International Anti-Corruption Day: 09 December
International Anti-Corruption Day is observed annually on 9 December to raise public awareness for anti-corruption. The day is observed since the passage of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption on 31 October 2003. The 2021 International Anti-Corruption Day seeks to highlight the rights and responsibilities of everyone – including States, Government officials, civil servants, law enforcement officers, media representatives, the private sector, civil society, academia, the public and youth – in tackling corruption. The theme of International Anti-Corruption Day 2021: “Your right, your role: say no to corruption”.
History of the day:
On 31 October 2003, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption and requested that the Secretary-General designate the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as secretariat for the Convention’s Conference of States Parties (resolution 58/4). The Assembly also designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it. The Convention entered into force in December 2005.
Kazhuveli Wetland declared as 16th Bird Sanctuary of Tamil Nadu
The Kazhuveli wetland situated in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu has been declared as the 16th Bird Sanctuary by Surpiya Sahu, Environment and Forest Secretary, at the Minister of Environment Forest and Climate Change. The declaration was made under subsection (1) of section 18 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The Kazhuveli wetlands is referred to as the 2nd largest Brackish Water Lake in South India, only after Pulicat lake.
About Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary:
- It covers 5,151.60 hectares of land in Vanur taluk and 3,027.25 hectares in Marakkanam taluks.
- The sanctuary lies adjacent to the Bay of Bengal along the East coast of Tamil Nadu.
- Kazhuveli is a wetland of international importance that is spread over 670 square km in the east coast of Tamil Nadu.
- Note- Southern part of the wetland was declared reserved land in the year 2001.
- The Sanctuary covers 13 villages in the Villupuram district.
- The place is home to a diverse species of flora and fauna, giving accommodation to long-distance migrant birds from Central Asia and Siberia.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Tamil Nadu Capital: Chennai;
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister: MK Stalin;
- Tamil Nadu Governor: R.N.Ravi;
- Tamil Nadu State Dance: Bharathanatyam.
RBI imposed restrictions on Nagar Urban Co-operative Bank
The Reserve Bank of India has imposed several restrictions on Nagar Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, including restrictions on withdrawals up to Rs. 10,000 for customers. RBI has issued the directions in the exercise of powers vested in it under subsection (1) of Section 35 A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 read with Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 for six months.
The bank shall not, without prior approval of RBI, grant or renew any loans and advances, make any investment, incur any liability, disburse any payment, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets. The bank will continue to undertake banking business with restrictions till its financial position improves.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Nagar Urban Co-operative Bank Headquarters: Ahmednagar, Maharashtra;
- Nagar Urban Co-operative Bank Acting CEO: V. Rokde;
- Nagar Urban Co-operative Bank Slogan: ‘One Family….. One Bank’.
PayPhi launches tokenization service that supports RuPay cards
Phi Commerce’s API (Application programming interface) first digital payments platform, PayPhi has become the first certified tokenization service for NTS supporting tokenization of RuPay cards. Tokenization of cards as an alternate to storing card details with merchants. NPCI’s NTS platform enables PayPhi Tokenization service to provide partner merchants and aggregators with TROF. Token Reference On File (TROF) turns sensitive cardholder data into randomly generated 16 digit numbers called “token” with no meaningful value if breached.
On the lines of the guidelines issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in September 2021 regarding tokenization of cards during online transactions, NPCI announced the launch of the NPCI Tokenization System (NTS).
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- NPCI Founded: 2008;
- NPCI Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra;
- NPCI MD & CEO: Dilip Asbe.
Shivalik SFB with indiagold launches loan against digital gold
Shivalik Small Finance Bank (SSFB) signed a partnership agreement with fintech firm, Indiagold to launch India’s first Loan against Digital Gold. This agreement will enable customers to use their digital gold balance to avail of instant and digital loans up to Rs. 60,000 and also seamlessly access gold loans starting at a monthly interest of just 1%. To provide access to secure and affordable credit to the customers looking for quick liquidity against their gold assets.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Shivalik Small Finance Bank Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh;
- Shivalik Small Finance Bank MD & CEO: Suveer Kumar Gupta.
Indian Shuttler PV Sindhu won Silver at BWF World Tour Finals 2021
Indian Shuttler and 2-time Olympic medalist Pusarla V Sindhu, world’s number 7, won the silver at the 2021 Badminton World Federation(BWF) World Tour Finals, officially known as the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2021. The reigning world champion PV Sindhu has won the BWF World Tour finals in 2018 and became the only Indian to achieve the feat.
HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2021 Winners:
| Category | Winner | Runner-up |
| Women’s Singles title | An Se Young (South Korea) | PV Sindhu (India) |
| Men’s Single title | Viktor Axelsen (Denmark) | Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Thailand) |
| Men’s double Title | Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi (Japan) | Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo. (Indonesia) |
| Women’s Double Title | Kim So-yeong and Kong Hee-yong (South Korea) |
Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida. (Japan)
|
Fitch Ratings cuts India’s FY22 GDP Growth Forecast to 8.4%
Fitch Ratings has slashed India’s economic growth forecast in the financial year 2021-22 (FY22) to 8.4 per cent and raised the growth projection to 10.3 per cent for FY23, compared to October 2021 rating projections of 8.7 per cent (FY22) and 10 per cent (FY23).
In the December report:
- India’s GDP grew 11.4 per cent in the Q2 FY22 over the April-June quarter of FY22 on a seasonally adjusted basis. The economy has contracted 4 per cent in the April-June quarter in FY22 over the fourth quarter of FY23.
- Indian economy had contracted by 7.3 per cent in FY21 due to COVID-19.
- The rating agency has expected the headline inflation to average 4.9 per cent in 2022 and 4.2 per cent in 2023, from 5 per cent in 2021.
- In India, less than one-third of the population is fully vaccinated and the new Omicron variant poses a new risk to the recovery.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Fitch Ratings President: Ian Linnell;
- Fitch Ratings Headquarters: New York, United States.
FM Nirmala Sitharaman Ranked 37th on Forbes’ 2021 World’s 100 Most Powerful Women
Finance Minister(FM) of India, Nirmala Sitharaman has ranked 37th on the Forbes’ list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women 2021 or 18th Edition of Forbes’ list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. She has been featured on the list for the 3rd year in a row. She was ranked 41st on the list in 2020 and 34th in 2019. India’s seventh woman billionaire and the wealthiest self-made billionaire, Falguni Nayar, founder and CEO, Nykaa was ranked 88th on the list. Only 4 Indian Women ranked in Forbes 2021 World’s 100 Most Powerful Women List.
Other Indian women on the list:
- Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of the HCL Technology, the first woman to lead a listed IT company in India was ranked 52nd on the list.
- Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, executive chairperson and founder of Biocon was ranked 72nd on the list. She founded India’s largest listed biopharmaceutical firm in India in 1978.
Highlights of the list:
- The 3rd richest woman in the world, MacKenzie Scott, philanthropist, author and ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was topped Forbes’ 2021 World’s 100 Most Powerful Women replacing the outgoing German chancellor Angela Merkel who topped the 15 out of 17 iterations of the list.
- Kamala Harris, the first woman and the first person of colour(Black) to become the Vice President of the United States of America was ranked 2nd on the list.
- Janet Yellen, the first woman to be named the U.S. Treasury Secretary has ranked 39th on the list.
- The list also features Oprah Winfrey (23), Jacinda Ardern (34), Rihanna (68), and others.
- Taylor Swift (31 years old) ranked 78th, is the youngest woman featured in the list and Queen Elizabeth II (95 years old) ranked 70th, is the oldest.
Ram Nath Kovind Presented ‘President’s Standard’ to Indian Navy Squadron
President of India, Ram Nath Kovind has presented the ‘President’s Standard’ to the 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron of the Indian Navy, which is also known as the Killer Squadron at the ceremonial parade held at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, Maharashtra. To mark this occasion, the postal department has released a special day cover and a commemorative stamp. The year 2021 also marks the 50 years of inception of the Missile Vessel Squadron, also known as Killers.
About 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron:
- The 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron carried out ‘Operation Trident’ and bombed Pakistan’s Karachi Port during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
- The squadron has also taken part in several missions including Operation Vijay, Operation Parakram and also during the heightened security state following the 2019 Pulwama attack.
- The squadron had received several battle honours including 1 Maha Vir Chakra, 7 Vir chakras and 8 Nausena Medals(Gallantry).
- 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron was formally established in Mumbai, Maharashtra in October 1991 with 10 Veer Class and 3 Prabal class missile boats.
What is the President’s Standard?
President’s Standard is the highest honour bestowed by the President, the Supreme Commander, to a Military unit in recognition of the Service rendered to the nation. President’s Standard is the equivalent to that of President’s colours, but this is awarded to relatively smaller military formations or units.
Padma Shri awardee Nanda Kishore Prusty passes away
Padma Shri awardee who is a well-known teacher from Odisha, Nanda Kishore Prusty (Nanda Sir), passed away. On 9th November 2021, he was conferred with the Padma Shri award for his contributions in the field of education. He belonged to Kantira village in Jajpur district, Odisha. Nanda Kishore Prusty, a Class 7 pass out has dedicated several decades of his life in providing free education to children and adults in Jajpur and thus best known for his selfless dedication towards eradicating illiteracy in Odisha .
Asia Power Index 2021: India Ranked as Fourth
According to Lowy Institute Asia Power Index 2021, India has ranked 4th most powerful country in the Asia-Pacific region for comprehensive power out of 26 countries, with an overall score of 37.7 out of 100. India’s overall score declined by 2 points compared to 2020. India again falls short of the major power threshold in 2021. India is one of 18 countries in Asia to trend downward in its overall score in 2021.
The top 10 countries for overall power in the Asia-Pacific region are:
- United States
- China
- Japan
- India
- Russia
- Australia
- South Korea
- Singapore
- Indonesia
- Thailand
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Lowy Institute Chairman of the Board: Frank Lowy AC;
- Lowy Institute Headquarters: Sydney, Australia.
NITI Aayog launches ‘e-Sawaari India e-bus Coalition’
The National Institution of Transforming India (NITI) Aayog launched the ‘e-Sawaari India Electric Bus Coalition’ in partnership with Convergence Energy Service Ltd (CESL) and World Resources Institute, India (WRI India) and with the support from Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI). The objective of the initiative is to share knowledge of various stakeholders – Central & State Govt. agencies, transit service providers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), on accelerating the process towards seamless adoption of e-bus services in India.
Through, e-Sawaari India Electric Bus Coalition, the central-, state-, and city-level government agencies, transit service providers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), financing institutions, and ancillary service providers will be able to share knowledge and their learnings on e-bus adoption in India.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- World Resources Institute, India CEO: O P Agarwal;
- World Resources Institute, India Establishment: 2011;
- World Resources Institute, India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Olaf Scholz is sworn in as new German chancellor
German lawmakers officially elected Social Democrat, Olaf Scholz as the new chancellor, putting an end to 16 years of conservative rule under Angela Merkel. He will lead a government composed of his Social Democrat Party, the business-friendly Free Democrats and the Greens, a coalition of parties never tried before at the federal level in Germany.
The 63-year-old, Scholz previously served as vice-chancellor and finance minister during the Merkel administration, was then sworn in as Germany’s next chancellor. Olaf Scholz has achieved the necessary majority of at least 369 votes. Based on article 63, paragraph 2 of the German Constitution he is elected chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Germany Capital: Berlin;
- Germany Currency: Euro;
- Germany President: Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
SAARC Charter Day 2021: 8th December
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Charter Day is observed annually on 8th December to commemorate the adoption of the SAARC Charter. This year marks the 37th anniversary of the regional group. The charter was signed by the Leaders of SAARC Countries Heads of State or Government of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the First SAARC Summit held in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
History and significance of the SAARC Charter:
- On 8 December 1985, the SAARC Charter was adopted, in Dhaka, during the first summit of the group. The Charter was signed by the leaders of eight South Asian nations- Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Maldives, Nepal, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
- As mentioned in its charter, the prime focus of SAARC is to work collectively to promote the welfare of people in the region and to improve their standard of living through social progress and economic development.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- SAARC Chairmanship: Nepal;
- SAARC Secretary-General: Esala Ruwan Weerakoon (Sri Lanka);
- SAARC Secretariat: Kathmandu, Nepal.
Canada, Australia and UK join US boycott of Beijing Olympic
Canada will join the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics over human rights concerns. The announcement came after the White House, the Australian government and the UK government confirmed diplomatic boycotts of the Winter Games in February to protest Chinese human rights abuses. China has vowed to react with “firm countermeasures.” The diplomatic moves by Canada, the U.S., Britain and Australia do not affect their athletes’ ability to compete in the games.
Why did Australia boycott Beijing Olympics?
Australia took this decision amid a disagreement with China over several issues, ranging from Australia’s foreign interference laws to a move to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
Why did Canada boycott Beijing Olympics?
Relations between Canada and China have been poor since China arrested two Canadians in China in Dec. 2018, shortly after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, Huawei Technologies’ chief financial officer and the daughter of the company’s founder, on a U.S. extradition request.
Why did the United Kingdom boycott Beijing Olympics?
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said no ministers will attend due to alleged human rights abuses in China, which Beijing strongly denies.
The 2022 Winter Olympics:
The 2022 Winter Olympics are an upcoming international winter multi-sport event. This event is scheduled to take place from February 4 to 20, 2022 in Beijing, China. It will be the first Winter Olympics in China as well as the last of three consecutive Olympics which is to be held in East Asia, after the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan.
World Inequality Report 2022 announced
France-based World Inequality Lab published its report titled “World Inequality Report 2022”. This report was authored by Lucas Chancel, who is the co-director of World Inequality Lab. It was coordinated by famed French economist Thomas Piketty. In 2021 the top 10 percent and top 1 percent of the Indian population hold 57 percent and 22 percent of total national income respectively, whereas the share of the bottom 50 percent has gone down to 13 percent.
Key Findings analysis on inequalities in India:
- The report notes that the top 1 % of India’s population owns more than one-fifth of the total national income in 2021.
- The bottom half of the population earns just 13.1 per cent.
- It highlights that economic reforms and liberalization that India has adopted, have mostly benefited the top 1 per cent.
- The report identifies India as a poor and unequal country, with an affluent elite.
- 1 per cent richest people in India hold 22% of the total national income in 2021, while the top 10 % owns 57 per cent of the income.
- The average national income of the Indian adult population is Rs 204,200 in 2021, on the basis of purchasing power parity.
- However, the report clarified that the average national income of a country masks inequalities.
The scenario in the world’s richest nation
The ratio in the richest nation that is the US, is 1 to 17. The richest ten of the global population owns 52 per cent of global income. On the other hand, the poorest half of the population earns 8.5 per cent of the global income.
Global Scenario
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are the most unequal regions in the world, whereas Europe has the lowest inequality levels. In Europe, the top 10 per cent income share is around 36 per cent, whereas in MENA it is 58 per cent.
IIT-Kanpur Scientist Ropesh Goyal bags “Young Geospatial Scientist” Award
Ropesh Goyal from IIT-Kanpur won the ‘Young Geospatial Scientist’ award in recognition of his unique contribution to developing the Indian Geoid Model and computation software. Member of Space Commission, Government of India, and former ISRO Chairman AS Kiran Kumar presented the award to Goyal during the inaugural event of the DigiSmart India 2021 conference hosted by the Geospatial World.
About the award:
The ‘Young Geospatial Scientist’ award and a gold medal have been presented every year since 2011 to promising scientists below 35 years of age in memory of Rachapudi Kamakshi, a strategic analyst with a strong inclination towards geography and geospatial studies. The Rachapudi Kamakshi Memorial Trust is an organisation founded to help and encourage students and young and talented individuals with great ideas and research work in the field of geospatial sciences.
