1. Axis Bank MD & CEO Shikha Sharma retires; Amitabh Chaudhry takes charge

• Axis Bank on Monday said its Managing Director and CEO Shikha Sharma has retired, effective December 31, 2018.Amitabh Chaudhry will be the new managing director and CEO of the bank with effect from January 1, 2019.
• Chaudhry, 54, started his career in corporate banking with the Bank of America in 1987, where he worked in diverse roles.
• However, in April this year, Sharma wanted her new term to be reduced to seven months from a three-year tenure without citing any reasons, which was accepted by the board.

2. Pakistan Cabinet approves issuance of 'Panda bonds' in Chinese currency

• Pakistan's cabinet has approved the issuance of first-ever renminbi-denominated bonds to raise loans from China's capital markets, as the country moved a step forward to give the Chinese currency a status at par with the US dollar.
• The 'Panda Bonds' was approved in a Cabinet meeting, led by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
• The approval for issuing bonds in the Chinese capital markets came on the heel of the Finance Ministry's decision to delay issuance of dollar-denominated Eurobonds, worth $3 billion.

3. Ashwani Lohani retires, V K Yadav new railway board chairman

• Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani retired on Monday, despite strong indications that the Narendra Modi government could grant him an extension.
• Yadav belongs to the 1980 batch of the Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers. Till Monday, he was general manager of South Central Railway.
• Yadav is credited with bringing in innovative practices to enhance productivity and ensure workforce welfare.

4. Centre infuses Rs 3,076 crore capital into UCO Bank

• State-run lender UCO Bank on Monday said the central government has infused Rs 3,076 crore of capital into it by way of preferential allotment.
• By the end of second quarter of 2018-19 (FY19), its capital adequate ratio (Basel III) stood at 7.57 per cent as against 9.32 per cent year-ago.
• Gross NPA of the Bank as a percentage of total loans decreased during September quarter by 0.34 basis points to 25.37 per cent from 25.71 per cent during the June quarter.

5. Veteran actor-writer Kader Khan passes away at age of 81

• Veteran actor-writer Kader Khan passed away due to prolonged illness at the age of 81 on December 31.
• As a screenwriter, Khan frequently collaborated with Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra.His films with Desai include "Dharam Veer", "Ganga Jamuna Saraswati", "Coolie", "Desh Premee", "Suhaag.
• Born in Kabul, Khan made his acting debut in 1973 with Rajesh Khanna's "Daag" and has featured in over 300 films.

6. Government sets up export promotion cell for MSMEs

• The MSME ministry has established an export promotion cell to create a sustainable ecosystem for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
• The benefits likely to accrue from the setting up of the cell include integration MSMEs into global value chain, evaluation of readiness of MSMEs to export their products and services.
• The ministry has also proposed to formulate a governing council that will be chaired by secretary of the MSME ministry and co-chaired by the development commissioner, MSME.

7. Government to achieve 100% household electrification ahead of Republic Day

• The government is likely to achieve its 100 per cent household electrification target in the country ahead of Republic Day as it has already energised 2.39 crore out of the targeted 2.49 crore households under Rs 16,320 crore Saubhagya scheme.
• A power ministry statement said India has achieved yet another milestone in the power sector with the completion of electrification in hundred per cent households in 25 states at the year-end.
• The centre had launched the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana, Saubhagya scheme to provide electricity to all households by December 2018.