1. Supreme Court directed all States and UT’s to issue ration cards to sex workers
Tags: National News
- The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed States and Union Territories to immediately start the process of issuing voter ID cards, Aadhaar and ration cards to sex workers across the country.
- The Supreme Court observed that every person is guaranteed their fundamental rights irrespective of vocation (type of work or a way of life of an individual). Depriving any individual of availing the same is an abridgment of their fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution.
- The court directed that authorities can take assistance from the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and State AIDS control societies, which would, in turn, prepare a list of sex workers after verifying the information provided to them by community-based organizations.
The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO)
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2. Border disputes between States and Union Territory
Tags: National News
The Union Home Ministry has informed the Lok Sabha that 11 States and one Union Territory have boundary disputes between them arising out of demarcation of boundaries and claims and counterclaims over territories.
The following states and UT’s are involved in border disputes-
- Andhra Pradesh-Odisha,
- Haryana-Himachal Pradesh,
- Union Territories of Ladakh-Himachal Pradesh,
- Maharashtra-Karnataka,
- Assam-Arunachal Pradesh,
- Assam-Nagaland,
- Assam-Meghalaya,
- Assam-Mizoram
Union Home Minister - Amit Shah
Union Home Secretary - Ajay Kumar Bhalla
3. Over half of UAPA detainees are under 30 age
Tags: National News
The Union Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah informed the Lok Sabha that:
- Nearly 53% of persons arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) 1967, in 2018, 2019, and 2020 were below the age of 30.
- UAPA has been amended in the past keeping in view the requirement and “presently no amendments in the UAPA are under consideration” by the government.
- In 2020, the maximum number of arrests under UAPA of persons below 30 years of age was made in Uttar Pradesh (205) followed by Jammu and Kashmir (166), Manipur (113), and Jharkhand (35).
4. “India” 4th Most Powerful Country in Asia
Tags: International News
- In the Asia Power Index for 2021 that ranks 26 nations and territories in Asia- Pacific, prepared by the Lowy Institute of Sydney, India has been ranked 4th most powerful Asian country.
- The Lowy Institute ranks the country's power on the basis of 8 indicators. It includes the country’s economic capability, military capability, resilience, cultural influence, economic influences, future resources, defence network, diplomatic influence.
Rank of the powerful countries
- United States 82.2 points
- China 74.6
- Japan 38.7
- India 37.7
- Russia 33.0
Highlights of the report:
- India lost 2.0 points (-5% change) in overall score in 2021 (compared to 2020).
- India performed better in future resource measures where it finished behind only the United States and China.
- India finishes in 4th place in four other measures, i.e. Economic Capability, Military Capability (+0.5), Resilience (+1.7) and Cultural Influence.
- India remains in the 7th place in its “Defence Networks”, reflecting progress in its regional defence diplomacy - notably with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue which includes: Australia, Japan and the United States.
- On the other hand, India has slipped into 8th position for economic relationships, as it falls further behind in regional trade integration efforts.
Lowy Institute The Lowy Institute is an independent think tank founded in April 2003 by Frank Lowy to conduct original, policy-relevant research about international political, strategic and economic issues from an Australian perspective. Headquarters: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Executive Director: Michael Fullilove |
5. PM addresses depositors in “Depositors First” programme
Tags: National News
Synopsis
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed a function on “Depositors First: Guaranteed Time-bound Deposit Insurance Payment up to Rs. 5 Lakh” in New Delhi on 12th December 2021. Union Finance Minister Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman , and RBI Governor Mr. Shakti Kanta Das were among those present on the occasion. Highlights:
- The Prime Minister informed that in India, the system of insurance for bank depositors came into being in the 60s. Earlier, out of the amount deposited in the bank, only the amount up to 50 thousand rupees was guaranteed. Then it was raised to one lakh rupees.That is, if the bank fails , then the depositors had a provision to get only up to one lakh rupees. There was no time limit on when this money would be paid.
- Deposit insurance covers all deposits such as savings, fixed, current, recurring deposits, etc. in all commercial banks, functioning in India. Deposits in State, Central and Primary cooperative banks, functioning in States/Union Territories are also covered. In a path breaking reform, Bank deposit insurance cover was enhanced from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh.
- Earlier where there was no time limit for refund, now the government has made it mandatory within 90 days i.e. 3 months. That is, even in the event of a bank failing , the depositors will get their money back within 90 days.
- With deposit insurance coverage of Rs. 5 lakh per depositor per bank, the number of fully protected accounts at end of previous financial year constituted 98.1% of the total number of accounts, as against the international benchmark of 80%.
- The first tranche of interim payments has been released by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation recently, against claims received from depositors of 16 Urban Cooperative Banks which are under restrictions by RBI. Payout of over Rs 1300 crore has been made to alternate bank accounts of over 1 lakh depositors against their claims.
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das indicated that the banking regulator will ring in sweeping regulatory changes to reform urban cooperative banks that have been plagued by a spate of failures, and warned people against parking their savings in banks offering high returns.
DICGC Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) is a specialised division of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) which is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. Coverage: Deposits in public and private sector banks, local area banks, small finance banks, regional rural banks, cooperative banks, Indian branches of foreign banks and payments banks are all insured by the DICGC. The DICGC insures all deposits such as savings, fixed, current, recurring, etc. deposits except the following types of deposits:
Funds: The Corporation maintains the following funds :
Established: 15 July 1978 Headquarters: Mumbai, India Note:
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DICGC Act, 1961 The Act established the Corporation to provide insurance for bank deposits and guarantee credit given by banks and financial institutions. Under the DICGC Act,1961 the Corporation is liable to pay the insured deposit amount to depositors of an insured bank. Such liability arises when an insured bank undergoes:
Once the Corporation makes the payment to the depositors, the liquidator or the insured or transferee bank (as the case may be) becomes liable to repay the same amount to the Corporation. The amount paid by the Corporation in respect of a deposit reduces its liability against the deposit by that amount. |
Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation Bill, 2021 DICGC Bill, 2021 was introduced by the Minister of Finance, Nirmala Sitharaman on July 30, 2021. This bill seeks to amend the DICGC Act, 1961.
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6. 27th The CII Partnership Summit 2021
Tags: National News
- The 27th edition of The CII Partnership Summit is being held virtually By Confederation of Indian Industries(CII) , in partnership with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India from 13 -15 December 2021
- Theme - Partnering for Building a New World: Growth, Competitiveness, Sustainability, Technology.
7. Chola Sarva Shakti Policy launched by Equitas Bank for women
Tags: National News
- Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd. has partnered with Cholamandalam MS General Insurance to introduce the Chola Sarva Shakti Policy, a women-specific health insurance policy.
- Any Employed /Self Employed/ Unemployed Woman in the age group of 18 -65 years who is a resident of India can buy the policy.
- The policy is of Cholamandalam General Insurance which will also be sold through the Equitas branch to the bank account holder of the Equitas bank.
- Equitas Small Finance bank was founded in 2016 with its headquarters at Chennai.
8. India’s Harnaaz Sandhu crowned Miss Universe 2021
Tags: National News
- Punjab’s Harnaaz Sandhu (21) won the Miss Universe 2021 pageant on 12 December 2021, beating contestants from 79 countries to bring the title back to India after 21 years
- She was crowned by the last year Miss Universe Andrea Meza of Mexico
- Nadia Ferreira ( Paraguay) of Paraguay was the first Runners Up
- Previously only two Indians won this beauty pageant. They are Sushmita Sen in 1994 and Lara Dutta in 2000.
- The 70th edition of the event was held in Israel’s resort town of Eilat
- She earlier won the Miss Diva Universe 21 contest which was held in Mumbai , which enabled her to represent India in the Miss Universe 2021 contest.
Miss Universe Miss Universe is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by the United States–based Miss Universe Organization. It has its headquarters in New York City, USA Along with Miss World, Miss International, and Miss Earth, Miss Universe is one of the Big Four international beauty pageants. |
9. Israeli PM’s historic visit to UAE
Tags: International News
- Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett arrived in the United Arab Emirates for the first ever official visit by a Prime Minister of Israel to the UAE..
- The UAE last year became the third Arab nation to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel after Egypt and Jordan.
- Bahrain and Morocco then followed as part of a series of deals referred to as Abraham Accords brokered by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
- Sudan also agreed to normalise ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords, but full relations have not yet materialised.
- For details of the Abraham accord refer to the 25 November post.
Israel
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UAE(United Arab Emirates)
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10. New Caledonia votes to remain part of France
Tags: International News
- Voters in the French island territory of New Caledonia chose overwhelmingly to stay part of France, in a referendum held on 12 December which was boycotted by pro-independence forces.
- Official results showed 96% of those who took part chose to stay in France. However the overall turnout was less than 44%.
- The referendum held on 12 December was the third and last in a decades-long process aimed at settling tensions between native Kanaks seeking independence and those who want the territory to remain part of France.
- New Caledonia, colonized by Napoleon’s nephew in the 19th century, is a vast archipelago of about 270,000 people east of Australia and hosts a French military base.
Capital of New Caledonia : Noumea.
Currency: CFP Franc
