• National

Railway Minister announces ‘Honey Bee’ plan

• Railway ministry announced that the ‘Honey Bee’ plan will be expanded to other areas of the country.
• The initiative was started on an experimental basis in Assam in 2017.
• The aim is to avoid the death of animals particularly elephants on railway tracks.
• In this plan, a device is used which amplifies the recorded sound of honey bees to keep elephants away from the rail track.

• Economy and Business

Banks recover ₹40,400 crore from defaulters

• According to RBI, in the fiscal ended March 2018, banks recovered ₹40,400 crore worth of bad loans as against ₹38,500 crore recovered in FY17.
• The various channels through which lenders recovered their bad loans include the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), SARFAESI Act, Debt Recovery Tribunals (DRTs) and Lok Adalats.
• The amount recovered through SARFAESI was ₹26,500 crore in FY18.

• Economy and Business

ESAF is now ‘scheduled bank’

• ESAF Small Finance Bank Ltd has received the RBI’s approval for inclusion in the second schedule of the RBI Act, 1934.
• Now the bank can seek funds from trusts, associations, religious institutions, and mutual funds.
• It will also enable the bank to avail higher refinance facility.
• R Prabha is the Chairman of ESAF Small Finance Bank.
• The headquarters of the bank is in Thrissur, Kerala.

• Economy and Business

Government infuses Rs 2159 Crore in United Bank of India

• According to The United Bank of India, the Union government has decided to infuse Rs 2,159 crore in the bank.
• The government has decided to pump Rs 28,615 crore into seven public sector banks (PSBs) through recapitalization bonds soon.
• Bank of India is likely to get the highest amount of Rs 10,086 crore.

• Sports

ICC name Women’s ODI and T20I team of the year

• International Cricket Council (ICC) announced women’s ODI and T20I teams of the year 2018.
• New Zealand’s Suzie Bates was named as captain of the 50-over side and Harmanpreet Kaur of India appointed captain of the T20 team.
• The teams have been selected by Voting Academy comprising of members from media and broadcast.

• Sports

Saurabh Chaudhary sweeps men's air pistol national trials

• Indian Shooter Saurabh Chaudhary has won the 10m air pistol trials at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range by winning the second National trial competitions in both the men’s and junior boy’s categories.
• Asian Games and Youth Olympic Games champion
• Earlier, Saurabh had won the first trial in both events as well and in one final shooting event way above the existing world record score.
• He won the men’s final with a relatively modest 243.3 score, leaving behind Punjab’s Arjun Singh Cheema, who shot 239.8 to emerge second.

• Awards

National Nritya Shiromani Award for Anindita

• US-based Kathak exponent Anindita Neogy Anaam will be honoured with the ‘National Nritya Shiromani’ award for 2019 on 2 January 2019.
• She will be given the award for promoting the Kathak Dance across the world.
• The award would be conferred on her in Cuttack on the opening day of the 10th ‘Cuttack Mahotsav: International Dance and Music ​Festival’.

• Appointments

Government appoints Sudhir Bhargava as new CIC

• The government of India appointed Sudhir Bhargava as Chief Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission (CIC).
• The government of India also appointed IFS officer Yashwardhan Kumar Sinha, ex-IRS officer Vanaja N. Sarna, former IAS Neeraj Kumar Gupta, and former law secretary Suresh Chandra as information commissioners.
• The CIC was set up under the Right to Information Act.

• Defence

Lt Gen Manoj takes charge of Gajraj Corps

• Lt Gen Manoj Pande took the command of the Indian Army’s Gajraj Corps on 30 December 2018.
• He replaced Lt Gen Gurpal Singh Sangha.
• Prior to this, he was the Chief of Staff in Headquarters Southern Command.
• The Gajraj Corps (IV Corps) is a military field formation of the Indian Army, created in 1961.

• States

Telangana govt hospital enters Guinness Bookc

• Telangana government’s MNJ Institute of Oncology and Regional Cancer Centre entered the Guinness Book of World Records.
• It organised the largest men’s Health Awareness programme on prostate cancer on a single day.
• Besides the Guinness World Record, the hospital also received recognition from ‘High Range Book of World Records.

• States

‘Ujjwala Sanitary Napkin’ launched in Odisha

• Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan launched ‘Ujjwala Sanitary Napkins’ in Odisha on 30 December 2018.
• Under the initiative, Oil Marketing Companies (OMC) will set up 100 manufacturing units at the Common Service Centres in Odisha.
• The aim of the initiative is to educate women on female hygiene and health, and improve accessibility to low cost eco-friendly sanitary pads.

• States

MP govt decides to form new Spiritual Dept

• Madhya Pradesh government decided to form a new Spiritual Department.
• The Religious Trust and Endowments and Happiness Department will be merged in the new department.
• The objective of the formation of the Spiritual Department is to strengthen inter-communal harmony and Sarvadharma Sambhav in the state covering all religions, sects, and faiths.