Daily GK Update- 7th Mar, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India’s first FSRU Hoegh Giant Arrives at Jaigarh Terminal 2022: H-Jaigarh Energy’s Terminal in Maharashtra has received India’s first floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU). On April 12, 2021, the FSRU Höegh Giant arrived at Jaigarh Terminal in Maharashtra after sailing from Keppel Shipyard in Singapore. This will be India’s first FSRU-based LNG receiving terminal, as well as Maharashtra’s first year-around LNG facility.

Key Points:

a)      The Höegh Giant, which was erected in 2017, has a storage capacity of 1,70,000 cubic metres and a regasification capacity of 750 million cubic feet per day (equivalent to about six million tpa). FSRU has been chartered for a 10-year period by H-Energy.

b)      The Höegh Giant LNG terminal will be connected to the national gas grid via the 56-kilometer Jaigarh-Dabhol natural gas pipeline.

c)       The facility will also deliver LNG to onshore distribution via truck loading facilities. Reloading LNG into small-scale LNG vessels for bunkering services is also possible at the plant

d)      H-Energy also plans to boost the region’s small-scale LNG market, utilising FSRU for LNG storage and reloading into smaller boats.

LNG Terminal: The LNG terminal was built by H-Energy to world-class technical and safety standards. The LNG terminal is located in JSW Jaigarh Port in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district. The port is Maharashtra’s first deep-water private port that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

 

2. IIT Madras and NIOT conduct OCEANS 2022 for the first time: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, are jointly conducted OCEANS 2022 Conference and Exposition, the bi-annual event for global marine researchers, technologists and engineers, students, and policymakers. It is being in India for the first time and coordinated by the Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras, on behalf of the Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Ocean Engineering Society (IEEE OES) and Marine Technology Society (MTS). The conference is being held in a hybrid model.

‘Inspire-Innovate-Sustain’ is the main theme of the conference. The delegates will be sharing their experiences on topics related to climate change, global warming, vagaries of weather, combating coastal erosion, marine pollution and microplastics through nearly 400 presentations.

 

3. India’s largest EV charging station for 4 wheelers opens in Sector 86 of Gurugram: India’s largest electric vehicle (EV) charging station for 4 wheelers has been launched in Sector 86 of Gurugram, in Haryana. The new EV charging stations comes with a capacity of 121 charging points for 4 wheelers and can charge 1,000 cars in a single day. Gurugram now has two of largest electric vehicle charging stations across the country. The first EV station was opened in in Sector 52 in January 2022, which has a capacity of 100 charging points for 4 wheelers.

 

4. Jan Aushadhi Diwas: 7th March: The Jan Aushadhi Diwas is celebrated on 7 March 2022 by the Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI). The day is observed to spread awareness about the usages of generic medicines and the benefits of Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana. The theme of the 4 Janaushadhi Diwas is “Jan Aushadhi-Jan Upyogi”.

On this occasion, Doctors, Health Workers, Nurses, Pharmacists, and Jan Aushadhi Mitra will discuss the Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana. The government has set a target to increase the number of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) to 10,500 by March 2025.

 

5. Jet Airways named Sanjiv Kapoor as CEO 2022: Sanjiv Kapoor has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jet Airways. Prior to this, Kapoor was the president of Oberoi Hotels and has also worked as a chief operating officer at SpiceJet and chief strategy and commercial officer at Vistara. He has worked as the Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer of Vistara Airlines for three years, and Chief Operating Officer of SpiceJet for two years. The Jalan Kalrock Consortium is the new promoter of Jet Airways.

Note: Jet Airways CEO: Vinay Dube; Jet Airways Founder: Naresh Goyal; Jet Airways Founded: 1 April 1992, Mumbai.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. SWISS to Become World’s First Airlines to Use Solar Aviation fuel: Swiss International Air Lines AG (SWISS or Swiss Air Lines) and its parent company, Lufthansa Group have partnered with Switzerland based solar fuels start-up, Synhelion SA (Synhelion) to use its solar aviation fuel. Swiss International Airlines will become the first airline to use solar aviation fuel (“sun-to-liquid” fuel) to help power its flights. SWISS will become the first customer of solar kerosene in 2023. For this, Synhelion has developed a technology for manufacturing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from renewable energy sources. When combusted solar fuel will only produce as much CO2 as went into its manufacture, cutting aviation emissions. Synhelion is set to build the world’s first facility to industrially produce solar fuel in Jülich, Germany. The plant will become operational from 2022 onwards.

Note: Swiss International Air Lines AG Headquarters: Basel, Switzerland; Swiss International Air Lines AG Founded: 1 April 2002; Swiss International Air Lines AG Chairman: Reto Francioni; Swiss International Air Lines AG CEO: Dieter Vranckx.

 

2. MEA Unveils Special Logo for 75 Years of Indo-Dutch Diplomatic Relation: The 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and the Netherlands is being commemorated this year. Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, and Marten van den Berg, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to India, launched a joint logo on March 2, 2022, to commemorate the occasion.

Key Points:

a)      The logo features the national flowers of both the countries, the lotus and the tulip. The chakra in the heart of the logo represents our friendship, and the flag colours emphasise the ties that exist between Indians and Dutch people.

b)      Throughout the year, a variety of events and activities in a variety of sectors of cooperation, including water, agriculture, innovation, energy, climate, and culture, are planned to commemorate the 75th anniversary.

c)       The Netherlands gifted 3000 fresh tulips to India as a symbol of goodwill for Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, which were planted in the Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan gardens.

Commercial and Trade Relations

a)      Trade and commercial collaboration are at the heart of the two countries bilateral ties. With USD 6.5 billion in FDI inflows in FY 2019-20, the Netherlands was the third-largest investor in India, after Mauritius and Singapore. Dutch investments in India totalled USD 36.28 billion between April 2000 and December 2020, putting them in fourth place.

b)      The Netherlands received USD 1.23 billion in offshore direct investment (ODI) from India in FY 2019-20, making it the fourth most popular destination for ODI from India.

c)       Bilateral trade was valued at US$6.55 billion in the fiscal year 2020-21 (April-December), with Indian exports to the Netherlands being US$4.33 billion and Indian imports from the Netherlands totalling US$ 2.22 billion.

d)      In India, there are about 200 Dutch enterprises. In addition, the Netherlands has around 200 Indian companies, including all of the main IT firms.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. BCCI named RuPay as the official partner for Tata IPL 2022: Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s, Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council has announced National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)‘s flagship product RuPay as an official partner for the Tata IPL 2022. This will be a multi-year partnership. RuPay offers tech-led, innovative, and customized offerings to people across India, being accepted in India and internationally.

Tata IPL 2022 will be co-presented by Dream11 and co-powered by Tata and CRED. Swiggy, Prystin Care, Zepto, Livspace, L’Oreal, and Spinny have been signed-on as associate sponsors.

The 15th edition of Tata IPL 2022 will start on 26th March 2022. A total of 70 league matches will be played across four international venues in Mumbai and Pune. The venue for the playoff matches will be decided later.

Note: BCCI Founded: 1928; BCCI Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India; BCCI President: Sourav Ganguly; BCCI Vice president: Rajeev Shukla; BCCI Secretary: Jay Shah; BCCI Men’s coach: Rahul Dravid; BCCI Women’s coach: Ramesh Powar.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. UPI transactions value dips 2022: According to the data from the National Payments Corporation of India, India’s cashless retail transactions on the UPI platform were Rs 8.27 lakh crore in February, a little decrease from the previous month’s total (NPCI). In February 2022, there were 452 crores (4.52 billions) in transactions.

Key Points:

a)      The overall value of cashless retail transactions on the BHIM UPI network stood at Rs 8.32 lakh crore in January, with 461 crore transactions (4.61 billion).

b)      According to NPCI, the value of the automatic collection at toll plazas utilising the NETC FASTag technology increased slightly in February, with over 24.36 crore transactions (243.64 million) worth Rs 3,631.22 crore.

c)       NETC FASTag toll collections were valued at Rs 3,603.71 crore by way of 23.10 crore (231.01 million) transactions in the previous month.

d)      Instant money can be transferred through 24×7 IMPS that is Immediate Payment Service fell to Rs 3.84 lakh crore in February as against Rs 3.87 lakh crore in January. During the same period, the number of such transactions is at 42 crores (420.93 million) as compared against 44 crores (440.17 million), as per the data.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. HPCL signed MoU with Solar Energy Corporation of India: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in New Delhi between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) to accomplish green energy targets and the Government of India’s efforts towards a carbon-neutral economy.

Key Points:

a)      Shuvendu Gupta who is the Chief General Manager of HPCL for Biofuels and Renewables, and Sanjay Sharma who Executive Director of SECI, signed the MoU.

b)      The Memorandum of Understanding envisions cooperation and collaboration in the fields of renewable energy, electric mobility, and alternative fuels, as well as the development of ESG Projects.

c)       HPCL plans to diversify further in the RE and Electric Mobility sectors, as well as pursue the development of ESG projects, in order to meet the Government of India’s target to increase the RE capacity and accelerate the adoption of electric mobility in India.

Solar Energy Corporation of India: SECI, the Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited, has been in the forefront of RE capacity development and is credited with bringing the country’s lowest RE tariffs. SECI promotes and develops a variety of renewable energy resources, including solar/wind energy, RE-based storage systems, waste to energy, power trading, R&D projects, and RE base goods such as green hydrogen, green ammonia, and RE-powered electric vehicles, among others.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. NMCG awarded ‘Special Jury Award’ for Ganga rejuvenation: National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has been awarded the ‘Special Jury Award’ at the 7th India Industry Water Conclave and the 9th edition of the FICCI Water Awards. NMCG has been awarded for its effort in reviving River Ganga and bringing about a paradigm shift in water management. The 9th edition of the FICCI Water Awards were organised at the FICCI’s 7th India Industry Water Conclave, held virtually on March 02 and 03, 2022.

The Citation underlines the complexity of the task of rejuvenation of the entire Ganga basin and the importance of engaging with diverse stakeholders particularly the people-river connect which forms the basis of NMCG’s approach to the challenging task. G Asok Kumar was appointed as the new Director-General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Indian Army Chief General S F Rodrigues passes away: General S F Rodrigues, who had served as Chief of the Indian Army from 1990 to 1993 passes away at the age of 88 years. General Sunith Francis Rodrigues was also the Governor of Punjab from 2004 to 2010. He had served two terms on the National Security Advisory Board. Since his retirement, he has been engaged in social and literary pursuits and has also delivered numerous talks on strategic issues. The nation and the Indian Army will always be indebted to his invaluable contribution and service to the nation.

 

2. Australian cricketer Shane Warne passes away: Australian cricketer Shane Warne has passed away at the age of 52 years due to a suspected heart attack in Thailand. He was a leg spinner. In 2013, he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. He is regarded as the greatest spinner of cricket and has played 145 Tests for Australia and has 708 wickets.

 

3. Oscar-winning producer Alan Walbridge Ladd Jr passes away: The Oscar-winning producer, Former Executive at Twentieth Century Fox, who greenlit ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Braveheart’, Alan Ladd Junior has passed away at the age of 84 years. He was affectionately known as “Laddie”. He won the Academy Award (Oscar award) for Best Picture ‘Braveheart’ directed by Mel Gibson in 1995. He was one of the founders of the Ladd Company, established in 1979.

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- 5th Mar, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. MoWCD launches ‘Stree Manoraksha’ Project: The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) and NIMHANS Bengaluru launched the ‘Stree Manoraksha Project’ on Wednesday with the goal of improving women’s mental health in India. The project would concentrate on increasing the ability of OSC (One-Stop Center) off1icials in terms of tools and procedures for dealing with women who come to One-Stop Centers, particularly those who have experienced violence and distress, with compassion and care.

Key Points:

a)      One-Stop Center performed admirably during the COVID time. There are already over 700 One-Stop Centers operating across the country.

b)      People who work in these one-stop shops will be taught how to appropriately operate the Self Defense Shaheed Women Helpline and counsel them.

c)       The advanced training programme will be delivered in all of the regional languages that they want to be able to comprehend. NIMHANS has also built a website dedicated to this, which contains a wealth of information on training.

Implementation:

a)      The project, which has been painstakingly described by NIMHANS based on the Ministry’s expected requirements, will be delivered in two formats.

b)      All OSC functionaries, including security guards, cooks, helpers, caseworkers, counsellors, centre administrators, paramedical staff, and others, will receive basic training in one format.

c)       The second format will emphasise the advanced course, which will focus on various components such as multi-generational implications and lifetime trauma in cases of violence against women as well as professional principles in counselling.

 

2. Google and MeitY to train 100 Indian startups under Appscale Academy programme: The MeitY Startup Hub, an initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and Google have announced a cohort of 100 early to mid-stage Indian startups as a part of Appscale Academy programme. Appscale Academy is a new growth and development programme for startups launched by MeitY and Google to help and train early- to mid-stage startups across India on building high-quality apps and games for a global audience.

About the programme:

a)      These 100 startups were chosen from over 400 applications following an in-depth selection process.

b)      Under the six-month Appscale Academy programme, the 100 startups will be trained through a customised curriculum which includes virtual instructor-led webinars, self-learning material, and mentorship sessions with local and global industry professionals.

Note: Minister of Electronics and Information Technology: Ashwini Vaishnaw;

Google CEO: Sundar Pichai; Google Founded: 4 September 1998; Google Headquarters: Mountain View, California, United States.

 

3. Ujjain creates Guinness Record by Lighting 11.71 Lakh Diyas: Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh has created a Guinness record by lighting 11.71 lakh clay lamps (diyas) in 10 minutes. The diyas were lighted as part of the ‘Shiv Jyoti Arpanam Mahotsava’ on the occasion of Mahashivratri. With this they broke the earlier record of lighting 9.41 lakh diyas created in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh on 03 November 2021. Ujjain is also known as the ‘Land of Mahakal’. The certificate was received by Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

It was a zero-waste programme. The clay from the lamps will be used to prepare idols, while the oil left in the lamps will be offered to gaushalas. The plastic used for the I-cards will be used to make chairs and other items for public gardens.

Note: Madhya Pradesh Capital: Bhopal; Madhya Pradesh Governor: Mangubhai C. Patel; Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

 

4. Herath Festival celebrated in Jammu and Kashmir: Herath or the ‘Night of Hara (Shiva)’, generally known as Maha Shivratri, is the main festival celebrated by the Kashmiri Pandits across Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). The festival marks the marriage anniversary of Lord Shiva and Goddess Uma (Parvathi). 2022 Herath Festival was celebrated on 28th February 2022.

About the festival: Herath Festival is celebrated on “Trayodashi” or the 13th day of the dark half of the month of Phalguna (Hindu calendar), between February and March. The Kashmiri Pandits celebrate the festival by distributing walnuts as a mark of respect to the Hindu deities. The rest of the nation celebrates the Maha Shivratri on Chaturdashi or the 14th of Phalguna.

 

5. Akshaye Widhani named as Chief Executive Officer of Yash Raj Films: Film production and distribution company Yash Raj Films (YRF) has named Akshaye Widhani as chief executive officer. Widhani was serving as senior vice-president, finance and business Affairs and head of operations at YRF Studios. He used to head corporate and business development activities for YRF, including finance, business extensions, strategic alliances, joint ventures, co-productions.

History of Yash Raj Films: Yash Raj Films is one of India’s biggest film production houses. Aditya Chopra is the Chairman and MD of Yash Raj Films. Yash Raj Films was founded by Yash Raj Chopra, in the year 1970.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. China’s Long March-8 Rocket Launches 22 Satellites into Space: China’s second Long March 8 rocket launched carrying a domestic record 22 satellites for a range of commercial Chinese space companies. The Long March 8 lifted off from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center at 10:06 p.m. Eastern Feb. 26, with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) later confirming launch success.

These satellites will be mainly used for commercial remote sensing services, marine environment monitoring, forest fire prevention and disaster mitigation. The mission marked the 409th flight of the Long March carrier rockets.

Note: China Capital: Beijing; China Currency: Renminbi; China President: Xi Jinping.

 

2. NASA launches next-generation GOES-T satellite to track hazardous weather: US space agency, NASA, successfully launched the third in a series of four next-generation weather satellites, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES), from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The satellite is named as GOES-T. Once the satellite gets positioned in its geostationary orbit it will be renamed from GOES-T to GOES-18. GOES-T will be used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to forecast weather and hazardous environmental conditions in the Western Hemisphere.

Note: NASA administrator: Bill Nelson; Headquarters of NASA: Washington D.C., United States; NASA Founded: 1 October 1958.

NOAA Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States; NOAA Founder: Richard Nixon; NOAA Founded: 3 October 1970

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Strandja Memorial Boxing Tournament: Nikhat Zareen & Nitu wins gold for India: Indian boxers Nikhat Zareen (52kg) and Nitu (48kg) has won gold medals at the 73rd Strandja Memorial Boxing Tournament, held in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Indian contingent ended their campaign at the tournament with three medals including two golds and one bronze.

a)      Nikhat Zareen: Nikhat bagged her second gold medal at Europe’s oldest international boxing tournament with a 4-1 win in the women’s 52kg final. She had previously won the Strandja Memorial title in 2019.

b)      Nitu: Nitu outpunched the reigning Youth World Championships bronze medallist Italy’s Erika Prisciandro 5-0 without breaking a sweat in the women’s 48 kg final.

c)       Nandini: With Nandini also finishing on the podium in the 81kg category and signing off with a bronze medal, the Indian contingent concluded their campaign with three medals at the tournament, which was part of India’s first exposure trip this year.

 

2. Indian shooter Saurabh Chaudhary wins 10m air pistol gold at ISSF World Cup: Indian shooter, Saurabh Chaudhary has won the gold medal in Men’s 10m Air Pistol event at the ongoing 2022 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Cairo, Egypt. The silver medal has been won by Germany’s Michael Schwald while Artem Chernousov of Russia claimed the bronze medal.

In the women’s 10m air pistol section, India’s Esha Singh lost to Anna Korakaki of Greece to win the silver medal. Esha, who had shot better than Anna in the semifinal stage, pushed Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Antoaneta Kostadinova to the bronze.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI cancelled licence of Sarjeraodada Naik Shirala Sahakari Bank: Reserve Bank of India has cancelled the license of Sarjeraodada Naik Shirala Sahakari Bank, Sangli, Maharashtra, as it did not have adequate capital and earning prospects. With the cancellation of the licence, Sarjeraodada Naik Shirala Sahakari Bank Ltd has ceased to carry on banking business with effect from the close of business hours on 2 March. The bank is not complying with various sections of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

On liquidation, every depositor would be entitled to receive deposit insurance claim amount of his/her deposits up to a monetary ceiling of Rs 5 lakh from the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC).

Note: DICGC Chairperson: Michael Patra; DICGC Founded: 15 July 1978; DICGC Headquarters: Mumbai.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Ashneer Grover resigned from BharatPe as MD & Director 2022: Ashneer Grover, co-founder and Managing Director (MD) of BharatPe, a leading Indian fintech company, has resigned as the MD and director of the board of BharatPe. Ashneer Grover, who owns a 9.5% stake worth Rs 1915 crore in BharatPe, will continue as the single largest individual shareholder of the company. BharatPe became the 19th Indian startup to become a unicorn in 2021.

Shashwat Nakrani, the co-founder of BharatPe, owns 7.8% and Sequoia Capital India, a venture capital (VC) investor and the largest shareholder of BharatPe, holds 19.6%, followed by Coatue at 12.4% and Ribbit Capital at 11%. As of August 2021, Tiger Global, Steadview Capital, and Beenext together hold a 60.4% stake in BharatPe.

 

2. Adani Green gets LOA for setting-up 150 MW solar power plant: Adani Green Energy Ltd stated that its subsidiary Adani Renewable Energy Holding Fifteen Limited has obtained a letter of award (LOA) to build a 150-megawatt solar power plant. For a period of 25 years, the fixed rate for this project capacity is $2.34/kWh.

Important Points:

a)      According to a statement issued by the Adani Group company said in a stock exchange filing, Adani Renewable Energy Holding Fifteen Limited, a Wholly-owned Subsidiary of Adani Green Energy Limited, participated in a Tender which was issued by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited for the acquisition of 250 MW Solar Power from ground-mounted grid-connected solar PV power plants and has received the Letter of Award for setting up a 150 MW Solar Power Project.

b)      Adani Green presently has a totally renewable energy project portfolio of 20.434 MWac capacity, with 5.410 MWac of operational projects. According to the firm, 11,591 MWac projects are now under construction, with 3.433 MWac projects nearing completion.

c)       Adani Green Energy Limited is an Indian renewable energy firm headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and is part of the Adani Group. In a year, Adani Green Energy shares have returned over 61 per cent, while the company has surged more than 36 per cent in 2022 (year-to-date or YTD) thus far, compared to a 5% drop in the benchmark BSE Sensex.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. MoS Annpurna Devi gives National ICT Award 2020 & 2021: Smt Annpurna Devi, who is the union MoS for Education has given National ICT Awards to 49 teachers from all over the country. In her speech on this event, she told that the NEP-2020 emphasizes on the efficient use of technology in the field of teaching, which will remove the language barriers and increase access for DIVYANG students.

KEY POINTS (Speech OF MoS for Education)

a)      The Information and Communication Technology [ICT] intervention under Samagra Shiksha also has inclusions to provide technological upgradations to schools and Teacher Education Institutes (TEIs).

b)      DIKSHA, school MOOCs on SWAYAM, PMeVIDYA, ePathshala, ICT Curriculum for Teachers and Students and National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement integrated teacher training programme through online mode are among the flagship projects to bridge the digital divide.

c)       The role of teachers in nation-building is appreciable and a Guru (teacher) is given the most respectful person in Indian Society.

d)      The recent budget announcements by the Govt. of India have provided the impetus to each and every digital education initiative.