Union Minister Smriti Irani launched New protocol for Anganwadi Workers to Track Children with DisabilitiesUnion Minister Smriti Zubin Irani, Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), has launched the Anganwadi Protocol for Divyang (disabled) Children in an event held in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, Delhi.

• The protocol provides guideline for Anganwadi workers to track and help children with disabilities upto the age of 6.

About the protocol:
i.The protocol is an important commitment under the Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi program of Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0.
ii.It provides training to Anganwadi workers.

• The Anganwadi eco-system reaches out to over eight crore children on a daily basis.
• The children can be further tracked through the Poshan tracker.

iii.The protocol sees disability among the children as an opportunity for society rather than  a challenge.
iv.The protocol embodies step-by-step approach:

• Screening for early disability signs
• Inclusion in community events and empowering families
• Referral support via Accredited Social Health Activist(ASHA) /Auxiliary Nursing and Midwifery (ANM) & Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) teams.

Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi:
i.It is a flagship program of MoWCD which was launched in May, 2023.
ii.The program strengthens Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).
iii.The program has adopted ECCE Task Force recommendation for play-based and activity-based learning pedagogy along with special and timely support for divyang children.

• The mother tongue of the child is the primary teacher instruction medium.

iv.As per the program, every child would be provided with at least two hours of high-quality pre-school instruction on a daily basis.

Defence Ministry inks Rs 2956 cr contract with BHEL to Procure 16 SRGM for INOn November 28, 2023, Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with M/s Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Haridwar, Uttarakhand for the procurement and manufacturing of 16 Upgraded Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM) along with associated equipment/accessories for Indian Navy (IN) under Buy (Indian) category at a total cost of Rs 2956.89 crore.
Key Points:
i.SRGMs will be installed onboard Indian Navy’s on serving and newly built ships by M/s Mazagon Dock & Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, Maharashtra and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, West Bengal.
Notes:
i.The SRGMs are medium caliber anti-missile/anti-aircraft point defense weapon system for sustained rate of fire and high accuracy.
ii.The Buy (Indian) category requires a products that is designed, developed, and manufactured in India, with a minimum 60% Indigenous Content, and minimum 50% for in case of indigenous design.
About Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL):
It is a Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
Chairman & Managing Director– Koppu Sadashiv Murthy
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi
Establishment– 1964

India’s 1st Telecom CoE to be set up at IIT Roorkee, UP India’s first Telecom Centre of Excellence (CoE) will be established at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee campus in Saharanpur, in Uttar Pradesh (UP). The UP Government will fund around Rs.30 crore for its establishment.

• The center will focus on connecting 5G technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop innovative devices and technologies and will also prepare a base for the launch of 6G technologies.
• The foundation stone for the same will be laid by the Chief Minister (CM) of UP Yogi Adityanath on December 5, 2023.

Objective of Telecom CoE:
To develop and promote new technology in the field of telecom
Key Points:
i.The new centre will boost telecommunications Research and Development (R&D) and create job opportunities for UP’s youth. Research will be done on these sectors:

• Fundamentals of Advanced Wireless Communication
• 5G and Wireless Standards
• Millimeter-Wave Transceivers Module Design
• AI/ML (Machine Laerning) for wireless communication

ii.It will function as a hub for cutting-edge technologies, supporting experts, and solving problems through modern technology.
iii.Emphasis will be on 5G applications in e-learning, education, agriculture, and satellite communication.
iv.It will attract domestic and international investments, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in Saharanpur.
v.It will also reduce India’s dependence on foreign technology by contributing to indigenous 5G and 6G development.
vi.It will generate new products, services, and technologies for global commercialization.
vii.The centre will also serve as a training platform for telecom sector skill development, offering practical experiences for students, researchers, and industry professionals.

MoHFW Rebranded AB-HWCs as ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandirs‘On 25th November 2023, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), has rebranded the Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) as ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandirs‘. 

• The rebranded AB-HWCs will carry a new tagline ‘Arogyam Parmam Dhanam’.

Rebranding:
i.MoHFW has instructed all the states to carry out the rebranding process & to complete it by the end of 2023.
ii.The funds required for renaming the existing facilities have been proposed at Rs.3,000 per facility.
iii.The states must upload new photographs of primary health facilities (which carry the new name) on the AB-HWC portal.

iv.However, the logo of the National Health Mission (NHM) will be retained as such.
Translate and Transliterate:
i.If languages other than Hindi or English are used for branding, then the full and exact title can be translated into the respective state language(s).
ii.However, the tagline must be transliterated into the state language(s).
Note: Transliteration is the process of converting a text from one language to another without changing the pronunciation of the text.
Ayushman Bharat (AB):
i.It is a flagship scheme of the Government of India (GoI) that aims to provide free healthcare services and health insurance coverage to low-income earners in the country.
ii.It was launched in 2018 as recommended by the National Health Policy 2017 to achieve the vision of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
iii.It comprises 2 interrelated components namely:

• Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs)
• Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)

iv.HWCs provide primary health care with a focus on wellness and the delivery of an expanded range of services closer to the community.

• PM-JAY provides health insurance coverage of Rs.5 lakhs per year to low-income earners in the country.

About Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW):
Union Minister – Mansukh Mandaviya (Rajya Sabha – Gujarat)
Minister of State (MoS) – Bharati Pravin Pawar

SEBI introduced significant amendments at the 203rd Meeting of SEBI BoardMadhabi Puri Buch, Chairman of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) chaired the 203rd meeting of the SEBI which was held in Mumbai, Maharashtra on November 25, 2023. The SEBI Board meeting announced key decisions related to NPO fundraising, regulations for index providers, AIFs operations etc.
Key Highlights of 203rd meeting of the SEBI Board are:
i.SEBI Board introduces flexibility for Social Stock Exchange(SSE) in order to give boost to fund raising by Not for Profit Organisation (NPOs) on the SSE.
ii.SEBI reduces minimum issue size from Rs1 crore to Rs 50 Lakh for public issuance of Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) instruments.
iii.SEBI has further approved to reduce minimum application size from Rs 2 Lakh to Rs10000 for public issuance of ZCZP by NPO on social stock exchange. It will help to expand participation of subscribers including Retail.
iv.SEBI Board approved a regulatory framework for index providers in order to introduce transparency and accountability in the functioning of the securities market.
v.SEBI approved amendments to SEBI (Real Estate Investment Trusts) Regulations, 2014.
vi. SEBI with the objective of protecting the interests of investors in Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) approved an amendment to SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012.
vii. SEBI plans to introduce same day (T+0) settlement by March 2024 and Instantaneous settlement 2025.

IRDAI sets up 11-member Task Force, Led by Randip Singh Jagpal to examine the Impact of DPDP Act, 2023 The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) formed an 11-member task force to examine the impact of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act of 2023 on the insurance sector.

• The Chairperson of the task force will be Randip Singh Jagpal, Executive Director (Non-Life) at IRDAI and Member of Stakeholders’ Committee.
• The task force will submit its report within 1 month of the order issuance.

Other Members of the Taskforce:

• It aims to help clients understand the legislation’s meaning and how it may affect the business environment.
• It includes a penalty clause for non-compliance with the provisions by data fiduciaries under which penalties can be up to Rs 250 crore.
• Click Here to Read about Act

Tata AIG introduces New Insurance plan ‘Health Supercharge’Tata AIG General Insurance Company Limited has launched its new health insurance plan, Health Supercharge to provide comprehensive coverage for individuals and families residing in Tier I to Tier IV locations.

• It offers 2 plan options namely Value Plan and Geo Plan,based on the geographical location.

Eligibility:
i.Age limit to join the policy: 91 days – 65 years
ii.Policy tenure: 1 to 3 years
iii.Sum Insured options: 5 lakhs to 20 lakhs
Plan Availability: 
i.Value Plan is available for members residing across India.
ii.Geo Plan  is available for members residing across India except Mumbai (Maharashtra), New Delhi (Delhi), Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Surat(Gujarat) & Baroda(Gujarat).
Key Features:
i.Policyholders receive a 5-times supercharge bonus on their sum insured, providing them with significantly more coverage for their medical expenses.
ii.There is no maximum age limit to cease the policy.

• Therefore, the policy extends lifelong provided proper payment of the premium.

iii.The plan includes an In-built Wellness Services and a Wellness Program.
iv.A policyholder can also add optional benefits such as unlimited restoration and a reduction in the Pre-Existing Disease (PED) waiting period for specified ailments.
v.The premium amount paid under this policy qualifies for deduction under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
vi.Families with members under the age of 40 receive a 5% discount on their premiums, both at the initial policy inception and during renewals.

• 10% & 5% long-term discount on premium in case insured opts policy term of 3 years and 2 years respectively.

vii.Policyholders can receive an annual preventive health check-up at no additional cost.
About Tata AIG General Insurance Company Limited:
Tata AIG General Insurance Company Limited is a joint venture (JV) company between Tata Sons and American International Group (AIG).
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Neelesh Garg
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established in – 2001

Abdullahi Mire, a former refugee from Somalia Named The 2023 Global Laureate of UNHCR Nansen Refugee Awards  Abdullahi Mire, a former refugee from Somalia has been named the 2023 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Nansen Refugee Award’s Global Laureate for championing the right to education while putting 100,000 books in the hands of displaced children and youth in Kenya.

• The awards will be presented at a ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland on 13 December 2023 at the Global Refugee Forum 2023, which will take place from 13 to 15 December 2023.
• The Somalia born grew up in the Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya.

2023 Regional Winners of the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award:
The 2023 Regional Winners of the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award have also been named, recognising their outstanding work with refugees, internally displaced, and stateless people.

• Elizabeth Moreno Barco from Colombia(Americas)
• Asia Al-Mashreqi from Yemen (Middle East & North Africa)
• Abdullah Habib, Sahat Zia Hero, Salim Khan and Shahida Win (Asia-Pacific): four Rohingya storytellers documenting the experiences of stateless Rohingya refugees
• Lena Grochowska and Władysław Grochowski from Poland (Europe)

About UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award:
i.Established in 1954, the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award celebrates the legacy of Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian scientist, polar explorer, diplomat, and first High Commissioner for Refugees (1920-1930) for the League of Nations.
ii.The 1st UNHR Nansen Refugee Award was presented in 1954 to Eleanor Roosevelt, the 1st Chair of the UN Human Rights Commission and 1st Lady of the United States of America (USA) alongside President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Note: Fridtjof Nansen was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922 “for his leading role in the repatriation of prisoners of war, in international relief work and as the League of Nations High Commissioner for refugees”
Sponsors of the Award:
The UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award is supported by the Governments of Norway and Switzerland, the City and Canton of Geneva, and the IKEA Foundation.
Prize Value:
i.The Award consists of a commemorative medal and a monetary prize of USD 100,000 donated by the governments of Norway and Switzerland.

• The 2023 global laureate is expected to reinvest the prize in the humanitarian initiatives they are being recognized for.

ii.Several regional winners will receive a smaller monetary prize to further their humanitarian work.
About United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):
High Commissioner– Filippo Grandi
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
Formally known as the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1950.

Rural Marketing Association of India Appoints Puneet Vidyarthi as its President for 2023-25
The Rural Marketing Association of India (RMAI), the premier body of rural marketers in India, has appointed Puneet Vidyarthi as its President for the 2023-2025 during its 18th Annual General Meeting (AGM).

• Puneet Vidyarthi succeeds Biswabaran Chakrabarti, incumbent President of RMAI (since 2019).
• Puneet Vidyarthi is the Head of Marketing, and Business Development (BD), India & SAR at Case New Holland (CNH) Construction Equipment India, CNH Industrial (India) Pvt Ltd.
• He also served as the Associate Vice President and Head of Marketing and Digital Innovations at JCB India Ltd.

Other Appointments:

• Vice President – Khurram Askari, Founder and Managing Director (MD) of Insight Outreach Pvt Ltd
• Treasurer – Sandip Bansal, Chief Client & Field Officer, Dialogue Factory – GroupM Media
• General Secretary – Sunny Vohra, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Anugrah Madison Advertising Pvt Ltd

BBIL, Sydney University ink MoU to collaborate on vaccine R&D & infectious diseasesBharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL), the developer of India’s first indigenous Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin, inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (Sydney ID) to collaborate on advancing vaccine research, strengthening academic-industry partnerships, and combatting infectious diseases globally.
i.It aims to build strong sectoral and cross-organisational collaborations to design novel methodologies to tackle future epidemics and infectious disease.
ii.The collaboration will utilize academia-industry strengths for advancing the science of vaccines and biotherapeutics.
iii.Vaccines offer the most efficient and economical means to safeguard billions of people globally, and to eradicate human and animal diseases.
iv.BBIL has over 145 global patents, a portfolio of over 19 vaccines and four biotherapeutics.
About Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL):
Founder & Executive Chairman– Dr Krishna M. Ella
Establishment– 1996
Headquarters– Hyderabad, Telangana

Punjab defeats Haryana to Clinch 13th Senior Men National Hockey Championship 2023
Hockey Punjab own the 13th edition of Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2023 and clinched gold medal by defeating Hockey Haryana in the finals.

• Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu clinched bronze medal and stands at third place after defeating Hockey Karnataka.
• The Championship was held from 17th to 28th November 2023 at Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
• Punjab, under the captainship of Harmanpreet Singh, defeated Haryana by a 9-8 margin after the teams were tied 2-2 at regulation time.
• This marks Hockey Punjab’s fourth title in the 13 editions of the tournament.
• The 2022 senior Men championship was won by Haryana who defeated Tamil Nadu.

Canadian TV Producer & Emmy Award Winner Marty Krofft, Passed Away
Marty Krofft, a Canadian TV producer and puppeteer known for imaginative children’s shows such as ‘HR Pufnstuf’ and ‘Land of the Lost,’ passed away in California, the United States of America (USA) at the age of 86. He was born in Montreal, Canada on April 9, 1937.

• He was most known for co-creating the primetime children’s TV series of the 1970s and 1980s with his elder brother Sid Krofft.
• The Krofft brothers made their TV debut in 1969 with the National Broadcasting Company (NBC)’s “H.R. Pufnstuf,” followed by “The Bugaloos” (NBC, 1970) and “Lidsville” (American Broadcasting Company, 1971).
• They also produced 2 theatrical motion pictures namely Middle Age Crazy (1980), and Harry Tracy, The Last Desperado (1983).
• They received the Life Time Achievement Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in 2018.
• The brothers received a star on the world-famous Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2020 in recognition of their “Golden Anniversary.”

C K Gopinathan, Director & Major Shareholder of Dhanlaxmi Bank, Passed Away
C K Gopinathan, Director on the board of Thrissur (Kerala)-based Dhanlaxmi Bank, passed away. He has more than 25 years of experience in the banking/finance sectors and has been on the Board of the Dhanlaxmi Bank since 2016.

• He was a major shareholder in the bank, and as of September 2023, he held a 7.5% stake in the bank, with permission to hold up to 9.99%.
• He served as a Director at the Catholic Syrian Bank Limited (CSB) for almost 8 years from September 26, 2008, to July 20, 2016.
• He was also the Director of C.K.G Supermarket Limited and Managing Director (MD) of C.K.G Securities and Investments Limited.

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 2023- November 29 The United Nations (UN) International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is annually observed across the globe on 29 November to provide an opportunity for the international community to show its support for the Palestinian people, who are still striving for fundamental rights.

• The UN observes the day by undertaking its annual debate on the question of Palestine, which remains unresolved.

Background:
i.On 2 December 1977, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/32/40 B and proclaimed the 29 November of every year as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
ii.The first International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People was observed in 1978.
About United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA):
Commissioner-General– Mr Philippe Lazzarini (Under-Secretary-General of the UN)
Headquarters– Amman (Jordan) and Gaza (Palestinian Territory)
Following the 1948 War, UNRWA was established by UNGA on 8 December 1949 to carry out direct relief and work programs for Palestine refugees. The Agency began operations on 1 May 1950.

Karnataka government Signed LoI with Meta for Digital Skilling and Online SafetyThe Karnataka government signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Meta (formerly known as Facebook), an American Multinational Social Technology Company to elevate awareness about online user safety and digital citizenship among students and educators.

• Through this partnership, the Karnataka government plans to offer training to 1 lakh teachers and 10 lakh students in digital safety and Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR) by 2025.

Online Safety Initiative:
i.Under the online safety initiative, those aged 18 to 24 from 100 colleges and universities across Karnataka would receive digital awareness training.The aim of the program was to make them more mindful of the new trends in digital safety.
ii.Furthermore, students and teachers will also take the Digital Nagrik pledge, as a reminder and commitment to creating a safer digital world.
Digital Citizenship Initiative:
i.It is a joint program between the Ministry of Information Technology & Bio Technology (IT/BT) and Meta, that would develop a WhatsApp chatbot for the delivery of information services across various government departments.

• The purpose of the program was to streamline citizen communications and also create a Digital Safety Chatbot for citizen awareness.

ii.Meta’s responsibility extends to training people in safe online auctions and prioritizing online safety.A particular focus on the safety of women and children is highlighted as a crucial area.
About Karnataka:
Chief Minister– Siddaramaiah
Governor– Thawar Chand Gehlot
Stadium– M Chinnaswamy Stadium (Outdoor) and Karnataka State Hockey Association (KSHA) Hockey Stadium (Outdoor)

MHA Appointed Atal Dulloo IAS as Chief Secretary of J&K
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has appointed Atal Dulloo, a 1988 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, as Chief Secretary of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) with effect from 1st December 2023 or from date of assumption of charge, whichever is later and until further orders.