World’s Most Powerful Passports 2021: India ranks 85^th in Henley Passport Index

• “Henley Passport Index:Q1 2021 Global Ranking” released where India was ranked 85^th with visa-free score 58. The visa-free score states that Indian passport holders get to visit 58 countries without a prior visa. India shared its rank with Tajikistan.

• In 2020, India held 84^th

• The index was topped by Japan with visa-free score of 191. It has been holding the position for three consecutive years. It was followed by Singapore and Germany with visa-free score of 190 and 189 respectively.

• The current rankings do not account the temporary restrictions that have been implemented due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

• Afghanistan was ranked last at 110^th with score of 26. It is in the worst passports to hold.

India’s 1^st Indigenously Designed & Developed Driverless Metro Car

• Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence unveiled India’s first indigenously designed and developed ‘Driverless Metro Car’ during a function held at the BEML (previously Bharat Earth Movers Limited) manufacturing facility in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

• The ‘Driverless Metro Car’ are being manufactured by BEML for Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) MRS1 project.

• In this regard, BEML recently opened its Depot office at Charkop Metro Depot, MMRDA, Mumbai for commissioning, testing and round-the-clock services for Driverless Metro cars.

• These metro cars will operate on 25 kV AC traction power and equipped with CCTV (Closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance and with the provision to carry passenger bi-cycles in the coaches.

About BEML Limited:

• Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), Deepak Kumar Hota
• Headquarter- Bengaluru, Karnataka

India, Japan sign MoU to Boost Cooperation in the Field of Information & Communication Technology

• India & Japan signed Memorandum of Understanding to boost cooperation in the field of Information & Communication Technology which includes 5G technologies, Smart Cities, Telecom Security among others.

• It will cover the fields of 5G technologies, telecom security, submarine optical fiber cable system to islands of India, spectrum management, smart cities, high altitude platform for broadband in unconnected areas, disaster management & public safety.

About Japan:

• Prime Minister – Yoshihide Suga
• Capital – Tokyo
• Currency – Japanese Yen

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 3.0 – 2020-21

• Union Minister for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey launched the Third Phase of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY 3.0) 2020-21 in 600 districts across India and made available around 300 Plus Skill Courses to the youth.

• PMKVY 3.0 aims to provide training to around 8 Lakh candidates during the period of 2020-21 with an outlay of INR 948.90 Crore.

• It will be implemented by the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE)

The Scheme will have 2 components:

• Centrally Sponsored Centrally Managed (CSCM) – to be implemented by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).

• Centrally Sponsored State Managed (CSSM) – known as state component to be implemented by State Skill Development Missions (SSDIMS).

• The Total target of the scheme will be divided approximately in the ratio of 75:25 between Central & State Components.

• Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family Welfare inaugurated a new institute of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) i.e. CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NISCPR), in New Delhi. This institute has been established by merging two prestigious institutes of CSIR viz.

• CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (CSIR-NISCAIR) and CSIR-National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (CSIR-NISTADS).

About Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR):

• Director General – Dr. Shekhar C. Mande

• Headquarter- New Delhi
• Parent Ministry, Ministry of Science & Technology

CBIC introduces Flagship initiative “Liberalised MSME AEO Package” benefiting MSME Sector

• In a move to ease out the difficulties caused by Covid-19 pandemic to the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Central Board of Indirect Tax & Customs (CBIC) introduced its new flagship initiative “Liberalised MSME AEO Package” Scheme. The scheme is a voluntary compliance programme enabling MSMEs to become Authorised Economic Operations (AEOs), providing various benefits including faster customs clearance.

• MSMEs should have filed minimum 10 Customs clearance documents in 1 year.

• MSMEs should have maintained a clean compliance record for over 2 years.

About CBIC:

• Chairperson- M. Ajit Kumar
• Headquarters- Ministry of Finance, New Delhi

GRSE signs USD 12.7 Million Contract with Guyana to Build Ocean-Going Vessel

• The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, Kolkata has signed USD 12.7 Million Contract with the Harbour Department, Ministry of Public Works, Government of Guyana for the construction of an Ocean-going vessel. The move is expected to boost the export initiatives of GRSE.

• It will be used on the coastal and riverine areas of Guyana

• At present, GRSE has the capability to construct 20 ships simultaneously.

GRSE:

• GRSE is a shipbuilding company in India which is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and was awarded the Miniratna status by Government of India in 2006.

• It is the 1^st Indian shipyard to build 100 warships.

About Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd:

• Chairman & Managing Director – Vipin Kumar Saxena
• Headquarters – Kolkata, West Bengal

About Guyana:

• President – Irfaan Ali
• Capital – Georgetown
• Currency – Guyanese Dollar

ICICI Bank ties up with Niyo to issue prepaid cards ‘ICICI Bank Niyo Bharat Payroll Card’ to MSMEs

• Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI) Bank collaborated with Niyo, a new age fintech to issue prepaid cards namely “ICICI Bank Niyo Bharat Payroll Card” to the blue-collar workers of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

• The card also allows an individual to receive funds upto 1 lakh into the card account.

• The cardholders also get a free accidental death insurance cover.

• Workers can use the card to withdraw funds at ATMS (automated teller machine), make online transactions on e-commerce portals and make payment at Point of Sale (POS) machines.

About ICICI Bank:

• Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO)- Sandeep Bakhshi
• Tagline- Hum Hai Na, Khayal Apka
• Incorporated-1994

About Niyo:

• Chief Executive Officer- Vinay Bagri
• Corporate offices- Bengaluru (Karnataka), Mumbai (Maharashtra) and Delhi

Kotak Mahindra AMC Signed up with Climate Action 100+

• Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company (KMAMC) has become a signatory to Climate Action 100+, which focuses on clean energy transition, and reduces greenhouse gas emission to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goals.

• Initiated in 2018, Climate Action 100+ is an investor-led initiative to ensure the world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters take necessary action on climate change. It will continue till 2023.

• It is coordinated by five partner organisations: Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC); Ceres; Investor Group on Climate Change (GCC); Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) and Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).

• In April 2018, KMAMC became the first domestic AMC to sign up with the Principles for Responsible Investment supported by the United Nations (UN).

About Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company Limited (KMAMC):

• Group President & Managing Director (MD)- Nilesh Shah
• Headquarter- Mumbai, Maharashtra

Sandeep Aggarwal Appointed as the New Chairman of TEPC

• Sandeep Aggarwal, the Managing Director (MD) and Promoter of Paramount Communications Limited, has been elected as the new chairman of Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council(TEPC). He will take over from Shyamal Ghosh, former Telecom Secretary

• Sandeep Aggarwal is also the Chief Mentor of Telecom committee of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI).

• Singapore-based Investment Opportunities V raises Stake in PNB Housing Finance to 9.92% from 8.19%

• Singapore-based Investment Opportunities V Pte Ltd raised its holdings in PNB Housing Finance to 9.92% from 8.19% during Q3FY21 (Ended December 2020). With this increase, V Pte Ltd now hold 1.67 crore equity shares in PNB Housing Finance at the end of December, against 1.38 crore shares held three months back.

About Punjab National Bank (PNB):

• MD & CEO-CH S.S. Mallikarjuna Rao Headquarters, New Delhi, India
• Tagline- The name you can bank upon

Former Union Minister & Industrialist Kamal Morarka Passed Away

• Kamal Morarka, Former Union Minister and a renowned businessman and industrialist, passed away at the age of 74 in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He was born on 18^th June 1946 in Nawalgarh, Rajasthan.

• Kamal Morarka served as the Union Minister of State in the prime minister’s office in the Chandra Shekhar government from 1990 to 1991.

• He has also served as a member of Rajya Sabha(1988 to 1994) from Rajasthan representing Janata Dal.

• He became the President of the Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya) in 2012.

• He has served as vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Vice President of Rajasthan Cricket Association.

India Celebrates 73^rd Army Day – 15^th January 2021

• Indian Army annually celebrates the Army Day on 15^th January to honour the contribution and sacrifices of the Indian Soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty towards the nation.

• The 15^th January 2021 marks the celebration of the 73^rd Army Day by the Indian Army On 15^th January 1949, Lieutenant General KM Cariappa was appointed as the first Indian Commander in Chief of the Indian Army who took over from General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-Chief of India.

• KM Cariappa is one of the only two officers of Indian Army to hold a five star rank of Field Marshal.

• The Indian Army organised “Vijay Run” a marathon to commemorate the celebration of Swarnim Vijay Varsh, India’s victory against Pakistan in 1971.

• Under the “Make In India” initiative the Indian army has identified 29 projects worth Rs 32000 crore for the modernization of Indian army.

• The Indian army has undertaken an array of Technology initiatives in coordination with startups, Private sectors, MSMEs, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).

• To commemorate the 73^rd Army Day, Bharti AXA Life Insurance has launched its campaign “Weather it like Indian Army”, dedicated to the personnels of Indian Armed Forces.

• The campaign comprises the real life experiences of the Indian Armed Forces including the experiences of Veterans and soldiers in extreme terrain.

• Bharti AXA Yoddha, a channel of Bharti AXA Life Insurance dedicated to the Indian armed forces.

• The Yoddha sales team consist of former armed force personnels who understand the requirements of the personnels of Armed forces and paramilitary persons and provide suitable financial solutions