Today's Current Affairs 30th December 2022

INTERNATIONAL

Bhutan DGPC handed keys to Indian-backed 720 Mw Mangdechhu hydro project

• India-assisted 720 Megawatts Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project has been recently handed to Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) in Bhutan. With this project, India and Bhutan have successfully completed four mega hydroelectric power projects. The commissioning of the project has increased Bhutan’s Electrical Power Generation Capacity by 44 per cent.
• The 720 MW project Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project was jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering in 2019. The commissioning of the project has increased Bhutan’s Electrical Power Generation Capacity by 44 per cent and it is now at 2,326 Mega Watts. The Project has generated more than 9000 million units of energy since its commissioning, reducing 2.4 million tons of emissions annually.

 NATIONAL

Home minister Amit shah launches 'Prahari" app for BSF Jawans

• Home Minister Amit Shah has said that the security of the border can be ensured only when the border villages are populated. He said, along with the deployment of Jawans on the borders, only the patriotic citizens living in the village can provide permanent security. Mr Shah said this while launching the Mobile App ‘Prahari’ and Manual of Border Security Force in New Delhi.
• He said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently started the Vibrant Village programme. He urged all the Border Security Forces that through the Vibrant Village program, they should make efforts towards increasing tourism in the village, making the village self-sufficient with complete facilities. The Minister said that the security of the borders of the country cannot be ensured by pillars or fencing, but by the bravery, patriotism and alertness of the soldiers standing on that border.

India grant permission to Nepal to exports additional 40 MW electricity

• India has given permission to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to export additional 40 megawatts of electricity from two more hydroelectric projects.
• According to NEA, the Central Electricity Authority of India has approved the sale of surplus power from two more hydropower projects - 25 MW Kabeli B-1 and 20 MW Lower Modi - at competitive rates in the Indian energy market. With this, 452.6 MW surplus power can be exported to India from 10 hydropower projects.
• The NEA has halted the export of surplus power to India since the 19th of December as production from the river-based hydroelectric power stations decreased.
• NEA has generated a net income of 11.16 billion rupees via trading 1.36 billion units of surplus power at a competitive rate in the Indian energy market as of the 18th of December.

 OBITURY

Pelé, Brazil World Cup winner and football legend, dies aged 82

• Brazilian football legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento, famously called Pelé, has passed away aged 82. He is considered by many as one of the greatest footballers of all time. He was instrumental in Brazil’s three World Cup victories in 1958, 1962, and 1970. He is still the top scorer for Brazil national team with 77 goals in 92 games. He retired from Santos in 1974 but a year later made a surprise comeback by signing a lucrative deal to join the New York Cosmos in the then nascent North American Soccer League.
• In a glorious 21-year career he scored between 1,281 and 1,283 goals, depending on how matches are counted. Pele, though, transcended soccer, like no player before or since, and he became one of the first global icons of the 20th century.
• During his career, he became known as “The Black Pearl”.
• Pele was named “Athlete of the Century” by the International Olympic Committee, co-“Football Player of the Century” by world soccer body FIFA, and a “national treasure” by Brazil’s government.

 PM Modi's mother Heeraben Modi passed away

• Heeraben Modi (Hiraben Modi), mother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, passed away early on Friday (30 December 2023) in an Ahmedabad hospital. Heeraben was 99. The news of her passing was announced in a bulletin from the UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre, where she was taken on Wednesday when her condition began to deteriorate.

 APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

Praveen Kumar Srivastava appointed acting CVC

• Vigilance Commissioner Praveen Kumar Srivastava has been appointed as the acting Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC). He appointment comes after Suresh N. Patel completed his term as the chief of the anti-corruption watchdog Central Vigilance Commission on December 24. The commission is headed by a CVC and can have a maximum of two Vigilance Commissioners. Besides Mr. Srivastava, former Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Arvind Kumar is the other Vigilance Commissioner. The tenure of a CVC and vigilance commissioner is of four years or till the incumbent attains the age of 65 years.
• Srivastava is a 1988-batch (retired) Indian Administrative Service officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre. He superannuated as Secretary (Coordination), Cabinet Secretariat on January 31 this year.
• During his tenure as Special Secretary and Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, he had handled matters relating to cadre management of Indian Police Service, personnel and general administration of central armed police forces and Union territories.

 IMPORTANT DAYS

356th Birth Anniversary of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj being celebrated across the country

• The 356th Birth Anniversary of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj is being celebrated across the country today with religious fervor and gaiety. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji and recalled his contribution towards serving humanity. In a tweet, Mr Modi said that his unparalleled courage will continue to motivate people for years to come.
• In Bihar, the main function of the birth anniversary known as Prakash Parv will be celebrated at midnight at the gurdwara Takht Sri Harimandir Sahib at Patna Sahib, the birthplace of the Tenth Sikh Guru. A special Diwan has been decorated at Takht Sri Harimandir Sahib Gurudwara. Shabad Kirtan has been organized and devotees have been paying their Ardas (obeisance) since early morning. With the culmination of Akhand Path the main ritual of Prakash Utsav will be performed.

 SUMMIT'S & MOU's

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chairs Conference of LGs, Administrators of UTs in New Delhi

• Home Minister Amit Shah has said that if the potential of Union Territories is fully harnessed, India will be able to achieve the goal of becoming the third-largest economy in the world. He emphasized making Union Territories a role model for the country. Mr Shah said this while chairing the Conference of Union Territories in New Delhi today. He said that all Union Territories should come together and work synergistically on a common platform to achieve the national objectives and vision and take the country forward in the journey of development.
• The Minister also directed the Union Territories to prepare their vision for 2047. He said that Union Territories should take inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's motto of vocal for local and Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat while striving to become a hub of tourism, development and welfare. The Union Territories should focus on increasing their manufacturing sector to reduce their dependence on external resources to reduce the loss of revenue in the process. He said that tourist circuits should be developed in the country to attract more tourists and reduce the cost of transportation.

 BANKING AND ECONOMY

Free import policy for key pulses extended by a year

• The government of India has extended the free import of Urad and Tur pulses by one more year to 31 March 2024. Earlier in March 2022 the government had allowed free import of tur and urad till 31 march 2023. Now importers can import any quantity of urad and tur dal without any quantitative restrictions. The government has taken this step to ensure adequate domestic supply in the country and to control the prices of these pulses.
• India is the largest producer, importer and consumer of pulses in the world accounting for nearly 25% of global production, 15% of International trade and 27% of world consumption.
• In 2020-21 the total pulse production in India was 26.96 million tonnes.
• India meets around 10-12 % of its demand for pulses through import.

 Service sector received most FDI investment: Ind-Ra report 2022

• According to a research report published on 28 December 2022 by the India Ratings & Research (Ind-Ra) the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India was still limited to few sectors and maximum investment was still in the service sectors.
• According to Ind-Ra despite the government’s effort to attract more investments in the manufacturing sector through “Make in India" campaign, the FDI inflow is still tilted in favour of the services sector,".
• Ind-Ra believes this could be because doing business in the services sector is less complicated than doing business in the manufacturing sector in India. This could also be the reason for the majority of the FDI coming in the manufacturing sector is not a Greenfield investment.
• The share of the services sector and computer software & hardware in the FDI between April 2014 and March 2022 were as high as 41.3% and 19.6%, respectively, while manufacturing accounted for just 25.4%.
• Between April 2000 and March 2014, the share of the services sector and computer software & hardware in such inflows were 37% and 5.9%, respectively, and that of manufacturing was as much as 35.4%.