Daily GK Update- 6th Mar, 2022

 

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.

Daily GK Update- 26th Feb, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Union Minister Giriraj Singh releases Rural Connectivity GIS Data in Public Domain: Giriraj Singh, who is the Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, has released the Rural Connectivity GIS Data in Public Domain. This data includes the GIS data for more than 8 lakh rural facilities which have been collected and digitised using the GIS platform developed for the PM-GSY scheme. Other than Giriraj Singh, other Union Ministers like Faggan Singh Kulaste and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, were also present at the release event.

On this event, Giriraj Singh recalled that since the inauguration of this scheme:

a)      An estimate is that more than 6.90 lakh km of roads have been constructed, which connects 1,61,508 habitations with an expenditure of about 2.69 lakh crores of Indian rupees.

b)      Speed of the construction of rural roads under the PMGSY has seen massive growth during the last few years and the use of new technology has been emphasized which has resulted in a saving of about 5000 crores of Indian rupees.

c)       The data which has been made available in the public domain can be beneficial to the startups, entrepreneurs, businesses, civil society, academics and other government departments to build products, conduct research, and plan investments for a quicker disaster response.

PM-GSY: Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) is a scheme that was launched in the year 2000, with an objective to provide all-weather road connectivity to all the unconnected habitations throughout the nation which lie under the eligibility criteria. The plan was upgraded later. Since then, 7.83 lakh Km roads have been sanctioned and 6.90 lakh Km have been constructed with an expenditure of about 2.69 lakh crores of Indian rupees.

Gati Shakti: Gati Shakti is a national master plan and digital platform which aims at the planning and execution of infrastructure projects in India to reduce logistics costs and enhance infrastructure.

 

2. PM-Kisan 3rd Anniversary, transferred Rs 1.80 lakh to farmers accounts directly: About 11.78 crore farmers as of February 22, 2022, have been benefitted under the PM Kisan scheme. The amount worth Rs1.82 lakh crore have been disbursed to eligible beneficiaries across India in various intervals. During the current Covid 19 epidemic period, Rs. 1.29 lakh crore has been released.

About the PM Kisan scheme: PM-KISAN is a centre sectored scheme which was launched on 24th February 2019 to substitute monetary needs of landholding farmers. The monetary benefit of Rs 6000/- per year in three equal instalments, every four-month, 3 times a year, it is transferred into the bank accounts of the families of the farmers across the country through Direct Benefit Transfer or DBT mode. The scheme was in the starting meant for small and marginal farmers having landholding upto 2 hectares but then the scope of the scheme was extended to cover all landholding farmers with effect from 01.06.2019.

 

3. PM CARE for Children scheme extended by the Centre till 28th Feb 2022: The PM Cares for Children Scheme has been extended by the Ministry of Women and Child Development of the Government of India till February 28, 2022. Previously, the scheme was applicable till December 31, 2021. A letter has been written in this respect to all Principal Secretaries/ Secretaries, Women and Child Development, Social Justice & Empowerment Departments of all States and UTs, with a copy to all District Magistrates/District Collectors. To be eligible for the scheme, the child must be under the age of 18 at the time of their parents’ death, to be considered eligible for payments under this plan. All children who have suffered the following losses are covered under the scheme:

a)      Lost both parent due to COVID-19 Pandemic,

b)      Legal guardian/adoptive parents/single adoptive parent, from 11.03.2020, the day on which WHO proclaimed and defined COVID-19 as pandemic.

Those who are eligible can now be registered in the PM CARES for Children Scheme until February 28, 2022 via the website https://pmcaresforchildren.in.

What is PM CARES?

The PM CARES for Children Scheme on May 29, 2021 was announced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi for the children who have lost the parents or legal guardians, adoptive parents, or surviving parents as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic onset on March 11, 2020. The scheme intends to assist these children by providing them the long-term comprehensive care and protection, through a convergent strategy, gap financing for education and health, a monthly stipend begins at the age of 18, and prepare them for self-sufficiency with financial assistance of lump sum payment of Rs. 10 lakhs once they reach the age of 23.

 

4. IIT Roorkee launched ‘KISAN’ mobile app in Uttarakhand: The Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee has organized a regional farmers’ awareness programme as part of the ‘Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa’ (GKMS) project and launched KISAN mobile application for the farmers. The app will provide agro-meteorological services to the farmers. Farmers from Haridwar, Dehradun, and Pauri Garhwal districts participated in the program.

About the app:

a)      KISAN app provides farmers with easy access to weather forecasts and weather-based Agrometeorological Advisory Bulletins for all six blocks of Haridwar district through phones.

b)      The app was developed by Dr Khushboo Mirza, Senior Scientist, Regional Remote Sensing Centre (RRSC), National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), New Delhi under the guidance of Dr C S Jha, an Outstanding Scientist and Chief General Manager at RRSC, NRSC, ISRO, Hyderabad.

c)       The Agrometeorological Advisory Services are offered jointly by the AMFU (Agromet Field Unit Roorkee) IIT Roorkee and the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

 

5. A book title ‘The Great Tech Game’ penned by Anirudh Suri: Indian author, Anirudh Suri has come out with his new book titled “The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations.’ It has been published by HarperCollins India. In this book, the author lays out a roadmap for how any country must develop its own strategic plan to succeed in this technology-dominant era.

The essence of the book: In this book, the author provides a coherent framework outlining the key drivers that will determine the ability of a nation to succeed in this technology-dominant era. He lays out a roadmap for how any country must develop its own strategic plan for success. Leaders must develop a new set of capabilities to understand and take advantage of these trends and create enabling environments for their nations to not be left behind. A particularly challenging aspect will be the ability of countries to define and manage the roles of state and non-state actors in a global race for technological leadership and success.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. International IP Index 2022: India ranks 43rd: India has improved its overall IP score from 38.4 per cent to 38.6 per cent, and the country is ranked 43 out of 55 countries on the International Intellectual Property Index 2022. This index was released by the Global Innovation Policy Center of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In July 2021, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce released a Review of the Intellectual Property Rights Regime in India. This review is a welcome development and offers a comprehensive and detailed study of the strengths and weaknesses of India’s national IP environment.

The top five countries in the ranking are:

Rank 1- United States

Rank 2- United Kingdom

Rank 3- Germany

Rank 4- Sweden

Rank 5- France

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. SAAF & National Cross Country Athletics Championship to be held in Nagaland: Nagaland is all set to host the South Asian Athletic Federation (SAAF) cross country championship and 56th National Cross-Country athletics championships from 26th of next month in Kohima. Meanwhile, the official mascot of the South Asian Cross Country Championships and 56th National Cross Country is a joyous happy running ‘Hornbill’. The name of the Mascot is Akimji – a connotation of the word AMBITION derived from Sumi dialect of Naga tribe which exemplifies the ambition of the new generation of Naga youth.

This event is going to be perhaps Nagaland’s biggest sporting event in our 50 plus years of statehood and expressed optimism that the event will propel the image of Nagaland and the state’s sporting dream towards national and international platforms. On this occasion, the official team Nagaland kit was also launched.

Note: Chief Minister of Nagaland: Neiphiu Rio; Governor of Nagaland: Jagdish Mukhi.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI announces dollar/rupee two-year sell buy swap auction: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a US Dollar/Rupee two-year sell-buy swap auction with a view to elongating the maturity profile of its forward book and smoothening the receivables relating to forwarding assets. The Central bank will undertake a sell/buy swap auction of $5 billion, which will enable access to a wider set of market participants.

RBI will conduct a spot sale to sell USD 5 billion to banks in exchange of rupees, through this auction on March 10, 2022. On March 11, 2024, it will make a forward purchase from banks in two years. The forward purchase will help in reducing RBI’s current foreign exchange reserves and increase its two-year forward USD purchases.

Swap auction:

a)      Under the swap auction, a bank sells US dollars to the RBI. It is also agreed to buy the same amount of US dollars at the end of the swap period. It is different from Open Market Operations (OMOs), materially.

b)      Under OMOs, the central bank buys and sells government securities in the open market. While in swap transactions only authorised dealers are allowed to deposit US dollars in exchange for rupees.

c)       Swap Auction is done with the objective of meeting the durable liquidity needs of the system. It injects rupee liquidity for a longer duration by means of long-term foreign exchange Buy/Sell swap. Swap Auction helps in bridging the liquidity deficit.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Paytm Payments Bank is now official acquiring partner for e-RUPI vouchers: Paytm Payments Bank Limited has announced that it is an official acquiring partner for ‘e-RUPI vouchers’. e-RUPI, which is a government initiative, is a cashless prepaid voucher that beneficiaries can present via SMS or QR Code. Paytm’s merchant partners can then scan, enter the amount to be paid and receive the payment directly in their bank account. This will benefit beneficiaries (users), even those who do not have access to formal banking services or smartphones to avail the convenience of digital payments.

Benefits:

a)      With this, merchants will be empowered with another digital payment collection method that will help them further increase their digital footprint and onboard more customers.

b)      PPBL is empowering merchants to accept e-RUPI vouchers, which gives it an opportunity to tap into a larger user base that is a beneficiary of this initiative. This will further encourage more merchants to embrace cashless transactions, leading to an increase of digital payments.

Note: Paytm Payments Bank Founded: 2015; Paytm Payments Bank Headquarters: Noida, UP; Paytm Payments Bank Founder & CEO:  Vijay Shekhar Sharma.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India receives three more Rafale Fighter Jets from France: Three more Rafale fighter aircraft landed in India from France, with Indian specific enhancements. With this new arrival of the three jets, the total Rafale fleet with Indian Air Force (IAF) has reached 35. The 36th and final aircraft will arrive in India from France by March- April 2022, and will be a trainer aircraft.

India-France Rafale Deal: In September 2016, India exchanged a Rs 59,000 crore deal with France for 36 Rafale fighter jets. The first batch of five Rafale jets had arrived in India on July 29 last year. India and France had signed the inter-government agreement in 2016, under which Paris agreed to provide 36 Rafale fighter jets to New Delhi.

About the Rafale: The twin-engine Rafale jets are capable of carrying out a variety of missions: ground and sea attack, air defence and air superiority, reconnaissance, and nuclear strike deterrence. The planes equipped with the Hammer missiles have enhanced India’s capability to carry out air-to-ground strikes like the one in Balakot.

Daily GK Update- 22nd Feb, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Narendra Modi inaugurates 550-tonne capacity Gobar-Dhan Plant in Indore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated a 550-tonne capacity “Gobar-Dhan (Bio-CNG) Plant” in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, through video conferencing. This is the biggest Bio-CNG plant in Asia. It has been set up at a cost of Rs 150 crore. The gobardhan plant is based on the concept of waste-to-wealth innovation. Wet urban household waste and waste from cattle and farm is Gobar Dhan.

Need for Bio CNG Plant: Lakhs of tonnes of garbage have occupied thousands of acres of land for decades across the country causing air and water pollution, the major reason behind the spread of diseases. The plant is based on zero-landfill models, which means no rejects would be generated.

Benefits of the plants:

a)      Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, providing green energy; and organic compost as fertiliser.

b)      The Indore Gober Dhan Bio CNG plant will produce around 17,000 kg per day of CNG, and 100 tonnes per day of organic compost.

c)       It is proposed that such Gober Dhan Bio CNG plants will be established in 75 big Municipal bodies in coming two years.

 

2. GoI, World Bank sign loan agreement of $115 million for implementation of REWARD Project: The Government of India, the State Governments of Karnataka and Odisha and the World Bank have signed a $115 million (INR 869 crore) Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development (REWARD) Programme. This programme will help national and state institutions adopt improved watershed management practices to help increase farmers’ resilience to climate change, promote higher productivity and better incomes.

The bifurcation of the loan amount of $115 million is given below:

Government of Karnataka- $60 million (INR 453.5 crore)

Government of Odisha- $49 million (INR 370 crore)

Central Government- $6 million (INR 45.5 crore)

Terms of Loan: The loan has been provided by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) arm of World Bank and has a maturity of 15 years, including a grace period of 4.5 years.

Note: World Bank Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States; World Bank Formation: July 1944; World Bank President: David Malpass.

 

3. Govt plans ‘Heal by India’ for positioning India as global source for health sector: The government of India will be promoting the ‘Heal by India’ initiative to improve India’s educational institutions in the health sector. The Union Health Ministry recently organized a Chintan Shivir — ‘Heal by India’ for two days. ‘Heal by India’ initiative is meant to generate job opportunities abroad for India’s trained professionals in the health sector and enhance education to churn out quality human resources in health, thus helping them become eligible to work anywhere in the world.

To achieve the objectives under ‘Heal by India’:

a)      The government of India is working on assets like well-qualified faculty, no language barrier, availability of advanced technology, positive government policies etc. Especially for those that have high demand outside India.

b)      It includes almost 50-60 streams like dieticians, nurses, lab technicians, paramedics, OT (operation theatre) attendants, physiotherapists, OT technicians, medical attendants for old age patients care etc. They will be trained under the Skill India programme.

 

4. TransUnion tieup FICCI for MSME consumer education programme: TransUnion CIBIL has partnered with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) to launch a unique nationwide MSME consumer education program to support MSME. This program will kick off with MSME clusters in Maharashtra, Assam and Tripura and aims to reach thousands of MSMEs across key MSME clusters in India.

The objective of the program:

a)      The program objective is to empower MSMEs with knowledge on how to build a good credit history and CIBIL Rank to avail easier and faster access to finance. TransUnion CIBIL is committed to supporting banks and credit institutions in the sustainable growth of their MSME portfolios while improving reach and driving access to finance for MSMEs.

b)      In addition to offering MSME lenders solutions like CIBIL Rank and commercial credit reports for astute lending, TransUnion CIBIL also publishes insights reports like the MSME Pulse in association with SIDBI and the recent Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) analysis report to support policymakers and the industry with market insights on the MSME sector.

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

TransUnion CIBIL Founded: 2000; TransUnion CIBIL Managing Director: Rajesh Kumar; TransUnion CIBIL Chairman:  M.V.Nair (Chairman).

 

5. A book on Rabindranath Tagore authored by Uma Das Gupta released: The book titled “A History of Sriniketan: Rabindranath Tagore’s Pioneering Work in Rural Construction” was authored by Uma Das Gupta and published under Niyogi Books ‘Paper Missile’ released. The book contains Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s work in ‘village reconstruction’ by setting up ‘Sriniketan’, a wing of his Visva Bharati International University at Santiniketan in 1922, which is also popularly known as a university town. It is situated in West Bengal.

The book highlights the efforts of Rabindranath Tagore in improving the condition of the peasantry by using scientific methods of cultivation through laboratory experiments where the expert and the peasant collectively participated.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Russian President Putin divided Ukraine into 3 countries: Russian President, Vladimir Putin has recognised the independence of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine – Donetsk and Luhansk. Putin’s announcement paved the way for Russia to openly send troops and weapons to the long-running conflict pitting Ukrainian forces against Moscow-backed rebels. Russian-backed rebels have been fighting Ukrainian troops in Donetsk and Luhansk since 2014, with regular violence despite a ceasefire agreement.

Putin signed decrees recognizing the Donetsk and Luhansk regions’ independence, eight years after fighting erupted between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces, and called on lawmakers to approve measures paving the way for military support.

Note: Russia Capital: Moscow; Russia Currency: Ruble; Russia President: Vladimir Putin.

 

2. World Thinking Day: 22nd February: World Thinking Day, originally known as Thinking Day, is celebrated annually on 22 February by all Girl Scouts, Girl Guides and other girl groups worldwide. The day is observed to think about fellow brothers and sisters around the world, address their concerns and understand the true meaning of guiding. The theme for World Thinking Day 2022 is Our World, Our Equal Future.

History of the day:

a)      In 1926, at the Fourth Girl Scout International Conference, held at Girl Scouts of the United States’s Camp Edith Macy (presently the Edith Macy Conference Center), the conference delegates highlighted the need for a special international day when Girl Guides and Girl Scouts would think about the worldwide spread of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting, and of all the Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world, giving them, their “sisters,” thanks and appreciation.

b)      It was decided by the delegates that this day would be 22 February, the birthday of both Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scout movement, and Lady Olave Baden-Powell, his wife and the World Chief Guide.

c)       In 1999, at the 30th World Conference, held in Ireland, the name was changed from “Thinking Day” to “World Thinking Day”, to emphasize the global aspect of this special day.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Mumbai to host International Olympic Committee session in 2023: Mumbai, India will host the International Olympic Committee session in 2023. The IOC Session for 2023 will be held at Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. The last such session was hosted by India in the year 1983 in New Delhi. In 2022, the IOC session was held in Beijing, China. Nita Ambani is the representative of India on this committee. Mumbai received a historic 99% of the votes in favour of its bid from the delegates participating in the process, with 75 members endorsing its candidature in the session held at Beijing.

International Olympic Committee session: The IOC Session is the yearly meeting of the 101 voting members and the 45 honorary members where they come together to decide amendments to the Olympic Charter, the election of IOC members and office-bearers and so on.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Centre nominates Sanjay Malhotra as a Director of Central Board of RBI: The Centre government has nominated Sanjay Malhotra, Secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, as a Director on the Central Board of Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The nomination of Malhotra, a 1990 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, is effective from February 16, 2022, and until further orders. Prior to his appointment as DFS Secretary, Malhotra was the Chairman and Managing Director of REC Ltd. He succeeded Debashish Panda, who completed his term on January 31, 2022.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Hurun India Wealth Report: India’s millionaire households rose 11% in 2021: According to the latest Hurun India Wealth Report 2021, the number of dollar-millionaire households in India increased by 11 per cent to 4,58,000 households in 2021, as compared to 2020. A household having a net worth of at least INR 7 crore ($1 million), is referred to as a dollar-millionaire household. The report has estimated that the number of dollar-millionaire households in the country shall increase by 30% over the next five years to reach 6,00,000 households in 2026.

Key points of the report:

a)      Meanwhile, in the list of cities with the most millionaires, Mumbai has topped with 20,300 millionaires households. Mumbai is followed by Delhi with 17,400 and Kolkata with 10,500 millionaire households, respectively.

b)      The report is based on the survey on 350 Indian ‘millionaires’ (individuals with a personal wealth of $1 million).

 

2. Indian businesses rank 5th in their concern for climate change: As per the ‘Deloitte 2022 CxO Sustainability Report: The Disconnect Between Ambition and Impact’, Indian businesses rank 5th in their concern for climate change. According to the report, 80 per cent of Indian executives see the world at a tipping point for responding to climate change compared with just 53 per cent eight months ago.

The report was released by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL). DTTL is also known as Deloitte Global. The Deloitte survey, done across 21 countries during September-October 2021, has found a higher number of top-level executives in India responding to the issue of climate change compared to the survey conducted in January-February 2021.

Significance of the Report: The report examines business leaders’ and companies’ concerns and actions related to climate change and sustainability. The report also explores the disconnect between company ambition and impact, as well as steps CxOs can take to start to bridge the gap.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2022: The prestigious ceremony of Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2022 was held on February 20. The event was held in Mumbai and the best performances from last year were honoured in the event this time. This year Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2022 celebrated the opulence of Indian Cinema and also commemorated the 75 years of Independence or Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Here is a complete list of winners of Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2022:

1)      Film of the Year Award: Pushpa: The Rise

2)      Best Film Award: Shershaah

3)      Best Actor Award: Ranveer Singh for film 83

4)      Best Actress Award: Kriti Sanon for film Mimi

5)      Outstanding Contribution to Films: Asha Parekh

6)      Critics Best Actor Award: Sidharth Malhotra

7)      Critics Best Actress Award: Kiara Advani

8)      Best Actor in Supporting Role Award: Satish Kaushik for film Kaagaz

9)      Best Actress in Supporting Role Award: Lara Dutta for film Bell-Bottom

10)  Best Actor in Negative Role Award: Aayush Sharma for film Antim: The Final Truth

11)  People’s Choice Best Actor Award: Abhimanyu Dasani

12)  People’s Choice Best Actress Award: Radhika Madan

13)  Best Debut Award: Ahan Shetty for film Tadap

14)  Best Playback Singer Male Award: Vishal Mishra

15)  Best Playback Singer Female Award: Kanika Kapoor

16)  Critics Best Film Award: Sardar Udham Singh

17)  Best Director Award: Ken Ghosh for film State of Siege: Temple Attack

18)  Best Cinematographer Award: Jayakrishna Gummadi for film Haseena Dilruba

19)  Best International Feature Film Award: Another Round

20)  Best Short Film Award: Pauli

21)  Best Actor in Web Series Award: Manoj Bajpayee for The Family Man 2

22)  Best Actress in Web Series Award: Raveena Tandon for Aranyak

23)  Best Web Series Award: Candy

24)  Best Actor in Television Series Award: Shaheer Sheikh for Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi

25)  Best Actress in Television Series Award: Shraddha Arya for Kundali Bhagya

26)  Television Series of the Year Award: Anupama

27)  Most Promising Actor in Television Series Award: Dheeraj Dhoopar for Kundali Bhagya

28)  Most Promising Actress in Television Series Award: Rupali Ganguly for Anupama

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Senior journalist Ravish Tiwari passes away: Senior journalist, Ravish Tiwari has passed away. He was the national bureau chief of Indian Express. He was popular for his political news reporting. Before this, he had also served as Senior Assistant Editor at Economic Times, Associate Editor at India Today and Senior Assistant Editor at the Indian Express. He had done his graduation from IIT Bombay and master’s from the University of Oxford.

 

2. Freedom fighter and Gandhian social worker Shakuntala Choudhary passes away: Noted freedom fighter and Gandhian social worker, Shakuntala Choudhary has passed away. She was 102-year-old. She was popularly known as ‘Shakuntala Baideo’. She was felicitated with the Padma Shri award in 2022 by the Government of India. She hailed from Kamrup in Assam and was known for her commitment and devotion to the popularization of the Gandhian way of life. She worked for the well-being of villagers, especially women and children.