National
Strategic Partnership between IPPB and BALIC
⇒ India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), Department of Posts and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company on 11 November 2021 announced a strategic partnership to offer term and annuity products to customers.
- The term and annuity products will be offered to customers through the Bank’s extensive network of 650 branches and over 136,000 banking access points.
- The tie-up will enable customers, particularly from weaker sections and living in unbanked and underserved areas, to become financially secure and empowered. It is in line with IPPB’s objective of offering value added products and services to its customers.
As per this strategic alliance:
» Bajaj Allianz Life Smart Protect Goal and Bajaj Allianz Life Guaranteed Pension Goal are the term and annuity products that will be offered.
Bajaj Allianz Life Smart Protect Goal:
- A comprehensive and value-added term insurance product, is designed to give immediate financial support to a family in the event of an untimely death of the breadwinner.
Bajaj Allianz Life Guaranteed Pension Goal:
- An annuity plan, aims to meet post retirement expenses as it offers guaranteed and fixed regular income till the person is alive.
» Both these products will be available to customers in addition to DoP’s existing PLI (Postal Life Insurance) & RPLI (Rural Postal Life Insurance) products.
Two-day Regional Conference at Lucknow
⇒ Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Shri Yogi Adityanath, and Union Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr Jitendra Singh jointly inaugurated the two-day Regional Conference at Lucknow on 11 November 2021.
Theme:
The Regional Conference was held on the theme “Strengthening the State Institutes of Public Administration”.
Organized by:
Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) in collaboration with Government of Uttar Pradesh organized the Regional Conference on November 11-12, 2021 in a semi-virtual mode.
Addressing the Regional Conference, Dr Jitendra Singh announced:
- The DARPG shall collaborate with Government of Uttar Pradesh in developing a District Good Governance Index, first for any State, on the lines of the National Good Governance Index for improving the efficiency of Governance across Districts.
- Based on the lines of the National Good Governance Index, the District Index will be replicated in other states for improving efficiency in Governance.
- DARPG will work with the UP Government for integration of CPGRAMS with district portal of UP to enable citizens to lodge complaint from a single portal.
Aim:
The main objective of the Conference is to bring national and state level training institutes on the same platform to share emerging requirements in governance for future public solutions for improving quality of life, bringing synergies among administrative Institutes for continuous capacity building, logistics as aimed under MissionKarmyogi.
This Conference was an effort to create a common platform to share experiences in the formulation and implementation of best practices in administrative training, capacity building to facilitate citizen centric governance, etc.
International
101st member country of the International Solar Alliance
⇒ The United States of America has become the 101st member country of the International Solar Alliance.
In a big boost to accelerate global adoption of solar energy, John Kerry, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate announced at the UNFCCC COP26 that the United States of America has joined the International Solar Alliance as a member country.
US becomes the 101st country to sign the framework agreement of the ISA to catalyze global energy transition through a solar-led approach.
About ISA:
- The ISA is an intergovernmental treaty-based international organization with a global mandate to catalyze global solar growth by helping to reduce the cost of financing and technology for solar.
- The launch of the International Solar Alliance was announced by Shri Narendra Modi, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India and Mr Francois Hollande, former Hon’ble President of France on 30th November 2015.
- ISA was announced at the 21st session of United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP-21) in Paris, France.
11th Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) Group meeting
⇒ The 11th Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) Group meeting between India and the United States was held virtually on November 09, 2021.
Co-chair:
The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Raj Kumar from Ministry of Defence, India and PTDO (Performing the Duties of) Under Secretary of Defence for Acquisition and Sustainment from US Department of Defence Mr Gregory Kausner.
Key Points:
- Co-chairs agree on revised Statement of Intent to strengthen dialogue on defence technology cooperation
- First Project Agreement for Air-Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle under Joint Working Group Air Systems signed since last meeting
- Defence Industry Collaboration Forum Virtual Expo conducted to further encourage development of niche technologies
About DTTI Group:
- The DTTI Group meetings are normally held twice a year, alternating between India and the US.
- The aim of the DTTI Group is to bring sustained leadership focus to the bilateral defence trade relationship and create opportunities for co-production and co-development of defence equipment.
Sports
2021 Mexico City Grand Prix Formula 1 Race
⇒ The 2021 Mexico City Grand Prix Formula 1 Race took place on 07 November 2021 over 71 laps of the 4.304 kilometre Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City.
Winner:
Red Bull Racing Honda, Max Verstappen won 2021 Mexico City Grand Prix.
Death
Noted author and public intellectual, Shri Anand Shankar Pandya
⇒ Recently, noted author and public intellectual, Shri Anand Shankar Pandya passed away. He was 99 years old.
Former Vice President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Shri Anand Shankar Pandya was a prolific author and public intellectual who wrote extensively on history, public policy and spirituality.
Shri Pandya was passionate about India’s growth. He was active in the VHP and worked selflessly towards social service.