First Meeting of IWDC commits Rs 45,000 crore for development of River Cruise TourismOn 8th January 2024, the first meeting of Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC), chaired by the Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways(MoPSW), committed an investment of Rs 45,000 crore for development of river cruise tourism in India.

• Rs 35,000 crore of this sum has been allocated for cruise vessels and Rs 10,000 crore is set aside for development of cruise terminal infrastructure by 2047(end of Amrit Kaal).
• The Union Minister also launched ‘Harit Nauka– Guidelines for Green Transition of Inland Vessels’ and ‘River Cruise Tourism Roadmap, 2047’ during the meet.

i.The meeting was held on board vessel MV Ganges Queen at the Kolkata Dock Complex in Kolkata, West Bengal.
ii.The meeting was organised by the Inland Waterways Authority of India(IWAI), nodal agency for inland waterways in India, under MoPSW.
About Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways:
Union Minister – Sarbananda Sonowal, (Rajya Sabha Constituency – Assam)
Minister of State (MoS) – Shripad Yesso Naik; Shantanu Thakur

Overview of EAM S Jaishankar’s visit to Nepal on 4 & 5 January 2024The Union External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Nepal on 4 & 5 January 2024. He was invited by the Foreign Minister of Nepal, Narayan Prakash Saud to co-chair the 7th India-Nepal Commission meeting in Kathmandu.
Highlights:
i.Nepal inked long term power deal with India to export 10000 MW electricity over 10 years.
ii.India and Nepal signed four major agreements that deal with areas such as renewable energy, power, space and technology and for implementing High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs).
iii.India will extend financial assistance of USD 75 million to Nepal for reconstruction efforts in earthquake hit-areas.
About Nepal:
Prime Minister – Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’
Capital – Kathmandu
Currency – Nepalese Rupee (NPR)

India to Chair & Host UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in July 2024India is set to chair and host the 46th session of the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Committee from July 21–31, 2024 in New Delhi, Delhi.

• This marks the first time for India to chair and host the UNESCO heritage committee.

Note: During the 19th Extraordinary session, the World Heritage Committee decided that the 46th session will take place in India.
Bureau Members:
Chairperson–  Vishal V Sharma(Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO)
Rapporteur: Mr Martin Ouaklani (Belgium)
Vice–Chairpersons: Bulgaria, Greece, Kenya, Qatar, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Key Points:
i.The World Heritage Committee determines inclusions, additions, and removals from the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger.
ii.The committee meets once a year, and consists of representatives from 21 member states
iii.UNESCO is a specialised agency of United Nations that aims at promoting the world peace and national security through international cooperation in education, arts, science and culture.
Additional info:
The 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee was chaired and hosted by Saudi Arabia in Riyadh.
Chairperson- Dr Abdulelah Al-Tokhais
About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO):
UNESCO’s Constitution was adopted in London (United Kingdom) in 1945, it entered into force in 1946.
Director-General– Audrey Azoulay
Headquarters– Paris, France

IndusInd Bank introduces Samman RuPay Credit Card for Government EmployeesIndusInd Bank Limited in collaboration with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched the Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-enabled ‘IndusInd Bank Samman RuPay Credit Card’ for government sector employees. 
About the card:
i.The contactless credit card enhances the day-to-day transactional experience of the cardholders thereby offering them a multitude of convenient payment options.
ii.The card offers 1% cashback on retail spends in every statement cycle.
iii.The cardholders are eligible for 1% Railway surcharge waivers for transactions made through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
iv.The cardholder can also avail 1%  Waivers on  fuel surcharges.
v.The cardholders need not pay any additional charges to withdraw cash withdrawal using the card.
About IndusInd Bank Limited:
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Sumant Kathpalia
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established in – 1994
Tagline – We Make You Feel Richer
About National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI):
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Dilip Asbe
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established in – 2008
Established under –  Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007

IOB Introduced Savings Account Portability Online Scheme to Transfer Savings Account Online
Chennai (Tamil Nadu)-based public sector bank, Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) introduced a ‘Savings Account Portability Online’ scheme to simplify the savings account portability process for customers who move to different locations (for work or education).

• The scheme aims to streamline the process, eliminating manual paperwork and reducing the waiting period to relocate bank accounts.
• To initiate an account transfer, customers can access the ‘Transfer of Savings Accounts’ section on the IOB website (www.iob.in).

Gabriel Attal Appointed as Youngest-ever PM of France; PM Élisabeth Borne ResignsFrench President Emmanuel Macron has appointed 34-year-old Gabriel Attal as the New Prime Minister (PM) of France. With this, Attal becomes the youngest-ever PM of France since the founding of the French Fifth Republic in 1958. He is also the first openly gay PM of France.

• Gabriel Attal replaces Élisabeth Borne, who resigned after 20 months in office on 8 January 2024. She was appointed as the PM of France in May 2022.
• Prior to the appointment, Attal has been serving as the Minister of National Education and Youth (since July 2023).

Note:
i.The record of youngest PM of France was previously held by Laurent Fabius, who was 37 years old when he was named PM of France in 1984.
ii.Élisabeth Borne was the 2nd and longest serving female PM of France after Édith Cresson, the 1st female PM of France (May 1991- April 1992).
About Gabriel Attal:
i.Gabriel Attal joined the Socialist Party in 2006 and supported its presidential candidate, Ségolène Royal, in the 2007 election.
ii.In 2016, he left the Socialist Party and joined Emmanuel Macron’s nascent centrist political party En March, which later became La République En Marche (LREM).
iii.He was elected to the parliament in 2017 and became the youngest Cabinet member in 2018, serving as secretary of state for the youth.
iv.He served as government spokesperson from 2020 to 2022 and was then named budget minister.
v.He was elected to the Assemblée National in June 2023 and was appointed as a junior minister in the finance ministry and as Education Minister in July 2023.
About France:
President– Emmanuel Macron
PM– Gabriel Attal
Capital– Paris
Currency– Euro

ACC Acquires Remaining 55% Stake in ACCPL at an Enterprise Value of Rs. 775 Cr
ACC Limited, a subsidiary of Adani-owned Ambuja Cements Limited, acquired the remaining 55% stake (valued at Rs 425.96 crores) in Asian Concretes and Cements Private Limited (ACCPL) from its existing promoter at an enterprise value of Rs. 775 crores, making it a fully-owned subsidiary. The acquisition has been completely funded by internal accruals and includes cash and equivalents of Rs 35 crore with at Asian Concretes.

• Prior to the acquisition, ACC Ltd held a 45% stake in ACCPL.
• With this acquisition, ACC Ltd will add 2.8 million to its existing cement production capacity, taking it to a total of 38.55 million tonnes per annum (MTPA).
• ACC Ltd when combined with Ambuja Cements Ltd (also referred to as Adani Cement), will increase ACC’s cement capacity and progress on the overall target of 140 MTPA capacity of Adani’s cement business by 2028 from the current 77.40 MTPA.

DRDO launches Assault Rifle ‘Ugram‘ for Indian ArmyThe Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) launched the “Ugram (ferocious)” assault rifle for the Indian Army (IA).

• It was unveiled by Shailendra Gade, the Director General of the Armament and Combat Engineering (ACE) system of the DRDO during a program organised at Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune, Maharashtra.

Developers:
It has been developed by Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune, Maharashtra and a Hyderabad-based private firm Dvipa Armour India Private Limited (DAIPL).
Features:
i.It is 7.62 x 51 mm caliber, weighs less than four kilograms, and has a 500-meter firing range. It has a 20-round magazine and fires in full auto mode.
ii.It has a rivet-free design.
iii.The rifle was developed based on the General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQRs) issued by the Indian Army for assault rifles.
Key Points:
i.This is the first time that DRDO lab has collaborated with a private industry to manufacture a 7.62 x 51 mm calibre rifle.
ii.The weapon will meet the operational requirements of the Indian armed forces, paramilitary forces and state police forces
iii.During the program, the small arms’ barrel manufacturing facility of ARDE was also inaugurated that will provide barrels for small arms’ manufacturing to both the Indian armed forces as well as to the private sector.
About Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE):
Director– Ankathi Raju
Headquarters– Pune, Maharashtra
Establishment– 1958

Swedish Researchers Developed Electronic Soil for Hydroponics
Researchers from Sweden’s Linköping University, have developed an electrically conductive growing medium called electronic soil (e-Soil) which finds its application in soil-less gardening or hydroponics.

• The study on e-Soil was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

eSoil:
i.eSoil electrically stimulate the root system and growth environment of plants.
ii.By using  an organic mixed-ionic electronic conductor, e-soil surpasses the limitations of the commonly used mineral wool substrate in hydroponics.
iii.This environmentally friendly substrate derived from cellulose and a conductive polymer called Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT).

Overview of India tour of South Africa 10th Dec 2023 – 7th January 2024The Indian cricket team toured South Africa from 10th December 2023 to 07th January 2024 to play Thee Twenty20 International (T20I), Three One Day International (ODI), and two test matches.

• Indian cricket team won the ODI series while T20I and test series ended in a draw.
• South African former Test captain Dean Elgar has announced his retirement from international cricket after the last test match against India.
• South African batsman Heinrich Klaasen has announced his retirement from Test cricket. He continues to play in ODI and T20I matches.

About Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI):
President – Roger Binny
Secretary – Jay Shah
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established – 1928

Music Maestro & Padma Awardee Ustad Rashid Khan Passed Away Renowned Hindustani classical singer and music maestro, and Padma awardee, Ustad Rashid Khan (55) passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal. He was born on 1st July 1968, in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh (UP).
About Ustad Rashid Khan:
i.Ustad Rashid Khan belongs to Rampur-Sahaswan gayaki (style of singing) which is related to the Gwalior gharana.
ii.He was the great-grandson of Inayat Hussain Khan who founded Rampur-Sahaswan style of singing.
iii.In 1994, ITC Sangeet Research Academy (SRA), Kolkata, acknowledged him as a musician at the academy.
iv.He also worked for Bollywood(Hindi) and Tollywood (Bengali) movies.
Awards:
i.Ustad Rashid Khan was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, in 2006 and Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award in 2022 in the field of arts.
ii.Rashid Khan received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2006 for his contribution to Hindustani vocal music.
iii.He also received the Global Indian Music Academy Awards (GIMA -2010), Maha Sangeet Samman Award (2012) and Mirchi Music Awards (2013).
Additional Info:
i.Through Shakhri Begum Memorial Trust, Rashid Khan created a musical village “Sangeet Graam” in Agartala, Tripura.
ii.He is the 31st generation of Mian Tansen, a legendary Hindustani classical musician who lived during the 16th century.

Renowned Hindi Poet Hariram Dwivedi Passed Away
Noted Hindi and Bhojpuri poet, lyricist and litterateur Pandit Hariram Dwivedi passed away in Uttar Pradesh (UP). He was born on 12th March 1936 in Sherwan village of UP.
i.Hariram Dwivedi was conferred with Sahitya Akademi’s Bhasha Samman 2013 for his contribution to Bhojpuri language and literature.
ii.He is known for his poetry collections like ‘Anganaiya’, ‘Nadiyan Gail Dubray’ and ‘Jeevandayini Ganga’.
iii.He also received awards such as Sahitya Bhushan, Hindi Sahitya Saraswat Samman, Rahul Sankrityayan.

World Hindi Day 2024- January 10World Hindi Day or Vishwa Hindi Diwas is annually observed across the globe on 10 January to highlight and educate the importance of the Hindi language and honour the contributions of Hindi speakers across the globe.

• The Day is also a recognition of linguistic diversity, cultural heritage, and the impact of Hindi on a global scale.

Background:
i.The decision to designate January 10 as World Hindi Day was made during the meeting of the follow-up committee on the World Hindi Conference held on June 8, 2005.

• The decision was made by then-Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh

ii.The first-ever World Hindi Day was celebrated on 10 January 2006.
iii.Since then, World Hindi Day has been celebrated by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which organises events and activities to promote the language.

Odisha Govt Signs MoU with NDDB to Set up new GMP facility to Produce Anthrax & ENT VaccinesThe Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (ARD) Department of the Government of Odisha signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for establishing a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility.

• The GMP facility is for the production of Anthrax and Enterotoxaemia (ENT) vaccines at the Satellite Unit of Odisha Biological Products Institute (OBPI) in Berhampur.

Project Estimation:
i.The project is estimated with an investment of Rs 52.20 crore for the production of these vaccines.
ii.The construction work of the laboratory will be completed within 36 months.
Current Production Status:
The existing Satellite unit of OBPI in Berhampur currently produces:

• 22 lakh doses of Anthrax Spore Vaccine (ASV); and
• 14 lakh doses of ENT Vaccine (ENTV) annually using conventional methods.

Upgrading Technology:
The establishment of a GMP laboratory will adhere to the World Health Organisation (WHO) norms and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 of India for superior vaccine quality.

• Once operational, it will produce 2 crore doses of ENTV and 50 lakh of ASV vaccines respectively.

Role of NDDB:
i.NDDB will provide consultancy and supervisory services for GMP unit setup.
ii.NDDB’s involvement includes overseeing trial runs and final commissioning of the plant.
Key Points:
The project is initiated under the 5T initiative to transform healthcare and disease management for livestock and poultry in Odisha.

• The 5T initiative is a governance model in Odisha that stands for Teamwork, Transparency, Technology, Time, and Transformation.

About Odisha:
Chief Minister– Naveen Patnaik
Governor– Raghubar Das
Tiger Reserve–  Similipal Tiger Reserve and Satkosia Tiger Reserve
Wildlife Sanctuary– Satkosia Gorge sanctuary (Angul) and Nandankanan sanctuary (Bhubaneswar)
About National Dairy Development Board (NDDB):
Chairman– Dr. Meenesh C Shah
Headquarters– Anand, Gujarat
Established in– 1965