Current Affairs for BANK, IBPS Exams - 06 January 2022

::National::

PM inaugurates new Integrated Terminal Building at Maharaja BirBikram Airport in Agartala

Prime Minister NarendraModi inaugurated the integrated terminal at Maharaja BirBikram (MBB) Airport in Tripura's capital, Agartala, as he arrived in the city from Imphal, the capital of the neighbouring Manipur, where he inaugurated and laid foundation stone of a total of 22 developmental projects.
PM Modi also launched two key initiatives on the occasion: Mukhyamantri Tripura Gram SamriddhiYojana and Project 100 Mission of Vidyajyoti Schools.
Afterwards, addressing a gathering, the Prime Minister recalled his ‘Hira’ model of development for the northeastern state. “H for highway, I for internet way, R for railways and A for airways. With this new model, Tripura is today improving and increasing its connectivity,” he remarked.
PM Modi first pitched ‘Hira’ model for Tripura in February 2018, ahead of that year's assembly elections in the state. His BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP) won the subsequent polls to form its maiden government here, with Biplab Deb taking oath as chief minister.
Praising Deb and the BJP government, he credited the ‘double engine’ government, i.e. the same ruling party at the Centre and in state, with improving Tripura's connectivity with the rest of the country.
“There is no match for double government. Double engine government means proper use of resources, it means sensitivity, and it means boosting people's ability. Double engine government means people's service, it means fulfillment of resolutions, and it also means united effort for prosperity,” he explained.
Meanwhile, besides PM Modi and chief minister Deb, the inauguration ceremony was also attended by Union civil aviation minister JyotiradityaScindia, Tripura deputy CM Jishnu Deb Barman, among others.

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::International::

Kazakhstan declares state of emergency nationwide

Kazakhstan on declared a nationwide state of emergency after protests over a fuel price hike erupted into clashes and saw demonstrator’s storm government buildings.
Russian news agencies Interfax, TASS and RIA Novosti reported the state of emergency, quoting a statement shown on Kazakh state television. States of emergency had earlier been imposed in the epicentres of the rallies - financial capital Almaty, the Mangystau province, and capital Nur-Sultan.
Earlier in the day, Kazakh President Kassym-JomartTokayev vowed to take tough action to quell deadly protests that posed into the biggest challenge to the country’s leadership in decades. The demonstrations started over the weekend in western Kazakhstan over a jump in fuel prices but quickly spilled into broader discontent drawing thousands to the streets across the country.
In the former capital, Almaty, both city hall and the president’s residence were ablaze after protesters stormed the buildings on Wednesday, Interfax reported.
“I intend to act as harshly as possible,” Tokayev said in a national address, law-enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty, he said, blaming the protests on “financially motivated conspirators”.
Some of the protesters called for the country’s first president, NursultanNazarbayev, who for over three decades has been the major political force in the country, to let go of the reins of power and chose Tokayev as successor in 2019. Tokayev, whose primary residence is in the capital Nur-Sultan, initially sought to appease protesters by imposing price caps on motor fuels for the next six months and accepting his government’s resignation. He also declared a state of emergency in and around Almaty, Nur-Sultan and the oil-rich Mangystau region, but the measures failed to ease the tensions.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said that Kazakhstan could solve its own problems and it was important that no one interfered from the outside.

::Economy::

Food processing minister launches 6 brands under One District-One Product

Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Pashupati Kumar Paras on Wednesday launched six brands, including Kashmiri chilli, developed as part of the 'One District-One Product' (ODOP) approach under a central scheme PMFMES.
These six brands are out of 10 that the ministry has signed up with cooperative NAFED for branding and marketing of ODOPs under the PradhanMantri Formalization of Micro food processing Enterprises Scheme (PMFMES).
The central scheme PMFMES aims to provide financial, technical and business support for upgradation/ setting up of two lakh micro food processing units based on the ODOP approach in a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25 with an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore.
Minister of the State for Food Processing Industries Prahlad Singh Patel was also present at the launch.
In a statement, the six brands have been launched under selected districts in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Jammu and Kashmir.
The six brands launched are AmritPhal, Cori Gold, Kashmiri Mantra, Madhu Mantra, Somdana, and Whole Wheat Cookies of Dilli Bakes.
Cori Gold brand has been developed for coriander powder which is the identified ODOP for Kota, Rajasthan. The product has a distinct flavour and brings forth a regional speciality. The 100-gram pack is competitively priced at Rs 34.
Brand Kashmiri Mantra brings out the essence of spices from Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The Kashmiri LalMirch product has been developed under the ODOP component for spices for Jammu and Kashmir. The product has a distinct flavour and the 100 g pack is priced at Rs 75.
Brand Madhu Mantra has been developed under the ODOP concept for honey from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The multiflora honey has been collected by free-range bees and the 500-gram glass bottle is competitively priced at Rs 185.
Whole wheat cookies is the second product developed under the brand Dilli Bakes. The brand and the product have been developed under the bakery ODOP concept for Delhi.

State Bank of India increases limit on IMPS transactions to Rs 5 lakh

The State Bank of India has increased the limit on IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) transactions from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.
IMPS, offered by National Payments Corporation of India, empowers customers to transfer money instantly through banks and RBI authorised Prepaid Payment Instrument Issuers (PPI) across India.
The motive behind the move was to encourage customers towards digital banking.For transactions below Rs 2 lakh at the banks, transaction charges are nil, while for between Rs 2-5 lakh, it is kept at Rs 20 plus the Goods and Service Taxes applicable.
However, charges are nil for transactions done through net banking or SBI's application 'YONO'.
"In case of Branch Channels, there has been no change in the service charges for IMPS done through the Branch Channel in the existing slabs. However, a new slab for Rs 2,00,000 to Rs 5,00,000 has been added and the proposed service charges for this slab is Rs 20 + GST w.e.f 01.02.2022," the bank said in a statement.

::Science and tech::

Russia tests new hypersonic Tsirkon missiles

Russia test-fired around 10 new Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, Interfax news agency said on Friday citing northern fleet.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivalled arms systems.
Putin has called a missile test, conducted last week, "a big event in the country's life", adding that this was "a substantial step" in increasing Russia's defence capabilities.
Some Western experts have questioned how advanced Russia's new generation of weapons is, while recognising that the combination of speed, manoeuvrability and altitude of hypersonic missiles makes them difficult to track and intercept.
Putin announced an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018 in one of his most bellicose speeches in years, saying they could hit almost any point in the world and evade a U.S.-built missile shield.

::Sport::

Liverpool-Arsenal League Cup semi-final postponed due to Covid-19

A coronavirus outbreak among Liverpool's players and staff led to the team's match against Arsenal in the English League Cup semifinals being postponed , adding to the backlog in English soccer caused by the fast-spreading omicron variant.
The English Football League, which runs the cup competition, approved a request from Liverpool for the game to be called off because of a slew of positive tests at the club that has led to the closure of its training ground.
Player availability had already been impacted because of injuries and absences for the African Cup of Nations, which is depriving Liverpool of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita.
The first leg that was scheduled to take place at Arsenal will now be staged at Anfield on Jan. 13. The second leg will take place at Emirates Stadium on Jan. 20.