1. Aravind Panagariya Appointed as Chairman of 16th Finance Commission
The Central Government appointed former NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Aravind Panagariya as the Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission. As per a notification issued by the Ministry of Finance’s Department of Economic Affairs, IAS officer Ritvik Ranjanam Pandey will be the secretary to the commission.
The Chairman and the other members of the Commission shall hold office from the date, on which they respectively assume office up to the submission of Report or 31st October 2025. The Commission may review the present arrangements for financing Disaster Management initiatives, with reference to the funds constituted under the Disaster Management Act,2002, and make appropriate recommendations thereon. The Commission shall make its reports available by the 31st of October, 2025 covering a period of five years commencing on the 1st of April, 2026.
Aravind Panagariya is a professor of Economics and the Jagdish Bhagwati professor of Indian Political Economy at Columbia University. He was first vice-chairman of NITI Aayog from January 2015 to August 2017 and served as India’s G20 Sherpa in 2017. In April 2023, he was appointed chancellor of Nalanda University.
2. 12th Divya Kala Mela-2023 inaugurated in Surat
Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), GOI through National Divyangjan Finance and Development Corporation organized a unique event showcasing the products and craftsmanship of Divyang entrepreneurs/artisans from across the country, ‘Divya Kala Mela’ from 29th December 2023-7th January 2024 in Surat, Gujarat.
The event would present an enthralling experience to the visitors as vibrant products from various parts of the country including Jammu and Kashmir, North Eastern States, handicrafts, handlooms, embroidery works, packaged food, etc. This is a unique initiative towards the economic empowerment of PWD/Divyangjan. The Divya Kala Mela presents a bigger platform for marketing and showcasing the products and skills of Divyangjan (PWD).
Around 100 Divyang artisans/artists and entrepreneurs from about 20 states/UTs was displayed their products and skills. There were the products in the following broad categories: Home Décor and lifestyle, Clothing, Stationery, and eco-friendly products, toys & gifts, Jewellery, packaged foods and organic products, etc.
3. Gujarat sets World Record for mass Surya Namaskar
Gujarat achieved a milestone as over 50,000 people participated in a collective Surya Namaskar event at 108 different locations, setting India’s first record of 2024 in the Guinness World Records.
The event was attended by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Minister of State for Sports Harsh Sanghvi. The Gujarat State Yoga Board has organized a state-level Mass Surya Namaskar program at the historic Surya Mandir Modhera in the Mehsana district. The Department of Sports, Youth Services, and Cultural Activities of the Gujarat government organized a month-long Surya Namaskar competition at the village, taluka, district, and municipal corporation level as part of the Surya Namaskar Abhiyan.
This collective Surya Namaskar will set a new course for the country and the world. More than 15 million citizens from across the entire state have actively participated in the Surya Namaskar Campaign. Sanghvi announced that a world record has been established at 52 different locations in the state on the first day of the year 2024.
This historic achievement of mass Surya Namaskar in Gujarat on the first day of 2024 is now acknowledged nationwide. The Minister emphasized that yoga embodies the essence of Indian culture, with Gujarat emerging as a role model in promoting this ancient practice.
4. India’s First All-Girls Sainik School Opens in Vrindavan
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the first all-girl Sainik School in Vrindavan, Madhra District, Uttar Pradesh. This groundbreaking event marks a significant advancement in women’s empowerment and educational reform in India. The Defence Minister said this initiative was a “Golden moment in the history of women empowerment”.
The Samvid Gurukulam Girls Sainik School, with a capacity of nearly 870 students, is part of a broader initiative to establish 100 new Sainik Schools across India in Partnership with NGOs, private entities, and state governments. The main objective of this initiative is to increase educational opportunities for girls aspiring to join the armed forces.
The school is affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSC), it will provide education and training under the guidance of ex-servicemen. The institution plans to offer 120 seats, emphasizing a curriculum that integrates the principles of the National Education Policy to offer comprehensive and quality education.
5. PM Modi Inaugurates Tiruchirapalli International Airport Terminal
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the newly-developed terminal building of Tiruchirapalli International Airport in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, on Jan,02,2024. It is the second busiest aerodrome in the state and was long awaiting a new, larger, and modern terminal building.
The new terminal building has been developed at a cost of more than Rs 1100 crore. The two-level new International terminal has the capacity to serve more than 44 lakh passengers annually and about 3,500 during peak hours. The new terminal hosts state-of-the-art amenities and features for passenger convenience. Tiruchirapalli International Airport is the Second largest airport in terms of International passenger traffic after Chennai in Tamil Nadu. The terminal contains 60 check-in counters, 5 baggage carousels, 60 arrival counters, and 44 departure emigration counters.
6. ISRO Successfully launched PSLV-C58/XPoSat mission
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched XPOSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite) on the first day of the new year to help the scientific community globally look at the fundamental phenomena associated with the galaxy and black holes.
India becomes the second country after the US to join Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer, with NASA launching one such satellite in December 2021. It was yet another textbook launch through ISRO’s workhouse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) DL (Dual Launch) on its 60th flight. This scientific mission will have an observation system to help astronomers and the scientific community look at fundamental phenomena associated with the galaxies and the black holes.
ISRO’s PSLV-C58 Mission was launched XPoSAT into an Eastward low inclination orbit. After injection of the satellite, the PS4 sage was re-started twice to reduce the orbit into a 350km circular orbit to maintain the 3-axis stabilized mode for Orbital Platform (OP) experiments were executed, meeting the objective of 10 identified payloads supplied by ISRO and IN-SPACE.
It carried two payloads- POLIX (Polari meter Instrument in X-rays) and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing). The mission aims to measure the polarization of X-rays in the energy band 8-30kev emanating from about 50 potential cosmic sources through Thomson Scattering by POLIX payload.
The Mission’s scientific goals were to study the distribution of magnetic fields, geometric anisotropies, alignment about the line of sight, and the nature of accelerators in galactic cosmic X-ray sources by measuring the degree of polarization and its angle. It will undertake a detailed understanding of galactic black hole binary sources and study and confirm whether the production of X-rays is either from the polar cap of a neutron star or the outer cap of the pulsar magnetosphere.
7. BRICS bloc expands to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE
The BRICS bloc, comprising major emerging economies like India, Russia, and China, has expanded to include five new full members. They are Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the presiding head of BRICS, confirmed the development.
Putin recognized the addition of new members as indicative of the growing influence and role of BRICS in international matters. He also noted the increasing number of supporters and countries sharing the bloc’s principles. These include sovereign equality, openness, consensus, and the aspiration for a multipolar international order and a fair global financial and trading system.
Putin stated that Russia’s 2024 chairmanship will focus on fostering positive and constructive cooperation with all relevant countries. He also mentioned the possibility of introducing a new category of BRICS partner countries and that Russia would continue to advance all aspects of the BRICS partnership in three key areas, politics and security, economy and finance, and cultural and humanitarian contacts.
8. Sudhansh Pant Appointed as the Chief Secretary of Rajasthan
Sudhansh Pant, an IAS officer of the 1991 batch, was appointed chief Secretary of Rajasthan. Meanwhile, Pant’s respiration and appointment have stumped many, considering he was seventh in the order of seniority among IAS officers of the Rajasthan cadre.
For Sudhansh Pant, it is the third successive appointment in a year. He was brought to the Centre in October 2022 as OSD in the shipping ministry and was later made secretary. Six months later he was shifted to the health ministry as secretary. His transfer to Rajasthan was anticipated after being relieved of his Delhi responsibilities by the central government. He will also assume an additional role as the chairman of Rajasthan Mines and Mineral Corporation Limited.
9. New Silverline wonder discovered at Meghamalai
A new species of silverline butterfly Cigaritis meghamalaiensis has been discovered at the Meghamalai hills in the Periyar landscape of Southern Western Ghats. The researchers from Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS) and Vanam Trust came across the distinct Cigaritis in the high elevations of Periyar.
It was for the first time in three decades that a new species has been discovered at the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot. Earlier two subspecies of butterflies- Ramaswamy’s Six Lineblue and Sahyadri Bromus Swift- had been described by the TNHS-led butterfly research group.
Meghamalai means ‘Cloud Mountain’, reflecting the montane habitat of this very local species, which is restricted to the sub-tropical evergreen ‘Sholas’ or cloud forests of the Periyar landscape, and justifies the common name ‘Cloud-forest Silverline’.
10. Joint Military Exercise ‘Desert Cyclone’ Commences in Rajasthan
The UAE Land Forces are contingent comprising 45 personnel who arrived in India to participate in the 1st edition of the India-UAE Joint Military Exercise ‘DESERT CYCLONE’. The Exercise is scheduled to be conducted in Mahajan, Rajasthan from 2nd to 15th January 2024. The UAE contingent is being represented by troops from the Zayed First Brigade. The Indian Army contingent of 45 personnel is being represented mainly by a Battalion from the Mechanised Infantry Regiment.
The aim of the Exercise is to enhance interoperability in Sub-conventional Operations including Fighting in Built-Up Area (FIBUA) in desert/Semi desert terrain under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter on Peace Keeping Operations. The Exercise will enhance cooperation and interoperability between both sides during Peace Keeping Operations.
Drills planned to be rehearsed during Exercise ‘DESERT CYCLONE’ include the Establishment of a Joint Surveillance Centre, Cordon and Search Operation, Domination of Built-Up Area, and Heliborne Operations. The Exercise aims to achieve shared security objectives and foster bilateral relations between two friendly nations.
11. SMART 2.0
The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) along with the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) has launched the SMART 2.0 program to mainstream research in the field of Ayurveda. SMART stands for Scope for Mainstreaming Ayurveda Research among Teaching Professionals.
The main aim of the program is to promote evidence-based clinical research on Ayurveda interventions. The Program will target Healthcare challenges through Ayurveda formulations. The Research targets Paediatrics, Malnutrition, Women’s health, and lifestyle diseases.
12. PM Modi inaugurated the KLI-SOFC Project
Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kochi-Lakshadweep islands submarine optical fiber connection (KLI-SOFC) project among various developmental projects worth more than Rs.1,150 crore covering a wide range of sectors including technology, energy, water resources, healthcare, and education.
The KLI-SOFC project will lead to an increase in internet speed unlocking new possibilities & opportunities. For the first time since independence, Lakshadweep will be connected through Submarine Optic Fibre Cable. The dedicated submarine OFC will ensure a paradigm shift in communication infrastructure in the Lakshadweep islands, enabling faster and more reliable internet services, telemedicine, e-governance, educational initiatives, digital banking, digital currency usage, and digital library.
The Project will play a significant role in achieving of ‘Digital India’ and ‘National Broadband Mission’ and in rolling out of various e-governance projects of the Government of India in Lakshadweep Islands. It will also help in further improvement in the standards of living of the people on the island and will accelerate overall social and economic development in these areas.
13. New Plant Specie Polygonum Chaturbhujanum Discovered
During a Floral survey at Pench Tiger Reserve in Maharastra, a new plant species named Polygonum Chaturbhujanum was discovered. A total of 863 plant Species from 554 genera and 117 families have been documented in the survey. The species has been discovered at Gol Pahadi Island of Pench Tiger Reserve.
The survey was carried out by the Forest Survey of India. Other than the newly discovered plant species, 6 other plant species endemic to India have been found in Pench. The Six endemic plant species are Aegineta Indica, Boerhvia Crispa, Habenaria Gibsonii, Iphigenia Pallida, and Pentalidium Barleria Gibsoni.
14. The Ministry Of Education Launched the PRERANA Program
Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India has launched ‘Prerana’. It is an Experimental Learning Program, aiming to offer a meaningful, unique, and inspiring experience to all participants, thereby empowering them with leadership qualities.
Prerana is driven by a strong commitment to integrating principles of the Indian Education System and the philosophy of value-based education which is a cornerstone of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Prerana is a week-long residential program for selected students of classes IX to XII. It is an experiential and inspirational learning program for students with the best-in-class technology where heritage meets innovation. A batch of 20 selected students will attend the program, every week from various parts of the country.
The day-wise program will feature yoga, mindfulness, and meditation sessions, followed by experiential learning, thematic sessions, and hands-on interesting learning activities. Evening activities will include visits to ancient and heritage sites, inspirational film screenings, mission life creative activities, talent shows, etc.
15. PRITHVI Scheme
The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the 4797 crore PRITHVI Scheme for 2021-26. The Scheme has been launched to boost Earth Science research and enhance research, modeling, and services in weather, climate, and oceans. The Scheme includes 5 sub-schemes namely ACROSS, O-SMART, PACER, SAGE, and REACH OUT.
The PRITHVI scheme aims to revolutionize our understanding and interaction with various Earth systems. Its objectives include Strengthening the continuous monitoring of the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, geosphere, cryosphere, and solid earth to track and record essential changes. Its other objective is to create advanced models for better forecasting of weather, oceanic, and climatic hazards, and deepening the understanding of climate change.