National News

PM e-VIDYA DTH Channel No. 31

• Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan launched the PM e-VIDYA DTH Channel No. 31 for Indian Sign Language in New Delhi.

What is Sign language?

Anna Chakra and SCAN

• Food and Public Distribution Minister Pralhad Joshi launched Anna Chakra, a tool to enhance the efficiency of the Public Distribution System (PDS) supply chain, in New Delhi.
• He also launched a portal named subsidy claim application for national food security act (SCAN), to ensure end-to-end automation of processes for the release and settlement of food subsidies.

Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak 2024

• The Parliament has given its nod to the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak 2024, after Rajya Sabha passed it on December 5th, 2024.
• The Bill empowers the Central Government to make rules regulating the design, manufacture, maintenance, sale, export, or import of any aircraft and to secure the safety of aircraft operations.
• The Bill is also aimed at empowering the government to make rules for the investigation of any air accident or incident.

About Parliament of India

Government Schemes/Initiatives

GREAT Scheme

• The government has approved two Start-Ups in the field of Technical Textiles with a grant of nearly fifty Lakh rupees each under the ‘Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT)’ scheme.

About GREAT Scheme

Economy and Banking

50 million dollar loan agreement between India and ADB

• The Centre and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a 50 million dollar loan agreement for a climate-adaptive water harvesting project in Meghalaya.

About ADB

$24 billion for Poorest Nations

• The World Bank secured nearly $24 billion for the International Development Association (IDA), its fund for the world's poorest nations.

About World Bank

Global Trade projection by UNCTAD

• The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) projected global trade to reach a record USD33 trillion in 2024, reflecting a USD1 trillion increase compared to 2023.

About UNCTAD

PoC between India and Slovenia

• India and Slovenia finalized the Programme of Cooperation (PoC) for 2024–2029.

About Slovenia

Highlights of December 2024 MPC Meeting Of RBI

• Gov Shaktikanta Das lowered the GDP growth rate for 2024-25 to 6.6% from 7.2%.
• RBI keeps repo rate unchanged at 6.5%, maintains neutral stance.
• RBI cut the cash reserve ratio (CRR) by 50 basis points to 4%.
• The RBI pegged CPI inflation at 4.8% for FY25 from the earlier estimate of 4.5%.
• RBI has decided to raise the limit for collateral-free agriculture loans from Rs 1.6 lakh to Rs 2 lakh per borrower.

Additional Information

Science and Tech

Proba-3 Mission of ESA

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the European Space Agency's (ESA) Proba-3 mission aboard PSLV-C59 rocket, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
• The mission will provide key insights into solar phenomena and will study space weather through its observation of the Sun's outer rim - the Corona.

About ISRO

3rd Copernicus Sentinel-1 Satellite

• The third Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite was launched aboard a Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The launch marked the return of the Italian-built Vega-C launcher, two years after a failure during its debut commercial mission.
• With 12 Sentinel satellite families, Copernicus is the world’s largest Earth observation system and boasts the largest repository of radar data.

ICSSR Research Internship Programme in Social and Human Sciences

• Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) Research Internship Programme in Social and Human Sciences in New Delhi.

About ICSSR

Defence

Inno-Yoddha 2024-25

• The Indian Army conducted the Idea & Innovation Competition and Seminar, named Inno-Yoddha 2024-25 at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi.
• The “Inno-Yoddha 2024-25” was conducted as a competition and facilitated fresh ideas and novel solutions encouraging soldiers to think out of the box.

About Indian Army

Art and Culture

2nd Edition of Krishnaveni Sangeetha Neerajanam

• Union Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Tourism, Suresh Gopi, inaugurated the 2nd Edition of Krishnaveni Sangeetha Neerajanam, a grand celebration of Carnatic music, traditional crafts, and culinary heritage at Tummalapalli Kshetrayya Kalakshetra Auditorium, Vijayawada.

About Carnatic Music

Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, which will showcase the culture, vibrant textile industry, artisanal crafts, tourism opportunities and unique products of all the eight North Eastern states.

Key Highlights of Event

Awards and Honours

ISSA Good Practice Award for Asia and Pacific 2024

• India has been honored with the International Social Security Association (ISSA) Good Practice Award for Asia and Pacific 2024, presented by Dr. Mohammed Azman, President of ISSA, at the Regional Social Security Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

About ISSA

Patriot of the Year

• President-elect Donald Trump has been awarded the "Patriot of the Year" award at Fox Nation's Patriot Awards.

Important Days

Mahaparinirvan Diwas

• Mahaparinirvan Diwas is observed on 6th December, marking the 69th death anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar.

About Dr BR Ambedkar