Recently, RBI released the annual report for the Ombudsman scheme for the period 2023-24.
The 2023-24 annual report showed a 33% increase in complaints compared to FY23.

• Loan-related complaints increased by 43%in FY24, constituting 29% of total grievances.
• Complaints related to mobile and internet banking also saw a rise due to greater digital adoption.
• The ombudsman resolved 67.8%of maintainable complaints, with 1% settled through mutual agreement and 40.8% rejected due to no service deficiencies.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)launched the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (RB-IOS) in 2021 to streamline grievance redressal for RBI-regulated entities, implementing the “One Nation One Ombudsman”
• The scheme integrates three previous ombudsman schemes: the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006, the Ombudsman Scheme for Non-Banking Financial Companies, 2018, and the Ombudsman Scheme for Digital Transactions, 2019.
• It covers a wide range of financial entities, including commercial banks, regional rural banks, cooperative banks, NBFCs, payment system participants, and credit information companies.

• Odisha signed an MoU with Singapore’s Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN)in January 2025 to establish a FinTech hub in Bhubaneswar.
• The hub will focus on InsureTech innovationand support India’s “Insurance for All” vision by 2047.
• The Global Competency Centrewill drive financial inclusion and innovation in FinTech solutions.
• The initiative aims to position Odisha as a key player in the global FinTech sector.
• The agreement was signed during Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s visit, marking 60 years of diplomatic ties between India and Singapore.

Uttarakhand became the first Indian state to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) on January 27, 2025.

The decision was approved by the state cabinet led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

The UCC sets a uniform legal framework for marriage, divorce, inheritance, and live-in relationships.

Minimum marriage age is set at 18 years for women and 21 years for men, with mandatory marriage registration.

• Uniform grounds for divorce include cruelty, adultery, desertion, and mental illness.
• Equal inheritance rights are given to sons and daughters, removing the distinction between ancestral and self-acquired property.
• Mandatory registration of live-in relationships ensures legal protection and inheritance rights for children born in such relationships.
• Polygamy is completely banned across all religions.
• The law aims to promote gender equality and remove discriminatory practices but has sparked debates over its cultural impact.

• Observed annually on 30 January to honor the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for India’s independence.
• The day marks the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on 30 January 1948.
• It also remembers the sacrifice of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev, who were hanged on 23 March 1931 by the British for their involvement in the freedom movement.
• The nation observes a two-minute silence at 11:00 AM in memory of those who gave their lives for India’s freedom.
• Shaheed Diwas is a tribute to all revolutionary leaders and unsung heroes who fought for independence.

• Hariman Sharma, known as the “Apple Man of India,” has been conferred with the Padma Shri for his significant contributions to agriculture.
• He developed the HRMN-99apple variety, which can thrive in tropical and subtropical regions with summer temperatures up to 46°C.
• Sharma started his journey in 1990, initially with a small nursery in Paniyala village, Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh.
• The HRMN-99apple has a striped red-over-yellow skin and soft, juicy pulp, with plants producing up to 75 kg of fruit.
• His work has helped cultivate apples in regions previously thought unsuitable, benefiting farmers in 27 states and boosting exports to countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Germany, and South Africa.
• Sharma has received 15 national awards and 10 state awards for his horticultural achievements.

Recently, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), set up its 6th new regional office in Varanasi.
Earlier, IWAI had five regional offices in Guwahati, Patna, Kochi, Bhubaneswar & Kolkata.

• IWAI is a statutory body established under the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act (1985), functioning under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.
• It is responsible for the development and regulation of inland waterways for shipping and navigation in India.
• The authority undertakes projects for the development and maintenance of IWT infrastructure on national waterways using grants from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.

The upcoming Bollywood film Chhava, based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, has sparked controversy over a scene where the Maratha king is depicted performing the Lezim dance.

• Lezim dance is a traditional folk dance originating from Maharashtra, performed with a handheld instrument made of wood and metallic jingles.
• It is mainly performed during festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, marriage processions, and cultural celebrations, especially in Maharashtra and along the Konkan coast.
• The dance involves energetic movements, including stepping, squatting, and jumping, often in synchronized patterns.
• Instruments like the dhol or dhalgi accompany the dance, with occasional song additions.
• It represents community spirit and is practiced as physical exercise in schools across Maharashtra.

Recently, RBI released the annual report for the Ombudsman scheme for the period 2023-24.
The 2023-24 annual report showed a 33% increase in complaints compared to FY23.

• Loan-related complaints increased by 43%in FY24, constituting 29% of total grievances.
• Complaints related to mobile and internet banking also saw a rise due to greater digital adoption.
• The ombudsman resolved 67.8%of maintainable complaints, with 1% settled through mutual agreement and 40.8% rejected due to no service deficiencies.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)launched the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (RB-IOS) in 2021 to streamline grievance redressal for RBI-regulated entities, implementing the “One Nation One Ombudsman”
• The scheme integrates three previous ombudsman schemes: the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006, the Ombudsman Scheme for Non-Banking Financial Companies, 2018, and the Ombudsman Scheme for Digital Transactions, 2019.
• It covers a wide range of financial entities, including commercial banks, regional rural banks, cooperative banks, NBFCs, payment system participants, and credit information companies.

• Odisha signed an MoU with Singapore’s Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN)in January 2025 to establish a FinTech hub in Bhubaneswar.
• The hub will focus on Insure Tech innovation and support India’s “Insurance for All” vision by 2047.
• The Global Competency Centre will drive financial inclusion and innovation in FinTech solutions.
• The initiative aims to position Odisha as a key player in the global FinTech sector.
• The agreement was signed during Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s visit, marking 60 years of diplomatic ties between India and Singapore.

Uttarakhand became the first Indian state to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) on January 27, 2025.

The decision was approved by the state cabinet led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

The UCC sets a uniform legal framework for marriage, divorce, inheritance, and live-in relationships.

Minimum marriage age is set at 18 years for women and 21 years for men, with mandatory marriage registration.

• Uniform grounds for divorce include cruelty, adultery, desertion, and mental illness.
• Equal inheritance rights are given to sons and daughters, removing the distinction between ancestral and self-acquired property.
• Mandatory registration of live-in relationships ensures legal protection and inheritance rights for children born in such relationships.
• Polygamy is completely banned across all religions.
• The law aims to promote gender equality and remove discriminatory practices but has sparked debates over its cultural impact.