Current Affairs

14^th December 2022

Top 16 Daily Current Affairs: National & International News:

Here is the Daily Current Affairs of the 14th December 2022 covering the following news headlines:  Digitisation Hubs, Sri Aurobindo’s, ‘Vanikaran’, Cardiological Society of India, Retail inflation of India.

National News

1.Chief Justice of India Inaugurates Digitisation Hubs in 10 districts of Odisha

Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud  virtually inaugurated 10 district court digitisation hubs (DCDH) in Odisha, and said that modernisation of judiciary is the need of the hour.

A total of 15 DCDHs have now become functional in the state, with each catering to a neighbouring district, thus covering all 30 district courts.

Initially, four District Court Digitization Centres (DCDC) were set up on a pilot basis in Cuttack, Ganjam, Sambalpur and Balasore districts on April 30, 2021.

2. PM Participated in a Programme Commemorating Sri Aurobindo’s 150th Birth Anniversary

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi participated in a programme commemorating Sri Aurobindo’s 150th birth anniversary.

The programme, being held in Kamban Kalai Sangam, Puducherry, under the aegis of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, witnessed the Prime Minister releasing a commemorative coin and postal stamp in honour of Sri Aurobindo.

He is popularly known as yogi Rishi Aurobindo.

He was a revolutionary, nationalist, poet, educationist and philosopher.

Birth:  He was born on August 15, 1872, in Calcutta to Shri Krishnadhan Ghosh.

States News

3. Prime Minister Launched Projects Worth Rs 75,000 Cr in Maharashtra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lay the foundation stone and inaugurate projects worth Rs 75,000 crores in Maharashtra.

PM Modi inaugurated Phase-I of Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, covering a distance of 520 Kms and connecting Nagpur and Shirdi.

Prime Minister dedicated ‘Nagpur Metro Phase I’ to the nation. He will flag off two metro trains – from Khapri to Automotive Square (Orange Line) and from Prajapati Nagar to Lokmanya Nagar (Aqua line) – at Khapri Metro Station. Phase I of the Nagpur Metro is developed at a cost of more than Rs 8650 crore. Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of Nagpur Metro Phase- II, which will be developed at a cost of more than Rs 6700 crore.

4. Meghalaya health department awarded for Best Practice in Tuberculosis ACSM

The Meghalaya government, which has adopted a ‘Jan Andolan’ (people’s movement) against Tuberculosis received an award for best practices in controlling the disease that affects 2.6 million people in India every year.

The award for Best Practice in Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilisation (ACSM) in Tuberculosis control was presented to representatives of the health department at a national workshop, aimed at ending TB infections, in the national capital.

The state registered 4,189 TB cases in 2021 while in the first quarter of 2022, around 1,075 patients have been enrolled for treatment.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams: 

Meghalaya Capital: Shillong;

Meghalaya Chief Minister: Conrad Kongkal Sangma;

Meghalaya Governor: B. D. Mishra.

5. Forest department launched Project ‘Vanikaran’ in Kerala

The Forest department in association with Noolpuzha grama panchayat has launched the ‘Vanikaran’ (afforestation) project to root out invasive plants, especially Senna spectabilis, and restore natural forests.

The project was being executed on 30 hectares of forestland 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, S. Ranjith Kumar, Assistant Wildlife Warden of the sanctuary.

As many as 87 workers of Kadambakkad, Golur and Kalichira tribal hamlets had planted 3,000 bamboo seedlings and 1,000 fruit plant saplings on 3.5 hectares of forestland so far, said Ms. Satheesh.

Apart from planting the saplings, the authorities ensure the protection of plants for the next five years under the project. The workers have also constructed soil bunds and pits for harvesting rainwater to ensure availability of water for the saplings.

Appointments News

6. Senior Dr. PC Rath elected as President of Cardiological Society of India

Senior cardiologist from Hyderabad, Dr PC Rath, was formally elected president of the Cardiological Society of India (CSI) for the year 2023-24, in an annual meeting held in Chennai.

Dr PC Rath is currently a senior consultant cardiologist and head of department of Cardiology at Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills.

Cardiological Society of India will be celebrating its 75th year celebration in December 2023 in Kolkata and Dr PC Rath will play a vital role in framing the scientific programme for the platinum jubilee celebrations. The CSI is a national body of cardiologists within India and those settled abroad. It has more than 5,000 members and was formed in 1948 under the stewardship of Bharat Ratna Dr Vidhan Shankar Roy, who served as the first president of the society.

7. Supreme Court Collegium recommends 5 names to Centre as apex court judges

The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended to the Centre the names of five high court judges for appointment as apex court judges. The recommendation came after the meeting of the six-member Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud.

After the elevation of justice Dipankar Datta, former chief justice of Bombay High Court, SC’s current bench strength is 28 as against the sanctioned strength of 34. If the five names recommended by the Supreme Court collegium are notified by the central government, then the bench strength of the court will become 33.

Their Names:-

Justice Pankaj Mithal, Chief Justice, Rajasthan High Court;

Justice Sanjay Karol, Chief Justice, Patna High Court;

Justice PV Sanjay Kumar, Chief Justice, Manipur High Court;

Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Judge, Patna High Court;

Justice Manoj Misra, Judge, Allahabad High Court.

8. WHO names Sir Jeremy Farrar as its new chief scientist

World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Dr Jeremy Farrar will become its new Chief Scientist. Currently, Director of the Wellcome Trust, Dr Farrar will join WHO in the second quarter of 2023.

As WHO’s Chief Scientist, Dr Farrar will oversee the Science Division, bringing together the best brains in science and innovation from around the world to develop and deliver high quality health services to the people who need them most, no matter who they are and where they live.

Dr Farrar is a clinician scientist who, before joining Wellcome in 2013, spent 17 years as Director of the Clinical Research Unit at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Viet Nam where his research interests were in global health with a focus on emerging infectious diseases.

Economy News

9. WPI Inflation Declines to 21-Month low of 5.85 % in Nov

The wholesale price-based inflation declined to a 21-month low of 5.85 per cent in November on easing prices of food, fuel and manufactured items.

After remaining in double digits for 19 months, the wholesale price index (WPI) based inflation declined to 8.39 per cent in October. The inflation was  14.87 per cent in November 2021.

Decline in the rate of inflation in November 2022, is primarily contributed by fall in prices of food articles, basic metals, textiles, chemicals & chemical products and paper & paper products as compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.

10. In November, Retail inflation eased below 6% for the first time in 2022

Retail inflation of India has been eased to 5.88% in November 2022 from 6.77% in October. It is the first time in this Financial Year when the inflation rate came within the tolerance band of RBI i.e. 2 to 6%. Food prices, which account for nearly 40% of the CPI basket, eased to 4.67% in November, compared with 7.01% in October. 

Retail inflation has been above the upper end of the Reserve Bank of India’s 2%-6% tolerance band since January, triggering 225 basis points of interest rate rise, so far taking it to 6.25%.

Excluding the volatile food and energy components, the core inflation is estimated to be between 6% and 6.26% in November, according to three economists’ estimates, compared to 5.9% to 6.3% in October.

Cooling vegetable and edible oil prices drove India’s retail inflation down to 5.88% in November from 6.77% in October, the first time since January this year that consumer prices have risen slower than the 6% tolerance threshold set for the central bank.

Food price inflation faced by consumers eased to an 11-month low of 4.67% from over 7% in October, but rural consumers faced a greater burden with a 5.2% price rise in food items, compared to just 3.7% for their urban peers. Overall rural retail inflation also stayed high at 6.09%.

Banking News

11. SBI Wrote Off Rs 1.65 Lakh Crore Loans in Last Four Fiscal Years

Banks have written off bad loans worth ₹ 10,09,511 crore during the last five financial years, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed Parliament. The non-performing assets (NPAs), including those in respect of which full provisioning has been made on completion of four years, are removed from the balance sheet of the bank concerned by way of write-off.

Banks write off NPAs as part of their regular exercise to clean up their balance sheet, avail tax benefit and optimise capital, in accordance with RBI guidelines and policy approved by their boards. As per inputs received from RBI, Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) wrote off an amount of ₹ 10,09,511 crore during the last five financial years.

SCBs have recovered an aggregate amount of ₹ 6,59,596 crore, including recovery of ₹ 1,32,036 crore from written-off loan accounts during the last five financial years.

12. BoB Proposes to Sell Its Majority Stake in Nainital Bank

State-owned Bank of Baroda (BoB) said it plans to sell its majority stake in Nainital Bank. The board of directors of the bank has approved divestment of its majority shareholding in Nainital Bank Limited (NBL), and authorised issuance of an advertisement inviting Expressions of Interest (EOI) through a Preliminary Information Memorandum (PIM) from interested parties (IPs).

BoB currently holds 98.57 per cent of the total equity share capital of NBL. Uttarakhand-based Nainital Bank has about 150 branches across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan. The Mumbai-based BoB had taken over Nainital Bank in 1973 on the directions of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Ranks And Reports

13. UIDAI Topped the Grievance Redressal Index For the Fourth Consecutive Month in November

Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) topped the grievance redressal index among all group A ministries, departments and autonomous bodies for resolution of public grievances for the fourth month in a row in November.

The report was published by the Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances Department (DARPG).

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a statutory authority established on 12 July 2016 by the Government of India under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, following the provisions of the Aadhaar Act 2016.

The UIDAI is mandated to assign a 12-digit unique identification (UID) number (Aadhaar) to all the residents of India.

Science And Tech News

14. ISRO Successfully Completes Hypersonic Vehicle Test Run

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted a joint hypersonic vehicle trial along with the Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS). According to the country’s premier space research agency, the joint hypersonic vehicle trial matched with the predetermined targets.

Hypersonic missiles move towards the target at a speed of Mach 5 i.e. 5 times or more than the speed of sound (343 m/s). It can travel about 6,200 kilometers in an hour. Capable of carrying nuclear warheads, hypersonic missiles can fly at very low altitudes and at higher speeds than common ballistic and cruise missiles. They can also change direction during their journey, that is, like a normal missile, the target does not follow a fixed path.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams: 

ISRO Chairman: S. Somanath;

ISRO’s foundation Date: 15th August, 1969;

ISRO’s Founder: Dr. Vikram Sarabhai.

Sports News

15. Divya TS won gold in women’s air pistol National Shooting Championship 2022

Karnataka shooter Divya T.S has secured her first women’s 10m air pistol national title at the 65th National Shooting Championship Competitions in Pistol events held in Bhopal. She defeated Sanskriti Bana from Uttar Pradesh by 16-14 in the gold medal match and Rhythm Sangwan from Haryana settled for bronze.

The 27-year-old Divya as she topped the second stage with 254.2, ahead of a string of top shooters like Rhythm Sangwan, Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker.

Olympian, Manu Bhaker has won the junior women’s air pistol, after defeating Esha Singh (Telangana). Rhythm Sangwan has won the gold medal in the Youth category.

Important Days

16. National Energy Conservation Day 2022: 14 December

The National Energy Conservation Day is celebrated every year on 14th December 2022.

The purpose is to showcase the achievements of the nation in energy efficiency and conservation. This occasion has been celebrated since 1991 when is led by the Ministry of power.

This day is celebrated to raise awareness regarding the conservation of energy as it is the best way to have a greener and brighter future.

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under the power ministry of India, launched the National Energy Conservation Awards in 1991 to recognise the contribution of industries and establishments in reducing energy consumption while maintaining their production through awards