Let’s go through the highlights of Current Affairs 12th December 2021

 

International Day of Neutrality: 12 December

International Universal Health Coverage Day: 12 December

Hazarika Popy wins Silver medal at Commonwealth Championships

Punjab National Bank launches new Android app for disabled employees

Amit Goenka wins 21st Century Icon Awards at House of Lords

International Day of Neutrality is observed on 12 December every year.Neutrality is defined as a legal status which arises when the state decides not to take part in any armed conflict.UN General Assembly declared December 12 as the International Day of Neutrality on Feb 2, 2017.Resolution for this day was introduced by Turkmenistan, which has been a neutral state since Dec 12, 1995.

International Universal Health Coverage Day: 12 December

Universal Health Coverage Day is observed on 12 December every year.It provides an opportunity to ensure that everyone has access to health care.The United Nations declared December 12 as International Universal Health Coverage Day on this day in 2017.“Leave No One Behind When It Comes to Health: Invest in Health Systems for All” is the theme for 2021.

Hazarika Popy wins Silver medal at Commonwealth Championships

Hazarika Popy clinched the silver medal in the women’s 59 kg category at the 2021 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships.Hazarika lifted 84 kilograms in the snatch and 105 kilograms in clean and jerk for a total of 189 kilograms to take the second spot on the podium.Nigeria’s Rafiatu Lawal lifted a total of 207 kilograms to win the gold medal.

Punjab National Bank launches new Android app for disabled employees

Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched the PNB Pride-CRMD module tool.It is an android-based application for differently-abled employees, to monitor and effectively follow up with the special mention account (SMA) borrowers.The app aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.

Amit Goenka wins 21st Century Icon Awards at House of Lords

 Amit Goenka, President of ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), was felicitated with the 21st Century Icon Awards at the House of Lords on Dec 11. The award was received on behalf of Amit Goenka by Parul Goel, ZEE Network UK’s Business Head.The Squared Watermelon Company of London gives the 21st Century Icon Award every year to the personalities who set an example for the world.

Vice President releases book ‘Public Service Ethics’ by Prabhat Kumar

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu released the book, ‘Public Service Ethics’ in December 2021.It has been written by Prabhat Kumar, former Governor of Jharkhand and former Cabinet Secretary to the Government of India.It has been published by IC Centre for Governance.Prabhat Kumar was the first Governor of Jharkhand.

Bala Krishna’s autobiography ‘At Home In The Universe’ released

An autobiography by Bala Krishna Madhur titled ‘At Home In The Universe’ was released by R.C. Sinha,  advisor to the Ministry of Road Development in Mumbai, December 2021.Madhur is a former CEO at DHFL Property Services Ltd.The book tells about the policy environment in the 1980s and 1990s in the Housing Finance Sector.It also consists of early life hardships of the author.

UP Cabinet approves Atma Nirbhar Krishak development scheme

The UP Cabinet has approved a scheme aimed at boosting the agriculture sector.Atma Nirbhar Krishak Integrated Development Scheme will be implemented from FY 2021-22.Under this scheme, 1,475 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) will be formed in the next three years in each development block of the state.Rs 1 lakh crore will be provided by banks and financial institutions as loans.

State Bank of India to sign MoU with Kendriya Sainik Board

State Bank of India (SBI) will sign an MoU with Kendriya Sainik Board to support and educate the children of war veterans, ex-servicemen, and war widows.This will be done as a part of the bank’s philanthropic responsibilities.It will provide a grant of ₹1,000 per month to 8,333 war veterans’ children.The bank has also contributed ₹10 crores to the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund.

Chandigarh MC held three-day Chrysanthemum Show from 10-12 Dec

The Chandigarh municipal corporation organized a first-of-its-kind zero-waste Chrysanthemum Show at the Terraced Garden, Sector 33, between December 10 and 12, 2021.The show was an attempt to showcase sustainable and environment-friendly initiatives.The purpose was to ensure that zero waste left the premises.Chrysanthemum Show is the most popular flower show after the Rose festival.

India wins 41 medals, including 12 golds at Asian Youth Para Games

Indian para-athletes have returned from Bahrain after claiming 41 medals at the Asian Youth Para Games.The Indian contingent won 12 gold, 15 silver, and 14 bronze medals at the continental Para youth games held in Riffa city.In swimming, India won three medals, including one silver and two bronze, while the country also secured a silver in powerlifting.

Uttarakhand CM launched ‘Milk Price Incentive Scheme’

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched the Milk Price Incentive Scheme in December 2021.It will benefit around 53,000 people in the district.The amount will directly go into the accounts of the beneficiaries through Direct Bank Transfer (DBT).The state government will also spend Rs 444.62 crores to open 500 milk sales centres in Uttarakhand.

Haiderpur Wetland added to Ramsar site; total tally goes up to 47

The Haiderpur Wetland, about 10 km from Bijnor in western Uttar Pradesh, has been recognized under the 1971 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.It has brought the total number of such designated areas in the country to 47.It was formed in 1984 on a floodplain of the River Ganga on the Madhya Ganga Barrage.It homes more than 30 species of plants and over 300 species of birds.

DRDO, IAF successfully flight-test indigenous SANT missile

DRDO and Indian Air Force flight-tested the indigenously made helicopter-launched SANT (Stand-off Anti-tank) missile from Pokhran ranges, on 11 Dec’21.The missile is equipped with a state-of-the-art millimetre wave seeker, which provides high precision strike capability from a safe distance.The Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, with other DRDO labs have designed and developed it.

Himachal Pradesh government notifies Commission for ‘general category’

Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur has announced the formation of a commission to address the grievances of the general category.It will be called “Samanya Varg Aayog”.

A Scheduled Caste Commission is already in operation in Himachal Pradesh and is chaired by former Shimla MP Virendra Kashyap.While the Commission was abolished in Bihar, it is still functional in Madhya Pradesh

Exhibition on Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat inaugurated on 12 December

Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated an exhibition on Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat in Hyderabad on 12 Dec’21.The exhibition was organized by the Regional Outreach Bureau, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.It highlighted aspects of the paired states of Haryana and TelanganaIt will be open for viewing from 12-14 Dec at Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University Campus, Nampally.