# Private investment

• There is a continued rise in private investments in the third quarter of 2020-21.

• This private investment is led by a 102% surge in manufacturing investments.

• Private investment helped india register a healthy 10.3% increase in fresh project spending in quarter 3 over the previous quarter.

• But the government spending collapsed between october and december 2020 by 20%.

# Shorter parade route

• The republic day parade this year will see marching contingents terminate at the India gate c-hexagon instead of the red fort.

• Earlier the parade used to cover around 8 km but this year the distance has been reduced to roughly 3 km.

• The parade will now end at the national stadium.

# Panchayat elections in Andhra pradesh

• The Andhra pradesh high court is likely to pass a ruling on monday on the state government’s plea against holiday of local body elections.

• The government filed a petition on january 9 taking strong objection to state election commissioner n. rameah kumar’s decision to conduct elections to gram panchayats on 5,9,13 and 17.

# India-nepal border dispute

• Nepali PM KP sharma oli has said that, Nepal wants “equality based friendship” with India.

• Foreign minister of Nepal Pradeep kumar gyawali would visit India on january 14.

• He will discuss disputes related related to the border and several other issues.

# Simultaneous elections

• Experts are in favour of simultaneous elections.

• Legal luminaries Soli Sorabjee and Mahesh jethmalani spoke in favour of holding simultaneous elections.

• These discussions were organised by BJP after PM pitched for “one nation one poll”.