PM Narendra Modi inaugurates 25th National Youth Festival in Puducherry

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 25th National Youth Festival in Puducherry via video conferencing on January 12, 2022.
• The festival was organized to mark the celebration of National Youth Day, the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.
• As a part of the event, Prime Minister inaugurated the following at Puducherry:
  • Technology Centre of the MSME Ministry, with an investment of about Rs. 122 crore.
  • Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Manimandapam, an auditorium with an open-air theatre. It is constructed by the Government of Puducherry at a cost of about Rs 23 crores.
  • Selected essays on “Mere Sapno ka Bharat” and “Unsung Heroes of Indian Freedom Movement”, selected from submissions by over 1 lakh youth on the two themes.

Defence

DRDO successfully test-fires final deliverable configuration of Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested the Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) on January 11, 2022, in its final “deliverable configuration”.
• The purpose of testing the missile was to check its consistent performance at minimum range, which is 200-300 metres.
• MPATGM has already completed similar successful test for maximum range of 4,000 metres.
• With this successful test of the MPATGM, the system is now ready for production in large numbers in India.
• MPATGM will be manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited at its facility in Bhanoor, Telangana.

UBS Projects India’s GDP forecast at 9.1% in FY22 and 8.2% in FY23

• Swiss brokerage UBS Securities has lowered the growth forecast of Indian economy for the current financial year (FY22) to 9.1 percent due to massive surge in Omicron infections. Earlier this was estimated at 9.5 percent.
• However, UBS Securities has revised upwards the real GDP forecast of India in FY23 to 8.2 percent. This was projected at 7.7 percent earlier.
• Summary:
  • 2021-22 (FY22) – 9.1%
  • 2022-23 (FY23) – 8.2%
  • 2023-24 (FY24) – 6.0%

Ranking

India Ranks 83rd in Q1 Henley Passport Index 2022; Japan & Singapore Tops

• India has improved its position by seven places to rank at 83rd place among 111 countries in the latest Henley Passport Index, released for Q1 of 2022. India ranked at 90th spot among 116 countries in Q4 of 2021 in October.
• The Indian passport has visa-free access to 60 destinations worldwide in Q1 2022, as compared to 58 destinations in Q4 of 2021.
• Oman and Armenia are the latest destinations where Indian passport holders can visit without obtaining a visa.
• Japan and Singapore have retained the joint top position in the Henley Global Mobility Report 2022 Q1. Their passports holders are allowed to travel visa-free to 192 countries.
• Afghanistan has world’s least powerful passports, with visa-free score of 26.

Sports

Tata group replaces Chinese mobile manufacturer Vivo as IPL title sponsor for 2022 & 2023

• The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed that Tata group has replaced Chinese mobile phone manufacturer Vivo as the title sponsor of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for 2022 and 2023 seasons.
• The multinational conglomerate will pay Rs. 300 crore per year as the title sponsor of IPL for the next two seasons.
• This is about 60% of what Vivo would have paid.

New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel named ICC Player of the Month of December 2021

• Indian-origin New Zealand cricketer Ajaz Patel has been declared as the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for December 2021 by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
• Meanwhile, ICC Women’s Player of the Month of December 2021 has no winner as no Women’s International matches were scheduled.