Daily Current Affairs 14 December for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.
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NATIONAL NEWS
UIDAI Imposes Rs.50,000 Penalty for Overcharging Aadhaar Services, Suspends Operator: Govt.
UIDAI will impose a penalty of Rs 50,000 on registrars who licensed an operator found overcharging for Aadhaar services, said Union minister of state (MoS) Rajeev Chandrasekhar in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. Further, the authority will also suspend the operator found guilty of overcharging, he added.
- Those who may have been overcharged may file their grievances at the toll free number 1947. Alternatively, individuals may also write an email to the UIDAI, said Chandrasekhar.
MoD to buy 70,000 more assault rifles from US-based Sig Sauer for ₹800 crore
The Ministry of Defence has cleared a proposal to purchase 70,000 more semi-automatic assault rifles from US-based Sig Sauer for Indian Army which is already using them from 2019 onwards. The repeat order for acquisition of Sig Sauer is valued at ₹800 crore, said defence sources.
- India has already indicted over 70,000 of these American-made assault rifles, which are being used by forces in the Ladakh sector along the China front and also in Kashmir valley.
- Prior to this, the government had inked an agreement to procure 72,400 Sig Sauer assault rifles in 2019 worth Rs 694 crore. These rifles will be replacing the indigenous (5.56 x 45 mm) INSAS rifles.
Kejriwal, CM Mann launch scheme in Punjab to deliver services at doorstep
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann launched the “Bhagwant Mann Sarkar Tuhade Dwar” scheme, aimed at providing citizen-centric services to people at their doorstep.
- Under the scheme, people will get 43 services, including issuance of certificates of birth, marriage, death, income, residence, caste, rural area, border area, backward area, pension, payment of electricity bills and land demarcation.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Russian President Putin unveils two new nuclear submarines
Russian President Vladimir Putin inaugurated two new nuclear-powered submarines, named Krasnoyarsk and Emperor Alexander III promising to reinforce the country’s “military-naval might”. The submarines will be assigned to Russia’s Pacific fleet, underscoring Moscow’s desire to project its naval power well beyond Ukraine.
- The Krasnoyarsk belongs to the Yasen-M class of attack submarines capable of launching both cruise missiles and hypersonic missiles (which travel at speeds exceeding Mach-5, or 6,125 km/h). Its primary purpose is “to strike targets on land or hunt other submarines at sea,” says Basil Germond, a specialist in maritime military security at Lancaster University in the UK.
- The Emperor Alexander III is an elite Borei-A class submarine capable of firing nuclear missiles. “This submarine serves the primary purpose of the Russian navy: nuclear deterrence,” says Sim Tack, a military analyst for Force Analysis.
74.1% of Indians unable to afford a healthy diet: FAO Report
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations launched the Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2023: Statistics and Trends, a report which said 74.1% of Indians were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2021.
- In 2020, the percentage was 76.2. In Pakistan, the figure is 82.2% and in Bangladesh, 66.1% of the population faced difficulties in finding healthy food. Rising food costs, if not matched by rising income, will lead to more people unable to afford a healthy diet, the report warned.
- In other parts of South Asia, 82.8% of Pakistani citizens could not afford a healthy diet in 2021, the global food security agency’s report showed. This is the worst performance by any country in the Asia-Pacific region.In neighbouring Bangladesh, the figure stood at 66.1% during the same year, and 76.4% in Nepal.In Maldives, only 1.2% of citizens could not afford a healthy diet, according to the report.
BANKING & FINANCE
RBI Grants Authorization to Bandhan Bank for Pension Disbursement to Retired Railway Employees
Bandhan Bank has announced that it has been authorised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for the disbursement of pensions through e-PPOs on behalf of the Ministry of Railways. Indian Railways is the largest employer in the country with an employee strength of nearly 12 lakhs. The Bank will soon be integrating with the Ministry of Railways to operationalise the pension disbursement process.
- This authorisation enables Bandhan Bank to disburse pensions to all employees of the Ministry of Railways who have retired from their service. This mandate also provides the Bank an access to around 50,000 average Indian Railways retirees every year across all offices including 17 zonal railways and 8 production units of Indian Railways.
SBI to sign 70 million euro LoC with KfW for solar projects
State Bank of India (SBI) said it will sign 70 million euro (about Rs 630 crore) Line of Credit (LoC) with German Development Bank KfW for promoting solar project in the country.
- The agreement signed at the bank’s IFSC Gift City Branch in Ahmedabad, SBI said. The LoC is aimed at supporting Solar Photovoltaics (PV) projects in India, it said.
Canara HSBC Life Insurance launches ‘Alpha Wealth’ plan with option to alter premiums
Canara HSBC Life Insurance has launched Alpha Wealth, a plan empowers individuals to achieve ambitious life goals, providing a shield of life insurance ensuring the fulfillment of promises and secure the future of their loved ones.
- The product offers an array of options by investing in a wide variety of funds – debt/equity/liquid available in the market.The insurance plan is flexible in terms of providing to choose from three plan options based on the life stages: ‘Alpha Invest Plus,’ ‘Alpha Premium Plus,’ or ‘Alpha Life Plus.’
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Reliance Teams With DBS Bank For Biogas Initiative
Reliance Industries partners with DBS Bank India to launch a financing program for farmers and aggregators, aiming to manage crop residue efficiently for the production of compressed biogas (CBG).
- The primary objective of this collaboration is to manage crop residue effectively, utilizing it in the production of compressed biogas (CBG).
- This will promote the creation of an ecosystem where vendor partners can gather agricultural residue to serve as raw material for Reliance’s CBG production plants across India.
SPORTS
Italy clinches Admiral’s Cup 2023 at Indian Naval Academy
The 12th edition of ‘Admiral’s Cup’ Sailing Regatta concluded with a glittering closing ceremony at Ettikulam Beach at Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala.
- Team Italy represented by Midshipman Avallone Antonio & Midshipman Creati Carlo Leonardo won the Admiral’s Cup 23. Team India represented by Midshipman PPK Reddy and Cadet GY Reddy was the Runners-Up.