Today's Current Affairs-29th November 2022

INTERNATIONAL

Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA)

• India has decided to send a utility helicopter unit to the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Bangladesh and Pakistan, each, will also send an armed helicopter unit to this operation.
• Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s Spokesperson Farhan Haq said, that the utility helicopter unit from India that is to be deployed in March will “provide much-needed support to our forces and are critical for early warning and rapid response to protect civilians”.
• Haq added, “The UN continues to discuss with member states the deployment of new assets and plans to fill longer-standing gaps in addition to those resulting from recent announcements” of withdrawals.
• The Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) is a United Nations peacekeeping mission that was set up in 2013 by the UNSC to stabilize the western African country after the 2012 Tuareg rebellion.
• This mission was set up to assist in the political processes of Mali and undertake numerous security-related tasks within the conflict-hit country. It is tasked with supporting the transitional authorities of Mali in achieving the political stabilization and implementing the transitional roadmap.

 NATIONAL

KVIC distributes over 330 'bee-boxes' under Re-Hab project to village in Uttarakhand

• KVIC Chairman Shri Manoj Kumar inaugurated the ambitious Reducing Human Attacks using Honey Bees (Re-Hab) Project. Re-Hab Project was inaugurated under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, Government of India).
• Shri Manoj Kumar also distributed 330 bee boxes, bee colonies, and toolkits along with the honey extractor to the rural beneficiaries in Chausla village.
• The Chairman of KVIC informed that the Re-Hab Project is running under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission which is under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The Re-Hab Project is running in 7 states including Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Assam, and Odisha.
• Fencing of Bee boxes on the routes of movement of elephants blocks the path of wild elephants.
• This was through the bees; elephants can be prevented from attacking humans and destroying farmers’ crops.

 SPORTS

Ruturaj Gaikwad hits 7 sixes an over in Vijay Hazare Trophy to create world record

• Ruturaj Gaikwad hit a world record seven sixes in the 49th over of Maharashtra’s Vijay Hazare Trophy quarter-final against Uttar Pradesh in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Rituraj Gaikwad, playing for Maharashtra, became the first batsman in List-A cricket to hit 7 sixes in an over in the quarter-finals. Gaikwad made this record against Uttar Pradesh in Ahmedabad. He remained unbeaten after scoring 220 runs off 159 balls. This is his first double century in List-A cricket, before that 187 not out was his best score. This is also his sixth century in the last 8 innings of Vijay Hazare Trophy. In the 49th over of the innings, he scored 43 runs including 7 sixes on left arm spinner Shiva Singh.
• On the first ball, Rituraj hit a six over long-on, on the second ball he also hit a straight six, on the third ball he hit a six on the leg side to complete the hat-trick, on the fourth and 5th ball he hit a six over mid-off, the 5th ball was also a no ball.This is the most expensive over in List-A cricket, in which a total of 43 runs were scored. Batsmen who have hit six sixes in an over include Sir Garfield Sobers, Ravi Shastri, Herschelle Gibbs, Yuvraj Singh, Ross Whiteley, Hazratullah Zazai, Leo Carter, Kieron Pollard and Thisara Perera.

 APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Punjab-origin Gurdeep Randhawa first Indian appointed to state presidium of German political party

• Indian-origin German citizen, Gurdeep Singh Randhawa has been appointed to the Thuringia state Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party presidium in Germany. Randhawa has been an active member of the CDU and has served in the party for several years now. Earlier in August, Gurdeep Singh Randhawa was elected as the first representative of the Indian community in Germany. It is the first time that an Indian-origin German national has been appointed to a state presidium in Germany by the CDU.
• As a representative of the Indian community, Randhawa’s work was to make the concerns of the Indian community heard. His task was also to encourage Indians to become politically active. Randhawa continues to have business ties with India and is also involved in humanitarian work, especially for the rights of Sikhs and the people of Punjab.
• The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian-democratic and liberal-conservative political party in Germany. It is the major catch-all party of the centre-right in German politics. The CDU’s policies derive from political Catholicism, Catholic social teaching and political Protestantism as well as economic liberalism and national conservatism.

 SUMMIT'S & MOU's

Udaipur gears up to host first G20 Sherpa Meeting in India from Dec 4 to 7

• Udaipur is gearing up to host the first G20 Sherpa Meeting in India from 4 to 7 December. The meeting is aimed at fostering growth and building bonds amongst the member nations. Among the highlights will be the depiction of Indian culture with wall paintings and illumination of heritage sites across the city.
• The G20 Sherpa meeting is expected to be held at the Darbar Hall at the City Palace Udaipur. Arrangement is being made at Fateh Prakash Palace, Hotel Udai Vilas and Leela Palace to accommodate the delegates for this meeting. The Royal Dinner is expected to be held at Jag Mandir where the delegates will be treated to delicacies from the Indian cuisine as well as those of the member countries.
• The Sherpa Meeting of the G20 Summit is a preliminary meeting of the government representatives before the main G20 Summit. Here the representatives of the member nations hold discussions to firm up possible agreements.

EAM S Jaishankar addresses seventh edition of Global Technology Summit

• The seventh edition of the Global Technology Summit is to be held till the 1st of December in New Delhi in a hybrid format. The Global Technology Summit is India’s annual flagship event on Geotechnology and is co-hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs and Carnegie India.
• The inaugural session of the Summit would be a conversation with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on geo-digital and its effects.
• External Affairs Ministry informed that over three days, the world’s leading minds in technology, government, security, space, startups, data, law, public health, climate change, academics, and the economy will gather, and debate related to technology and its future.
• The theme for this year’s Summit is ‘Geopolitics of Technology. GTS 2022 will see participation from more than 100 speakers across over 50-panel discussions, keynote addresses, book launches, and other events.

Nai Chetna: Jan Andolan to address gender-based violence

• ‘Nai Chetna’, is a month-long campaign envisioned as a ‘Jan Andolan’ or people’s movement. The ‘Nai Chetna’ campaign is launched by the Ministry of Rural Development and involves sensitizing women, especially in rural areas. It seeks to enable women to acknowledge, prepare, and take support in situations of comprise.
• The Union Minister described that the ‘Nai Chetna’ campaign focuses on women.
• Women in rural areas are unaware of the various mechanisms available to raise their concerns.
• The campaign has an idea to bring the issue of gender-based violence into focus and make women aware of their rights and the mechanism available to help redress their grievances.
• The ‘Nai Chetna’ campaign was launched on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women on 25th November 2022.

 AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Tamil writer Imayam selected for Kuvempu national award

• Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Prathishtana Kuppali has selected Tamil poet V Annamalai aka Imayam for the Kuvempu National award for the year 2022 at the Kuvempu’s 118th birth anniversary program on December 29 at Kuppali in Thirthahalli taluk. ‘Kannada National Poet Kwembu Rashtriya Puraskar Award is presented annually in memory of the late poet Kwembu has been announced to Writer Institute for the Tamil language. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a silver medal and a citation.
• Annamalai writes in the pen name Imayam and has penned seven novels, six short story collections, and a novella. His debut novel ‘Koveru Kazhudaigal has been translated into English, French, and many other Indian languages. Imayam has brought new sensibilities to Tamil literature through his writings. His novels Koveru Kazhudaigal and Pethavan, have been translated into English and several other languages. 

BANKING AND ECONOMY

India’s milk production registers monumental growth by 83 MT in last 8 years

• India’s milk production has registered a monumental growth in the last eight years as it has increased by 83 Million Tonnes. In 2013-14, the production was 138 Million Tonnes which increased to 221 Million Tonnes in 2021-22.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, a vibrant dairy sector is also a great way to further strengthen Nari Shakti.
• Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala has credited it to the government’s initiatives for a paradigm shift in the policy perspective of the Dairy and Animal Husbandry sector in the last eight years.
• He added a huge budgetary allocation has also been made for this sector which was mostly ignored earlier. The Minister also said that Centre has expanded the vaccination program for Foot and Mouth Disease to pan India.  He added that it was launched as an eradication programme which was earlier a disease control program limited to selected states and districts.

 RBI to Paytm: Re-apply for payment aggregator licence

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has for now declined to entertain Paytm Payments Services’ (PPSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Paytm, application for an authorisation to provide payment aggregator services for online merchants. The central bank has advised PPSL to resubmit its application within 120 days after taking certain steps.
• The company in a exchange filing said,” Our 100% subsidiary, Paytm Payments Services Limited (“PPSL”), is in receipt of a letter from Reserve Bank of India (“RBI”) in response to an application from PPSL for the authorization to provide payment aggregator services (“PA application”) for online merchants.
• Paytm further said that the firm can continue to onboard new offline merchants and offer them payment services including All-in-One QR, Soundbox, Card Machines, etc.
• The firm said that it is hopeful of receiving the necessary approvals in a timely manner and resubmitting the application.