2024

CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY

January, 2024
Editorial Office :
Sam-Samayik Ghatna Chakra
M.R.P.: 170/-
Index
q Points To Remember (PTR) 3-18
188A/128 Allenganj, Churchlane,
Prayagraj (Allahabad) - 211002 q National Affairs 19-48
A. Political / National Affairs : l Assembly Elections in Five States, 2023 l Article 370 l
Ph.: 0532-2465524, 9335140296 Uttarakhand’s Silkyara Tunnel Collapse l Ladakh secures 4th GI Tag for ‘Sea-buckthorn’ l
e-mail : ssgcald@yahoo.co.in Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 l New Bills to overhaul criminal laws l Violence in
Website : ssgcp.com Manipur l Government of NCT of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023 l AAP Gets ‘National
Party’ Status l Assembly Elections, 2023 l 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas B. National
e-shop : ssgcp.com Schemes & Initiatives : l Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM
Contact Timing : 12:00 Noon to 8 p.m. JANMAN) l Haryana’s Private Sector Quota Law l Jan Jatiya Gaurav Divas l ‘World
(Monday to Friday) Food India 2023’ l 6th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2023 l PM–YASASVI Scheme l UDAN
5.2 l Meri Maati Mera Desh Campaign l 4th National Water Awards, 2022 l Hallmark
Editor : Santosh Kumar Chaudhary Unique Identification Number (HUID) l NIMHANS-AHT Comprehensive Mental-
Sub Editor : Rishabh Srivastava Health Action Program l National Green Hydrogen Mission l Vibrant Village
Programme C. National Events & Programmes : l G-20 Summit 2023 l Chandrayaan-3
Writers : Yogesh Pratap Singh, l Central Tribal University in Telangana lGarba Dance recognized as Intangible Cultural
Kameshwar Shukla, Upendra Pratap Heritage l India Mobile Congress (IMC) l India’s First Regional Rapid Transit System
Singh, Anubhav Upadhyay, (RRTS) l ‘Travel for LiFE’ & Best Tourism Village Award, 2023 l Swachh Vayu
Amit Yadav & Ashok Tiwari Sarvekshan Awards, 2023 l Hoysala Temples now India’s 42nd UNESCO’s World Heritage
site l Bharat Mandapam D. Reports / Indices : l NCRB 2022 Report on Crime in India
Editorial Co-Ordinator : l Food Security and Nutrition in India 2023 l World Malaria Report, 2023 lAnnual
Digvijay Pandey Report on ‘Road Accidents in India-2022’ l India Ageing Report, 2023
th
Computer Assistance : l 6 Census Report On Minor Irrigation (MI) Schemes l NIRF-India Rankings, 2023
th
l 5 State Food Safety Index l India Justice Report, 2022 l All India Survey on Higher
Asif Iqbal, Md. Amaan Aslam Education (AISHE) 2020-2021 l India State of Forest Report (ISFR), 2021
Account Manager : R.P. Bhatt E. Miscellaneous : l Coal Report 2023 by International Energy Agency (IEA)
rd
Advertisement Manager : l3 Global Maritime India Summit 2023 l Statue of Oneness lBharat Gaurav Tourist
train tour on Ambedkar Circuit l United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation
Jitendra Dwivedi Framework 2023-2027 l Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 l News in Short
Managing Editor : Mamta Chaudhary q International Affairs 49-76
Printed at : Shriji Printing Press A. International Relations : l India-Oman Bilateral Meet l India-Russia Bilateral Meet
Copyright 2024, by Sam-Samayik Ghatna Chakra. l Indian Navy Helps Hijacked Ship in Arabian Sea l Migration and Mobility Agreement

1
between India and Italy l India, Bhutan to Discuss Newroutes of l PM SVANindhi SCHEME l “Credit Guarantee Scheme” for
Regional Connectivity l India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue l Goa Livestock Sector l Mahila Samman Savings Certificate (MSSC), 2023
M a r i t i m e C o n c l a v e 2 0 2 3 l I n d i a - Ta n z a n i a R e l a t i o n s l Three Centers of Excellence for Horticultural crops approved under
l Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) l India –Canada Relationship MIDH l SWAYATT Initiative l PM MITRA Parks D. Miscellaneous:
l India-Middle East-EU corridor l State Visit of Saudi Crown Prince to l Cabinet approves Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for Kharif Crops
India l Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Greece l 5th India-Bangladesh for Marketing Season 2023-24 l National Manufacturing Innovation
Annual Defence Dialogue l Kampala Declaration l India-Indonesia Survey (NMIS) 2021-22 l Indian States’ Electricity Transition
Economic and Financial Dialogue l India-US Strategic Clean Energy l QS World University Rankings 2023 by Subject l News in Shorts
Partnership l Prime Minister Visit to France l PM Narendra Modi Visit l Economic Survey 2022 -23 l UNION BUDGET 2023-24
to UAE l Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Visit to the United
States l MoU between India & Suriname l Visit of Prime Minister of q Science & Technology Affairs 107-123
Nepal to India l India-Egypt Strategic Partnership l International l SpaceX to Launch GSAT-20 l Study of ‘God of Chaos’ Asteroid
Museum Expo 2023l India-UK ‘Net Zero Innovation virtual centre l Omicron Subvariant JN.1 l International Mega Science Project
l The Language Friendship Bridge l India and Malaysia to settle trade SKA l WHO prequalifies a second malaria vaccine l NOMA as a
in INR l Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and PayNow l SAARC neglected tropical disease l New marine amphipod species found in
Currency Swap Framework lOperation Kaveri and Sudan Crisis Chillika Lake l Google Unveils Project Gemini l India’s first Pompe
B. Summits/Conferences and Organisations : lArtificial Intelligence disease patient passes away l Aditya-L1: India’s first solar mission
Safety Summit, 2023 l India-Ethiopia Joint Trade Committee l 20th l Nex CAR 19 Gets Marketing Authorization Approval from DCGI
ASEAN-India Summit and the 18th East Asia Summit l Asia Pacific l “First Light” with Record-Breaking Data Transmission l Nobel
Forum on Human Rights l 20th ASEAN-India Economic Ministers’ Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2023 l Nobel Prize 2023 in Physics
Meeting l 15th BRICS Summit l 13th East Asia Summit l 23rd SCO l Nobel Prize 2023 in Chemistry l China Sends Its Youngest-Ever
Summit, 2023 l BIMSTEC l The Global DPI Summit l 6th Indian Crew to Space l Gaganyaan TV-D1 Mission112 l Vikram-1 Rocket
Ocean Conference l SCO Young Authors’ Conference l Energy l Grene Robotics unveils autonomous anti-drone system l NavIC
Minister’s Session of the Voice of Global South Summit C. Reports & Integration in Smartphones l Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize
Indices : l Global Hunger Index 2023 l Export Preparedness Index l “Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar” l Agnibaan Rocket l 75 Endemic
(EPI) 2022 l World Investment Report, 2023 l Gender Social Norms Birds of India l NASA’s STEREO-A Earth Flyby l PM-eBus Sewa
Index, 2023 l World Press Freedom Index, 2023 l National l National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission 2047 (NSCAEM)
Manufacturing Innovation Survey (NMIS) 2021-22 l Women and Men lISRO’s PSLV-C56 puts 7 satellites in orbit l SpaceX: World’s largest
in India Report-2022 l World Happiness Report -2023 l Corruption Private Communications Satellite l Iran Unveils ‘First Hypersonic
Perceptions Index (CPI), 2022 l Global Terrorism Index, 2023 Missile’ l Unnat Takniki Pradarshan Kendra (UTPRERAK) l TAPAS
l Safety Perceptions Index (SPI), 2023 l SIPRI : Trends in 201 UAV Ready For User Trials l ‘UNODC World Drug Report 2023’
International Arms Transfers 2022, Report l International Intellectual l Arexvy l China’s Shenzhou-16 Mission l ‘AIRAWAT’ ranked 75th
Property (IP) Index, 2023 l 17th Global Peace Index, 2023 l The Asia in Global Supercomputing list l Indian Astronomical Observatory to
University Rankings, 2023 D. International Events : l Italy’s Exit Observes BL Lacertae l Penumbral Lunar Eclipse l Sara: World’s First
from China’s Belt and Road Initiative l NATO officially Suspends CFE Robotic Check-in Assistant l Three Parents Baby: Mitochondrial
Treaty Amid Russian Withdrawal l WHO Unveils Gujarat Declaration Donation Treatment l Axiom Space Station l Jupiter Icy Moons
Explorer (Juice) Mission l NASA’s TEMPO Mission l The Taifa 1
l Finland Joins NATO l 8th India-Australia Defence Policy Talks
Mission l Indian Space Policy, 2023 l 3D-Printed Dhawan II Engine
l The Atlantic Declaration l U.K. Signed CPTPP l Ghana becomes
l Reusable Launch Vehicle Mission l ISRO launches SSLV D2
first country to approve Oxford malaria vaccine for children
l News in Short
l News in Shorts l Rankings/Indices/Reports (International)
q Economic Affairs 77-106 q Environmental Affairs 124-139
l Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary included Swadesh Darshan 2.0
A. Fiscal & Monetary Affairs : l First Advance Estimates of National
Income, 2023-24 l 16th Finance Commission l PLFS Annual Report l 28th Conference of Parties To the UNFCCC l Cyclone ‘Michaung’
2022-2023 l Nobel Prize 2023 l India’s first UPI-ATM l India’s l The Global Climate 2011-2020 l IMO Green Voyage 2050 Project
External Debt as at the end of March 2023 l First Loss Default l AMRIT Technology l IUCN Red List Update 2023 l Climate
Guarantee (FLDG) l The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) gold reserves Change Performance Index, 2024 l Global Drought Snapshot 2023
l Foreign Trade Policy 2023 l RBI MPC Meeting, 2023 B. Reports & l 59th International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC) l14th Emissions
Indices : l 1st Delta Ranking of ABP l LEADS - 2023 l Migration and Gap Report, 2023 lAdaptation Gap Report-2023 l Minamata
Development Brief 39 l Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Convention on Mercury (COP-5) l Ecological Threat Report (ETR)
Prosperity (IPEF) l India-Australia RISE Accelerator l Investment 2023 l Amphibians Threatened by Climate Change-IUCN l Global
needed in to accelerate decarbonization l Bharat Bill Payment System Survey Report On Person With Disabilities and Disaster l Climate
(BBPS) l Global Innovation Index 2023 l MoU between GSV and for Ambition Summit 2023 l 5th World Coffee Conference 2023
Aerospace Teaching and Research l Fortune Global 500 l Breakthrough Agenda Report, 2023 l Vanadium Discovered In
l America’s Richest Self-Made Women l NITI AAYOG : National Gujarat l State of the Rhino, 2023 Report l “Smart Cities Mission,
Multi-dimensional Poverty Index 2023 l UNDP: Global Multi- India: Localising Sustainable Development Goals” Report l Unctad
dimensional Poverty Index 2023 l India, UAE Sign Agreements to Report, 2023 l State of India’s Birds, 2023 l Urban River Management
Settle Trade in Rupees l Global Gender Gap Report, 2023 l Logistics Plans l Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve l All India Tiger Estimation-
Performance Index, 2023 l Index of Economic Freedom, 2023 2022 l 14th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM14) and 8th Mission
l Global Unicorn Index 2023 l State of World Population Report, 2023 Innovation (MI-8) Meeting l International Conference on Green
l World Economic Outlook Update, 2023 l NFHS-5 National Report Hydrogen (ICGH-2023) l Cyclone Biparjoy l Energy Transition
2019-2021 C. Economic Initiatives, Schemes & Projects : l Prime Index-2023 l India to Join International Climate Action in Civil
Minister Visit to Ayodhya l Bharatmala Phase 1 deadline extended Aviation l Petersberg Climate Dialogue l River-Cities Alliance Global
l Project PRAYAS l National Programme on Anganwadi-cum- Seminar l Tiger Census, 2022 l India’s First Water Bodies Census
Crèche (Palna) l MSME launches three sub-schemes under the RAMP l International Year of Camelids, 2024 l COP-15 l 5th World Air
program l ‘Bharat’ Atta l Drones to the Women Self Help Groups
Quality Report 2022 l News in Short
l 11th Edition of International Tourism Mart l RoDTEP Scheme
l National Turmeric Board l Renewable Energy Project in Ladakh q UP Current Affairs 140-158
l India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) l Cabinet
q Short News 159-197
approves expansion of Ujjwala Yojana l Divya Kala Mela
l Yashobhoomi l PM Vishwakarma Scheme l Vivad se Vishwas – II q Sports News 198-216
2
 On January 10, 2024 10th edition of Vibrant
‰‰ Golden Globes Awards, 2024
Gujarat Global Summit 2024 at Mahatma Mandir, The 81st Annual Golden Globe awards were held
Gandhinagar was inaugurated by (January 7, 2024) at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
- Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi Stand-up comedian and actor Jo Koy hosted the show
Ü The theme of this year’s summit is for the first time. Here are the list—
- ‘Gateway to the Future’  Best Supporting Female Actor – Motion
 The Department for Promotion of Industry and Picture: Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers)
Internal Trade (DPIIT), is organising the Startup  Best Supporting Male Actor – Motion
India Innovation Week 2024 from Picture: Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer)
- 10th January to 18th January, 2024  Best Screenplay – Motion Picture: Justine Triet
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the and Arthur Harari (Anatomy of a Fall)
27th National Youth Festival on 12th January in  Best Picture – Non-English Language: Anatomy
- Nashik, Maharashtra of a Fall
 Where is Aatmnirbhar Bharat Utsav 2024 being  Best Picture – Animated: The Boy and the
organized – Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi Heron
 Who has been appointed as the Vice Chief of the  Best Director – Motion Picture: Christopher
Indian Naval Staff Nolan (Oppenheimer)
– Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi  Best Female Actor – Motion Picture – Musical/
 In which city, th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Comedy: Emma Stone (Poor Things)
inaugurated the five-day winter carnival  Best Male Actor – Motion Picture – Drama: Cillian
– Manali Murphy (Oppenheimer)
 Which wildlife sanctuary was recently included in  Best Score – Motion Picture: Ludwig
the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme Göransson (Oppenheimer)
– Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary  Best Song – Motion Picture: “What Was I Made
 In which state ‘Rahat Vani Kendra’ was inaugurated For?” by Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas
for early disaster warning – Uttar Pradesh O’Connell (Barbie)
 Which is the first company to achieve ISCC-Plus  Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: Barbie
certification – Reliance Industries  Best Musical/Comedy Series: The Bear
 Who has recently been appointed as Chairman of  Best Drama Series: Succession
the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee  Best Male Actor – Motion Picture – Musical/
– Justice BR Gavai Comedy: Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers)
 Who inaugurated the ‘NCC Republic Day Camp’  Best Picture – Musical/Comedy: Poor Things
2024 – Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar  Best Female Actor – Motion Picture – Drama: Lily
 How many crores of rupees has the Central Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon)
Government allocated for the ‘Prithvi Vigyan  Best Picture – Drama: Oppenheimer
scheme' – 4,797 crores  Where did Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur
 The Ministry of Textiles under National Technical inaugurate the ‘Beach Games’ – Ghoghla Beach
Textiles Mission (NTTM) is organizing a hackathon  ‘Kadiyal Sarees’ belongs to which state which
on (scheduled between 26-29 Feb, 2024) titled as recently got GI tag – West Bengal
- “Fostering Innovations in Technical Textiles –  Who has been appointed as the Managing Director
Hackathon for unleashing creativity in technical of ‘National Asset Reconstruction Company’
textiles” under “BHARAT TEX 2024” – P. Santosh

2023 (3)
CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY
 Who will be awarded ‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan  Who recently took command of ‘Chetak Corps’ as
Puruskar’ 2023 for Corporate Social Responsibility General Officer Commanding
– Odisha Mining Corporate Limited – Lieutenant General Nagendra Singh
 The Board of Control for Cricket in India has  Who recently got M.S. Swaminathan Award awarded
banned which Odisha cricketer for two years to – B.R. Kamboj
– Sumit Sharma  Which player won the title of Scottish Junior Open
 Which product from Arunachal Pradesh has received Squash Under-19 – Anahat Singh
the Geographical Indication (GI) tag?  India’s first submarine tourism will be started in
– Wancho Wooden Craft which state – Gujarat
 Similipal Kai Chutney, which in January 2024  Who has been appointed as its new Managing
obtained the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, is Director by skincare brand ‘Nivea India’
associated with which Indian state? – Odisha
– Geetika Mehta
 Which city emerged as the best city for women in
 Who has recently assumed the charge of ‘Chief of
India in 2023, according to Avtar Group’s Top Cities
Material’ in the Navy – Kiran Deshmukh
for Women in India (TCWI) 2023 study? – Chennai
 In which city of UP did Defense Minister Rajnath
 What is the main reason cited by the government for
ending the Free Movement Regime (FMR) along the Singh inaugurate the first Sainik School for girls
India-Myanmar border and implementing a smart – Mathura
fencing system? – To curb the misuse of  Who has been made the special envoy for peace in
FMR by insurgent groups and address security Afghanistan by the United Nations Security Council
concerns – Hamid Karzai
 What is the investment amount committed  Who has been appointed as the Director General of
by NHPC Limited for the Kuppa Pumped Hydro Fire Services, Civil Defense and Home Guards
Storage Project in Gujarat, as per the MoU signed – Vivek Srivastava
with Gujarat Power Corporation Limited (GPCL)?  Who has recently taken charge as the Controller of
– Rs 4,000 crores Warship Production and Procurement in the Navy
 What was the category with the highest number of – Admiral B Shivakumar
complaints against women in 2023, according to the  Where was ‘Jal Itihas Utsav’ organized under the
National Commission for Women (NCW) data? aegis of Ministry of JAL Shakti? (1 December,
– Right to dignity (harassment other than 2023) - Shamsi Talab, Jahaz Mahal, Delhi
domestic violence)  Where was the 1st Indian Art Architecture and
 Which state has recently become the first state to Design Biennale (IAADB) 2023 held?
map all accident black spots on the Mappls App (9-15 December, 2023) - New Delhi
– Punjab  Which MP has been disqualified from Lok Sabha in
 Shirshendhu Mukyopadhyaya, who recently won the cash-for-queries case? (8 December, 2023)
the 2023 Kuvempu Rashtriya Puraskar is a prolific - Mahua Moitra
writer of which language? – Bengali
 Which institute released ‘first delta ranking’ for the
 Who has been appointed by the Central Government
Aspirational Block Program?(7 December, 2023)
as the Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission
- NITI Aayog
– Arvind Panagariya
Ü Top 2 Blocks: 1. Tiryani, Telangana
 Who inaugurated the Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands
Submarine Optical Fiber Connection 2. Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh
– PM Narendra Modi  Where Infinity Forum 2.0 was organized (virtually)?
 Joint military exercise ‘Desert Cyclone’ is conducted (9 December, 2023)
between India and which country - GIFT City, Gandhinagar Gujarat
– United Arab Emirates  The first woman medical officer to be deployed at
 For how many years has India started its tenure Siachen, the world's highest battlefield? (5 December,
as a member of the United Nations Statistical 2023) - Captain Geetika Kaul
Commission – 4 years  Which Indian institute was awarded the Green
 Who has recently been appointed as the new Chief University Award in COP- 28?(December, 2023)
Secretary of Rajasthan – Sudhansh Pant - IIT Mandi
 Who has been appointed as the new Chairman and  Which state was awarded the Sanctuary Asia Award
Managing Director of Power Grid Corporation for “Best Sustainable Wildlife Tourism State”? (5
– Ravindra Kumar Tyagi December, 2023) - Madhya Pradesh

CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY (4) 2023

 A. Political / National Affairs
ˆˆ Rajasthan Assembly Elections
Assembly Elections in Five  The tenure of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly is
States, 2023 scheduled to end on 14 January 2024.
 Legislative Assembly elections were held in
 On October 09, 2023 the Election Commission Rajasthan on 25 November 2023 to elect 199 of the
announced the Assembly elections which took place 200 members of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.
in the states - Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh,  Of these, 34 seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes
Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram; on different and 25 seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes.
days from November 7-30, 2023 and votes were  A total of 74.62 percent voting was recorded.
counted for the five states on December 3, 2023.  Bharatiya Janata Party was successful in winning 115
 The results of four states – Rajasthan, Madhya seats (41.69%) out of 199 seats in the state.
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana, poll were  A total of 20 women were declared elected.
announced on December 3, 2023. Party Wise Results
ˆˆ Madhya Pradesh Assembly Election Party Lead/Won
 Voting for the 230 Assembly constituencies of Bhartiya Janta Party - BJP 115
Madhya Pradesh took place on November 17, 2023. Indian National Congress - INC 69
 The tenure of the 15th Assembly of Madhya Pradesh
IND 8
was about to end on January 6, 2024.
BHRTADVSIP 3
  Of these, 35 seats are reserved for Scheduled
BSP 2
Castes and 47 seats are reserved for Scheduled
Tribes.
ˆˆ Bhajan Lal Sharma
 A total of 77.15 percent voting was recorded.  Bhajan Lal Sharma took oath as the new chief
 The Bharatiya Janata Party recorded victory in the minister of Rajasthan (First time MLA from
Madhya Pradesh elections, bagging 163 seats in the Sanganer) on, December 15, 2023. Diya Kumari
230-seater Assembly. and Prem Chand Bairwa were sworn in as
 Meanwhile, Congress won 66 seats and the Bharat deputy chief ministers.
Adivasi Party tasted its maiden win.
 27 women MLAs were declared elected in the state ˆˆ Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections
 The date of expiry of the tenure of the 5th Assembly
in the elections of 2023.
of Chhattisgarh was scheduled on January 3, 2024.
 Mohan Yadav, a minister in the previous Shivraj
 Assembly elections were held in Chhattisgarh in two
Singh Chouhan government, took charge as the phases on 7th November and 17th November 2023
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister (on December 13, to elect all 90 members of Chhattisgarh Legislative
2023 in Bhopal) in a grand event that was attended Assembly.
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and  Of these, 10 seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes
others. (SCs) and 29 seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes
 Jagdish Deora and Rajendra Shukla are Deputy (STS).
Chief Ministers. Narendra Singh Tomar has been  The mascot for Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections
appointed Speaker of the Assembly. 2023 was ‘Chunai Chirai’.

2024 (19) CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY

 A total of 76.31 percent voting was recorded. Of these, 19 seats are reserved for Scheduled
 
 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the majority in the Castes and 12 seats are reserved for Scheduled
state, defeating the ruling Indian National Congress Tribes.
(INC).  Total 71.34 percent voting was recorded.
 A total of 19 women were declared elected.  The Indian National Congress (INC) with its
ally Communist Party of India (CPI) won a clear
Seats
Party Vote % majority with 65 seats against the incumbent Bharat
Contested Won
Rashtra Samithi (BRS)’s 39 seats.
Bharatiya Janta Party  Anumula Revanth Reddy was sworn in as the
90 54 46.27%
- BJP Chief Minister of Telangana, at the Lal Bahadur
Indian National Stadium in Hyderabad on December 7, 2023.
90 35 42.23%
Congress - INC   Bhatti Vikramarka took oath as the Deputy
Gondwana Chief Minister.
32 1
Ganatantra Party
Party Wise Results
 ‘Vishnudev Sai took oath as the new Chief Minister
Party Lead/Won
of Chhattisgarh in a ceremony organized in Raipur
Indian National Congress - INC 64
on December 13, 2023. He is the fourth Chief
Minister of Chhattisgarh as an individual. BHRS 39
 Vishnudev Sai is the first tribal Chief Minister Bhartiya Janta Party - BJP 8
of Chhattisgarh. Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma
appointed as Deputy Chief Ministers Article 370
 Former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Raman
Singh has been appointed Speaker of the Assembly. A Constitution Bench (Five Judges) of the Supreme
Court on December 11, 2023 unanimously upheld the
ˆˆ Mizoram Assembly Elections power of the President to abrogate Article 370 in August
 The date of expiry of the tenure of 8th Assembly of
2019, leading to the re-organisation of the full-fledged
Mizoram was scheduled on December 17, 2023.
State of Jammu and Kashmir to two Union Territories
 Legislative Assembly elections were held in Mizoram
and denuding it of its special privileges.
on 7 November 2023 to elect all 40 members of
Mizoram Legislative Assembly. ˆˆ Key Highlights and Court’s Verdict
  There are a total of 40 seats in the Mizoram  The Court noted that J&K was listed as a Part III
Assembly. Of these, 39 seats are reserved for state in the Indian Constitution and Section 3 of
Scheduled Tribes. J&K’s Constitution declared it an integral part of
 The state election saw 80.66% voter turnout. India.
 The votes were counted on 4 December 2023 which  The Court ruled Article 370 as a temporary,
showed the Zoram People’s Movement’s (ZPM) transitional provision based on historical context
victory winning 27 seats out of 40. and its placement in Part XXI of the Constitution.
 ZPM leader Lalduhoma was sworn in as the Chief  S.R. Bommai Case (1994) laid down the power of
Minister of Mizoram on December 8, 2023. the President to dissolve a state under Article 356.
Seats   The court held that the President’s action could
Party Votes %
Won be deemed lawful if it is not a malafide or an
Zoram People's Movement 27 37.86 irrational act.
Mizo National Front 10 35.10  On August 5, 2019, President Ram Nath Kovind
issued CO 272, amending Article 367 and redefining
Bharatiya Janata Party 2 5.06
“Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir” as
Indian National Congress 1 20.82
the “Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir.”
ˆˆ Telanagana Assembly Elections   The Court upheld this process, with stating
 The date of expiry of the term of the second that post-dissolution of J&K’s Constituent
Assembly of Telangana is scheduled for January 16, Assembly, the President could have unilaterally
2024. abrogated Article 370.
 Legislative assembly elections were held in Telangana  The interpretation of the court’s verdict suggests
on November 30, 2023 to elect all 119 members of that Parliament can change a state’s status under the
Telangana Legislative Assembly for its third term. President’s rule.

CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY (20)2024

 A. International Relations
India-Oman Bilateral Meet India-Russia Bilateral Meet
On December 16, 2023, Sultan of Oman His Majesty During 25-29 December 2023, the External Affairs
Sultan Haitham bin Tarik visited India on an official minister of India visited Russia for a Bilateral Meeting
state visit. It was first such visit of Sovereign of Sultan where both the countries signed agreements on Nuclear
in India in last 25 years. Power and in areas of medicines, pharmaceutical
ˆˆJoint Vision Partnership substances and medical devices.
 India and Oman have adopted the India Oman Joint ˆˆKey Highlights of India-Russia Bilateral
Vision Partnership For the Future, setting the stage Meeting:
for bilateral cooperation and charting pathways for  Economic Collaboration: Emphasis on strategic
future collaboration between the two countries. collaboration in defense, space exploration, nuclear
 This Vision Document focuses on building energy, and technology sharing.
partnerships in broadly 8 to 10 areas. These include  Agreement to expand exports of Russian
maritime cooperation and connectivity, energy hydrocarbons to the Indian market.
security, space, digital payments, health, tourism,  Finalized cooperation program in the Far East, with
hospitality, agriculture and food security. plans for an early EAEU-India FTA negotiations
ˆˆBilateral Meet Highlights: meeting.
 Bilateral Agreements: Agreements signed on IT  Nuclear Power Plants Agreement: Signed
cooperation, combating financial crimes, culture, agreements for future units of the Kudankulam
and establishing an ICCR Hindi chair in Oman. nuclear power project in Tamil Nadu.
 Comprehensive Economic Partnership  India operates two Russian-built nuclear plants, with
Agreement (CEPA):Ongoing discussions with four more under construction.
substantial progress for a CEPA to enhance  Kudankulam, India’s largest nuclear power plant,
economic ties. began construction in March 2002, with the first
 Oman-India Investment Fund: Announcement unit operating at full capacity since February 2016.
of the third tranche of the USD 300 million Oman- Full operational capacity is expected by 2027.
India investment fund for key sectors in the Indian  Diplomatic Initiatives: Discussions on collaborative
economy. efforts and shared interests in multilateral forums
 Digital Payments and Trade: Exploring like BRICS, SCO, and UN affairs.
collaboration between India’s UPI and an Omani
platform for digital payments. Indian Navy Helps Hijacked Ship
 Considering the possibility of conducting trade in in Arabian Sea
Rupees.
 Regional and International Issues: Leaders  In a recent incident in the Arabian Sea, the Malta-
discussed global matters, including the Hamas-Israel flagged vessel MV Ruen was hijacked by pirates. The
conflict. Indian Navy swiftly intervened from its strategic
 Advocated for a two-state solution to address the Gulf of Aden location, intercepting the vessel en
Palestine issue. route to the Somali coast.

2024 (49) CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY

 The European Union Naval Force  The overarching goal is to encourage exchange and
(EUNAVFOR) Operation Atalanta joined efforts collaboration, promoting a more robust relationship
in the anti-piracy operation. between the two nations.
ˆˆMaritime Piracy Overview: ˆˆKey Provisions
 Defined by Article 101 of UNCLOS, piracy involves  Temporary Residence for Indian Students:
acts of violence, detention, or depredation for  Allows graduates temporary residency in Italy
personal gain on the high seas or outside any state’s (up to 12 months) for professional exposure
jurisdiction. post-academic or vocational training.
 Considered a serious maritime crime, piracy is
 Reserved Quotas for Workers:
subject to international laws.
  Sets quotas for non-seasonal and seasonal
 Noteworthy pirate activity zones include Northwest
Indian workers, with a specified range for
Africa, Gulf of Guinea, Red Sea, Somalia, Horn
of Africa, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean, Indian 2023-2025 under the Flows Decree.
subcontinent, and Southeast Asia.  Implementation:
  Agreement spans 5 years, automatically
ˆˆGlobal Initiatives Against Maritime Piracy
 United Nations Convention on the Law of the
renewable.
Sea (UNCLOS): Establishes a legal framework   Joint Working Group (JWG) oversees
for combating piracy, emphasizing international implementation, meeting periodically to assess
cooperation in addressing maritime threats. progress and propose effective measures.
 Operation Prosperity Guardian: Initiated by the
United States, it’s a multinational security initiative
India, Bhutan to discuss new
ensuring Red Sea security. routes of Regional Connectivity
 Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful
Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
(1988): A multilateral treaty adopted in 1988 at the visited during India November 3-10, 2023.
SUA Convention in Rome. ˆˆKey Highlights
 Aims to take appropriate action against those 1. Regional Connectivity: India and Bhutan to
committing unlawful acts against ships. explore a 58 km cross-border rail link between
 Combined Maritime Forces (CMF):A Gelephu (Bhutan) and Kokrajhar (Assam) and
multinational naval partnership focusing on an 18 km rail link between Samtse (Bhutan) and
defeating terrorism, preventing piracy, fostering Banarhat (West Bengal).
regional cooperation, and promoting a secure 2. Trade and Connectivity: Agreement to extend
maritime environment. Bhutanese trade routes from Haldibari (West
 Includes 39 member nations, among them India. Bengal) to Chilahati (Bangladesh) to boost trade
opportunities.
Migration and Mobility Agreement
3. Immigration Check Post: Designation of
between India and Italy Darranga-Samdrup Jongkhar as an immigration
On 27 December 2023 Union Cabinet chaired by the check post to facilitate the entry and exit of nationals,
Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi gave its ex-post facto including third-country nationals, promoting
approval to the proposal of Ministry of External Affairs tourism.
to sign and ratify the Migration and Mobility Agreement 4. Support for Bhutanese SEZ Project: India
between the Government of the Republic of India and commits support for Bhutan’s SEZ project through
the Government of the Italian Republic. infrastructure development at Dadgiri (Assam) and
ˆˆObjective Gelephu.
 The primary objective of the agreement between 5. Development Assistance: India pledges continued
India and Italy is to fortify collaboration on matters support for Bhutan’s socio-economic development,
concerning irregular migration while fostering focusing on the 13th Five-Year Plan.
stronger people-to-people ties. 6. Lauding India’s Global Role: Bhutan praises
 It facilitates mobility across diverse segments, India’s successful G20 Summit organization,
including students, skilled workers, businesspersons, highlighting India’s dedication to Global South
and young professionals. interests.

CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY (50)2024

 A. Fiscal & Monetary Affairs
of Rs. 171.79 lakh crore, as against the Provisional
First Advance Estimates of Estimate of GDP for the year 2022-23 of Rs. 160.06
National Income, 2023-24 lakh crore.
 The growth in real GDP during 2023-24 is
On January 5, 2024, the National Statistical estimated at 7.3 per cent as compared to 7.2
Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme per cent in 2022-23.
Implementation has published the First Advance  Nominal GDP or GDP at Current Prices in the
Estimates (FAE) of National Income for the financial year 2023-24 is estimated at Rs. 296.58 lakh crore,
year 2023-24, both at Constant (2011-12) and Current as against the Provisional Estimate of GDP for the
Prices. year 2022-23 of Rs. 272.41 lakh crore.
‰‰ Key Highlights  The growth in nominal GDP during 2023-24 is
 Real GDP or GDP at Constant (2011-12) Prices estimated at 8.9 per cent as compared to 16.1
in the year 2023-24 is estimated to attain a level per cent in 2022-23.

Statement 1 : First Advance Estimates of National Income and Expenditure Components of GDP, 2023-24
(at 2011-12 Prices) (Rs. Crore)
Item 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 Percentage Change Over Previous Year
(1st RE) (PE) (FAE) 2022-23 2023-24
Domestic Product
GVA at Basic Prices 1,37,98,025 1,47,64,840 1,57,82,157 7.0 6.9
Net Taxes on Products 11,27,815 12,41,585 13,96,485 10.1 12.5
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)@ 1,49,25,840 1,60,06,425 1,71,78,641 7.2 7.3
Net Domestic Product (NDP) 1,29,77,142 1,39,29,147 1,49,58,030 7.3 7.4
National Product
Gross National Income (GNI) 1,46,19,532 1,56,81,337 1,68,05,361 7.3 7.2
Net National Income (NNI) 1,26,70,834 1,36,04,058 1,45,84,750 7.4 7.2
Per Capita Income, Product and Final Consumption
Population* (in million) 1369 1383 1395
Per Capita GDP (Rs.) 1,09,060 1,15,746 1,23,144 6.1 6.4
Per Capita GNI (Rs.) 1,06,822 1,13,395 1,20,469 6.2 6.2
Per Capita NNI (Rs.) 92,583 98,374 1,04,550 6.3 6.3
Per Capita PFCE (Rs.) 63,595 67,675 70,065 6.4 3.5
RE : Revised Estimates; PE : Provisional Estimates; FAE : First Advance Estimates
@ GDP (Production/Income Approach) = GVA at Basic Price + Net Taxes on Products
#F ollowing Expenditure Approach, GDP = PFCE + GFCE + GFCF + CIS + Valuable + Export – Import. Discrepancy
refers to gap between GDP (Production/Income Approach) and GDP (Expenditure Approach)
* Relates to mid-financial year.

2024 (77) CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY

 Statement 2 : First Advance Estimates of National Income and Expenditure Components of GDP, 2023-24
(at Current Prices)
(Rs. Crore)
Item 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 Percentage Change
(1st R.E.) (PE) (FAE) Over Previous Year
2022-23 2023-24
Domestic Product
GVA at Basic Prices 2,14,38,883 2,47,42,871 2,67,12,195 15.4 8.0
Net Taxes on Products 20,32,128 24,97,841 29,45,549 22.9 17.9
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)@ 2,34,71,012 2,72,40,712 2,96,57,745 16.1 8.9
Net Domestic Product (NDP) 2,07,96,554 2,43,68,727 2,65,58,402 17.2 9.0
National Product
Gross National Income (GNI) 2,30,01,260 2,66,95,929 2,90,25,946 16.1 8.7
Net National Income (NNI) 2,03,26,803 2,38,23,945 2,59,26,603 17.2 8.8
Per Capita Income, Product and Final Consumption
Per Capita GDP (Rs.) 1,71,498 1,96,983 2,12,600 14.9 7.9
Per Capita GNI (Rs.) 1,68,066 1,93,044 2,08,071 14.9 7.8
Per Capita NNI (Rs.) 1,48,524 1,72,276 1,85,854 16.0 7.9
Per Capita GNDI (Rs.) 1,72,490 1,97,676 2,12,946 14.6 7.7
Per Capita PFCE (Rs.) 1,04,811 1,19,277 1,29,400 13.8 8.5
RE : Revised Estimates; PE : Provisional Estimates; FAE : First Advance Estimates
@ GDP (Production/Income Approach) = GVA at Basic Price + Net Taxes on Products
#F ollowing Expenditure Approach, GDP = PFCE + GFCE + GFCF + CIS + Valuable + Export – Import. Discrepancy
refers to gap between GDP (Production/Income Approach) and GDP (Expenditure Approach)

 The distribution between the Union and the

16th Finance Commission
States of the net proceeds of taxes which are to be,
Recently, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime or may be, divided between them under Chapter
Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Terms I, Part XII of the Constitution and the allocation
of Reference for the Sixteenth Finance Commission. between the States of the respective shares of such
‰‰ About Terms of Reference for the Sixteenth proceeds.
Finance Commission  The principles which should govern the
 Approved on- November 29, 2023 grants-in-aid of the revenues of the States out
 Approved by- Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime of the Consolidated Fund of India and the
Minister sums to be paid to the States by way of grants-
 The 16th Finance Commission’s recommenda- in-aid of their revenues under Article 275 of
tions would cover the period of five (5) years com- the Constitution for the purposes other than
mencing April 1, 2026. those specified in the provisos to clause (1) of that
 Chairman of 16th FC- Dr. Arvind Panagariya for- article.
mer Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog will be the  The Commission shall make its report available by
Chairman of 16th Finance Commission. 31st day of October, 2025 covering a period of five
 The Fifteenth Finance Commission was years commencing on the 1st day of April, 2026.
constituted on November 27, 2017
‰‰ 15th Finance Commission
 The recommendations of the Fifteenth Finance
 The Fifteenth Finance Commission was
Commission are valid upto the financial year 2025-
26. constituted on November 27, 2017 for making
recommendations for a five-year period of 2020-
‰‰ Terms of Reference for the Sixteenth Fi-
nance Commission 21 to 2024-25.
The Finance Commission shall make recommendations  The 15th FC made its recommendations for a six-
as to the following matters, namely: year period from 2020-21 to 2025-26.

CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY (78)2024

 UNION BUDGET 2023-24
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman  The centre gave a boost to infrastructure development
presented the budget 2023-24 on 1st February 2023 in and earmarked Rs 10 lakh crore as capital expenditure
the Parliament. for financial year 2023-24.
 GDP : The government has estimated a nominal  This is 33% higher than the Rs 7.5 lakh crore
GDP growth rate (i.e., real growth plus inflation) of allocated in the fiscal 2022-23.
10.5% in 2023-24. ‰‰ What is Fiscal Deficit?
 Fiscal Deficit : Fiscal deficit target of 6.4% achieved  Fiscal deficit is the difference between the
in the Revised Estimate for FY 2022-23.
government's total expenditure and its total receipts
 Fiscal Deficit in 2023-24 is targeted at 5.9% of
excluding borrowing
GDP.
Gross Fiscal Deficit = Total Expenditure –
 Expenditure : The government proposes to spend
Rs 45,03,097 crore in 2023-24, which is an increase (Revenue Receipts + Non-debt Creating Capital
of 7.5% over the revised estimate of 2022-23. Receipts)

Rupee Comes From Rupee Goes To

Pensions (4%)
Other Expenditure
(8%) Interest Payments
(20%)
Union Excise Income Tax
Duties (7%) (15%) Borrowing and
Other States' share of Taxes
Liabilities (34%) and Duties (18%)
Centrally Sponsored
Corporation Tax Schemes (9%)
(15%)

Finance Commission and Subsidies (7%)

Non-Tax Receipts (6%) Other transfers (9%)
Goods & Services Tax Non-Debt Capital Receipts (2%)
& Other Taxes (17%) Customs (4%) Defence (8%)
Central Sector
Schemes (17%)

 Person with annual Income up to Rs 7 lakh will not ‰‰ Indirect taxes:

have to pay any tax.  The total indirect tax collections are estimated to be Rs
 Also number of slabs in the tax structure introduced 15,29,200 crore in 2023-24. Of this, the government
in 2020 has been reduced to five. has estimated to raise Rs 9,56,600 crore from GST.
‰‰ Important Highlights of Budget 2023-24 ‰‰ Corporation tax:
‰‰ Total Expenditure  The collections from taxes on companies are
 The government is estimated to spend Rs 45,03,097
expected to increase by 10.5% in 2023-24. In 2022-23,
corporate tax collection is expected to be 16% higher
crore in 2023-24. This is an increase of 7.5% over the
than the budget estimate (Rs 7,20,000 crore).
revised estimate of 2022-23.
 Income tax: The collections from income tax are
 Out of the total expenditure,
also expected to increase by 10.5% in 2023-24 to Rs
  Revenue expenditure is estimated to be Rs 9,00,575 crore. Income tax collection is expected to
35,02,136 crore (1.2% increase) and be 16.4% higher than the budget estimate in 2022-23.
  Capital expenditure is estimated to be Rs ‰‰ Non-tax receipts:
10,00,961 crore (37.4% increase).  Non-tax revenue consists mainly of interest receipts
‰‰ Total Receipt on loans given by the centre, dividends, license fees,
 Total Receipts: Government receipts (excluding tolls, and charges for government services.
borrowings) are estimated to be Rs 27,16,281 crore,  In 2023-24, non-tax revenue is expected to increase
an increase of 11.7% over the revised estimates of by 15% over the revised estimates of 2022-23.
2022-23. ‰‰ Disinvestment target:
‰‰ Break up of central government receipts in  The disinvestment target for 2023-24 is Rs 51,000 crore
2023-24 (a marginal increase by 2% of estimate of 2022-23).

2024 (103) CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY

 Break up of Central Government Expenditure in 2023-24
Table : Ministry wise expenditure in 2023-24 (Rs. Crore)
Actuals Budget Revised Budgeted % Change
2021-22 2022-23 2022-23 2023-24 (2022-23 RE
to 2023-24
BE)
Defence 5,00,681 5,25,166 5,84,791 5,93,538 1.5%
Road Transport and Highways 1,23,551 1,99,108 2,17,027 2,70,435 24.6%
Railways 1,35,242 1,40,367 1,62,312 2,41,268 48.6%
Food and Public Distribution 3,06,571 2,17,684 2,96,523 2,05,765 -30.6%
Home Affairs 1,68,791 1,85,777 1,93,912 1,96,035 1.1%
Chemicals and Fertilisers 1,54,789 1,07,715 2,27,681 1,78,482 -21.6%
Rural Development 1,61,643 1,38,204 1,82,382 1,59,964 -12.3%
Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare 1,22,836 1,32,514 1,18,913 1,25,036 5.1%
Communications 51,545 1,05,407 1,05,478 1,23,393 17.0%
Education 80,352 1,04,278 99,881 1,12,899 13.0%
Jal Shakti 83,467 86,189 74,029 97,278 31.4%
Health and Family Welfare 84,470 86,201 79,145 89,155 12.6%
Housing and Urban Affairs 1,06,840 76,549 74,546 76,432 2.5%
Other Ministries 17,13,022 18,39,751 17,70,613 20,33,419 14.8%
Total Expenditure 37,93,801 3944,909 41,87,232 45,03,097 7.5%
Sources : Expenditure Budget, Union Budget 2023-24.

‰‰ Expenditure on Subsidies  Effective revenue deficit in the budget estimates of

 In 2023-24, the total expenditure on subsidies is 2023-24 is 1.7 %of GDP while it is 2.9 % of GDP
estimated to be Rs 4,03,084 crore, a decrease of 28.3% in revised estimate of 2022-23.
from the revised estimate of 2022-23. ‰‰ Primary Deficit
 Food subsidy: Allocation to food subsidy is  Primary deficit is defined as the difference between
estimated at Rs 1,97,350 crore in 2023-24, a 31.3% the fiscal deficit and the previous year interest
decrease over the revised estimate of 2022-23. payments of the government.
 Fertiliser subsidy: Expenditure on fertiliser subsidy  Primary deficit in the budget estimate 2023-24 is 2.3%
is estimated at Rs 1,75,100 crore in 2023-24. This is a of GDP while it is 3.0% of GDP in revised estimate
decrease of Rs 50,120 crore (22.3%) from the revised of 2022-23.
estimate of 2022-23. ‰‰ F i s c a l R e s p o n s i b i l i t y a n d B u d g e t
‰‰ Deficits: Management Targets
‰‰ Fiscal deficit  The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management
 Fiscal deficit in 2023-24 is targeted at 5.9% of GDP, (FRBM) Act, 2003 requires the central government
lower than the revised estimate of 6.4% of GDP in to progressively reduce its outstanding debt, revenue
2022- 23. deficit and fiscal deficit, and give three year rolling targets.
‰‰ Revenue deficit  In the Budget speech, the finance minister reiterated
 The excess of expenses over receipts on revenue the government’s aim to reduce fiscal deficit to below
account is called revenue deficit. Revenue deficit = 4.5% of GDP by 2025-26.
Revenue Expense – Revenue Receipts . Actuals Revised Budgeted
 Revenue deficit is targeted at 2.9% of GDP in the 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24
budget estimate of 2023-24. It is 4.1% of GDP in Fiscal Deficit 6.7% 6.4% 5.9%
revised estimate of 2022-23. Revenue Deficit 4.4% 4.1% 2.9%
‰‰ Effective Revenue Deficit Primary Deficit 3.3% 3.0% 2.3%
 Effective Revenue Deficit is the difference between
Sources : Medium Term Fiscal Policy Statement, Union
revenue deficit and grants to states for creation of
Budget 2023-24.
capital assets.

CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY (104)2024

 a few manmade satellites and will be visible in the
SpaceX to Launch GSAT-20 Eastern Hemisphere.
On January 3, 2023 the government-run NewSpace   Apophis was discovered in 2004, the asteroid
India Limited (NSIL) (ISRO’s commercial arm) had was gained notoriety as one of the most
announced that its newest communication satellite hazardous asteroids that could impact Earth.
GSAT-20 would be flying on American firm’s SpaceX’s   It is a near-Earth object (NEO) estimated to
Falcon9 rocket. be about 1,115 feet (340 meters) across.
 This is the first time that the Indian Government’s ‰‰ OSIRIS-REx spacecraft
satellite would be flying on Elon Musk’s rocket.  To analyze Apophis, a rare cosmic encounter, NASA
 However, smaller satellites made by Indian private has redirected the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft that
firms and startups have been launched by the Falcon recently returned from the asteroid Bennu.
9.  OSIRIS-REx had carried out a seven-year journey to
‰‰ About GSAT-20 bring Earth a sample of asteroid Bennu.
 It was recently renamed as GSAT-N2.  The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is now, renamed as the
 The satellite, weighing 4700 kg, offers an HTS OSIRIS-APEX (Origins, Spectral Interpretation,
capacity of nearly 48Gpbs and has been specifically Resource Identification, and Security – Apophis
designed to meet the demanding service needs of Explorer).
remote and unconnected regions.  In a statement on December 22, 2023, NASA
 GSAT-20 is also NSIL’s second fully funded satellite officially relaunched OSIRIS-APEX to observe
mission. Apophis.
 GSAT-20 will operate in the Ka-band spectrum  The spacecraft’s findings will give insights into planet
and provide high-throughput satellite capacity formation and how solar system debris evolved into
primarily for broadband connectivity and cellular worlds.
backhaul services.
 Its coverage zone spans the entire Indian mainland Omicron Subvariant JN.1
and the island chains of Andaman-Nicobar and Recently in December, 2023, researchers at the
Lakshadweep. University of Tokyo predict that the Omicron sub-
‰‰ About Ka-Band variant JN.1 (BA.2.86.1.1) is poised to become the
 The Ka-band refers to radio frequencies ranging dominant lineage of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide.
from 27 to 40 GHz.  Towards the end of November 2023, JN.1 surpassed
 The band allows high-speed satellite data transfers HK.3 in France and Spain.
with wide coverage through focused spot beams.  The emergence of the Omicron sub-variant JN.1
has raised concerns due to its unique mutation in
Study of ‘God of Chaos’ Asteroid the spike protein, specifically the L455S, referred to
 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration as a “FLip” mutation.
(NASA) has relaunched a spacecraft to study asteroid ‰‰ Evolution from BA.2.86 Lineage to JN.1
Apophis.  JN.1, an offshoot of the BA.2.86 lineage, swiftly
 Apophis, also called the “God of Chaos”, is likely to gained dominance globally, characterized by its spike
fly close to Earth on April 13, 2029, and will be only protein mutation and surpassing other omicron sub-
20,000 miles away, which is closer in comparison to lineages like EG.5.1 and HK.3.

2024 (107) CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY

 It’s noteworthy that JN.1’s rise doesn’t inherently
‰‰ India’s Role in SKAO
denote increased danger but rather reflects the  India’s main contribution to the SKA is the
virus’s natural propensity to mutate. creation and management of the Telescope
‰‰ Insights and Transmissibility Manager component, also known as the “neural
 Research from Peking University in The Lancet network” or software that powers the telescope.
Infectious Diseases revealed that JN.1, with  NCRA is a unit of the Tata Institute of
the L455S mutation, rapidly dominated over its Fundamental Research, which operates India’s
predecessor 2.86. largest network of radio telescopes called the
Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT)
International Mega Science near Pune.
Project SKA
WHO pre-qualifies a second
Recently in December, 2023 India has formally
joined the world’s largest radio telescope project called malaria vaccine
the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO). Recently, the WHO added the R21/Matrix-M
 The Union Cabinet has approved for contributing malaria vaccine developed by Oxford University and
Rs 1,250 crore to this multinational initiative which manufactured by Serum Institute of India, to its list
includes over 16 nations. of pre-qualified vaccines.
 The SKAO project will be developed by 16 nations ‰‰ Key Highlights
- India, Australia, South Africa, Canada, China,  In October 2023, WHO had recommended its use
Japan, South Korea, the UK, Portugal, Spain, for the prevention of malaria in children, following
Switzerland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the advice of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group
Sweden, and Italy. of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization and the
 The development of the SKAO telescope will Malaria Policy Advisory Group.
mainly take place in Australia and South Africa.  The R21 vaccine is the second malaria vaccine
prequalified by WHO, following the RTS,S/AS01
‰‰ About Square Kilometre Array Observatory vaccine which had obtained pre-qualification status
(SKAO) in July 2022.
 The Council approved the installation of the Square  It added that both vaccines have been shown to be
Kilometer Array Observatory, the world’s largest safe and effective in clinical trials, for preventing
radio telescope, in February 2021. malaria in children.
 The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO)  The pre-qualification means larger access to
is not one telescope, but a network of thousands vaccines as a key tool to prevent malaria in
of radio antennas spread across vast distances in children, with it being a prerequisite for vaccine
Australia and South Africa. procurement by UNICEF and funding support
  When complete, it will be the largest and most for deployment by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
powerful radio telescope on Earth.  In 2022, there were an estimated 249 million malaria
 The SKA telescopes will be built in two phases in cases in the world, and 6,08,000 malaria deaths
both places. across 85 countries.
  The first phase of the construction of SKA1  Achieving WHO vaccine pre-qualification
began in December 2022. The complete SKA ensures that vaccines used in global immunization
telescopes are expected to begin operations by programmes are safe and effective within their
2029. conditions of use in the targeted health systems.
 The project aims to build the world’s largest radio
telescope spanning over a square kilometer that will NOMA as a neglected tropical disease
help in mapping out and studying all visible galaxies Recently, World Health Organization (WHO) added
to the edge of the universe in detail which never has NOMA to its list of Neglected Tropical Diseases
been done. (NTDs) underscoring the urgent need to address this
  It will be 50 times more sensitive than any health challenge and allocate resources for prevention
other radio instrument. and treatment.

CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY (108)2024

 Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary 28th Conference of Parties To the
included Swadesh Darshan 2.0 UNFCCC
Recently in January, 2024 Debrigarh in Bargarh and Recently the 28th Session of the Conference of the
Khinda in Sambalpur have been included in the Ministry Parties (COP28) to the UN Framework Convention on
of Tourism’s revamped Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0) Climate Change (UNFCCC) were held.
scheme which aims at developing destination tourism in  COP 28 Held at- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
the country.  COP 28 Held on- November 30, 2023 – December
‰‰ Swadesh Darshan Scheme 12, 2023
 COP 29 will be held in - Azerbaijan (November,
 It was launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Tourism,
2024)
to develop sustainable and responsible tourism
 COP 30 will be held in - Brazil (November, 2025)
destinations in the country. It is 100% centrally
funded scheme.
‰‰ Key Highlights
 Under the scheme, the Ministry of Tourism provides Loss and Damage
financial assistance to State governments (and UT’s)  COP28 saw a landmark agreement to support
for development of tourism infrastructure in the vulnerable nations facing the worst of climate
country. change’s impacts.
 The Ministry of Tourism has revamped its  A Geographically Diverse Board will be established,
Swadesh Darshan scheme as Swadesh Darshan and the fund will be initially managed by the World
2.0 (SD2.0) for development of sustainable and Bank.
responsible tourist destinations covering tourism  The first pledges from wealthy nations were made in
and allied infrastructure, tourism services, human Dubai to support the fund and currently total over
capital development, destination management $650 million.
and promotion backed by policy and institutional Climate Finance Target
reforms.  Progress was finally made on the New Collective
‰‰ About Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary Quantified Goal (NCQG), which builds on the
 The Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary (declared a $100 billion pledged by developed nations to
wildlife sanctuary in 1985, as per ENVIS) is located finance climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives
in the Bargarh district in the Indian state of Odisha, in developing nations.
covering a total area of 346.91 km2. It is situated near  Notably, that $100 billion goal has not yet been met
the city of Sambalpur’s Hirakud Dam (Mahanadi (although it appears on track this year) and is far
River). short of what is needed.
 The sanctuary is home to more than 40 species of  COP saw an agreement to draft a post-2025 finance
mammals, 234 species of birds, 41 species of reptiles, target ahead of COP29.
12 species of amphibians, 42 species of fishes, 39 Global Stocktake Text And Fossil Fuels
species of odonates, 85 species of butterflies and  The text mentions the projection of peak global
is important Internationally because of significant emissions between 2020-2025.
population of Leopard, Bison and Chousingha.  Alignment around emissions reductions consistent
 The four-horned antelope or Chousingha as it’s with the goals of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees
called is one of the endangered animals also inhabits Celsius above preindustrial levels and reaching net
this sanctuary. zero by 2050 now made explicit.

CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY (124)2024

‰‰ India Led Initiatives at COP28  Originated from- Bay of Bengal
 Name suggested by- Myanmar
Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA)
‰‰ Why was Michaung named so?
 The Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA), led by
 In 2000, a panel of the World Meteorological
the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) Organisation together with members of the
under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of United Nations Economic and Social Commission
India, was launched at COP28, the United Nations prepared the list of names of tropical cyclones in
Climate Change Conference in Dubai, United Arab the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, to be given
Emirates. from the September 2004 season.
 It was launched with countries namely India, Egypt,  The name of the cyclone ‘Michaung’ was proposed
Netherlands, Denmark, Ghana, Australia, by Myanmar, which signifies resilience and fortitude.
Bhutan, Cambodia, Japan and river-cities of The This is the sixth cyclone to develop in the Indian
Hague (Den Haag) from the Netherlands, Adelaide Ocean this year and the fourth to form in the Bay of
from Australia, and Szolnok of Hungary. Bengal.
 Along with these countries International funding  For example, after Michaung (by Myanmar), the
agencies the World Bank, Asian Development next five cyclones will be called ‘Remal’ (Oman),
Bank (ADB), Asian Infrastructure Investment ‘Asna’ (Pakistan), ‘Dana’ (Qatar), ‘Fengal’ (Saudi
Bank (AIIB) and knowledge management Arabia), and ‘Shakhti’ (Sri Lanka).
institution like KPMG entering into a partnership,
widely expanding the reach of the existing River The Global Climate 2011-2020
Cities Alliance (RCA), formed by NMCG in
association with National Institute of Urban Recently, the World Meteorological Organisation
Affairs (NIUA) in 2021. (WMO) has published a report titled-The Global Climate
 GRCA is a unique alliance covering 275+ global 2011-2020: A Decade of Acceleration, concerning
river-cities in 11 countries, international funding the alarming acceleration of climate change and its
agencies and knowledge management partners and multifaceted impacts across the planet.
is first of its kind in the world. ‰‰ Key Findings:
 Since its inception RCA has expanded to include 143  It was the warmest decade on record by a clear
member cities in India, including the city of Aarhus, margin for both land and ocean.
Denmark and has emerged as a catalyst for key  Global mean temperature for the period 2011-2020
frameworks for sustainable urban river management. was 1.10 ± 0.12 °C above the 1850-1900 average.
This is based on the average of six data sets used by
Green Credit Initiative WMO.
 PM Narendra Modi announced the launch of the  The warmest six years on record globally were
Green Credit Initiative at COP28 summit, which between 2015 and 2020.
was backed by multiple world leaders at the meeting.  The warmest years of the decade were 2016, because
 The Green Credit Initiative was first introduced of a strong El Niño event, and 2020. The largest
by the ministry of environment, forest and climate positive anomalies for the decade, in places more
change on October 13, 2023. than 2 °C above the 1981-2010 average, were in the
 There are two main priorities of the initiative - Arctic.
Water Conservation and Afforestation.  The decadal global average CO2 during 1991-2000
 Under this scheme, green credits will be assigned to was 361.7ppm, during the decade 2001-2010 it was
specific environmental activities, and will be treated 380.3 ppm, while in 2011-2020 it rose to 402.0 ppm.
as tradable commodities.  Ocean warming rates for the upper 2000m depth
 These green credits will be able to be sold on reached rates of 1.0 ± 0.1 Wm-2 over the period
domestic market platforms. 2006-2020.
 It reached a record high in 2020.
‰‰ COP-29 Host
 In any given year between 2011 and 2020,
 Baku in Azerbaijan will host COP29, avoiding an
approximately 60% of the surface of the ocean
extension of the UAE presidency and a conference
experienced a heatwave.
location in Bonn, Germany.
 The three years having the highest average of days
Cyclone ‘Michaung’ with marine heatwaves were 2016 (61 days), 2020 (58
days), and 2019 (54 days).
Recently, Cyclone Michaung (pronounced mig-jaum)  Global mean sea level rise is accelerating, largely
made landfall over Nellore in Andhra Pradesh as a because of ocean warming and the loss of land ice
super-cyclonic storm. mass.

2024 (125) CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY

Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Inauguration  40-acre land situated close to the Amausi airport in
 The site of the ram Mandir in Ayodhya is believed to
the city is going to be the core centre of the project.
be the place where Lord Rama was born. Maharishi Valmiki International Airport
 Background: In 1992, a rally involving volunteers Ayodhya Dham
(Kar Sevaks) turned hostile, leading to demolition  Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated
of the Babri Masjid. In 2019, the Supreme Court of the Maharishi Valmiki international airport in
India ruled that the site previously hosted a Hindu Ayodhya.
temple, which was destroyed prior to the construc-  Prime Minister Modi also launched the redeveloped
tion of the Babri Masjid. Ayodhya Dham Railway Station.
 Foundation: The foundation stone for the temple
Amrit Bharat Express
was laid by the Prime Minister on August 5, 2020.
 The inauguration of the temple is scheduled for  Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first
‘pran pratishtha’ (consecration ceremony) of Lord two Amrit Bharat Express trains from the holy town
Ram idol at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on 22nd of ‘Ayodhya’.
January, 2024.  The newly introduced ‘jerk-free’ express trains are
 The construction of the Ram Mandir is being su- scheduled to operate on two routes—Darbhanga
pervised by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth in Bihar to Anand Vihar in Delhi via Ayodhya, as
Kshetra trust. well as from Malda Town in West Bengal to Sir M
 The trust was set up in 2020 after the Supreme Visvesvaraya Terminus in Bengaluru.
 In addition to this,PM Modi also virtually inaugurated
Court’s verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case. It
six new Vande Bharat Express trains on Saturday
is composed of 15 trustees.
from Ayodhya.
 Chairperson: Mahant Nrityagopal Das is the chair-
 Along with it UP became first state that have Vande
man of the trust.
Bharat , Amrit Bharat and Namo Bharat express
‰‰ About the Ram Mandir Temple train.
 The original design for Ram Mandir was planned in
10th Crore beneficiary of Ujwala Yojana
1988 by the Sompura family of Ahmedabad.
 The Mandir has a length (east-west) of 380 feet, a  Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi visited home of
width of 250 feet, and a height of 161 feet. The Meera Manjhi while in Ayodhya.
Mandir is three-storied, with each floor being 20  She is 10th crore beneficiary of the scheme.
feet tall. It is being designed in the Nagara Style. Ram Van Gaman Path
 It has a total of 392 pillars and 44 doors. Iron has  The ambitious project Ram Van Gaman Path will be
not been used anywhere in the construction. 210 km longer.
 Five Mandaps (Hall) - Nritya Mandap, Rang Man-  Ram Van Gaman Marg connects Ayodhya to
dap, Sabha Mandap, Prarthna and Kirtan Mandaps. Chitrakoot via Faizabad, Sultanpur, Pratapgarh,
 The temple complex will be the world’s third largest Kaushambi and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.
Hindu shrine.
 Architect: The chief architect of the temple is Industrial city in Bundelkhand
Chandrakant Bhai Sompura, who designed the  Yogi Adityanath Cabinet has approved setting up a
Akshardham temple in Gujarat. new industrial city in Jhansi on the lines of Noida.
 Apart from Jhansi, Bundelkhand Industrial
UP to build India’s first AI city Development Authority will also be helpful in the
 Lucknow will be developed as India’s first Artificial development of satellite industrial areas in other
Intelligence city. districts of Bundelkhand.

CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY (140)2024

Uttar Pradesh became country’s only state  This is the second consecutive year that Uttar
to have 5 international airports Pradesh has been ranked in the list of Achiever
 Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the only state to have
States in the LEADS Survey Report.
 The LEADS report measures improvements in
5 international airports.
 The state has international airports in Lucknow, multi-modal connectivity, storage capacity and the
Varanasi, Kushinagar, Noida and Ayodhya. level of seamless movement of people and goods.

UP Pavilion Will Be Displayed For The Kashi Tamil Sangamam

First Time In the WEF Meeting  Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the
 Uttar Pradesh Pavilion will be displayed for the first
Kashi Tamil Sangamam at Namo Ghat, Varanasi.
 First held last year (2022) the Kashi Tamil Sangamam
time at the World Economic Forum meeting to be
held in Davos (Switzerland) . seeks to celebrate North and South India’s historical
 One District-One Product (ODOP) Scheme will be
and civilisational connections.
 This year, around 1,400 dignitaries from Tamil Nadu
presented in the Uttar Pradesh Pavilion.
and Puducherry will visit Varanasi for the event,
Health ATM participating in a number of cultural exchanges and
 CM Yogi inaugurated 19 Health ATM in Gorakhpur. exhibitions.
62 types of tests can be done through Health ATM.   Tribal Museums Will be Built in Mirzapur,
 Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that within two- Sonbhadra and Maharajganj
three months, health ATMs will be installed in all
4600 health centers of the state.  Government of Uttar Pradesh gave its approval
to the proposal for the establishment of tribal
International Potato Centre’s regional office museum in Atraila Pandey village in Mirzapur
 International Potato Centre’s regional office will be district, Markundi village in Sonbhadra district and
opened in Agra. Kunserwa village in Maharajganj district.
 The International Potato Center (CIP) was founded Saumya Mathur Becomes the First Woman
in 1971 as a research-for-development organization General Manager of North Eastern Railway
with a focus on potato, sweet-potato and Andean
roots and tubers .  Soumya Mathur became the first woman GM of
 Its Headquarters is located in Lima, Peru. NER. She took the command at the headquarter of
NER in Gorakhpur.
Uttar Pradesh’s first advanced pediatric
center State’s First Sheep - Goat Rearing Training
Center
 The first advanced pediatric center of Uttar Pradesh
will be established in Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate  State’s first sheep-goat rearing training center was
Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI), Lucknow. inaugurated in Etawah.
Country’s first all-girls Sainik School One Time Settlement Scheme
 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the  Yogi Govt launched One-Time Settlement Scheme
country’s first all-girl Sainik School at Vrindavan in to provide relief to electricity consumers.
Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura district.  This scheme ran in three phases for a total of 54
days, from November 8 to December 31, 2023.
Swarveda Mahamandir
 This scheme was extended till January 16, 2024,
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 18th December
Aqua Park in Gorakhpur
inaugurated the world’s largest meditation center
Swarved Mahamandir in Varanasi.  Aqua park will be built in Gorakhpur at a cost
 This temple has been designed like a lotus flower, on of Rs 100 crore, land will be given by the district
whose walls 4000 couplets of Vedas are written. administration in Tal Kandla.
UP bags status of ‘achiever state’ in LEADS Free LPG Cylinder Refill Distribution
survey report 2023 Campaign
 UP has been included in the list of achiever states  Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the
under the category of landlocked states in the free LPG refill distribution campaign to women
LEADS (Logistics Ease Across Different States) beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana in a
Report 2023. function organized at Lok Bhavan in Lucknow.

2024 (141) CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY

 €€Pushpa Bharati
Persons in News
 The 33rd Vyas Samman will be conferred to notable
€€Jay Shah Hindi-Writer Pushpa Bharati this year.
 Ms Bharati has been selected for her memoirs-
 Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Yaadein, Yaadein aur Yaadein.
secretary Jay Shah was awarded the ‘Sports Business
Leader of the Year Award’ at the Sports Business €€Rijul Maini
Awards 2023 on December 5, 2023.  Rijul Maini, a medical student from Michigan, has
been crowned Miss India USA 2023 at the annual
€€Kanchan Devi
pageant held in New Jersey in December 2023.
 Kanchan Devi has become the first woman Director
€€Donald Tusk
General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research
Education (ICFRE).  Poland’s parliament has elected centrist party leader
Donald Tusk as prime minister.
€€Captain Geetika Koul.
€€Javier Miley
 Captain Geetika Koul has become the first woman
medical officer in the Indian Army to be deployed at  Javier Miley has been sworn in as president of
Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield on December Argentina.
5th, 2023. €€Ali Abu Awwad and Daniel Barenboim.
€€Reshma Prasad  The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament,
 Reshma Prasad is the first transgender to become
and Development for 2023 has been jointly awarded
a senate member in any university in the country in to Daniel Barenboim and Ali Abu Awwad.
December 2023. €€Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
€€Akshay Mukul  Kuwait’s ruling emir, the 86-year-old Sheikh Nawaf
Al Ahmad Al Sabah passed away at the age of 86 on
 Akshaya Mukul won the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
December 16th, 2023.
NIF Book Prize 2023.  Kuwait’s crown prince and his half-brother, Sheikh
 He won this award for Writer, Rebel, Soldier, Lover:
Meshaal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah have been
The Many Lives of Agyeya appointed as the new Ruler (Emir) of Kuwait.
€€Sameer Shah €€Arundhati Roy
 Indian-origin Sameer Shah was appointed head of  Arundhati Roy was honored with the 3rd P. Govinda
the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Pillai Memorial National Award on December 13th
December 6th, 2023. 2023.
€€Captain Fatima Wasim €€Reuven Azar
 Captain Fatima Wasim has become the first woman  The Israeli government on December 17 approved
medical officer in the Indian Army to be deployed the appointment of Reuven Azar as the new
on an operational post on the Siachen Glacier, the Ambassador to India.
world’s highest battlefield on December 12th, 2023. €€Sukrita Paul
€€Kabir Bedi  Sukrita Paul won the 6th Rabindranath Tagore
 Kabir Bedi was honored with the highest civilian Literary Award on December 18th 2023
honor of Italy (Merito della Repubblica Italiana) in  She is awarded for book ‘Salt and Pepper: Selected
December. Poems’

2024 (159) CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY

€€Savita Ladage €€ Vihaan Talya Vikas
 Professor Savita Ladage from Mumbai has been  A 10-year-old- kid from Bangalore, Vihaan Talya
named winner of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Vikas, won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Nyholm Prize for Education in recognition of (WPY) competition in the under-10 category.
contributions to chemistry education. €€ Professor Anusha Shah
€€Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh  The Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) has elected
 Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director the first Indian-origin president in its 205-year
of WHO South-East Asia, was awarded Bhutan’s history in Professor Anusha Shah.
prestigious National Order of Merit Gold Medal on €€ Pravin Madhukar Pawar
December 18th,2023.
 Senior IPS officer Pravin Madhukar Pawar has been
€€Mitchell Starc appointed the joint director of the Central Bureau
 Australian left-hander faster bowler Mitchell Starc of Investigation (CBI) on November 3, 2023
has been signed by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs €€ Heeralal Samariya
24.75 crore in the IPL 2024 auction in Dubai On
December 19th 2023.  Heeralal Samariya has been appointed as the Chief
Information Commissioner in Central Information
€€Maheshwar Dayal Commission and assumed office on November 6,
 Senior IPS officer and Additional Director General 2023.
of Police (ADGP) Maheshwar Dayal took charge €€ Serena Williams
as Director General of Prisons and Correctional
Services on December 18th 2023.  Tennis legend Serena Williams has been honored
with the CFDA Fashion Icon Award at the 2023
€€Nina Singh CFDA Fashion Award in November, 2023.
 Nina Singh became the first woman Director  She became the first athlete to receive this prestigious
General of the of the Central Industrial Security award.
Force (CISF) €€ Hitesh Kumar S. Makwana
 Anish Dayal Singh has been appointed as the
Director General of the Central Reserve Police  Senior bureaucrat Hitesh Kumar S. Makwana has
Force (CRPF). been appointed as Surveyor General of India on
 Rahul Rasgotra has been named as Director General November 6, 2023.
of the Indo-Tibetan Police Force (ITBP). €€ Salman Rushdie
 Vivek Srivastava is named DG, Fire Service, Civil
 Renowned writer Salman Rushdie was honored with
Defense, and Home Guards.
the first-ever ‘Lifetime Disturbing the Peace Award’
€€Nitish Kumar on November 14, 2023.
 Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been elected  In October, he received the Peace Prize of the
as the new president of the Janata Dal (United) after German Book Trade for 2023.
Lalan Singh resigned from the post. €€ Falguni Shah and Gaurav Shah
€€Santosh Jha  A special song to promote the benefits of millets,
 India’s new High Commissioner to Sri Lanka on which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had
Santosh Jha has assumed charge and presented his collaborated with Indian-American singer Falu,
credentials to President Ranil Wickremesinghe here has been nominated for the Grammy award under
on December 22nd, 2023. the best global music performance category in
November 2023.
€€Dr. Saveera Prakash  The “Abundance in Millets” song, performed by
 Dr. Saveera Parkash has become the first woman Mumbai-born singer-songwriter Falguni Shah,
from the minority Hindu community to run in the popularly known by her stage name Falu, and
provincial elections in Pakistan’s restive Khyber her husband and singer Gaurav Shah, has been
Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province. nominated for the award.
€€ Saima Wazed €€ Shital Mahajan
 Saima Wazed was nominated as the next Regional  Shital Mahajan became the first woman in the world
Director for the World Health Organization’s South- to jump off a helicopter from a height of 21,500 feet
East Asia region on November 1, 2023. in front of Mt Everest on November 13, 2023

CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY (160)2024

 Important Events
Tennis Grand Slam Tournaments, 2023
Category Australian Open, 2023 French Open, 2023 Wimbledon, 2023 U.S. Open, 2023
Men’s singles Novak Djokovic Novak Djokovic Carlos Alcaraz Novak Djokovic
Winner (Serbia) (Serbia) (Spain) (Serbia)
Runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas Casper Ruud Novak Djokovic Daniil Medvedev
(Greek) (Norway) (Serbia) (Russia)
Women’s singles Aryna Sabalenka IgaŚwiątek (Poland) Marketa Coco Gauff (USA)
Winner (Belarus) Vondrousova
Runner-up Elena Rybakina Karolina Muchova (Czech Republic) Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)
(Kazakhstan) (Czech Republic) Ons Jabeur (Tunisia)
Men’s doubles Rinky Hijikata & Ivan Dodig (Croatia) Wasley Koolhof Rajeev Ram (USA) &
Winner Jason Kubler (Both & Austin Krajicek (Netherlands) & Joe Salisburry (UK)
Australia) (USA) Neal Skupski (U.K.)
Runner-up Hugo Nys (Monaco) Sander Gille & Marcel Granollers Rohan Bopanna (India)
& Joran Vliegan (Spain) & Horacio & Matthew Ebden
Jan Zielinski (Poland) (Both Belgium) Zeballos (Argentina) (Australia)
Women’s doubles Katerina Siniaková Su-wei Hsiesh Su-wei Hsiesh Gabriela Dabrowski
Winner & Barbora Krejčíková (Taiwan) & Xinyu (Taiwan) & Barbora (Canada) & Erin
(Czech Republic) Wang (China) Strycova (Czech Routliffe (New
Republic) Zealand)
Runner-up Shuko Aoyama & Ena Leylah Fernandes Storm Hunter Laura Siegemund
Shibahara (Both Japan) (Canada) & Taylor (Australia) & Elise (Germany) & Vera
Townsend (USA) Mertens (Belgium) Zvonareva (Russia)
Mixed Doubles Lusia Stefoni & Rafael Miyu Kato (Japan) Mate Pavic Anna Danilina
Winner Matos (Both Brazil) & Tim Puetz (Croatia) & (Kazakhstan) & Harri
(Germany) Lyudmyla Kichenok Heliovaara (Finland)
(Ukraine)
Runner-up Sania Mirza & Bianca Andreescu Joran Vliegen Jessica Pegula & Austin
Rohan Bopanna (Canada) & Michael (Belgium) & Yifan Xu Krajicek (Both USA)
(Both India) Venus (New Zealand) (China)

 Novak Djokovic has won his fourth US Open title  He is only player to play at least 7 finals of all four
and equal Margoret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam tournaments.
Grand slams.
 Djokovic became the first man to win three grand
 He has become oldest US Open men’s singles
champion at 36 years of age. Slam events in the same season four times.
 He is record holder for most Grand Slam final  Coco Gauff has won her maiden Grand Slam
played (36). tournament title.

CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY (198)2024

  He scored 597 runs (in 11 matches) in 2023 world
13th edition of ICC Men’s Cricket cup.
World Cup, 2023  Rohit Sharma has become first batsman to score
more than 500 runs in successive ODI world cups.
 Date – October 5 to November 19, 2023 In 2019 edition, he scored 648 runs.
 Australia won this world cup (6th time) by beating  Rohit smashed 54 sixes across three ODI world cups
India by 6 wickets. between 2015-2023.
 India has hosted the event fourth time, 1987 edition  He also broke record of Chris Gayle for most sixes
was hosted by India and Pakistan, 1996 edition by (31 sixes) in a single edition of ODI world cup.
India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka while 2011 edition by Mohammed Shami
India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
 The winner of the tournament has taken home 4  Mohammed Shami has taken most wickets (24) (in
million dollars (≈33 crore rupees) while runner up only 7 matches) in 2023 cricket world cup.
won 2 million dollars.  He has become all time highest wicket taker for
 ‘Blaze’ and ‘Tank’ were 2 Mascots for the 2023 India in ODI cricket world cup.
cricket world cup.  Shami has taken 55 wickets (in 18 matches) across
 Blaze is a female mascot, bowling at rapid pace three ODI world cups between 2015-23, surpassed
while Tonk is a male mascot, a batting champion. Zaheer Khan (44 wickets) and Javagal Srinath (44
 Theme Song : Dil Jashn Bole wickets).
 ICC Global Ambassador for Men's Cricket  Shami also become the first to get three five-wickets
World Cup 2023 : Sachin Tendulkar hauls in single world cup edition.
 The 10 teams at 2023 world cup played every other Rachin Ravindra
side one in a single round robin format.
 23 years old New Zealand’s batsman, Rachin
‰‰ 2023 World Cup : Magic Moments Ravindra, broke Jonny Bairstow’s record for most
 In semifinal match against New Zealand, Virat Kohli runs (578 runs) in maiden ODI world cup edition.
(50th century) has shattered Sachin Tendulkar’s  He also went past Sachin Tendular’s record of most
record for most ODI hundreds (49). runs in single ODI world cup edition before the age
 Glen Maxwell played brave inning of 201* runs of of 25.
128 balls with help of 21 fours and 10 sixes.
 He has become the first ODI batter to score a ‰‰ 13th ODI World Cup : Important Facts
double hundred in chase.  Teams – 10; Matches – 48
 Sri Lanka Angelo Mathews has become the first  Opening Match – England V/s New Zealand,
batsman to be time out in international cricket. on October 5, 2023)
  For T20Is threshold limit of 90 seconds  Highest run (by a Team) – 428/5 (Sourth Africa
remains unchanged. V/s Sri Lanka)
Virat Kohli (Player of the Tournament)  Largest victory (Australia) – By 309 runs (Vs.
Netherlands)
 Virat Kohli’s splendid campaign in 2023 made him
 Highest individual score – Glenn Maxwell
most run scorer (765 runs) in a single edition of the
(Australia) – 201 runs
world cup.
 Most Centuries – Quinton de Kock (4)
 Sachin Tendulkar had scored 673 runs in the 2003
edition and held the top spot for 20 years.  Most Fifties – Virat Kohli (6)
 Most Sixes – Rohi Sharma (31)
Travis Head  Most sixes in an inning – Fakhar Zaman
 Travis Head of Australia became the fourth player (Pakistan) – 11
to be adjudged as ‘Player of the Match’ in the  Best bowling figure in an inning – Mohammed
semifinal and final of the same ODI world cup. Shami (7/57) Vs New Zealand
 Mohinder Amarnath (India) was the first player to  Most man of the match awards – Travi’s Head
achieve the feat in 1983. (3 times)
 Arvinda de Silva (Sri Lanka) in 1996 and
 Player of the Final match – Travis Head
Australia’s Shane Warne in 1999 followed him.
(Australia)
Rohit Sharma  Golden Bat (Most Run) – Virat Kohli, 765 runs
 Rohit Sharma has scored most runs as captain in a  Golden Ball (Most wickets) – Mohammed
single edition of world cup (597 runs). Shami (24)

2024 (199) CURRENT DRISHTI YEARLY