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 AFFAIRSCLOUD TODAY
Current Affairs 11 & 12 December 2022 : Headlines

1. India to add 145 GW of RE capacity by 2027: IEA Report

2. WHO GLASS Report (5th Edition) 2022: Over 50% Of Life-Threatening Bacterial Infections Are
Becoming Resistant to Treatment
3. SEBI issues Framework for AIFs to Raise Money from FPIs
4. PNB HFC launched Home Loan Scheme Roshni for Tier 1 & Tier 2 cities
5. ADB approves USD 250 mn policy-based loan to Strengthen Logistics Sector in India
6. Tamilnad Mercantile Bank signs pact with Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance
7. Nomura: India’s GDP Expected to Grow At 5.1% In FY24
8. 2022 Hurun Global 500: 20 Indian Firms In 500 Most Valuable Globally, Reliance Tops
9. Meghalaya received Award for Best Practice in Tuberculosis ACSM
10. India’s Manisha Ramadass wins BWF Female Para-Badminton Player of the Year 2022
11. Indian-origin Nihar Malaviya named interim CEO of publishing giant Penguin Random House
12. Sony Entertainment Television to be the Official Satellite Partner of DPIFF Awards 2023
13. NCPCR developed & launched GHAR Portal for the Restoration and Repatriation of Children
14. ISRO Successfully Completes Joint ‘Hypersonic Vehicle Trials’
15. Lisu wren babbler: New species of wren babblers found in Arunachal Pradesh
16. IISc opens India’s 1st Centre of Excellence for 3D bioprinting
17. Meizotropis pellita, Fritilloria cirrhosa & Dactylorhiza hatagirea – 3 Himalayan Medicinal Plants
Made into IUCN Red List
18. India’s Ishan Kishan Becomes Fastest Double Centurion in ODIs; Breaks Chris Gayle’s World
Record
19. Human Rights Day 2022 – 10th December

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 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
India to add 145 GW of RE capacity by 2027: IEA Report
The International Energy Agency (IEA) in its latest report states that India is expected to add 145 Gigawatts
(GW) of Renewable Energy (RE) capacity in the next five years (2022–27) with solar energy accounting for
75%.

• This addition is aided by consistent policy support and competitive auctions implemented to achieve
the ambitious target of 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030.
Key Points:
i.Solar Photovoltaic (PV) accounts for three-quarters of this growth, followed by onshore wind with 15%, and
hydropower providing almost all the rest.
ii.The share of generation from RE in India’s total generation mix, which stood at 22.1% during FY22, is likely
to increase to 40.9% during FY30.
iii.So far, a total of 172.72 GW of capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources has been installed in
India as of October 2022, which includes 119.09 GW of RE, 46.85 GW of large hydro, and 6.78 GW of nuclear
power capacity. This has a share of 42.26% of the total installed generation capacity in India (408.71 GW).
Two main policies in India (came in 2022) to boost domestic manufacturing of PVs are-
i.The duty on imports was increased to 40% for PV modules from 15% and to 25% for solar cells in April 2022
to reduce dependence on China and increase domestic manufacturing.
• This is expected to add 16 GW of PV capacity which is 60% higher than in 2021.
ii.The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme sanctioned 9 GW of PV manufacturing capacity to provide an
ecosystem of local manufacturing.
• This aims to expand India’s solar PV cell and module manufacturing capacity to over 70 GW till
2030, including 29 GW of manufacturing capacity fully.
Global:
i.RE will comprise 90% of global electricity capacity expansion by 2027 and much of it will be in India, China,
the European Union (EU) and the United States (US).
• This is due to the favourable policies and market reforms in all four.
ii.RE’s installed power capacity addition will grow to 2,400 GW between 2022 and 2027.
• This expansion was 85% faster than the previous five years.
Recent Related News:
i.India and France have been re-elected as President and Co-President of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
In this regard, India’s Union Minister Raj Kumar Singh, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has
been re-elected as the President of ISA, and France’s Minister of State for Development,
Chrysoula Zacharopoulou has been re-elected as Co-President.
ii.The World’s largest floating solar plant is set to be built on Omkareshwar Dam in Narmada River at
Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh (MP) which will generate 600 Megawatt power by 2022-23. The
estimated cost of the projects is around Rs.3000 crore.

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About International Energy Agency (IEA):
Executive Director– Dr Fatih Birol
Headquarter– Paris, France

WHO GLASS Report (5th Edition) 2022: Over 50% Of Life-Threatening Bacterial Infections Are
Becoming Resistant to Treatment
The World Health Organization (WHO) released the ‘Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance
System (GLASS) report 2022’ (5th edition), which states that over 50% of life-threatening bacterial infections
are becoming resistant to treatment.

• This implies that the possibility of an untreatable sickness brought on by antimicrobial resistance
(AMR) that will devastate mankind is becoming closer.
Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System Report (5th Edition)
The 5th Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) report, prepared in association
with Member States, summarizes 2020 data on AMR rates in common bacteria from countries, territories, and
areas.
• The report provides 2020 data on antimicrobial consumption (AMC) at the national level, for the
first time, as reported by 87 countries.
• It also presents assessments of AMR rates in relation to national testing coverage, AMR trends since
2017, and data on AMC in humans in 27 countries for the first time.
Key Observations from The Report:
i.According to the report, bacteria that frequently causing bloodstream infections in hospitals, like Klebsiella
pneumoniae and Acinetobacter spp., have high levels (over 50%) of resistance.
• These life-threatening infections necessitate the use of last-resort antibiotics such as carbapenems.
• However, 8% of Klebsiella pneumoniae-related bloodstream infections were found to be resistant to
carbapenems, which raised the risk of death.
ii.More than 60% of Neisseria gonorrhoea isolates, a prominent sexually transmitted disease (STD), were
resistant to ciprofloxacin, one of the most commonly used oral antibacterials.
iii.The most prevalent pathogen for urinary tract infections (UTI), Escherichia coli (E. coli), had a resistance to
both first-line medications (ampicillin & co-trimoxazole) and second-line therapies (fluoroquinolones) in over
20% of isolates.
iv.Compared to rates in 2017, bloodstream infections caused by resistant E. coli, Salmonella spp., and
gonorrhoea infections increased by at least 15%.

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 BANKING & FINANCE
SEBI issues Framework for AIFs to Raise Money from FPIs
On December 9, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has issued a framework in terms
of Regulation 10(a) of SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012, enabling Alternative
Investment Funds (AIFs) in India to raise money from Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) by issuing units, with
immediate effect, by ensuring the following:

i.The FPIs are residents of a country, the securities market regulator of which is a signatory to
the International Organisation of Securities Commission’s (IOSCO) Multilateral Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU), or a signatory to a bilateral MoU with SEBI.
ii.Investors contributing 25% or more in the funds should not belongs to the following:
• Named in the Sanctions List notified by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
• Resident in a country identified in the public statement of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
• Resident country that has not made sufficient progress in addressing the deficiencies, or has not
committed to an action plan developed with FATF to address such deficiencies.
What if an investor, who has been onboarded already, does not meet the specified conditions?
In this case, AIF will bare any further capital contribution from such investors, until the investor again meets
the conditions.
The information for the same is provided by
SEBI in exercise of powers conferred under Section 11(1) of the
Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 to protect the interests of
investors in securities and to promote the development of, and to regulate the securities market.
Click Here for Official Notification
About Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI):
Chairperson– Madhabi Puri Buch
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Establishment– 1992

PNB HFC launched Home Loan Scheme Roshni for Tier 1 & Tier 2 cities
The PNB Housing Finance Limited (PNB Housing), a Housing Finance Company(HFC) introduced a low-cost
home loan programme namely ‘Roshni’ enabling individuals from Tier 1 & Tier 2 cities to apply for loan ranging
from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 30 lakh.
• Through this scheme PNB HFC is committed towards the ‘Housing for All’ mission of the Central
Government.
Key Points:
i.This launch is in line with PNB HFC’s long-term goal of enabling and assisting an individual to purchase a
home.
ii.Recently, the Company opened branch offices focused on Roshni in the following cities:

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 •

• Chennai, Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Hyderabad
(Telangana), Indore/Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), Rajkot (Gujarat), and Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune in
Maharashtra.

iii.The program offers a variety of loans for self-building, home expansions and renovations, plot purchases
combined with construction, loans against property, and the purchase of property investment.
iv.Loan applicants eligible for this are first-time credit borrowers, self-employed without a professional role
and salaried from a low-income group with a family income as low as Rs. 10,000 to middle-income group
category.
About PNB Housing Finance (HFC):
It is a registered housing finance company with the National Housing Bank (NHB)
MD and CEO– Girish Kousgi

ADB approves USD 250 mn policy-based loan to Strengthen Logistics Sector in India
On December 8, 2022, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a USD 250 million policy-based loan to
strengthen the Logistics Sector in India. This funding will support the Indian Government’s reforms to
strengthen and modernize it’s logistics infrastructure, improve efficiency, reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG)

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emission, and lowering cost in the logistics sector.
Key Points:
i.The loan will finance the first subprogram of the Strengthening Multimodal and Integrated Logistics
Ecosystem (SMILE), which supports the Indian government’s efforts to create a comprehensive policy,
planning, and institutional framework at the federal, state, and city levels for multimodal logistics projects
(MMLPs).
ii.It will also strengthen supply chains by simplifying external trade logistics and domestic cargo movements,
modernizing warehouses, improving business processes with integrated digital platforms, and private
investments.
iii.The subprogram also supports the India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s initiatives to issue standards
for warehousing, which would encourage operational efficiency and private sector investment
About Asian Development Bank (ADB):
President– Masatsugu Asakawa
Headquarters– Manila, Philippines
Establishment– 1966

Tamilnad Mercantile Bank signs pact with Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance
Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB) signed a pact with Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance to form a strategic alliance to
sell the private life insurer’s term, annuity, and other value-packed products across its 500 branches.
• An agreement to that effect was signed on December 9, 2022, by the bank’s Managing Director (MD)
& Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Krishnan and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance MD & CEO Tarun Chugh.
• TMB’s new and existing customers can now choose from Bajaj Allianz Life’s retail products, which
include term, savings, retirement, and investment products, as a result of this partnership.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Nomura: India’s GDP Expected to Grow At 5.1% In FY24
According to Nomura, a global financial services firm, India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth could drop
to 5.1 % in fiscal year 2023-24 (FY24), forcing the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to decrease the key repo rate by
75 basis points (bps) in the second half (H2) of 2023.
• The RBI forecasts 6.5% growth in FY24, which is higher than Nomura’s growth projection for FY24.
Key Points:
i.According to Nomura, the RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will implement a “shallow easing cycle” by
decreasing the policy rate by 25 bps in August, October, and December 2023, resulting in a repo rate of 5.75%
at the end of 2023.
• Nomura’s projection comes as the RBI hiked the repo rate to 6.25 %, up from 5.9% on December 7,
2022, for the fifth time in eight months.

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ii.Additionally, the RBI lowered its estimate of GDP growth for 2022–2023 (FY23) by 20 bps to 6.8% from 7%,
which is 20 bps higher than Nomura’s prediction of 6.6 %.
CPI Inflation
i.Nomura forecasts that India’s headline Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based inflation, also known as retail
inflation, will decline from 6.8% in FY23 to 5% in FY24, and 4.9% in the fiscal year 2024–2025 (FY25).
ii.The RBI retained its CPI inflation projection of 6.7% for FY23, but increased average inflation by 10 bps
for the second half of fiscal year 2022-23 (H2FY23).
iii.According to the RBI, CPI inflation will be on average 6.6 % in October-December 2022, 5.9 % in January-
March 2023, 5.0 % in April-June 2023, and 5.4 % in July-September 2023.
Note: The change in the value of all goods in the basket is referred to as headline inflation, whereas core
inflation excludes food and fuel from headline inflation.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

2022 Hurun Global 500: India ranked 5th position with 20 Indian Firms
According to the “2022 Hurun Global 500,” a ranking of the 500 most valuable non-state-controlled
companies in the world, 20 Indian companies are among the 500 most valuable in the world. India moved to
5th place in 2022 list whereas it ranked 9th position in 2021 with with 8 companies.

• Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) was topped among the Indian firms on the list and
the 34th biggest company globally, with a valuation of USD 202 billion. It was followed by Tata
Consultancy Services (USD 139 billion) and HDFC Bank (USD 97 billion).
• Apple topped the chart globally with USD 2.4 trillion and Microsoft came second (USD 1.8 trillion),
while Alphabet, the parent company of Google grabbed the third place.
• The “2022 Hurun Global 500” was published by the Hurun Research Institute in collaboration
with Jiaxing City in East China.
2022 Hurun Global 500
• With 29 nations represented in the 2022 Hurun Global 500, an increase of 1, the United States
(US) continued to lead, followed by China, Japan, and the United Kingdom (UK).

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 • After the US, India recorded the largest increase in companies, adding 8, followed by Canada with 3
and Singapore with 2.

Key indicators
The value of each company was determined by its market capitalization for listed companies and its valuation
for non – listed companies.
• The cut-off date was set until October 26, 2022.
i.Energy, particularly oil and gas companies, was the only sector that experienced rapid growth.
ii.The sector that lost the most money in 2022, worth USD 2.4 trillion, was the media and enterprise sector.
2022 Hurun Global 500: Top Indian companies on the list
i.With 20 companies, India jumped from 9th to 5th place in 2022, which includes 11 in Mumbai
(Maharashtra), 4 in Ahmedabad (Gujarat), and 1 in each of Noida (Uttar Pradesh), New Delhi (Delhi), Bengaluru
(Karnataka), and Kolkata (West Bengal).
ii.The most valuable company in India is Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) (USD 202 billion), followed by Tata
Consultancy Services (TCS) (USD 139 billion) and HDFC Bank (USD 97 billion).
iii.For the first time, 4 companies controlled by Indian billionaire Gautam Adani made the Hurun Global 500:
Adani Enterprises (worth USD 63 billion); Adani Transmission (worth USD 44 billion); Adani Total Gas (worth
USD 43 billion), and Adani Green Energy (worthUSD 40 billion).
iv.The two biggest state-owned Indian companies were the State Bank of India (SBI), with USD 62 billion, and
the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), with USD 45 billion.
• These were excluded from the ‘2022 Hurun Global 500’ as it exclusively comprised non-state-
controlled companies.
v.City-wise List, New York(US) led the charts, Mumbai(Maharashtra) moved up three places to fifth,
while Ahmedabad(Gujarat) was the fastest-growing city in the world for Global 500 companies.
2022 Jiaxing EDZ · Hurun Global 500 – Top 3 in India
Global Rank Rank (India) Company Value (USD) Billion CEO/CMD
34 1 Reliance Industries 202 Mukesh Ambani
65 2 Tata Consultancy Services 139 Rajesh Gopinathan
111 3 HDFC Bank 97 Sashidhar Jagdishan
Click here to access the 2022 Hurun Global 500 list
2022 Hurun Global 500: Top global companies on the list
i.For the second year in a row, the “World’s Big Four” of Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet were the
only companies with trillion-dollar values.
ii.Hurun Global 500 companies are dominated by the US, which is home to 52% of the Global 500 (G500) with
260 companies and 65%, or USD 30.3 trillion, of the entire value.
• China came in second place with 35 companies and 6% of the overall value.
iii.The most valuable company globally was Apple, valued at USD 2.4 trillion, followed by Microsoft, valued
at USD 1.8 trillion.
• Alphabet, Amazon, Tesla, Berkshire Hathaway, Johnson and Johnson, and Exxon Mobil were among
the other companies featured in the top 10 globally.
iv.The financial services sector was the largest contributor to the list with 104 companies.The top two
financial services firms were UnitedHealth Group and Visa.
v.The value of Meta Platforms in 2022 is USD 349 billion after a wipe-out of USD 618 billion in 2021.
vi.Companies that dropped out of the top 500 includes Zoom, Snap, and Adidas.
vii.With a total market value of USD 2.03 trillion, Saudi Aramco, officially the Saudi Arabian Oil
Company was the most valuable listed state-controlled company in the world.
2022 Jiaxing EDZ · Hurun Global 500 Top 10

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 2022 Jiaxing EDZ · Hurun Global 500 Top 10
Rank Company Value (USD) Billion CEO
1 Apple 2366 Tim Cook
2 Microsoft 1805 Satya Nadella
3 Alphabet 1321 Sundar Pichai
4 Amazon 1215 Andy Jassy
5 Tesla 672 Elon Musk
6 Berkshire Hathaway 624 Warren Buffett
7 UnitedHealth Group 499 Dave Wichmann
8 Johnson and Johnson 444 Alex Gorsky
9 Exxon Mobil 441 Darren Woods
10 Visa 394 Ryan McInerney
Recent Related News:
i.According to the IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List 2022, Gautam Adani and family has topped with an
estimated wealth of Rs. 10,94,400 crore. His daily wealth creation is estimated at Rs. 1,612 crore that showed
116 % growth as compared with the 2021 list.
ii.Mukesh Ambani and family has been named as the 2nd richest in India with an estimated wealth of Rs.
7,94,700 crore and a growth of 11 % compared with the 2021 list. His daily wealth creation velocity is Rs. 210
crore.
About Reliance Industries Limited (RIL):
CMD – Mukesh Ambani
Founder Chairman – Dhirubhai Ambani
Establishment – 1973
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra

Meghalaya received Award for Best Practice in Tuberculosis ACSM

Meghalaya received an award for ‘Best Practice in Tuberculosis (TB) Advocacy, Communication and Social
Mobilization(ACSM)’ at the National Workshop on ACSM to end TB in India, held in New Delhi, Delhi from 7th
to 8th December 2022.

• The award was given to recognise the effort by the Meghalaya Government for initiating ‘Jan
Andolan’ (people’s movement) or ‘TB Mukt Bharat campaign’ against Tuberculosis.
• The award was presented to representatives of the State Health Department.
Note: TB affects about 2.6 million people in India every year.
Key Points:
i. According to TB reports from the pre-epidemic phase, Meghalaya had the highest number of TB cases in
2021, with 4,189.
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 • In the first quarter of 2022, 1,075 patients were admitted for treatment against the disease.
ii. A National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination (2017-2025) has also been launched reorienting the
programme’s focus to ensure greater community engagement.
iii. ‘Jan Andolan’ aims to raise awareness, eliminate stigma, and enhance demand for services across
Meghalaya.
About Meghalaya:
Chief Minister- Conrad K Sangma
Governor- Brigadier (Dr.) B. D. Mishra (Retd)
Capital- Shillong
Wildlife Sanctuary- Baghmara Pitcher Plant Wildlife Sanctuary; Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary

India’s Manisha Ramadass wins BWF Female Para-Badminton Player of the Year 2022
On 6th December 2022, Indian shuttler Manisha Ramadass(17 years old) won the BWF Female Para-
Badminton Player of the Year 2022 of the BWF’s annual player of the Year Awards. The awards were presented
at the Gala Awards Night hosted by BWF in Bangkok, Thailand.
• Manisha Ramadass won the gold medal in the women’s singles SU5 category at the 2022 BWF Para-
Badminton World Championships held in November 2022 and was nominated for the award along
with two other Indians, Manasi Joshi and Nithya Sre.
• She has won 11 gold medals and 5 bronze in 2022.
Other BWF Player of the Year 2022 Awards:
• Para Badminton Pair of the Year – Thomas Wandschneider and Rick Cornell Hellman (Germany)
• Male Para Badminton Player of the Year – Daiki Kajiwara (Japan)
• Male Player of the Year – Viktor Axelsen (Denmark)
• Female Player of the Year – Akane Yamaguchi (Japan)
• Pair of the Year – Zheng Si Wei/Huang Ya Qiong (China)
• Eddy Choong Most Promising Player of the Year – Kodai Naraoka (Japan)
• Most Improved Player of the Year – Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto (Indonesia)

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Indian-origin Nihar Malaviya named interim CEO of publishing giant Penguin Random House
Nihar Malaviya, an Indian-origin publishing executive, has been named Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
of New York-based international publishing group Penguin Random House after Markus Dohle, current CEO,
announced his resignation.
• Nihar Malaviya will assume the role of interim CEO from 1st January 2023
• He will join Bertelsmann’s Group Management Committee (GMC), and continue to be a member of
the Penguin Random House Global Executive Committee.
About Nihar Malaviya:
i. Nihar Malaviya began his career at Bertelsmann in 2001 as a participant in the Bertelsmann Entrepreneurs
Programme.
ii. In 2003, he transferred within the group to Random House, where he successfully held a number of
leadership positions.
iii. He has been in charge of all publishing operations in the United States since 2014, from supply chain to
technology, data, and client services.
iv. He has been the President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the publisher’s American division, Penguin
Random House United States (US) since 2019 to present.
v. He is a two-time recipient of the Bertelsmann Entrepreneur Award for Strategy Execution and serves on the

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Bertelsmann Technology and Data Advisory Board.

Penguin Random House CEO Markus Dohle Stepped Down

Markus Dohle, CEO of Penguin Random House, the world’s largest trade publisher, is stepping down, which is
an effect from the end of 2022.
• Markus Dohle’s decision comes just weeks after a federal judge denied the company’s bid to acquire
rival Simon & Schuster, Inc, an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global.
• Markus Dohle, who will remain with the company as an advisor, had a 5-year contract that was set
to expire in December 2025.
About Markus Dohle:
i. Markus Dohle was the chief executive officer of Penguin Random House from July 2013
ii. During his tenure, Penguin Random House US was rated #1 on Forbes’ List of America’s Best Midsize
Employers in 2018.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Sony Entertainment Television to be the Official Satellite Partner of DPIFF Awards 2023
Sony Entertainment televison is set to be the official satellite parnter of the Dadasaheb Phalke International
Film Festival (DPIFF) Awards 2023. DPIFF Awards 2023, the annual event to pay tribute to India’s
entertainment and film industry stalwarts, is set to broadcast on Sony Entertainment Television.
• DPIFF Awards 2023 under the support of Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya to be held on 20th February
2023 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• DPIFF aims to honour artists from the film and television industries who have worked hard and
demonstrated true promise and the determination to succeed.
Click here to know the DPIFF Awards

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NCPCR developed & launched GHAR Portal for the Restoration and Repatriation of Children
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has developed and launched a designated
portal for the Restoration and Repatriation of children – GHAR – GO Home and Re-Unite. It has been
developed to digitally monitor and track the restoration and repatriation of children according to the protocol.
GHAR-GO Home and Re-Unite Portal:
It addresses the changing roles of Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) and District Child Protection (DCPO) for
children in need of care and protection.
Note: The portal was released on the occasion of World Children’s Day(20th November 2022). A
detailed protocol for “restoration and repatriation of children” and training modules for the child welfare
committees (CWCs) was also released on the occasion.
Features of GHAR:
• Digital tracking of the Children in the Juvenile Justice system who must be repatriated to another
country/state/district Digital transfer of cases to the concerned state’s Juvenile Justice Board/Child
Welfare Committee and aid in the prompt return of children.
• A list of government-implemented schemes will be provided that help CWC connect the child with
the schemes that would strengthen the family and ensure that the child stays with his or her family.
Key Points:
i. The Ministry of Women and Child Development administers the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of
Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act, 2015)(as amended in 2021) and Rules thereunder to ensure children’s safety,

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security, dignity, and well-being.
ii. The JJ Act of 2015 protects children in need of care and protection, and those in conflict with the law, by
meeting their basic needs through care, protection, development, treatment, and social reintegration.
iii. District Magistrates (DMs)have been appointed as the heads of District Child Protection Units (DCPUs) to
ensure effective coordination in child safety, protection, and development.
iv. DMs have been given the authority to conduct regular reviews of the functions of DCPUs and CWCs to ensure
that timely decisions are made in accordance with the provisions of the JJ Act and Rules, with the best interests
of children in mind.

ISRO Successfully Completes Joint ‘Hypersonic Vehicle Trials’ & Conducted Hot Test of Scramjet
Engine in TN
On 9th December 2022, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted a joint
hypersonic vehicle trial along with the Headquarters of Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS).

• The trial matched the predetermined targets and achieved all required parameters and
demonstrated hypersonic vehicle capability.
Hypersonic Vehicle:
i.A hypersonic vehicle can be an airplane, missile, or spacecraft that has the ability to travel five times faster
than the speed of sound, or greater than Mach 5.
ii.It is regarded as cutting-edge technology, and countries like China, India, Russia, and the United States of
America(USA) have been trying to further enhance the ability of their hypersonic weapons.
iii.ISRO has been developing hypersonic missiles in collaboration with Russia.
ISRO Successfully Conducted Hot Test of Scramjet Engine
ISRO successfully conducted the 11 second long hot test of the scramjet engine (supersonic
combustion ramjet) at ISRO’s Propulsion Research Complex at Mahendragiri in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu.
• The test was conducted as a part of ISRO’s quest to fabricate credible next-generation air-breathing
scramjet engines to launch satellites in a predetermined orbit at a low cost.
• A scramjet is a variant of a ramjet airbreathing jet engine in which combustion takes place in
supersonic airflow.
• The test was conducted in the presence of ISRO chairman S. Somanath.
• During this test, the speed of Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) equipped
with scramjet engine was measured at 7500 km per hour.
Key Points:
i.Scramjet is a more advanced version of the ramjet engine that can operate efficiently at hypersonic speeds.
ii.This allows supersonic combustion by breathing oxygen from the atmosphere during flight. It allows the
oxygen to mix with hydrogen already stored in the vehicle to trigger combustion, and produce the desired
thrust to lift the satellite to its designated orbit
• Enabling the launch vehicle to breathe oxygen from the atmosphere will reduce around 70% of the
propellant that has to be carried in the vehicle.

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Lisu wren babbler: New species of wren babblers found in Arunachal Pradesh
A team of birdwatchers from Bengaluru(Karnataka), Chennai(Tamil Nadu), and Thiruvananthapuram(Kerala)
and two guides from Arunachal Pradesh discovered a new species of elusive wren babblers named “Lisu wren
babbler” in March 2022 at Mugaphi Peak in Changlang, Arunachal Pradesh.
• The new species is named after the Lisu community of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The findings of the team were published by “Indian BIRDS”, a peer-reviewed journal of south Asian
ornithology.
Previous sighting of wren babblers:
i.Previously, There was only one reported sighting of this bird in India back in 1988 on the same mountain.
ii.2 photos were then collected and one of them is in the Smithsonian Museum, United States of America(USA)
after being identified by ornithologist Pamela Rasmussen.
iii.The rare and elusive grey-bellied wren babblers are mostly found in Myanmar and in smaller numbers in
China and Thailand
Significant features of Lisu wren babbler:
i.As the name suggests, the grey-bellied wren babblers have grey-coloured belly while the new species “Lisu
wren babbler” found in Mugaphi had a whitish belly.
ii.The new species also have a sweet song similar to the songs of the Naga wren babbler unlike the trilling song
of the grey-bellied wren babbler.
• The genetic material from the bird that was found will be compared with other Wren Babbler
species to scientifically establish that a new species or subspecies have been found.

IISc opens India’s 1st Centre of Excellence for 3D bioprinting

On 9th December 2022, CELLINK, the global leader in developing 3D bioprinters and the Indian Institute of
Science (IISc) inaugurated India’s 1st 3D bioprinting Centre of Excellence (CoE) in the Centre for
BioSystems Science and Engineering (BSSE) at IISc’s Bengaluru campus, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• The CoE was inaugurated by Dr Ashwath Narayan C N, Minister of Electronics, Information
Technology-Biotechnology, Science and Technology, Government of
Karnataka; Prof Govindan Rangarajan, the Director of IISc; and Tomoko Bylund, CELLINK’s Head
of Sales – Asia-Pacific (APAC).
• The CoE will provide researchers with access to 3D bioprinting systems, allowing them to accelerate
their work across critical applications and ultimately improve health outcomes.
• It will store several cutting-edge CELLINK 3D bioprinters
• CoE will also contribute towards exploring new pathways in 3D bioprinting research and technology
development.

ENVIRONMENT
Meizotropis pellita, Fritilloria cirrhosa & Dactylorhiza hatagirea – 3 Himalayan Medicinal
Plants Made into IUCN Red List
Following a recent assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 3 Himalayan
medicinal plants, Meizotropis pellita commonly known as “Patwa”, Fritillaria cirrhosa known as “Yellow
Himalayan fritillary”, Dactylorhiza hatagirea known as “Salampanja” are added to the IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species.
• The assessment was done by Harsh Kumar Chauhan, a member of the IUCN Species Survival
Commission, Medicinal Plant Specialist Group.

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Status of the 3 Himalayan medicinal plants:
• Meizotropis pellita – Critically Endangered under criteria B1ab(ii,iii,v)+2ab(ii,iii,v).
• Fritillaria cirrhosa – Vulnerable under criteria A2cd.
• Dactylorhiza hatagirea – Endangered under criteria A2bd.

Details:
Meizotropis pellita:
It is a woody perennial rootstock shrub with restricted distribution endemic to Uttarakhand.
It was listed as Critically Endangered due to its limited area of occupancy (less than 10 sq. km).
• Threat: Deforestation, Habitat Fragmentation and Forest Fires.
• Use: The essential oil extracted from the leaves of this plant have strong antioxidants which can be
used as a natural substitute for synthetic antioxidants in pharmaceutical industries.
Fritillaria cirrhosa:
It is a perennial bulbous herb near-endemic to the Himalayas and distributed across Bhutan; China; India
(Jammu-Kashmir, Uttaranchal); Myanmar; Nepal; and Pakistan.
It was listed as “vulnerable” due to a decline of at least 30% of its population over the assessment period of 22
to 26 years.
• Threat: poor germination potential, high trade value, extensive harvesting pressure and illegal
trade.
• Use: Used for the treatment of bronchial disorders and pneumonia in China. It is also a strong cough
suppressant and source of expectorant drugs in traditional Chinese medicine.
Dactylorhiza hatagirea:
It is a perennial tuberous species endemic to the Hindu Kush and Himalayan ranges of Afghanistan, Bhutan,
China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
• Threat: habitat loss, livestock grazing, deforestation, and climate change.
• Use: This is used in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and other alternative systems of medicine to cure
dysentery, gastritis, chronic fever, cough and stomach aches.
Additional info:
• Dr. Chauhan previously assessed 6 species (medicial species) including Himalayan Trillium
govanianum (Himalayan Trillium) and Trillium tschonoskii (Keun-yeon-yeong-cho) which were
marked as endangered.
• A 1998 study states that around 1748 medical plants are there in this region.

SPORTS
India’s Ishan Kishan Becomes Fastest Double Centurion in ODIs; Breaks Chris Gayle’s World
Record
Indian cricketer Ishan Kishan became the fastest double-centurion in One Day International (ODI) breaking the
world record held by West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle.

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 • He is 4th Indian after Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma to achieve this
feat.
• Kishan (24 years and 145 days) is the youngest cricketer and 7th cricketer to reach the 200-run
mark in ODI. Others apart from the Indians are New Zealand’s Martin Guptill, West Indies’ Chris
Gayle and Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman.
• He scored 23 fours and 9 sixes to reach the 200-run mark in just 126 deliveries during India’s 3rd
ODI against Bangladesh at Chattogram, Bangladesh. He scored 210 runs off 131 balls. He completed
his century in 85 balls.
• Gayle took 138 deliveries to score his double centuries against Zimbabwe in the 2015 International
Cricket Council(ICC) World Cup.

IMPORTANT DAYS
Human Rights Day 2022 – 10th December
The United Nations(UN)’s Human Rights Day(International Human Rights Day or World Human Rights Day) is
annually observed across the globe on 10th December to create awareness and mobilize political will to
promote respect for rights and freedoms.

• The observance commemorates the anniversary of the day on which the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted in 1948. The UDHR enshrines the rights of all human beings.
The theme of Human Rights Day 2022 is “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All”.
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/423 (V) on 4th December 1950
proclaiming the 10th December of every year as Human Rights Day.
ii.The formal inception of Human Rights Day dates from 1950. The first UN Human Rights Day was observed on
10th December 1950.
Why December 10?
The UNGA adopted the resolution A/RES/217 A and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR) on 10th December 1948 in Paris, France.
Significance of Human Rights Day 2022:
i.Human Rights Day 2022 marked the launch of a year-long campaign to promote and recognise the 75th
anniversary of the UDHR, which will be celebrated on 10th December 2023.
ii.The campaign aims to showcase the UDHR by focusing on its legacy, relevance and activism
iii.The campaign plans to change the understanding and action towards a greater knowledge of the universality
of the UDHR and the activism associated with it.
iv.UHDR 75 aims to
• Educate – create awareness about UDHR and its relevance of our times and for the future.
• Promote attitude change – counter the increasing scepticism of, and rollbacks against human rights.

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 • Empower & mobilise – to offer concrete knowledge and tools to support people to fight for their
rights.

About UDHR:
i.UDHR established for the first time the indivisible and inalienable rights of all humanity.
ii.UDHR proclaimed the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being regardless of race,
colour, religion, sex, language, political opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
iii.UDHR is available in more than 500 languages. It holds the Guinness World Record as the most translated
document in the world.
About United Nations Human Rights Council(UN-HRC)
Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for
strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe.
The Council is made up of 47 UN Member States which are elected by the UNGA.
Created on 15th March 2006.
President(2022)– Federico Villegas
About the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights– Volker Türk
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland

❖ List of Current Governors in India – AUGUST 2022

❖ List of Current Chief Ministers in India – August 2022
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