Daily GK Update- 25th Mar, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi virtually inaugurates Biplobi Bharat Gallery in Bengal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated Biplobi Bharat Gallery at Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata on the occasion of Shaheed Diwas. The inauguration was done virtually via video conferencing. The purpose of this new gallery is to provide a holistic view of the events that led up to 1947 and highlight the important role played by the revolutionaries.

About the gallery:

a)      The newly built gallery depicts the contribution of the revolutionaries towards the freedom struggle of India and provides a holistic view of the events that led to 1947, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

b)      The gallery displays the contribution of the revolutionaries in the freedom struggle and their armed resistance to British colonial rule. This aspect has often not been given its due place in the mainstream narrative of the freedom movement.

c)       The gallery will also showcase the revolutionary movement, formation of significant associations by revolutionary leaders, spread of the movement, formation of the Indian National Army, and the contribution of Naval Mutiny.

 

2. Government set the target to create 220 new airports by 2025: Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that the Government has set a target of building 220 new airports by 2025, citing the Civil Aviation industry as a critical component of India’s economy. In response to the Civil Aviation Ministry’s requests for grants for 2022-23, Scindia stated that India has made progress in both domestic and foreign travel during the COVID-19 period. “Cargo flights for perishable food items will be boosted by 30% in the next few years, with 133 new flights,” he stated. Key Points:

a)      Scindia stated that the pilot licence will be simplified in the coming days using cutting-edge technologies. The government intends to build 33 new domestic freight ports, 15 new pilot training schools, more jobs, and a stronger focus on the drone industry.

b)      In the last seven days, the minister informed the House that 3.82 lakh passengers travelled by air.

c)       The minister informed the House that women make up 15% of the country’s entire pilot force. Another illustration of women’s empowerment is this. In the last 20-25 years, the aviation business has seen significant transformations.”

 

3. Ministry of Civil Aviation & FICCI organized ‘WINGS INDIA 2022’ in Hyderabad: Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) and FICCI are jointly organizing Asia’s largest event on Civil Aviation (Commercial, General and Business Aviation), titled ‘WINGS INDIA 2022’. WINGS INDIA AWARDS will also be conferred during this event. The event focuses on new business acquisition, investments, policy formation, and regional connectivity. It is being held from 24th to 27th March 2022, at Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad. The theme of the event: India@75: New Horizon for Aviation Industry.

The event will provide a favourable forum catering to the rapidly changing dynamics of the sector. It focuses on new business acquisition, investments, policy formation and regional connectivity. It will provide a much-desired fillip to aviation, and restructured focused forums shall be instrumental in attaining the objective of connecting the buyers, sellers, investors, and other stakeholders. Several foreign dignitaries, ambassadors, representatives from various sectors of aviation will be taking part in the event.

Note: FICCI Founded: 1927; FICCI Headquarters: New Delhi; FICCI President: Sanjiv Mehta; FICCI Secretary General: Dilip Chenoy; FICCI Director-General: Arun Chawla.

 

4. A book titled “Unfilled Barrels India’s oil story” authored by Richa Mishra: A book titled “Unfilled Barrels: India’s oil story” authored by Richa Mishra will be released soon. Richa Mishra is a journalist with The Hindu BusinessLine. The book highlights the key role played by Keshav Dev Malaviya, who was the petroleum minister in the 1970s with a degree in oil technology, and the emergence of other stakeholders from public sector enterprises, including ONGC, to the fiercely competitive private players like Cairn Energy, and Mukesh Ambani’s RIL.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Kuwait becomes hottest place on earth, records 53.2 degree Celsius: Kuwait reached a scorching temperature of 53.2 degrees Celsius (127.7 degrees Fahrenheit), making it among the hottest places on earth. It was so hot in Kuwait last summer that birds dropped dead from the sky. Sea horses boiled to death in the bay. Dead clams coated the rocks, their shells popped open like they’d been steamed.

The country continues to burn oil for electricity and ranks among the top global carbon emitters per capita, according to the World Resources Institute. As asphalt melts on highways, Kuwaitis bundle up for bone-chilling air-conditioning in malls. Renewable energy accounts for less than 1 per cent of demand – far below Kuwait’s target of 15 per cent by 2030.

Note: Kuwait Capital: Kuwait City; Kuwait Currency: Kuwaiti dinar.

 

2. International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade: 25th March: International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is marked on 25 March every year to raise awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice. The Day is observed with ceremonies and activities at United Nations Headquarters in New York and at United Nations offices around the world. 2022 Theme: “Stories of Courage: Resistance to Slavery and Unity against Racism”.

History of the day: International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is a United Nations international observance designated in 2007 to be marked on 25 March every year. It was first observed in 2008 with the theme “Breaking the Silence, Lest We Forget”.

 

3. International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members: 25th March: The United Nations observes the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members on 25 March every year. This is a day to mobilize action, demand justice and strengthen our resolve to protect UN staff and peacekeepers, as well as our colleagues in the non-governmental community and the press. The International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members has taken on even greater importance in recent years, as attacks against the United Nations intensify. This is a day to mobilize action, demand justice and strengthen our resolve to protect UN staff and peacekeepers, as well as our colleagues in the non-governmental community and the press.

History of the day: The International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members is marked each year on the anniversary of the abduction of Alec Collett, a former journalist who was working for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) when he was abducted by armed gunman in 1985. His body was finally found in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley in 2009.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Lakshya Sen finishes runner-up; loses to Axelsen in final Of All England Championship’s: Lakshya Sen, who won bronze at the World Championships, placed second at the 2022 All England Open Badminton Championships after losing to world number one Viktor Axelsen in the men’s singles final on Saturday. Sen, rated No. 11 in the world, was defeated by reigning Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen 10-21, 15-21. On his route to the top of the podium, the world No. 1 was unstoppable and didn’t drop a single game.

Sen had upset world No. 7 Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia in the semi-finals on Saturday, 21-13, 12-21, 21-19, to become the first Indian to compete in the men’s singles final of the prestigious BWF Super 1000 event since Pullela Gopichand’s memorable victory in 2001.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI cancelled license of People’s Co-operative Bank Ltd Kanpur: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the license of People’s Co-operative Bank Limited, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh as the bank failed to adhere to the requirements of Sections 22(3) (a), 22 (3) (b), 22(3)(c), 22(3) (d) and 22(3)(e) – under Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. The bank is found to lack adequate capital and earning prospects under the provisions of Section 11(1) and Section 22 (3) (d) – under Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 – ‘Act to apply to co-operative societies subject to modifications’.

The bank is prohibited from continuing its ‘banking’ business such as acceptance of deposits and repayment of deposits as defined in Section 5(b) as mentioned in Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 with effect from the close of business on March 21, 2022.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. PhonePe acquires freelance entrepreneur network GigIndia: PhonePe, a digital payments and financial services company, has acquired GigIndia, a network for independent micro-entrepreneurs based in Pune. PhonePe will be able to integrate 1.5 million entrepreneurs and over 100 businesses as customers, in addition to its own employees, as a result of the acquisition. PhonePe will use GigIndia’s network of freelancing microentrepreneurs to assist corporations and businesses in expanding their customer bases and distribution channels. The acquisition will boost PhonePe’s products and value proposition to its enterprise clients, as well as create millions of opportunities for individual freelance micro-entrepreneurs in India.

India’s freelance community is expected to expand to $20-30 billion by 2025, according to projections.

About GigIndia: GigIndia was founded in 2017 by Sahil Sharma and Aditya Shirole. Former TCS CEO S Ramadorai, Beyond Next Ventures CEO and Founding Partner Tsuyoshi Ito, Incubate Fund India Founder Nao Murakami, and former Tech Mahindra CEO Kiran Deshpande are among the company’s investors and advisors.

About PhonePe: PhonePe is a market leader in digital payments. Former Flipkart executives Sameer Nigam, Rahul Chari, and Burzin Engineer established PhonePe in 2015.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Francis Kéré becomes first African to win Pritzker Prize 2022: Architect, educator and social activist Francis kéré has been announced as the 2022 laureate of the Pritzker architecture prize 2022, the award often referred to as architecture’s highest honour. He was born in the small village of gando in Burkina Faso, kéré is the first black architect to win the coveted award.

Established by the Hyatt Foundation in 1979, the Pritzker architecture prize is bestowed on architects whose built work demonstrates a combination of talent, vision, and commitment. in 2021, the award went to French architects Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal while in 2020 saw Shelley McNamara and Yvonne Farrell of Grafton architects were honoured.

 

2. 75 Women felicitated by NITI Aayog at 5th Women Transforming India Awards: The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) of the NITI Aayog organised the 5th edition of the Women Transforming India Awards (WTI). As part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, to celebrate 75 years of India’s independence, the WTI Awards have been conferred 75 women achievers for their contribution towards a ‘Sashakt Aur Samarth Bharat’.

About the Women Transforming India Awards: The Women Transforming India Awards has been presented since 2018 by NITI Aayog, under the aegis of Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), to highlight the commendable and ground-breaking endeavours of India’s women leaders and change-makers, with a special focus on entrepreneurship.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. 5th in the series of Offshore Patrol Vessels “ICGS Saksham” commissioned: Defence Secretary of India, Dr Ajay Kumar has commissioned the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Saksham. The fifth in the series of 105-metre Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) class, at Goa. The first four of the five ICGS which have already been commissioned in 2020 are ICGS Sachet (1st); ICGS Sujeet (2nd); ICGS Sarthak (3rd); and ICGS Sajag (4th) in 2021.

The Indigenous Offshore Patrol Vessel Project was launched by the Prime Minister of India in 2016 under which five Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) were planned to be launched.

About the Ship: Goa Shipyard Limited designed and built the 105-meter OPV, which is equipped with advanced technology, navigation and communication systems, sensors, and machinery. The ship will be based in Kochi once it joins the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) force. Ship will be used extensively for surveillance in Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and other missions mandated by the Coast Guard charter.

Note: Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Formed: August 18, 1978; Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Headquarters: New Delhi; Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Director-General: Virender Singh Pathania; Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Motto: Vayam Rakṣāmaḥ (We protect).