Daily Current Affairs- 5th January 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 5th January 2025

INTERNATIONAL

42nd annual bilateral exercise Varuna between the Indian Navy and French Navy

• The French Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, Charles De Gaulle, arrived in Goa to participate in the bilateral naval exercise On arrival at Goa’s Mormugao port trust jetty, the French Carrier Strike Group received a ceremonial welcome from the Indian Navy band. The French carrier strike group, which includes the Rafale Marine fighter aircraft, will take part in the 42nd annual bilateral exercise Varuna with Indian navy ships. 

NATIONAL

PM Modi to launch multiple development projects in Delhi on Sunday

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched multiple development projects, including the inauguration of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat RRTS corridor, worth over Rs 12,200 crore on Sunday and address a public meeting in the poll-bound national capital.
• He also inaugurated the 13-km stretch of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor between Sahibabad and New Ashok Nagar worth around Rs 4,600 crore with this inauguration, Delhi will get its first Namo Bharat connectivity. 

Textile Minister inaugurates new building of Indian Institute of Handloom Technology

• Union textile minister Giriraj Singh inaugurated a newly built building of the Indian Institute of Handloom Technology at Fulia of Nadia district of West Bengal. He interacted with the students of the institute.

Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar inaugurates the services of CRC Madurai and more

• Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment (SJ&E), Dr. Virendra Kumar, presided over the inauguration of services of Composite Regional Centre (CRC), Madurai and the foundation stone laying ceremony for the New Building of CRC Madurai. 

OBITUARY

India’s nuclear programme Rajagopala Chidambaram passes away

• Senior scientist and one of the key architects of India’s nuclear programme, Dr. Rajagopala Chidambaram, passed away at a hospital in Mumbai. He was 88 and had been unwell for several days. Dr. Chidambaram played a pivotal role in shaping India’s nuclear weapons programme. He was instrumental in India’s first nuclear test in 1974, as well as the Pokhran-II tests in 1998, which established India as a nuclear power. 

SUMMITS & MOUs

DPIIT Inks MoU with Startup Policy Forum (SPF) to Boost Country’s Startup Ecosystem

• The Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has signed an MoU with the Startup Policy Forum (SPF) to Boost the Country’s Startup Ecosystem. The partnership aims to empower startups, innovators and entrepreneurs to drive economic growth.
• The MoU reflects a shared vision between DPIIT and SPF to make technology and innovation integral to India’s economic growth, driving the nation closer to Bharat@2047 aspirations. 

BANKING AND ECONOMY

SBI Introduces Har Ghar Lakhpati and SBI Patrons Deposit Schemes

• The State Bank of India (SBI) has launched two innovative deposit schemes: ‘Har Ghar Lakhpati’ and ‘SBI Patrons,’ aiming to enhance financial inclusion and cater to diverse customer needs. 

RBI Approves Merger of National and Cosmos Co-operative Banks

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the merger of National Co-operative Bank (Bangalore) with Cosmos Co-operative Bank (Maharashtra), effective from January 6, 2025. This decision is part of ongoing consolidation efforts within India’s banking sector. Following the merger, the branches of National Co-operative Bank will operate as part of Cosmos Co-operative Bank. The approval comes after a series of restrictions imposed on National Co-operative Bank due to its weak financial performance.