NATIONAL NEWS

ISRO launches new communication satellite

• The Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO, has successfully launched the country’s new communication satellite CMS-01 in the intended orbit in space.
• The satellite was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota using the PSLV – C50.
• The satellite was placed at the geosynchronous transfer orbit to deliver the services in Extended C-Band spectrum.
• The new satellite CMS-01 will take over the ageing telecommunication satellite GSAT-12 that has service longer than its planned operational period by servicing for 11 years. The CMS-01's intended operational life is seven years.

Facts:

• ISRO Chairman: Dr K Sivan
• Head office of ISRO: Bengaluru

Skill India Establishes First Centre of Excellence for Skill Development in Power Sector

• India and Government of France join forces to establish first Centre of Excellence for Power Sector in Gurugram, Haryana.
• The CoE has high-end modern labs designed keeping in mind the future technology, which will further strengthen India and France's relationship in energy sector.
• The CoE will focus on creating a pool of highly skilled trainers and assessors for further training to increase employability of candidates in the field of Electricity, Automation and Solar Energy Sectors.
• The CoE will be equipped with two labs – Advanced Electrician lab and Solar lab, which have been set up by Schneider Electric as a part of its CSR initiative.

BANKING NEWS

ADB, India sign $300 million loan

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India on 18^th December 2020 signed a $300 million loan to upgrade rural power distribution networks to provide reliable electricity supply to consumers in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
• The project will establish separate feeders for electricity supply to agriculture and residential consumers.
• The projects aims to promote better rationing and utilization of unmetered power, strengthen financial management of the state power distribution entity and improve bill collection in rural areas through community engagement involving the women’s self-help groups.

Facts:

• Chief Minister of UP: Yogi Adityanath
• Capital of UP: Lucknow
• HQ of ADB: Philippines

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India – Bangladesh virtual summit

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheik Hasina, held a virtual summit on 17^th December 2020.
• Both sides held comprehensive discussions on all aspects of bilateral relations, and exchanged views on regional and international issues.
• The two leaders also jointly inaugurated the Chilahati-Haldibari rail link between the two countries.
• The following bilateral documents were signed and exchanged by the officials of the Governments of India and Bangladesh:
  • Framework of Understanding (FOU) on Cooperation in Hydrocarbon Sector;
  • Protocol on Trans-boundary Elephant Conservation;
  • MOU regarding Indian Grant Assistance for Implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) through Local Bodies and other Public Sector Institutions;
  • MOU on Supply of Equipment and Improvement of Garbage / Solid Waste Disposal Ground at Lamchori Area for Barishal City Corporation;
  • Terms of Reference of India-Bangladesh CEOs Forum;
  • MoU between Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum, Dhaka, Bangladesh and the National Museum, New Delhi, India; and
  • MoU on Cooperation in the field of Agriculture.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Minority Right Day

• The National Minorities Rights Day is observed in India, every year on December 18, to safeguard the Constitutionally-guaranteed rights of religious minorities in the country.
• The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) was established under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.
• Five religious communities have been notified as minority community namely Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis).