CURRENT AFFAIRS

Indian Affairs

1. Mori in Andhra gets Smart Digital village tag

Mori, a tiny village under Sakhinetipalli mandal in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, has sealed its place on India’s digital map by transforming completely into a Smart Digital Village, in every sense of the term.

All the 1189 households in the village with a population of 4500 became fully digital as Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu finally launched the AP FiberNet project that will provide internet at a speed of 15 mbps, WiFi, a telephone connection and 250 cable television channels (using a triple-play set-top box) for a total price of Rs 149 per month.

2. World famous 11-day gala festival Bargarh Dhanua Jatra begins

3.  India’s first laser technology-based advanced AVMS RTO check-post at Shamlaji 

Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani dedicated India’s first laser technology-based advanced AVMS RTO check-post at Shamlaji of Aravalli district. The check-post is equipped with advanced ray technology with a cost of Rs 4.72 crore. Along with this programme, Rupani also laid foundation stones of various developmental works worth Rs 30 crore in tribal area of Aravalli district.

4. India successfully test-fires intercontinental ballistic missile Agni-IV

India has successfully tested the Agni-IV ballistic missile, which has a strike range of 4,000km, from the Wheeler Island off Odisha coast. The actual operational induction of the missile, which was tested for a range of only 3,000 km, will take another couple of years. The road-mobile Agni-IV and Agni-V, in turn, are specifically meant for deterrence against China, which can target any Indian city with its formidable inventory of missiles.

5. Sikkim became India’s first fully organic state in 2016

Sikkim became India’s first fully organic state, besides being adjudged the cleanest state, overall best in education and as a tourist destination, while the famed Kanchenjunga National Park was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Around 75,000 hectares of agricultural land were gradually converted to certified organic land by implementing practices and principles as per guidelines laid down in National Programme for Organic Production. It took the state 13 years to fully implement organic farming since the idea was mooted way back in 2003.

Banking & Finance

5. Govt permits 12 PSU banks to raise Rs 3,000 crore from market

In a bid to strengthen capital base of public sector banks (PSBs), the government has allowed 12 lenders to raise nearly Rs 3,000 crore via preferential shares over and above the Rs 22,915 crore capital support committed to them in July last year. The Finance Ministry granted approval to 12 proposals of PSBs to raise a sum of Rs 2,914.038 crore through preferential allotment and permission given to raise Rs 200 crore by United Bank of India through QIP mode.

The government had already infused a sum of Rs 25,000 crore in 19 PSBs during FY 2015-16.

6. 26 crore accounts open under Jan Dhan Yojana across country 

According to latest data released by Finance Ministry over 26 crore accounts have been opened under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) across the country till date. Of the total, nearly 16 crore accounts are in rural areas and more than 10 crore in urban. Over 71 thousand 500 crore rupees have been deposited in these accounts and zero balance accounts has come down to nearly 24%. Around 20 crore RuPay Debit cards have also been issued under the scheme.

Awards & Honours

7. Bharatiya Jananpith announces Navlekhan award 2016

Two new Hindi writers Shraddha and Ghyansham Kumar Devansh have been chosen for Bharatiya Jnanpith Navlekhan Award for the year 2016. The decision to confer the award on Shraddha for her short story, ‘Hawa Mein Phadphadati Chitthi’ and on Devansh for his poem ‘Akash Mein Deh’ was taken unanimously by a selection panel.

8. NHPC CMD honoured at 10th ENERTIA Awards 2016

State-run National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Chairman and Managing Director K M Singh has been conferred the ‘Power & Energy Persona’s Award for Individual Excellence’ at the 10th ENERTIA Awards 2016 — India and South Asia’s awards for excellence in sustainable energy and power.

Appointments

9. Indian Origin Appointed To Top Military Post In Kyrgyzstan

Kerala-born, Saudi-based entrepreneur Shaikh Rafik Mohammed, 42, has been appointed Major General of Kyrgyzstan, in a first for an Indian in the Central Asian country.  Mohammed assumed the prestigious post in the presence of defence minister Ali Mirza at an official ceremony held in Kyrgyzstan. He holds Kyrgyzstan nationality, conferred by former President Kurmanbek Saliyevich Bakiyev, whom he had met in his late 20s while working in Iran.

10. Air Marshal Anil Khosla takes over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Air Command

Air Marshal Anil Khosla AVSM VM has taken over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Air Command. Air Officer Khosla has vast instructional experience and has been Directing Staff at prestigious institutions like Tactics and Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) and Flying Instructor School (FIS).

He has commanded a Jaguar squadron with maritime role and two frontline bases of the IAF at Jaisalmer and Ambala. He has held various staff appointments at the Head Quarters.

11. Mian Saqib Nisar appointed as Chief Justice of Pak

Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has took oath as the 25th Chief Justice of Pakistan. The oath was administered by the country’s President Mamnoon Hussain at the President House. The event was attended by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other dignitaries. Justice Nisar has replaced Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali who retired after serving as Chief Justice for 15 months

Sports

12. Rafael Nadal wins Mubadala Tennis Championships 2016 in Abu Dhabi

Spanish tennis veteran Rafael Nadal defeated Belgian David Goffin 6-4, 7-6 to win the Mubadala World Tennis Championships. Nadal, 30, trailed at 1-3 in the first set but regained advantage over Goffin, who overcame world No.1 Andy Murray in the semi-finals.

Nadal, the 14-time Grand Slam singles winner said: “I feel comfortable, you like the court and the support is great in Abu Dhabi, I feel the love of the people and I wish everybody a Happy New Year.”

13. Somdev Devvarman announces retirement from professional tennis

One of India’s most promising singles players in recent time, Somdev Devvarman, has called time on his career. Devvarman, currently 909th in the ATP rankings, has been missing from the circuit for a few months now. Devvarman, who in 2009 became the only Indian to have reached the final of the Chennai Open singles event, won the singles gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

In 2011, he was honoured with the Arjuna Award.

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