1st December, 2023 Current Affairs

NATIONAL
Centre approves reconstruction plan worth over 1658 crore rupees for Joshimath in Uttarakhand

• Centre has approved the recovery and reconstruction plan of over 1658 crore rupees for Joshimath which was affected by landslide and ground subsidence early this year. A High-Level Committee under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah approved the plan.
• Under it, around 1080 crore rupees of Central assistance will be provided from the recovery and reconstruction window of the National Disaster Response Fund. The Uttarakhand government will provide over 126 crore rupees from its State Disaster Response Fund towards relief assistance. It will also provide around 452 crore rupees from its budget.
•  The Central Government has extended all necessary technical and logistical support to the State Government after the incident. All technical agencies were put into action and they helped the Uttarakhand Government in preparing the recovery plan for Joshimath expeditiously.

Prime Minister to also launch Green Credit Initiative at COP28 climate conference

• Prime Minister Narendra will launch the Green Credit Initiative at the COP28 climate conference in Dubai.
• This is an important event jointly hosted by India and the UAE at COP28. This collaborative endeavor aligns with the principles of the Green Credit program, introduced by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
• the Green Credit Program gives priority to two essential activities: water conservation and afforestation. At its essence, this innovative program serves as a pioneering market-based instrument meticulously crafted to encourage voluntary environmental actions across various sectors, involving individuals, industries, and local bodies. Operating as a domestic voluntary market mechanism, the program utilizes green credits as distinctive units assigned to specific environmental activities. These green credits function as tradeable commodities, which can be sold on a domestic market platform.
• The program identifies eight specific activities, encompassing tree plantation, water conservation, sustainable agriculture, waste management, air pollution reduction, mangrove conservation and restoration, Eco Mark (a government scheme for identifying environmentally friendly products), and sustainable building and infrastructure. Each activity is subject to predefined thresholds and benchmarks.

INTERNATIONAL
COP28 Inaugurates with Historic Fund Capitalization and Unprecedented Climate Pledges on Day One

• In a historic start to COP 28 in Dubai, world leaders and negotiators convened to celebrate unprecedented achievements, setting an optimistic tone for ambitious climate action.
• The challenge at hand was to operationalize this fund within a remarkably short timeframe of one year, involving a series of five committee meetings to meticulously work out the details and secure the necessary seed capital. The news of progress on loss and damage initiatives during the early days of the UN climate conference was hailed as a significant stride forward.

ECONOMY
India's manufacturing sector continues its robust performance in November

• India's manufacturing sector continued its robust performance in November this year, mainly on the back of substantial easing in price pressures and strengthening demand. A monthly survey said that the strong performance of the manufacturing sector is expected to continue in 2024 as well.
•  The seasonally adjusted S&P Global India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 56 last month from 55.5 recorded in October. Sustained new order growth continued to be good news for the sector's labour market, with recruitment remaining on an upward path, De Lima said.
• The survey is prepared by S&P Global based on responses to questionnaires sent to purchasing managers in a panel of around 400 manufacturers.

SPORTS
Hockey Punjab Wins 13th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2023

• Hockey Punjab emerged victorious over Hockey Haryana to clinch the gold medal at the 13th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2023. The tournament was held from November 17 to 28, 2023, at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
• Led by their captain, Harmanpreet Singh, Hockey Punjab defeated Hockey Haryana with a close margin of 9-8 after the match was tied 2-2 at regulation time. This marks Hockey Punjab’s fourth title in the tournament’s 13 editions.
• The 13th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2023 was a showcase of exceptional talent and sportsmanship. The tournament witnessed a series of exciting matches that kept the spectators on the edge of their seats. Hockey Punjab’s victory marks a significant achievement for the team, cementing their position as a dominant force in Indian hockey.

AWARDS
Arshia Sattar Conferred with French Honour

• Renowned author and translator Arshia Sattar has added another feather to her cap, being honored with the Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government. The prestigious award was presented by Thierry Mathou, the ambassador of France to India, in a ceremony held at the Consulate General of France in Bengaluru.
• Being conferred with the Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters places Arshia Sattar in esteemed company, as the honor has previously been bestowed upon luminaries like Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Richa Chadha, Raghu Rai, Ebrahim Alkazi, Habib Tanveer, and Upamanyu Chatterjee.

ANDHRA PRADESH
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister inaugurates Tunnel II of Owk project

• Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday inaugurated the second tunnel of Owk project, an integral component of Galeru-Nagari Sujala Sravanthi (GNSS) flood canal, in Nandyala district.
• The two tunnels of Owk project were built at a cost of Rs 568 crore, would enable irrigation of 2.6 lakh acres of land in undivided Kadapa, Chittoor and Nellore districts.
• Further, 20 lakh people from 640 villages will receive drinking water, among other benefits. Meanwhile, work to the tune of Rs 934 crore on the third tunnel has been completed.

Published date : 01 Dec 2023 04:37PM