APPOINTMENTS

Anu Garg Becomes Odisha’s First Woman Chief Secretary

• Anu Garg has been appointed as the Chief Secretary of Odisha, creating history as the first woman to occupy the state’s top bureaucratic post.

• She succeeds Manoj Ahuja, who demitted office after completing his tenure on December 31, 2025.

• Ms. Garg belongs to the 1991 batch of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and brings more than 30 years of governance experience.

• Prior to this appointment, she was serving as Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary of the state.

• She is also entrusted with the additional responsibility of the Water Resources Department.

• Originally from Uttar Pradesh, she holds a Master’s degree in Sociology.

• During her career, she has led several crucial departments, including Health, Planning, and Water Resources.

• Her elevation is seen as a landmark moment for gender representation in Odisha’s administrative leadership.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India–Australia Trade Boost under Ind-Aus ECTA

• Australia has announced that all Indian exports will face zero customs duty from 1 January 2026, marking a key achievement of the Ind-Aus ECTA.

• The step coincides with three years of the trade agreement, signalling deeper economic cooperation and smoother market entry for Indian products.

• Complete tariff elimination will make Indian goods more price-competitive and strengthen cross-border supply chains.

• India’s exports to Australia have already shown momentum, rising by about 8% in FY 2024–25, helping improve the trade balance.

• Strong performance has been seen in manufacturing, chemicals, textiles, pharmaceuticals, petroleum products, plastics, and gems & jewellery.

• Agricultural exports such as marine products, spices, coffee, fruits and vegetables have also expanded, with gems and jewellery showing double-digit growth.

• Labour-intensive industries and MSMEs are expected to gain the most, as lower duties reduce costs and improve profit margins.

• The agreement also supports easier trade through measures like a mutual recognition pact for organic products, cutting compliance burdens for exporters.

India’s Rise as a Global Economic Power

• India has moved ahead of Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy, with its GDP estimated at $4.18 trillion.

• Official projections suggest that India may overtake Germany within three years, potentially reaching a GDP of about $7.3 trillion by 2030.

• The economy recorded a robust 8.2% real GDP growth in Q2 of FY 2025–26, the strongest performance in six quarters.

• Growth momentum has been supported by an 8.1% rise in real GVA, led mainly by industry and services.

• Domestic consumption continues to be the backbone of expansion, aided by falling unemployment and steady urban demand.

• Benign inflation and healthy credit flow have strengthened consumer confidence and business activity.

• Policy measures such as tax rationalisation, lower crude prices and accelerated public capital spending have reinforced growth.

• Reflecting strong fundamentals, the RBI raised its FY 2025–26 growth estimate to 7.3%, aligning with India’s long-term development vision.

SPORTS

87th Senior National Badminton Championships 2025

• The 87th Senior National Badminton Championships were held in Vijayawada, showcasing India’s growing strength in domestic badminton.

• Surya Charishma Tamiri clinched the Women’s Singles title after staging a strong comeback in the final.

• She overcame Tanvi Patri in a three-game match, reversing an early setback to seal a memorable national victory.

• In Men’s Singles, Rithvik Sanjeevi S lifted the crown with a straight-game win over Bharat Raghav.

• The Men’s Doubles title was secured by A. Hariharan and Ruban Kumar, who prevailed in a tightly fought final.

• Former champions Shikha Gautam and Ashwini Bhat K reclaimed the Women’s Doubles championship with a convincing performance.

• The tournament followed the best-of-three games format, as per standard national competition rules.

• Success at the Senior Nationals is significant, as it often opens doors for international selection and higher-level exposure.

BANKING AND ECONOMY NEWS

RBI Report on Banking Sector Trends and Performance (2024–25)

• The Reserve Bank of India released the “Trend and Progress of Banking in India 2024–25” report, assessing the overall health of the banking system.

• The report underlines the strong resilience of Indian banks, even amid a challenging global economic environment.

• This stability has been driven by healthy balance sheet expansion, better asset quality, and sustained profitability.

• During FY 2024–25, banks recorded double-digit growth in balance sheets, though the momentum was slightly lower than the previous year.

• Deposits and credit of scheduled commercial banks continued to grow at a double-digit rate, but at a slower pace compared to FY 2023–24.

• Asset quality improved further, with the Gross NPA ratio falling to 2.2% by March 2025 and easing to 2.1% by September 2025.

• The declining NPA levels indicate effective stress resolution mechanisms and improved credit appraisal standards.

• Bank profitability remained strong, with Return on Assets at 1.4% and Return on Equity at 13.5% in FY25, reflecting operational efficiency and financial strength.

India’s Industrial Production Performance – November 2025

• Industrial output expanded sharply to 6.7% in November 2025, marking the fastest growth in the last 25 months on a year-on-year basis.

• This represents a strong rebound from October’s revised growth of just 0.5%, indicating a broad-based recovery in activity.

• The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) is the official measure used to track changes in India’s industrial output.

• According to data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, manufacturing played the central role in driving growth.

• Manufacturing output rose by 8%, emerging as the largest contributor to the overall industrial expansion.

• Mining activity recorded a 5.4% increase, supported by higher extraction of metallic minerals such as iron ore.

• The electricity sector remained in contraction, though the decline eased to 1.5% in November compared to 6.9% in October.

• Despite the recovery, IIP growth remains below the earlier peak of 11.9% seen in November 2023, highlighting scope for further momentum.

SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE

Centenary of Ol Chiki Script: Presidential Participation in Jharkhand

• The 100-year celebration of the Ol Chiki script was held at Dishom Jaherthan, Karandih (Jamshedpur), Jharkhand, in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu.

• The President took part in traditional rituals at the sacred Jaherthan, highlighting respect for Santhali cultural practices.

• She paid tribute to Pandit Raghunath Murmu, creator of the Ol Chiki script, by offering floral respects at his statue.

• Addressing the 22nd Parsi Maha Santhali Sammelan, the President delivered her speech in Santhali, her mother tongue.

• She encouraged the use of modern technology, including translation tools and AI-based applications, in the Ol Chiki script.

• On the occasion, President Murmu also sang a traditional Santhali song, “Jaher Aayo Nehor,” adding a cultural touch to the event.

• Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangawar and Chief Minister Hemant Soren appreciated efforts to preserve and promote the Santhali language, especially the role of writers’ organisations.

• Ol Chiki, created in 1925, is the official script of the Santhali language, an Austroasiatic language recognised as an official language in India.