NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh becomes 100th ‘Har Ghar Jal’ District: Jal Jeevan Mission
has achieved the significant milestone of providing tap water to every home of
100 districts across the country. Chamba, in Himachal Pradesh, has become the
100th ‘Har Ghar Jal’ district, the fifth aspirational district to be covered under
the initiative. The other four Har Ghar Jal Aspirational districts are
Bhadradri Kothgudem, Jayashankar Bhupalpalli, Komram Bheem Asifabad (all in
Telangana) and Mewat in Haryana.
To translate Prime Minister Shri Narendra
Modi’s vision of providing clean tap water to every home in the country by
2024, in a short span of two and half years and despite COVID-19 pandemic and
lockdown disruptions, Jal Jeevan Mission, has provided tap water supply to more
than 5.78 Crore rural households. As a result, today 100 districts in the
country are enjoying the benefits of clean tap water supply and Jal Jeevan
Mission is on track to fulfil the Government’s resolve to provide tap water
supply to every rural household by 2024.
2.
Kerala’s startup Mission partnered with Google for Startups to foster global
links: During
the ‘Huddle Global 2022’, the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) has entered into a
collaboration with technology major Google that will enable start-ups in the
State to join a wider global network that provides mentorship and training.
This wider network enables local startups to leverage Google’s programme
comprising mentorship and training of startup teams to help scale up their
solutions.
The partnership was announced by Mr Paul
Ravindranath, Head of Google for Startups Accelerator, India, at the Huddle
Global’ conclave of KSUM that kicked off. The collaboration will enable
Kerala’s startups to join a wider network to leverage Google’s programme
comprising mentorship and training of startup teams for scaled-up solutions.
Note: Google Founded: 4 September 1998;
Google Headquarters: California, United States; Google CEO: Sundar Pichai;
Google Founders: Larry Page, Sergey Brin.
3.
Lavender designated as brand product of J&K’s Doda district: The Union Minister
of Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, chaired the District
Development Coordination & Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meetings of several
districts in Jammu & Kashmir recently. A key decision taken during the
meeting was to designate Lavender as a Doda brand product, to promote lavender
under the ‘One District, One Product’ initiative of the Modi Government. Doda
district in J&K is the birthplace of India’s Purple Revolution or the
cultivation of Lavender. Though, Lavender cultivation is practised in almost
all the 20 districts of Jammu & Kashmir.
a)
Purple
Revolution (Lavender cultivation) was launched under the Aroma Mission of the
Union Ministry of Science & Technology. The AROMA mission is implemented by
the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) through its
Jammu-based laboratory, the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicines (IIIM).
b)
The
Mission’s objective is the cultivation of important medicinal and aromatic
plants domestically to empower domestic farmers and support India’s aromatic
crop-based agro-economy by reducing imports of aromatic oils and increasing
homegrown varieties. The Lavender crop is however a native to Europe.
4.
Sanjeev Sanyal named full-time member of Economic Advisory Council to PM: Finance Ministry’s Principal
Economic Advisor, Sanjeev Sanyal has been inducted as a full-time member of the
Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), the panel’s chairman
Bibek Debroy announced. The appointment is for a tenure of two years. He had
advised the finance ministry to devise economic policies during the pandemic.
The EAC-PM is an independent body constituted by the Union government to advise
the prime minister on economic matters.
5.
Gurugram sisters chosen as ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ brand ambassadors: International Chess
Player woman FIDE Masters, Tanishka Kotia and her sister Riddhika Kotia are
appointed as Brand Ambassadors of ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ scheme for the
Gurugram District of Haryana. Tanishka Kotia won the Limca Book of Records for
being the youngest chess player in 2008. They belong to the Haryana state.
Tanishka Kotia ranks 2nd in the country in
the under-16 category, World Chess Federation rankings released in 2019. She
won a gold medal at the ASEAN Chess Championship in 2013 and silver at the
Commonwealth Chess Championship In 2014 in Scotland. Riddhika Kotia represented
India at several prestigious international events, including the World Junior
Chess Championship 2020.
Note: Chief Minister of Haryana: Manohar
Lal Khattar; Haryana Capital: Chandigarh; Haryana Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
India to set up its first IIT outside the country in UAE: The Indian
Institute of Technology will establish its first branch outside India in the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of the India-UAE trade deal signed. The
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed between the UAE and
India will usher in a new phase of joint strategic cooperation in all sectors.
The two nations will also set up an India-UAE cultural council to facilitate
and promote cultural projects, cross-cultural exchanges and exhibitions. The
two countries and realising the need to establish world-class institutions that
encourage and support innovation and technological progress, the leaders agreed
to establish an Indian Institute of Technology in the United Arab Emirates.
About the agreement: The agreement was
signed after a virtual summit held with an agenda to boost trade and
investments between both countries and usher in a new era of economic progress.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy
Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi have participated in the summit.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
India’s R Praggnanandhaa becomes youngest player to beat World No 1 Magnus
Carlsen:
India’s teen chess Grandmaster, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa has created history
as he defeated world number one chess champion, Magnus Carlsen, of Norway in an
online chess tournament. The Airthings Masters is the first of the nine events
of the 2022 Meltwater Champions Chess Tour, being held from February to November
2022.
The 16-year-old Pragg achieved the feat in
the eighth round of the Airthings Masters, an online rapid chess tournament, in
39 moves with black pieces. Pragg is also only the third Indian grandmaster to
win against Magnus Carlsen apart from Viswanathan Anand and Pentala
Harikrishna.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
Mastercard tieup with SBI Payments to boost digital payments infrastructure: Mastercard, as an
extension of its flagship campaign ‘Team Cashless India’ along with State Bank
of India Payments partnered with the in Lucknow, Guwahati and Varanasi to boost
the digital payments infrastructure. During these engagements, Mastercard Team
Cashless India volunteers and SBI Payments spoke to micro-merchants about the
convenience, safety, and other benefits of accepting digital payments.
The outreach was very well received
across cities, generating incredible results:
a)
In
Guwahati, Mastercard collaborates with All Assam’s Restaurant Association
(AARA) in line with the Government’s ‘Digital Northeast Vision 2022’ which
equips restaurant and hotel owners with a safe, seamless, secure mode of
payment to consumers.
b)
In
Lucknow, Mastercard partnered with local transport bodies, including the Auto
Rickshaw Association, to enable more than 700 auto-rickshaw drivers to accept
digital payments.
c)
In
Varanasi, Mastercard partnered with the Boat Union to encourage over 1,000
members to accept digital payments from tourists and also local shopkeepers
committed to digital payments which have increased tourism.
Note: Mastercard Founded: 16 December 1966,
United States; Mastercard Headquarters: New York, United States; Mastercard
CEO: Michael Miebach; Mastercard Executive Chairman: Ajay Banga.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
India Ratings decrease GDP growth at 8.6% for FY22: India Ratings has
revised downwards its GDP growth forecast for 2021-22 to 8.6 per cent from the
consensus 9.2 per cent projected earlier. According to an India rating
analysis, National Statistical Organisation (NSO) is likely to peg the FY22
real gross domestic product growth at Rs 147.2 lakh crore. This translates into
a GDP growth rate of 8.6 per cent, down from the 9.2 per cent forecast in the
first advance estimate released on January 7, 2022.
The major reason for the likely downward
revision is the upward revision of FY21 GDP to Rs 135.6 lakh crore in the first
revised estimate of national income for FY21, which was released on January 31,
2022.
DEFENCE
1.
Indian Navy’s multilateral exercise Milan 2022 kick-off: The latest edition
of the Indian Navy’s multilateral exercise MILAN 2022 is commencing from 25 Feb
22 in the ‘City of Destiny’, Visakhapatnam. MILAN 22 is being conducted over a
duration of 9 days in two phases with the harbour phase scheduled from 25 to 28
February and Sea Phase from 01 to 04 March. India is celebrating the 75th year
of its independence in 2022, and MILAN 22 provides an opportunity to
commemorate this milestone with our friends and partners.
Theme of the MILAN 2022 exercise: The theme of the
MILAN 2022 exercise is ‘Camaraderie – Cohesion – Collaboration’ which aims to
project India as a responsible maritime power to the world at large. The aim of
the exercise is to hone operational skills, imbibe best practices and procedures,
and enable doctrinal learning in the maritime domain, through professional
interaction between friendly navies.
History of MILAN exercise: MILAN is a
biennial multilateral naval exercise incepted by the Indian Navy in 1995 at
Andaman and Nicobar Command. Since its inception, the event has been held
biennially except for 2001, 2005, 2016 and 2020. While the 2001 and 2016
editions were not held due to International Fleet Reviews, the 2005 editions
was rescheduled to 2006 due to the 2004 Tsunami. 2020 edition of MILAN was
postponed to 2022 due to COVID-19.
2.
Exercise Cobra Warrior 22: India to participate in multi-nation Exercise in
March: Indian
Air Force will participate in a multi-nation air exercise named ‘Exercise Cobra
Warrior 22’ at Waddington, in the United Kingdom from March 06 to 27, 2022. IAF
Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas will participate in the exercise along with
fighter aircraft of the UK and other leading Air Forces. Five Tejas aircraft
will fly to the United Kingdom. IAF C-17 aircraft will provide the necessary
transport support for induction and de-induction.
The exercise is aimed at providing
operational exposure and sharing best practices amongst the participating Air
Forces, thereby enhancing combat capability and forging bonds of friendship.
This will be a platform for LCA Tejas to demonstrate its manoeuvrability and
operational capability.
Key points of the exercise:
a)
Exercise
Cobra Warrior is one of the largest annual exercises by the Royal Air Force
(RAF).
b)
India
will be participating in the exercise for the first time. Other countries
participating are the United Kingdom, Sweden, Saudi Arabia and Bulgaria.
c)
The
exercise will provide operational exposure and share best practices amongst the
participating Air Forces, to further enhance their combat capability and
forging bonds of friendship.
OBITUARIES
1. Renowned Malayalam actress KPAC Lalitha passes away: Veteran Malayalam film and stage actress, KPAC Lalitha has passed away at 74. In a career spanning five decades, she starred in over 550 films in Malayalam and Tamil. Born as Maheswari Amma in Kayamkulam of Alappuzha, the actress had joined K.P.A.C (Kerala People’s Arts Club), a prominent drama troop in Kerala. Lalitha won two National Film Awards for Best Supporting Actress along with four Kerala State Film Awards. She got the national award for the character in ‘Amaram’ in 1999 and for ‘Shantham’ in 2000. She also held the position of the Chairperson of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy for five years.
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