1. 9th World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo 2022 inaugurated in Goa
Tags: place in news Summits
The 4 day (8-11 December ) 9th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) was inaugurated on 8 December 2022 at Panaji, Goa in the presence of Union Minister of State for Tourism and Shipping, Ports and Waterways Shripad Naik and the Chief Minister of Goa Dr Pramod Sawant.
The main objective of the conference is to provide a global platform for all the stakeholders, including industry leaders, practitioners etc to strengthen the Ayurveda sector, envision its future, and facilitate interaction between professionals and consumers to boost Ayurveda commerce.
Theme of the 9th World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo 2022: Ayurveda for One Health.
A MoU was signed between All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and Rosenberg’s European Academy of Ayurveda, Germany to facilitate advanced studies in traditional Indian medicine systems.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the valedictory function of WAC on 11 December.
Every year 23 October is observed in India as Ayurveda Day.
2. Packmach Asia 2022 held in Mumbai
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An International conference for processing and packaging “PackMach Asia Expo 2002” is being held in Mumbai from 7-9 December 2022. The “PackMach Asia Expo 2002” is being organized by the Institute of Packaging Machinery Manufacturers of India (IPMMI) and Messe Muenchen India with the support of PHD Chamber of Commerce (PHDCCI) as industry partner.
During the “PackMach Asia Expo 2002 the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME) organised a buyer seller meet with PHDCCI to promote the export of packaging solution made by MSME companies .
The exhibition showcased new-to-market products and technologies additionally hosting segments such as packaging, processing, logistics and supply chain among others.
3. U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity, COP 15 commences in Montreal, Canada
Tags: Environment place in news Summits International News
The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, known as Conference of Parties (COP-15) commenced in Montreal, Canada on 7 December 2022. The two weeklong conference (7-19 December 2022) was originally scheduled to be held in Kunming, China in October but was shifted to Montreal, Canada due to covid situation in China.
This is the second part of the COP15. The first part was hosted by China on 18 August 2021 virtually and the second part was to be held in a face to face conference but it has been shifted from China to Canada. However the host of the COP15 in Montreal is still China.
The Conference focuses on saving the nature
The Biological diversity conference focuses on nature. It is different from the UNFCCC (United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change ) organised Conference of Parties(CoP) which focuses on the problem of global warming and climate change due to emission of greenhouse gasses.
The Biological Diversity conference will focus on nature and how to stop and reverse the degradation of our nature by 2030.
Main issues that will be discussed at the Montreal conference are;
- One of the most notable draft targets is to conserve 30% of land and sea areas globally by 2030.
- It will aim to adopt a global framework for biodiversity to halt and reverse losses of the world's plants, animals, and ecosystems.
- Fair and equitable sharing of the benefits of natural genetics resources.
United Nation Convention on Biological Diversity
It is a multilateral treaty which was signed by the countries at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. It came into force on 29 December 1993. At present 194 countries are its signatories.
It has 3 main objectives:
- The conservation of Biological diversity
- The sustainable use of the components of biological diversity
- The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.
Conferences of the Parties/COP
- Countries which have signed the conventions are called Conferences of the Parties. The meeting of the Conferences of the Parties is also called COP
- The first COP -1 was held in Nassau, Bahamas 1994.
- The 14th meeting was held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt (17-19 November 2018)
- It is held after every two years but due to covid it was held in 2021.
4. Saikhom Mirabai Chanu wins silver at Weightlifting World Championship in Colombia
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Former world champion Mirabai Chanu had to settle for a silver medal in the women’s 49kg division at the World Weightlifting Championships 2022 being held in Bogota, Colombia.
Mirabai Chanu lifted a total weight of 200kg (87kg snatch + 113kg clean and jerk) for her second world championships medal. She won the gold in 2017 and finished fourth in the 2019 edition.
Jiang Huihua of China won her third world championship gold medal with a combined lift of 206 kg (93kg+113kg). Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Hou Zhihui of China won the bronze medal.
The World Weightlifting Championships 2022 are the first in the series of qualifying events for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. It is being held in Bogota, Colombia from 5-15 December 2022.
5. 51st Maitiri Diwas’ marking recognition of Bangladesh by India celebrated in Dhaka
Tags: place in news Important Days International News
The 51st anniversary of ‘Maitri Diwas’ marking the recognition of Bangladesh by the Government of India in 1971 was celebrated in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on 6th December 2022 The event was organized by the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi Minister for Liberation War Affairs of A.K.M Mozammel Haque was the Chief Guest on the occasion.
Indian High Commissioner Pranya Verma said that the decision to observe December 6 as ‘Maitri Diwas’ was taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the state visit of Prime Minister Modi to Bangladesh in March 2021.
However, Bangladesh which was known as East Pakistan was liberated on 16 December when the Pakistani forces led by Lt.Gen Niazi surrendered to a combined force of the Indian Army led by Lt. General Jagjit Singh Arora and Mukti Bahini (Bangladeshi freedom fighters). As many as 93,000 Pakistani troops laid down their arms on 16-17 December 1971 in Bangladesh. It was the largest surrender in war after the Second World War.
6. Adani Green becomes the largest wind-solar hybrid power producer in the world
Tags: place in news Economy/Finance
With the commissioning of its third 450 MW wind-solar hybrid power plant at Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, Adani Green Energy limited (AGEL) has become the world’s largest wind-solar hybrid power company. AGEL now has a total operational generation capacity of 7.17 GW.
With this hybrid plant, the company now has the largest operational hybrid power generation capacity of 1,440 MW. Hybrid systems combine two or more modes of electricity generation together. A wind-solar hybrid power plant is used for harnessing both sunlight and wind energy to generate electricity.
Earlier, in May 2022, AGEL had operationalized India’s first hybrid power plant of 390 MW at Jaisalmer. This was followed by the commissioning, in September 2022, of the world’s largest co-located hybrid power plant of 600 MW at the same place. Both these hybrid energy generation assets are located in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
The company has entered into Power Purchase Agreements with the Government of India’s owned Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). Under the agreement the power generated at the plant will be bought by SECI at Rs 2.69 Kwh for the next 25 years.
Adani Green Energy limited
Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) is one of the largest renewable energy companies in India.
It is part of the Gautam Adani owned Adani group /
It was set up in 2015 and its Headquarters is at Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Chairman: Gautam Adani
CEO & MD: Vneet Jain
7. ESIC can invest up to 15 per cent surplus funds in equity through ETFs
Tags: place in news National Economy/Finance
The Government of India has allowed Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) to invest up to 15 per cent of its surplus funds into equity through exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
The decision was taken at an ESIC meeting chaired by the Union labour minister Bhupender Yadav at the corporation's headquarters in New Delhi on 4 December 2022.
A labour ministry statement said that the decision to invest surplus funds into equity was taken due to the low returns on debt instruments and the need to diversify the corporation's portfolio. The initial investment shall start at 5% and increase up to 15% gradually, after review of two quarters. The investment will be confined in Exchange Traded Funds i.e., Nifty50 and Sensex. It will be managed by Fund Managers of AMCs.
New hospital in Agartala and in Idukki
ESIC approved the proposals for setting up a new 100 bedded ESIC Hospital at Shyamlibazar, Agartala, Tripura and 100 bedded ESIC Hospital at Idukki, Kerala.
Nirman se Shakti initiative
The Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav said that the ‘Nirman Se Shakti’ initiative has been started to strengthen and modernize the infrastructure of hospitals and dispensaries in a phased manner.
WHAT IS ESIC
The Employees State Insurance (ESI) Scheme is one of the largest social security schemes in the world which comes under the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) under the Union Labour and Employment Ministry.
The ESIC was set up in 1952 under the ESI act 1948.
It provides medical benefits to the insured employees and their dependents under the scheme. There is no limit on the medical expense.
Who are eligible?
It is applicable on factories employing 10 or more workers.
It is applicable on shops, establishments, insurance, Non-Banking Financial Companies etc employing 20 or more persons.
Wage Limit
It provides medical insurance facility to workers earning up to Rs.21, 000/- per month (Rs.25, 000/- per month in the case of Persons with Disability).
Contribution
The insured employee has to contribute 1% of his monthly wages per month to the scheme and the employer is required to contribute 3% of the employee’s wages to the Scheme.
8. 11th edition of Admiral's Cup Regatta to begin in Kerala from 6 December 2022
Tags: place in news Sports Defence
The 11th edition of the Admiral's Cup Regatta will be held at the Ettikulam Bay in the Kannur district of Kerala from 6-10 December 2022. The Regatta is organised as a fleet race in a single crew Olympic class Laser Radial sailboat.
Teams from 27 nations, including Australia, Germany, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the UK, the USA, Japan, and Myanmar are participating in the annual sailing event.
It is hosted by the Indian Naval Academy situated in Ezhimala, Kannur district of Kerala.
Admiral's Cup Sailing Regatta
The Admiral's Cup Sailing Regatta was instituted in 2010 under the burgee of Yachting Association of India as a forum for competition in sailing in a regatta format amongst the officer trainees of friendly foreign navies.
The last Admiral's Cup was held in 2019 and a total of 25 countries participated in the event.
9. Nagpur Metro creates record for constructing longest Double Decker Viaduct in the world
Tags: place in news State News
The Maha Metro which is implementing the Nagpur metro project in Maharashtra has created a Guinness World Record by constructing the longest Double Decker Viaduct (3.14 KM) with Highway Flyover and Metro Rail Supported on a single column in Nagpur.
According to the Guinness World Records, London “the double-decker viaduct of 3.14 km on the Wardha Road in Nagpur, Maharashtra was commissioned by Metro Rail traffic on 5 March 2019 and for Highway traffic, on 13 November 2020, is the Longest Double Decker Viaduct on any Metro Rail system”.
On the Wardha road in Nagpur there is a three tier transportation system. There is a Double decker viaduct carries highway flyover at the first level and Metro Rail at second level making it a three-tier transportation system with the existing highway at ground level.
A viaduct is a type of long bridge or series of bridges, usually supported by a series of arches or on spans between tall towers. The purpose of a viaduct is to carry a road or railway over water, a valley, or another road.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has congratulated National Highway Authority of India and Maharashtra Metro for its achievement.
10. Unnati Hooda settles for a silvers as India wins 5 medals at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships
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Top Seeded Unnati Hooda had to settle for a silver medal after she lost to Sarunrak Vitidsarn of Thailand in the final of the under 17 women's singles of the Badminton Asia Junior Championships held in Nonthaburi, Thailand on 4 December 2022.
Top Seeded Unnati Hooda lost to Sarunrak Vitidsarn of Thailand in the finals and had to settle for silver in the under 17 women's singles final of the Badminton Asia Junior Championships held in Nonthaburi, Thailand on 4 December 2022. Unnati Hooda earlier created history by becoming the first Indian to enter the U-17 women’s singles final at the Asia Junior Championships.
India finished the Badminton Asia Junior Championships 2022 with 5 medals -3 silver and 2 bronze medals.
On the last day of the championships India won two more silver medals.
Anish Thoppnai lost to Chung-Hsiang Yih of Chinese Taipei in the under -15 men’s singles to settle for a silver.
Arsh Mohammad and Sanskar Saraswat lost to Chinese Taipei’s Lai Po Yu and Yi-Hao Lin in the men’s under-17 doubles.
Bronze medal winner for India
India’s under-15 men’s doubles pair of Bjorn Jaison and Aathish Sreenivas PV also had to settle for a bronze medal after they lost their semi-final to top seeds Muhammad Mubarrok and Raihan Pramono of Indonesia.
India’s Gnana Datt lost to Chung-Hsiang Yih of Chinese Taipei in the -15 men’s semi-final to settle for a bronze medal.
At the last edition held in 2019 in Suzhou, China, India’s Tasnim Mir and Tara Shah clinched gold and silver medals, respectively, in the U-15 women’s singles event.
Badminton Asia Junior Championships 2022
The Badminton Asia Junior Championships 2022 was organised by Badminton Asia at Nonthaburi, Thailand from 29 November to 4 December 2022.
The championship was held for men’s and women’s under15 and under 17 categories. It involved singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles.
It was first held in 1997 and is being held every year. The 2020 and 2021 edition was not held due to covid pandemic.
