Kapil Kathpal

ICICI Bank Introduces Digital

Solutions for Exporters Banking

• ICICI Bank Limited, has launched Digital Solutions For Exporters

• The set of solutions digitizes every stage of the export process

including market research, export financing, foreign exchange
services and receiving export incentives.

ICICI Bank Limited:

• Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer– Sandeep

Bakhshi
• Headquarters – Mumbai
 Kapil Kathpal
RBI approves SBI Mutual Funds to
acquire 9.99% of Equitas SFB Banking

• Reserve Bank of India approved SBI Funds Management Limited

(SBIFML – SBI Mutual Funds) to acquire up to 9.99% of the paid-
up equity capital of Equitas Small Finance Bank through various
schemes of SBI Mutual Fund.

SBI Funds Management Limited

• Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer- Shamsher Singh

• Headquarters- Mumbai

Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB)

• MD & CEO- Vasudevan P N
• Headquarters- Chennai
 Kapil Kathpal
RBI Survey for Price Movements,
Inflation Assessment Launched Banking

• The Reserve Bank of India has launched the Inflation Expectations

Survey of Households which will provide useful inputs for
monetary policy.

• In the January 2023 round, the survey will be conducted across 19

cities.

• It aims to capture subjective assessments of price movements and

inflation, based on individual consumption baskets.

• The survey will be conducted in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal,

Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad,
Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna,
Raipur, Ranchi and Thiruvananthapuram.

• The agency Hansa Research Group, Mumbai has been engaged

to conduct the survey of this round on behalf of the ventral bank.
 Kapil Kathpal
Cabinet Approves National Green Hydrogen Mission
National
• The Union Cabinet approved an initial outlay of Rs 19,744 crore for the
National Green Hydrogen Mission.

• The initial outlay for the mission will include Rs 17,490 crore for strategic
interventions for green hydrogen transition (SIGHT) programme, Rs 1,466
crore for pilot projects, Rs 400 crore for research and development and
Rs 388 crore towards other mission components.

• The initial target is to produce 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen

annually.

• The Ministry of Power notified the green hydrogen/ammonia policy at a

production of 5 mt of green hydrogen by 2030. The same target remains
in the final mission as well.

• The nodal department for the mission will be the Ministry of New and
Renewable Energy.

• Recently, India’s first 99.99% pure green hydrogen pilot plant was set up
in eastern Assam’s Duliajan, at the petroleum exploration major’s Jorhat
pump station.
 Kapil Kathpal

• Green Hydrogen is a colourless, odourless, tasteless,

non-toxic and highly combustible gaseous
substance.Hydrogen is the lightest, simplest and most
abundant member of the family of chemical elements in
the universe.

• The colour green prefixed to it makes hydrogen the

“fuel of the future”.

• The ‘green’ depends on how the electricity is generated

to obtain the hydrogen, which does not emit
greenhouse gas when burned.

• Green hydrogen is produced through electrolysis using

renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind or
hydel power.
 Kapil Kathpal
Varanasi Cantt Railway Station achieves 5-star rating
National
• Indian Railways’ Varanasi Cantt Railway Station has been
awarded a 5- star ‘Eat Right Station’ certification for providing
high-quality, nutritious food to passengers.

• This certification is granted by Food Safety and Standards

Authority of India (FSSAI) to railway stations adhering to standard
food storage and hygiene practices.

• The ‘Eat Right Station’ certification is awarded by FSSAI to railway

stations that set benchmarks in providing safe and wholesome
food to passengers.

• The other railway stations with Star certification include Anand

Vihar Terminal Railway Station (Delhi); Chhatrapati Shivaji
Terminus (Mumbai); Mumbai Central Railway Station, (Mumbai);
Vadodara Railway Station, Chandigarh Railway Station and
Bhopal Railway Station.
 Kapil Kathpal
President Murmu Inaugurated the
18th National Jamboree of BS&G National

• The President of India Droupadi Murmu inaugurated

the 18th National Jamboree of the Bharat Scouts and
Guides at Pali, Rajasthan

• In the 18th National Jamboree, over 35,000 scouts and

guides from all over the country will participate.

• The 18th National Jamboree will be held from 4th

January 2023 to 10th January 2023 in Rajasthan.

• Rajasthan is hosting the National Jamboree of the

Bharat Scouts and Guides after 66 years.
 Kapil Kathpal
Odisha Govt to Provide Free Rice for one Year
National
• Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik directed the
distribution of five kilograms of rice per month free of
cost to beneficiaries of the State Food Security
Scheme for the next one year.

• The state government has been distributing 5 kgs of

rice per person per month to the left-out eligible
beneficiaries covered under the SFSS at Rs 1 per kg
since 2018.

• Rs 1000 cash incentive was given to each family under

the National Food Security Act and State Food Security
Scheme twice.
 Kapil Kathpal
Telangana Joins Free Rice Scheme
National
• The Telangana government has recently made the
decision to join the free rice scheme of the Central
government under the National Food Security Act.

• This initiative aims to provide assistance to families in

need by distributing free rice to those who are eligible
under the NFSA.
 Kapil Kathpal
Madhya Pradesh Launched Chief Minister’s
Residential Land Rights Scheme Scheme

• Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched

the Madhya Pradesh Residential Land Rights scheme
(Mukhyamantri Awasiya Bhu Adhikar Yojana) to
distribute free leases of residential land to selected
beneficiaries.

• The scheme aims to provide free plots to the poor living

in rural areas for building their houses. The land will be
offered completely free of cost and along with the plot,
the benefits of all other schemes will also be delivered.

• The plots worth about 129 crore rupees were

distributed to 10,918 families in the Tikamgarh district
under the scheme.
 Kapil Kathpal
Broadcasting Infrastructure and
Network Development scheme Scheme

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has recently approved a

large infrastructure development scheme for Prasar Bharati, the public
broadcasting service in India that heads All India Radio and Doordarshan.

• The Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development (BIND)

scheme, worth over ₹2,500 crore, will focus on expanding and upgrading
the infrastructure of Prasar Bharati

• As part of the project, Prasar Bharati will also purchase OB vans and
digitally upgrade DD and AIR studios to make them HD ready. Currently,
DD operates 36 TV channels, including 28 regional channels, while AIR
operates over 500 broadcasting centers.

• The BIND scheme will increase the coverage of AIR FM transmitters in

the country to 66% by geographical area and 80% by population, up from
59% and 68%, respectively.

• The scheme also includes the free distribution of over 800,000 DD Free
Dish to people living in remote, tribal, left-wing extremism-affected, and
border areas.
 Kapil Kathpal

NGEL and HPCL Signed MoU MOUs

• NTPC Green Energy Ltd signed an agreement with

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd for the
development of renewable energy-based power
projects.

• Under the agreement NGEL which is a subsidiary of

NTPC will supply 400 MW of renewable power to the
HPCL.
 Kapil Kathpal
Hindustan Copper Signed MoU with IIT Dhanbad MOUs

• Hindustan Copper has signed a Memorandum of

Understanding with the Indian Institute of Technology
(Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad

• HCL needs assistance in enhancing copper ore

production through modifying mining methods with the
application of state-of-the-art Technologies.
 Kapil Kathpal
Odisha wins World Habitat
Award 2023 for its JAGA Mission Awards

• Odisha won the UN-Habitat’s World Habitat

Awards 2023 for Jaga Mission, a 5T initiative of
the state.

• Jaga mission is the world’s largest land titling

and slum upgrading program which aims at
empowering the lives of slum dwellers.

• Earlier in 2019, Odisha’s Jaga mission had

received World Habitat Awards for its success
in providing land tenure security to the slum
dwellers/
 Kapil Kathpal
Odakkuzhal Award 2022 for Writer Ambikasuthan Mangad
Awards
• Writer Ambikasuthan Mangad has been selected for
Odakuzhal Award 2022 for his collection of short
stories titled Pranavayu.

• Instituted by the Guruvayurappan Trust, the award is

being given for the best collection of short stories in
Malayalam.

• The award will be presented on the occasion of the

45th death anniversary of Mahakavi G. Sankara Kurup,
who established the Guruvayurappan Trust

• ‘Pranavayu’ written in 2015 tells the story of a world

where people have to buy oxygen kits for survival.
 Kapil Kathpal
Assam’s highest civilian award
Awards
• The Assam government has recently announced the recipients of
three prestigious awards: “Asom Baibhav,” “Asom Sourav,” and
“Asom Gourav” for the year 2022-2023.

• These awards recognize and honor individuals who have made

significant contributions to the state and its people.

• Asom Baibhav is the highest civilian award given by the Assam

government and this year’s recipient is Dr. Tapan Saikia.

• Dr. Saikia is a patron of the Deesikha Foundation and has made

significant contributions towards generating awareness and early
detection of cancer in Assam and Northeast States.

• The Asom Baibav award comes with a cash prize of Rs 5 lakhs

and the recipient is entitled to medical treatment at government
expense for the rest of their life.
 Kapil Kathpal

• The Asom Sourav award is given to individuals who have made

outstanding contributions in their respective fields. This year’s
recipients are Krishna Roy, Gilbert Sangma, Dr. Binoy Kumar
Saikia, and Dr. Sashidhar Phukan.

• The award carries a reward of Rs 4 lakhs and recipients are

entitled to medical treatment at government expense up to Rs 3
lakhs each year.

• The Asom Gourav award recognizes individuals who have made

exceptional achievements in their respective fields. This year’s
recipients are Debajit Barman, Rustom Basumatary, Manje La,
Binanda Hatibaruah, Atul Ch Baruah, Shila Gowala, Dr. Jogesh
Deuri, Dr. Pankaj Lal Gogoi, Sarbeswar Basumatary, Manthang
Hmar, Dayal Goswami, Dr. Syed Ifthikar Ahmed, and Dr.
Dhrubajyoti Sharma.

• The award carries a cash prize of Rs 3 lakhs and the recipient is

entitled to medical treatment at government expense up to Rs 3
lakhs each year.
 Kapil Kathpal

Octave 2023 – Northeastern Cultural Festival Festival

• Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi Inaugurated the Octave

2023 – Northeastern Cultural Festival held under the
aegis of the South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur
under the Union Ministry of Culture, to showcase the
indigenous art and culture of North East India.

• Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim,

Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh are among
the participating states.
 Kapil Kathpal
Imoinu Eratpa Festival Celebrated in Manipur Festival

• Imoinu Day is celebrated in Manipur as a part of the

Meitei Cultural ritual.

• They regard Imoinu Eratpa as a goddess of health,

prosperity, abundance, and order of domesticity in
Manipur.
 Kapil Kathpal
India Takes Over Leadership of
the Asian Pacific Postal Union International

• India has taken over the leadership of the Asia Pacific Postal Union in
January 2023.

• Dr Vinaya Prakash Singh will take over the charge of Secretary General
of the Union for a tenure of 4 years.

• There are 32 members in this international organisation from the Asia-

Pacific. It is a specific department inside the UN.

• The Asia Pacific Postal Union’s headquarters are in Bangkok, Thailand.

• It was formed by International treaty through an Asian-Pacific Postal

Convention signed in Yogyakarta on 27 March 1981.

• The goal of APPU is to extend, facilitate and improve postal relations

between member countries and to promote cooperation in the field of
postal services.
 Kapil Kathpal
Jason Moo appointed as CEO of Bank of Singapore
International
• Bank of Singapore announced that it has
appointed Jason Moo as its new CEO. Moo will
succeed Bahren Shaari

• The Bank of Singapore is the private banking

arm of OCBC Bank. Formerly known as ING
Asia Private Bank, it was acquired by OCBC
Bank in 2009 from ING Group
 Kapil Kathpal
Former Indian Football Player Shyamal Ghosh Passed Away
Obituary
• Shyamal Ghosh, former Indian Football player, passed away

• Shyamal Ghosh made his International debut during the Merdeka

Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1974 and went on to play 7
matches for India, including the Asian Games in 1974 in Tehran,
Iran.

• He represented East Bengal and Mohun Bagan at the domestic

level

• He won the Santhosh Trophy thrice in 1975, 1976 and 1977

representing Bengal.

• Post retirement, he coached East Bengal to the CFL, Durand Cup

and Kalinga Cup titles in 1993.
Apollo 7’s last surviving astronaut, Kapil Kathpal

Walter Cunningham passes away Obituary

• Walter Cunningham– the last surviving astronaut of the mission who

helped pave the way for humans to walk on the moon died.

• Walter was a fighter pilot, physicist and entrepreneur

• He, along with Walter Schirra and Donn Eisele, were backup crew
members on the Apollo 1 mission in 1967 when a flash fire occurred
during a launch pad test. The incident resulted in the deaths of three other
astronauts.

• A year later, those three backup crew members made history as they
became the first human test flight of the Apollo spacecraft. They stayed in
space for 11 days with Cunningham serving as their lunar module pilot.

• The Apollo 7 mission was an essential step in the history-making space

venture that would take place just months later in July 1969. It was then
that Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on
the moon