Daily Current Affairs 13 January 2022 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.
NATIONAL NEWS
PM Modi inaugurates Technology Centre of MSME Ministry in Puducherry
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the 25th National Youth Festival in Puducherry via video conference.
- PM Narendra Modi inaugurated a Technology Centre of the MSME Ministry in Puducherry which will contribute towards skilling youth and will be able to train around 6400 trainees per year.The Technology Centre of the MSME Ministry is established at Puducherry with an investment of about Rs 122 crore. With the focus on the Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) Sector, this Technology Centre will be equipped with the latest technology.
- Along with this, PM Modi also inaugurated the ‘Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Manimandapam’ – an auditorium with open-air theatre, constructed by the Government of Puducherry at a cost of about Rs 23 crores. It would primarily be used for educational purposes, and can accommodate more than 1000 people.
SC appoints high-level committee under retired judge Indu Malhotra to investigate PM’s security breach
The Supreme Court has appointed former SC Judge, Indu Malhotra, as the Chairperson to head the inquiry committee, along with other members. The inquiry committee will look into the alleged security breach of Prime Minister’s Punjab visit on 5th January this year.
- A three-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana and also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, have passed the order.
Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav releases India State Of Forest Report 2021
Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav released India State Of Forest Report 2021 which was prepared by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) which has been mandated to assess the forest and tree resources of the country.
- In 2021, the total forest and tree cover in India is 80.9 million hectares. This is over 24.60 percent of the geographical area of the country. He said that it is encouraging to note that 17 states and union territories have above 33 percent of the geographical area under forest cover.
- Top three states showing increase in forest cover are Andhra Pradesh (647 sq km) followed by Telangana (632 sq km) and Odisha (537 sq km).Area-wise Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Indian passport becomes 83rd most powerful globally in 2022, up from 90th rank
The Indian passport now ranks at 83rd position on the Henley Passport Index, climbing seven places from the 90th rank last year, the London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm, said. It released the rankings for the year 2022, based on exclusive data provided by the International Air Transport Association.
- As per the report, Japan and Singapore top the list of being the most powerful passports in the world for the year 2022. The visa-free score of both countries is at 192.
- Afghanistan (rank 111) and Iraq (rank 110) continue to be in the ‘worst passports to hold’ category having a visa-free score of 26 and 28 respectively. Pakistan’s passport is fourth among the worst or least powerful passports.
BANKING & FINANCE
Federal Bank launches instant 30-minutes loan approval portal for MSMEs
Private sector lender Federal Bank said it has launched an online lending platform federalinstaloans.com to facilitate quick and hassle-free credit approvals for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across India.
- The platform, enables MSME borrowers to avail loans in less than 30 minutes digitally, by uploading their income tax returns, bank account statement and online verification of goods and services tax (GST) details. Eligible borrowers can avail up to ₹50 lakh through the platform at present
UCO Bank launches RuPay Select Contactless debit card
UCO Bank announced that it has launched the UCO Bank RuPay Select Contactless Debit Card for its premium customer segment in association with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), on the occasion of the 79th Inauguration Day of the bank.
- This contactless debit card comes with a host of benefits and has been curated keeping in mind the needs and lifestyle of premium/HNI customers of the bank.
- The card also offers an ATM withdrawal limit of Rs 50,000 along with a purchase of up to Rs 2 lakh at POS or e-commerce.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
UBS slashes FY22 GDP forecast to 9.1%; ups projection for FY23 to 8.2%
Citing the massive surge in Omicron infections and the resultant impact on overall economic activities in the March quarter, Swiss brokerage UBS Securities has revised downwards its India’s growth forecast for the current financial year to 9.1 per cent from 9.5 per cent earlier.
- However, UBS Securities does not see the third wave impact extending to the next financial year as it has revised upwards its real GDP forecast to 8.2 per cent, up from 7.7 per cent earlier, expecting the real GDP growth to remain well above the historical average.
India GDP to grow 8.3% in FY22: World Bank
The World Bank retained its FY22 growth forecast for India at 8.3 per cent but upgraded it to 8.7 per cent for FY23, from 7.5 per cent estimated earlier, citing improving growth prospects, especially a reviving private capex cycle.
- The World Bank’s projections come after India’s government advance estimates projected India’s GDP to grow at 9.2% in the current financial year ending March 2022.
- The World Bank said the economic damage brought about by the second Covid wave in India has already been unwound, with output effectively returning to pre-pandemic levels. “Contact-intensive sectors, like trade and hotels, however, are still below pre-pandemic levels.
APPOINTMENTS
Eminent rocket scientist S Somanath appointed new chairman of ISRO
Eminent rocket scientist S Somanath has been appointed the new chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as well as the Space Secretary.
- He will succeed K Sivan who completes his extended tenure as ISRO chief. His appointment as the Space Secretary and the Space Commission Chairman is for a combined tenure of three years from the date of joining of the post.
- Mr Somanath will be the 10th chairman of ISRO. He is at present Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).
Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas replaces Gita Gopinath as IMF chief economist
French-born economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas has been appointed the new Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Gourinchas will succeed the outgoing chief economist Gita Gopinath who held the position since 2019.
- Gopinath, who is also the first woman to hold the position, is set to become IMF’s first woman Deputy Managing Director on January 21.
- Gourinchas will join IMF on a part-time basis from January 24 and transition into a full-time position from April 1. Till that time, Gourinchas will conclude his prior teaching commitments at UC Berkeley.
Alikhan Smailov named Kazakhstan’s new Prime Minister
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev nominated Alikhan Smailov for Prime Minister and the lower house of parliament swiftly voted him in during a session broadcast live on state television.
- Alikhan Smailov (49) served as the first Deputy Prime Minister in the previous cabinet which Mr. Tokayev dismissed last week amid violent unrest in the oil-rich Central Asian nation.
AWARDS
HDFC Bank adjudged `Best Private Bank in India` at the Global Private Banking Awards 2021
HDFC Bank has been adjudged Best Private Bank in India at the Global Private Banking Awards 2021, organised by Professional Wealth Management (PWM).
- HDFC Bank Private Banking, part of India’s largest privately-owned bank, provides customers with a product suite across all asset classes for “optimal asset allocation” depending on clients’ risk profiles and goals.
- The bank has been on a drive to increase market share through geographic expansion by employing more relationship managers and adding new products and services.
NZ spinner Ajaz Patel wins ICC Player of the Month Award for December
New Zealand cricketer Ajaz Patel won the ICC Player of the Month award for December following his 10-wicket haul against India in the second Test in Mumbai
- The left-arm spinner was nominated for the award alongside India opener Mayank Agarwal and Australian pacer Mitchell Starc but beat them to it on the back of his incredibly rare feat.
- JP Duminy, a Member of ICC Voting Academy for December, hailed the achievement.
- There will be no award in the women’s category in December as there were no international women’s games scheduled in December.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
India successfully tests advanced “Sea to Sea” variant of BrahMos missile from INS Visakhapatnam
India has successfully tested an advanced sea-to-sea variant of the BrahMos cruise missile from INS Visakhapatnam, the first of the Visakhapatnam-class stealth guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy.
- The successful test-firing certifies the accuracy of the ship’s combat system and armament complex and also validates a new capability the missile provides the Navy and the nation, the Navy said.
- India has tested the Brahmos missile from many other warships, including Kolkata-class stealth destroyer INS Chennai, in the past.
OBITUARIES
Olympic and World Medallist Sprinter Deon Lendore passes away
Olympic and world medallist sprinter Deon Lendore passed away in an unfortunate car crash in Texas, USA at the age of just 29-years.
- Lendore was a three-time Olympian, who helped Trinidad and Tobago win the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games. He also claimed two world indoor 400m bronze medals and another 4x400m bronze medal.
Kannada writer ‘Champa’ passes away
Noted Kannada writer, activist and public intellectual Prof. Chandrashekhar Patil, 82, better known by his pen name Champa, passed away in Bengaluru. He was suffering from age related illnesses.
- Known for his acerbic wit and employment of irony and his anti-establishment ‘bandaya’ stance throughout his life, Champa was an important voice in the public discourse of Karnataka for over half a century.
- He was one of the founders of the Bandaya movement of Kannada literature, a strand that took a radical stance in both literary form and view of society.He was the president of the 83rd Kannada Sahitya Sammelan held at Mysuru in 2017.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
A book on Arundhati Bhattacharya “Indomitable: A Working Woman’s Notes on Life, Work and Leadership” released
HarperCollins is set to publish “Indomitable: A Working Woman’s Notes on Life, Work and Leadership” the autobiography of Arundhati Bhattacharya, retired Indian banker and former first-ever woman Chairperson of the State Bank of India.
- The book tracks the life and career of the 65-year-old banker, who broke the glass ceiling and stood out in a male-dominated industry. It shares a glimpse into how she got into the challenging banking job and left her mark as an exceptional leader.