Current affairs 14 December 2023

Atal Pension Yojana enrolments cross 6 crore mark.

• The total enrolment under the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has crossed 6 crore, with over 79 lakh enrolments in the current Financial Year.
• The APY is a flagship social security scheme of the Government of India which was launched on 9th May 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide old age income security to Indian citizens.
• The scheme focuses particularly on the poor, underprivileged, and workers in the unorganized sectors.

World's first Methane powered rocket "Zhuque 2" launched by China.

• A Chinese company LandSpace Technology became the first in the world to launch satellites with rockets fuelled by methane and liquid oxygen.
• The Zhuque 2 Y-3 blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China.
• The rocket was 49.5 metres in length, had a diameter of 3.35m, and had a lift-off mass of 220 tonnes, excluding the payloads.

Indian coast guard ship SAJAG strengthens maritime ties with UAE.

• The Indian Coast Guard Ship SAJAG, an Offshore Patrol Vessel, is on a three day visit to the UAE.
• This visit marks a crucial milestone in the continuous diplomatic maritime engagement between India and the UAE.
• The primary objective of the visit is to strengthen professional relationships through joint exercises and interactions, contributing to collaborative efforts in the maritime sector.

India’s Retail Inflation surges 5.55 % in November.

• Retail inflation, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), surged 5.55 percent in November on an annual basis as against 4.87 percent in October this year.
• Retail Inflation data has remained within the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) tolerance band of 2-6 percent.
• The data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation showed that the food inflation for November stood at 8.70 percent.

Udaiti Foundation launched "Close the Gender Gap" initiative.

• The Udaiti Foundation has launched Close the Gender Gap (CGG) Initiative to Lead a Shift in Gender Equality and Promote Inclusive Workplace Policies.
• The CGG platform marked a historic milestone by compiling longitudinal company-wise data from 2000 companies based on market capitalization, offering an unparalleled perspective on gender representation and policies.