Jan 4

Weekly Current Affairs January 2024 Week - 04
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Contents
NATIONAL AFFAIRS ........................................................................................................ 2
STATES AFFAIRS ............................................................................................................ 7
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS .............................................................................................. 12
REPORTS & INDICES ..................................................................................................... 13
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES & PROGRAMMES ........................................................................ 13
BUSINESS & ECONOMY ................................................................................................. 14
BANKING & FINANCE .................................................................................................... 16
RBI IN NEWS ............................................................................................................... 21
AWARDS & RECOGNITION ............................................................................................. 22
BOOKS & AUTHORS ...................................................................................................... 37
PERSON IN NEWS ......................................................................................................... 37
OBITUARIES ................................................................................................................ 38
SPORTS ...................................................................................................................... 39
IMPORTANT DAYS ......................................................................................................... 41
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
1. Union Minister of Mines, Coal, and Parliamentary Affairs, Pralhad Joshi has inaugurated the
2nd State Mining Ministers’ Conference in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
This 2nd conference of State Mining Ministers provides opportunities to discuss & deliberate
issues pertaining to the mining sector paving way to implement the reforms done in the
mining sector.
Chief Guest of the event: Dr Mohan Yadav, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
The focal point of the conference is to develop strategies and increase the effectiveness of
the new policy reforms brought out by the Union Government.
2. The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the proposal for
equity investment for two thermal power plants in the country. These plants will be set up
by subsidiaries of Coal India Limited.
• A 660 MW supercritical coal-based thermal power will be set up in Madhya Pradesh
under the name of Amarkantak Thermal Electric Power Station. It will be operated as a
joint venture by South-East Coal Fields Limited (SECL) and Madhya Pradesh Power
Generating Company Limited (MPPGCL).

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• The second 2×800 MW supercritical thermal power station will be set up by Mahanadi
Basin Power Limited in Sundergarh district of Odisha.
The total investment approved is Rs.5,607 crore. The total project cost is Rs.21,547 crore.
The two new thermal power plants will have a capacity of 2,260 MW.
3. The 2nd edition of India-Egypt Joint Special Forces Exercise CYCLONE has been conducted at
Anshas, Egypt from 22nd January to 1st February 2024.
The Indian Army contingent comprising 25 personnel have been represented by troops from
The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) and Egyptian contingent comprising 25 personnel
have been represented by Egyptian Commando Squadron and Egyptian Airborne Platoon.
The aim of the exercise is to acquaint both the sides with each other’s operating procedures
in the backdrop of Special Operations in desert/ semi desert terrain under Chapter VII of
United Nations Charter.
The exercise is designed to develop bilateral military cooperation and strengthen bond
between two armies through conduct of discussions and rehearsal of tactical military drills.
The exercise involves planning and execution of special operations in sub conventional
domain and conducted in three phases.
The first phase includes Military Exhibitions and Tactical Interactions, and second phase
focuses on training on Improvised Explosive Device (IED), counter IED and Combat First Aid.
The third and final phase encompasses Joint Tactical Exercise based on Fighting in Built-up
Area and Hostage Rescue Scenarios.
The first edition of the exercise was conducted in 2023 in India.
4. The 11th edition of the India-Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces “Exercise Khanjar” has been
conducted at the Special Forces Training School in Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh.
The exercise has been held from January 22 to February 3, 2024.

The Indian Army contingent, comprising 20 personnel, have been represented by troops
from The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), and the Kyrgyzstan contingent, comprising 20
personnel, have been represented by the Scorpion Brigade.
The exercise provides an opportunity for both sides to fortify defence ties while addressing
common concerns of international terrorism and extremism.
5. The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), under the administrative
control of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, has released ‘Pahal’- the insightful house
journal of its Vigilance Department.
This marks a significant step towards transparency, accountability, and the promotion of
renewable energy initiatives by IREDA.
The journal has been unveiled by Pradip Kumar Das, Chairman & Managing Director of
IREDA.

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6. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Diamond Jubilee (75th year)
celebration of the Supreme Court of India (SCI) at the Supreme Court auditorium in Delhi.
The day marks the 75th anniversary of the inauguration of the Supreme Court of India on
28th January 1950.
During the occasion, PM Narendra Modi has launched citizen-centric information and
technology initiatives. These include:
• Digital Supreme Court Reports (Digi SCR) will make Supreme Court judgments available
to citizens of the country free of cost and in electronic format.
• Digital Courts 2.0 under e-Courts project to make court records available to Judges of
district courts in electronic form and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for transcribing
speech to text on a real-time basis.
• A new website of Supreme Court, available in both English and Hindi language,
redesigned with a user-friendly interface.
• Rs. 800 crores approved for expansion of Supreme Court building complex. Since 2014,
the government has disbursed more than Rs.7,000 crores for upgradation of physical
infrastructure of courts.
7. The 23rd edition of the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) will be held from
7-9 February 2024 in New Delhi. The summit deliberations will focus on the umbrella
theme: “Leadership for Sustainable Development and Climate Justice.”
This is the annual flagship event of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
The summit aims to address global challenges such as conflict, planetary crises, and setbacks
in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The summit will host prominent speakers, including ministers from Fiji, Kiribati, and Spain, as
well as representatives from the World Bank and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change.
8. India and France have agreed to jointly fund scientific research projects in the fields of
health, decarbonized hydrogen, marine sciences, and applied mathematics.
The decision was taken during the 2nd meeting of the Indo-French Joint Committee on Science
and Technology (JCST) at the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2024 held in Faridabad,
Haryana.
Both sides also pointed out the key role of mobility and networking in preparing future
cutting-edge scientific cooperation.
9. The Ministry of Tourism has organized the “Bharat Parv”, part of the Republic Day
celebrations, from 23-31 January at the Lawns and Gyan Path in front of the historic Red Fort
in Delhi.

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This year’s Bharat Parv showcases the participation of 26 Central Ministries and
Departments, each highlighting citizen-centric schemes and government initiatives such as
Mission Life, One District One Product, Viksit Bharat, Nari Shakti, and Ek Bharat Shreshtha
Bharat.
Bharat Parv was first launched in 2016.
10. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the setting up of two coal
gasification plants for Coal India Limited (CIL) to achieve the target of 100 MT coal
gasification by the year 2030 and to fulfil India’s dual objectives of self-reliance and energy
independence.
• The total investment in the joint venture of CIL and GAIL in West Bengal will be of 13
thousand 52 crore rupees.
• The total investment in the joint venture of CIL and GAIL in Jharsuguda district of Odisha
will be 11 thousand 782 crore rupees.
The Union Cabinet has also approved Rs 8,500 crore financial incentive scheme for coal
gasification projects.
• In the first category, Rs 4,050 crore has been provisioned for public sector utilities (PSUs)
in which up to three projects will be supported by providing a lump sum grant of Rs 1,350
crore or 15 per cent of capex, whichever is lower.
• In the second category, Rs 3,850 crore has been earmarked for both government and
private sector projects in which the lump sum grant of Rs 1,000 crore or 15 per cent of
capex, whichever is lower, is provided for each project.
• The third category is for demonstration projects (indigenous technology) and/or small-
scale product-based gasification plants under which Rs 600 crore has been provisioned by
the Centre. This would entail awarding a lump sum grant of Rs 100 crore or 15 per cent of
capex, whichever is lower.
Note: Coal gasification involves extracting methane from coal during the mining process and
utilising it for commercial purposes.
11. The 63rd Central Geological Programming Board (CGPB) meeting has been organized in
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The meeting has been held under the Chairmanship of V.L.
Kantha Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Mines.

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The Mineral Map of the newly carved out Union Territory of Ladakh has been released
on this occasion along with other significant publication of GSI.
The proposed Annual Programme for ensuing Field Season year 2024-25 has been placed
before the Board for discussion.
During the ensuing year 2024-25, Geological Survey of India (GSI) has formulated about 1055
scientific programs for the year 2024-25, which includes 392 Mineral Development projects
(G2;G3;G4; and Offshore Explorations) that has the potential to generate auctionable mineral
blocks in near future.
CGPB:
The Central Geological Programming Board (CGPB) is an important platform of the Geological
Survey of India (GSI), Ministry of Mines wherein the Annual Field Season Program (FSP) of GSI
is placed for discussion and to avoid duplication of work.
The Ministry of Mines, Government of India, vide notification dated 18th August 2023, had
revamped/ reconstituted the CGPB Committee into 12 theme-based groups.
The main objective of this reconstitution is to enable the States and other Stakeholders to
accrue benefit from wider participation and interaction with GSI to further their activities and
avoid duplication.
Additional Information:
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) was set up in 1851 primarily to find coal deposits for the
Railways. GSI, headquartered in Kolkata (West Bengal), has six regional offices located in
Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong and Kolkata and state unit offices in almost all
states of the country. GSI is an attached office to the Ministry of Mines.
12. The first edition of India-Saudi Arabia Joint Military Exercise ‘SADA TANSEEQ’ has been
commenced at Mahajan, Rajasthan.
Participants:
• The Saudi Arabian contingent comprising 45 personnel is being represented by Royal
Saudi Land Forces.
• The Indian Army contingent also comprising 45 personnel is being represented by a
Battalion from the Brigade of the Guards (Mechanised Infantry).
Objective: To train troops of both sides for Joint Operations in Semi Desert terrain under
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
The exercise will involve establishment of Mobile Vehicle Check Post, Cordon & Search
Operation, House Intervention Drill, Reflex Shooting, Slithering and Sniper Firing.

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STATES AFFAIRS
13. The 4th edition of the Orange Festival has been held from 24th to 25th January 2024 in
Rusoma village near Kohima in Nagaland. The festival has been organized under the aegis of
Rusoma Village Council in association with Kohima Smart City Development Limited, Rural
Development Department, Horticulture Department, Agriculture Department and Land
Resources Department.
Rüsoma Village is also known as the ‘Gardening village.’

The villagers of Rüsoma have a total of 14,100 standing fruit-bearing orange trees and 28,700
saplings under plantation.
14. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for
development projects worth over Rs.19,100 crores in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh.
The projects are related to several sectors like rail, road, oil and gas and urban development
and housing.
He has dedicated a 173 km long double line electrified section between New Khurja –
New Rewari on the Dedicated Freight Corridor. He dedicated the fourth line connecting the
Mathura-Palwal section and the Chipiyana Buzurg-Dadri section.
He has inaugurated Indian Oil’s Tundla-Gawaria Pipeline and dedicated ‘Integrated Industrial
Township at Greater Noida’ (IITGN).
He has also inaugurated the renovated Mathura sewerage scheme.
15. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel have
laid the foundation stone of Khodaldham Trust Cancer Hospital in Rajkot.
The Shree Khodaldham Trust (SKT), an organization for the Leuva Patel community, will build
a hospital and a cancer research center in Amreli village in Padadhari taluka of Rajkot.
Till 2002, there were only 11 medical colleges in Gujarat, and their number has increased to
40 currently.
16. The Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam has identified Telangana as a key base for
setting up a second VLF (Very Low Frequency) communication transmission station.
• This station will be used to communicate with ships and submarines.
• The station will be located in the Damagudem forest area near Puduru in Vikarabad
district.
• As part of the project, a 27 km road will be constructed around Damagundam Reserve
Forest.
• The new VLF centre is expected to be completed in 2027.

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Note: The first VLF station, called INS Kattabomman Radar Station, was established in
Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu in 1990.
17. Guwahati (Assam) will host the seventh edition of the India Rubber Meet (IRM 2024) on
23rd February to provide a platform for rubber stakeholders to interact, share knowledge,
address future concerns, and network for the advancement of the rubber industry.
The event, organised by the India Rubber Meet Forum (IRMF), will feature talks, panel
discussions, and interactions on various topics including the future of the global and Indian
natural rubber industry, economy and commodity prices, and challenges and opportunities
in the tyre, non-tyre, and synthetic rubber industry.
The theme this year is ‘Natural Rubber — Changing Landscape, Emerging Trends and Insights for
Tomorrow’.
18. Janata Dal (United) President Nitish Kumar has taken oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar
for a record ninth time. He has been sworn in by Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar at Raj
Bhavan in the presence of senior leaders including BJP national president J P Nadda.
He had first taken oath as the state’s Chief minister in 2000.

He again became Chief Minister in 2005 and also returned to power five years later.
BJP leaders, Samrat Choudhary and former Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha, are among those who
took oath of office. The two are named as Deputy Chief Ministers.
Note: Bihar Legislative Assembly has 243-member seats. The capital of Bihar is Patna.
19. Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TIA), Kerala has been honoured with the
prestigious Excellence Award by Quality Circle Forum of India (QCFI) in the recent National
Convention on Quality Concepts 2024 in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
The TIA has been selected for the recognition based on its continuous improvement
initiatives undertaken for airport operations.
The award jury praised TIA’s initiatives in establishing an effective mechanism to maintain the
Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS) free from obstacles for safe aircraft operations and
sustenance of the biodiversity through its sustainability initiatives.
20. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Ram Mandir temple on razed Babri
mosque site in Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh), marking a momentous occasion in India’s history,
on 22nd January 2024.
Ramlalla idol:

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• The 51-inch Ramlalla idol placed in the sanctum sanctorum of temple was sculpted by
Mysuru (Karnataka)-based Arun Yogiraj.
• The statue portrays Lord Ram as a five-year old i.e. Ram Lalla because this age is
considered as the age of innocence.
• The idol carved out of black stone showcases innocence, divinity, and royalty.
• The idol has a golden bow and arrow in his hands.
• Lord Hanuman has been engraved near the right foot of the idol and Lord Garuda near
left foot.
Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir:

• It was designed by architect Chandrakant B Sompura and his son Ashish in the Maru-
Gurjara architecture of Nagara style, a type of Hindu temple architecture found
primarily in northern India.
• It is built by Larsen and Toubro (L&T).
• The temple was built at an estimated cost of Rs.1800 crore.
• The three-storey temple premises spread across 70 acres, of which the temple and the
complex occupy 5.5 acres.
• The temple has a length of 380 feet, width of 250 feet and height of 161 feet.
• Ram Lalla’s dress was stitched by tailors Bhagwat Prasad and Shankar Lal.
• The main temple area spans 2.67 acres.
• It is made with pink sandstone and anchored by black granite.
• There will be 6 temples in all apart from the Ram Mandir viz. Surya Dev, Devi Bhagwati,
Ganesh Bhagwan, Bhagwan Shiv, Mandir of Maa Annapurna, and Mandir of Hanuman ji.
• The temple is having 5 mandapas named ‘Kudu, Nritya, Rang, Kirtana, and Prarthana.’
• Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra looks after the construction and management of
Ram Temple.
21. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has inaugurated the 47th edition of the
International Kolkata Book Fair at Central Park, Mela Ground, Karunamoyee, Salt Lake.
It has been organized from 18th January to 31st January 2024.

The United Kingdom is the theme country for this year’s fair.

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The U.K. pavilion is designed to immerse visitors in the essence of British culture, highlighting
its modern contributions to education, the English language, and the arts.
Nearly 20 countries are participating in this year’s book fair, which has become a big festival
for Kolkata.
International Kolkata Book Fair:

IKBR has been recognized by International Publishers Association, Geneva as the largest
book fair in terms of number of visitors Publishers from different parts of the country and
abroad regularly participate in this book fair which commences in the month of January every
year. Every year a country is invited to participate as the Focal Theme to showcase its
literature and culture.
22. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced plans for the establishment of the
world’s first ‘Black Tiger Safari’ near the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Mayurbhanj.
The safari will be established near Baripada over a 200-hectare area, adjoining National
Highway 18.
About 100 hectares will be display area and the balance area shall be utilised for creation of
veterinary care facilities, including rescue centre, staff infrastructure, and visitor amenities.
This project aims to provide tourists and visitors with a rare glimpse of the melanistic tigers,
commonly known as black tigers, recently spotted at the Similipal National Park.
23. The Zeliangrong community of Manipur has observed the Gaan-Ngai festival to bring
peace, prosperity, and unity to the people of Manipur. The festival also marks the beginning
of the New Year and bids farewell to the old year.
In 2024, the festival is observed on 23rd January.

• This festival is one of the biggest cultural and religious post-harvest festivals of the
Zeliangrong community that marks the end of the year when the farmers store their harvest
in their granaries.
• The festival is observed by all non-Christian villages of Zeliangrong tribes which includes,
Zeme, Liangmei, Rongmei, Kabui, Ipui, and others living in Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland.
24. The Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation (HCHF) has organized the annual Ethnic
Mamani Festival 2024 in collaboration with the Ladakh Tourism Department.
• The festival has been organized at the 500 years old village, Styangkung, Barsoo Kargil
(Jammu & Kashmir) and Chiktan Shagaran in Ladakh.
• During Mamani, people would exchange food with their neighbours and relatives while
also worshipping a variety of spirits (Lha).
• These celebrations have helped in the revival of more than 35 Kargil Ladakh cuisines.
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The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Vishnu Deo Sai has observed the traditional Cherchera
festival at Dudhadhari Math in Raipur. The festival is observed annually on the full moon
night of ‘Paush’ Hindu calendar month in the happiness of taking the crops to their homes
after cultivation.
According to mythological belief, on this day Lord Shankar begged from Mata Annapurna, so
people used to donate green vegetables along with paddy on this day.
25. The Andhra Pradesh government has unveiled the world's tallest statue of the architect of
the Indian Constitution, Dr BR Ambedkar, in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.
This Ambedkar statue is called the Statue of Justice and it is around 206 feet from the
ground.
This Ambedkar statue in Andhra Pradesh is under the list of top 50 tallest statues around the
world, in which Statue of Unity tops.
The project to build the statue of justice cost around Rs.404.35 crore.
The project is built and spread over 18.81 acres of land which is built as a green park.
Around 400 tonnes of steel are used to build the Statue of Justice.
Note: One of the tallest Ambedkar statues outside India is situated in Maryland, US.
26. The Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF) will build the construction of a mosque in
Ayodhya named "Masjid Muhammed bin Abdullah," to foster unity and goodwill
transcending religious differences.
The construction is expected to span three to four years.

The ambitious project is set to redefine the cityscape of Ayodhya and serve as a symbol of
communal harmony.
Beyond the mosque, the IICF plans to construct a 500-bed hospital within the complex.
Note: In 2019, the Supreme Court of India declared the demolition of the Babri Masjid as
unlawful.
27. Union Minister of Culture G. Kishan Reddy has inaugurated the National Skill Training
Institute for Women (NSTI (W)) at Vidyanagar in Hyderabad, Telangana.
NSTI (W) Hyderabad offers long-term courses under the Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS)
and Craft Instructor’s Training Scheme (CITS) in trades such as Fashion Designing &
Technology, Cosmetology, Architectural Draughtsman, Information Technology (support
executive), and IoT (Smart Agriculture).
The short-term courses, catering to high-demand skill areas, include Professional Beauty
Therapy, Cutting & Tailoring, Drafting, Cutting, Stitching & Finishing of dresses, Internet of
Things (IoT), AutoCAD & 3D REVIT.
The institute aims to train 2500 women annually, with 480 women enrolled in long-term
courses and an additional 2000 women in various short-term courses.
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28. Union Minister for Ayush and Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has laid
the foundation stone for Ayush Diksha, a first-of-its-kind centre for the development of
human resources for Ayush professionals.
This state-of-the-art centre will be developed within the campus of Central Ayurveda
Research Institute, Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
The Ayush Diksha centre is being built with a budget of Rs.30 crore.
It will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities including two auditoriums, 40 modern
rooms with all amenities, suites for VIPs, dedicated space for a natural library, discussion
rooms, modular kitchen, dining lounge, among other amenities.
The institution will offer training programmes for Ayush professionals, especially those from
Ayurveda.
29. Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has launched the first pilot
technology project to make jet fuel from alcohol in Pune, Maharashtra.
This pilot project has been set up in the research and development department of Praj Udyog
Group in Pirangut Industrial Estate near Pune.
This project will produce sustainable biological aviation fuel (SAF).
The flight from Pune to Delhi was completed in 2022 using bio aviation fuel made from
alcohol.
The biofuel production industry will have a huge scope in the future as even if at least one
percent of the total aviation fuel used in India is blended with this sustainable bio aviation
fuel, at least 14 crore litres of biofuel will be needed every year.
30. The ‘Gole Mela' festival has been organized at Jagannath temple in Udhampur, Jammu &
Kashmir. The devotees from Udhampur district and outside Jammu and Kashmir have
participated in the festival and paid obeisance at the temple.
Gole Mela' is organized twice every year.

The festival is a cultural and religious celebration, fostering a sense of community among
devotees.
Note: Two ancient temples are dedicated to Lord Jagannatha across India. One is situated in
Puri, Orissa and other in Udhampur District of Jammu and Kashmir.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
31. Japan has become the 5th country to achieve a soft moon landing with the successful
deployment of the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) spacecraft.

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The mission, led by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), marks a significant leap in
precision landing technology with potential applications for future lunar exploration.
However, SLIM’s solar panel had failed to generate power, which could shorten its activity on
the moon.
SLIM attempted to land within 100 metres (328 feet) of its target, versus the conventional
accuracy of several kilometres.
32. Saudi Arabia will open its first alcohol store in the capital Riyadh which will serve
exclusively non-Muslim diplomats. The customers will have to register via a mobile app, get a
clearance code from the foreign ministry, and respect monthly quotas with their purchases.
This move is expected to enhance Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic relations, particularly with
Western countries, where alcohol consumption is a part of social and official engagements.
REPORTS & INDICES

33. As per the recent reports, the Indian stock market has pipped Hong Kong to become the
fourth largest equity market globally based on market capitalization.
The combined value of shares listed on Indian exchanges reached USD 4.33 trillion, versus
USD 4.29 trillion for Hong Kong, as per the data compiled by Bloomberg.
Its value crossed USD 4 trillion for the first time on 5th December 2023, with about half of that
coming in the past four years.
The top three stock markets are the U.S., China, and Japan.
Currently, the US is the world’s biggest market with a Mcap of USD 50.86 trillion, followed by
China with a Mcap of USD 8.44 trillion and Japan at USD 6.36 trillion.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES & PROGRAMMES
34. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the 'Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana'
(PSY) under which one crore households will get rooftop solar across the nation.
The scheme aims to equip one crore poor to middle-class households with rooftop solar
panels in a bit to provide electricity from solar energy.
PSY will reduce their electricity bills and offer additional income for surplus electricity
generation.
PSY will also support the Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Programme (2014).
The national campaign will also be started to mobilize residential segment consumers to
adopt rooftop solar in large numbers.
Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Programme:

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Objective: To achieve a cumulative installed capacity of 40,000 Megawatt (MW) by 2026.
The current installed grid-connected solar rooftop capacity is about 11GW.
Its 2nd phase was launched in 2019.
The funding is provided under 2 components:
• Component A - Central Financial Assistance (CFA)/ Subsidy is provided to the residential
Electricity consumers.
• Component B - DISCOMs are covered.
Ministry: Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE)

Note: A solar rooftop system consists of solar modules, solar inverter(s) and other electrical
components such as meter(s), cables etc.
35. REC Limited, a Maharatna power finance company, will lend up to Rs.1,20,000 crore for the
installation of rooftop solar panels under the Pradhan Mantri Suryoday Yojana.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has designated REC as the overall programme
implementation agency for implementation of rooftop solar in the country and have been
given a target of 1 crore households to be covered in a period of 1 year.
REC’s Board has authorized the management to issue a Line of Credit to eight central public
sector undertakings that are going to act as renewable energy services companies to the
tune of about Rs 15,000 crore each.
Note: The Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana (PMSY) is a newly announced scheme by the
Indian government aiming to install rooftop solar systems on 1 crore (10 million) households.
36. The President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) JP Nadda has launched the “Gaon Chalo
Abhiyan” in Delhi, a nationwide campaign to connect with rural and urban communities.
Under the Gaon Chalo Abhiyaan, BJP workers aim to reach seven lakh villages and urban
booths, disseminating the achievements of Narendra Modi government.
Over 30 lakh party workers will participate in the Abhiyaan.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY
37. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, India has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Communications of the
Republic of Cuba for cooperation in the field of sharing successful digital solutions
implemented at population scale for digital transformation.

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The MoU intends to promote digital transformation through capacity-building programs,
exchange of best practices, and other collaborative activities to mutually benefit the digital
ecosystems of both countries.
India will assist Cuba in adopting Digital Public Infrastructure, fostering development
partnerships for enhanced collaboration.
38. The Union Cabinet, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a
three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Electronics
and Information Technology of India and the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and
Information Technology of Oman to foster collaboration and cooperation in the field of
Information Technology (IT).
The MoU was signed on 15th December 2023.

This MoU will strengthen the ties between India and Oman, promoting bilateral collaboration
in both government-to-government (G2G) and business-to-business (B2B) dimensions.
39. The Ministry of Defence has signed a deal with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) for
the acquisition of 14 fast patrol vessels (FPVs) for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) at a cost of
Rs.1,070.47 crore.
These multi role FPVs will be indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured by MDL
under Buy (Indian-IDDM) Category and will be delivered in total 63 months.
These FPVs will be equipped with multipurpose drones, wirelessly controlled remote water
rescue craft lifebuoy and AI capability etc. enabling greater flexibility and operational edge to
the ICG to face new age multidimensional challenges.
40. The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the proposal for
signing of a protocol for the establishment of Joint Economic and Trade Committee
(JETCO) between the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the
Republic of India and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic.
The establishment of JETCO will facilitate mitigating challenges in export of Indian products of
mutual dialogue and pave the way for boosting exports of pharmaceuticals, automobiles and
engineering goods manufactured in India.
41. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has joined hands with filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani
for a short film titled “My Vote, My Duty” to spread awareness about voting.
The film features messages from Sachin Tendulkar, Rajkummar Rao, Amitabh Bachchan, R
Madhavan, Raveena Tandon, Vicky Kaushal, Boman Irani, Arshad Warsi, Bhumi Pednekar, and
Mona Singh.
The film aims to address attitudinal barriers such as indifference and apathy, reaffirming the
importance of each vote.

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The film is produced by Rajkumar Hirani and directed by Sanjiv Kishinchandani.
The film highlights the impact of every single vote.
The film was released on National Voters’ Day (25th January).
42. THDC India Limited, a public sector undertaking, has established a benchmark in Green
Hydrogen production, by successfully implementing India’s one of the first pilot project
aligned with the “National Green Hydrogen Mission”.
The project will be India’s largest electrolyser end fuel cell-based pilot project.
43. The Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik has inaugurated the fourth edition of the
National Chilika Birds Festival. The festival is jointly organised by the Department of
Tourism, the Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change and the Chilika
Development Authority.
The festival has witnessed the participation of 52 selected birders from across the country.
44. Telecom major Reliance Jio and Chinese smartphone company OnePlus have teamed up to
set up a 5G innovation lab in India. The alliance between OnePlus and Jio aims to provide
OnePlus and Jio True 5G users with differentiated features and an unparalleled network
experience.
The lab will serve as a hub for testing and developing new technologies.
45. Tata Group and European aerospace company Airbus have signed an agreement to
manufacture H125 civilian helicopters together in India. The partnership would include air
and space tech, maritime tech, including underwater domain awareness, and equipment and
systems related to land warfare.
Under this partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), Airbus Helicopters will set
up a final assembly line (FAL) for H125 civilian helicopters. This will be India’s first private
helicopter manufacturing facility.
The FAL will take 24 months to set up and deliveries of the first ‘made-in-India’ H125s are
expected to commence in 2026.

BANKING & FINANCE

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46. The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) to co-finance renewable energy
projects in India.
The MoU aims to streamline loan syndication and underwriting processes, management of
Trust and Retention Account (TRA) for IREDA borrowers, and work towards fixed interest
rates over a 3-4-year period for IREDA borrowings.
47. Bank of Baroda, an Indian public sector bank, has launched its new 'bob-360 deposit
scheme’, a special short-term retail deposit scheme offering higher interest rates up to
7.60% p.a. for 360 days, which includes 0.50% p.a. for senior citizens.
The scheme opens on 15th January, 2024 and is applicable on retail deposits below Rs 2
crore.
48. The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has launched a new saving and annuity plan
“Jeevan Dhara II”, a non-linked, non-participating, individual, savings, and deferred annuity
plan.
Key features:
• The minimum age of entry into the Jeevan Dhara II policy is 20 years and the maximum
age of entry into the policy can be 80/70/65 years minus the deferment period,
depending upon the annuity option chosen.
• The annuity is guaranteed from inception and 11 annuity options are available to
prospective policyholders.
• Available Deferment Period [from 5 years to 15 years (in case of Regular Premium) and
from 1 year to 15 years (in case of Single Premium)] i.e. when to start annuity payments
as per your requirements.
• Mode of Annuity payments (yearly, half-yearly, quarterly and monthly).
• The minimum instalment premium payable (for other than yearly mode) in any case shall
not be less than Rs.1,000.
• The non-participating plan provides life cover during deferment period and offers higher
annuity rate at higher age.
• Loan facilities shall be available during or after the deferment period under annuity
options with return of premium/ purchase price.

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Deferment Period (DP) refers to the period, in years, as chosen by the policyholder,
commencing from the Date of Commencement of policy to the Date of Vesting.
49. ICICI Bank Canada, a subsidiary of ICICI Bank Ltd., has launched the app Money2India,
which allows customers of any Canadian bank to send money to any bank in India without an
account with ICICI Bank Canada.
The customers can send money directly through the app via Visa or Mastercard.
The customers can send up to USD 22,446 in a single transaction and can set up recurring
transfers.
The app features two-factor authentication and a one-time password.
50. Zomato Payments Private Limited (ZPPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Zomato, has
received the certificate of authorization from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a
payment aggregator.
ZPPL has been granted certificate of authorization dated 24th January 2024.
ZPPL has been incorporated to carry out the business as payment aggregator and issuer of
pre-paid payment instruments.
51. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has given its approval to four companies,
JNK India, Entero Healthcare Solutions, Exicom Tele-Systems, and Akme Fintrade, to
raise funds through initial public offerings (IPOs).
These four firms, which had filed their preliminary papers with the markets watchdog
between June 2023 and October 2023, obtained observation letters on 16-19 January 2024.
52. BOB Financial Solutions Limited (BFSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of Baroda, has
been rebranded as ‘BOBCARD Limited’ with the tagline “Credit Reimagined”.
BFSL has also unveiled a new logo called ‘Baroda Sun’, which comprises dual ‘B’ letterforms
that hold the rays of the rising sun.
BOBCARD offers an array of consumer and commercial credit cards and caters to all
segments of customers with varied needs, including shopping, travel and business cards for
large corporates and MSMEs.
53. HDFC Bank, India's largest private sector bank, has become the first lender in India to
achieve the milestone of 20 million credit cards in force.
The lender forayed into the credit card business in 2001 and hit the 10-million mark in 2017.
HDFC Bank is the largest issuer of card issuers in the country, which commands over a fourth
of the overall card market in terms of numbers.
HDFC Bank’s cards in circulation stood at nearly 19.51 million in November 2023 as
compared to 19.18 million cards in October 2023.

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HDFC Bank is followed by SBI Card, ICICI Bank, and Axis Bank, in terms of the number of
credit cards issued.
54. Bank of Baroda (BoB) has raised Rs. 5,000 Crores through the issuance of Long-Term
Infrastructure Bonds. The Bank received a total of 128 bids amounting to Rs. 14,950 Crores
against the total issue size of Rs. 5,000 Crores (Base issue of Rs. 1,000 Crores and Greenshoe
option to retain oversubscription up to Rs.4,000 Crores).
This translates to ~15 times the base issue size and ~3 times the total issue size.
The bank accepted bids for Rs. 5,000 Crores at a coupon of 7.57% p.a.
These bonds are senior, unsecured, listed, rated, taxable Bonds, having a fixed maturity of 10
years from the date of allotment.
The allotment of these bonds took place on 25th January 2024.
The bonds are rated AAA with a Stable outlook by CRISIL and India Ratings.
55. Canara HSBC Life Insurance has introduced “iSelect Guaranteed Future Plus”, a
comprehensive plan designed to deliver life insurance and assured benefits.
It is a non-linked, non-participating, and individual savings life insurance plan.

The policy offers four different plans namely Endowment Option, Regular Income Option,
Long-Term Income with Return of Premium Option, and Early Income Option.
56. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has extended the timeline for market
rumour verification for the 2nd time. The deadline is extended to 1st June 2024 from 1st
February 2024 for the top 100 companies and to 31st December 2024 from 1st August 2024
for the top 250 companies.
The market rumour verification is under the provision to regulation 30(11) of the LODR
Regulations.
Other news associated with SEBI:

SEBI has released a framework for offer for sale (OFS) of shares to employees through stock
exchanges. Under this framework, promoters of eligible companies will be permitted to sell
shares within two weeks from the offer for sale (OFS) transaction to the employees of such
companies.
57. SBI Life Insurance has launched two new products, ‘SBI Life - Saral Swadhan Supreme’
and ‘SBI Life - Smart Swadhan Supreme’. These products cater to the insurance needs of
individuals and fulfil their financial commitments.
Key features of the Saral Swadhan Supreme and Smart Swadhan Supreme plans:

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• Policyholders can opt for regular premium payments or choose a limited premium
payment term of 7, 10, or 15 years.
• A flexible policy term ranging from 10 to 30 years, offering tailored solutions to meet
diverse financial goals.
• Upon maturity, policyholders are entitled to receive 100% of the total premiums (total of
all the premiums received, excluding any extra premium, any rider premiums, and taxes)
paid during the policy's duration.
• Both these policies offer a minimum sum assured of Rs. 25 lakhs, however, while SBI Life -
Saral Swadhan Supreme is capped at Rs. 50 lakhs, SBI Life - Smart Swadhan Supreme has
no upper limit for the maximum sum assured.
58. ICICI Lombard will acquire a 1.08 % stake in Karnataka Bank for a cash consideration of
Rs.100 crore. The Board of Directors of Karnataka Bank has granted approval for the
infusion of an additional equity capital of Rs.700 crore.
Within this allocation, up to Rs.100 crore is earmarked for raising funds through a
preferential issue of shares, while the remaining Rs.600 crore will be garnered through
private placement(s) and qualified institutions placements.
59. The General Insurance Council has introduced an initiative, 'Cashless Everywhere', to
facilitate cashless hospitalization for policyholders even in non-empanelled hospitals.
Hospitals with 15 beds, registered under the Clinical Establishment Act, can provide cashless
hospitalization.
Under the cashless facility, policyholders don’t need to pay for treatment out of pocket in the
event of hospitalisation, subject to admissibility of the claim.
The ‘cashless everywhere’ facility will be subject to customers intimating their insurer 48
hours prior to admission for elective procedures, and 48 hours post admission in case of
emergency treatments.
60. The World Bank, operating through the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IBRD), has launched 7-year USD 100 million principal-protected Plastic
Waste Reduction-Linked Bond to support the World Bank’s mission to eradicate extreme
poverty and enhance global prosperity sustainably.
The bond’s focus is on preventing plastic waste leakage into nature and oceans.
This transaction marks the first in the Sovereign, Supranational, and Agency (SSA) market in
US dollars for 2024.

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Citi served as the Lead Manager for this bond.
The Bond will be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange in Luxembourg.
The Bond will mature in January 2031.
61. REC Limited, a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE), has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Investment and Infrastructure
Fund Limited (NIIFL) to boost renewable energy and infrastructure financing in India.
Under this MoU, REC and NIIFL will work together on funding solutions for renewable energy
and large-scale infrastructure projects in India.
62. The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has collaborated with Nadathur S
Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (NSRCEL), an innovation and
entrepreneurship hub of IIM Bangalore, to establish a pre-seed fund, specifically for start-
ups in the Deep Tech and emerging businesses areas.
This MoU has laid the foundation for a multi-year relationship to nurture start-ups and lead
them towards scaling up their business activities.

RBI IN NEWS
63. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of Praveen Achuthan Kutty
as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DCB Bank.
The appointment is for a period of three years with effect from 29th April 2024.
He will succeed Murali Natrajan.
64. The Reserve Bank of India has approved the Life Insurance Corporation of India’s (LIC)
application to acquire up to 9.99 percent aggregate holding of paid-up share capital in HDFC
Bank.
LIC has been advised by RBI to acquire the major shareholding in HDFC Bank within a period
of one year.
LIC must ensure that the aggregate holding in the Bank does not exceed 9.99% of the paid-up
share capital or voting rights of the Bank at all times.
65. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has received bids aggregating Rs.3.08-lakh crore for
allotment of funds from banks against the notified amount of Rs.2.50-lakh crore at the 15-
day variable rate repo (VRR) auction.
The banking system’s overall liquidity deficit rose to Rs.3,46,367 crore on 24th January against
Rs.3,33,961 crore on 23rd January and Rs.1,28,794 crore as on 1st January 2024.
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The RBI allotted liquidity aggregating Rs.2,50,010 crore to the bidders (banks) at a weighted
average rate of 6.73 percent.
As on 24th January 2024, system liquidity deficit is near an all-time high of Rs.3.5-lakh crore on
account of GST payments.
As per the report by the India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra), banking liquidity has been
under stress for more than a quarter due to higher cash withdrawal led by the festival
demand, and a moderation in government spending.
Variable Repo Rate:

When RBI desires to infuse liquidity in economy but Banks are not eager to borrow from RBI
at Repo Rates as interest rates in economy may already be lower, in that case RBI allows
Banks to borrow at rate decided by market generally lower than Repo Rate (though not less
than Reverse Repo Rate) for duration more than One Day.
Repo Rate in simple term is the rate at which Banks borrows money from RBI for one day
also known as overnight borrowing.
Reverse Repo Rate is the rate which Bank gets from RBI when they deposit money with RBI
for one day.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION

66. The President of India Droupadi Murmu has approved the conferment of 132 Padma
Awards for the year 2024. The list comprises 5 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and
110 Padma Shri awards.
30 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 8 persons from the category of
Foreigners / NRI / PIO / OCI and 9 Posthumous awardees.
Padma Vibhushan (5): (Awarded for exceptional and distinguished service)
Name Field State/Region/Country
Ms. Vyjayantimala Bali Art Tamil Nadu
Shri Konidela Chiranjeevi Art Andhra Pradesh
Shri M Venkaiah Naidu Public Affairs Andhra Pradesh
Shri Bindeshwar Pathak Social Work Bihar

(Posthumous)
Ms. Padma Subrahmanyam Art Tamil Nadu
Padma Bhushan (17): (Awarded for distinguished service of high order)

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Ms. M Fathima Beevi Public Affairs Kerala

(Posthumous)
Shri Hormusji N Cama Literature & Maharashtra

Education -
Journalism
Shri Mithun Chakraborty Art West Bengal
Shri Sitaram Jindal Trade & Industry Karnataka
Shri Young Liu Trade & Industry Taiwan
Shri Ashwin Balachand Mehta Medicine Maharashtra
Shri Satyabrata Mookherjee Public Affairs West Bengal

(Posthumous)
Shri Ram Naik Public Affairs Maharashtra
Shri Tejas Madhusudan Patel Medicine Gujarat
Shri Olanchery Rajagopal Public Affairs Kerala
Shri Dattatray Ambadas Art Maharashtra

Mayaloo alias Rajdutt
Shri Togdan Rinpoche Others - Spiritualism Ladakh

(Posthumous)
Shri Pyarelal Sharma Art Maharashtra
Shri Chandreshwar Prasad Medicine Bihar

Thakur
Ms. Usha Uthup Art West Bengal
Shri Vijaykanth Art Tamil Nadu

(Posthumous)
Shri Kundan Vyas Literature & Maharashtra

Education -
Journalism
Padma Shri (110): (Awarded for distinguished service in any field)
Shri Khalil Ahamad Art Uttar Pradesh
Shri Badrappan M Art Tamil Nadu

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Shri Kaluram Bamaniya Art Madhya Pradesh
Ms. Rezwana Choudhury Art Bangladesh

Bannya
Ms. Naseem Bano Art Uttar Pradesh
Shri Ramlal Bareth Art Chhattisgarh
Ms. Gita Roy Barman Art West Bengal
Ms. Parbati Baruah Social Work Assam
Shri Sarbeswar Basumatary Others - Agriculture Assam
Shri Som Datt Battu Art Himachal Pradesh
Ms. Takdira Begum Art West Bengal
Shri Sathyanarayana Beleri Others - Agriculture Kerala
Shri Drona Bhuyan Art Assam
Shri Ashok Kumar Biswas Art Bihar
Shri Rohan Machanda Sports Karnataka

Bopanna
Ms. Smriti Rekha Chakma Art Tripura
Shri Narayan Chakraborty Science & West Bengal

Engineering
Shri A Velu Ananda Chari Art Telangana
Shri Ram Chet Chaudhary Science & Uttar Pradesh

Engineering
Ms. K Chellammal Others - Agriculture Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Ms. Joshna Chinappa Sports Tamil Nadu
Ms. Charlotte Chopin Others - Yoga France
Shri Raghuveer Choudhary Literature & Gujarat

Education
Shri Joe D Cruz Literature & Tamil Nadu

Education
Shri Ghulam Nabi Dar Art Jammu & Kashmir
Shri Chitta Ranjan Debbarma Others - Spiritualism Tripura

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Shri Uday Vishwanath Sports Maharashtra
Deshpande
Ms. Prema Dhanraj Medicine Karnataka
Shri Radha Krishan Dhiman Medicine Uttar Pradesh
Shri Manohar Krishana Dole Medicine Maharashtra
Shri Pierre Sylvain Filliozat Literature & France

Education
Shri Mahabir Singh Guddu Art Haryana
Ms. Anupama Hoskere Art Karnataka
Shri Yazdi Maneksha Italia Medicine Gujarat
Shri Rajaram Jain Literature & Uttar Pradesh

Education
Shri Jankilal Art Rajasthan
Shri Ratan Kahar Art West Bengal
Shri Yashwant Singh Kathoch Literature & Uttarakhand

Education
Shri Zahir I Kazi Literature & Maharashtra

Education
Shri Gaurav Khanna Sports Uttar Pradesh
Shri Surendra Kishore Literature & Bihar

Education -
Journalism
Shri Dasari Kondappa Art Telangana
Shri Sridhar Makam Literature & Karnataka

Krishnamurthy Education
Ms. Yanung Jamoh Lego Others - Agriculture Arunachal Pradesh
Shri Jordan Lepcha Art Sikkim
Shri Satendra Singh Lohia Sports Madhya Pradesh
Shri Binod Maharana Art Odisha
Ms. Purnima Mahato Sports Jharkhand
Ms. Uma Maheshwari D Art Andhra Pradesh
Shri Dukhu Majhi Social Work West Bengal

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Shri Ram Kumar Mallick Art Bihar
Shri Hemchand Manjhi Medicine Chhattisgarh
Shri Chandrashekhar Medicine Maharashtra

Mahadeorao Meshram
Shri Surendra Mohan Mishra Art Uttar Pradesh

(Posthumous)
Shri Ali Mohammed & Shri Art Rajasthan

Ghani Mohammed*
(Duo)
Ms. Kalpana Morparia Trade & Industry Maharashtra
Ms. Chami Murmu Social Work Jharkhand
Shri Sasindran Muthuvel Public Affairs Papua New Guinea
Ms. G Nachiyar Medicine Tamil Nadu
Ms. Kiran Nadar Art Delhi
Shri Pakaravur Chithran Literature & Kerala

Namboodiripad Education
(Posthumous)
Shri Narayanan E P Art Kerala
Shri Shailesh Nayak Science & Delhi

Engineering
Shri Harish Nayak Literature & Gujarat

(Posthumous) Education
Shri Fred Negrit Literature & France

Education
Shri Hari Om Science & Haryana

Engineering
Shri Bhagabat Padhan Art Odisha
Shri Sanatan Rudra Pal Art West Bengal
Shri Shankar Baba Pundlikrao Social Work Maharashtra

Papalkar
Shri Radhe Shyam Pareek Medicine Uttar Pradesh
Shri Dayal Mavjibhai Parmar Medicine Gujarat
Shri Binod Kumar Pasayat Art Odisha

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Ms. Silbi Passah Art Meghalaya
Ms. Shanti Devi Paswan & Shri Art Bihar

Shivan Paswan*
(Duo)
Shri Sanjay Anant Patil Others - Agriculture Goa
Shri Muni Narayana Prasad Literature & Kerala

Education
Shri K S Rajanna Social Work Karnataka
Shri Chandrashekar Medicine Karnataka

Channapatna Rajannachar
Shri Bhagwatilal Rajpurohit Literature & Madhya Pradesh

Education
Shri Romalo Ram Art Jammu & Kashmir
Shri Navjivan Rastogi Literature & Uttar Pradesh

Education
Ms. Nirmal Rishi Art Punjab
Shri Pran Sabharwal Art Punjab
Shri Gaddam Sammaiah Art Telangana
Shri Sangthankima Social Work Mizoram
Shri Machihan Sasa Art Manipur
Shri Omprakash Sharma Art Madhya Pradesh
Shri Eklabya Sharma Science & West Bengal

Engineering
Shri Ram Chander Sihag Science & Haryana

Engineering
Shri Harbinder Singh Sports Delhi
Shri Gurvinder Singh Social Work Haryana
Shri Godawari Singh Art Uttar Pradesh
Shri Ravi Prakash Singh Science & Mexico

Engineering
Shri Seshampatti T Sivalingam Art Tamil Nadu
Shri Somanna Social Work Karnataka

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Shri Kethavath Somlal Literature & Telangana
Education
Ms. Shashi Soni Trade & Industry Karnataka
Ms. Urmila Srivastava Art Uttar Pradesh
Shri Nepal Chandra Sutradhar Art West Bengal

(Posthumous)
Shri Gopinath Swain Art Odisha
Shri Laxman Bhatt Tailang Art Rajasthan
Ms. Maya Tandon Social Work Rajasthan
Ms. Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Literature & Kerala

Lakshmi Bayi Thampuratty Education
Shri Jagdish Labhshanker Art Gujarat

Trivedi
Ms. Sano Vamuzo Social Work Nagaland
Shri Balakrishnan Sadanam Art Kerala

Puthiya Veetil
Shri Kurella Vittalacharya Literature & Telangana

Education
Shri Kiran Vyas Others - Yoga France
Shri Jageshwar Yadav Social Work Chhattisgarh
Shri Babu Ram Yadav Art Uttar Pradesh
67. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia has presented the 4th edition of “The
Wings India Awards” at an event held in Hyderabad, Telangana.
• Bangalore and Delhi Airports have jointly won the Best Airport Award for the year 2024.
• Vistara won the Best Airline of the Year award.
• Air India has been recognized for International Connectivity while Alliance Air has
recognition for Regional Connectivity.
• Air India Express has been declared a Sustainability Champion.
• GMR Group has been honoured as the Best Aviation Service Provider while Skyways Air
Services for cargo services, Indian Oil Skytanking Pvt. Ltd for Fuel Services, GMR for Aero
Academy.

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68. The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) has announced that its tableau
‘Bharat: Mother of Democracy’ of the Ministry of Culture has secured the first prize
among the tableaux displayed by various ministries and departments during the Republic
Day Celebration Parade 2024 at Kartavya Path in New Delhi.
The tableau highlighted India’s journey through the ages as a cradle of democratic principles,
reflecting the diverse and inclusive nature of its political system.
The Ministry of Home Affairs' tableau, depicting 'vibrant villages', has won the second prize.
Other winners:
Odisha's colourful tableau, which showcased women empowerment and the state's rich
handicraft and handloom sector during the 75th Republic Day parade, has won the first prize
among the tableaux presented by various states and Union Territories in the judge’s choice
category.
In the judge's category, Gujarat secured the second position, with Tamil Nadu ranking third.
Gujarat's tableau, featuring the Dhordo tourism village, has secured the first place in the
people's choice category.
In the people's choice category, Uttar Pradesh secured the second position and Andhra
Pradesh ranked third.
69. The Uttar Pradesh government has selected eminent scientist Dr Ritu Karidhal Srivastava
and renowned entrepreneur Naveen Tewari for the prestigious ‘UP Gaurav Samman’ award.
This award highlights the government’s commitment to acknowledging excellence and

inspiring future generations.
• Dr Ritu Karidhal Srivastava, who resides in Lucknow, played an important role in the
development of India’s Mars Orbiter Mission, Mangalyaan. She also served as the Deputy
Operations Director for this mission. Mangalyaan was one of ISRO’s greatest
achievements, making India the fourth country in the world to reach Mars.
• Eminent entrepreneur Naveen Tewari, a resident of Kanpur, who is regularly featured on
the covers of magazines like Forbes and Fortune, has created two unicorns and given
India its first unicorn ‘InMobi.’
The award carries a cash prize of Rs.11 lakh.
70. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the winners of the ICC Awards 2023.
• ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year (Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy): Pat Cummins (Australia)
• ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year (Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy): Nat Sciver-Brunt (England)

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• ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year: Usman Khawaja (Australia)
• ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year: Virat Kohli (India)
• ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year: Chamari Athapathth (Sri Lanka)
• ICC Men’sT20I Cricketer of the Year: Surya Kumar Yadav (India)
• ICC Women’sT20I Cricketer of the Year: Chamari Athapathth (Sri Lanka)
• ICC Umpire of the Year (David Shepherd Trophy): Richard Illingworth (England)
• ICC Spirit of Cricket of the Year Award: Zimbabwe
• ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand)
• ICC Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Phobe Litchfield (Australia)
71. The ceremony of the 2024 edition of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
awards have been held in Hyderabad, Telangana. The BCCI awards were held for the first
time since 2019.
Awardees:
• Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement award: Ravi Shastri, Farokh Engineer (2019-20).
• Polly Umrigar Award for Best Men’s Cricketer of the Year: Shubman Gill (2022-23),
Jasprit Bumrah (2021-22), Ravichandran Ashwin (2020-21), Mohammed Shami (2019-20).
• Best International Cricketer (Women): Deepti Sharma (2019-20, 2022-23), Smriti
Mandhana (2020-21, 2021-22).
• Best International Debut, Men: Mayank Agarwal (2019-20), Axar Patel (2020-21), Shreyas
Iyer (2021-22), Yashasvi Jaiswal (2022-23).
• Best International Debut, Women: Priya Punia (2019-20), Shafali Varma (2020-21), S
Meghna (2021-22), Amanjot Kaur (2022-23).
• Dilip Sardesai Award (2022-23): Highest Runs: Yashasvi Jaiswal; Highest Wickets: R
Ashwin.
• Most Runs in ODIs – Women: Punam Raut (2019-20), Mithali Raj (2020-21), Harmanpreet
Kaur (2021-22), Jemimah Rodrigues (2022-23).
• Most Wickets in ODIs – Women: Poonam Yadav (2019-20), Jhulan Goswami (2020-21),
Rajehwari Gayakwad (2021-22), Devika Vaidya (2022-23).
• Best Umpire in Domestic Cricket: KN Ananthapadmanabhan (2019-20), Vrinda Rathi
(2020-21), J Madangopal (2021-22), Rohan Pandit (2022-23).
• Best performance in domestic tournaments: Mumbai (2019-20).

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• Lala Amarnath Award: Best all-rounder in domestic limited-over competitions: Baba
Aparajith (2019-20), Rishi Dhawan (2020-21, 2021-22), Riyan Parag (2022-23).
• Lala Amarnath Award: Best all-rounder in Ranji Trophy: Manishankar Mura Singh (2019-
20), Shams Mulani (2021-22), Saransh Jain (2022-23).
• Madhavrao Scindia Trophy: Highest run-getter in Ranji Trophy: Rahul Dalal (2019-20),
Sarfaraz Khan (2021-22), Mayank Agarwal (2022-23).
• Madhavrao Scindia Trophy: Highest wicket-taker in Ranji Trophy: Jaydev Unadkat (2019-
20), Shams Mulani (2021-22), Jalaj Saxena (2022-23).
• MA Chidambaram Trophy: Highest wicket-taker in U19 Cooch Behar Trophy: Harsh
Dubey (2019-20), AR Nishad (2021-22), Manav Chothani (2022-23).
• MA Chidambaram Trophy: Highest run-getter in U19 Cooch Behar Trophy: P.
Kanpillewar (2019-20), Mayank Shandilya (2021-22), Danish Malewar (2022-23).
• MA Chidambaram Trophy: Highest wicket-taker in U23 Col Cok Nayudu Trophy: Ankush
Tyagi (2019-20), Harsh Dubey (2021-22), Vishal Jayswal (2022-23).
• MA Chidambaram Trophy: Highest run-getter in U23 Col Cok Nayudu Trophy: Parth
Palawat (2019-20), YV Rathod (2021-22), Kshitij Patel (2022-23).
72. Former Chief Justice of India and current Rajya Sabha MP, Ranjan Gogoi, will be honoured
with the prestigious ‘Assam Baibhav’ award 2023, the highest civilian award in Assam. He
will be given a citation, certificate, medal and a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh.
The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on 10th February 2024.

He was the 46th CJI of India and the first judge from the Northeast to hold the post.
During his tenure, the Supreme Court had given a historic verdict on the decade-old Ram
Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case.
Assam Saurav Award 2023:
• Hima Das - Athletics
• Dr. Kishan Chand Nauriyal: Art and Culture
• Elvis Ali Hazarika: Swimming and
• Nadiram Deuri: Tiwa Dance
This award will include a citation, certificate, medal and a cash prize of Rs 4 lakh.
Assam Gaurav Award 2023:
• Ranjit Gogoi (Folk and Bihu dance exponent)
• Parvati Barua (animal protection activities)

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• Debojit Chiangmai (sound engineer)
• Drono Bhuyan (Oja Pali)
• Neelam Dutta (Organic Farming)
• Anupam Deka (industrialist)
• Soumyadeep Dutta (Wildlife Conservation)
• Basant Chiring Phukan (Mushroom Cultivation)
• Manendra Deka (Handicraft)
• Meenakshi Chetia (Social Service)
• Pakhila Lekhtepi (Karbi Lok)
• Tenzing Bodosa (Elephant Friendly Tea Garden)
• Nirmal De (mat)
• Jessin Kumbang Pao (weaving)
• Mary Hassa (social services)
• Upendra Rabha (black rice cultivation)
• Rahul Gupta (Hydroponic Farming)
This award will include a citation, certificate, medal and a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh.
73. Engineers India Limited (EIL) has been awarded with the prestigious SCOPE Eminence
Award in the category of Women Empowerment for the period 2019-20.
The award recognizes EIL’s exemplary commitment to fostering an inclusive & diverse work
environment and celebrating the outstanding achievement of its women workforce.
74. The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, has conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal
Puraskar 2024, instituted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of
India, to 19 children for their exceptional achievements.
The Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2024 is given in six categories: one child each in
the categories of Bravery, Science & Technology and Innovation, four in the category of Social
Service, five in the category of Sports, and seven in the category of Art & Culture.
The awardees, comprising 9 boys and 10 girls, hail from 18 States and Union Territories,
including two aspirational districts.
S. No Name State Category

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1 Aaditya Vijay Bramhane Maharashtra Bravery
(posthumous)
2 Anushka Pathak Uttar Pradesh Art & Culture

3 Arijeet Banerjee West Bengal Art & Culture
4 Armaan Ubhrani Chhattisgarh Art & Culture
5 Hetvi Kantibhai Khimsuriya Gujarat Art & Culture
6 Ishfaq Hamid Jammu & Kashmir Art & Culture
7 Md Hussain Bihar Art & Culture
8 Pendyala Laxmi Priya Telangana Art & Culture
9 Suhani Chauhan Delhi Innovation
10 Aryan Singh Rajasthan Science & Technology
11 Avnish Tiwari Madhya Pradesh Social Service
12 Garima Haryana Social Service
13 Jyotsna Aktar Tripura Social Service
14 Saiyam Mazumder Assam Social Service
15 Aaditya Yadav Uttar Pradesh Sports
16 Charvi A Karnataka Sports
17 Jesicca Neyi Saring Arunachal Pradesh Sports
18 Linthoi Chanambam Manipur Sports
19 R Surya Prasad Andhra Pradesh Sports
Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP):

The PMRBP awarded annually by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
It honours children aged 5–18 for excellence in Bravery, Art & Culture, Environment,
Innovation, Science & Technology, Social Service, and Sports that deserve national
recognition.
The awards include a medal, certificate, and citation booklet, presented the week before
Republic Day.
The awardees must receive the accolades personally, with posthumous exceptions for
bravery in Bal Shakti Puraskar.
Eligibility: Limited to Indian citizens residing in India.
75. The President of India has approved the conferment of Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of
Awards-2023 on 31 persons which includes Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak to 03, Uttam
Jeevan Raksha Padak to 07 and Jeevan Raksha Padak to 21 persons. Three awardees are
posthumous.
Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak:

• Master Anthony Vanmawia (Posthumous), Mizoram
• Ms. Melody Lalremruati (Posthumous), Mizoram
• Shri Sooraj R (Posthumous), Central Reserve Police Force

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Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak:
• Shri Sahil Bisso Lad, Goa
• Ms. Kajal Kumari, Jharkhand
• Shri Naveen Kumar D, Telangana
• Shri Vinod Kumar, Border Roads Organisation
• Havildar Shera Ram, Ministry of Defence
• Shri Mukesh Kumar, National Disaster Response Force
• Shri Naresh Kumar, National Investigation Agency
Jeevan Raksha Padak:

• Shri M S Anil Kumar, Andaman and Nicobar Islands
• Shri Jeetam Parameswara Rao, Andhra Pradesh
• Shri Samarjit Basumatary, Assam
• Shri Sudesh Kumar, Chandigarh
• Shri Justin George, Kerala
• Shri Wilson, Kerala
• Shri Padma Thinlass, Ladakh
• Shri Mohd Afzal, Ladakh
• Smt. Adika Rajaram Patil, Maharashtra
• Smt. Priyanka Bharat Kale, Maharashtra
• Smt. Sonali Sunil Balode, Maharashtra
• Shri Maria Michael A, Tamil Nadu
• Shri S Vijayakumar, Tamil Nadu
• Shri Naresh Joshi, Uttarakhand
• Shri Arjun Malik, Border Roads Organisation
• Shri Amit Kumar Singh, Border Security Force
• Shri Sher Singh, Central Industrial Security Force
• Shri Sonu Sharma, Central Industrial Security Force
• Shri Abdul Hameed, Ministry of Defence
• Shri Sunil Kumar Mishra, Ministry of Defence
• Shri Shashikant Kumar, Ministry of Railways
Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards:

• The award is given to a person for meritorious act of human nature in saving the life of a
person.
• The award is given in three categories, namely, Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak (Rs.2
lakh), Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak (Rs.1.5 lakh) and Jeevan Raksha Padak (Rs.1 lakh).
• Persons of all walks of life are eligible for these awards.
• The award can also be conferred posthumously.

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76. The President of India Droupadi Murmu has approved the President’s Tatrakshak Medal
(PTM) and Tatrakshak Medal (TM) to six Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel for their act
of conspicuous gallantry, exceptional devotion to duty, distinguished/meritorious service on
the eve of 75th Republic Day.
President’s Tatrakshak Medal (Distinguished Service): IG Bhisham Sharma, TM (0247-L)

Tatrakshak Medal (Gallantry)
• Comdt Sunil Dutt (0662-D)
• Comdt (JG) Saurabh (0735-S)
Tatrakshak Medal (Meritorious Service)

• DIG Anil Kumar Parayil (0265-C)
• DIG Jamal Taha (4085-J)
• Dipak Roy, P/Adh (AR), 01111-Z
Additional Information:
The President's Tatrakshak Medal is an Indian military decoration, awarded for selfless
devotion, distinguished and meritorious service in Indian Coast Guard. These awards are
being given to the personnel of Indian Coast Guard on the occasion of Republic Day and
Independence Day every year, since January 26, 1990.
77. Young Liu, the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Foxconn, the Taiwanese
multinational electronics contract manufacturer, has been bestowed with the prestigious
Padma Bhushan Award 2024.
He has received this award in the field of Trade & Industry.

He is the only foreigner in the list of ‘Padma Bhushan’ awardees this year (2024).
Young Liu founded three companies: A motherboard company Young Micro Systems in 1988,
a northbridge and southbridge IC design company in 1995 focused on the PC chipset and an
ITE Tech and an ADSL IC design company, ITeX in 1997.
Foxconn, headquartered in Taiwan, stands as the world’s largest contract manufacturer,
responsible for assembling approximately 70% of iPhones.
Note: Padma Bhushan is India's third-highest civilian award. It is awarded for distinguished
service of high order.
78. President of India Droupadi Murmu has announced Gallantry awards to 80 Armed Forces
personnel, including 12 posthumous, on the eve of 75th Republic Day.
These include six Kirti Chakras, including three posthumous; 16 Shaurya Chakras,
including two posthumous; 53 Sena Medals, including seven posthumous; one Nao Sena
Medal (Gallantry) and four Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
The President has also approved 311 defence decorations to Armed Forces and other
personnel.

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Kirti Chakra Awardees 2024:
• Major Digvijay Singh Rawat of the 21st Battalion (Parachute Regiment, Special Forces)
• Major Deependra Vikram Basnet from the Sikh Regiment’s fourth battalion
• Havildar Pawan Kumar Yadav from the 21st battalion of the Mahar Regiment
• Captain Anshuman Singh from the 26th Battalion of the Punjab Regiment (Army Medical
Corps
• Havildar Abdul Majid of the Parachute Regiment’s ninth battalion (special forces)
• Sepoy Pawan Kumar from the 55th Battalion of Rashtriya Rifles
Shaurya Chakra Awardees 2024:

• Major Maneo Francis of the Parachute Regiment’s 21st battalion
• Major Amandeep Jakhar from the Sikh Regiment’s fourth battalion
• Naib Subedar Baria Sanjay Kumar Bhamar Singh of the Mahar Regiment
• Havildar Sanjay Kumar from 9 Assam Rifles
• Parshotam Kumar (civilian) from the Rashtriya Rifles
• Lieutenant Bimal Ranjan Behera of the Indian Navy
• Wing Commander Shailesh Singh (pilot) of the Indian Air Force
• Flight Lieutenant Hrishikesh Jayan Karuthedath (pilot) of the Indian Air Force
• Assistant Commandant Bibhor Kumar Singh of CRPF
• Mohan Lal from the Jammu and Kashmir Police
• Amit Raina from the Jammu and Kashmir Police
• Faroz Ahmad Dar from Jammu and Kashmir Police
• Varun Singh from the Jammu and Kashmir Police
• Captain MV Pranjal of the 63rd Battalion of Rashtriya Rifles
• Rifleman Alok Rao of 18 Assam Rifles
Note: The order of precedence of gallantry awards is the Param Vir Chakra, the Ashoka
Chakra, the Mahavir Chakra, the Kirti Chakra, the Vir Chakra and the Shaurya Chakra.
75th Republic Day 2024:
India has observed its 75th Republic Day on 26th January 2024. The day marks and celebrates
the date on which the Indian Constitution came into effect on 26th January 1950.
• Chief Guest of the 75th Republic Day is Emmanuel Macron, President of France
79. The Government of India has decided to confer Bharat Ratna 2024 to Karpoori Thakur, a
prominent Gandhian socialist leader and former Bihar chief minister.
He served as chief minister from December 1970 to June 1971 and from December 1977 to
April 1979.
Karpoori Thakur died on February 17, 1988.
Bharat Ratna:
• Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India, was instituted in 1954.
• This award is open to anyone, regardless of race, occupation, position, or gender.

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• It is awarded in recognition of outstanding service or performance of the highest order in
any field of human endeavour.
• The awards are restricted to a maximum of three in a particular year.
• The Bharat Ratna does not come with any monetary grant.
• The award is recommended by Prime Minister to President of India.
• The recipient receives a Sanad (certificate) signed by President and a medallion.

BOOKS & AUTHORS
80. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has released the book titled “Assam’s Braveheart Lachit
Barphukan” in Guwahati, Assam. The book is authored by Arup Kumar Dutta.
The book delves into the life of the legendary 17th-century Ahom warrior Lachit Barphukan. It
highlights his significant role in defending Assam against the Mughal army, chronicling
historical events and the enduring influence of Barphukan’s legacy.
The book is published by the State government.
It is available in English and translated into 24 Scheduled Indian languages.
PERSON IN NEWS
81. Tarun Khulbe has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Whole Time
Director of Jindal Stainless Ltd (JSL). He has been serving as the Whole Time Director of the
company since May 2018.
He joined JSL as a general manager for the cold rolling mills at Hisar, Haryana, in October
2004.
82. Senior IPS officer Daljit Singh Chaudhary has been appointed as the Director General of
the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) for a period up to 30th November 2025.
He is a 1990 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre.
He is presently working as Special Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force
(CRPF).
The SSB guards India’s frontiers with Nepal and Bhutan.
83. Jagrut Kotecha has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Snacks and
beverage major ‘PepsiCo India’. He will succeed Ahmed El Sheikh, who will take over as CEO
for the Middle East Business Unit, in March 2024, after a seven-year stint in India.
He is currently Chief Commercial Officer for PepsiCo in Africa, Middle East, and South Asia
(AMESA).

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84. Havildar Preeti Rajak, who is a champion trap shooter, has become the first woman to
hold the rank of Subedar in the Indian Army. She joined the Army in the Corps of Military
Police on 22nd December 2022.
She was the first meritorious sportswomen in the shooting discipline enrolled in the Army as
a Havildar.
During the 19th Asian Games, held at Hangzhou in China, she won a silver medal in the trap
women team event.
She is currently ranked sixth in India (trap women event) and is training at the Army
Marksmanship Unit (AMU) in preparation for the Paris Olympic Games 2024.
She hails from Madhya Pradesh.
85. Anil Kumar Lahoti, a former chairman and chief executive officer of the Railway Board, has
been appointed as the Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
He is a 1984 batch Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE) officer.

He has been appointed as TRAI chief for a period of three years from the date of assumption
of charge of the post or until he attains the age of 65 years or until further orders, whichever
is earlier.
He has succeeded PD Vaghela.

OBITUARIES
86. Noted banker Rana Talwar has passed away at the age of 76 after being unwell for some
time. He began his career with Citibank India in 1969.
He joined Standard Chartered in 1997, assuming the position of CEO after some months,
becoming the first Asian to head an international bank.
He also founded Sabre Capital, a private equity firm.
He was also a board member at DLF, having joined the realty major in 2006.
87. Dr Nitya Anand, the developer of India's first oral contraceptive pill ‘Saheli’, has passed
away at the age of 99. He was born in Lyallpur, Punjab Province, British India on 1 January
1925.
‘Saheli’ was the world’s first and only non-steroidal, non-hormonal, once-a-week oral
contraceptive pill. It was launched by then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1986.
Saheli was incorporated in the National Family Programme of India in 2016.

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He was an Indian medicinal chemist who was the director of Central Drug Research Institute
in Lucknow from 1974 to 1984.
He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Indian government in 2012.

SPORTS
88. Tata Group has won the right to remain the Indian Premier League (IPL) title sponsor for
another five years (2024 to 2028). The deal is valued at Rs.2500 crore.
The TATA Group earlier held the title sponsorship rights for the IPL in 2022 and 2023, paying
Rs 670 crore for the two-year rights.
Tata is also the title sponsor of the Women’s Premier League, the largest women’s T20 league
globally.
89. Badminton player Tai Tzu Ying from Chinese Taipei has won her first women’s singles title
at the India Open 2024, defeating Chen Yu Fei from China in a dominant straight-game
victory.
She displayed remarkable skill and resilience, winning in straight sets with scores of 21-16,
21-12.
Currently, she has been ranked world number three.
She secured a silver medal in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Other winners:
• Men's singles: Shi Yuqi (China)
• Men's doubles: Kang Min-hyuk and Seo Seung-jae (South Korea)
• Women's doubles : Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara (Japan)
• Mixed doubles: Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Thailand)
The 2024 India Open, a badminton tournament, has been held at the K. D. Jadhav Indoor
Stadium, New Delhi, India, from 16 to 21 January 2024.
90. South Africa is hosting the International Cricket Council (ICC) U-19 Cricket World Cup
2024. The World Cup started on 19 January 2024 and will conclude on 11 February 2024.
This 50-over tournament will feature 16 teams, with a total of 41 matches scheduled to be
played.
The initial phase of the tournament organizes the teams into four groups, each containing
four teams. This will be followed by the Super Six stage, comprising two groups of six teams
each.
The Super Six stage will be crucial in determining which teams advance to the semifinals and
ultimately compete in the final.

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91. The 2024 Australian Open, a Grand Slam level tennis tournament, has been held at
Melbourne Park, from 14–28 January 2024. It is the 112th edition of the Australian Open.
A 43-year-old Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna along with his Australian partner
Matthew Ebden has won the men’s doubles title by defeating the Italian pair of Simone
Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in the finals of Australian Open 2024.
This is Rohan Bopanna’s second grand slam title after the 2017 French Open win with his
Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski in mixed doubles.
He has surpassed the record of Australian tennis champion Ken Rosewall, who won a grand
slam at 37.
Australian Open title 2024:
• Men’s Singles: Jannik Sinner (Italy)
• Women’s Singles: Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)
• Women’s Doubles: Hsieh Su-Wei (Taiwan) & Elise Mertens (Belgium)
• Mixed Doubles: Hsieh Su-wei (Taiwan) & Jan Zielinski (Poland)
92. The maiden edition of the FIH Women's Hockey5s World Cup, an international field hockey
competition, has been organised by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) in January
2024 in Oman, Muscat.
Netherlands has won the maiden edition of the FIH Women's Hockey5s World Cup by
defeating India 7–2 in the final.
Other awards:
• Best Player: Noor De Baat (Netherlands)
• Best Goalkeeper: Marta Kucharska (Poland)
• Best Junior Player: Deepika Soreng (India)
• Top Scorer: Teresa Viana (Uruguay) with 19 goals
• Women’s Challenger Trophy Winner: United States
• Women’s Challenger Trophy Runner-Up: Namibia
93. Indian women’s hockey team defender and penalty corner specialist Deep Grace Ekka has
announced her international retirement. She began her journey in international hockey as a
17-year-old in 2011 when she made her debut in the Four-Nation Tournament in Argentina.
• She was instrumental in India qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
• She was a vital part in the team’s defence line at the Tokyo Games where India finished
fourth.
• She was a member of the Indian team that won bronze in the 2022 Birmingham
Commonwealth Games.

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• She also represented the Indian teams that won medals in 2014 and 2018 Asian Games.
• She was also a member of the title-winning Indian teams in 2016 Women’s Asian
Champions Trophy and 2017 Asia Cup.
94. Formula One has announced that Madrid will host the Spanish Grand Prix from 2026 to
2035 on a new street circuit around the capital's IFEMA exhibition centre.
Madrid will take over from Barcelona, which has been the event’s home since 1991.
The new street circuit will feature a mix of street and non-street sections, spanning 5.47
kilometres with 20 corners.

IMPORTANT DAYS
95. ‘Parakram Diwas’ (Courage Day) is observed annually across India on 23rd January to
commemorate the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The day is celebrated
to honour and remember Netaji’s indomitable spirit and selfless service to the nation. The
day was first observed in 2021.
The year 2024 marks the observance of the 127th birth anniversary of him.
Subhas Chandra Bose:
• He was born on 23rd January 1897, in Cuttack, Orissa Division, Bengal Province, to
Prabhavati Dutt Bose and Janakinath Bose.
• He joined the Indian National Congress in 1921.
• He started a newspaper called “Swaraj”.
• He had written a book called “The Indian Struggle”. The book covers the Indian
Independence movement between 1920 and 1942.
• The term “Jai Hind” was coined by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
• With the slogan “Give me blood and I will give you freedom”, he awakened the country
towards fighting against the British.
• He won the congress presidential elections at Haripura in 1938.
• Again in 1939 at Tripuri, he won the presidential elections against Gandhi's candidate
Pattabhi Sitaramayya. Due to ideological differences with Gandhi, Bose resigned and left
congress. Rajendra Prasad was appointed in his place.
• He founded a new party, 'the Forward Bloc'. The purpose was to consolidate the political
left and major support base in his home state Bengal.
• He built a force known as the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) giving the slogan of
“Dilli Chalo”.

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96. International Day of Education is observed annually on 24th January to celebrate the role
of education in bringing global peace and sustainable development. The day is organized by
the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Theme 2024: “Learning for Lasting Peace”

The year 2024 marks the 6th observation of International Day of Education.
The first-ever International Day of Education was observed on 24 January 2019 as per the
resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly on 3rd December 2018 to
celebrate the role of education in development.
97. The National Girl Child Day (NGCD) is observed annually across India on 24th January to
focus on the inequalities faced by girls, to promote the education, health & nutrition of the
girl child, and to spread awareness about the rights of a girl child.
The day was observed for the first time in 2008 as an initiative by the Ministry of Women and
Child Development and the Government of India.
98. National Tourism Day is observed annually on 25th January to raise awareness about the
importance of tourism for the country’s economy. The day is observed to cultivate awareness
among the global community of the importance of tourism and its social, political, financial
and cultural worth.
99. National Voters’ Day (NVD) is observed annually on 25th January to mark the foundation
day of the Election Commission of India (ECI), i.e. 25th January 1950. The main purpose of the
NVD celebration is to create electoral awareness amongst citizens and encourage them to
participate in the electoral process. The day was first observed in 2011.
• The year 2024 marks the 14th National Voters’ Day.
• Theme 2024: ‘Nothing Like Voting, I Vote for Sure’
100. International Customs Day is observed annually on 26th January to commemorate the
inaugural session of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), which was held on this day in
1953. The day also raises awareness about the importance of customs authorities and their
role in the smooth movement of goods across borders. The day was first observed in 1983.
The year 2024 marks the observance of the 71th anniversary of the WCO.
Theme 2024: ‘Customs engaging traditional and new partners with purpose’
101. International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed annually on 27th January to

commemorate the anniversary of the tragedy of the Holocaust, also known as the Shoah,
which was the genocide of European Jews during World War II.
Theme 2024: “Recognizing the Extraordinary Courage of Victims and Survivors of the
Holocaust”

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United Nations designated the day in 2005 to serve as a date for official commemoration of
the victims of the Nazi regime and to promote Holocaust education throughout the world.
The day was first observed in 2006.
102. World Leprosy Day is observed globally on the last Sunday of January to raise global
awareness of this deadly ancient disease and call attention to the fact that it can be
prevented, treated, and cured.
In 2024, the World Leprosy Day falls on 28th January.

• The day was initiated in 1954 by French philanthropist and writer, Raoul Follereau, as a
tribute to the life of Mahatma Gandhi who had compassion for people afflicted with
leprosy.
• Theme 2024: “Beat Leprosy”
• As per the latest data, India accounts for almost 60 percent of the world's new leprosy
patients despite being declared leprosy-free in 2005.
Note: In India, World Leprosy Day is celebrated every year on 30 January, the anniversary of
Mahatma Gandhi’s death.
103. Data Privacy Day is annually observed across the globe on 28th January to spread
awareness about the significance of protecting Data Privacy Day 2024, promoting trust, and
respecting privacy.
• The day commemorates the anniversary of the opening for signature of Convention 108,
the global data protection Convention, on 28th January 1981.
• The year 2024 marks the observance of the 18th edition of Data Privacy Day.
• The day was first observed in 2007.
104. Martyr’s Day or Shaheed Diwas is observed annually on 30th January to mark the death
anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The year 2024 marks the 76th death anniversary of
Mahatma Gandhi. The day is observed to remember the sacrifices made by freedom fighters
in the struggle for India’s independence and to pay our respects to them.
Note: The Raj Ghat is a memorial site to honour Mahatma Gandhi.

The Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse in the Birla
House during his evening prayers on 30 January 1948. Gandhiji was a freedom fighter, a
simple man with huge determination, a man who had sacrificed his life for the independence,
welfare, and development of India.

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Important Day Date/Month Theme for 2024 Remark
Parakram Diwas 23rd January The day

commemorates the
birth anniversary of
Netaji Subhas
Chandra Bose. The
year 2024 marks
the 127th birth
anniversary of him.
National Girl Child 24th January The day was first
Day observed in 2008.
International Day of 24th January Learning for
Education Lasting Peace
National Tourism Day 25th January
National Voters’ Day 25th January Nothing Like The day was first
Voting, I Vote For observed in 2011.
sure
International 26th January
Customs Day
International 27th January Recognizing the
Holocaust Extraordinary
Remembrance Day Courage of Victims
and Survivors of
the Holocaust
Data Privacy Day 28th January
World Leprosy Day Last Sunday Beat Leprosy

of January
(29th January
2023)
World Neglected 30 January
th
Tropical Diseases Day

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Weekly Current Affairs January 2024 Week - 04

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SBI Clerk Mains Free Mock Test

Generating Company Limited (MPPGCL).

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Basin Power Limited in Sundergarh district of Odisha.

The exercise has been held from January 22 to February 3, 2024.

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crore or 15 per cent of capex, whichever is lower.

capex, whichever is lower, is provided for each project.

capex, whichever is lower.

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Rüsoma Village is also known as the ‘Gardening village.’

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He had first taken oath as the state’s Chief minister in 2000.

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Mysuru (Karnataka)-based Arun Yogiraj.

considered as the age of innocence.

• The idol has a golden bow and arrow in his hands.

Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir:

Gurjara architecture of Nagara style, a type of Hindu temple architecture found

primarily in northern India.

• It is built by Larsen and Toubro (L&T).

• The temple was built at an estimated cost of Rs.1800 crore.

complex occupy 5.5 acres.

• The main temple area spans 2.67 acres.

• It is made with pink sandstone and anchored by black granite.

It has been organized from 18th January to 31st January 2024.

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International Kolkata Book Fair:

In 2024, the festival is observed on 23rd January.

(Jammu & Kashmir) and Chiktan Shagaran in Ladakh.

also worshipping a variety of spirits (Lha).

The construction is expected to span three to four years.

Gole Mela' is organized twice every year.

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REPORTS & INDICES

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Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Programme:

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Ministry: Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE)

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The MoU was signed on 15th December 2023.

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depending upon the annuity option chosen.

as per your requirements.

• Mode of Annuity payments (yearly, half-yearly, quarterly and monthly).

not be less than Rs.1,000.

annuity rate at higher age.

options with return of premium/ purchase price.

www.practicemock.com 17 [email protected] 9319314079

www.practicemock.com 18 [email protected] 9319314079

It is a non-linked, non-participating, and individual savings life insurance plan.