Current Affairs December 16th 2022| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

Vijay Diwas: 16th December

• 50th Vijay Diwas 2022 is observed on the 16th of December 2022.
• Vijay Diwas is celebrated for the remembrance of the victory of the Indian Armed Forces in ‘Operation: Vijay’ against the infiltrating Pakistani troops.
• Rich tributes are given to the Armed Soldiers who lost their lives in the war.
• Pakistani troops attacked 11 Indian airfields that proved the war on December 3, 1971.
• At that time Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India.
• The war ended in just 13 days which is considered one of the shortest wars in history.
• As a result of the war, Bangladesh was liberated from Pakistan as a separate country.
• The Independent Flag of Bangladesh was first hoisted on March 23.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

By 2031 India will have 20 new nuclear power plants:

• According to the government, India expects to commission 20 nuclear power stations by 2031, adding roughly 15,000 MW of power generation capacity.
• The first of these 20 nuclear power plants, a 700 MW unit, is scheduled to be completed in 2023 at Kakrapar in Gujarat, which already has three active nuclear power plants.
• According to a written reply by Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh, the 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam is projected to be operational in 2024, followed by two 1,000 MW units at Kudankulam in 2025.
• He expects two 700 MW units in Rawatbhata, Rajasthan, to be finished by 2026, and two 1,000 MW units in Kudankulam to be completed by 2027.
• Two 700 MW units are planned to be built in Gorakhpur, Haryana, by 2029, according to the minister, who detailed the projects under consideration.
• Furthermore, the government granted administrative permissions and financial sanctions for the construction of ten 700 MW atomic power plants at Gorakhpur, Haryana (units 3&4), Kaiga, Karnataka (unit 5&6), Chutka, Madhya Pradesh (units 1&2), and Mahi Banswara, Rajasthan.
• These ten nuclear power units are expected to be built in stages by 2031, according to Singh.
• In a written response to a second inquiry, Singh stated that between 2017-18 and 2021-22, the Kundankulam Nuclear Power Project (units 1&2) contributed 48,382 Million Units of power to the national grid.

The government has allocated Rs 1037.90 crore to the New India Literacy Programme over the next five years:

• The Ministry of Education (MoE) has approved a new five-year program called the “New India Literacy Programme” to address all aspects of adult education through the new National Education Policy (NEP).
• The ministry has also opted to use “Education For All” rather than “Adult Education” because the previous title did not adequately reflect all non-literates aged 15 and up.
• The scheme’s goals are to teach not only foundational literacy and numeracy, but also other components required for a 21st-century citizen, such as critical life skills vocational skills development to obtain local employment; and basic education (including preparatory, middle, and secondary school).
• The policy will apply to non-literates aged 15 and up in all states and union territories.
• For the fiscal years 2022-27, the target for Foundational Literacy and Numeracy is 5 crore learners using the Online Teaching, Learning and Assessment System (OTLAS) in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre, NCERT, and NIOS, in which a learner may register himself/herself with essential information such as name, date of birth, gender, Aadhaar number, and mobile number.
• For 2022-27, the total estimated outlay for the “New India Literacy Programme” is Rs 1037.90 crore, which includes a central contribution of Rs 700 crore and a state portion of Rs 337.90 crore.

Bhopal will host the 8th India International Science Festival 2022:

• The India International Science Festival (IISF)-2022 will take place in Bhopal in January 2023, and it is one of the key events to take place after India assumed the G-20 presidency.
• The IISF is a project of the Government of India’s Ministries of Science and Technology and Earth Science, in collaboration with Vijnana Bharati, a science movement with a swadeshi spirit led by notable scientists from throughout the country.
• Since its beginning in 2015, the IISF 2022 is the 8^th edition.
• It is a festival that brings together students, innovators, craftspeople, farmers, scientists, and technocrats from India and throughout the world to honour India’s scientific and technological achievements.
• It also allows people and the scientific community in India and throughout the world to come together, collaborate, and experience the thrill of doing science for the benefit of India and humanity.
• During these four days, fourteen activities will be held in parallel, with the involvement of over 8,000 delegates from across the country.
• More than a million local tourists will attend the festival, which will be remembered for its distinctive magnificence and inventiveness in science.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India Signs Agreement For 3 Projects With Nepal Government In Education, Healthcare Sectors

• The Embassy of India and Nepal government’s Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration have signed 3 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) to collaborate on projects in the education sector.
• The collaboration will also focus on the healthcare and drinking water sectors.
• The projects shall be implemented at 101.79 million Nepalese rupees (NRs)

The three projects include 

1. The construction of the Shree Janata Belaka Secondary School building in the Udayapur district, Nepal
2. The construction of Ngonga Thenchowk Chholing meditation centre in the Soulukhumbu district, Nepal
3. The construction of Lisnekhola Tikasung Dangchet Jharlang water supply project in Dhading district, Nepal.

• Since 2003, India has taken up over 532 High Impact Development Projects (HICDPs) in Nepal and has completed 476 projects in the areas of health, education, drinking water, connectivity, sanitation, and the creation of other public utilities.

About Nepal : 

• President: Bidhya Devi Bhandari
• Prime minister: Sher Bahadur Deuba
• Capital: Kathmandu
• Currency: Nepalese Rupee

FAO Opening Ceremony of International Year of Millets 2023 held in Rome, Italy

• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, organized an opening ceremony for the International Year of Millets – 2023 (IYM2023) in Rome, Italy.
• An Indian delegation led by Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State, Agriculture & Farmers Welfare along with Smt. Shubha Thakur, Joint Secretary (Crops), Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW).

Key Highlights :

• Spearheaded by the Prime Minister, the Government of India sponsored the proposal for International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023 which was accepted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
• In March 2021, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets
• The declaration has been instrumental for the Government of India to be at the forefront of celebrating the IYM.
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has also shared his vision to make IYM 2023 a ‘People’s Movement’ alongside positioning India as the ‘Global Hub for Millets’.
• Recognizing the enormous potential of Millets, which also aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Government of India (GoI) has prioritized Millets.
• A submission on the National Food Security Mission – Nutri Cereals was implemented considering the high-nutritive value, potential for economic empowerment of small & marginal farmers, and contribution to maintaining the earth’s biodiversity.
• In April 2018, Millets were rebranded as “Nutri Cereals”, and the year 2018 was declared as the National Year of Millets, aiming at larger promotion and demand generation.

About Millets :

• Millets are considered ‘Smart Food’ as they are easy to cultivate, mostly organic, and contain high nutritional value

About FAO:·

• Founded: 16 October 1945
• Headquarters: Rome, Lazio, Italy
• Director General: Mr. QU Dongyu
• FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security.
• The FAO is composed of 195 members (including 194 countries and the European Union).
• In October 2020, India released a commemorative coin of Rs 75 denomination to mark the 75th anniversary of the FAO.

About Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare :

• Cabinet Minister: Narendra Singh Tomar
• Minister of State: Shobha Karandlaje, Kailash Choudhary

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Forest department launches ‘Vanikaran’ project to restore natural vegetation in Kerala

• The Forest department in association with Noolpuzha grama panchayat has launched the ‘Vanikaran’ (afforestation) Project in Kerala.

Aim :

• To root out invasive plants, especially Senna spectabilis, and restore natural forests.

About Vanikaran’s (afforestation) Project :

• The project was being executed on 30 hectares of forest land under the Sulthan Bathery forest range of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, where exotic invasive plants, including Senna spectabilis, Eupatorium, Mikania micrantha, and Lantana Camara, were posing a serious threat to the local species of trees.

About Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary-

• Established in 1973
• The sanctuary is an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
• Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is the second-largest wildlife sanctuary in Kerala.

About Kerala : 

• Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan
• Chief minister: Pinarayi Vijayan
• Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
• National Park: Eravikulam National Park, Silent Valley National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

Universal Sompo General Insurance partners with Zopper to launch a special integrated insurance offering

• Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Limited has partnered with an insurance infrastructure Application Programming Interface (API) platform, Zopper, to roll out a special integrated offering for customers.

Aim :

• To cover 1 million assets by offering users personalized insurance solutions, as well as a hassle-free customer experience from policy generation to claims management
• Through this partnership, customers will have access to buy insurance seamlessly along with an option to purchase a protection plan.

About Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Limited :

• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• MD & CEO: Sharad Mathur
• Universal Sompo General Insurance is a Joint Venture of Indian Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Karnataka Bank, Dabur Investment Corp, and a leading general insurer from Japan, Sompo Japan Insurance Inc.

IndusInd Bank enters into Rs 500 crore co-lending pact with SV Credit Line

• The non-banking finance company SV CreditLine Limited (SVCL) and the private sector lender IndusInd Bank have signed a co-lending collaboration for a ₹500 crore loan targeted solely towards women borrowers.
• The agreement will help rural women access affordable loans that they could use for a wide range of economic activities such as agriculture, animal husbandry, trading, and local manufacturing, among others.

About SVCL :

• Established: 2010
• Vans Pte. Ltd. and SV Corporation Pvt. Ltd. are the businesses that promote SVCL, which the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has registered as an NBFC-MFI under Section 451A.
• SVCL provides a variety of small credit facilities to women in the low-income segment with an annual household income of Rs. 125,000 in rural areas and Rs. 200,000 in urban areas.
• The company’s Business correspondents (BC) partners are IndusInd Bank, Edelweiss Housing Finance Limited, Jana Small Finance Bank Limited, MAS Financial Services Limited, DCB Bank, and IDBI Bank.

About IndusInd Bank :

• Founded: April 1994
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : Sumant Kathpalia
• Tagline: We Make You Feel Richer

 HDFC ERGO partners with NIIT to create a large pool of developers

• HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company, a leading general insurance company in India, has partnered with NIIT, a global talent development corporation, to launch HDFC ERGO Technocrat – Advance Dot Net Developer Program to create a large pool of developers.
• It will create ready-to-deploy talent, who can play a pivotal role in offering technology-powered insurance solutions.

About HDFC ERGO Technocrat – Advance Dot Net Developer Program :

• The program will be delivered through live, instructor-led sessions and will also offer a stipend to the participants.
• The applicants will have to clear a 2-level assessment test, post which they will receive a provisional offer letter from HDFC ERGO.
• NIIT is a leading Skills and Talent Development Corporation that is building a manpower pool for global industry requirements.

About HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Limited : 

• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD: Ritesh Kumar
• HDFC ERGO is a 51:49 joint venture firm between HDFC and ERGO International AG, one of the insurance entities of the Munich Re Group in Germany

ASK Capital gets Central Bank of Ireland nod to launch India-based fund

• ASK Capital has received approval from the Central Bank of Ireland to launch an India-based fund ASK Indian Entrepreneur Fund through the UCITS route. 

Aim : 

• To raise USD 500 million from global investors to take high-return bets on enterprises promoted by Indian entrepreneurs over the next 3 years.
• ASK is the fourth asset or wealth management firm in India to receive approval for a UCITS (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) fund. 
• Kotak AMC, Whiteoak Capital, and UTI AMC already have such funds.

About UCITS :

• UCITS is a regulatory framework of the European Commission for the management and sale of mutual funds.
• The UCITS label serves as a stamp of quality and reliability for overseas investors

Key Highlights :

• The UCITS vehicle ASK Indian Entrepreneur Fund will be modelled on ASK’s flagship portfolio management services (PMS), ASK Indian Entrepreneur Portfolio (IEP).
• UCITS Fund provides global investors with familiar, tax-efficient, and convenient access to the high-growth Indian equity markets.
• With UCITS approval in place, o reach out to institutional investors, endowments, pension funds, family offices, and investors via private banks across Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and parts of Asia

• MD & CEO of ASK Capital: Sameer Dev

The government repays IL&FS loans to ADB & KfW to fulfil the commitment

• The central government has repaid the sum of Rs. 1109 crore and Rs. 29 crores to the Asian Development Bank and German state-owned lender KFW, respectively, to fulfil guarantees offered to Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS).
• The government provided loan guarantees; as a result, it has taken the place of the lenders and entered the list of IL&FS creditors.

About the Loan :

• Government dues and creditor dues are handled separately under the bankruptcy waterfall mechanism, which establishes the order of priority for various claims.
• The government-guaranteed loans were used to fund initiatives carried out by IL&FS companies.
• To meet its commitments as guarantors, on 30 June 2022, the government made payments totalling Rs 1,109 crore to ADB and Rs 29 crore to KfW. 
• According to IL&FS’ recent status report for the quarter that concluded in September 2022, the company secured a loan from ADB in August 2002 for $50.4 million.
• In November 2005, a further loan from KfW Frankfurt for 54 million euros was obtained.

About IL&FS :

• Founded: 1987
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• IL&FS is an Indian state-funded infrastructure development and finance company.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

JSPL acquires Monnet Power for Rs 410 cr

• Jindal Steel and Power (JSP) Limited has acquired debt-laden Monnet Power for Rs 410 crore through the insolvency route.
• Monnet Power, has a 1050 MW under-construction plant in Odisha’s Angul.
• The power plant would be used for captive use and it will consume 20-25% less coal.
• Monnet Power was admitted for the corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP) in 2018 after proceedings were instituted by the IDFC Bank.
• In 2019, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) ordered liquidation as there was no resolution plan.
• Monnet’s bank debt was about Rs 3,819 crore.
• JSPL’s proposal to increase capacity to 25.2 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) was cleared by the Odisha government in 2021.
• Currently, the capacity at Angul is about 6 mtpa.

About JSPL :

• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• Chairman: Naveen Jindal
• MD: Bimlendra Jha
• JSPL is an Indian steel company & it is a part of OP Jindal Group

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

SS Rajamouli’s “RRR” receives two Golden Globe Award nominations:

• The SS Rajamouli-directed period drama ‘RRR’ has been nominated for two Golden Globe Awards, which will be held in January 2023.
• The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has nominated ‘RRR’ for Best Picture: Non-English language and Best Original Song Naatu Naatu.
• ‘RRR’ is a pre-independence narrative set in the 1920s that revolves around two real-life Indian rebels, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem.
• The film, starring Ram Charan and Jr NTR, was released in five languages globally in March.
• RRR is the only Indian film to make the final five out of a slew of others, including Gangubai Kathiawadi, Kantara, and Chhello Show.
• There was previously a demand to submit the film to the Oscars as well, however, due to the official entry in that award function, this film was left behind.
• SS Rajamouli, the film’s director, was just awarded the New York Film Critics Circle Best Director Award.
• ‘RRR’ is the only Indian film to be nominated for an International Award.
• RRR has been released in numerous languages, and this South picture is well-received worldwide.

GMR Delhi Airport has named SpiceJet the ‘Safety Performer of the Year.’

• SpiceJet was named ‘Safety Performer of the Year’ by GMR Delhi Airport Awards for being the top performer among self-handling airlines and for dramatically reducing ground safety infractions.
• The SpiceJet ground handling team at Delhi Airport accomplished this result by focusing on continuous quality improvement, innovation, and hard work. Furthermore, their assistance in reducing ground safety infractions assured compliance with safety norms and legal requirements.
• The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recently audited the airline, and its operations, safety processes, and systems were judged to be strong and in line with worldwide best practices and safety requirements.
• The airline was the only scheduled Indian airline to be audited by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations’ aviation agency.
• SpiceJet’s safety systems assessment “aided India in achieving” its highest-ever safety ranking in an ICAO audit.
• As many as 90 Spicejet pilots were barred from flying Boeing 737 Max aircraft earlier this year after the DGCA discovered they were not adequately educated.
• This was followed by numerous aircraft problems.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Cindy Hook was appointed as CEO of the 2032 Olympic organizing committee

• American executive Cindy Hook has been appointed as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the organizing committee for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

About Cindy Hook :

• Hook was the chief executive officer for Deloitte Australia from 2015 to 2018.
• She was the first female CEO of an Australian big four professional services firm.
• She was based in Singapore as CEO of Deloitte Asia Pacific until June 2022.
• She had worked for the international professional services network in the U.S. and Australia.

About the 2032 Summer Olympics (Brisbane 2032) :

• The 2032 Summer Olympics will be an international multi-sport event scheduled to take place from 23 July to 8 August 2032, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
• Brisbane was confirmed as the host of the 2032 Summer Olympics at the 138th IOC Session on 21 July 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
• Brisbane became the first host city to be selected to host the Olympics through the new bid process.
• It will be the 3rd Summer Games to be held in Australia after the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Victoria, and the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, New South Wales

Note : 

• Brisbane 2032 president: Andrew Liveris
• The 2032 organizing committee held its first board meeting in April 2022.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

Kalyani Rafael rolled out its 100th kit of Indo-Israeli MRSAM missiles for supply to Indian forces

• Indo-Israeli joint venture Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems(KRAS) rolled out the 100th kit of the made-in-India Medium Range Surface to Air Missile(MRSAM) kit, for delivery to the Indian Armed Forces (IAF).
• Dr. Narayana Murthy, Director General of Missiles & Strategic Systems handed over the 100th MRSAM Missile kit to senior officers of the Indian Armed Forces.
• The ceremony took place at the KRAS facility in the Indian city of Hyderabad, Telangana.

About MRSAM Kit :

• The MRSAM is an advanced network-centric combat Air Defence System developed jointly by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in collaboration with the Indian industry comprising private and public sectors including Micro Small & Medium Enterprise (MSMEs).
• In 2019, KRAS received an order for supplying mid-sections of 1000MRSAMs, the deal was worth $100mn.
• It is operated by the Indian Army and the Air Force
• The MSAM missile can take down multiple aerial targets such as jets, drones, helicopters, and incoming missiles, within a 70 km range.
• The missile kit or mid-section refers to the frontal end of the missile, which comprises the seeker and crucial electronics.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

MTAR signs MoU with IN-SPACe India for Small Satellite Launch Vehicle

• MTAR Technologies has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) India for the design and development of a two-stage to low earth orbit all liquid small satellite launch vehicle.
• The satellite launch vehicle will be powered by semi-cryogenic technology with a payload capacity of 500 kg.

Key Highlights : 

• The MoU for various requirements including avionics, subsystems testing, facilitation of launch, etc., and any other requirements that might emerge during the design, development, and launch phase.
• The MoU shall remain in force for 3 years.
• The MTAR has 7 strategically based manufacturing units including an export-oriented unit each based in Hyderabad, Telangana.
• It caters to civil nuclear power, space, defence, and clean energy sectors.

About MTAR Technologies Ltd : 

• Established: 1970
• Headquarters: Hyderabad, Telangana
• CEO: P. Srinivas Reddy

About IN–SPACe :

• Headquarters: Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
• Chairman: Dr. Pawan Kumar Goenka
• IN–SPACe is a single-window autonomous agency under the Department of Space (DoS) of the Government of India (GoI).

GODI India manufactures India’s first ever 5.2 Ah 21700 Cylindrical lithium-ion Cells

• Home-grown cell manufacturer Godi India has produced the country’s first ever 5.2 Ah 21700 cylindrical lithium-ion cells with an energy density of 275 Watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) based on silicon anode technology 

Aim : 

• To solve the never-ending demand of commuters related to electric vehicle range anxiety

Key Highlights : 

• GODI India delivered 5.0Ah cells to the top 6 OEMs in India and plans to deliver 5.2Ah cells shortly.
• It has firmly planned for a 100 MWh pilot production facility for 5.0 – 5.2 Ah cells followed by a GWh plant to cater to the requirements of the highly demanding electric 2-wheeler’s needs, which is more than 50GWh by 2030 exclusive for electric two-wheelers battery segment.
• It is also looking to export its lithium-ion cells made using its technology to key international markets like Norway, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US).
• The electrode composition has been indigenously developed as per the market requirement and with the use of silicon in the anode, an electric vehicle could achieve a greater range, up to 15-20% compared to graphite, on a single charge due to the increased energy density
• GODI India has developed an eco-friendly water-based electrode manufacturing process to stabilize the silicon, which has been successfully utilized in the manufacturing of the 5.2 Ah lithium-ion cells.

About GODI India : 

• Founder & CEO of GODI India: Mahesh Godi
• Godi India is the first Indian company to get Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification to sell lithium-ion cells made with home-grown technology
• It is also the first Indian company to enter into a public-private partnership for large-scale advanced lithium-ion cell manufacturing with CSIR-CECRI.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

The Hyderabad Strikers have won the Tennis Premier League 2022:

• Hyderabad Strikers have won the 4th Tennis Premier League (TPL) 2022.
• The fourth TPL final was placed in Pune, Maharashtra.
• Hyderabad Strikers defeated Mumbai Leon Army (41-32) to win the event for the second year in a row.
• The title was won by Hyderabad’s S. Balaji and Nikki Poonacha, who defeated Mumbai’s R. Ramanathan and J. Nedunnchezhiyan 14-6. Mumbai Leon Army won the TPL Plus, the Tennis Premier League’s grassroots league that provides a platform for young tennis athletes to learn from foreign and Indian stars.
• The winning team received ten lakh rupees, while the runner-up received five lakh rupees.
• Conny Perrin was named “player of the match” in the final, while Sriram Balaji and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan received the honour in the semifinals.

England’s Joe Root joins the ranks of those who have 10000+ test runs and 50+ wickets:

• Former England captain Joe Root became the third cricketer in history to achieve 10,000 runs and take 50 Test wickets.
• He accomplished this during the current second Test against Pakistan in Multan.
• Root accomplished the milestone in the 70th over of Pakistan’s second innings at the Multan Cricket Stadium, when he bowled Faheem Ashraf.
• Faheem attempted to push at the off-thrown-up spinner’s ball.
• The ball spun very little to take the batter’s edge and presented Zak Crawley with a routine catch at slips.
• In the longest format, Root joins South African star Jacques Kallis and former Australian captain Steve Waugh in reaching 10,000 runs and taking 50 wickets.
• Root has 10629 Test runs and 50 Test wickets to his name.
• Waugh has scored 10927 runs and taken 92 wickets, whereas Kallis has scored 13289 runs and taken 292 wickets.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

Marathi Actress & Lavani Singer Sulochana Chavan Passes Away

• Renowned Lavani singer and Marathi actress Sulochana Kadam-Chavan passed away at the age of 92 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

About Sulochana Chavan : 

• Sulochana Kadam was born on 13 March 1933 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• She is better known as Sulochana Chavan.
• At the age of 6, she took part in local dramas as Krishna in garbas.
• She used to act in local drama, theatre, and Garba groups, followed by Gujarati stage acts, working in Urdu and Hindi plays and also performing roles in Punjabi and Tamil films.

Awards & Honors :

• She was honoured with the Lata Mangeshkar Award for the year 2010 instituted by the Government of Maharashtra.
• In 2012, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award was conferred on her.
• She has also been conferred the title of “Lavanisamradhni” (Queen of Lavani) by the notable Marathi littérateur Pralhad Keshav Atre for her singing contribution to the art genre.
• Chavan has been awarded the Padma Shri in March 2022.

About Lavani :

• Lavani is a genre of music popular in Maharashtra, India.
• The word Lavani is derived from the word ‘Lavanya’ which means ‘beauty’

Daily CA on December 16:

• Vijay Diwas 2022 is observed on the 16th of December 2022.
• According to the government, India expects to commission 20 nuclear power stations by 2031, adding roughly 15,000 MW of power generation capacity.
• The Ministry of Education (MoE) has approved a new five-year program called the “New India Literacy Programme” to address all aspects of adult education through the new National Education Policy (NEP).
• The India International Science Festival (IISF)-2022 will take place in Bhopal in January 2023, and it is one of the key events to take place after India assumed the G-20 presidency.
• The SS Rajamouli-directed period drama ‘RRR’ has been nominated for two Golden Globe Awards, which will be held in January 2023.
• SpiceJet was named ‘Safety Performer of the Year’ by GMR Delhi Airport Awards for being the top performer among self-handling airlines and for dramatically reducing ground safety infractions.
• Hyderabad Strikers have won the 4th Tennis Premier League (TPL) 2022.
• Former England captain Joe Root became the third cricketer in history to achieve 10,000 runs and take 50 Test wickets.

• The Embassy of India and Nepal government’s Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration have signed 3 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) to collaborate on projects in the education sector.
• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, organized an opening ceremony for the International Year of Millets – 2023 (IYM2023) in Rome, Italy.
• The Forest department in association with Noolpuzha grama panchayat has launched the ‘Vanikaran’ (afforestation) Project in Kerala.
• Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Limited has partnered with an insurance infrastructure Application Programming Interface (API) platform, Zopper, to roll out a special integrated offering for customers.
• The non-banking finance company SV CreditLine Limited (SVCL) and the private sector lender IndusInd Bank have signed a co-lending collaboration for a ₹500 crore loan targeted solely towards women borrowers.
• HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company, a leading general insurance company in India, has partnered with NIIT, a global talent development corporation, to launch HDFC ERGO Technocrat – Advance Dot Net Developer Program to create a large pool of developers.
• ASK Capital has received approval from the Central Bank of Ireland to launch an India-based fund ASK Indian Entrepreneur Fund through the UCITS route. 
• The central government has repaid the sum of Rs. 1109 crore and Rs. 29 crores to the Asian Development Bank and German state-owned lender KFW, respectively, to fulfil guarantees offered to Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS).
• Jindal Steel and Power (JSP) Limited has acquired debt-laden Monnet Power for Rs 410 crore through the insolvency route.
• American executive Cindy Hook has been appointed as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the organizing committee for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
• Indo-Israeli joint venture Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems(KRAS) rolled out the 100th kit of the made-in-India Medium Range Surface to Air Missile(MRSAM) kit, for delivery to the Indian Armed Forces (IAF).
• MTAR Technologies has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) India for the design and development of a two-stage to low earth orbit all liquid small satellite launch vehicle.
• Home-grown cell manufacturer Godi India has produced the country’s first ever 5.2 Ah 21700 cylindrical lithium-ion cells with an energy density of 275 Watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) based on silicon anode technology 
• Renowned Lavani singer and Marathi actress Sulochana Kadam-Chavan passed away at the age of 92 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.