AIIB announced a total loan of $210 million for irrigation & solar energy projects in India. AIIB will lend $145 million to improve irrigation services and strengthen flood risk management in West Bengal & $65 million for 250 MW solar project in Rajasthan.
India is the second-largest shareholder of the AIIB.
US & India have announced the establishment of an annual Parliamentary Exchange to discuss issues of strategic importance to the bilateral relationship coincided with the US-India 2+2 Ministerial. The Parliamentary Exchange is expected to begin in 2020.
Second US-India 2+2 dialogue was held in Washington.
An Earth observation satellite jointly developed by China & Brazil was launched under a bilateral programme, seen as a template for broader cooperation among BRICS nations. China-Brazil Earth Resource Satellite-4A was launched on a Long March-4B rocket.
CBERS-4A was launched from the Chinese province of Shanxi.
Scientists have discovered the world’s oldest known fossil forest in a sandstone quarry in New York state. The forest found in the town of Cairo, would have spanned from New York to Pennsylvania and beyond, and has been dated to about 386m years old.
It is one of only 3 known fossil forests dating to this period.
RBI is to purchase & sell govt securities worth Rs 10,000 Cr under OMO. Such exercises are done when the proceeds from sale of short-term securities are used to buy long-term govt securities in a bid to bring down interest rates on long-term securities.
OMO- Open Market Operation.
Modi addressed the annual general meeting of Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India in New Delhi. The theme of the event was 'New India Aspiring for a USD 5 trillion economy'. Event was organised on the completion of 100 years of ASSOCHAM.
ASSOCHAM-Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India.
The 5th edition of ARTECH being organised by Indian Army on ‘Technologies for Non-Contact Warfare’ will be held on 23 December 2019 in Delhi. The ARTECH seminar sets the agenda for focus areas of harvesting indigenous capabilities in the Defence sector.
ARTECH was launched in the year 2016.
Under the NIRBHAYA Fund, projects of Rs 7,000 crore, including setting up of 1,023 fast-track courts, have been approved by the Modi government as a tribute to the 23-year-old Delhi gangrape victim, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said.
NIRBHAYA Fund is used for the safety and empowerment of women.
EChO Network-a national program to provide a template for cross-disciplinary leadership in India with the specific focus of increasing research, knowledge, & awareness of Indian ecology & the environment was launched in New Delhi by Prof. K Vijay Raghavan.
He is the Principal Scientific Adviser to the GOI.
Amazon India has conceptualized SMBhav, a first-of-its-kind mega summit for Small and Medium Businesses at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi on January 2020. Industry experts, solution providers and Amazon leadership are expected to share their views.
Ease of business ideas for SMBs will also be shared.
WE Hub announced its partnership with Start-up India, DPIIT to promote entrepreneurs. The two entities have joined hands to launch Start-up India’s flagship programme for women entrepreneurs called WING (Women Rise Together program in Telangana).
DPIIT-Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
Kannada writer and critic L.S. Sheshagiri Rao, referred to as LSS in literary circles, passed away at 94 following age-related ailments. He is known for his compiled English-Kannada dictionary. He won many honours, including Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award.
He was the first president of Kannada Pustaka Pradhikara.
December 22 is celebrated as India's National Mathematics Day (NMD).The day marks the birth anniversary of self-taught Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan and his contributions in the field of mathematics. Ramanujan was born on December 22, 1887.
Manmohan Singh declared the day as NMD on February 26, 2012.
Michelin has announced signing an MoU with the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) to develop a new strategic partnership in India. Michelin and ARAI will improve representation and reproducibility of tyre certification testing.
Michelin is a French tire manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand