Implementation of an Early Warning System (EWS) for Vulnerable Hydro Projects/Power Stations.