Current Affairs December 03rd 2022| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Persons with Disabilities: 3rd December

• International Day of Persons with disabilities 2022 is observed on the 3rd of December 2022.
• The International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022 theme set by the UN this year is “Transformative solutions for inclusive development: The role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world”.
• In 1976, UN General Assembly decided that from 1981 International Day of Persons with Disabilities will be celebrated globally.
• UN announced 3rd December as the official date for celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
• The First paralympic games were hosted in 1960.
• In 1992 The International Day of People with Disability was proclaimed by the United Nations.
• In 2013 Australia was the first country to pass the National Disability Insurance Scheme for the welfare of people with disabilities.
• Later now many countries announced reservations and Quotas for disabilities in Government and Private jobs.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

India’s assumption of the G-20 Presidency was marked by the illumination of 100 National Monuments:

• The G-20 presidency will officially transition to India on December 1, 2022.
• The anniversary will be marked by several activities happening all around the nation, including the illumination of 100 monuments with the G-20 insignia.
• One Earth, One Family, One Future is the focus of India’s G-20 Presidency.
• The topic upholds the importance of all life—human, animal, plant, and microorganism—as well as the interdependence of these species both on Earth and in the larger cosmos.
• The brilliant colours of India’s national flag served as inspiration for the design.
• It contrasts Earth with the lotus flower, which is the national flower of India and symbolizes progress despite obstacles.
• The earth represents India’s pro-planet philosophy of living in perfect harmony with the environment.
• India will take centre stage in the world, which is a significant opportunity for the nation.
• About 200 meetings in 32 different sectors will be held by India in various cities all over the nation during its Presidency.
• From December 1 to December 7, 2022, 100 monuments, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites, will be illuminated with the G-20 insignia for seven days.
• In addition to Sher Shah Suri’s Tomb in Bihar and Modhera Sun Temple in Gujarat, the list of 100 locations that will be illuminated also includes Purana Quila and Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi.
• 19 nations make up the Group of Twenty (G-20).
• Along with the European Union, the G-20 consists of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Meghalaya cabinet approves mental health and social care policy

• Meghalaya has become the first state in the Northeast to pass the first-ever Mental Health and Social Care Policy.

Aim:

• To address the issues of mental health and social care through collaborative engagement with communities
• The Meghalaya Mental Health & Social Care Policy was approved at the cabinet meeting, chaired by the chief minister.
• On the occasion of World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2022, the Meghalaya government announced the state’s “first-ever draft state mental health and social care policy”.

Key Highlights :

• After Kerala and Karnataka, Meghalaya becomes the third state in India to have such a policy.
• The policy will ensure that proper attention is given to mental health, particularly for our youth and adolescents
• In 2014, the Centre launched the first-ever National Mental Health Policy in an attempt to provide universal psychiatry care.
• Meanwhile, the cabinet has also approved the amendment of the Meghalaya Victim Compensation Scheme 2019.

About Meghalaya : 

• Governor: B. D. Mishra
• Chief Minister: Conrad Sangma
• Capital: Shillong
• Lake: Umiam lake, Ward’s Lake

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

YES BANK partners with Turtlefin to launch ‘EasyNsure’

• TurtleFin, India’s leading insurtech platform, has partnered with YES BANK, to create a first-of-its-kind comprehensive technology platform – EasyNsure.
• Its distinctive API will power the platform and help it offer a slew of insurance solutions in a single place.

About EasyNsure : 

• EasyNsure will bring multiple insurance partners onto a common platform, providing a host of benefits such as –
• A seamless single-point online insurance service,
• Ability to compare and select a suitable insurance cover basis the customer’s need,
• A facility to compare costs for rationalizing purchase decisions, among others.
• The platform is already live with over 40 Life and General Insurance plans to be readily available for consideration.
• So far, the platform has created over 30,000 insurance quotes with more than 6,500 proposals and 5,200 policies being punched.
• This has helped the platform record a total premium of INR 6,050 lakh.
• The technology platform will also allow business tracking across the Bank hierarchy, simplifying revenue reconciliation.

About YES BANK : 

• Founded: 2004
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO: Prashant Kumar
• Tagline: Experience our Expertise

RBI To Launch First Pilot Of Retail Digital Rupee

• The Reserve Bank of India’s first pilot for a retail e-rupee, its version of the central bank digital currency (CBDC), will be launched.
• The pilot will cover select locations in a closed user group comprising participating customers and merchants.

Key Highlights :  

• The first phase will begin with 4 banks i.e.State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Yes Bank, and IDFC First Bank in 4 cities including Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Bhubaneswar, and later extend to Ahmedabad, Gangtok, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Indore, Kochi, Lucknow, Patna, and Shimla.
• Payments to merchants can be made using QR codes displayed at merchant locations.
• The pilot will test the robustness of the entire process of digital rupee creation, distribution, and retail usage in real-time.
• Based on the usage and the functions performed by the digital rupee and considering the different levels of accessibility RBI has demarcated the digital rupee into two broad categories: general purpose (retail) and wholesale.
• On November 1, 2022, RBI launched its first pilot project to use the digital rupee in the wholesale market for secondary trade in government securities (G-secs).
• From December 1, 2022, a retail digital rupee (e-R) pilot will be launched.
• In effect, the retail e-rupee will be an electronic version of cash and will be primarily meant for retail transactions.
• It will be potentially available for use by all the private sector, non-financial consumers, and businesses.
• RBI is expected to enable the distribution of retail e-rupee (CBDC-R) through banks.
• All the transactions in CBDC will be carried out between person-to-person (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) forms.
• This e-rupee will be in the form of a digital token representing legal tender.
• The key motivations for exploring the issuance of CBDC include a reduction in operational costs involved in physical cash management.
• It will add efficiency to the settlement system and boost innovation in the cross-border payments space.

About RBI :

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

SBI board approves raising Rs 10,000 crore via infrastructure bonds

• State Bank of India (SBI) approved raising Rs 10,000 crore (including a green shoe option of Rs. 5,000 crores) through infrastructure bonds during the financial year 2023 
• In the July-September quarter, SBI’s gross non-performing assets (NPA) eased to 3.52% from 3.91% in Q1FY23 and 4.9% in Q2FY22.
• Similarly, net NPAs dropped to 0.8% in September 2022 quarter from 1% in June 2022 quarter and 1.52% in September 2021 quarter.
• The bank also recorded credit growth at 19.93% year-on-year in July-September.

About SBI : 

• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Chairman: Dinesh Kumar Khara
• Tagline: Pure Banking, Nothing Else

SEBI restructures advisory panels on FPIs, social stock exchange

• Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has restructured its advisory committees about foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) and social stock exchange.
• The SEBI has set up three separate committees in a fresh push towards reforming the capital markets and improving the ease of doing business.

FPI Advisory Panel Committee :

• Rejigging its FPI Advisory Committee, Sebi has informed that former finance secretary Hasmukh Adhia will now chair the 16-member panel.
• It was earlier headed by K V Subramanian, former chief economic adviser to the government of India.
• Chew Hai Jong, Managing Director at GIC, and Michael Drumgoole, Managing Director – Direct Custody and Clearing at JPMorgan, are the new inductees

Social stock exchange Panel :

• The 18-member committee will now be headed by R Balasubramaniam, chairman of the Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM). 
• It was earlier chaired by Ishaat Hussain (Director at SBI Foundation and former Finance Director at Tata Sons).
• About the social stock exchange, Sebi has inducted Anil Kumar SG, Founder & CEO, of Samunnati Financial Intermediation & Services; Santosh Jayaraman Global Head- Of sustainability, HCL Tech; Pushpa Aman Singh, Founder and CEO of GuideStar India; and Hemant Gupta, Managing Director at BIL Ryerson Technology Startup Incubator Foundation, among others
• The expert group will advise Sebi on issues about the regulatory framework for social enterprises. 
• It will advise on the matters to be taken up for changes in the legal framework for simplification and transparency in systems governing social enterprises, and on the regulation of intermediaries for ensuring investor protection to SSEs.

What is Foreign Portfolio Investment?

Foreign Portfolio Investment or FPI refers to the investment made in the financial assets of an enterprise, based in one country, by the foreign investors.

About SEBI : 

• Established: January 30, 1992
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chairman: Madhabi Puri Buch

Sri Lankans holding the Indian rupee (INR) in physical form

• India has allowed Sri Lankan citizens to hold up to $10,000 (8.14 lakh Indian rupees) in Indian rupees (INR) in the physical form.
• Though the INR would not be legal tender in the island nation after India approved a Sri Lankan request to designate the INR as a foreign currency.

Key Highlights : 

• This will provide the island nation with much-needed liquidity support to help it tide over its economic crisis amid inadequate dollar liquidity.
• The decision is also in sync with the Indian government’s efforts to popularise the INR among Asian nations and reduce dollar dependence.
• Sri Lankans will now be able to convert the INR into another currency.
• To enable this, Sri Lankan banks must enter an agreement with an Indian bank to open INR Nostro accounts – accounts that banks hold in a foreign currency in another bank.
• Nostro means ‘ours’ and Vostro means ‘yours’ in Latin.
• Another significant development is that offshore banking units (OBU) of Lankan banks have been permitted to accept savings, time, and demand deposits from non-residents.
• Transactions between Sri Lankan residents can only be done through banking channels and only for permitted activities.
• Sri Lanka has designated 15 foreign currencies, including the US Dollar, Pound Sterling, Renminbi, Kroner, and Swiss francs.
• In 2021, the Thai Baht was added to this list.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

Mina Sue Choi of South Korea is named Miss Earth 2022:

• During the pageant’s coronation at Cove Manila, Okada Hotel, Paraaque City, South Korea’s Mina Sue Choi was named Miss Earth 2022.
• Only three queens received the pageant’s three element titles out of a total of 86 Eco-warriors.
• Andrea Aguilera of Columbia is Miss Fire 2022, Nadeen Ayoub of Palestine is Miss Water 2022, and Sheridan Mortlock of Australia is Miss Air 2022.
• Choi also won a few medals at the pre-pageant competitions.
• She won competitions for resort wear, long gowns, beach wear, and swimsuits.
• The previous monarch, Destiny Wagner, who was the first Belizean woman to win a significant international crown, left the title to the current monarch.
• The winner of a virtual contest held in 2021 was Destiny Wagner.
• The finale of the completion saw the crowning of the element’s queens.
• Jenny Ramp, a Filipino-American psychology student from the province of Tarlac, who represented the Philippines, placed in the Top 20.
• She was named the top Fauna Costume for Asia and Oceania as well.
• The annual international competition, which Carousel Production organizes to encourage environmental protection, is in its 22nd year.
• It also looked for ambassadors to lead environmental conservation initiatives.

NMDC bagged the Champion of Champions Award, sweeping the 16th PRCI Global Communication Conclave 2022:

• The National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) won the Champion of Champions Award and fourteen Corporate Communication Excellence Awards at the 16th PRCI Global Communication Conclave in 2022.
• At the Global Communication Conclave, which the Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) organized in Kolkata, prizes were given out.
• The Most Resilient Company of the Year, Internal Communication Campaign, Corporate Brochure, and Best PSE Implementing CSR categories were all won by NMDC.
• It received Silver Awards for the Best Use of CSR for Childcare, Best Corporate Event, Corporate Community Impact, and Unusual HR Initiatives. Annual Report; Campaign for Arts, Culture, and Sports
• Additionally, it received Bronze Awards for Innovative Environmental Program, Website of the Year, Visionary Leadership, and Best Use of Social Media.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

BIS signed an agreement with six of India’s premier engineering schools:

• The top six engineering schools in India and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate Indian standards into the curriculum.
• This program aims to formalize BIS’s relationships with prestigious institutions to ensure the academic community’s active participation.
• The MoU was signed with the National Institute of Technology Trichy, Indian Institute of Technology BHU, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, and Indian Institute of Technology Madras.
• The organization will support the different institutes’ commitment to quality and leadership in the teaching, research, and growth of science and other fields.
• The Director General of BIS, Shri Pramod Kumar Tiwari, stated during the signing that the MoU between the prestigious academic institutions and BIS would boost and enhance the activity of developing standards by facilitating R&D projects.
• It will promote the participation of young people in the standards process and co-organize training sessions, seminars, conferences, workshops, symposia, and short-term education initiatives.
• He also underlined the importance of working with academic institutions, start-up incubators, and incubators to develop new standards and ensure that they are followed.
• It is also envisaged that standards development and technological innovation would work together seamlessly to promote the creation of technology-focused goods and services.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Former Health Secretary Preeti Sudan appointed as a UPSC member

• Top Andhra Pradesh cadre Indian Administrative (IAS) officer and former health secretary Mrs. Preeti Sudan took the oath of office and secrecy as a member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
• UPSC Chairman Dr. Manoj Soni administered the oath to Mrs. Sudan at Central Hall, UPSC Main Building.
• Even after the appointment of Sudan, there is a vacancy for four members in the commission.

About Preeti Sudan :

• Sudan has been a consultant to the World Bank.
• Sudan is superannuated as the Union Health Secretary in July 2020.
• She served as Secretary of, the Department of Food & Public Distribution, and in the Women and Child Development and Defence Ministries.
• She served as Chair of COP-8 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Vice Chair of Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Chair of Global Digital Health Partnership, and a member of WHO’s Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response
• Her notable contributions include starting two of the country’s flagship programs – ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ and ‘Ayushman Bharat’.

About UPSC : 

• Established: 01  October 1926
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi
• Chairman : Dr. Manoj Soni
• UPSC is headed by a chairman and can have a maximum of 10 members.

Uttarakhand Government appoints Prasoon Joshi as its Brand Ambassador

• The Uttarakhand government has named Prasoon Joshi, the CEO, and CCO of McCann Worldgroup India, the state’s brand ambassador.
• The Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman, apart from the Uttarakhand Ratna, is one of the state’s two highest civilian awards given for achievements in various fields.

About Prasoon Joshi :

• Joshi, a native of Uttarakhand, is a prominent and highly awarded member of the Indian advertising and media fraternity.
• Earlier the Dhami government also bestowed on Joshi the Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman honour for his contributions to art, literature, culture, and
• He has also written the lyrics for songs in popular Bollywood movies such as Rang De Basanti, Fanaa, and Taare Zameen Par. H
• e has also written the script for the award-winning 2013 film, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.
• Currently, Joshi is the Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification (Censor Board).

Awards & Honors :

• He was the first Asian to become the jury president at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity in 2014 for the prestigious Titanium category.
• He was also honoured with The Padma Award by the Indian Government, one of the highest civilian honours in the country
• He has received several prestigious international honours such as Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2006. 

About Uttarakhand :

• Governor: Gurmit Singh
• Chief minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami
• Capitals: Dehradun (Winter), Gairsain (Summer)
• National Park: Corbett National Park (the first national park of India), Valley of Flowers National Park, and Nanda Devi National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary. Benog Wildlife Sanctuary, Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Hyderabad-based IIL partners with CIFE to develop India’s first vaccine for fish

• Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), a leading vaccine manufacturer, has announced a partnership with the Central Institute of Fisheries Education  (CIFE), Mumbai, an Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Institute for the commercial development of India’s first fish vaccine.
• The vaccine will be developed to protect freshwater fish against common bacterial diseases.
• Currently, there are no fish vaccines available in India on a commercial scale to prevent aquaculture infections.

Key Statistics : 

• Aquaculture sectors play a vital role in meeting the rising global protein demand as the world population is expected to reach 8 bn by 2050.
• India is the 3^rd largest fish producer in the global sphere and more than 65% of India’s fish is through Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture.

About CIFE : 

• CIFE, an Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institute.
• It will provide technology for two inactivated bacterial vaccines – Columnaris and

About Indian Immunologicals Limited : 

• Headquarters: Hyderabad
• Managing Director: Dr. K Anand Kumar
• IIL was set up by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

NADA India will hold the first-ever Inclusion Conclave to focus on athletes with impairments:

• The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA India) is hosting an Inclusion Conclave for the first time to put a greater emphasis on anti-doping processes and education for athletes with impairments.
• In addition to WADA Asia-Oceania Regional Office Manager Kenny Lee and UN Resident Coordinator Shombi Sharp, Secretary Department of Sports Smt. Sujata Chaturvedi will also speak at the summit.
• Following the conclave, there will be a two-hour inclusive anti-doping education workshop for athletes with disabilities with a focus on the Therapeutic Use Exemption, the Doping Control Process, Anti-Doping Rule Violations, as well as the rights and obligations of athletes with disabilities and support personnel.
• For athletes with impairments, NADA India has already created extensive UDL (Universal Design of Learning) courses on anti-doping education and awareness. UDL is a multi-modal framework that uses sign language visual representation, subtitles that have been translated, and content audio to enhance and optimize teaching and learning for all people.
• Previously solely available in print, certain content is now also available in Braille and audio forms.
• Additionally, NADA India has improved the DCO kit for athletes with impairments and conducted sensitization training for Dope Control Officers (DCO) who collect samples from them.

About National Anti-Doping Agency

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Founded: 24 November 2005
• DG: Ritu Sain

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin Passes away

• Former President of China Jiang Zemin, who supported economic reforms leading to years of growth in the country, Passed away at the age of 96.

About Jiang Zemin :

• Jiang Zemin was born in the city of Yangzhou, Jiangsu, on 17 August 1926.
• Leading a divided Communist Party after the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, Jiang Zemin saw China through history-making changes.
• He was the Communist Party general secretary for 13 years.
• He helped pull in foreign investment after China joined the WTO.
• He served as general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 1989 to 2002, as chairman of the Central Military Commission from 1989 to 2004, and as president of China from 1993 to 2003.
• Jiang represented the “core of the third generation” of CCP leaders since 1989.

Daily CA on December 3:

• International Day of Persons with disabilities 2022 is observed on the 3rd of December 2022.
• The G-20 presidency will officially transition to India on December 1, 2022.
• During the pageant’s coronation at Cove Manila, Okada Hotel, Paraaque City, South Korea’s Mina Sue Choi was named Miss Earth 2022.
• The National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) won the Champion of Champions Award and fourteen Corporate Communication Excellence Awards at the 16th PRCI Global Communication Conclave in 2022.
• The top six engineering schools in India and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate Indian standards into the curriculum.
• The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA India) is hosting an Inclusion Conclave for the first time to put a greater emphasis on anti-doping processes and education for athletes with impairments.
• Meghalaya has become the first state in the Northeast to pass the first-ever Mental Health and Social Care Policy.
• TurtleFin, India’s leading insurtech platform, has partnered with YES BANK, to create a first-of-its-kind comprehensive technology platform – EasyNsure.
• The Reserve Bank of India’s first pilot for a retail e-rupee, its version of the central bank digital currency (CBDC), will be launched.
• State Bank of India (SBI) approved raising Rs 10,000 crore (including a green shoe option of Rs. 5,000 crores) through infrastructure bonds during the financial year 2023 
• Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has restructured its advisory committees about foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) and social stock exchange.
• India has allowed Sri Lankan citizens to hold up to $10,000 (8.14 lakh Indian rupees) in Indian rupees (INR) in the physical form.
• Top Andhra Pradesh cadre Indian Administrative (IAS) officer and former health secretary Mrs. Preeti Sudan took the oath of office and secrecy as a member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
• The Uttarakhand government has named Prasoon Joshi, the CEO, and CCO of McCann Worldgroup India, the state’s brand ambassador.
• Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), a leading vaccine manufacturer, has announced a partnership with the Central Institute of Fisheries Education  (CIFE), Mumbai, an Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Institute for the commercial development of India’s first fish vaccine.
• Former President of China Jiang Zemin, who supported economic reforms leading to years of growth in the country, Passed away at the age of 96.