Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver a virtual address at the Karyakar Suvarna Mahotsav, a grand celebration marking 50 years of selfless service by volunteers of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS) Sanstha.

The National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) and the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) signed a memorandum of understanding on Saturday to promote entrepreneurship among marginalized communities.

• This partnership is expected to add a new dimension in the socio-economic empowerment of minorities and marginalized communities by combining the expertise and resources of NMDFC and DICCI, an official statement said.
• The NMDFC has mandate to provide concessional finance for self-employment and income-generation activities.
• It has transformed the lives of over 24 lakh families belonging to minority communities since inception in 1994 with credit support exceeding Rs 9,000 crore, the statement said.

Armed Forces Flag Day is celebrated every year on December 7 and the day has a special importance for not only the defense /armed forces but for the countrymen as well .

• The Armed Forces Flag Day or the Flag Day of India is a day dedicated to honoring the soldiers and veterans of India’s armed forces .
• It has been observed annually in India on December 7 since 1949.
• Immediately after India achieved independence, a need arose for the government to manage the welfare of its defense forces personnel .
• On August 28,1949 a committee set up under the defense minister decided to observe a Flag Day annually on December 7.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved opening of 85 new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) under Civil/Defence sector across the country and expansion of one existing KV i.e. KV Shivamogga, District Shivamogga, Karnataka to facilitate increased number of Central Government employees by adding two additional Sections in all the classes under the Kendriya Vidyalaya Scheme (Central Sector Scheme).

• The total estimated requirement of funds for establishment of the 85 new KVs and expansion of 01 existing nearby KV is Rs. 5872.08 crore (approx.) spread over a period of eight years from 2025-26.
• This includes capital expenditure component of Rs. 2862.71 crore (approx.) and operational expenditure of Rs. 3009.37 crore (approx.).           
• As on date, there are 1256 functional KVs, including 03 abroad viz. Moscow, Kathmandu and Tehran and a total number of 13.56 lakh (approx.) students are studying in these KVs.   

The Indian Embassy in Austria announced that India has been chosen to Chair the 68th Session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND). 

• India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna, Ambassador Shambhu S Kumaran, officially assumed the Chairmanship of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs. 
• This is the first time that India has been named to Chair this important UN body.
• The CND is the principal policy-making body of the United Nations on drug-related matters.
• It is mandated to monitor global drug trends, support Member States in formulating balanced policies, and oversee implementation of the major international drug conventions. 
• The CND is one of the functional commissions of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and a Governing Body of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) which is headquartered in Vienna.
• As Chair, India will be expected to articulate interests of the Global South in line with its role in promoting interests and perspectives of developing nations in global discussions. 

India's forex reserves increased by USD 1.51 billion to USD 658.091 billion for the week ended November 29, the RBI said on Friday ( 6 Decem ber 2024).

• The overall reserves had dropped by USD 1.31 billion to USD 656.582 billion in the previous reporting week.
• The kitty has witnessed a declining trend in the recent past and had dropped by a record USD 17.761 billion in the week prior to the last.
• The forex reserves had increased to an all-time high of USD 704.885 billion in end-September.

India co-sponsored a UN General Assembly draft resolution that was unanimously adopted to proclaim December 21 as World Meditation Day.
With this, December 21 will be observed as World Meditation Day every year.

• India, including Liechtenstein, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Mexico and Andorra, was a member of the core group of countries that guided the unanimous adoption of the resolution titled 'World Meditation Day' in the 193-member UN General Assembly on Friday( 5 December).
• Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar express his happiness on X.
• India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish said India's leadership in overall human wellbeing stems from "our civilisational dictum of #VasudhaivaKutumbakam - the whole world is one family".
• Harish noted that December 21 marks the Winter Solstice, which in Indian tradition is the beginning of "Uttarayana - an auspicious time of the year, especially for inner reflection" and meditation.

Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi inaugurated the second edition of Krishnaveni Sangeetha Neerajanam music festival at the Tummalapalli Kshetrayya Kalakshetra Auditorium in Vijayawada on December 6.

• The three-day festival is being held across three iconic locations in Vijayawada, featuring over 140 talented artists and 35 mesmerising programmes that celebrate the rich legacy of Carnatic music.
• It celebrates the rich legacy of Telugu culture and the remarkable contributions of the Telugu language to classical traditions, showcasing a timeless repertoire of compositions. 
• The festival aims to revive these glorious traditions for the younger generation while promoting GI-tagged handicrafts and handloom products.

Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday(6 December 2024) launched PM e-VIDYA Channel 31, a DTH channel dedicated to sign language.

• A historic chapter has been added to the welfare of Divyangs in the form of a new Act which enlarges the scope of the legal framework.
• The National Education Policy 2020 has stressed the education of children with special needs.
• Mentioning acclaimed personalities who were differently-abled, from Soordas to Stephen Hawking, Pradhan said immense potential lies in our Divyang friends and launch of the DTH channel will help unlock that potential.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will pay an official visit to the Russian Federation from December 08-10, 2024. During the visit, Raksha Mantri and the Defence Minister of Russia Mr Andrey Belousov will co-chair the 21st meeting of India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC) in Moscow on December 10, 2024.

• The two leaders will review the entire range of multi-faceted relations between the two countries in the field of defence, including military-to-military and industrial cooperation.
• They will also exchange views on contemporary regional and global issues of mutual interest.
• As part of the visit, Raksha Mantri will also commission the Indian Navy’s latest multi-role stealth guided missile frigate ‘INS Tushil’ at Yantra Shipyard, Kaliningrad on December 09, 2024.
• Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi will accompany Shri Rajnath Singh for the commissioning ceremony.
• In addition, Raksha Mantri will pay tributes at ‘The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier’ in Moscow to honour the Soviet soldiers killed during the Second World War. He will also interact with the members of the Indian community.

Citing the data available in the Annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) the ministry of Labour and Employment has observed a fall in the unemployment rate.

• The fall in the unemployment rate was from 6.0 per cent to 3.2 per cent.between 2017 and 2024.
• The Annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) report states Unemployment Rate on usual status for persons of age 15 years and above.
• During the same time period, the estimated Worker Population Ratio (WPR) has increased from 46.8% in 2017-18 to 58.2% in 2023-24.
• The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) is a report indicating employment during the last 7 years, including the COVID period.
• The data was presented by Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday ( 5 December).

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, launched on January 22, 2015, under the Ministry of Women & Child Development in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, has achieved notable progress in improving the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) and Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) for girls.

• The scheme has improved the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) from 918 in 2014-15 to 930 in 2023-24 and increased the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) of girls in secondary education from 75.51% to 79.4% during the same period.
• The scheme focuses on eliminating gender-biased practices, ensuring girl child protection, and promoting education.
• BBBP is a centrally sponsored scheme with 100% funding by the Central Government in all the districts of the country under Sambal vertical of Mission Shakti. 

International Civil Aviation Day is observed every year on December 7 to raise awareness about the role of civil aviation in promoting economic growth and global connectivity.

The day aims to Raise awareness of the importance of international civil aviation, to Engage with industry and aviation stakeholders to discuss different topics related to the future of aviation and to Develop international standards for aviation safety.

Theme of International Civil Aviation Day 2024

On December 7th to celebrate the International Civil Aviation Day 2024, the Council has decided that the theme will be “Safe Skies. Sustainable Future: Together for the next 80 years.”.

History of the day

This day was established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to highlight the contribution of sustainable development, peace and security.  It honours the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation promoting economic growth and global connectivity. 7 December 2024 also marks the 80th anniversary of the signing of the Convention on International Civil Aviation in Chicago, US.