NATIONAL NEWS
Govt launches Web- Wonder Women Campaign
The government launched Web- Wonder Women Campaign to celebrate the exceptional achievements of women who have influenced and impacted society through social media.
- The Campaign aims to recognize the fortitude of Indian women stalwarts from across the globe who have used the power of social media to run positive campaigns to steer a change in society.
SC constitutes 5-judge Constitution bench for Ayodhya
A five-Judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi has been constituted to hear the title suit in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid Ayodhya case.
- The Supreme Court had said the bench that will hear a batch of cross petitions challenging the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment on the Ayodhya title suit will decide the future course of the hearing.
India's longest single lane steel cable suspension bridge opens in Arunachal
Chief Minister Pema Khandu inaugurated India's longest 300-meter single-lane steel cable suspension bridge over Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Siang district bordering China.
- The suspension bridge - also known as Byorung bridge - was built at a cost of Rs 4,843 crore and funded by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region under Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources scheme.
- It will reduce the distance from Yingkiong to Tuting town by almost 40 km. The earlier road length was 192 km.
Polavaram enters Guinness Book of Records
Marking a golden letter day in the history of Polavaram project-the life line of Andhra Pradesh, the concrete works of spill channel successfully entered Guinness Book of World Records by completing 32,315.5 Cubic meter of concrete works in a span of 24 hours.
- The Polavaram project also broke the earlier records for largest and continuous concrete pouring.
Kallakurichi is 33rd district of T.N.
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced the creation of a new district by bifurcating Villupuram district.
- Kallakurichi will be the headquarters of the new district and its creation has increased the number of districts in Tamil Nadu to 33.
MoU between Indian Army and PNB
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Army and PNB on the Defence Salary Package. A number of additional facilities have been incorporated in the MoU after concerted efforts.
- Salient features of the improved and updated MoU are free ‘RAKSHAK PLUS’ Scheme for serving pers and veterans, overdraft facility range from Rs 0.75 to 3.0 lakhs, multicity ‘At Par’ cheques, instant credit of outstation cheques, preferential allotment of lockers at concessional AMC and free SMS alerts.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Japan tops list of most powerful passports, India ranks 79th
According to the Henley Passport Index, Japan, for the second time in a row, has topped a global index for the world's most powerful passport in 2019, while India ranked at the 79th position.
Gautemala to withdraw from UN-backed anti-corruption commission
Guatemala has said it is withdrawing from a UN-backed anti-corruption commission. President Jimmy Morales accused the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, commonly known as CICIG, of polarising the country and putting its security at risk.
- He said that the commission has violated human rights and is allied with criminal structures and terrorists.
- The CICIG was formed in 2006 upon the request of the Guatemalan government to combat high rates of impunity for crimes.
BANKING & FINANCE
Iranian bank to open branch in Mumbai in 3 months
Iran will be opening a branch of its private bank named Pasargad in Mumbai in three months. The Government of India has already given permission to Iran to open a bank branch in Mumbai.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Nandan Nilekani to head RBI committee on digitisation of payments
Infosys co-founder and Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani will head a high-level committee assessing digitisation of payments.
- The committee is being constituted by RBI with a view to encourage digitisation of payments and enhance financial inclusion through digitisation.
- The committee will be responsible for reviewing the existing status of digitisation of payments in the country, identifying the current gaps in the ecosystem and suggest ways to bridge them.
SEBI constitutes panel to link research to policy making
Market regulator Security and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has constituted a "Research Advisory" committee which will assist in formulating policy to undertake research relevant for development and regulation of capital markets.
- According to SEBI, the committee would comprise prominent financial economists and market practitioners. It will be headed by Sankar De.
World Bank pegs India's growth rate at 7.3 pc for current fiscal
India's growth rate is expected to accelerate to 7.3% during the current financial year ending March 2019, according to the World Bank's Global Economic Prospects report.
- The Economic Survey 2017-18 had projected the growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP) for the year 2018-19 to be in the range of 7 to 7.5 per cent. In the fifth bi-monthly monetary policy statement, 2018-19, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had projected India's GDP growth for 2018-19 at 7.4 per cent.
World Bank lowers global economic growth prospects amid rising risks
Global economic growth is projected to slow to 2.9 per cent in 2019 from a downwardly revised 3 per cent in 2018 amid rising downside risks, the World Bank has said in its Global Economic Prospects report.
33.66 crore bank accounts opened under Jan-Dhan Yojana
More than 33 crore accounts were opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) till last December and over 80 per cent of these are active accounts, the Rajya Sabha was informed. Out of these accounts, 28.16 crore PMJDY accounts are operative accounts.
- PMJDY accounts are "basic savings bank deposit account" and there is no requirement for maintaining minimum balance in such accounts and thus no penalty is imposed.
India to become world's third largest consumer market by 2030: WEF
'Future of Consumption in Fast-Growth Consumer Market - India' report by World Economic Forum said that India is set to become the world's third largest consumer market behind only USA and China by 2030.
- The report said consumer spending in India is expected to grow from 1.5 trillion US dollar at present to six trillion US dollar by 2030. The report said that with the annual GDP growth rate of 7.5 percent, India is currently the world's sixth largest economy.
SPORTS
Maharashtra all set to host Khelo India Youth Games
Maharashtra is all geared up to host the second edition of the Khelo India Youth Games, which officially began on January 9 in Pune, with "improved" sports infrastructure, including an upgraded shooting range.
USA Cricket announced as ICC's 105th member
The International Cricket Council (ICC) welcomed USA Cricket as its 105th Member. As a Member of the ICC, USA Cricket is now eligible to receive funding in accordance with the ICC Development Funding Policy and can sanction domestic and international cricket in the United States.
Sydney and Brisbane chosen to host $15 million ATP Cup in 2020
Australian cities Sydney and Brisbane have been announced as the first two host locations for the newest team event in men’s tennis for the multi-million dollar ATP Cup from 2020.
- The tournament will comprise more than 100 players from 24 nations with $15 million in prize money and 750 ATP Ranking points.
APPOINTMENTS
Pranav R Mehta becomes first Indian to Head Global Solar Council
A visionary in the field of Solar Energy and the chairman of National Solar Energy Federation, Shri Pranav R Mehta, has taken over as the president of Global Solar Council (GSC) from January 1, 2019. The GSC has its headquarters in Washington D.C., USA.
AWARDS
Nobel laureate Sir Richard J. Roberts to get UDCTAA-ICT-Dhirubhai Ambani honour
The 1993 Nobel laureate (Physiology or Medicine), Sir Richard J. Roberts (from UK), has been named for this year's UDCT Alumni Association-Dhirubhai Ambani Lifetime Achievement Award' for his outstanding professional and educational contributions.
- The award is sponsored by the Reliance Industries Ltd.
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