Correct Answer :   8th December 2023

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Veteran Kannada actor Leelavathi died on 8th December 2023 due to age-related ailments. She was 85. She has acted in over 600 films with Dr Rajkumar as her co-star in several films. Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, paid tribute on X (formerly Twitter).


LEELAVATHI NO MORE :

Veteran Kannada actor Leelavathi died on Friday (8th Dec 2023) due to age-related ailments. Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister, D K Shivakumar, will pay their last respects at 11 am on December 9, 2023.

After making her film debut in the late 50s, she worked in over 600 films throughout her film journey. Many of her films were with Dr Rajkumar.

Mourning the veteran actor's loss, Siddaramaiah wrote on X, "The news of the passing away of veteran Kannada actress Leelavathi is painful. Just last week, after hearing about his illness, I visited her home, enquired about her health and spoke to her son, Vinod Raj. My belief that Leelavathi, who entertained the audience with her mesmerising performances for many decades, will recover and stay with us for more time is false. I pray that the soul of the deceased may rest in peace and her family may find strength to bear this grief (loosely translated in English)."

ಕನ್ನಡ ಚಿತ್ರರಂಗದ ಹಿರಿಯ ನಟಿ ಲೀಲಾವತಿ ಅವರ ಅಗಲಿಕೆಯ ಸುದ್ದಿ ನೋವುಂಟುಮಾಡಿದೆ. ಕಳೆದ ವಾರವಷ್ಟೇ ಅವರು ಅನಾರೋಗ್ಯಕ್ಕೀಡಾದ ವಿಚಾರ ತಿಳಿದು ಅವರ ಮನೆಗೆ ಭೇಟಿನೀಡಿ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ವಿಚಾರಿಸಿ ಪುತ್ರ ವಿನೋದ್ ರಾಜ್ ಅವರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮಾತನಾಡಿದ್ದೆ.

ಹಲವು ದಶಕಗಳ ಕಾಲ ತಮ್ಮ‌ ಮನೋಜ್ಞ ಅಭಿನಯದ ಮೂಲಕ ಪ್ರೇಕ್ಷಕರನ್ನು ರಂಜಿಸಿದ್ದ ಲೀಲಾವತಿ ಅವರು ಗುಣಮುಖರಾಗಿ… pic.twitter.com/5D9orugWet

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) December 8, 2023

A few days back, Arjun Sarja visited an ailing Leelavathi at her house.


LEELAVATHI'S GLORIOUS FILM LEGACY :

Leelavathi was a renowned actress in the Kannada film industry. Her career spanned several decades, marking her as an iconic figure in the world of South Indian cinema. She made her debut in the late 1950s and quickly rose to prominence due to her exceptional acting skills and versatility.

She was celebrated for her ability to portray a wide range of characters, from strong-willed heroines to compassionate motherly figures. Throughout her illustrious career, she starred in numerous successful Kannada films such as 'Kulavadhu', 'Valmiki', 'Karuneye Kutumbada Kannu', 'Tumbida Koda', 'Premamayi', 'Santha Tukaram Bhagyadevathe', 'Bhakta Kumabara', and many others.

Leelavathi shared the screen with many leading actors of her time. Her contributions to the industry not only showcased her talent but also left an indelible mark on Kannada cinema. Her dedication, talent, and memorable performances will continue to be cherished by fans and her legacy will always remain an integral part of the rich history of Kannada cinema..

Source : India Today

Correct Answer :   New Delhi

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Invest India, the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency of the Government of India, and the current President of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), under the aegis of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), is set to host the 27th World Investment Conference (WIC) from December 11-14, 2023, at the India International Convention & Expo Centre - Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.

* This year (2023) conference is themed "Empowering Investors: IPAs Pioneering Future Growth".

* Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal on the main day of the conference on December 13, 2023, will deliver the keynote address on the Role of Trade and Investment in the Decade of Action. The Minister will also chair a closed-room roundtable of Private Equity.

* Shri Goyal will also launch the Experience India Centre (EIC), showcasing the best of India’s offerings across services, technology, and products through a variety of technologies, including virtual reality, augmented reality, interactive touch screens, and projection mapping.

* EIC will provide delegates and participants from around the world an opportunity to engage and interact with some of India’s leading startups, and learn about India's rich products, services and tourism offerings, experience its vibrant culture through an immersive experience like Touch/Feel, Taste, Smell, Vision, Sound, and other self-exploratory means. The startups represent India’s emerging indigenous capabilities and its emerging global leadership. The wall Bharat Today and the Living Traditions will exhibit traditions like Madhubani, Katha, Warli, Mata ni pachedi etc.

* WIC, an annual flagship event of WAIPA, serves as a platform for global investment promotion and innovation stakeholders. This year, the conference brings together Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs), international organisations, academia, and the private sector, including startups, to discuss investment policies and trends, providing a unique opportunity for collaboration, trade, investments and knowledge sharing..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Nikhil Dey

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Nikhil Dey, an Indian social activist, has been named as the International Anti-Corruption Champion by the US State Department. He has been acknowledged for his noteworthy support of social movements that oppose corruption in government welfare programs in India by encouraging transparency and accountability, public audits, and participatory democracy.

Dey's efforts as a co-founder of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) contributed to anti-corruption and transparency reforms in India, assisting the state of Rajasthan in establishing public policies that promote accountability and transparency. US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti congratulated Dey by posting on X, formerly known as Twitter. Garcetti said, the United States stands with champions like Dey who work for transparency, rule of law, and justice.


Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Vishnu Deo Sai

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Vishnu Deo Sai – tribal leader and former Union Minister – is the BJP's pick as the next Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh in the run-up to 2024 general election. This afternoon, he was elected as leader of the BJP's legislature party at the meeting of the 54 newly-elected MLAs.

The selection – made after a week of deliberations -- is along the lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea of having a tribal leader as the Chief Minister of the state, where tribals form 32 per cent of the population. They are the largest population group in the state after the Other Backward Classes -- a situation that had initially left the BJP torn between picking a tribal and an OBC member. .

The decision, however, went in favour of tribals in view of the party's unprecedented performance in the states' tribal areas. The BJP, never on top of tribals' list of favourites, had managed to turn around the mood and corner all 14 assembly seats in the tribal-dominated Surguja region and eight of the 12 seats in Bastar.

Mr Sai, 59, is also known to be favoured by the party's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Additionally, he is close to former Chief Minister Raman Singh, who has been the party's tallest leader in the state.

प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi के नेतृत्व में सबका साथ-सबका विकास-सबका विश्वास-सबका प्रयास के मंत्र को आत्मसात करते हुए जनजातीय समाज को सर्वोच्च नेतृत्व देने की दिशा में एक और ऐतिहासिक कदम।@BJP4CGState विधायक दल की बैठक में श्री @vishnudsai को राज्य का मुख्यमंत्री मनोनीत किए… pic.twitter.com/M1HqIrmRro

— BJP (@BJP4India) December 10, 2023

The four-term MP -- who has been the president of the Chhattisgarh unit of the party from 2020 to 2022 -- is known for his organisational capability and has a non-controversial image.

Previously, he has been a member of the BJP National Working Committee. When the Narendra Modi government came to power in 2014, he was named as the junior minister for steel.

Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda and other party leaders, Mt Sai said, "As the Chief Minister, I will try to fulfil PM Modi's guarantees through the government". Sanctioning 18 lakh houses to beneficiaries of a housing scheme will be his government's first work, he said.

That Mr Sai could be picked for a larger role was indicated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who while addressing a poll rally in the Kunkuri last month, had asked the voters to elect him. Mr Sai would be made a "big man" if the party comes to power in the state, Mr Shah had said, .

Source : NDTV

Correct Answer :   Anurag Singh Thakur

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Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports  Anurag Singh Thakur 11th Dec 2023 formally declared the Khelo India Para Games 2023 open in a dazzling ceremony at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall in New Delhi.
 
Over 1450 participants from 32 states and Union Territories and Services Sports Board are participating in the Games till the 17th of this month.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Thakur said that this is a historic moment for Indian sports as the first-ever Khelo India Para Games is being held in the national Capital setting the ball rolling for a new movement in the sports ecosystem of the country. 

He said, this initiative is a significant step towards providing equal opportunities for all athletes, regardless of their abilities. He added that the Khelo India Para Games signifies the New India. The central government's aim behind organizing the Khelo India Para Games is to empower all para-athletes and it has initiated several key projects for the welfare of the differently-abled.
 

The  Khelo India Para Games is being organised at three venues - Indira Gandhi Stadium, Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium and Karni Singh Shooting Range in the national capital. The Competition will be held in seven para-sports which include athletics, shooting, archery, football, badminton, table tennis and weightlifting. Some of India’s top international para stars like Sheetal Devi, Bhavina Patel, Ashok and others will also participate.
   
Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Nisith Pramanik was also present on the occasion..


Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Narendra Modi

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Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will launch ‘Viksit Bharat @2047 : Voice of Youth’ on 11th December, 2023 at 10:30 AM via video conferencing. Prime Minister will also address the Vice Chancellors of the Universities, Heads of Institutes and faculty members in workshops organised at Raj Bhawans across the country, which will symbolise the start of the initiative.

Prime Minister’s vision is to actively involve the youth of the country in formulation of national plans, priorities and goals of the country. In line with this vision, ‘Viksit Bharat @2047 : Voice of Youth’ initiative will provide a platform to the youth of the country to contribute ideas to the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. 

The workshops will be a key step towards initiating the process of engaging youth to share their ideas and suggestions for Viksit Bharat @2047.

Viksit Bharat@2047 is the vision to make India a developed nation by 2047, the 100th year of its independence. The vision encompasses various aspects of development, including economic growth, social progress, environmental sustainability, and good governance, among others..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Amit Shah

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 26th Eastern Zonal Meeting in Patna on Sunday (10th Dec 2023).

Addressing the representatives of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha Mr. Shah appealed to all members to work with the spirit of cooperative federalism for all-round development.

The Union minister said, member states should adopt a liberal and amicable approach to the resolution of long-standing issues.

He further said that during the past nine years, the history of the Eastern Zonal Council has been very successful as more than 1,100 disputes have been resolved on this platform through dialogue.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar raised the issue of caste census during the meeting. Mr Kumar requested the Centre to conduct a Caste-based Census in the country so that justice can be done to the deprived classes.

He said Bihar has taken lots of corrective measures for the alleviation of poverty following the release of a socio-economic report..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Piyush Goyal

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Union Minister of Textiles "Piyush Goyal", Minister of State for Textiles "Darshana Jardosh" and Member of Parliament - Lok Sabha "Poonam Mahajan" jointly flagged off 'One Bharat Sari Walkathon' in Mumbai on Sunday (10th Dec 2023).

* The event organized by the Ministry of Textiles aims to promote the handloom sari culture in India by inviting the participation of women across the country to showcase their ways of wearing saris and thus present India as a country of “Unity in Diversity”.

* It also promotes the spirit of traditional textiles and supports the idea of “Vocal for Local” and aims to raise awareness about fitness among women and to encourage them to lead healthier lives.
 
* In this celebration of cultural diversity and empowerment, the enthusiastic participation of more than five thousand women including leading professionals, Bollywood and television personalities, sports personalities, businesswomen and many more joined the event adorned in their distinctive traditional attire..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   7th

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India ranked 7th in this year’s (2023) Climate Change Performance Index, up one spot from the previous one, and also remained among the highest performers, according to the report released in Dubai during the global climate talks COP28 on Friday (8th Dec 2023).

* Monitoring Climate Mitigation Efforts of 63 Countries plus the EU – covering more than 90 per cent of the Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions, India has received a high ranking in the greenhouse gas Emissions and Energy Use categories, but a medium in Climate Policy and Renewable Energy, as in the previous year.

* While India is the world’s most populous country, it has relatively low per capita emissions, the index said.

* “Our data shows that in the per capita GHG category, the country is on track to meet a benchmark of well below 2 degrees Celsius. While it shows a slightly positive trend in the share of renewable energy, this trend is advancing too slowly,” the report based on the index said.

* The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) country experts reported that India is trying to meet its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), with clear long-term policies in place that focus on promoting renewable energy and providing financial support for domestic manufacturing of renewable energy components.

* Despite that, India’s growing energy needs are still being met by its heavy reliance on coal, along with oil and gas, the report pointed out.

* “This dependence is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and causes severe air pollution, especially in the cities,” it said.

* India has relatively high taxes on petrol and diesel, which are intended to act as carbon taxes. The impact of these taxes on consumption remains disputed. “While some experts describe them as an effective tool to reduce the consumption of petrol and diesel, others point to the high dependence of the government on these tax revenues,” the report said.

* "At the last COP, India, together with China, changed the wording of the cover decision to ‘phase down’ rather than ‘phase out’ fossil fuels. This was a setback for the global commitment to end the fossil fuel era. Some of our experts also report that large-scale renewable energy projects have negatively affected the livelihoods of local communities through land grabs and unequal distribution. Our experts report that policies are largely mitigative, yet they should also focus on transformative adaptation and disaster risk management,” the report said.

* The report also pointed out that policymakers should also adopt ecosystem-based solutions and consider equity.

* Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement at COP26 that India will achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 shows a lack of ambition and political will, according to our experts, the report said.

* The experts therefore called for more effective policy implementation that takes a more bottom-up approach, including the demands of tribal and rural communities.

* “Specifically, they call for a faster phase-out of coal, reduced reliance on gas, and expanded renewable energy. The experts want to see the country fulfil its potential in climate action by moving up the timeline for reaching Net Zero to no later than 2050. They want to see the creation of people-friendly, climate-friendly, sustainable infrastructure that is affordable, accessible, and available to all while taking the location’s cultural and social context into account,” it said.

* Srinivas Krishnaswamy, CEO, of Vasudha Foundation said it is indeed heartening to see India ranked high in the Climate Change Performance Index 2024.

* “It is evident that India has taken concrete actions vis- -vis our NDCs. India’s non-fossil power installed capacity as of date is already around 44 per cent, as against the target of 50 per cent by 2030; India’s emission intensity to GDP as of 2019 is reduced by 33 per cent to 2005 levels and, with this trajectory, will far exceed its NDC commitment of reducing its emission intensity to GDP of 45 per cent by 2030 to 2005 levels,” Krishnaswamy said..


Source : India Today

Correct Answer :   Mohan Yadav

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Springing a major surprise, the BJP on 11 December 2023 selected Ujjain-Dakshin (South) MLA Dr. Mohan Yadav as its legislature party leader and the next Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.

Apart from Mr. Yadav, who hails from the Other Backward Class (OBC), the new BJP government will also have two deputy CMs — Malhargarh MLA Jagdish Devda, a Dalit, and Rewa MLA Rajendra Shukla, a Brahmin. The OBCs constitute about 52% of the State’s population while there are nearly 17% people from the Scheduled Caste.

Narendra Singh Tomar, who recently resigned as a Union Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament following his victory in the Assembly polls, has been chosen as the next Assembly Speaker.

Set to become the 19th CM of the State, Mr. Yadav’s name was proposed by the outgoing CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the BJP legislature party meet in Bhopal and supported by senior party leaders and MLAs, including Mr. Tomar, Kailash Vijayvargiya and Prahlad Singh Patel, M.P. BJP president V.D. Sharma said.

The decision was taken in the presence of BJP’s central observers Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, party’s OBC Morcha chief K. Lakshman, and party’s national secretary Asha Lakra.

Following the announcement, Mr. Yadav accompanied by other senior leaders met State Governor Mangubhai Patel and staked claim to form the government. Mr. Chouhan also submitted his resignation to the Governor.

The swearing-in ceremony is expected to take place on or after December 13 when the newly elected Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai will take his oath. M.P. BJP spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said that the final date will be decided based on the confirmation from the Prime Minister.

A three-term MLA from Ujjain-Dakshin, Mr. Yadav will replace Mr. Chouhan as the Madhya Pradesh CM, who has held the top post since 2005 barring the 15-Month period from December 2018 to March 2020 when the Congress was in power in the State.

In the recent State Assembly elections, Mr. Yadav won from his Ujjain Dakshin seat by 12,941 votes. He had won the Assembly seat for the first time in 2013 and also retained it in 2018.

He was currently holding the higher education portfolio in Mr. Chouhan’s incumbent government and has also served as the chairperson of the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation from 2011 to 2013, in the rank of a Cabinet Minister.

While Mr. Yadav and Mr. Devda hail from the Malwa-Nimar region, Mr. Shukla hails from the Vindhya region. In the recent State polls, the BJP won a massive 45 seat out of 66 in Malwa-Nimar, improving its tally from 28 in 2018. The BJP once again swept the Vindhya region by winning 25 of 30 seats.

Mr. Devda and Mr. Shukla were also Ministers in the outgoing government holding important portfolios.

Speaking to the media after the announcement, Mr. Yadav thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit and BJP national president J.P. Nadda. He also thanked Mr. Chouhan and M.P. BJP president V.D. Sharma among other State leaders.

“A small worker like me has been given such a huge responsibility. It is only possible in the BJP. This is the BJP’s character. I thank the party for choosing me as the legislature party leader, he said.

“We will carry forward the development works started by PM Modi ji and Shivraj Singh Chouhan ji,” Mr. Yadav added.

Reiterating the BJP’s election campaign slogan “MP ke mann me Modi, Modi ke mann me MP”, Mr. Yadav said that the new government will work as per the Prime Minister’s dream.

The decision also puts an end to days of speculations on various names that had been doing rounds as the BJP’s pick for the CM post. Among those whose names were being speculated were Mr. Chouhan, Mr. Tomar, Mr. Patel, Mr. Sharma, Mr. Vijayvargiya and Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Later in the evening, Mr. Yadav also said that his name even came as a surprise to him..


Source : The Hindu