Daily GK Update- 10th Mar, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Ministry of Culture organise PAN-India programme “Jharokha”: Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Textiles are organising a programme called “Jharokha-Compendium of Indian handicraft/ handloom, art and culture” to celebrate the traditional Indian handicrafts, handlooms, and art & culture. To begin with, the first event under this celebration has been organized in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh at Rani Kamlapati Railway Station, on March 08, 2022, which also marks International Women’s Day.

Key points:

a)      Jharokha is a PAN India programme that will be held at 16 locations in 13 states and UTs, as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav .

b)      The event in Bhopal will celebrate womanhood and the contribution of women in the field of art, craft and culture.

c)       Kamlapati Railway Station is named after the brave and fearless Queen Kamlapati of the Gond kingdom of Madhya Pradesh.

 

2. Haryana govt announced Matrushakti Udaymita Scheme: Haryana government has announced Matrushakti Udaymita Scheme to provide support to women entrepreneurs, on International Women’s Day. Under the scheme, the women whose family annual income is less than 5 lakh rupees based on Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) verified data, will be provided access to soft loans by financial institutions to the extent of 3 lakh rupees. Subsequently, the interest subvention of 7% will also be provided for three years through the Haryana Women Development Corporation.

Note: Haryana Capital: Chandigarh; Haryana Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya; Chief Minister of Haryana: Manohar Lal Khattar.

 

3. Ministry of Labour launches ‘Donate-a-Pension’ initiative: Union Labour and Employment Minister, Bhupender Yadav has launched the ‘Donate-a-Pension’ campaign under Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM) scheme, on March 07, 2022, from his residence and donated the same to his gardener. Under the new initiative, citizens can contribute to the pension fund of their immediate support staff such as domestic workers, drivers, helpers etc, by donating the premium amount.

The ‘Donate-a-Pension’ program is part of various initiatives to be launched in the ‘Iconic Week’ celebrations by the Labour Ministry from March 7 to 13, 2022. It is an initiative under (PM-SYM) pension scheme where citizens can donate the premium contribution of their immediate support staff such as domestic workers, drivers, helpers etc.

 

4. DN Patel named as Chairperson of TDSAT 2022: The Central Government has appointed Justice Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel, Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, as the Chairperson of Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT). He was appointed as Chief Justice of Delhi High Court on June 7, 2019, and is now given the Chair of TDSAT, days before his retirement on March 12, 2022.

Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification regarding the approval of his appointment by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), stating that he will serve the Chair for a period of 4 years from the date of assumption of charge of the post, or till attaining the age of 70 years, or until further orders, whichever is the earliest. The conditions of his service will be governed by the provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 and the Tribunal (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2021.

Note: TDSAT Establishment: 2000; TDSAT Headquarter: New Delhi.

 

5. CISF raising day: 10th March: In the year 1969, the CISF was set up on March 10 and three battalions were formed under the CISF act 1968, which was passed by the Parliament of India. Since then, the day is celebrated as CISF Raising Day every year. Central Industrial Security Force, is for the central armed police force in India. It is one of the six paramilitary forces in India functioning under the Union Home Ministry.

Cisf Raising Day History: The CISF, which was set up in 1969, is assigned to look after the security of the vital government and industrial buildings. The CISF was established under the CISF Act, which has a strength of over 3,000. In 2017, the government raised the sanctioned strength of personnel from 145,000 to 180,000.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. T Raja Kumar named President of the Financial Action Task Force: T Raja Kumar, a Singaporean, has been named president of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the world’s anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing agency. His appointment is for a set two-year term, which begins on July 1. During the FATF plenary, he was chosen to succeed Dr Marcus Pleyer of Germany.

Key Points:

a)      Mr Raja’s nomination marks the first time Singapore has assumed the president of the organisation, according to a joint news release issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Ministry of Finance (MOF), and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) on March 7.

b)      Mr Raja is a senior advisor at MHA and has been the leader of Singapore’s FATF mission since January 1, 2015. Since July 2018, he has also been a member of the steering group, which advises the FATF president.

c)       The FATF is an intergovernmental organisation set up by the G7 in 1989 to prevent and combat money laundering, terrorism, and proliferation finance.

d)      “The FATF also reviews and supervises member jurisdictions to ensure that they fully and effectively apply the FATF standards,” MHA, MOF, and MAS noted.

e)      Since 1992, Singapore has been a member of the organisation. Mr Raja has played a key role in directing Singapore’s efforts to combat money laundering and terrorism financing, according to the MHA, MOF, and MAS.

f)        Since January 2015, he has led Singapore’s efforts to satisfy FATF Standards as co-chairman of the National Interagency Committee on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism.

 

2. International Day of Women Judges: 10th March: March 10 marks the International Day of Women Judges. On this day, the United National reaffirms its commitment to develop and implement appropriate and effective strategies and plans for the advancement of women in the judicial system and institution at the managerial and leadership level.

Women in the judiciary system are a key to ensuring that courts represent their citizens, address concerns and give out good judgments. Women’s presence in the judiciary system enhances the legitimacy of courts and sends a powerful message saying that they’re open and accessible to those who want to seek justice.

International Day of Women Judges History: Equality in the judiciary system has historically been uneven and the steps taken to change this are evidenced by the declaration of the UN General Assembly to mark this day as International Day of Women Judges. The resolution of the General Assembly was drafted by the State of Qatar, which is proof to bring a positive shift in society.

 

3. World Kidney Day: 10th March: World Kidney day is celebrated on the second Thursday of March every year. This year, it is being observed on March 10. World Kidney Day is a global campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of our kidneys. World Kidney Day aims to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys to our overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide. The theme for World Kidney day 2022 is “Kidney Health for All”. The 2022 campaign will focus on efforts to increase education and awareness about kidney health and on reducing the stubbornly high CKD knowledge gap at all levels of kidney care.

History of the day: The observance of this day was started by the International Society of Nephrology and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations. World Kidney Day was first celebrated in 2006.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Banks Board Bureau introduce development program for the management of PSB: The Banks Board Bureau (BBB) has launched a development programme for public sector bank management with the goal of boosting the quality of bank boards. The nine-month Directors’ Development Programme (DDP) is made for directors of Public Sector Banks and financial institutions with the main objective of improving director effectiveness and increasing their impact on boards, according to the Banks Board Bureau.

Key Points:

a)      This programme is aimed to help the directors think about the business’s future and upgrade themselves to be a source of wisdom and counsel for management and stakeholders in order to improve PSB’s performance levels in the world scenario.

b)      The curriculum, developed in partnership with IBA and others, will assist in empowering and enriching the board of directors, which is crucial for decision-making.

c)       Financial Services Secretary Sanjay Malhotra, who is also a BBB member, remarked that there is no end to what can be learned during this course.

d)      It added that the programme includes seminars, face-to-face interactive sessions, and self-paced online modules, and that the methodology is based on a practitioners approach, with introduction and refresher portions for new and experienced directors, respectively.

e)      Participants will be able to put their new knowledge into practise through facilitated case studies, simulations, and role plays, according to the announcement.

f)        Interaction with the corporate leaders and industry experts will increase awareness of key issues, according to the report.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Paytm to offer digital ticketing services by partnering with IRCTC: Paytm, a digital payments company, announced that it has expanded its partnership with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to provide consumers with digital ticketing services via Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVM) installed at railway stations across the country. Passengers will be able to scan QR codes generated on the screens to purchase unreserved train ride tickets, platform tickets, renew their seasonal tickets, and recharge smart cards.

Key Points:

a)      This is the first time Indian Railways has made it possible for customers to pay for tickets services online using UPI on ATMs, promoting cashless commuting.

b)      The ATVMs that have been installed at railway stations are touch-screen ticketing kiosks that will allow travellers to pay digitally without the use of smart cards.

c)       Passengers will now be able to scan QR codes that would be generated on the screens that can be used to purchase unreserved train ride tickets, platform tickets, renew their seasonal tickets, and recharge smart cards.

d)      Paytm allows passengers to pay using a variety of methods, including Paytm UPI, Paytm Wallet, Paytm Postpaid, Net Banking, Credit Card, and Debit Card.

e)      The new digital payment method based on Quick Response (QR) codes has already gone live across all ATVM machines at Indian railway stations.

Paytm’s latest ATVM digital payment solution is in addition to the company’s other railway-related offerings, which include e-catering payments and reserved train ticket booking via its smartphone. The new function is part of the company’s nationwide campaign to promote cashless transactions and digital payments.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. NMDC receives 1st prize in Ispat Rajbhasha Award for 2018-19 and 2020-21: National Mineral Development Corporation Ltd Country’s largest Iron Ore producer, a CPSE under Ministry of Steel received 1st prize in the Ispat Rajbhasha Award for 2018-19 and 2020-21 and company also received the Ispat Rajbhasha Prerna Award for 2019-20. The award ceremony was held in the meeting of the Hindi Salahakar Committee of the Ministry of Steel held in Madurai on 3rd March 2022. The Union Minister of Steel, Shri Ram Chandra Prasad Singh, presented the accolades to Shri Sumit Deb, Chairman and Managing Director, NMDC.

About the NMDC: NMDC, a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Steel and one of the most profitable PSUs of the Government of India also it is an eco-friendly mining company and the largest producer of iron ore in India.

Note: NMDC Headquarters: Hyderabad; NMDC Founded: 15 November 1958.

 

2. President Kovind Presents ‘Nari Shakti Puraskar’ for 2020 and 2021: The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind has conferred the ‘Nari Shakti Puraskar’ for the years 2020 and 2021, on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 08, 2022, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. Overall 29 women have been conferred the award for the years 2020 and 2021 in recognition of their outstanding and exceptional work towards the empowerment of women, especially the vulnerable and marginalised. There were a total of 28 awards which included 14 awards each for the years 2020 and 2021. The award ceremony for the year 2020 could not be held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.