ca part 2 Flashcards
The Reserve Bank of India has barred exclusive agreements between banks and card networks
allowed customers to choose the network at the time of issue under Section 18 read with Section 10(2) of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
Authorised card networks
American Express Banking Corp, Diners Club International Ltd, MasterCard Asia/Pacific Pte Ltd, National Payments Corporation of India–Rupay, and Visa Worldwide Pte Ltd
direction on allowing users to pick the network shall not be applicable to credit card issuers
with a number of active cards issued by them being 10 lakh or less.
Card issuers who issue credit cards on their own authorised card network
are excluded from the applicability of the circular.
• The Card network choosing directions by RBI will be effective
six months from the date of circular
RBI was a net buyer of 8.7t of gold during the month of Jan 2024
making it the highest monthly purchase in eighteen months, This takes the RBI gold holdings to an all-time high of 812.3t as of end-January.
The RBI’s net gold buying in 2023 at 16.2t was notably lower than the previous years
wherein the annual net gold purchases by the central bank averaged 47t (2018 to 2022).
Despite the lower purchase in 2023, the RBI was the sixth largest buyer of gold among central banks during the year
- China
- Poland
- Singapore
- Libya
- Czech Republic
India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU-IND) Friday imposed a penalty of Rs 5.49 crore
on Paytm Payments Bank Ltd for violating rules under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2005.
FIU-IND is the financial intelligence arm
of the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance.
National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) recorded its highest ever single-day transactions on February 29,
with the payment system processing 4.10 crore transactions on that day.
During the previous ten years (2014-23), NEFT and RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement) systems have registered growth of 700 per cent and 200 per cent respectively in terms of
volume and 670 per cent and 104 per cent respectively in terms of value
The NEFT started functioning on a 24/7 basis for 365 days of the year from ,
December 16, 2019
RTGS 24/7 365 DAYS from
December 14, 2020
For the RTGS, the highest ever single-day volume was
at 16.25 lakh transactions on March 31, 2023.
Employment-unemployment indicators report of National Statistics Office - India’s unemployment rate
India’s unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years or above declined to 3.1 per cent in 2023, the lowest in the last three years
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for the calendar year 2023 indicates a positive trend
showcasing a decline from 3.6% in 2022 and 4.2% in 2021.
Employment-unemployment indicators report of National Statistics Office - Female unemployment rate
For females, the unemployment rate declined to 3 per cent in 2023 from 3.3 per cent in 2022 and 3.4 per cent in 2021.
Employment-unemployment indicators report of National Statistics Office - Male unemployment rate
For males, it came down to 3.2 per cent in 2023 from 3.7 per cent in 2022 and 4.5 per cent in 2021.
Employment-unemployment indicators report of National Statistics Office - Urban unemployment rate
In Urban areas: The overall rate of unemployment also declined to 5.2 per cent in 2023 from 5.7 per cent in 2022 and 6.5 per cent 2021.
Employment-unemployment indicators report of National Statistics Office - Rural unemployment rate
In rural areas: It came down to 2.4 per cent in 2023 from 2.8 per cent in 2022 and 3.3 per cent in 2021.
Eight Core Industries comprise 40.27 percent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
Cement, Coal, Crude Oil, Electricity, Fertilizers, Natural Gas, Refinery Products and Steel.
The combined Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) increased by 3.6 per cent (provisional) in January 2024 as compared to the Index of January 2023. 18 MONTHS LOW
The coal sector has demonstrated highest growth of 10.2 % (provisional) among the eight core industries for the month of January 2024
Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the meeting to review the performance of the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) in New Delhi.
It got operationalised with the disbursement of its first loan in December 2022,
NaBFID has made total sanctions of more than ₹86,804 crore, with projects spread across the country and in diversified subsectors of
infrastructure, such as Roads, Renewable Power, Ports, Railways, Water and Sanitation, City Gas Distribution, etc. Out of the ₹86,804 crore, 50% has been sanctioned with long tenure for 50 to 20 years.
NaBFID will sanction over ₹3 lakh crore by
NaBFID target - March 2026
NaBFID has collaborated with the International Finance Corporation (IFC)
to offer Transaction Advisory Services for developing a robust pipeline of investment-ready PPP projects in the infrastructure sector across India.
The Government of India (GOI) set up NaBFID in April 2021 as India’s fifth All India Financial Institution in the country
to support the development of long-term non-recourse infrastructure financing in India.
The authorised share capital of the Institution is ₹ 1 lakh crore, and GOI has already infused
an initial capital of ₹ 20,000 crore along with a grant of ₹ 5,000 crore.
Index of Industrial Production
composite indicator that
measures the short-term changes in the volume of production of a basket of industrial
products during a given period with respect to that in a chosen base period (2011-12)
Periodicity of Index of Industrial Production
compiled
and published monthly by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) with a time lag of six weeks
from the reference month.
Category Classification of IIP
• Mining
• Manufacturing
• Electricity
8 Core industries weight in IIP
Petroleum Refinery (weight: 28.04 per cent),
Crude Oil (weight: 8.98 per cent),
Electricity (weight: 19.85 per cent),
Fertilizer (weight: 2.63 per cent),
Natural Gas (weight: 6.88 per cent),
Steel (weight: 17.92 per cent)
Cement ( 5.37%)
Coal (10.33%)
Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare has integrated pension seva portals of SBI, PNB, Bank of Baroda and Canara Bank
to provide seamless banking services to pensioners from a single portal.
BHAVISHYA is a Portal for Pension Payment and Tracking System
being integrated with Pension Seva portal of SBI and will enable Pensioners to get all information and services at one place with single login
On completion of all phases of BHAVISHYA’s integration the retirees can choose a Bank and Branch
for opening an online Pension Account, check their monthly pension slips, Form 16, Status of Life Certificate as well as change their Pension Disbursing Bank
BHAVISHYA has recently been rated as the 3rd best portal among
among all Government of India service portals by National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA).
following portals have been merged with BHAVISHYA window
CPENGRAMS, ANUBHAV, ANUDAAN, SANKALP & Pension DASHBOARD
Anubhav Portal
platform created by the Department of Pensions & Pensioners’ Welfare
to provide retiring Central Government employees with a way to document their experiences, valuable insights, and suggestions for improvement within the government system
Anudaan - Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare
supports grants to identified Pensioners Associations for welfare activities and outreach to Central Government pensioners
Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has approved Go Digit’s initial public offering (IPO),
which is backed by cricketer Virat Kohli and his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma.
also backed by Canada-based Fairfax Group.
Go Digit’s proposed IPO comprises fresh issuance of shares worth
worth ₹1,250 crore and an Offer For Sale (OFS) of 10.94 crore shares by promoter Go Digit Infoworks Services and existing shareholders.
Go Digit is one of India’s first non-life insurers to be fully operated on the cloud
has developed Application Programming Interface (API) integrations with several channel partners
Bloomberg Index Services said it would include 34 Indian government bonds eligible for investment via the country’s fully accessible route (FAR)
in its Emerging Market Local Currency Index (EMLC) from Jan. 31, 2025.
Bloomberg index inclusion will be phased in over a 10-month period ending October 2025, with the weight of
weight of India FAR bonds increased in increments of 10 per cent of their full market value every month during the period
In September, JPMorgan announced the inclusion Indian bonds in its emerging market debt index from
from June 2025 with traders anticipating inflows of around $25 billion to $30 billion from it.
Bloomberg index inclusion, on the other hand, is expected bring in around $2.5 billion to $4 billion.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced the ‘Fully Accessible Route’ (FAR)
from April 1, 2020.
FAR (Fully Accessible Route)
• No Investment Ceilings: FPIs can invest in specified government securities (G-Secs) without any restrictions or limits.
• Ease of Investment: This route aims to simplify the process and encourage increased inflows of foreign investment into the Indian debt market.
• Specified Securities: The RBI designates certain G-Secs as eligible for FAR investments. These are often newer issuances with longer tenors (like 7-year and 14-year bonds).
MTF (Medium Term Framework)
• investment Limits: The RBI sets limits for FPI investments in both government and corporate debt under MTF. These limits are adjusted periodically.
• Balance: MTF aims to balance the need for foreign capital with potential risks of sudden outflows of investments.
• Monitoring: The RBI closely monitors FPI activity within the MTF framework.
VRR (Voluntary Retention Route)
• Minimum Retention Period: FPIs choosing VRR must commit to holding their investments in Indian debt for a minimum of three years.
• Incentives: VRR offers some exemptions from regulatory requirements, making it attractive for long-term investors.
• Stability: VRR promotes a more stable form of foreign investment compared to ‘hot money’ that can exit the market quickly.
NPCI International Payments (NIPL), the international business strategy arm of payments settlement provider NPCI, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Greek bank Eurobank
to process foreign inward remittance from that country through UPI (Unified Payments Interface).
two entities will manage fund settlement, reconciliation and dispute resolutions in their respective jurisdictions.
Through NIPL, NPCI has established relationships with multiple countries including Bhutan, Sri Lanka, China, and Singapore
UPI went live in France. Indian tourists can buy tickets to the Eiffel Tower by paying via UPI.
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) said its unique registered investors have surpassed nine crore
with the latest one crore additions taking place in just five months.
NSE Investor base has seen more than a three-fold jump in the last five years
facilitated by rapid growth in digitisation, rising investor awareness, financial inclusion and strong market performance.
Of the new investors that have entered the market since October 2023, nearly 42 per cent hailed from North India, followed by West India (28 per cent
South India (17 per cent) and East India (13 per cent).
Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra contributed the largest number of new investors during Oct 23 - Mar 24
together accounting for more than a quarter of all new additions.
Currently, the highest number of unique registered investors are from Maharashtra with , followed by Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat with 81 lakh such investors.
1.6 crore
97 lakh
81 lakh
This increase in new investors has come across states, with all but 33 pin codes having at least one individual directly investing in the market
After starting 2024 on a strong note, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) saw transactions dip slightly in February
but remain above December 2023 levels.
UPI Transactions worth ₹18.28-lakh crore were processed during February
nearly 1 per cent lower than the peak of ₹18.41 lakh crore in January 2024.
The value of UPI transactions was 48 per cent higher year-on-year,
during Feb-24 as per data by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
The number of transactions on the UPI network too fell by 0.8 per cent to 1,210 crore
from the January level of 1,220 crore transactions.
On year, the volume of transactions was 61 per cent higher.
UPI transactions are expected to breach 100 crore transactions per day by FY27, as per a report by PwC India
which projects UPI to dominate the retail digital payments landscape, accounting for 90 per cent of total transaction volumes over the next five years
Central bank’s Governor Shaktikanta Das revealed that the share of UPI in digital payments reached nearly
80% in 2023.
nearly 46% of digital transactions in the world
take place in India.
The NPCI has been trying to impose a 30% cap by volume in the UPI market for third-party payment applications. While it had initially decided on implementation from January 1, 2023
the move was postponed to December 31, 2024.
UPI In January, 1.PhonePe processed , 2. Google Pay, 3.Amazon, , 4. Cred 5. Groww, the largest wealth management app in India, processed less than 9.5 million transactions.
- 5.7 billion transactions
- 4.4 billion transactions
- 59 million transactions
- 100 million transactions
- 9.5 million transactions
India collected Rs 1.68 lakh crore as goods and services tax (GST) in February
up 12.5 per cent from the year earlier, reflecting continued momentum in economic activity.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in India declined 13 per cent to $ 32.03 billion in April-December 2023, dragged down by
lower infusion in computer hardware and software, telecom, auto, and pharma sectors, according to the latest government data.
FDI inflows stood at $ 36.74 billion during
the corresponding nine months of the preceding fiscal.
FDI Inflows during the October-December quarter of the current fiscal
, however, rose by 18 per cent to $ 11.6 billion.
Maharashtra received the highest FDI inflow of
$ 12.1 billion during the nine month in FY 2023-24
Mauritius (26%), Singapore (23%), USA (9%), Netherland (7%) and Japan (6%) emerge as top
5 countries for FDI equity inflows into India FY 2022-23.
REC Limited, a Maharatna CPSE under the ministry of power, has successfully listed two significant bonds on
the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), aggregating over ₹5,375 crore.
Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) issued Asia’s first certified Green Municipal Bond for sustainable water infrastructure worth Rs 100 crore, aimed at
fostering sustainable urban development, aligned with the Paris Agreement, to enhance liquid wastewater management infrastructure, on the Electronic Bidding Platform (EBP) of Bombay Stock Exchange.
Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has decided to mobilise Rs 100 crore against its contribution of
Rs 620.6 crore for 47 projects worth Rs 1220.53 crore, approved under the AMRUT 2.0 Scheme.
In an effort to democratize future technologies and empower youth to innovate, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog and Meta
have announced the launch of Frontier Technology Labs (FTLs). in schools of strategic importance to ensure that students from diverse backgrounds across India will have equal opportunities to learn and engage with frontier technologies.
AIM has established 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) in
schools across 722 districts in India.
objective of ATLs is to
foster curiosity, creativity, and imagination in young minds; and inculcate skills such as design mindset, computational thinking, physical computing etc.
The FTLs will be funded by Meta and
Atal Innovation Mission will be the knowledge partner.
The FTLs are a part of Meta’s Education to Entrepreneurship initiative, launched in September 2023
to seamlessly connect students, youth, workforce, and micro-entrepreneurs with futuristic technologies, taking digital skilling to the grassroots.
FTL labs will be managed by Meta’s partner
1M1B (One Million for One Billion).
CG Power, Renesas Electronics Corporation, a supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions and Stars Microelectronics (Thailand) Public Co. Ltd, a Thailand based outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) provider
have recently signed an agreement to establish a joint venture (JV) to build and operate an OSAT facility in India.
JV will be 92.3 per cent owned by CG, with Renesas and Stars Microelectronics each holding equity capital of
approximately 6.8 per cent and 0.9 per cent, respectively.
OSAT JV (by CG power) plans to invest ₹7,600 crore over a five-year period, which will be
financed through a mix of subsidies, equity, and potential bank borrowings as required.
OSAT JV (by CG power) will set up a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Sanand, Gujarat, with a capacity
that will ramp up to 15 million units per day.
Flipkart launched its own UPI handle @fkaxis in collaboration with Axis Bank. They also announced a new scheme under the tagline
‘India’s Most Rewarding UPI’.
This is the second fintech offering with Axis bank
after Flipkart launched cobranded credit cards with the bank in 2019.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurated India’s first Small Scale LNG Unit
Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) ,situated at its Vijaipur LPG plant in Madhya Pradesh.
CNG stations have been set up with an investment of Rs 500 crore and are
spread across 52 geographical areas in 17 states
government’s vision is to raise the share of natural gas in the primary energy basket
to 15 percent by 2030.
by 2030, the nation will have around 120 million PNG connections and about
17,500 CNG stations, according to the Minimum Work Plan that CGD companies had submitted.
IOC, the country’s largest oil firm controlling roughly 40 per cent of fuel market share, will be the first Indian company and only a handful globally
that will produce fuel used in F1 racing at Paradip in Odisha
IOC has entered the racing fuels segment with its high-octane
Storm’ petrol for motorcycle racing.
There are only three suppliers of reference fuels globally including
US giant Chevron
IOC company will be the official fuel partner for the Federation Internationale De Motocyclisme (FIM) Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) for three years – 2024 to 2026
supplying ‘Storm’ petrol across all ARRC race rounds. ‘Storm’ fuel is being manufactured at the company’s Koyali refinery in Gujarat.
State-owned Bank of Baroda announced special offers for its women account holders on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
BoB Mahila Shakti Savings Account or a BoB Women Power Current Account, opened till June 30, 2024, and loan facilities availed till December 31, 2024
women-centric BOB accounts come with a bundle of offers exclusively for women, including up to
25 basis points interest rate concession on retail loans (concession of 0.25 per cent on two-wheeler loans, 0.15 per cent on education loans, 0.10 per cent on auto loans, home loans and mortgage loan).
Bajaj Allianz General Insurance has launched a Gen AI powered Bot
Insurance Samjho for its policyholders.
to simplify insurance complexities, empower customers with knowledge about their policies with easy-to-understand information.
Indian government has permitted derivatives trading in 11 more commodities including
skimmed milk powder, cement, apple, bamboo and timber based on a recommendation from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
total number of commodities in which derivatives trading can be done
to 104 items, up from 91 before
derivatives trading will also be permitted in alloys of
five metals that are already a part of the list. These are alloys of nickel, zinc, aluminium, copper, and lead.
Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Health & Family Welfare virtually inaugurated 27 greenfield bulk drug park projects and
13 greenfield manufacturing plants for medical devices.
PLI-I scheme for bulk drugs and medical devices of the Union Government identified
48 critical bulk drugs for manufacturing locally
success of PLI i on bulk drugs and medical devices scheme led the government to launch the Rs. 15,000 crore PLI-II scheme
which envisaged to increase our cost competitiveness for medicines and medical products in the international market.
India is the 3rd largest player in drugs and pharmaceuticals by volume with an estimated industry size of
US$50 billion in 2022-23 and exports accounting for 50% of the production
anticipated to reach a size of around US$130 billion by 2030.
US- first (42%)
China - second (8%)
India is the world’s largest provider of generic medicines by volume
with a 20% share of total global generic supplies.
Department of Pharmaceuticals had launched a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for promotion of their domestic manufacturing by setting up greenfield plants in four different Target Segments
Target segments 1 and 2 are fermentation based and Target segments 3 and 4 are chemical synthesis based.
PLI scheme envisages manufacturing of 41 bulk drugs with a total outlay of
Rs. 6,940 cr. during the tenure of the scheme i.e. 2020-21 to 2029-30.
PLI scheme envisages incentive at the rate of 20% for first four years, 15% for fifth year and 5% for sixth year on
eligible sales of fermentation based bulk drugs.
In respect of chemical synthesis based bulk drugs, incentive
is to be given at the rate of 10% for six years on the eligible sales
Department of Pharmaceuticals had launched a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Promotion of Domestic Manufacturing of Medical Devices
to ensure a level playing field for the domestic manufacturers of medical devices.
total financial outlay of the Scheme is Rs.3,420 cr. for the period 2020-21 to 2027-28.
Under the scheme, financial incentive is given to selected companies at the rate of 5% of incremental sales of medical devices manufactured in India and covered under four Target Segments of the scheme
(1) Cancer care equipment,
(2) Imaging Devices,
(3) Critical care devices, and
(4) Body implants
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first tanker - Swarna Sindhu -
carrying crude oil produced in state-owned ONGC’s Krishna Godavari deepwater block . At its peak production, this project will add 7 per cent each to India’s oil and gas production
Developed with an investment of over Rs 41,000 crore, the KG-DWN 98/2 Deepwater Oil Field
the Krishna Godavari Basin is considered to be one of the most technologically complex projects in India’s oil and gas industry to date.
Total envisaged peak gas production and oil production from KG DWN project is about
10 Million Metric Standard Cubic Meters per Day (MMSCMD) of natural gas, and 45,000 barrels of oil per day.
KG DWN Event marked oil produced by the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit Armada Sterling V
built and operated by Shapoorji Pallonji Energy Private Limited (SP Energy). It is the largest floating installation ever deployed in the Indian subcontinent
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (Irdai) is planning to introduce collaterals for
reinsurance transactions with Cross Border Reinsurers (CBR).
proposed guidelines given in an exposure draft will be applicable for all the reinsurance placements with CBRs by cedants or insurers from India,
for reinsurance programmes from FY25-26 onwards.
According to the IRDAI annual report for FY23, 283 companies were participating in the Indian CBR reinsurance business
competing with state-owned GIC Re and Foreign Reinsurance Branches (FRBs)
The cedant placing re-insurance business with CBRs shall be responsible for collecting the collateral. The collateral offered will be either in
the form of an irrevocable Letter of Credit (LC) from the CBR or premium or funds withheld by the ceding insurer. The LC shall be issued through any IFSC Banking Unit (IBU) in GIFT IFSC or a scheduled commercial bank regulated by the Reserve Bank of India, which the cedant can choose to accept this LC either in Indian Rupees or in any freely convertible foreign currency.
A CBR with A- or above from Standard or Poor’s or equivalent, the minimum amount of collateral (aggregate of outstanding claims liabilities and IBNR reserves)
will be 80 per cent while for below A- rating it will be 100 per cent.
Tata group-owned Air India has refinanced short-term loans with the
State Bank of India (SBI) and Bank of Baroda (BoB) for a three-year loan at an attractive rate. The new Rs 19,000 crore loan will be used to finance the carrier’s working capital needs and upgrade its aircraft fleet.
SBI has a major share in the Air India loan at about Rs 13,300 crore while
BoB’s share is Rs 5,700 crore. This loan now replaces the bridge loan facility.
Singapore’s competition watchdog has approved the merger between Tata Group-owned Air India and sister airline
Vistara, a joint venture between Tata and Singapore Airlines. India’s antitrust body approved the deal in September last year.
According to the terms of the deal, autos-to-steel conglomerate Tata would hold 74.9% of the combined entity,
while Singapore Airlines will own the remaining 25.1%.
PFRDA Chairperson Deepak Mohanty has launched a user-friendly web application developed by Zerodha Broking Limited,
designed to simplify access to the National Pension System (NPS) for subscribers
What is the key change introduced by the CCI’s new regulations regarding antitrust penalties?
CCI can now impose a monetary penalty based on a company’s global turnover (up to 10%) for anti-competitive conduct, such as abuse of dominant position.
Why is this CCI’s new regulations regarding antitrust penalties significant?
It increases the CCI’s power to curb antitrust activities, particularly those involving large multinational firms like Big Tech companies.
What are “commitment and settlement mechanisms” in the context of CCI regulations?
• Commitment Mechanism: A company under CCI investigation can file a commitment application within 45 days of receiving a prima facie inquiry order. This presents an opportunity to resolve the matter potentially.
What are settlement mechanisms” in the context of CCI regulations?
A company facing regulatory proceedings for alleged fair trade violations can apply for settlement within 45 days of receiving the CCI director general’s probe report. The regulator may grant an additional 30 days.
Chennai-headquartered Star Health has become the first standalone health insurance company to achieve a significant milestone. What is it?
Settling more than 1 crore (10 million) claims since its inception in 2006.
How much has Star Health disbursed in claim payments?
More than ₹44,000 crore, covering both cashless and reimbursement claims across India.
What percentage of Star Health’s customer claims are settled through their network?
More than 70% of claims are settled through their network of over 14,200 hospitals.
Which Indian state accounted for the majority of Star Health’s claims?
Maharashtra, followed by Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Delhi.
What is Star Health’s market share in retail health insurance?
33%, making them 3 times larger than the second-largest player in the industry
What major milestone did Larsen & Toubro (L&T) achieve in the clean energy sector?
L&T commissioned its first indigenously-manufactured electrolyser at its Green Hydrogen Plant in Hazira, Gujarat.
Why is L&T electrolyser commissioning a significant development?
It marks the establishment of L&T Electrolysers Limited, a company focused on domestic electrolyser manufacturing and promoting sustainable energy solutions.
What is the capacity of L&T’s new electrolyser?
The electrolyser has a rated power capacity of 1 MW (expandable to 2MW) and can produce 200 Nm3/Hr of hydrogen.
What are the key components of the indigenously manufactured L&T electrolyser?
It includes two stacks and an Electrolyser Processing Unit (EPU) ML-400, developed and assembled in India to meet international standards.
Describe L&T Electrolysers Limited.
a new entity under L&T that specializes in manufacturing pressurized alkaline electrolysers. It uses technology from McPhy Energy (France).
What government initiatives support L&T Electrolysers?
given a 300 MW/annum capacity under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) of the National Green Hydrogen Mission (ministry of new and renewable energy - MNRE), implemented by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
Union Minister for Steel and Civil Aviation, Sh. Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, virtually inaugurated India’s 1st Green Hydrogen Plant in Stainless Steel Sector located at
at Jindal Stainless Limited, Hisar
The Minister also highlighted India’s progress in the steel sector, evolving from a
net importer to a net exporter and aiming to become the world’s largest producer of crude steel.
National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), launched last year with an outlay of around ₹20,000 crore with an aim to make India
a Global Hub for production, usage and export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives.
NGHM supporting pilot projects in the steel sector with a budget
of around ₹500 crore until FY 2029-30.
Under NGHM, Three key areas have been identified for the pilot projects in the steel sector
the use of hydrogen in the direct reduced iron-making process,
using hydrogen in blast furnaces, and gradually substituting fossil fuels with green hydrogen.
Jindal steel green hydrogen plant - the world’s first off-grid Green Hydrogen plant for the stainless steel industry and the world’s first
Green Hydrogen plant with rooftop & floating solar.
Jindal steel green hydrogen plant - a state-of-the-art green hydrogen facility with a target to reduce carbon emissions considerably by around
2,700 Metric Tonnes per annum and 54,000 tons of CO2 emissions over next two decades.
Goldman Sachs and Mubadala Investment Company, a global sovereign investor, have signed a
$1 billion partnership - co-invest in private credit opportunities throughout the Asia Pacific region.
What is the current stake of Japan’s SoftBank Group in Paytm?
2.83%
How has SoftBank Group’s stake in Paytm changed since September 2022?
SoftBank Group has been reducing its stake in Paytm. It initially held 17.5%.
Which two companies have signed an MoU to deliver pre-ordered food on trains in India?
Swiggy and IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation)
Where will the food delivery service on trains initially be available?
The service will start at Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Visakhapatnam, and Vijayawada stations.
Will the food delivery service remain limited to the initial four stations?
No, the service is planned to expand to 59 additional city stations in the coming weeks
Who has partnered to launch the PNB EMT co-branded travel credit card?
Punjab National Bank (PNB) and EaseMyTrip
What are the primary benefits of the PNB EMT credit card?
Rewards for flights, hotels, and holiday packages designed for Indian travelers (mass to premium segments)
How can customers apply for the PNB EMT credit card?
pnbindia.in
PNB ONE App
easemytrip.com
What is the annual membership fee of the PNB EMT credit card?
Rs 2,000
Where can the PNB EMT credit card be used?
Across 100 countries
What Indian government organization is partnering with Qualcomm Technologies Inc. to foster innovation?
Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT)
What is the main focus of the C-DOT and Qualcomm Technologies collaboration?
To support Indian startups and developers working on innovative products and use cases.
What will Qualcomm Technologies provide to Indian startups as part of the collaboration?
Expertise and best practices
State-of-the-art technology
Intellectual property training
Tools
Where is Qualcomm Incorporated headquartered?
San Diego, California, USA
Where is Qualcomm Incorporated incorporated (legally registered)?
Delaware, USA
Which two companies formed a joint venture to develop renewable energy parks in Maharashtra?
NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL) and Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (MAHAGENCO)
What is the scale of the renewable energy projects NTPC MAHAGENCO joint venture will undertake?
The projects will be GW-scale (gigawatt-scale) and developed in phases.
What is the NTPC Group’s renewable energy capacity goal for 2032?
60 GW of renewable energy capacity
Describe the NTPC Group’s current renewable energy status.
They currently have 3.4 GW of installed capacity and over 22 GW in the pipeline.
What has the World Bank approved to improve rural connectivity in Assam, India?
The $452 million Assam Resilient Rural Bridges Program
How many people are expected to benefit from the Assam Resilient Rural Bridges Program?
Over 1.8 million people in rural areas
What are the specific goals of the Assam Resilient Rural Bridges program?
• Improve the resilience and management of roads and bridges
• Provide year-round access to markets, schools, hospitals, and workplaces for people in 1,739 villages
What type of financing instruments will the World Bank use for the Assam resilient rural bridges program?
Program-for-Results (PforR) and Investment Project Financing (IPF)
What are the terms of the World Bank loan for Assam resilient rural bridges program?
The loan has a maturity of 19 years with a grace period of 4.5 years.
Who made history as the first woman chief flight operations inspector (CFOI) in India?
Captain Shweta Singh
What is Captain Shweta Singh’s role in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)?
Chief Flight Operations Inspector (CFOI)
Who did Captain Shweta Singh replace as CFOI?
Captain Vivek Chhabra
What historic milestone did Sub-Inspector Suman Kumari achieve?
She became the first woman sniper in the Border Security Force (BSF). [launched 1st December 1965]
Where did Suman Kumari complete her sniper training?
Central School of Weapons and Tactics (CSWT) in Indore.
[managed by the Indian Army.}
What is the Border Security Force (BSF)?
India’s border guarding organization along the borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Shehbaz Sharif became the 24th prime minister by receiving 201 votes in the 336-member house
Pakistan and for a second time to lead a coalition government after he comfortably won a majority in the newly-elected Parliament.
opposition got only 92 votes
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of BK Divakara as a Whole-Time Director (Executive Director) of
of CSB Bank for three years
The central government appointed Daljit Singh Chaudhary as the director general (DG
) of the National Security Guard (NSG).
Daljit Singh Chaudhary is currently serving as the DG
of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). He has been given the additional charge of the NSG.
The National Security Guard (NSG) is an elite counter-terrorism unit under
the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
National Security Guard personnel are referred to as
‘Black Cats’.
National Security Day or National Safety Day
04-Mar
The theme for National Safety Day 2024
is “Focus on Safety Leadership for ESG Excellence”.
Dr. V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog launched the National Birth
Defect Awareness Month 2024.
The theme of this National Birth Defect Awareness Month 2024 is
“Breaking Barriers: inclusive support for children with birth defects”.
The birth defects awareness campaign would be focusing on the awareness about
prevention, early identification and timely management.
This National Birth Defect Awareness is an effort for observing Birth defect day,
which is observed on 3rd of March every year
What is Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK)?
A health program under India’s Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW).
Focuses on child health and creating nationwide awareness.
Aims to reduce infant and child mortality rates.
What are the current neonatal, infant, and under-5 mortality rates in India (as of Sample Registration System 2020 Report)?
• Neonatal mortality rate: 20 per 1000 live births
• Infant mortality rate: 28 per 1000 live births
• Under-5 mortality rate: 32 per 1000 live births
How significant is the impact of birth defects on child mortality in India?
Cause of Death Statistics 2017-19 report indicates birth defects contribute to:
4.9% of neonatal mortality
5.7% of under-5 mortality
What is the Sample Registration System (SRS)?
A primary source of data on mortality and fertility rates in India.
Conducted by the Registrar General of India.
Provides reliable statistics for making informed health policy decisions.
Civil Accounts Day 2024 was celebrated in New Delhi, to mark the 48th foundation day of
Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS).
Dirghayu Pensioners’ mobile app
implemented by the Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) under CGA, for empowering over 12 lakh pensioners with easy access to pensioner-related information and grievance redressal
Controller general of Accounts also elaborated on the recent successful pilot of SNA – SPARSH through the tripartite network of PFMS, eKuber of RBI and State IFMIS
which has demonstrated the robustness of PFMS in the quest of the service towards efficient Cash Management.
Every year on March 1, people celebrate Zero Discrimination Day.
The theme for this year is “To protect everyone’s health, protect everyone’s rights”.
World Obesity Day is observed annually on 4th march with the theme
“Let’s Talk About Obesity and…”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher is considered overweight and a
BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.
