As per the report, released by the Wordline India, more than 23 billion digital payment transactions (worth Rs 38.32 lakh crore) were carried out in July-September 2022.

 

UPI based transactions dominated the segment both in terms of value and volume.

 

UPI has clocked over 19.65 billion transactions (worth Rs 32.5 lakh crore).

 

The average ticket size of transactions done through credit cards was highest at Rs 4,833 and the lowest in the case of mobile wallets at Rs 382..

Source : Times of India

An agreement was signed on the comprehensive migration and mobility partnership, between the External Affairs Minister, Mr. S. Jaishankar, and the German Foreign Minister, Ms. Annalena Baercock in New Delhi on 5th Dec 2022.

 

Mr. Jaishankar welcomed the German Foreign Minister on Monday(5th Dec 2022) and will be discussing the cooperation strategies on the transition to renewable energy and, India’s relationship with Russia and China. The German Foreign Minister also credited New Delhi for a clearer position of the G20 on the ongoing war in Ukraine. 

 

“As an emerging economic power and a solid democracy, India is both a role model and a bridge for many countries in the world, despite all the internal social challenges, and a natural partner of Germany”, said the German Foreign Minister..

Source : IBEF

Goldsikka Pvt Ltd launched (3rd Dec 2022) its first Gold ATM with technology assistance from M/s OpenCube Technologies Pvt Ltd, a Hyderabad-based startup firm.

Goldsikka with technology support from Hyderabad-based startup, Opencube Technologies has launched its first Gold ATM at Begumpet and described it India’s first Gold ATM and world’s first Real Time Gold ATM. This ATM can dispense gold coins in different denominations ranging from 0.5 gm to 100 grams.

The company plans to launch three machines in the Hyderabad at the airport, old city and propose to launch them in Karimnagar and Warangal also. Taruj said plans were being drawn to launch 3,000 machines all over India in coming two years.

 

* The ATM, the firm says, aims to give access to a “varied audience”. Anybody can withdraw gold anywhere – 24*7 – with the machine is said to be the goal.

* Apart from debit and credit cards, buyers can also use prepaid and postpaid smart cards to withdraw the yellow metal.

* The firm’s first ATM has been installed at its head office in Ashoka Raghupathi Chambers, Begumpet, and it aims to install such ATMs throughout the city, especially in rural areas.

* The update in the price of gold is based on the live prices. Earlier this month the gold price hit an all-time high of nearly 54,630 per 10 gms but the demand for gold will only grow.

* Gold ATMs are a reflection of the demand from consumers. This Gold ATM supplies in denominations ranging from 0.5 gms to 100 gms. Dismissing concerns of compromised quality, it has said that all of the gold currency is 24-carat gold.

* “Each ATM has a capacity of holding up to 5 kg of gold, worth around Rs. 2-3 crores. The ATM machine dispenses coins ranging from 0.5 grams to 100 grams. There are eight available options, including 0.5 grams, 1 gram, 2 grams, 5 grams, 10 grams, 20 grams, 50 grams and 100 grams.”

* On security features, Security measures like inbuilt camera in the machine, alarm system, external CCTV cameras are there..

Source : The Print

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurates the two-day long 65th Foundation Day celebrations of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in New Delhi on 5th Dec 2022.

 

She also launches the current edition of "Smuggling in India Report 2021-22" on the occasion. As many as 22 Customs administrations covering the Asia-Pacific region along with international organisations are invited to the event this year.

The 8th Regional Customs Enforcement Meeting (RCEM) will also be held at the event.

 

During the event, DRI said it will take the opportunity of its founding day to organise Regional Customs Enforcement Meeting (RCEM) for effectively engaging with partner Customs organisations and International agencies like World Customs Organisation, INTERPOL for enforcement-related issues.

 

* DRI is the principal intelligence and enforcement agency on anti-smuggling matters under the aegis of the Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) of the Government of India.

 

* It was established on 4 December 1957.

 

* It is headquartered in New Delhi and has 12 zonal units, 35 regional units and 15 sub-regional units, employing approximately 800 officers.

 

* It is tasked with curbing the smuggling of goods including drugs, gold, diamonds, electronics, foreign currency, and counterfeit Indian currency.

 

* It serves to prevent smuggling of goods including drugs, gold, diamonds, electronics, foreign currency, and counterfeit Indian currency.

 

* It also works to combat commercial frauds and evasion of customs duties related to international trade.

India will provide technical support to Sri Lanka to enhance its dairy industry and milk output, a move aimed at reducing the cash-strapped country's dependence on imported milk products, the Sri Lankan President's Office said on Monday(5th Dec 2022).

 

* Officials of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which markets milk under the Amul brand, have taken steps to provide necessary technical support for the production of milk in Sri Lanka, the President's Media Division said in a statement.

 

* A preliminary discussion was held on the issue at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday(5th Dec 2022), it said.

 

* Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has also appointed a panel consisting of representatives from the public and private sectors to work with the multi-disciplinary team of the NDDB to prepare a short, medium and long-term plan to increase local milk production to reduce the country's dependence on imported milk powder, it said.

 

* During Monday's(5th Dec 2022) meeting, plans were discussed about doubling local milk production by implementing short and medium-term plans and making Sri Lanka self-sufficient in milk in the long run through a targeted programme, it said.

 

* Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Nimal Samaranayake, Chairman of the National Dairy Development Board, Professor H.W. Cyril and other committee members and officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and line agencies, Indian National Dairy Development Board Senior General Manager Rajesh Onkarnath Gupta, General Manager Sunil Shivprasad Sinha, Senior Manager Rajesh Kumar Sharma and other representatives participated in the discussions, it said.

 

* The move by the Sri Lankan government is also aimed at providing food security at a time when the country has reported a surge in the cases of malnutrition among children.


Source : Business Standard

Nagpur Metro has successfully created a Guinness World Record by constructing the longest double-decker viaduct (metro) is 3,140 meters and was achieved by the Wardha Road in Nagpur, Maharashtra.

 

* The double-decker viaduct of 3.14 km on Wardha Road has three metro stations – Chhatrapati Nagar, Jai Prakash Nagar and Ujjwal Nagar.

* These stations require special planning which are station specific to meet the functional requirements of themetro duly incorporating site specific constraints and double-decker viaduct requirements. The engineering thought process, concept, design and execution of these stations are no less than a challenge.

 

* Initially, the alignment of the highway flyover and metro rail were on same existing highway on Wardha Road, with independent piers at alternating locations proposed on the median. This was later reviewed and decided to integrate Highway Flyover and Metro Rail to form a double-decker viaduct.

 

* Double decker viaduct carries highway flyover at the first level and Metro Rail at second level making it a three-tier transportation system with the existing highway at ground level.

 

* “The double-decker viaduct of 3.14 km on the Wardha Road in Nagpur, Maharashtra was commissioned by Metro Rail traffic on 5 March 2019 and for Highway traffic, on 13 November 2020, is the Longest Double Decker Viaduct on any Metro Rail system," according to a statement by the Guinness World Records, London..

Source : Mint

On the occasion of 164th birth anniversary of legendary Indian scientist Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose and as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsava, Vijnana Bharati and Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India organized an “International conference on the contributions of J C Bose: A Satyagrahi Scientist”, at Inter-University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi. 

 

* The conference was organized in association with Indraprastha Vigyan Bharati and Inter-University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi.

 

* The two-day international conference was graced by Smt. Priyanka Chandra, Director, Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsava, Ministry of Culture, who emphasized to the students and audiences the significance and purpose of azadi ka amritmahotsava and the  importance of janbhagidari in all stratas of society and to make a stronger nation. 

 

* Also gracing the event were Dr. N P Shukla, Member, CAQM, Government of India, Dr. Arvind Ranade (INSA) and eminent speakers like Dr. Archana Sharma, CERN, Switzerland, Prof. Gautam Basu, Bose Institute; Prof. C M Nautiyal(INSA), Dr. Manas Pratim Das, (AIR, Kolkata) among others.

 

* In a first of its kind Record making activity, the conference carried out the Crescograph kit Assembly activity, simultaneously by almost 300 school students across two days. 

 

* This is the first attempt across the nation of a device which proved Plants have Lives. Another activity which attracted the youngsters was Night Sky watch using three telescopes. Both these activities, attracted huge numbers..

Source : PIB

The World Bank Report has stated that India, the third largest economy of Asia, is set to become the first country to receive $100 billion in remittances from migrant workers abroad. Notably, India had received $89.4 billion in remittances in 2021, according to the World Bank report, which then made India the top recipient globally.

 

* “Remittance flows to India were enhanced by the wage hikes and a strong labor market in the United States," and other rich countries, the bank said in its report. 

 

* This means India is set to retain the highest receiver of remittances spot this year as well. According to the World Bank Report, “Remittance flows to India will rise 12% to reach $100 billion this year(2022). That puts its inflows far ahead of countries including Mexico, China and the Philippines."

 

* The report stated that “Migrants responded to exchange rate depreciations in home countries by sending less money through formal channels and opting for black-market premia in the parallel exchange markets".

 

* Remittances to India are money transfers (called remittance) from non-resident Indians (NRIs) employed outside the country to family, friends or relatives residing in India.

 

* Highly-skilled Indian migrants living in wealthy nations such as the US, UK, and Singapore were sending more money home

 

* Remittances to low and middle-income countries have grown by 5% in 2022 to around $626 billion - around half the rate of growth seen in 2021.

 

* The amount of money sent back home by migrants around the world has grown by 5% in 2022

 

* Other top recipient countries for remittances include Mexico, China, Egypt and the Philippines..

Source : Mint

The National Zoological Park, Delhi Zoo, celebrated International Cheetah Day and Wildlife Conservation Day in New Delhi on 4th December 2022.

* The purpose of the celebration is to spread awareness among the present generation about Wildlife Conservation.

 

* A team from Delhi Zoo and Central Zoo Authority interacted with 175 Divyang students and all students took part in the Wildlife Conservation Pledge.

* On the occasion, the authorities also held expert talks with the objective to create curiosity among the young minds to understand the importance of Wildlife Conservation, Keystone species, and the role of Cheetahs in the grassland ecosystem..

Source : AIR

December 5 is observed as the World Soil Day (WSD), to highlight the value of healthy soil and to promote the sustainable management of soil resources.

World Soil Day enjoins individuals to consider sustainably managing soil resources. The main goal of the day is to increase public awareness of the significant environmental issues that soil degradation can lead to, such as erosion, the loss of organic matter, and a drop in soil fertility.

 

World Soil Day 2022 Theme : This year theme "Soils: Where food begins". By addressing the rising issues with soil management, raising soil awareness, and encouraging societies to enhance soil health, the day seeks to increase understanding of the value of preserving healthy ecosystems and human well-being.

 

World Soil Day History : Since the first WSD in 2014, the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) has been able to pique the interest of both soil experts and amateurs, meaning that more people are connecting and working together to preserve soils with each passing year.

* From 42 events in 2014 to roughly 781 celebrations in 125 countries in 2021, the interest in World Soil Day has increased manifold.