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• On December 6, 2022, the Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) and Minister of Information and Broadcasting, inaugurated India’s first Drone Skilling and Training Virtual E-Learning Platform in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN).
• He also flagged off Garuda Aerospace Private Limited’s Drone Yatra at Agni College of Technology in Thalambur, TN, ‘Operation 777’ which envisages to educate and demonstrate the efficacy of drones for different agricultural uses across 777 districts in India.
• The Meghalaya government in partnership with startup TechEagle has unveiled Meghalaya Drone Delivery Network (MDDN) and hub which is Asia’s first drone delivery hub and network aimed at providing universal access to healthcare for 2.7 million people of Meghalaya.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is helping workers of waste segregation sector to move into formal economy by helping them to access government welfare programmes.
• As a part of this initiative, UN Under-Secretary-General Usha Rao-Monari would distribute the `Jan Dhan’ account kits to waste segregation workers during her first visit to the India.
• UNDP’s plastic waste management programme.
• The opening of the`Jan Dhan’ accounts has been facilitated
through the UNDP’s plastic waste management programme.
• The waste management promotes the collection, segregation, and recycling of all plastics to move towards a circular economy for the same.
According to the recent World Trade Organisation Goods Trade Barometer, global trade growth is expected to slow down in the last quarter of 2022 and in 2023 as countries experience significant challenges to their economies amid Ukraine-Russia war, high energy prices, and monetary tightening.
• The barometer index is projected to decline due to the negative readings in sub-indices representing exports (91.7), air freight (93.3) and electronic components (91.0).
• The main exception is the automotive products index (103.8), which rose above trend due to stronger vehicle sales in the United States (US) and increased exports from Japan as supply conditions improved and as the yen continued to depreciate.
• The Goods Trade Barometer is a composite leading indicator for world trade, providing real-time
information on the trajectory of merchandise trade relative to recent trends. Values greater than 100 signal above-trend expansion while values less than 100 indicate below-trend growth.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India (GoI) inked a USD 3 million Project Readiness Financing (PRF) agreement to assist preparatory operations for designing the “Agartala Municipal Infrastructure Development Project,” which aims to strengthen municipal infrastructure in priority areas of Agartala, Tripura.
• The proposed project is consistent with the findings of the North East Economic Corridor (NEEC) study by the ADB.
• The study acknowledges Agartala’s crucial position as a key growth and border centre in fostering affluence and economic growth in the northeastern region.
• The ADB’s recent collaboration with Tripura to build urban infrastructure has shown significant infrastructure shortfalls in the city of Agartala.
• During the implementation of the PRF, measures for climate change adaptation and mitigation would be incorporated into the project design to guarantee compliance with India’s climate commitments
Walmart and Flipkart partnered with the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) to accelerate capacity building for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across India. The MoU was signed at the Walmart Vriddhi Seller Summit, an event marking the milestone of 20,000 MSMEs having completed their training under the Walmart Vriddhi Supplier Development Programme (Walmart Vriddhi) in New Delhi. Swasti is a programme partner for the Walmart Vriddhi programme
• This partnership helps MSME to unlock export potential and also supports them in becoming a part of retail supply chains locally and globally.
• It will also enhance access to schemes offered by the NSIC and can also make use of learning resources provided by Vriddhi to MSMEs that are registered with the NSIC.
• The Walmart Vriddhi Supplier Development Programme included training, seminars and mentoring sessions which will be conducted regularly for MSMEs.
South Korea’s Mina Sue Choi, 24 years old, was crowned Miss Earth 2022 at the Okada Manila in Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is the 1st significant pageant victory for South Korea after 20 years of participation in the Miss Earth
competition. Miss Earth 2022 is the 22nd edition of the Miss Earth pageant. Mina Sue Choi succeeded Destiny Wagner of Belize, Miss Earth 2021.
• Miss Earth 2022 was hosted by Filipino-British television host and automotive journalist James Deakin for the 6th consecutive time.
• The event was anchored by Miss Earth 2015 Angelia Ong, Miss Earth 2017 Karen Ibasco and Miss Earth 2019 Nellys Pimentel.
• Among the 86 Eco-Warriors, 3 other queens were awarded the pageant’s 3 elemental titles.
• Miss Fire 2022– Andrea Aguilera of Colombia,
• Miss Water 2022– Nadeen Ayoub of Palestine,
• Miss Air 2022– Sheridan Mortlock of Australia.
• In addition, Mina Sue Choi won a few medals in the pre-pageant competitions for resort wear, long gowns, beach wear, and swimsuits.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gurugram, Haryana-based private space firm, Vyom Space Exploration and Services Private Limited (Vyom Space), for its ‘human and cargo transportation capsule program’.
The MoU has been facilitated by the Indian National Space
Promotion and Authorization Center (INSPACe), India’s nodal space authorization body and an autonomous agency under the Department of Space, Government of India (GoI).
United Nations(UN)’s International Civil Aviation Day is annually observed across the globe on 7th December to create awareness about the importance of international civil aviation in the social and economic development of the nations. The day also highlights the unique role of International Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO), a UN Specialized agency, in supporting the member states to cooperate and realize the global rapid transit network.
• The theme of International Civil Aviation Day 2022 is “Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development”.
• International Civil Aviation Day was established in 1994 as
part of ICAO’s 50th anniversary activities.
• In 1996, the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/51/33, and proclaimed the 7th December of every year as the International Civil Aviation Day.
Armed Forces Flag Day is annually observed across India on December 7 to honour the martyrs and the men in the armed force who bravely fought on the borders to safeguard the country’s honour.
•Flag Day emphasises the dedication to caring for the war-disabled soldiers (Veer Naris) and the families of Martyrs who died in the line of duty.
•On 28th August 1949, a committee established by then Defence Minister Baldev Singh decided to observe December 7 of every year as Flag Day.
•The 1st Armed Forces Flag Day was observed on 7th December 1949.
The Make in Odisha Conclave 2022 (3rd edition), a biennial global investors’ meet and the flagship investor summit of the Government of Odisha, took place in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, from November 30 to December 4, 2022.
• The largest part of the total investment received—Rs. 5.50 trillion —went to the metals, ancillary, and downstream sectors.
• Besides that, Rs. 2.38 trillion for power, renewable energy, and
green energy; Rs. 1.2 trillion went to logistics and infrastructure; Rs. 76,000 crore went to chemicals, petrochemicals, and plastics.