NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. RPF launches nationwide “AAHT operation” to curb
human trafficking: Indian Railway Protection Force has launched a
nationwide operation to curb human trafficking. As part of “Operation AAHT”,
special teams will be deployed on all long-distance trains/routes with a focus
on rescuing victims, particularly women and children, from the clutches of
traffickers. The Railways, which operate about 21,000 trains across the country
daily, is the most reliable mode of transportation for the traffickers who
often moved their victims on long-distance trains. The RPF that rescued more than
2,000 women and children between 2017-21 from the clutches of traffickers
intensified the crackdown on human trafficking with the increasing number of
cases. The National Crime Records Bureau registers about 2,200 cases of Human
Trafficking cases on an average each year.
Human
Trafficking: Human Trafficking, especially of women and
children, for sexual exploitation, forced marriage, domestic servitude, organ
transplant, drug peddling etc is an organised crime and the most abominable
violation of human rights. Thousands of Indians and persons from neighbouring
countries were trafficked every day to some destinations where they were forced
to live like slaves. “They are also being trafficked for illegal adoptions,
organ transplants, working in circus, begging and entertainment industry.
Note: Indian
Railway Founded: 16 April 1853, India; Indian Railway Headquarters: New Delhi;
Minister of Railways: Ashwini Vaishnaw.
2. India becomes first country to administer
COVID-19 DNA vaccine: India has become the first country in
the world to administer a DNA vaccine against COVID-19. The ZyCoV-D which is
the World’s first plasmid DNA vaccine has been produced by Ahmedabad-based
vaccine manufacturer Zydus Cadila and it was administered for the first time in
Patna. It is a Painless and Needleless vaccine given at intervals of 28 days
and 56 days. It is the second India-made vaccine to get emergency authorization
in India after Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.
The Indian
government approved emergency use authorisation for Zydus Cadila’s DNA vaccine
earlier this year, citing initial results from Phase III clinical trials that
showed approximately 66 per cent efficacy for symptomatic cases.
3. Centre extends Indian Footwear and Leather
Development Programme for five years from 2021-2026; Total Outlay: Rs. 1700
crore: The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of
the Indian Footwear and Leather Development Programme (IFLDP) for five years
from 2021-22 to 2025-26. The total financial outlay approved for the programme
is Rs. 1700 crore till March 31, 2026, or till further review, whichever is
earlier. The purpose of IFLDP Programme is to develop infrastructure for the
leather sector, which can address environmental concerns specific to the
leather sector, facilitate additional investments, employment generation and
increase in production. The scheme is implemented by the Department for
Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of
Commerce and Industry.
4. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw kicks Off NITI
Aayog’s Fintech Open Summit: NITI Aayog, in
collaboration with PhonePe, AWS and EY, has organized a three-week-long virtual
summit, ‘Fintech Open’, from 7–28 February. The summit was inaugurated by Union
Minister for Railways, Communications, and Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw
in the presence of NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar. A first-of-its-kind
initiative, Fintech Open will bring together regulators, fintech professionals
and enthusiasts, industry leaders, the start-up community, and developers to
collaborate, exchange ideas and innovate.
An open platform is
created using public investment, wherein numerous private entrepreneurs,
start-ups and developers can join to create new solutions. For example, today,
270 banks are connected with the UPI and many entrepreneurs and start-ups have
provided solutions that have helped increase the country’s fintech adoption
rate—which is the highest globally at 87%.’
5. Kanchoth festival celebrated in Jammu and
Kashmir: The ancient festival of Kanchoth is annually
celebrated, mainly by the Nag followers, during the Shukla Paksha of Magh month
which usually falls in January or February. The festival is celebrated with
religious fervour across the Chenab valley region of Jammu and Kashmir
(J&K). The 3-day festival is celebrated by married women who pray for the
long life of their husbands. Kanchoth or Gauri Tritya is widely celebrated in
hilly kishtwar, Ramban and Doda of Jammu province. The festival is celebrated
across Bhaderwah (also known as mini-Kashmir), Kotli, Mathola, Ghata, Khakhal,
Gupt Ganga, Chinnote, Kapra, Bhalra, Bheja, Chinchora and other regions.
Note: J&K
Lieutenant Governor: Manoj Sinha
6. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit named as first woman
Vice Chancellor of JNU: The Ministry of Education (MoE) has
appointed Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit as the new Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal
Nehru University (JNU). She is the first women Vice-Chancellor of JNU. The
59-year-old Pandit has been appointed for a period of five years. Pandit replaces
M Jagadesh Kumar, who has been appointed as Chairman of the University Grants
Commission (UGC). Before this appointment, Pandit was serving as the
Vice-Chancellor of Savitribai Phule University in Maharashtra.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Sri Lanka to buy fuel from Indian Oil to tide
over energy crisis: Sri Lanka has decided to purchase petrol and
diesel, 40,000 metric tonnes each, from the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC),
according to a Cabinet note, as part of the government’s bid to tide over the
current fuel and energy crisis faced by the island nation. The move came weeks
after Power Minister Gamini Lokuge said that Sri Lanka will hold talks with the
Indian Oil Corporation’s local entity, amidst a severe foreign exchange crisis.
The Lanka IOC, the Sri Lankan subsidiary of India’s oil major Indian Oil
Corporation, has been in operation in Sri Lanka since 2002.
2. Bangladesh signs agreement to purchase 420
broad-gauge railway wagons from India: The Bangladesh
railways will procure 420 broad-gauge wagons from India. The agreement was
signed in Dhaka between the project director of Bangladesh railways Mizanur
Rahman and the Hindustan Engineering and Industries Limited.
The agreement worth
Tk. 231 crore will be implemented within 27 months of the signing of the
contract. This project is being implemented with the joint funding of the
Government of Bangladesh and Asian Development Bank (ADB) under the Rolling
Stock Operation Improvement Project. These
are high speed bogies with automatic air brake systems so that the
general and specialised products like various food grains, fertilisers, stones,
wood etc. can reach the destination safely at low cost and in less time. The
wagons are equipped with a stainless steel body.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. China wins AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022
Football Tournament: China PR (People’s Republic) defeated South Korea
(Korea Republic), 3-2, to win the AFC Women`s Asian Cup India 2022 final title
at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. This is the record-extending 9th AFC
Women`s Asian Cup title won by China. India is hosting the 20th edition of the
football AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 from January 20, 2022, to February
06, 2022. China now qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be held in
Australia and New Zealand.
The following
awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament:
Most Valuable
Player: Wang Shanshan (China)
Top Scorer: Sam
Kerr (7 goals) (Australia)
Best goalkeeper:
Zhu Yu (China)
Fairplay Award:
South Korea
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. PM CARES Fund corpus triples to Rs 10,990.17
crore in FY 2020-21: The total corpus under the PM CARES Funds in
2020-21 was Rs 10,990.17 crore. While Rs 3,976.17 crore was spent from the fund
in 2020-21, according to the latest audited statement of PM CARES Funds. As on
March 31, 2021, the Fund had an unspent balance of Rs 7,013.99 crore. The
government has used a part of the money to buy medical equipment, including ventilators,
to boost the battle against the COVID-19 and has also provided relief to
migrants.
The highest amount
was spent on Procurement of 6.6 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine i.e. Rs
1,392.82 crore. The Fund was established on March 27, 2020. PM CARES fund is a
dedicated national fund with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of
emergency or distress situation like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prime
Minister is the ex-officio Chairman of the PM CARES Fund. The fund was set up as a public charitable
trust “keeping in mind the need for having a dedicated national fund with the
primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation,
like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to the affected”.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1. Sonata Software tie-up with Microsoft for its
launch of ‘Microsoft Cloud’: A global IT
Services, and Technology Solutions Company, Sonata Software has announced its
partnership with Microsoft for its launch of ‘Microsoft Cloud for Retail’. The company
has been a partner with Microsoft for over three decades. The ‘Microsoft Cloud
for Retail’ collaboration is expected to further strengthen the relationship.
Sonata Software delivers solutions for retailers worldwide, leveraging
world-class IPs, in-house migration and modernisation tools.
About
the partnership: The partnership with Microsoft Cloud for Retail
will further enhance our capabilities, with its emphasis on leveraging data,
elevating the shopping experience, building real-time, sustainable supply
chains, and empowering store associates. The Sonata Connected Retail solution
is available through Microsoft AppSource. Sonata Software is a Microsoft Gold
Partner and is a member of the Microsoft Inner Circle for Business
Applications.
Note: Sonata
Software Headquarters: Bengaluru; Sonata Software Founded: 1986; Sonata
Software MD & CEO: P. Srikar Reddy;
Microsoft CEO and
Chairman: Satya Nadella; Microsoft Headquarters: Redmond, Washington, United
States.
OBITUARIES
1. ‘Mahabharat’s Bheem’ actor Praveen Kumar Sobti passes away: Actor-athlete Praveen Kumar Sobti, best known for playing Bheem in the TV series “Mahabharat” and for winning an Asian Games gold medal, passed away. He represented the country across various athletic events in hammer and discus throw and even won four medals at the Asian Games, including two gold medals in 1966 and 1970. Praveen Kumar Sobti also won a silver medal in Hammer Throw during the 1966 Commonwealth Games. The athlete gained further popularity after he began his acting career and was featured as Bheem in BR Chopra’s classic “Mahabharat” in 1988.
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