Daily GK Update- 15th April, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi virtually addressed 14th Foundation Day of Umiya Mata Temple: Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the Umiya Mata Temple, a religious site in Gujarat’s Junagadh, has now become a central focus for social consciousness. He explained that the temple helps the underprivileged members of the community by providing free health treatment as well as religious and social activities. Umiya Mata is the Kuldevi of Gujarat’s Kadva Patidar community.

Key Points:

a)      On Ramnavami, Prime Minister Modi was virtually speaking at the 14th foundation day festivities of Umiya Mata Temple in Junagadh. Mr Modi also presided over the temple’s inauguration in 2008, when he was Gujarat’s, Chief Minister.

b)      Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people to practise natural farming for the sake of future generations. He stated that we should not exploit our homeland for personal gain.

c)       He emphasised that just as we understand the necessity of water conservation, we must also realise the importance of preserving and nurturing our motherland through natural farming.

d)      Modi also urged people to take care of children, especially female children, by eating nutritious food. People might establish healthy child tournaments, he suggested, in order to raise awareness about nutritional food.

 

2. NITI Aayog’s State Energy and Climate Index: Gujarat tops: NITI Aayog has launched the State Energy & Climate Index (SECI) Round I. The State Energy & Climate Index (SECI) Round I ranks the states’ performance on 6 parameters, namely, (1) DISCOM’s Performance (2) Access, Affordability and Reliability of Energy (3) Clean Energy Initiatives (4) Energy Efficiency (5) Environmental Sustainability; and (6) New Initiatives.

These parameters are further divided into 27 indicators. Based on the composite score of SECI Round I, the states and UTs have been ranked as larger states, smaller states, and UTs, based on size and geographical differences. States and UTs are categorized into three groups: Front Runners, Achievers, and Aspirants.

 

1	Top Three States among Larger States Category	Gujarat
		Kerala
		Punjab
2	Top Three States among Smaller States Category	Goa
		Tripura
		Manipur
3	Top Three UTs	Chandigarh
		Delhi
		Daman & Diu/Dadra & Nagar Haveli

 

3. KADAM: India’s first indigenous polycentric prosthetic knee made by IIT-Madras: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, have unveiled India’s first Polycentric Prosthetic Knee, which seeks to improve the conditions for thousands above the amputees. ‘Kadam,‘ a polycentric knee for above Knee Prosthesis created in collaboration with Society for Biomedical Technology (SBMT) and Mobility India, and is also a ‘Made in India’ product. ‘KADAM’ features:

a)      Above-knee amputees can now walk with a natural gait thanks to Kadam. It not only attempts to improve users’ mobility, but also their quality of life by increasing community participation, access to education, livelihood opportunities, and overall well-being.

b)      It was created by a team at IIT Madras’ TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2), which also created and commercialised the country’s first standing wheelchair, ‘Arise,’ and the NeoFly-NeoBolt: active wheelchair and motorised add-on for seamless indoor-outdoor mobility.

c)       R2D2 is active in human movement research, as well as the design and development of rehabilitative and assistive equipment for persons who have movement disabilities.

d)      Because of the many axes of rotation, Kadam has an advantage over a hinge joint because it also gives the user extra control over the prosthesis while moving and allows for maximal flexion and extension of 160 degrees, making it much easier to sit in small areas like buses and vehicles.

e)      It is made of high-strength stainless steel and aluminium alloy, as well as strong chrome plated EN8 pins and polymer bushings with a long fatigue life.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Ecuador became 1st country to give legal rights to wild animals: Ecuador, a South American Country, became the first country in the world to give legal rights to wild animals. The highest court in the country has ruled in favour of the case that focused on a woolly monkey named “Estrellita” who was taken from her home to a zoo, where she passed just a week later. The court decided to rule in favour of Estrellita and said that her rights had been violated by the government. However, they added that the animal’s rights were also violated by the owner when she removed her from her natural habitat at a young age. The Court has finally stated that animals are subject to rights protected by the rights of nature.

About the Estrellita:

a)      Estrellita was just a month old when she was taken away from the wild so that she could become a pet for librarian Ana Beatriz Burbano Proaño.

b)      Proaño took care of Estrellita for 18 years, however, was seized by authorities in 2019, as owning wild animals is illegal in the South American country.

c)       After being relocated to a zoo, the monkey sadly died. Following the tragic incident, the owner Ana Beatriz Burbano Proañ filed a habeas corpus asking the court to rule that the monkey’s rights were violated.

Note: Ecuador Capital: Quito; Ecuador Currency: United States Dollar; Ecuador President: Guillermo Lasso.

 

2. World Art Day: 15th April: World Art Day is observed every year on 15 April globally. This day is being celebrated all over the world to emphasize the importance of art that nurtures creativity, innovation and cultural diversity for all peoples across the globe. The day was declared by the International Association of Art (IAA), an NGO working in official partnership with UNESCO.

History of the World Art Day: The first celebration of World Art Day was held on April 15, 2012. The date has been selected in honour of the birthday of Leonardo da Vinci, the famous painter of the Mona Lisa. He was chosen as a symbol of world peace, freedom of expression, tolerance, brotherhood and multiculturalism as well as art’s importance to other fields.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. 1st Khelo India National Ranking Women Archery Tournament held in Jamshedpur: The first Khelo India National Ranking Women Archery will be held in Tata Archery Academy, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has approved Rs 75 Lakh to host the Khelo India National Ranking Women Archery Tournament over six phases. The tournament will be conducted as per the World Archery Rules, held in the senior, Junior, and Cadet Categories across the Recurve and Compound events. The Archery Association of India (AAI), in collaboration with the Jharkhand Archery Association and TATA Steel, is organizing the tournament.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Bank of Maharashtra to divest 4% Stake in ISARC: Bank of Maharashtra announced that it will sell its entire 4% ownership in India SME Asset Reconstruction Company for almost Rs 4 crore. According to a regulatory statement, the Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has entered a share purchase agreement for the sale of the entire equity position of 4% in India SME Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (ISARC). Key Points:

a)      The bank’s 4% stake, which translates to 40,00,000 equity shares, would be sold for Rs 9.80 per share for Rs 3.92 crore in cash.

b)      The sale of ISARC’s interest is subject to RBI approval for a change in ISARC’s sponsor shareholder. By the end of December 2022, the transaction should be closed.

c)       ISARC’s overall revenue for the fiscal year ended March 2021 was Rs 11.09 crore, with a net profit of Rs 0.36 crore.

d)      In FY20, it lost Rs 8.39 crore, and in FY19, it lost Rs 9.21 crore.

e)      ISARC is the country’s first Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC), with a large number of public sector banks and undertakings supporting it. It focuses on MSME NPA resolution.

f)        SIDBI, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, and SIDBI Venture Capital Ltd are among the sponsors of the ARC.

g)      On the BSE, the stock of BoM finished at Rs 18.80 per share, up 0.27 percent from its previous closing of Rs 18.75.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India’s gold imports increased by 33.34% to Rs 46.14 billion in 2021-22: According to the official data, the import of gold in India has been rose by 33.34% to Rs 46.14 billion on account of higher demand in 2021-22. The import of gold in 2020-21 was about Rs 34.62 billion. The increase in gold imports has contributed to the widening of the trade deficit to $192.41 billion, against $102.62 billion in 2020-21. India is the world’s second-biggest gold consumer after China. The imports are largely driven by the jewellery industry. The export of gems and jewellery grew by about 50% to about $39 billion during 2021-22.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Assamese poet Nilamani Phookan conferred with 56th Jnanpith Award: Assam Chief Minister, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma presented the country’s highest literary award, the 56th Jnanpith for the year 2021 to one of the most celebrated poets of Assam, Nilamani Phookan. Nilmani Phookan is the third person to win the Jnanpith Award from Assam after Mamoni Roisom Goswami and Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya. The Award carried a Citation, a shawl, and Rs. 11 lakh.

Notably: Novelist Damodar Mauzo was chosen for the 57th Jnanpith Award 2022 for his contribution to Indian literature. The 77-year-old writer was conferred with the country’s highest literary award for his “outstanding contribution to literature”.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Union Minister Amit Shah inaugurates Seema Darshan Project at Indo-Pak border: Union Home and Cooperative Minister, Amit Shah has inaugurated the Seema Darshan Project at Nadabet on the Indo-Pak border in Banaskantha District of Gujarat. The project was launched with the aim to provide an opportunity for the citizen to observe the life and work of the BSF personnel on our border. The tourist can see missiles, tanks, aircraft etc which are used by the Indian Army and BSF at Nadabet. Key points of the project:

a)      The project was initiated with the objective of giving the citizens of the nation an opportunity to see firsthand the lifestyle of the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel who are constantly protecting their motherland, as well as to observe their living conditions, and their duties and their patriotism.

b)      The idea to develop another border viewing point for tourists was mooted when Vijay Rupani was chief minister of Gujarat in 2018. It took three years for the state government to develop the point.

c)       Under the Seema Darshan Project, Nadabet, located on the India-Pakistan border, is being developed as a tourist attraction destination at a cost of Rs 125 crore by the state tourism department.

Note: Border Security Force Headquarters: New Delhi; Border Security Force Founded: 1 December 1965; Border Security Force Director General: Pankaj Kumar Singh.

 

2. DRDO conducts successful flight-test of anti-tank guided missile ‘Helina’: A team of scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) jointly conducted the successful flight test of the indigenously developed helicopter launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ at high-altitude ranges. The flight trials were conducted from an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), and the missile was fired successfully, engaging a simulated tank target in the Pokhran desert ranges, Rajasthan.

About the HELINA missile: HELINA is one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world. The missile has a maximum range of 7 kilometres. It has been developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad.

Note: Chairman DRDO: Dr G Satheesh Reddy; DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi; DRDO Established: 1958.

 

3. Advanced light helicopter MK III squadron commissioned by ICG: Two Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters Mark-III were inducted into the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The choppers will be based out of Kochi’s Coast Guard Aviation Squadron. These choppers were the ninth and tenth in a series of 16 ALH. Key Points:

a)      HAL is building and delivering helicopters to the Coast Guard at four bases: Porbandar, Bhubaneshwar, Kochi, and Chennai.

b)      Two ICG facilities in Bhubaneswar and Porbandar have already received eight helicopters.

c)       The Indian Coast Gurad bought these ALH MK III helicopters for a variety of operations, including maritime surveillance, search and rescue, medical evacuation, ship logistical support, and interdiction, making ALH the ideal flying vehicle for specialised missions.