Indian Army launches in-house messaging application ‘ASIGMA’

• The Indian army launched a contemporary ar

messaging application named, ASIGMA (army
Secure IndiGeneous Messaging Application) which
is a new generation, web based application
developed entirely in-house by a team of officers of
the Corps of Signals of the army.
• The application is being deployed on the army’s
internal network as a replacement of army Wide
Area Network (AWAN) messaging application which
has been in service for the past 15 years.
‘Sandhayak’, first of the four Survey Vessels
(Large)
Q. project for Indian Navy launched
• ‘Sandhayak’, the first of the four Survey
Vessels (Large) projects being built for the
Indian Navy, was launched in Kolkata.
•These Vessels have been designed and
developed by Defence Public Sector
Undertaking, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and
Engineers (GRSE) Limited, which is among the
leading war ship building companies in India.
Mormugao, Indian Navy's second ship of the Project 15B,
sails for maiden sea trials
Q.
• National Cadet Corps (NCC) is carrying out a nationwide
campaign, ‘Puneet Sagar’ Abhiyan to free
Q. seashores/beaches from plastic & other waste materials
and increase awareness about the importance of keeping
these clean.
• The aim of the month-long Campaign is to propagate the
message of ‘Importance of Clean Seashores/Beaches’
amongst the local population and future generation
beginning December 01, 2021.
• A total of 3.40 lakh cadets from 127 coastal area NCC
Units will participate in the month-long activity.
India and Bangladesh celebrates ‘Maitri Diwas’ on 6 December
• ‘Maitri Diwas’ also known as India-Bangladesh Friendship
Q.was commemorated in 18 countries across the world on 6
day,
December, 2021.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveils commemorative stamp
marking 50 years of India’s victory in 1971 Indo-Pak War
Q.
“President’s Standard” presented to 22nd Missile Vessels
Squadron of the Indian Navy
Q.
• President Ramnath Kovind presented the ‘President’s
Standard’ to the 22nd Missile Vessels Squadron of the
Indian Navy at a ceremonial event in Mumbai.
 DRDO conducts maiden launch of indigenously
Q. developed new generation surface-to-surface
missile ‘Pralay’
• Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted
maiden flight test of indigenously developed
surface-to-surface missile ‘Pralay’, from Dr A
P J Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of
Odisha.
• Pralay Missile is powered with a solid
propellant rocket motor and many new
technologies.
• The missile has a range of 150-500
kilometre and can be launched from a
mobile launcher.
11th Edition of Indo-Maldives Joint Military Training
Q.
Exercise 'Ex Ekuverin'
• 11th Edition of Joint Military Training Exercise 'Ex
Ekuverin' between India & Maldives is being conducted
at Kadhdhoo Island, Maldives from 06 to 19 December
2021.
Government expands SCALE committee, appoints 3 new members
Q.
सरकार ने SCALE समिति का विस्िार ककया, 3 नए सदस्यों की तनयक्ु ति की
• The Central government has expanded the SCALE
committee (Steering Committee for Advancing
Q.
Local Value-Add and Exports) by adding three new
members, hailing from diverse industry
backgrounds.
• The SCALE Committee, formed by the Ministry of
Commerce and Industry has been working closely
with the Department for Promotion of Industry and
Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the guidance of the
ministry.
• The SCALE committee has given impetus to the
production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, which is
enabling the environment for domestic
manufacturing capability in the country.
53-member panel to mark Sri
Aurobindo 150 th birth anniversary
Q.
• The 150th birth anniversary falls on August 15, 2022, and
coincides with the India @75 celebrations mooted by the
Centre, called Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• Sri Aurobindo was born in Calcutta on August 15, 1872 and
took a leading role against the British government in India.
Vernacular Innovation Program (VIP): NITI Aayog
• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog has launched a
first of its kind Vernacular Innovation Program (VIP) to
Empower Innovators, Entrepreneurs.
• The programme will enable innovators and entrepreneurs in
India to have access to the innovation ecosystem in 22
scheduled languages by the Government of India.
• Vernacular Innovation Program (VIP) is an initiative to lower
the language barrier in the field of innovation and
entrepreneurship such that it will systematically decouple
creative expressions and languages of transaction.
NASA launches world's first planetary defence system:
DART Spacecraft
Q.
➢ The world’s first planetary defense system called
the 'Double Asteroid Redirection Test' (DART)
spacecraft was successfully launched by NASA
from the Vandenberg US Space Force Base.
➢ It was carried aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
➢ DART is a planetary defence-driven test of
technologies for preventing an impact of Earth by a
hazardous asteroid.
➢ DART will be the first demonstration of the kinetic
impactor technique to change the motion of an
asteroid in space.
El Salvador plans
Q. to build world's first “Bitcoin City”
➢ El Salvador planned to build the world's first "Bitcoin
City", funded initially by bitcoin-backed bonds.
Q.
➢ Bitcoin City will be free of income, property and capital
gains taxes.
➢ Bitcoin City will be built near the Conchagua volcano.
➢ Bitcoin bond issuance will begin in 2022.
➢ El Salvador in September 2021 became the first country
in the world to adopt bitcoin as legal tender.

Capital: San Salvador

President: Nayib Bukele
Pinaka-ER Range System

While Pinaka Mk-1 has a range of 37.5 km and

Pinaka-ER of 45 km, the Pinaka Mk-II has a range of
60 km.
Agni-Prime
Medium-range ballistic missile
Agni-Prime
Warhead weight - 1500-3000 KG
Op Range- 1000-2000 Km

MIRV and MarV technology

Launch platform-
8 x 8 BEML - Tatra transporter erector launcher
"Atmosphere & Climate Research-Modelling
Observing Systems & Services (ACROSS)" scheme
Q.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
(CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister
Narendra Modi approved the continuation of
the umbrella scheme "Atmosphere & Climate
Research-Modelling Observing Systems &
Services (ACROSS)" along with its eight sub-
schemes to the next finance cycle (15th) of five
years i.e. 2021-2026 at an estimated cost of
Rs.2,135 crore.
The scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Earth
Sciences (MoES) • The ACROSS scheme pertains to the
atmospheric
Q. science programs of the Ministry of Earth
Sciences (MoES) and addresses different aspects of
weather and climate services.
• Each of these aspects is incorporated as eight sub-schemes
under the umbrella scheme "ACROSS". These are:
(i) Commissioning of Polarimetric Doppler Weather Radars
(ii) Upgradation of Forecast System
(iii) Weather & Climate Services
(iv) Atmospheric Observations Network
(v) Numerical Modelling of Weather and Climate
(vi) Monsoon Mission III
(vii) Monsoon Convection, Clouds and Climate
Change (MC4)
(viii) High Performance Computing System (HPCS)
India elected to UNESCO World Heritage Committee for 4-year term

Q.

• India has been elected as a member of the UNESCO

World Heritage Committee for the term of four years
(2021-25).
• • The Committee is responsible for the
implementation of the World Heritage Convention,
defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and
allocates financial assistance upon requests from
States Parties.
 India joins G20 ‘Troika’ with Indonesia and Italy

• India joined the G20 ‘Troika’ on December 1, 2021.

• With this move, India has started the procedure for taking
over the G20 presidency next year.
• Troika refers to the top grouping within the G20 that consists
of the current, previous and the incoming presidencies —
Indonesia, Italy and India.
• India will assume the G20 presidency on December 1, 2022
from Indonesia, and will convene the G20 Leaders’ Summit
for the first time in India in 2023.
• Indonesia took over the G20 presidency December 1, 2021.
Q.
India’s candidate, Praveen Sinha,
elected as Delegate for Asia on
Executive Committee of INTERPOL
. Olaf Scholz sworn in as Germany's new Chancellor
ओलाफ स्कोल्ज़ ने जिमनी के नए चाांसलर के रूप िें शपथ ली
Petr Fiala appointed as new Prime Minister of Czech Republic

पेट्र कफयाला चेक गणराज्य के नए प्रधानिांत्री तनयुति ककए गए

Sarada Menon, India’s first woman psychiatrist passes away
भारि की पहली िहहला िनोचचककत्सक शारदा िेनन का तनधन
Q.
the new CEO (Chief Executive Officer)
of Twitter Parag Agrawal
Elon Musk
Q. named Time magazine's ‘Person of the Year 2021’
Q. The Assam government will confer the state’s
highest civilian awards to industrialist Ratan
Tata, Olympian Lovlina Borgohain and an array
of personalities from diverse fields.
•Former Tata Sons chairman Ratan Tata was
named as the recipient of the Assam Baibhav
award for his contribution towards cancer care
facilities in the state.
•The state government has decided to confer
Assam Baibhav, Assam Saurav and Assam
Gaurav Awards, 2021 to 19 personalities and
the award ceremony will be held on January 24,
2022.
Avani Lekhara wins 'Best Female Debut' honour at 2021 Paralympic Awards
Key Points
• The Awards were announced by the International Paralympic
Committee.
• Avani Lekhara became the 1st Indian woman to win 2
Paralympic medals in a single edition of the Paralympic
Games.
• She was awarded Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, India's
highest sporting honour, for the achievement.
PM Modi honoured with Bhutan’s highest civilian award
• The King of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel
Wangchuck, conferred its highest civilian award, the Order of
the Druk Gyalpo, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• This was announced on the occasion of the 114th National
Day of Bhutan.
· Every year, on December 17, Bhutan marks the national day
in memory of the birth of the Wangchuk dynasty in 1907.
· The Order of the Dragon King (Druk Gyalpo) is the highest
award of the Kingdom of Bhutan, awarded in recognition of a
lifetime of service to the people and Kingdom of Bhutan.
S K Sohan Roy becomes first Indian to be honoured with
‘Knighthood of Parte Guelfa’
•Q.Dr S K Sohan Roy, has become the first Indian who has
been awarded the honorary title of 'Knighthood of Parte
Guelfa' in Italy.
• The knighthood was conferred on Roy for his
humanitarian and environmental protection efforts in
business and movies.
• Order of the Guelph Part or Ordo Parte Guelfae which
was initially known as Societas Partis Ecclesiae is an order
of pontifical foundation established by Pope Clement IV
in 1266.
• The Guelph part is concerned with environmental
protection and the knighthood is recognised as the
protector of the World Environment.
Balkrishna Doshi honoured with the Royal Gold Medal 2022

the Royal Gold Medal 2022 by the UK's

Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA),
• Many of his iconic buildings
include Indian Institute of
Management, Bangalore; Sangath, his
studio in Ahmedabad; Ahmedabad
School of Architecture – renamed
CEPT University in 2002 – which
promoted collaborative learning; and
Aranya Low Cost Housing (1989),
Indore, which won the Aga Khan
Award for Architecture in 1995.
Messi wins men’s Ballon d’Or Award 2021 for a record
seventh time

मलयोनेल िेसी ने ररकॉर्म साििीां बार पुरुषों का बेलोन र्ी'ओर पुरस्‍कार

2021 जीिा
• Argentina football player Lionel Messi won the men’s
Ballon d’Or Award 2021 for a record 7th time and
Barcilona's Alexia Putellas won the women’s Ballon d’Or
2021.
• Messi won the last edition of the Ballon d'Or in 2019
before last year's awards were cancelled due to the
pandemic. He also won in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and in
2015.
 SAIL receives prestigious Golden Peacock Environment
Management Award 2021.
Golden Peacock Environment
Management Award is a
prestigious award that was
instituted by the World
Environment Foundation in 1998.
The award encourages the
corporates to enhance their
environmental performances.
2021 DST-ICTP-IMU Ramanujan Prize
• Professor Neena Gupta, a mathematician at the Indian
Statistical Institute in Kolkata, has been awarded the
2021 DST-ICTP-IMU Ramanujan Prize for Young
Mathematicians from developing countries for her
outstanding work in affine algebraic geometry and
commutative algebra.
• Ramanujan Prize, which was first awarded in 2005 and is
administered by the Abdus Salam International Centre
for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) jointly with the
Department of Science and Technology (DST)
Government of India and the International Mathematical
Union (IMU).
• Ramanujan Prize is given annually to an eminent
Mathematician who is less than 45 years of age on 31
December of the year of the award and has conducted
outstanding research in developing countries.
Catherine Russell to head UNICEF
Gabriel Boric to become Chile's youngest ever president
• Leftist former student leader, 35-year-old Gabriel Boric,
will become Chile’s youngest president and one of the
youngest political leaders in the world.
• Capital: Santiago

• Currency: Chilean peso

• Continent: South America
Ashleigh Barty wins Women’s
Tennis Association WTA Player
of the Year award
India's Harnaaz Sandhu wins Miss Universe 2021
Konkani writer Damodar Mauzo conferred with 57th Gyanpeeth Award

• Renowned Konkani writer Damodar Mauzo has been

conferred with 57th Gyanpeeth Award .
• Noted Assamese poet Nilmani Phookan has bagged 56th
Gyanpeeth award
Padma Shri awardee Nanda Prusty passes away
• Padma Shri awardee and teacher from Odisha, Nanda
Q.
Prusty passed away at 104.
• Nanda Prusty, popularly known as 'Nanda Master', was
honoured with the Padma Shri on November 9, 2021 for
his long contribution in the field of education and social
service.
Ban Ki-moon released his autobiography “Resolved:
Uniting Nations in a Divided World”
• India is now among the most unequal countries in the world.
• The report, titled ‘World Inequality Report 2022’, has been
authored by Lucas Chancel, co-director of the World Inequality
Lab, and coordinated by several experts, including French
economist Thomas Piketty.
 Key Points
• India stands out as a poor and very unequal country, with the top
1% of the population holding more than one-fifth of the total
national income in 2021 and the bottom half just 13%.
• The report pointed out that the average national income of the Indian
adult population is ₹2,04,200. While the bottom 50% earns ₹53,610,
the top 10% earns more than 20 times (₹1,166,520).
• While the top 10% and top 1% hold respectively 57% and 22% of total
national income, the bottom 50% share has gone down to 13%.
• Average household wealth in India stands at ₹983,010.
• It also said gender inequalities in India are very high.
• The female labour income share is equal to 18%.
• This is significantly lower than the average in Asia (21%, excluding
China).
 Uttar Pradesh holds the top
position in Total Registered EVs
Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, informed
the Rajya Sabha on the state of Electric Vehicles (EV) in India.
Uttar Pradesh (UP) 255,700 registered EVs.
Delhi (125,347),
Karnataka (72,544),
Bihar (58,014)
Maharashtra (52,506)
Asia Power Index 2021

The top countries for overall power

in the Asia-Pacific region :
•United States
•China
•Japan
•India
•Russia
 Q. Worldwide Cost of Living Index 2021
EIU’s
• The Worldwide Cost of Living Index 2021 released by the
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has listed the world’s
most expensive cities to live in 2021.
• Tel Aviv, Israel has become the world's most expensive city
to live in, surpassing Paris and Singapore.
• Syria’s Damascus was ranked as the world’s cheapest city.
 List of world's top 10 expensive cities:
दतु नया के शीषम 10 िहां गे शहरों की सूची:
Q. 1. Tel Aviv
2. Paris
2. Singapore
4. Zurich
5. Hong Kong
6. New York
7. Geneva
8. Copenhagen
9. Los Angeles
10. Osaka
The Indian Farmers Fertiliser
Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) has
been ranked ‘number one
Cooperative’ among the top 300
cooperatives in the world
• Maharashtra has topped the list of states with maximum
number of beneficiaries under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar
Q. (ABRY), followed by Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.
Yojana
About Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY):
• The government had launched ABRY to incentivize
employment generation in Employees' Provident Fund
Organisation (EPFO) registered establishments during COVID-
19 for a period from October 1, 2020 to March 31, 2022.
December 01, World AIDS Day
December 3, International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2021
• International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is a global
Q. celebrated every year on December 3.
observance
• The theme for IDPD this year is “Leadership and participation of
persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and
sustainable post-COVID-19 world.”
December 5, World Soil Day
Q.
December 11, International Mountain Day 2021

Sustainable mountain tourism

December 18, International Migrants Day
Q.
December 7, International Civil Aviation Day

• The theme of International Civil Aviation

Day until 2023 is “Advancing Innovation
for Global Aviation Development”.
 SWADESH project, World’s First Multimodal
Brain Imaging Data and Analytics

• DBT-National Brain Research Centre (DBT-

NBRC), Haryana has recently developed the
SWADESH project.
• SWADESH is a unique brain initiative
focusing on certified neuroimaging,
neurochemical, neuropsychological data and
analytics that are made accessible to
researchers for managing brain disorders.
Cabinet approves Ken-Betwa Interlinking of Rivers Project
Argentina wins Men's Junior
Q. Hockey World Cup 2021 Title in Bhubaneswar
• Argentina junior hockey team defeated six time winner Germany in the FIH
Men's Junior Hockey World Cup 2021 final at the Kalinga Stadium in Odisha.
 Q.
Davis Cup: Russia beats Croatia to win title after 15 year
 NITI Aayog and Bharti Foundation announce the launch of
‘Convoke 2021-22’
Why in News
• NITI Aayog in partnership with Bharti Foundation, the
philanthropic arm of Bharti Enterprises,
launched ‘Convoke 2021-22’.
• Convoke is a National research Symposium which aims
at addressing challenges in imparting education and
strengthening its quality with special focus on all
teachers, educationists, heads of schools across India.
United Nations grants observer status to International
Solar Alliance
Why in News
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has
granted Observer status to the International Solar
Alliance (ISA).
Haiderpur wetland
Q. in Uttar Pradesh recognised as Ramsar Site
उत्तर प्रदे श िें है दरपुर आर्द्म भमू ि को रािसर साइट के रूप िें िान्यिा मिली
• Earlier in August 2021, four
Q.

more wetlands from India were

recognized as Ramsar sites –
Thol and Wadhwana from
Gujarat and Sultanpur and
Bhindawas from Haryana.
Raising legal age of marriage for women
Why in News
• The Union Cabinet took the decision to raise the legal age of
marriage for women from 18 to 21 years.
• The legal age of marriage for men is 21 years.
• With this decision, the government will be bringing the age of
marriage for both men and women at par.
• The Cabinet’s decision to raise the legal age of marriage for
women is based on the recommendation of a panel led by Jaya
Jaitly.
• • In June 2020, the Ministry for Women and Child Development set
up a task force to look into the correlation between the age of
marriage with issues of women’s nutrition, prevalence of anemia
and other social indices.
Central government: ‘In-principle’ nod for 6 nuclear
reactors in Jaitapur
Key Points

• The six nuclear power

reactors, which will have a
capacity of 1,650 MW each,
will be set up with technical
cooperation from France.
India’s firstQ.Green Hydrogen Microgrid Project to be set up in
Andhra Pradesh
National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) has awarded a project of Standalone
Fuel-Cell based Micro-grid with hydrogen production using electrolyser in NTPC Guest House at
Simhadri (near Visakhapatnam).
PM Modi chairs high level meeting to review preparedness
to deal with Cyclone Jawad
 Paika rebellion to be included as ‘case study’ in history textbook

Q.
NCC launches ‘Azadi ki Vijay Shrankhla’ and ‘Sanskritiyon
ka MahaSangam’ to honour bravehearts of 1971 War
Q. Why in News
• National Cadet Corps (NCC) is conducting ‘Azadi ki Vijay
Shrankhla’ and ‘Sanskritiyon ka Mahasangam’ event as
part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
India International Science Festival (IISF) 2021
• The 7th edition of the India International Science
festival (IISF) 2021 was held from December 10 to 13,
2021 at Panaji, Goa.
• The theme of IISF 2021 was ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’
– celebrating Creativity, Science, Technology and
Innovation for a prosperous India.
UNESCO inscribes ‘Durga Puja in Kolkata’ on the
Representative List of ICH of Humanity
Q.
Ministry of Culture implements Scheme of Financial
Q.
Assistance for the Development of Buddhist/Tibetan
Culture and Art under “Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojna”
Kazhuveli Wetland in Tamil Nadu declared as Bird Sanctuary
NITI Aayog releases report on Online Dispute
Resolution policy for speedy access to justice
• NITI Aayog released the report ‘Designing the Future of
Dispute Resolution: The ODR Policy Plan for India’, to
scale dispute avoidance, containment and resolution
online.
• The report is a culmination of the action plan made by a
committee constituted at the peak of the COVID crisis by
NITI Aayog on ODR in 2020 and chaired by Supreme
Court Justice (Retd) AK Sikri.
Hockey: India wins bronze, South Korea lift the 2021
Men’s Asian Champions Trophy in Dhaka
• In hockey, South Korea defeated Japan to lift the trophy
in the Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2021 in
Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Bangladesh wins SAFF U-19 Women’s Football
Championship 2021
• Bangladesh Under-19 Women’s team defeated India to
lift the SAFF U-19 Women’s Football Championship
2021 in Dhaka.
HUL CMD Sanjiv Mehta to become FICCI president
• Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) Chairman and Managing
Director (CMD) Sanjiv Mehta will become the president of the
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(FICCI) after the association concludes its 94th annual general
meeting on December 18, 2021.
PV Sindhu
Q. appointed BWF's Athletes' Commission member

• India's two-time Olympic medallist shuttler PV Sindhu

has been appointed as a member of the Badminton
World Federation's (BWF) Athletes' Commission.
 Humanitarian trust fund for Afghanistan: Organisation of
Islamic Cooperation
• A meeting of foreign ministers from the Organisation of
Islamic Cooperation (OIC) agreed to establish a
humanitarian trust fund to address the growing
economic crisis in Afghanistan.
• The fund will be set up under the Islamic Development
Bank to channel aid to Afghanistan in coordination with
other groups.
Nagaland creates three new districts- Tseminyu, Niuland,
Chumukedima
Why in News
• Nagaland government created three new districts in the
state, taking the total number of districts to 15.
• Niuland and Chumukedima have been carved out of
Dimapur district, while the Tseminyu sub-division in
Kohima district has been upgraded to a district.
Odisha CM inaugurates Mukhyamantri Vayu Swasthya
Seva scheme
Why in News
• Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the
Mukhyamantri Vayu Swasthya Seva scheme and
launched air ambulances for residents of four tribal-
dominated districts — Malkangiri, Nabarangpur,
Nuapada and Kalahandi.
• Under the new scheme, critical patients can be airlifted
to hospitals in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, and
specialised doctors — neurologists, nephrologists and
cardiologists from various medical colleges and private
hospitals — will fly to the four districts under per a pre-
arranged schedule to treat patients.
Odisha CM inaugurates longest bridge ‘T-Setu’ over
Q.
Mahanadi River in Cuttack
Q.
December 23, National Farmers Day
23 हदसांबर, राष्ट्ट्रीय ककसान हदिस
Punjab CM declares Sri Krishan Balram Rath Yatra as state
festival
Why in News
• Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi declared
the annual Sri Krishan Balram Rath Yatra a state festival.
Athlete Anju Bobby George wins World
Athletics
Q. Women of Year Award 2021
• The former international long jump star Anju Bobby
George has been awarded the Woman of the Year
Award 2021 by World Athletics (WA) for grooming
talent in the country and advocating gender equality.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurates Good
Q.
Governance Week (20-25 December, 2021)
Good Governance Index 2021: Gujarat topped the ranking