NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Rajasthan govt announces ‘Camel Protection and Development Policy’: Rajasthan, the
state government has announced a ‘Camel Protection and Development Policy’ in
its budget 2022-23. According to the government figures, less than two lakh
camels are left in Rajasthan and in the entire country, the number of camels
has reduced by 1.5 lakh since 2012. There were about 2.5 lakh camels left when
counted last in 2019.
Camel is the state animal of Rajasthan and
their number is continuously decreasing. The Rajasthan government had declared
the camel as the state animal in 2014. About 85 per cent of the country’s
camels are found in Rajasthan followed by Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and
Madhya Pradesh.
Note: World Camel Day is observed every
year on 22 June to recognize the importance of camels to the livelihood of a
large population.
2.
DST tieup with Intel India to boost AI readiness: ‘Building AI
Readiness among Young Innovators’, a program by the Department of Science and
Technology (DST), Government of India, in partnership with Intel India, was
launched by Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and
Technology (I/C). The program aims to build digital readiness among the
students from classes 6 to 10, enrolled under DST’s INSPIRE-Awards MANAK
scheme.
About the program:
a)
The
flagship program of DST reaches out to students pan India with an aim to create
a culture of creativity and innovative thinking. Intel said its commitment to
promoting AI readiness in the country is in synergy with the government’s
vision of leveraging AI to make India a leader in the field while utilizing the
technology to address its socio-economic challenges.
b)
The
program will bring both these together and seek to build an AI-ready generation
by empowering the students with the knowledge and skills to leverage AI in an
inclusive way.
3.
Biodegradable nanoparticle developed by IIT Kanpur: Researchers at the
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur have created a biodegradable
nanoparticle that can be used as an alternative to chemical-based insecticides
to protect crops from bacterial and fungal illnesses. Abhay Karandikar, who is
the director of IIT Kanpur said that because farmers suffer a variety of
issues, IIT Kanpur has worked tirelessly to improve the farming environment as
a whole. Nanoparticles would reduce the risk of crop infection while also
increasing agricultural productivity. Key Points:
a)
The
nanoparticle, dubbed Biodegradable Carbonoid Metabolite (BioDCM), can be active
at low concentrations and be as effective as pesticides while having no
detrimental effects on soil or consumer health. It operates quickly because it
is administered in bioactive form and can resist high temperatures.
b)
The
nanoparticle was produced in collaboration with C. Kannan and D. Mishra of
ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, and also with R Balamurugan and M.
Mandal of the Hyderabad University’s School of Chemistry.
c)
Given
the nanoparticle developed by IIT Kanpur’s biodegradable and non-harmful
nature, it is likely to attract a lot of interest from farmers looking to
reduce their use of chemicals in farming, particularly pesticides.
4.
Centre postpones 2022 Gandhinagar DefExpo: The DefExpo 2022 that was scheduled
to be held from March 10 to March 14, in Gandhinagar of Gujarat has been
postponed by the Ministry of Defence, due to logistics problems being
experienced by participants. The new dates of the defence expo shall be
communicated in due course.
5.
CISF’s 53rd Raising Day: 6th March: The 53rd Raising Day ceremony of Central
Industrial Security Forces (CISF) was organised on March 06, 2022, in
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has attended and
addressed the Raising Day ceremony of CISF at Ghaziabad’s Indirapuram. The
CISF, which functions under the Union Home Ministry, is a central armed police
force and among one of the six paramilitary forces of India.
About CISF:
a)
CISF
was set up under an Act of the Parliament of India on 10 March 1969, to provide
security cover to industrial units, government infrastructure projects and
facilities and establishments located all over India.
b)
Eventually,
it was made an armed force of the Republic of India by another Act of
Parliament passed on 15 June 1983.
c)
CISF
is one of six paramilitary forces in India and functions under the Ministry of
Home Affairs. Its headquarters is in New Delhi.
Note: Director-General of CISF: Sheel
Vardhan Singh.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
SDG Index 2021: India ranks 120th position: India has been ranked at 120th
position in the Sustainable Development Report 2021 or Sustainable Development
Index 2021. In this Index, countries are ranked by a score out of 100. India
has a score of 60.07. Last year India’s rank was 117. The Index measures the
country’s total progress towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development
Goals. The Index has been topped by Finland.
The top 5 countries in this ranking
are:
1- Finland;
2- Sweden;
3- Denmark;
4- Germany;
5- Belgium
These 17 Sustainable Development Goals were
adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2015 as a part of the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development.
2.
Knight Frank: India ranks 3rd in billionaire population globally: India is ranked 3rd
in terms of most number of billionaires’ population globally in 2021, as per
Knight Frank’s latest edition of The Wealth Report 2022. The number of
ultra-high-net-worth-individuals (UHNWIs) in India increased by 11% YoY in 2021
to 145 billionaires, the highest percentage growth in the Asia Pacific (APAC)
region. UHNWIs are individuals with net assets of US$ 30m or more (Rs 226
crore).
Globally: The list has been
topped by the United States (748) and China (554) respectively.
Indian City-wise: Bengaluru
recorded the highest growth in the number of UHNWIs in 2021 at 17.1% to 352
billionaires. It was followed by Delhi (12.4% to 210) and Mumbai (9% to 1596)
in 2021.
Top 5 countries with the most number
of billionaires in 2021:
|
Billionaires |
2021 |
|
United States |
748 |
|
China |
554 |
|
India |
145 |
|
Germany |
136 |
|
Russia |
121 |
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
ISSF World Cup: Shri Nivetha, Esha, Ruchita win gold in women’s 10m air pistol:
India’s
Shri Nivetha, Esha Singh, and Ruchita Vinerkar have won the gold medal in the
women’s 10m air pistol team event of the ISSF World Cup in Cairo, Egypt. With
this win, India is leading the medal table with three medals, including two
gold and silver. Andrea Katharina Heckner, Sandra Reitz and Carina Wimmer of
Germany settled for the silver medal.
Germany and Italy are joint seconds on the
table with one gold, two silver and one bronze medal each. A total of 17
countries have won medals so far.
2.
ICC Women’s World Cup New Zealand 2022 begins: The ICC Women’s
Cricket World Cup 2022 has kicked off on March 04, 2022, in New Zealand. This
is the 12 edition of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, being held in New
Zealand from March 04 to April 03, 2022. The opening match of the ICC Women’s
World Cup 2022 was held at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui between West Indies
and New Zealand, in which West Indies women beat New Zealand by 3 runs. India
will open against Pakistan on the 6th of March.
Key points:
a)
The
final match is scheduled to take place at the Hagley Oval stadium.
b)
Total
8 teams are participating which includes, New Zealand, Australia, England,
South Africa, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and West Indies.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
Govt approves 20% FDI in LIC via automatic route: The Union Cabinet
has approved an amendment to the FDI Policy to allow foreign direct investment
(FDI) up to 20 percent under the “automatic route” in Life Insurance
Corporation (LIC). This comes ahead of IPO of LIC. Prior to this, there was no
limit was prescribed for foreign investment in LIC. The FDI ceiling for LIC has
now been made at par with that of public sector banks. It must be noted that
the FDI limit in the insurance sector is 74 percent. Last year it was raised
from 49% to 74%.
2.
HDFC Bank finances Asia’s largest waste to energy plant in Indore- Gobar-Dhan
plant: HDFC
Bank has partnered with Indore Clean Energy Private Limited (ICEPL) for the
development of Gobar-Dhan plant in Indore under its Environmental, social, and
governance (ESG) commitments. The 550-tonne capacity “Gobar-Dhan (Bio-CNG)
Plant” was inaugurated by PM Modi in Indore, Madhya Pradesh on February 19,
2022. This is the biggest Bio-CNG plant in Asia. It has been set up at a cost
of Rs 150 crore. Indore Clean Energy Pvt Ltd (ICEPL) is promoted by Green Growth
Equity Fund (GGEF), which is the largest climate impact fund in India with
anchor investors like NIIF & Government of UK.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
Tata Motors launches ‘Anubhav’- showroom on wheels: Tata Motors has
launched a mobile showroom (showroom on wheels) named ‘Anubhav,’ to target
rural customers by increasing their reach in rural areas and providing them
with a doorstep car buying experience. Tata Motors will deploy a total of 103
mobile showrooms across the country, to enhance the Tata Motors brand awareness
in rural India.
About the ‘Anubhav,’ mobile
showrooms:
a)
These
mobile showrooms will be operated by dealerships under Tata Motors’ supervision
and guidance. All the dealerships will define monthly routes for these vans on
which they will ply and cover the targeted village or tehsil.
b)
A
total of 103 mobile showrooms are being deployed across the country to enhance
the Tata Motors brand awareness in rural India.
c)
These
mobile showrooms will help existing dealerships offer a doorstep sales
experience to customers and assist them with information about Tata Motors’
products.
d)
These
products include a new forever range of cars and SUVs, accessories, avail
finance schemes, book a test drive and evaluate existing cars for exchange.
Note: Tata Motors Headquarters: Mumbai;
Tata Motors Founder: J. R. D. Tata; Tata Motors Founded: 1945, Mumbai.
DEFENCE
1.
19th Military Cooperation meet of India & US held in Agra 2022: The 19th edition of
the India-US Military Cooperation Group (MCG) meeting was conducted in Agra,
Uttar Pradesh. The discussion was co-chaired by Air Marshal BR Krishna, Chief
of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC),
and Lieutenant General Stephen D Sklenka, Deputy Commander, US Indo-Pacific
Command, represented the US side.
Key Points:
a)
The
conference took place when Russia was engaged in a significant military
operation in Ukraine. Western countries, such as the United States, have
implemented severe economic sanctions against Russia.
b)
Around
70% of India’s defence equipment is made in Russia.
c)
According
to the Defence Ministry, the India-US military cooperation group was
established to advance defence collaboration between the two nations through
regular meetings at the strategic and operational levels between the
Headquarters of the Integrated Defence Staff and the US Indo-Pacific Command.
d)
The
India-US MCG is a forum set up to advance defence cooperation between the two
nations by frequent strategic and operational consultations involving
Headquarters, the Integrated Defence Staff, and the US Indo-Pacific Command.
e)
The
discussions centred on improving the two countries’ ongoing defence engagements
and considering new initiatives within the framework of the existing
cooperation mechanism.
OBITUARIES
1. Noted film critic, writer Jaiprakash Chouksey passes away: Film critic, writer Jaiprakash Chouksey has passed away due to cardiac arrest at the age of 82 years. He has penned scripts and dialogues for several films including ‘Shayad’ (1979), ‘Qatl’ (1986) and ‘Bodyguard’ (2011), and was also involved in writing for television serials. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, state Congress chief Kamal Nath and several other leaders condoled Chouksey’s death.
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