1. PM inaugurates, launches development works in Baripada, Odisha

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, visited Baripada, in Odisha.He unveiled a digital plaque to mark the commencement of work for conservation and development of Rasika Ray Temple, and Excavated Structure at Ancient Fort Haripurgarh.
• He dedicated to the nation, the Balasore-Haldia-Durgapur section of the Paradip-Haldia-Durgapur LPG pipeline of IOCL. He also inaugurated the Multi Modal Logistic Park at Balasore, and six Passport Sewa Kendras.
• The Prime Minister said that in the last four and a half years, the Union Government has attempted to reduce the difficulty faced by people in obtaining passports. He said that the six Passport Sewa Kendras being inaugurated today, are a step in this direction.

2.  KV Subramanian resigns from Bandhan Bank after appointment as CEA

• Bandhan Bankannounced that Krishnamurthy V Subramanian has resigned as independent director from its board following his appointment as the chief economic advisor (CEA) to the government.
• On December 7, the government had appointed ISB Hyderabad professor Subramanian as the CEA for a period of three years.
• He replaced Arvind Subramanian, who resigned from the post in June 2018.

3. PM lays foundation stone for revival of 6 irrigation projects in Jharkhand

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stone of revival of six irrigation projects, including North Koel (Mandal Dam) project amounting to 2,500 crore rupees and Kanhar Stone Pipeline irrigation system.
• The Mandal Dam project will help around one lakh 11 thousand hectares of agricultural land in Jharkhand and Bihar to get irrigation facilities and 24 MW of electricity will also be produced.
• Jharkhand has recorded 18 percent growth in the growth rate of agriculture in last four year and present Raghubar Das government is taking many steps, like subsidised agriculture equipments and seeds.

4. Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards

• The Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, the most prestigious annual event in the Indian media calendar, is a recognition of the highest standards of journalism.
• Home Minister Rajnath Singh Friday presented awards to 29 winners in 18 categories — across print, broadcast and purely-digital — for outstanding work done in 2017.
• The awards aim to celebrate excellence in journalism, recognise courage and commitment and showcase the outstanding contributions of journalists from across the country.

5. Govt amalgamates three RRBs into a single bank

• The government has amalgamated three Regional Rural Banks -- Punjab Gramin Bank, Malwa Gramin Bank and Sutlej Gramin Bank -- into a single RRB with effect from January 1.
• In a filing to the BSE, Punjab and Sind Bank said the central government, after consulting the sponsor banks of the three RRBs, felt that in the interest of the banks and the areas served by them, they should be amalgamated into a single RRB.
• National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Chairman: Harsh Kumar Bhanwala,Headquarters: Mumbai

6. Chinese rover powers up devices in pioneering moon mission

• Chinese spacecraft and rover power up their observation equipment after making a first-ever landing on the far side of the moon, the Chinese National Space Administration said.
• The Jade Rabbit 2 rover has succeeded in establishing a digital transmission link with a relay satellite that sends data back to the Beijing control center, the space agency said in a posting late Friday on its website.
• Chang'e 4, named after a Chinese moon goddess, is the first craft to make a soft landing on the moon's far side, which faces away from Earth.

7. RBI limits customer liability in fraudulent PPI transactions

• The Reserve Bank of India has decided to limit the liability of customers in case of unauthorised electronic payment transactions in Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) issued by non-banks.
• Under new norms on customer liability, the regulator said frauds due to third-party breach where neither the customer nor the PPI issuer is at fault, there cannot be any liability for the customer, in case the incident in reported within three days.
• If the fraud is reported between three and seven days, customer liability will amount to the transaction value or ₹10,000, whichever is lower.

8. 9-day long International Kite Festival kicks off in Ahmedabad

• In Gujarat, the nine-day long international kite festival kicked off at Sabarmati River Front in Ahmedabad this morning.
• Our correspondent reports that more than 150 kite fliers from 45 countries are participating in this edition of the festival.
• About 500 kite fliers 13 different states of the country and 19 cities of Gujarat are also taking part.The festival is also planned at Vadodara, Kevadiya, Dwaraka, Surat, Rajkot, Jetpur, Songadh, Saputara and Dhordo in the coming days.

9. Vijay Mallya becomes first person to be declared a 'fugitive economic offender' under new law

• A special court in Mumbai declared absconding liquor baron Vijay Mallya a fugitive economic offender (FEO) on a plea of the Enforcement Directorate.
• Mallya has become the first businessman to be declared EFO under the provisions of the new Fugitive Economic Offenders Act which came into existence in August last year.
• A fugitive economic offender is offences involving amount of at least Rs 100 crore or more and has left India so as to avoid criminal prosecution.any individual against whom warrants for arrest is issued for his involvement in select economic

10. AAI signs MoU with SAMEER for boosting communication

• Airports Authority of India (AAI)signed MoU with Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research (SAMEER) for joint research programs in the field of Communication Navigation and Surveillance (CNS).
• AAI and SAMEER, an autonomous research and development (R and D) institute under MeitY have entered into an overarching MOU that will provide a platform for Collaborative Research for both the Organizations to work together.
• Both the organisations will strive to arrive at a beneficial solution for CNS Systems related R and D activities in the country.

11. Odisha ‘Parnter State’ in Indus Food Meet 2019

• Odisha has become the ‘Partner State’ in the Indus Food Meet 2019. The two-day mega food international event, which going to be held from January 14 at India Exposition Mart of Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh, is being organised by Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) and union commerce ministry.
• Odisha minister for MSME Prafulla Samal and MSME additional chief secretary LN Gupata Thursday reviewed the preparation for the state’s participation in the Meet.
• The 2nd edition of Indus Food Meet is hosting over 600 most prominent global buyers from food and beverage industry from over 60 countries.