1) Nation Observes 49th Vijay Diwas on 16 December 2020
•In India, Vijay Diwas (also called Victory Day) is celebrated every year on December 16. The country is celebrating thea 49th Vijay Diwas in 2020. Vijay Diwas is observed to commemorate the service, valour, and sacrifices of the gallant men of the Indian Armed Forces’ victory over Pakistan in 1971 war.
2) India Post Payments Bank unveils new digital payment app ‘DakPay’
•The India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) along with Department of Posts (DoP) launched a digital payment application called ‘DakPay’ on 15 December 2020, in an effort to provide Digital Financial inclusion at the last mile across India. The app was launched by Union Minister for Communications, Electronics & Information Technology and Law & Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad.
3) Norway signs MoU with Clean Ganga Mission in India
•The Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) has signed an MoU with cGanga, a think-tank of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) for development of sludge management framework in India. Through this initiative, Norway intends to deepen the relationship with India especially in the prevention of climate change and conservation of the environment.
•The MoU was signed during the 5th edition of the India Water Impact 2020, held from 10-15 December 2020. The event is co-organised by National Mission for Clean Ganga and Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies.
4) RBI re-appoints Uday Kotak as MD of Kotak Mahindra Bank
•The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the re-appointment of Uday Kotak as Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank for a further period of three years, with effect from January 1, 2021. Kotak is founder managing director and promoter of the bank.
•RBI has also approved the appointment of part-time chairman Prakash Apte and Dipak Gupta as Joint MD of the bank for a period of three years.
5) S&P revises India’s GDP contraction forecast in FY21 to 7.7%
•S&P Global Ratings (previously Standard & Poor’s) has raised India’s GDP growth projection for the FY21 (2020-21) to – 7.7 per cent from – 9 per cent estimated earlier. The lower contraction rate is based on rising demand and falling COVID infection rates. The US-based S&P rating agency has projected India’s growth to rebound to 10 per cent in the next fiscal, i.e. 2021-22 (FY22).
6) Indigenously-built Coast Guard interceptor boat C-454 commissioned
•The interceptor boat C-454, built by Larsen and Toubro at its Hazira plant, will operate from Gujarat under the control of the Commander Coast Guard Region North-West of the Indian Coast Guard. It was commissioned by Surat Police Commissioner Ajay Tomar.
7) Indian Coast Guard’s OPV ‘Sujeet’ commissioned in Goa
•Indian Coast Guard’s (ICG) Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) ‘Sujeet’, which is second in the series of 5 OPVs was commissioned at the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) in Vasco Town, Goa by Raj Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production).
•The vessel has been designed and built indigenously by GSL. The 1st ship in series – ICGS (ICG Ship) Sachet was commissioned by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in May 2020. The ship was commissioned in the presence of K Natarajan, Director General of Indian Coast Guard and others.
