January 2024 Current Affairs MCQ Questions and Answers

The United Nations Security Council has appointed
former Afghan President Hamid Karzai as special envoy for peace in Afghanistan. China and Russia  abstained from voting on the Security Council resolution, which was supported by 13 countries.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has launched an indigenous assault rifle named ‘Ugram’, intended to meet the
operational requirements of armed forces, paramilitary, and state police entities. The rifle, with a calibre of 7.62 x 51 mm, has been designed, developed, and manufactured in collaboration with a private industry partner.

The Kuwaiti Dinar recently secured the first rank in the Forbes list of the 10 strongest currencies in the world.

The Indian Navy and Royal Thai Navy (RTN) conducted a maiden bilateral exercise, named ‘ExAyutthaya’, which symbolises the significance of
‘Ayodhya’ in India and Ayutthaya in Thailand, which
holds historic legacies and has rich cultural ties. The exercise between the two navies was conducted from December 20 to 23 last year.

Ola Electric has become the first Indian e-scooter (e2W) company to get eligible for the government’s production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, according to a report. “Ola Electric has successfully met the stringent eligibility assessment requirements
outlined in the PLI Scheme, including a minimum of 50% domestic value addition to its vehicles,” the report claimed.

INS ‘Imphal’, the first ship to be named after a city from the Northeast was commissioned to the Mumbai-headquartered Western Naval Command,
the sword arm of the Indian Navy. INS Imphal, a Project 15B stealth guided missile destroyer of the Visakhapatnam-class, was built in the Mazagon Dock
Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) in Mumbai.

Gujarat launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Shiksha Saathi Yojana’ to provide financial assistance to students for higher education.

Hyundai Motor India has roped in popular Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone as its brand ambassador, the Korean automaker said. Her association adds a touch of star power, emphasising Hyundai’s
commitment to style, performance and an
unparalleled driving experience, the company said in a statement.

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has started crude oil production from its massive deep-sea project in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) basin block KGDWN-98/2, which was hit by multiple delays and deadline extensions over the past few years. The project is expected to help the state-owned oil and gas behemoth to arrest the decline in its overall oil
production from its mature fields.

Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) celebrated 66th DRDO Day on January 01, 2024. It was on this day in 1958 when DRDO was formed to make India strong and self-reliant in terms of science and technology and especially in military technologies.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Kisan Kalyan Yojana’ to provide financial assistance to farmers.

Jadung Village in Uttarkashi district witnessed abandonment following the 1962 Indo-China war, which significantly impacted diplomatic relations between the two nations and left unresolved border disputes. The fallout from the conflict resulted in the residents deserting the village due to the strategic and geopolitical changes in the region.

Barack Obama won the Emmy for best narrator for his Netflix documentary series, “Working: What We Do All Day”, repeating in a category he previously
won for narrating a Netflix series on national parks. He also has two Grammys for his voice work on the audiobooks of his two memoirs.

Anahat Singh won the girls’ under-19 title at the 2023 Scottish Junior Open squash tournament.

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with
Disabilities (DEPWD) and the National Human Resources Development Network (NHRDN) have signed a memorandum of understanding on the closing day of the International Purple Fest in Goa. This strategic collaboration aims to aggregate
employment opportunities for Divyangjans through the innovative PM-DAKSH-DEPWD digital portal.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced a substantial allocation of Rs 1,170.16 crore for 29 road projects in Ladakh. This funding aims to address the connectivity challenges faced by Ladakh, the largest Union Territory, and foster socio-economic development. Additionally, Rs 181.71 crore from the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) has been earmarked for the construction of eight bridges inthe region.

V.K. Saraswat, Member (S&T), NITI AAYOG inaugurated India’s First National Highway Steel Slag Road section on NH- 66 Mumbai-Goa National
Highway. Dr Saraswat said that the Steel Slag Road Technology, developed by CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) is transforming the
waste of steel industries into wealth and is helping
the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to build stronger and ecofriendly national highways in the country.

Gujarat launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana’ to provide subsidized food to the poor.

Uttar Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Balika Protsahan Yojana’ to encourage the education of girl children.

Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ArSRLM)
has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the State Bank of India for banking services to self-help groups (SHGs) in the state. The MoU has been signed to expedite the SHG bank linkage on savings, credit, insurance and remittances for 12,000 self-help groups promoted under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana National Rural Livelihood Mission
(DAY-NRLM) in the northeastern state.

India signed the Bilateral Haj Agreement 2024 with Saudi Arabia.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated the first all-girls sainik school at Vrindavan recently. According to the defence ministry, Samvid
Gurukulam Girls Sainik School, the first all-girls sainik
school with a strength of about 870 students, has been inaugurated under the initiative of establishing 100 new sainik schools in partnership with
NGOs/private/state government schools in all states/Union territories.

 Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Old Age Pension Scheme’ to provide financial support to senior citizens.

Dun & Bradstreet, a global leader of business
decisioning data and analytics, in collaboration with Jupiter Wagons, introduces the Indian Railway Freight Activity (IRFA) Index, a pioneering initiative
aimed at providing a comprehensive and data-driven
assessment of the dynamics of Indian Railway freight activity.

 Uttar Pradesh won the State Champion award for outstanding performance in Civil Aviation at the Wings India Awards 2024.

Gujarat launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana’ to provide subsidized food to the poor.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) sold $5 Billion Dual Tranche 3- and 10-Year Global Benchmark Bonds.

An investment of Rs 45,000 crore for the development of river cruise tourism in the country has been promised by the Inland Waterways
Development Council (IWDC). The centre aims to develop 26 more waterways which will be fit for River Cruise tourism. Present operational strength is
of eight waterways.

The remains of a 2,800-year-old human settlement were discovered in Vadnagar, India.

The SVAMITVA Scheme won the 1st prize in the Innovation Sandbox presentation at the second annual “Public Policy Dialogues” Conclave 2024.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the
27th National Youth Festival in Nashik, Maharashtra on January 12. 12 January is the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda and it is celebrated as National Youth Day in India.

A report by crypto trading platform CoinSwitch
showed Delhi maintained its lead in India’s crypto adoption, followed by Bangalore and Mumbai. The parameter for this was in terms of value invested.
The report also states that the markets picked up significantly towards the end of 2023.

Private lender Federal Bank said that it has received the approval from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to permit ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company
(ICICI AMC) to acquire an aggregate holding of up to
9.95 percent of stake in the bank. RBI accorded the approval subject to conditions, Federal Bank said in a regulatory filing.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Bal Arogya Abhiyan’ to provide healthcare services to children.

The first edition of the FIH Hockey5s World Cup 2024 will be hosted in Oman.

The ‘Build for Billions’ startup accelerator program was launched by DLabs at the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal unveiled the logo and booklet for the upcoming “Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024.” The Mega Mobility show is set to take place from February 1-3, 2024, at Bharat Mandapam,
Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

The UAE Land Forces contingent comprising 45 personnel is in India to participate in the 1st edition of the India – UAE Joint Military Exercise ‘DESERT
CYCLONE’. The Exercise is scheduled to be conducted
in Mahajan, Rajasthan from 2nd to 15th January 2024.

The Ministry of Heavy Industries has extended the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Automobile and Auto Components by one year. The
scheme will be applicable for five consecutive financial years, starting from FY24 and ending in 2027-28.

The government has set aside Rs 13,000 crore for the PM Vishwakarma Yojana from fiscal year 2023-2024 to fiscal year 2027-28. On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 73rd birthday, the PM Vishwakarma Yojana was launched on September
17, 2023. PM Vishwakarma Yojana is a central
government scheme.

The International Purple Fest – 2024 was inaugurated in Goa.

The military regimes governing Burkina Faso, Mali, and
Niger surprised the international community by
announcing their immediate withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This decision was labeled as a “sovereign decision,” indicating a self-determined move without
external influence.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to enhance the bulk deposit limit for large urban cooperative banks (UCBs) to ₹1 crore and above from the current ₹15 lakh and above. With the bulk deposit bar being raised to ₹1 crore and above, customers’ placing deposits below this threshold will earn a uniform rate of interest.

The sixth edition of the Rabindranath Tagore Literary
Prize was awarded to poet-critic Sukrita Paul Kumar for her book, ‘Salt & Pepper: Selected Poems’. An amount of USD 5,000, a Tagore statue and a certificate for contribution to literature was given to Kumar at the award ceremony in New Delhi.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has launched the National Transit Pass System (NTPS) pan-India to facilitate the seamless transit of timber,
bamboo, and other forest produce across the country. Speaking during the launch in New Delhi, Mr. Yadav said that NTPS is envisioned as a ‘One
Nation-One Pass’ regime that will contribute to the ease of doing business.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Vriddha Pension Yojana’ to provide financial support to senior citizens.

The foundation stone for the modernization and upgradation of Paradip Fishing Harbour was laid in Odisha.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has released Third advance estimate of area and production of various horticultural crops for the year
2022-23. The estimation of total horticulture production for the year 2022-23 is 355.25 million tonnes, which is about 8.07 million tonnes more
(increase of 2.32%) than the year 2021-22.

DLabs at the Indian School of Business (ISB) launched
‘Build for Billions’, a startup accelerator programme,
themed around financial inclusion for the informal
economy, in partnership with Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) and Union Bank of India.

The Chhattisgarh government has decided to launch the ‘Shri Ramlala Darshan scheme,’ a pilgrimage to the newly built Ram temple in Ayodhya. In a meeting of the state cabinet presided over by Chief Minister
Vishnudeo Sai, the decision was made to fulfill one of the poll guarantees given during the last assembly elections.

 Dr. Arvind Panagariya was appointed as the Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission.

Cyber risks are seen as the most serious concern to
Indian organizations, with 38% of respondents believing they are highly or extremely vulnerable to them. When compared to the highlights of the 2022 Global Risk Survey – India, cybersecurity has risen
two points from third to first on the risk radar.

The 76th Army Day was celebrated on 15th January 2024 in Lucknow.

India’s first Healthy & Hygienic Food Street, ‘PRASADAM,’ was inaugurated in Ujjain.

Project ‘Veer Gatha’ is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education.

Uttar Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Balika Protsahan Yojana’ to encourage the education of girl children.

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has developed the Bhoomi Rashi portal to digitize the land acquisition process for National Highway (NH) Projects. The portal has greatly reduced the time period for publication of notifications and brought in
efficiency as well as transparency.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has entered into a three-year Memorandum of
Understanding with the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), a unit of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), to develop a “Green Cover Index” for the country’s extensive network of National Highways.

The 7th edition of the mega food show ‘Indus Food 2024’ was inaugurated in Greater Noida.

Argentina’s new President, Javier Milei, has withdrawn the country from its planned entry into the expanding BRICS club of nations. It would have been admitted to the BRICS club on 1 January, alongside Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the
United Arab Emirates.

According to CBRE India Research’s report “MSMEs:
Unleashing the Engines of Economic Prosperity”,
Maharashtra has the largest share (17%) of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India, followed by Tamil Nadu (10%) and Uttar Pradesh (9%). The research was revealed during the CREDAI National New India Summit 2024 (5th edition), which took place in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, from January
7th to 9th, 2024.

Microsoft launched the “AI Odyssey” initiative.

Every year, National Farmer’s Day is celebrated on December 23. National Farmer’s Day is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, the former Prime Minister of the country. Chaudhary Charan Singh served the nation from 1979 to 1980.

 Man Singh won the gold medal at the 19th Asian Marathon Championships 2024 in Hong Kong, China.

The Reserve Bank said it has imposed penalties totalling Rs 2.49 crore on three banks, including Dhanlaxmi Bank and Punjab & Sind Bank and ESAF
Small Finance Bank for contravention of regulatory
norms. A penalty of Rs 1.20 crore has been slapped on Dhanlaxmi Bank for non-compliance with certain directions on ‘Loans and Advances – Statutory and
Other Restrictions’, KYC and certain norms related to
interest rate on deposits.

Bihar launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Vidya Dhan Yojana’ to provide financial assistance to students pursuing higher education.

 Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana’ to provide health insurance to economically weaker sections.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Old Age Pension Scheme’ to provide financial support to senior citizens.

Researchers from the National Bureau of Fish Genetic
Resources (NBFGR) have contributed to India’s marine
biodiversity knowledge by discovering two new species
of Congrid eels. This finding enriches our understanding
of relatively less studied fish groups along the coasts of
Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Old Age Pension Yojana’ to provide financial support to senior citizens.

Rajendranagar Police Station was awarded the title of the best police station in 2023 at the 58th DGsP/IGsP Conference in Jaipur.

The returns filed by individual taxpayers have increased from 3.36 crore in Assessment Year (AY) 2013-14 to 6.37 crore in AY 2021-22 registering an
overall increase of 90%. During the current fiscal too, 7.41 crore returns have been filed for AY 2023-24 till date, including 53 lakh new first time filers.

Project ‘Veer Gatha’ is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education.

The average monthly gross GST collection of ₹1.66 lakh crore in the first 9-month period this year represents a 12% increase compared to the ₹1.49 lakh crore average recorded in the corresponding
period of FY23. The revenues for the month of December, 2023 are 10.3% higher than the GST revenues in the same month last year.

The Rajasthan government launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Sarthi Yojana’ to provide training and financial assistance to youth for employment opportunities.

India’s first National Highway made with steel slag was inaugurated on NH-66.

Cabo Verde was recently certified malaria-free by the World Health Organization (WHO).

he inaugural edition of the Joint Military Exercise ‘Desert Cyclone 2024’ will be held between India and the United Arab Emirates in Rajasthan.

Jharkhand launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Krishi Aashirwad Yojana’ to provide financial assistance to farmers.

The Indian Air Force conducted its first night landing at the Kargil Advanced Landing Ground with the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.

Quality Council of India (QCI) and the Khadi Village & Industries Commission (KVIC) have signed an MoU to
introduce made in India labelled khadi merchandise, improve the quality of khadi products and empower khadi artisans, the QCI said in a statement.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)
has unveiled a new logo for Chartered Accountants (CA) India recently. The logo was launched by VicePresident of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar in the presence of Union Minister of Commerce and Industry CA Piyush Goyal and Praful Pansheriya, Minister of State
for Parliamentary Affairs.

Chad’s transitional government has appointed former opposition leader Succes Masra, who recently returned to the country following exile, as
prime minister. Masra will serve through the transition to civilian rule, Mahamat Ahmad Alhabo,
Chad’s new secretary-general of the presidency, said.

Gujarat launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Shiksha Saathi Yojana’ to provide financial assistance to students for higher education.

Switzerland recently agreed to host a Global Peace Summit on Ukraine.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced an extension of the Payments Infrastructure
Development Fund (PIDF) scheme until December 31, 2025. Initially launched in 2021 for a three-year period, this extension aims to continue fostering financial inclusion and supporting the country’s
payment infrastructure.

India has submitted nominations of three cities –
Indore, Bhopal and Udaipur – for Wetland City Accreditation (WCA) under the Ramsar Convention, an intergovernmental treaty that provides a framework for the conservation and wise use of
wetlands and their resources.

Supreme Court judge Justice BR Gavai has been nominated as the Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC), replacing Justice Sanjiv Khanna – the seniormost judge of the top
court after the Chief Justice of India (CJI).

State-run Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) has signed a firm contract worth Rs 488.25 crore with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the short refit of an Indian naval ship. The contract, officially signed on December 19, 2023, involves the repair and maintenance of equipment and systems on board the naval vessel, the company said.

Rajasthan launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Anuprati Coaching Scheme’ to provide free coaching to underprivileged students.

State-owned aerospace and defence electronics company Bharat Electronics has signed a contract valued at Rs 445 crore with the Uttar Pradesh
government. This contract will provide “comprehensive and state-of-art hardware, AI-based
software tools and cyber security solutions” for the Dial 112 project of the Uttar Pradesh government, which is an emergency response system.

LEO1, an edu-fintech startup, in collaboration with NSDL Payments Bank, has introduced prepaid ID cards for students and educational institutions. This card, supported by MasterCard, is devoid of
traditional numbering, offering a secure and efficient payment solution to educational institutes and students, according to an official release.

 India has become the first country to launch a national green hydrogen mission.

Suchetha Satish set a Guinness World Record for singing in 140 languages in a 9-hour concert.

Gujarat launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Vidya Saathi Yojana’ to provide financial assistance to students for higher education.

The XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite) will be launched by ISRO’s PSLV-C58 mission.

HDFC Bank has informed that the Board of Directors has recommended the reappointment of Atanu
Chakraborty as the part time non-executive chairman and independent director of the Bank to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a second term of
three years.

Madhya Pradesh emerged as the overall champion in the Beach Games 2024 held at Ghoghla Beach in Diu.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Vidyarthi Suraksha Yojana’ to provide insurance coverage to students.

The ‘World Employment and Social Outlook Trends 2024’ report was released by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Three varieties of handloom sarees – tangail, korial and garad from West Bengal have received the GI tag, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said. The tangail sarees are woven in Nadia and Purba Bardhhaman districts, while korial and garad are woven in Murshidabad and Birbhum.

Gujarat launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Swavalamban Yojana’ to provide financial assistance to economically weaker sections for higher education.

Indian Army will observe 2024 as the “Year of Technology Absorption” as it’s trying to gradually mature into a modern force that will have a new
operational philosophy for induction of drones and counter-drones systems right across infantry, artillery and armoured battalions, and establish Command Cyber Operations Support Wings
(CCOSWs), besides bridging other conventional asymmetries.

India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenues crossed ₹1,64,800 crore in December 2023, with year-on-year growth slowing to a three-month low of 10.3% from a 15.1% rise in the previous month. December’s GST kitty is about 1.8% lower than the
nearly ₹1.68 lakh crore collected a month earlier.

Kuwait’s ruler appointed Sheikh Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah as the country’s new prime minister. Sheikh Mohammed, an academic and a
former foreign minister who also served as ambassador to the United States, is tasked with forming the first new government since Emir Sheikh
Mishaal Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah took over after the death of his half brother last month.

Reliance Jio Infocomm is working with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay to launch ‘Bharat GPT’, a large language model specifically tailor for
India’s needs, said chairman Akash Ambani. Speaking
at the annual IIT Bombay TechFest, Ambani said the
company is also “comprehensively thinking” to
launch an operating system for smart televisions.

The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) announced plans to develop India’s first and biggest jewellery park in Navi Mumbai.

China’s ocean drilling vessel, Mengxiang, embarks on an unprecedented journey to probe Earth’s mantle and breach the Mohorovicic discontinuity (Moho).Weighing an impressive 33,000 tonnes and stretching 179 meters, Mengxiang is a colossal ship engineered to withstand powerful tropical cyclones. The vessel’s mission represents humanity’s inaugural
exploration into the uncharted territory of the Earth’s mantle, a crucial layer connecting the surface to the core.

Zerodha Fund House has announced a new scheme
and India’s first growth liquid exchange-traded fund (ETF)—Zerodha Nifty 1D Rate Liquid ETF. The fund is expected to be listed on the NSE and BSE exchanges by January 24.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Bal Suraksha Yojana’ to provide health insurance to children.

The Rural Development Ministry and State Bank of India has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate enterprise financing for rural selfhelp groups (SHG), an official statement said. The
MoU was signed by Additional Secretary Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission, Charanjit Singh and Chief General Manager, State Bank of India, Corporate office Mumbai, Shantanu Pendsey.

Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance has launched a new product, T.U.L.I.P, a term with a unit-linked insurance plan. The product is a plan that gives a life
cover up to 100 times the annual premium while permitting customers to earn returns like a ULIP product.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana’ to provide health insurance to economically weaker sections.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Ladli Laxmi Yojana’ to promote the education and well-being of girls.

After a review, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to enhance the bulk deposit limit for Scheduled Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks, in Tier 3 and 4, to Rs 1 crore and above from ₹15 lakh and above which was the meaning of bulk deposits as per a previous Master Direction.

India’s aviation regulator DGCA has increased the mandatory weekly rest period for flight crew to 48 hours from 36 hours to combat pilot fatigue. On January 7, 2024, aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had said that the new norms proposed to deal with pilot fatigue, including more rest hours, will help in putting in place a facilitative regime for pilots.

Bandhan Bank has announced that it has secured mandate to collect revenue on e-GRAS portal from Assam government. This will enable people of Assam
to make their tax payments as well as non-tax payments through the Government Receipt Accounting System Portal (GRAS). This will make
transactions easier, paperless and accessible for
people of Assam.

Gujarat launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Shiksha Saathi Yojana’ to provide financial assistance to students for higher education.

Public sector Indian Bank has partnered with FPL Technologies, to launch the Indian Bank One Cobranded Credit Card. The partnership brings in Indian Bank, FPL Technologies, NPCI, and VISA, signaling a synergy of expertise, innovation, and commitment toward providing customers with unparalleled
services in the credit card domain.

Retirement fund manager EPFO has extended the deadline till May 31 2024 for employers to upload wage details of those opting for higher pension to its
database. Earlier, the deadline for employers to upload wage details for those opting for higher pension on higher contribution was December 31,
2023, a labour ministry statement said.

Kolkali dance is a traditional folk dance of the Lakshadweep Islanders. Kolakali dance is performed by moving in a circle, striking small sticks, and maintaining rhythm using particular moves. The circle would gradually shrink as the dance progressed.

The United Nations has declared 2024 the International Year Of Camelids. The decision has been taken to highlight the significant importance of camelids in the lives of people across the world.
According to the official website of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), camelids influence the lives of millions of households in more than 90
countries.

The Centre has signed an agreement to acquire five
lithium brine blocks for exploration and development in Argentina. The agreement was
signed between Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL) and Catamarca Minera Y Energética Sociedad Del Estado (CAMYEN), a state-owned mining and energy company in the Argentine province of Catamarca.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Krishi Kalyan Yojana’ to provide financial assistance to farmers.

 Gujarat launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana’ to provide subsidized food to the poor.

National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited
(NIIFL) announced that its board of directors has
appointed Sanjiv Aggarwal as chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director (MD) of the company. The appointment follows a search process
conducted by NIIFL’s board of directors.

Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd.(IREDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), setting the stage for collaborative efforts in co-lending and loan syndication for a diverse spectrum of Renewable Energy projects across the nation.

The United States continues to have the most powerful
military in the world, followed by Russia and China, according to the Global Firepower rankings 2024. India has the fourth strongest military globally, according to the index which evaluated the strength of 145 countries.

The 25T Bollard Pull Tug launched at Titagarh Rail Systems Limited, Kolkata, is named Bhishm.

The board of the Washington-based International Monetary Fund is set to deliberate and potentially grant final approval for the disbursement of the next $700 million tranche for Pakistan under the existing
$3 billion Stand-By Arrangement (SBA). According to the IMF’s latest figures, the projected real GDP for the year is anticipated to experience a contraction of 0.5 per cent, indicating potential economic
headwinds.

Prof. B.R. Kamboj was honored with the 14th Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Award for Leadership in Agriculture.

The University of Oxford recently announced the launch of the first human trial for its ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine.

The inaugural ‘Inland Waterways Development Council’ meeting was held aboard the MV Ganga Queen in Kolkata.

India’s coking coal imports are at a five-year high for the April-November period (11 months) of this fiscal at 38.14 million tonnes (mt). Imports were slightly higher on a Y-o-Y basis with nearly 38.12 mt of shipments coming in for the comparative period last year.

Bikaner-III Neemrana-II Transmission, a project
special purpose vehicle (SPV) set up by Power Finance Corporation’s subsidiary PFC Consulting is estimated to cost ₹1,544 crore. Tata Power will
maintain the transmission project for 35 years.

Haldia Petrochemicals Limited (HPL) has become India’s first ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified petrochemical firm. The British Standards Institution (BSI), a certification authority based in the United Kingdom (UK), gave the accreditation at a ceremony
in Kolkata, West Bengal.

Indian Navy Ships Cheetah, Guldar and Kumbhir were decommissioned on 12 Jan 2024 after rendering four decades of glorious service to the nation. Cheetah, Guldar and Kumbhir were constructed at the Gdynia Shipyard, Poland as Polnocny class Landing Ships and were commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1984, 1985 and 1986 respectively.

State-owned Power Grid Corporation said it has
appointed Ravindra Kumar Tyagi as the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD). Tyagi will take over from Sreekant Kandikuppa, who retired after reaching the age of superannuation, the
company said in a regulatory filing.

The Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) Rao Inderjit Singh launched the MPLADS e-SAKSHI Mobile Application for revised fund flow procedure under MPLAD (Member of
Parliament Local Area Development) Scheme, at
Khurshid Lal Bhawan, New Delhi.

ITC, a renowned Indian corporation, has formed a
significant cooperation with Microsoft and Skymet to address the growing issues that tobacco producers in
India confront as a result of climate change. This effort uses cutting-edge technology like drones, AI, and data analytics to give precise weather forecasts, crop advisories, hotspot mapping, and nutritional supplementation.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Bal Suraksha Yojana’ to provide health insurance to children.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in
Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding
Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand.

Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to set up a wholly-owned finance company in the GIFT City in Gujarat. The entity at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) will present new business
opportunities for PFC and contribute to the growth
of the country’s power sector.

The CRC Samba-Jammu, inaugurated by Lt. Governor
Shri Manoj Sinha, is a significant initiative by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with
Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India. It aims to provide
comprehensive support, skill development, and rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities (Divyangjan), promoting their empowerment and facilitating their seamless integration into mainstream society.

Cabo Verde was recently certified malaria-free by the World Health Organization (WHO).

ISRO successfully tested 10 Ah Silicon-Graphite-anode-based high energy density Li-ion cells.

The World Bank approved a loan of USD 200 million for India’s ‘Mission Karmayogi’ program.

IG Drones was awarded a contract to survey the Personalized Rapid Transit Corridor (PRT) of India’s first Neo Metro Project in Uttarakhand.

The central bank observed that gross household financial savings, which had surged to 15.4 per cent of GDP in 2020-21 (pandemic peak year), supported by large precautionary savings, fell to 11.1 per cent in 2021-22 and further to 10.9 per cent in 2022-23, reverting to its pre-pandemic trend (an average of 11 per cent during 2011-12 to 2019-20).

Odisha launched the third phase of the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY).

Coast Guards of India and Japan took part in a joint
exercise ‘Sahyog-Kaijin’ off the Chennai coast as part of strengthening the bond of the two countries. One ship of the Japanese Coast Guard and four ships and an aircraft of the Indian Coast Guard took part in the exercise.

Paramilitary forces are transitioning to the ‘Sandes
App’ to address concerns regarding data security,
prioritizing the use of indigenous technology over
popular international platforms like WhatsApp. The
shift underscores the strategic move to safeguard
sensitive information and ensure secure
communication within security organizations,
aligning with the government’s emphasis on data
sovereignty.

The ‘Global Risks Report 2024’ was released by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Sports entrepreneur Vita Dani has become the first Indian to be inducted as a governing board member of the International Table Tennis Federation’s (ITTF) Foundation. The Foundation was established in 2018 by the ITTF to attract more people to the sport.

To provide important information about MSP and agronomy to jute farmers, the Ministry of Textiles launched “Paat-Mitro” – a mobile application, developed by The Jute Corporation of India Limited (JCI). The application can be freely downloaded from Google Play Store and all the functionalities are made available to the users free of cost.

The Karnataka High Court suspended all mining licenses for stone quarrying within a 20-km radius of the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam.

India became the first country to approve the use of 3D-printed corneas for human trials.

In order to facilitate non-resident Indians (NRIs) for
resolving their issues, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann launched a new website nri.punjab.gov.in of the NRI Affairs Department. Launching the website, the Chief Minister described it as a path-breaking initiative aimed at ensuring the
well-being of the NRIs on one hand and helping them to stay connected with their roots on the other.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted a one-year extension to the co-branding partnership between Bajaj Finance and RBL Bank. On October 27, Bajaj
Finance had sought a longer extension for its credit card ties with RBL Bank. The initial permit was for a two-year period.

Denmark has announced its Green Fuels Alliance India (GFAI) initiative to boost collaborative efforts between the two countries in the sustainable energy solutions sector and advance their joint global goal towards carbon neutrality.

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur and Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin unveiled the official jersey of 6th
Khelo India Youth Games in Chennai recently. Mr Thakur also unveiled the mascot for the Games. The mascot is the Veera Mangai Velu Nachiyar. The
theme song of the games was also released.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) recently invested INR 4.86 billion in the Sustainable Energy Infra Trust (SEIT).

The International Purple Fest – Goa 2024 was organized from 8 to 13 January 2024. Pramod
Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa was the Chief Guest, and Shri Ramdas Athawale, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, was the Guest of Honour.

COP29 will be held in Azerbaijan, with Mukhtar Babayev as the president-designate.

Gujarat launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana’ to provide subsidized food to the poor.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has been awarded the prestigious Leif Erikson Lunar Prize by the Husavik Museum, Iceland in recognition of the space agency’s unwavering commitment and significant contributions to lunar exploration. The award celebrates Isro’s successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, which has played a pivotal role in enhancing our understanding of celestial mysteries.

Jio continues to be the strongest Indian brand, ahead
of likes of Life Insurance Corporation and State Bank of
India, according to the latest report ‘Global-500 2024’
published by Brand Finance. In the 2024 ranking, Jio is
placed at the 17th position among the world’s
strongest brands with a Brand Strength Index of 88.9 in
the list led by WeChat, YouTube, Google, Deloitte, Coca Cola and Netflix.

State-owned REC Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bank of Baroda (BoB) to jointly finance projects in the power, infrastructure, and logistics sectors over the next three years. The MoU was signed in presence of Vivek Kumar Dewangan, IAS, CMD, REC Limited and Debadatta Chand, MD and CEO, Bank of Baroda along with Lalit Tyagi, executive director, Bank of
Baroda.

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has given its nod to a transformative initiative aimed at upskilling and providing job opportunities for 300,500 women and youth in India’s northeastern state of Sikkim. According to the World Bank, the USD 100 million ‘Sikkim: Integrated Service Provision
and Innovation for Reviving Economies (INSPIRES)’
Operation aims to foster growth and development by focusing on non-farm sectors, including
renewable energy, IT services, tourism, hospitality, wellness care, and creative design.

On 07 January Gujarat’s Chief Minister (CM) Bhupendrabhai Patel inaugurated the International Kite Festival 2024 at the Sabarmati Riverfront,
Vallabh Sadan in Ahmedabad. The festival was held in Ahmedabad from January 7 to 14, 2024.

 Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Old Age Pension Yojana’ to provide financial support to senior citizens.

The National Highway Authority of India has undertaken ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag initiative to
discourage use of single FASTag for multiple vehicles or linking multiple Fastags to a particular vehicle. “FASTags with valid balance but with incomplete
know your customer (KYC) will get deactivated or blacklisted by banks post 31st January 2024,” the ministry of road transport and highways said in astatement.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh announced the ‘College Phagthansi Mission’ while laying the groundwork and inaugurating numerous
development projects in Bishnupur district. At a
gathering at Moirang College, the Chief Minister announced the ‘College Phagathansi Mission’ to strengthen the state’s government institutions.

To showcase the rich cultural heritage and to promote tourism in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu inaugurated the first-ever ‘Shimla Winter Carnival’ at its historic ridge on 25 December. The event started with a cultural parade that saw the participation of 450 women presenting Mahanati, showcasing the talent of self help groups and Anganwadi workers.

The film “Oppenheimer” won the “Best film – drama” award at the 81st Golden Globe Awards 2024.

The Government of India has signed an agreement with Asian Development Bank to avail 100 million US dollar loan, to improve urban services and tourism
facilities in the northeastern state of Tripura. Finance Ministry said, the project will upgrade urban water supply systems by installing 42 kilometers of new
transmission and distribution pipes and establishing four new water treatment plants.

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) was awarded the contract to set up a 2,400 MW greenfield thermal power plant in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district.

Aditya-L1 arrived at its destination, “L1,” the first Sun-Earth Lagrangian point, on 6th January 2024.

Jammu and Kashmir has become the first Union Territory to implement the PM Vishwakarma Yojana, an initiative that aims to empower and enhance the skills of the craftsman community, officials said. PMVY, an initiative launched by the Central
government in September 2023, aims to recognise artisans and craftspeople through PM Vishwakarma certificates and ID cards, officials said.

Assam launched India’s first app-based 100% electric and decentralized bike taxi service ‘Baayu’.

Bihar launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Vidya Dhan Yojana’ to provide financial assistance to students pursuing higher education.

“India is projected to grow at 6.2% in 2024, supported by robust domestic demand and strong growth in the manufacturing and services sectors,” the United Nations has said. The UN World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2024 report,
launched on January 4, said that gross domestic product in South Asia is projected to increase by 5.2% in 2024.

Rajiv Gauba was appointed as the head of the committee of secretaries to ensure equitable distribution of benefits among backward communities of the Scheduled Castes.

The Indian Olympic Association appointed Raghuram Iyer as the Chief Executive Officer. The lack of a CEO was an issue which was flagged even by International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Thomas Bach when he was visiting Mumbai for the IOC Session a couple of months back.

The grand event of the International Gita Mahotsav
– 2023 took place from December 7 to December 24
in Kurukshetra, Haryana. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated the main programme on December 17 and also inaugurated a three-day International Gita Seminar at Kurukshetra University.

Bank of India has rolled out a Super Special Fixed Deposit scheme, featuring an alluring interest rate of 7.50 per cent per annum. This exclusive offer is open to both existing customers and new ones and is
applicable for deposits ranging from Rs 2 crore to less than Rs 50 crore. The fixed deposit comes with a specified maturity period of 175 days, commencing
January 1, 2024.

The humanoid robot unveiled by Google DeepMind and Stanford University is named Mobile ALOHA.

Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) signed an agreement with CAMYEN SE of Argentina for Lithium exploration and mining.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana’ to provide health insurance to economically weaker sections.

Rajasthan launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Anuprati Coaching Scheme’ to provide free coaching to underprivileged students.

Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and the Indian Coast Guard has signed an MoU to promote the Indigenous Content (IC) in shipbuilding projects. This collaboration marks a significant step towards strengthening India’s self-reliance in the strategic
maritime sector.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Ladli Laxmi Yojana’ to promote the education and well-being of girls.

An estimated 24.82 crore Indians have moved out of
multidimensional poverty in the last nine years, with poverty levels declining to 11.28 percent in 2022-23 from 29.17 percent in 2013-14 — a reduction of 17.89 percentage points — according to a discussion paper released by NITI Aayog.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Krishi Saathi Yojana’ to provide financial assistance to farmers for crop production.

The United States became the first country to approve the use of drones for commercial purposes.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced a scheme to develop 40 lakh self-helpgroup (SHG) members as rural micro-entrepreneurs and help them become ‘lakhpati baidos (elder sister)’. The scheme, ‘Mukhya Mantri Mahila
Udyamita Abhiyan’, will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 4,000 crore and offered to those SHG members who are willing to undertake a personal business plan along with their group activity.

Canada-based Brookfield will acquire the Indian business of American Tower Corporation (ATC) for an enterprise value of USD 2 billion, a release said. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and
expected to close in the second half of 2024. ATC India has a portfolio of approximately 78,000 sites across the country.

The interest rate applicable to the Sukanya Samriddhi scheme was increased by 20 basis points to 8.2 per cent, and that to the three-year Time
Deposit Scheme—a fixed deposit (FD) scheme with a maturity period of three years—by 10 basis points to 7.1 per cent—both with effect from January 1,
according to a circular by the Ministry of Finance.

Gujarat launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Shiksha Saathi Yojana’ to provide financial assistance to students for higher education.

India’s First National Highway Steel Slag Road was inaugurated on NH-66.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Vidyarthi Suraksha Yojana’ to provide insurance coverage to students.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana’ to provide health insurance to economically weaker sections.

Senthil Pandian C was appointed as the Permanent Representative of India to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva.

Andhra Pradesh became the second state after Bihar to conduct a caste census.

The book “Gandhi: A Life in Three Campaigns” was authored by M.J. Akbar.

PM Narendra Modi recently visited Lata Mangeshkar Chowk in Ayodhya.

Odisha announced the formation of the ‘Janjatiya Vikas Board’ to uplift tribal communities.

Varanasi and Prayagraj, both in Uttar Pradesh, won the top two awards amongst the cleanest Ganga towns. Chandigarh walked away with the award for
the Best Safaimitra Surakshit Sheher (safest city for sanitation workers).

Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare inaugurated the country’s first healthy & hygienic food street, ‘Prasadam’, at
Neelkanth Van, Mahakal Lok, in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. Dr Mohan Yadav, Chief Minister, Madhya Pradesh praised the initiative of Food Street which
will serve to ensure that healthy and clean food will be available to all in an engaging manner
contributing to a healthy nation.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has
approved the appointment of former Coal India chief
Pramod Agrawal as the chairman of the BSE. The appointment will be effective from January 17, 2024. Agrawal, a former IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh
cadre, served as Coal India Chairman from February 2020 to June 2023.

The Kyaukphyu deep sea port is a proposed infrastructure project in Myanmar.

With the world’s largest grassroot oil refinery in
Jamnagar and OPaL petrochemical complex at Dahej
in Bharuch district, Gujarat is now recognised as the ‘petro capital’ of India, officials said. Reliance Industries Ltd’s (RIL) Jamnagar refinery is the largest
and most complex single-site refinery in the world with 1.4 million barrels per day (MMBPD) crude processing capacity, they said.

The Henley Passport Index 2024 highlighted the “power” of passports of 199 countries. The index, which ranks countries based on the number of destinations that allow visa-free entry to their passport, was topped by France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore and Spain. According to the latest ranking, India stands at the 80th rank in the list of most powerful passports.

Germany won the 2024 United Cup tennis tournament.

The ‘Global Economic Prospects’ report for 2024 was released by the World Bank.

The Centre has appointed Nina Singh as the first woman Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). She will hold the top post till
July 31, 2024. Singh, a 1989-batch IPS officer of Rajasthan cadre, is currently the Special Director General of CISF, which mans airports, Delhi Metro,
government buildings and strategic installations
throughout the country.

Three items of Arunachal Pradesh have received the
prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag, officials
said. These are adi kekir (ginger), carpet handmade
by Tibetan settlers and wooden items made by the
Wancho community, they said.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Bal Suraksha Yojana’ to provide health insurance to children.

Madhya Pradesh launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Abhiyan’ to provide health insurance to economically weaker sections.