Daily GK Update- 11th Mar, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Govt nod for setting up WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the establishment of a World Health Organization Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (WHO GCTM) at Jamnagar, Gujarat. An agreement was signed by the Government of India with the world body in this regard. The move would help develop norms, standards, and guidelines in relevant technical areas, tools and methodologies for collecting data undertaking analytics and assessing impact.

Key points:

a)      The WHO GCTM, to be established under the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy), will be the first and only global outposted centre (office) for traditional medicines.

b)      The move will help to position AYUSH systems across the globe, provide leadership on global health matters pertaining to traditional medicine, ensure quality, safety and efficacy, accessibility and rational use of traditional medicine while developing specific capacity building and training programmes in the areas of relevance to the objectives and conduct training programmes in campus, residential, or web-based, and through partnerships with the WHO Academy and other strategic partners.

Note: WHO Established: 7 April 1948; WHO Director General: Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus; WHO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

 

2. Sikkim State Government will launch Aama Yojna & Bahini Scheme: Chief Minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang has announced that the State Government will soon implement ‘Aama Yojana, a scheme for helping non-working mothers & ‘Bahini Scheme’ benefitting girl students of the state. The complete details of the Aama Yojna and Bahini Yojana are given below.

About the Aama Yojna scheme: Aama Yojna scheme aims to inculcate the habit of saving among non-working mothers in the state and hence the Government will provide them Rs. 20,000 each in their bank accounts annually. The scheme covers only those whose names are enrolled in the electoral roll of the state and a sum of Rs. 100 crores have been allocated for it in the budget.

About the Bahini Scheme: Bahini Scheme is to reduce the dropout rate of girl students due to the lack of accessibility/availability of Sanitary Napkins & also to ensure menstrual health and hygiene. Under this scheme, over 18,000 girl students who study in class 9 and above are provided with free sanitary napkins in the state.

Note: Sikkim Capital: Gangtok; Sikkim Governor: Ganga Prasad; Sikkim Chief Minister: Prem Singh Tamang.

 

3. Union Fisheries Minister Parshottam Rupala inaugurates ‘Sagar Parikrama’ initiative from Gujarat: As a part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsava’, the Union Ministry for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has organised ‘Sagar Parikrama’ initiative, to understand the challenges, experiences and aspirations of fishermen community. The programme will be held in phased manner in states that have a coastline. To begin with, Gujarat will mark the first state under this initiative. The Union Minister for Fisheries, Shri Parshottam Rupala inaugurated the ‘Sagar Parikrama’ on March 05, 2022 from Gujarat.

 

4. C-DAC installed “PARAM Ganga” Supercomputer at IIT Roorkee: The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) has designed and installed a supercomputer named “PARAM Ganga”, at IIT Roorkee, under Phase II of National Supercomputing Mission (NSM). PARAM Ganga has a supercomputing capacity of 1.66 Petaflops.

National Supercomputing Mission (NSM):

a)      NSM is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeiTY) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

b)      The mission is implemented by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.

c)       The NSM Mission aims to build and deploy 24 facilities with cumulative compute power of more than 64 Petaflops.

d)      Till date 11 systems have been deployed by C-DAC at IISc, IITs, IISER Pune, JNCASR, NABI-Mohali and C-DAC under NSM Phase-1 and Phase-2 with a cumulative computing power of more than 20 Petaflops.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Iran successfully test fire second military satellite Noor-2: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) successfully launched a military satellite, Noor-2, into orbit at an altitude of 500 kilometres (311 miles) from the earth. This is the second military satellite launched by the Islamic Republic. The first military satellite, Noor, was launched in April 2020 at an orbit of 425km (265 miles) above the earth’s surface. Noor means light in the Persian language.

Putting the second satellite in space would be a major advance for Iran’s military, raising concerns about the country’s nuclear and missile programs. The three-stage Qased, or “Messenger”, the carrier launched the Noor 2, from the Shahroud spaceport.

Note: Iran Capital: Tehran; Iran President: Ebrahim Raisi; Iran Currency: Iranian rial.

 

2. Russia is now world’s most sanctioned country 2022: Russia has become the most sanctioned country in the world, due to its invasion on Ukraine, according to a New York-based sanctions watchlist site Castellum.AI. Russia faced 2,778 new sanctions since February 22, 2022, led by the US and European nations, bringing the total sanctions to 5,530. The country already had 2,754 sanctions in place before February 22.

Countries across the world are putting sanctions on Russia to stop its invasion of Ukraine. Russia has now surpassed countries like Iran and North Korea in terms of a number of sanctions. Before this, Iran was the most sanctioned country, facing 3,616 sanctions against it over the last decade, while Syria and North Korea have 2,608 and 2,077 sanctions, respectively.

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

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. S Sreesanth quits from all forms of first-class cricket: India pacer S Sreesanth has announced his retirement from all forms of domestic cricket. Sreesanth played 27 Tests and 53 ODIs for India, taking 87 and 75 wickets respectively. He has also taken seven wickets in 10 T20 Internationals. In September 2020, Sreesanth’s ban for alleged spot-fixing came to an end, concluding a seven-year punishment that was originally meant to be for life and was aggressively contested by the flamboyant bowler. Sreesanth’s life ban for alleged spot-fixing in the 2013 edition of the IPL was reduced to seven years by BCCI Ombudsman DK Jain last year. The BCCI banned Sreesanth in August 2013 along with his Rajasthan Royals teammates Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan.

 

2. Olympic champion Duplantis sets pole vault world record of 6.19m in Belgrade: Sweden’s Olympic pole vault champion Armand Gustav “Mondo” Duplantis cleared 6.19m to smash his own world record by one centimetre at the World Indoor Tour Silver meeting in Belgrade. Duplantis set the record of 6.18 in February 2020 indoors in Glasgow.

This is the fourth world record of the 22-year-old’s career. His first record came in February 2020 when he surpassed London 2012 gold medallist Renaud Lavillenie’s world record by clearing 6.17m in Torun, Poland before improving that the following week in Glasgow. In September of that year, he cleared 6.15m at the Rome Diamond League meeting to eclipse Sergey Bubka’s outdoor pole vault world best of 6.14m set in Sestriere in July 1994.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI launches UPI123pay for feature phones and DigiSaathi 2022: Reserve Bank of India has launched two initiatives related to digital payments. One is UPI123pay- which provides a UPI payment facility on feature phones and the second is “DigiSaathi” which is a 24×7 Helpline for Digital Payments. The details of the two initiative is given below:

1. UPI123pay- UPI payment facility on feature phones:  The UPI123pay will provide the users of feature phones the option to use Unified Interface Payments (UPI) for making payments. For this, UPI123 pay presently offers four mediums/options to the users of feature phones to make UPI payments. The name UPI123pay denotes that the UPI payment can be done in three (123) easy steps i.e. 1. Call 2. Choose and 3. Pay Presently the option available for feature phone users for digital payments is of USSD which is a bit cumbersome and not popular. The launch of UPI123pay will improve the payments ecosystem for more than 40 crore users of feature phones in India.

These four options are given below in detail:

a)      App-based Functionality- An app would be installed on the feature phone through which several UPI functions, available on smartphones, will also be available on feature phones.

b)      Missed Call: Under this facility users of feature phones can make payments at the merchant outlet by giving a missed call on the number displayed at the merchant outlet. The customer will receive an incoming call to authenticate the transaction by entering UPI PIN. The users can also access their bank account and perform routine transactions such as receiving, transferring funds, regular purchases, bill payments, etc., by giving a missed call.

c)       Inter-active Voice Response (IVR): UPI payment through pre-defined IVR numbers would require users to initiate a secured call from their feature phones to a predetermined number and complete UPI on-boarding formalities to be able to start making financial transactions without internet connection.

d)      Proximity Sound-based Payments: This uses sound waves to enable contactless, offline, and proximity data communication on any device.

2. “DigiSaathi”- 24×7 Helpline for Digital Payments: This service will provide users with automated responses on information related to digital payment products and services. Presently it is available in English and Hindi language. Users can access DigiSaathi via any of the following modes:

a)      toll-free number (1800-891-3333),

b)      a short code (14431),

c)       Website – http://www.digisaathi.info, and chatbots.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. RIL opens India’s biggest business and cultural hub in Mumbai: Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has announced the opening of the Jio World Centre, which will be India’s largest and most prestigious multi-faceted destination. The Centre, which covers 18.5 acres in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex and was envisioned by Nita Ambani, Director Reliance Industries and Founder-Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, and it is set to become a historical business, commerce, and culture destination, which will provide the people of India with a world-class landmark.

Key Points:

a)      The Jio World Centre will open in phases over the course of this and next year, beginning with the dedication of Dhirubhai Ambani Square and the musical Fountain of Joy to Mumbai and the Jio World Convention Centre.

b)      The Jio World Centre is a first-of-its-kind destination in India, with a cultural centre, a musical fountain, premium shops, a curated selection of cafés and fine dining restaurants, serviced apartments and offices, and a state-of-the-art convention facility.

c)       The Dhirubhai Ambani Square, set to become a new landmark in Mumbai, is a free-entry, open public place that promises to become a must-see destination for locals and tourists from around the world.

d)      The world-class Fountain of Joy and the Dhirubhai Ambani Square are dedicated to the people and city of Mumbai. It will be an iconic new public space, a celebration of the city’s spirit, where people can share joys and soak up the colours and sounds of Mumbai.

 

2. Microsoft will set up India’s largest Data Center region in Hyderabad: Tech giant, Microsoft has announced to set up its fourth data centre in India in Hyderabad, Telangana. Hyderabad Data centre will be one of the largest data centres in India and will be operational by 2025. Microsoft already has a data centre in three Indian regions across Pune, Mumbai, and Chennai. The new data centre will add to the growing demand for Microsoft’s cloud services from both the private enterprises as well as the government sector.

About the data centre:

a)      To set up the data centre, Microsoft has signed a definitive agreement with the Telangana state government with a total investment of Rs 15,000 crore.

b)      In terms of Microsoft’s own expansion plans’s the company stated that they are expanding their Hyderabad campus and the total campus is now spread over a 2.5 mn Sq.ft area with 18,000 full-time employees.

c)       The Hyderabad centre of Microsoft is the largest centre for the tech giant after Redmond. In India, Microsoft has 14,000 partners and it serves around 340,000 companies in the country.

Note: Microsoft CEO and Chairman: Satya Nadella; Microsoft Headquarters: Redmond, Washington, United States.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Pakistani President Rafiq Tarar passes away: Veteran politician, former Supreme Court judge, and President of Pakistan, Rafiq Tarar passed away at the age of 92 years. Muhammad Rafiq Tarar was born on 2 November 1929 in Peer Kot, Pakistan. He served as a Supreme Court judge from 1991 to 1994. He also served as the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court from 1989 to 1991. Later, he became Pakistan’s President for the period of 1997 to 2001.

Daily GK Update- 10th Mar, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Ministry of Culture organise PAN-India programme “Jharokha”: Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Textiles are organising a programme called “Jharokha-Compendium of Indian handicraft/ handloom, art and culture” to celebrate the traditional Indian handicrafts, handlooms, and art & culture. To begin with, the first event under this celebration has been organized in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh at Rani Kamlapati Railway Station, on March 08, 2022, which also marks International Women’s Day.

Key points:

a)      Jharokha is a PAN India programme that will be held at 16 locations in 13 states and UTs, as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav .

b)      The event in Bhopal will celebrate womanhood and the contribution of women in the field of art, craft and culture.

c)       Kamlapati Railway Station is named after the brave and fearless Queen Kamlapati of the Gond kingdom of Madhya Pradesh.

 

2. Haryana govt announced Matrushakti Udaymita Scheme: Haryana government has announced Matrushakti Udaymita Scheme to provide support to women entrepreneurs, on International Women’s Day. Under the scheme, the women whose family annual income is less than 5 lakh rupees based on Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) verified data, will be provided access to soft loans by financial institutions to the extent of 3 lakh rupees. Subsequently, the interest subvention of 7% will also be provided for three years through the Haryana Women Development Corporation.

Note: Haryana Capital: Chandigarh; Haryana Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya; Chief Minister of Haryana: Manohar Lal Khattar.

 

3. Ministry of Labour launches ‘Donate-a-Pension’ initiative: Union Labour and Employment Minister, Bhupender Yadav has launched the ‘Donate-a-Pension’ campaign under Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM) scheme, on March 07, 2022, from his residence and donated the same to his gardener. Under the new initiative, citizens can contribute to the pension fund of their immediate support staff such as domestic workers, drivers, helpers etc, by donating the premium amount.

The ‘Donate-a-Pension’ program is part of various initiatives to be launched in the ‘Iconic Week’ celebrations by the Labour Ministry from March 7 to 13, 2022. It is an initiative under (PM-SYM) pension scheme where citizens can donate the premium contribution of their immediate support staff such as domestic workers, drivers, helpers etc.

 

4. DN Patel named as Chairperson of TDSAT 2022: The Central Government has appointed Justice Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel, Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, as the Chairperson of Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT). He was appointed as Chief Justice of Delhi High Court on June 7, 2019, and is now given the Chair of TDSAT, days before his retirement on March 12, 2022.

Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification regarding the approval of his appointment by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), stating that he will serve the Chair for a period of 4 years from the date of assumption of charge of the post, or till attaining the age of 70 years, or until further orders, whichever is the earliest. The conditions of his service will be governed by the provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 and the Tribunal (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2021.

Note: TDSAT Establishment: 2000; TDSAT Headquarter: New Delhi.

 

5. CISF raising day: 10th March: In the year 1969, the CISF was set up on March 10 and three battalions were formed under the CISF act 1968, which was passed by the Parliament of India. Since then, the day is celebrated as CISF Raising Day every year. Central Industrial Security Force, is for the central armed police force in India. It is one of the six paramilitary forces in India functioning under the Union Home Ministry.

Cisf Raising Day History: The CISF, which was set up in 1969, is assigned to look after the security of the vital government and industrial buildings. The CISF was established under the CISF Act, which has a strength of over 3,000. In 2017, the government raised the sanctioned strength of personnel from 145,000 to 180,000.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. T Raja Kumar named President of the Financial Action Task Force: T Raja Kumar, a Singaporean, has been named president of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the world’s anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing agency. His appointment is for a set two-year term, which begins on July 1. During the FATF plenary, he was chosen to succeed Dr Marcus Pleyer of Germany.

Key Points:

a)      Mr Raja’s nomination marks the first time Singapore has assumed the president of the organisation, according to a joint news release issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Ministry of Finance (MOF), and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) on March 7.

b)      Mr Raja is a senior advisor at MHA and has been the leader of Singapore’s FATF mission since January 1, 2015. Since July 2018, he has also been a member of the steering group, which advises the FATF president.

c)       The FATF is an intergovernmental organisation set up by the G7 in 1989 to prevent and combat money laundering, terrorism, and proliferation finance.

d)      “The FATF also reviews and supervises member jurisdictions to ensure that they fully and effectively apply the FATF standards,” MHA, MOF, and MAS noted.

e)      Since 1992, Singapore has been a member of the organisation. Mr Raja has played a key role in directing Singapore’s efforts to combat money laundering and terrorism financing, according to the MHA, MOF, and MAS.

f)        Since January 2015, he has led Singapore’s efforts to satisfy FATF Standards as co-chairman of the National Interagency Committee on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism.

 

2. International Day of Women Judges: 10th March: March 10 marks the International Day of Women Judges. On this day, the United National reaffirms its commitment to develop and implement appropriate and effective strategies and plans for the advancement of women in the judicial system and institution at the managerial and leadership level.

Women in the judiciary system are a key to ensuring that courts represent their citizens, address concerns and give out good judgments. Women’s presence in the judiciary system enhances the legitimacy of courts and sends a powerful message saying that they’re open and accessible to those who want to seek justice.

International Day of Women Judges History: Equality in the judiciary system has historically been uneven and the steps taken to change this are evidenced by the declaration of the UN General Assembly to mark this day as International Day of Women Judges. The resolution of the General Assembly was drafted by the State of Qatar, which is proof to bring a positive shift in society.

 

3. World Kidney Day: 10th March: World Kidney day is celebrated on the second Thursday of March every year. This year, it is being observed on March 10. World Kidney Day is a global campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of our kidneys. World Kidney Day aims to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys to our overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide. The theme for World Kidney day 2022 is “Kidney Health for All”. The 2022 campaign will focus on efforts to increase education and awareness about kidney health and on reducing the stubbornly high CKD knowledge gap at all levels of kidney care.

History of the day: The observance of this day was started by the International Society of Nephrology and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations. World Kidney Day was first celebrated in 2006.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Banks Board Bureau introduce development program for the management of PSB: The Banks Board Bureau (BBB) has launched a development programme for public sector bank management with the goal of boosting the quality of bank boards. The nine-month Directors’ Development Programme (DDP) is made for directors of Public Sector Banks and financial institutions with the main objective of improving director effectiveness and increasing their impact on boards, according to the Banks Board Bureau.

Key Points:

a)      This programme is aimed to help the directors think about the business’s future and upgrade themselves to be a source of wisdom and counsel for management and stakeholders in order to improve PSB’s performance levels in the world scenario.

b)      The curriculum, developed in partnership with IBA and others, will assist in empowering and enriching the board of directors, which is crucial for decision-making.

c)       Financial Services Secretary Sanjay Malhotra, who is also a BBB member, remarked that there is no end to what can be learned during this course.

d)      It added that the programme includes seminars, face-to-face interactive sessions, and self-paced online modules, and that the methodology is based on a practitioners approach, with introduction and refresher portions for new and experienced directors, respectively.

e)      Participants will be able to put their new knowledge into practise through facilitated case studies, simulations, and role plays, according to the announcement.

f)        Interaction with the corporate leaders and industry experts will increase awareness of key issues, according to the report.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Paytm to offer digital ticketing services by partnering with IRCTC: Paytm, a digital payments company, announced that it has expanded its partnership with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to provide consumers with digital ticketing services via Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVM) installed at railway stations across the country. Passengers will be able to scan QR codes generated on the screens to purchase unreserved train ride tickets, platform tickets, renew their seasonal tickets, and recharge smart cards.

Key Points:

a)      This is the first time Indian Railways has made it possible for customers to pay for tickets services online using UPI on ATMs, promoting cashless commuting.

b)      The ATVMs that have been installed at railway stations are touch-screen ticketing kiosks that will allow travellers to pay digitally without the use of smart cards.

c)       Passengers will now be able to scan QR codes that would be generated on the screens that can be used to purchase unreserved train ride tickets, platform tickets, renew their seasonal tickets, and recharge smart cards.

d)      Paytm allows passengers to pay using a variety of methods, including Paytm UPI, Paytm Wallet, Paytm Postpaid, Net Banking, Credit Card, and Debit Card.

e)      The new digital payment method based on Quick Response (QR) codes has already gone live across all ATVM machines at Indian railway stations.

Paytm’s latest ATVM digital payment solution is in addition to the company’s other railway-related offerings, which include e-catering payments and reserved train ticket booking via its smartphone. The new function is part of the company’s nationwide campaign to promote cashless transactions and digital payments.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. NMDC receives 1st prize in Ispat Rajbhasha Award for 2018-19 and 2020-21: National Mineral Development Corporation Ltd Country’s largest Iron Ore producer, a CPSE under Ministry of Steel received 1st prize in the Ispat Rajbhasha Award for 2018-19 and 2020-21 and company also received the Ispat Rajbhasha Prerna Award for 2019-20. The award ceremony was held in the meeting of the Hindi Salahakar Committee of the Ministry of Steel held in Madurai on 3rd March 2022. The Union Minister of Steel, Shri Ram Chandra Prasad Singh, presented the accolades to Shri Sumit Deb, Chairman and Managing Director, NMDC.

About the NMDC: NMDC, a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Steel and one of the most profitable PSUs of the Government of India also it is an eco-friendly mining company and the largest producer of iron ore in India.

Note: NMDC Headquarters: Hyderabad; NMDC Founded: 15 November 1958.

 

2. President Kovind Presents ‘Nari Shakti Puraskar’ for 2020 and 2021: The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind has conferred the ‘Nari Shakti Puraskar’ for the years 2020 and 2021, on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 08, 2022, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. Overall 29 women have been conferred the award for the years 2020 and 2021 in recognition of their outstanding and exceptional work towards the empowerment of women, especially the vulnerable and marginalised. There were a total of 28 awards which included 14 awards each for the years 2020 and 2021. The award ceremony for the year 2020 could not be held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Daily GK Update- 9th Mar, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled a tall statue of great Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Pune, Maharashtra. The Statue is made up of 1,850 kg of gunmetal and is about 9.5-feet tall. He also launched a 12-km stretch of 32.2-km-long metro rail project at a total cost of more than ₹ 11,400 crores in Pune. Pune Metro is the first project in India to have aluminium body coaches, indigenously manufactured under the ‘Make in India’.

PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for the rejuvenation and pollution abatement of the Mula-Mutha River projects in Pune. The rejuvenation will be done in a 9 km stretch of the river under the project which will cost more than Rs 1080 crore.

 

2. 2000 km network to be brought by Indian Railways under ‘KAVACH’ in 2022-23: The trial of the ‘Kavach’ functioning system between Gullaguda and Chitgidda Railway stations was examined by Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways, Communication, Electronics and Information Technology. 2,000 km of railway network will be brought under Kavach for safety and capacity augmentation in 2022-23, as a part of Prime minister’s Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Key Points:

a)      During the testing, both locomotives were travelling towards each other, creating a head-on collision situation.

b)      The ‘Kavach’ system activated the automatic braking mechanism, bringing the locomotives to a complete stop 380 metres apart.

c)       The locomotive was also tested crossing the red light; however, the locomotive did not pass the red signal because ‘Kavach’ required the automated deployment of brakes.

d)      When the gate signal neared, the automatic whistle sounded loud and clear. During the trial, the crew did not touch the sound or brake systems manually.

e)      When the locomotive was ran on the loop line, the speed restriction of 30 km/h was checked. As the locomotive approached the loop line, ‘Kavach’ automatically decreased the speed to 30 km/h from 60 km/h.

KAVACH:

a)      The KAVACH is an ATP system created in India by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in partnership with Indian industry, with testing facilitated by South Central Railway, to meet the corporate goal of train safety across Indian Railways. It’s a cutting-edge electronic system that meets Safety Integrity Level – 4 criteria.

b)      KAVACH is designed to protect trains by preventing them from passing the Danger (Red) signal and colliding.

c)       It prevents collisions between two locomotives equipped with a functional KAVACH system by automatically activating the train braking system if the driver fails to regulate the train according to the speed regulations.

 

3. India Global Forum annual summit held in Bengaluru: India Global Forum’s (IGF) annual summit is being organized in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The summit will bring together eminent faces of tech-driven disruption and those who have joined the unicorn club along with Union ministers, policymakers, and global business leaders. The previous editions were hosted in Dubai and the UK and addressed by esteemed speakers like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the PM of the UK Boris Johnson amongst other leaders from Governments and industry across the globe.

This is the first-ever edition of IGF at Bengaluru. The agenda-setting forum for international business and global leaders, IGF, offers a selection of platforms that corporates and policymakers can leverage to interact with stakeholders in their sectors and geographies of strategic importance.

 

4. MSME Ministry launches “SAMARTH” Special Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive for Women: Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises has launched a Special Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive for Women named –“SAMARTH”. The drive was launched by Union Minister for MSME, Shri Narayan Rane along with Minister of State for MSME, Shri Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma in New Delhi.

Under the Samarth initiative of the Ministry, the following benefits will be available to aspiring and existing women entrepreneurs:

a)      20% Seats in free Skill Development Programs organized under skill development schemes of the Ministry will be allocated for Women. More than 7500 women will be benefitted.

b)      20% of MSME Business Delegations sent to domestic & international exhibitions under the schemes for Marketing Assistance implemented by Ministry will be dedicated to women-owned MSMEs.

c)       20% Discount on annual processing fee on NSIC’s Commercial Schemes Special Drive for registration of women-owned MSMEs under Udyam Registration.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Hybrid form United Nations Environment Assembly held in in Nairobi, Kenya: The United Nations Environment Assembly was hosted by the UN Environment Programme. It brings together representatives from the UN’s 193 member countries, corporations, civil society, and other stakeholders to agree on policies to address the world’s most serious environmental concerns. AIM:

a)      The aim of UNEA-5 was “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” emphasising the importance of nature in our lives as well as in social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

b)      Its goal was to give nations the impetus they needed to build on and catalyse global environmental initiatives to safeguard and restore the natural world on which our economy and societies rely.

Key Points:

a)      Nations resolve to build a legally enforceable accord in the fight against plastic pollution, marking a watershed moment in the effort.

b)      The UN Environment Assembly comes to a close with 14 decisions aimed at reducing pollution, protecting the environment, and restoring it around the world.

c)       The United Nations Environment Assembly’s fifth session was held online, which was hosted from Nairobi from February 28 to March 2, 2022.

d)      UNEA-5 provided an opportunity for Member States to present their finest sustainability initiatives.

 

2. Pakistan again placed on FATF’s grey list: The global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, Financial Action Task Force (FATF), retained Pakistan in the grey list and asked the country to work on money laundering investigations and prosecutions. FATF also added the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to its grey watchlist. The decision has been taken after the conclusion of the four-day FATF Plenary from March 1-4, 2022. The event took place in hybrid mode from Paris, France. Pakistan has been on the grey list of FATF since June 2018 for failing to check money laundering and terror financing. It was given a plan of action to complete it by October 2019 but it fails to comply with the FATF mandates.

FATF grey list:

a)      FATF grey list is the list in which jurisdictions under increased monitoring are placed. If a jurisdiction is placed under increased monitoring, this means that jurisdiction is committed to resolving strategic deficiencies within agreed timeframes.

b)      Jurisdictions under the FATF grey list actively work with FATF to address strategic deficiencies in their regime to fight against money laundering and terrorist financing.

Note: FATF Founded: 1989; FATF Members: 39; FATF Headquarters: Paris, France; FATF President: T Raja Kumar (Singapore).

 

3. No Smoking Day: 9th March: No Smoking Day is celebrated on the second Wednesday in the month of March every year across the world. This year No Smoking Day will be celebrated on 9th March. The day is celebrated to help those who wish to quit smoking as well as to raise awareness about the implications of smoking on an individual’s health.

The main reason to observe this day is to spread awareness and educate people about the adverse impacts of tobacco on their health through cigarettes and other means. No Smoking Day was first observed in the year 1984 in the Republic of Ireland on Ash Wednesday. It was on this day that the clergy determined that giving up cigarettes will be a good thing for Lent.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Priyanka Nutakki becomes the 23rd Woman Grandmaster of India: 19-year-old Priyanka Nutakki has secured her final WGM-norm at MPL’s forty-seventh National Women Chess Championship. She became India’s twenty-third Woman Grandmaster. She is from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. Priyanka Nutakki scored her first WGM-norm in January 2019 and crossed the 2300 rating criteria in the next two months. However, much like a lot of players, the Covid-19 pandemic delayed her title hopes.

Priyanka braved the odds, resumed playing over-the-board tournaments in October 2021 at ChessMood Open. In her third over-the-board tournament of the year, she scored her second WGM and maiden IM-norm at the 7th Sunway Sitges Open 2021.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Axis Bank and Airtel tie-up to boost India’s digital ecosystem 2022: Axis Bank and Bharti Airtel have entered into a strategic partnership to strengthen the growth of the digital ecosystem in India, through a range of financial solutions. The partnership would enable access to credit and various digital financial offerings from Axis Bank to Airtel’s 340 million-plus customers. These will include first-of-its-kind co-branded credit card ‘Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card’ with industry-leading benefits, pre-approved instant loans, Buy Now Pay Later offerings and many more.

About the credit card:

a)      The Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card will offer a host of benefits such as cashback, special discounts, digital vouchers and complimentary services to Airtel customers.

b)      The credit card users will enjoy exciting rewards like 25 per cent cashback on Airtel Mobile/DTH recharges, Airtel Black and Airtel Xstream Fiber payments, 10 per cent cashback on electricity/gas/water bill payments via Airtel Thanks app, 10 per cent cashback on spends with preferred merchants – BigBasket, Swiggy, Zomato, 1 per cent cashback on all other spends and Amazon e-voucher of Rs 500 on card activation within 30 days of issuance.

Note: Axis Bank CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry; Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai; Axis Bank Founded: 1993, Ahmedabad.

Bharti Airtel CEO: Gopal Vittal; Bharti Airtel Founder: Sunil Bharti Mittal; Bharti Airtel Founded: 7 July 1995.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Future Generali India Insurance Launches ‘FG Dog Health Cover’ Insurance: Future Generali India Insurance Company Limited (FGII) has announced the launch of FG Dog Health Cover, comprehensive health insurance for pet dogs, along with industry-first ‘Emergency Pet Minding’ cover. The FGII also focuses on a digital campaign named ‘Oh My Dog!’ with an aim to create awareness on purchasing dog health insurance cover and also targets on social media like Instagram and Twitter.

Key points:

a)      The insurance policy covers pet dogs aged between six months to four years for giant breeds and seven years for small, medium, and large breeds. The exit age is ten years for small, medium, and large breeds and six years for giant breeds.

b)      This comprehensive cover will protect pet parents against the cost of their dogs’ surgery and hospitalisation, terminal illness, mortality, and funeral expenses. With add-on covers, pet parents will, also, be able to insure their dogs against third-party liability, theft or loss, emergency pet minding, veterinary consultation, and doctor on call.

c)       With FG Dog Health Cover, pet parents will be able to choose their a veterinarian, budget their pet care costs, and avoid the dip into emergency funds with easy documentation.

Note: FGII CEO: Anup Rau; FGII Headquarters location: Mumbai; FGII Founded: 2000.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. 9th India-Sri Lanka Bilateral Maritime Exercise SLINEX begins: The 9th edition of India – Sri Lanka Bilateral Maritime Exercise named SLINEX (Sri Lanka–India Naval Exercise) is held at Visakhapatnam from 07 Mar to 10 Mar 2022. The aim of the exercise is to enhance interoperability and improve mutual understanding between the navies of the two neighbouring countries in the strategically significant Indian Ocean Region.

Key points:

a)      The exercise was held in two phases; First is the Harbour Phase at Visakhapatnam on 07-08 Mar 22 followed by the second phase i.e. Sea Phase on 09-10 Mar 22 in the Bay of Bengal.

b)      Indian Navy is being represented by INS Kirch, a guided missile corvette while Sri Lanka Navy will be represented by SLNS Sayurala, an advanced offshore patrol vessel. Sri Lanka Navy is being represented by SLNS Sayurala, an advanced offshore patrol vessel and the Indian Navy by INS Kirch, a guided missile corvette.

Aim of the exercise:  SLINEX aims to enhance interoperability, improve mutual understanding and also exchange best practices and procedures for multi-faceted maritime operations between both navies. The harbour phase includes professional, cultural, sporting and social exchanges. Exercises during sea phase will include surface and anti-air weapon firing exercises, seamanship evolutions, aviation operations including cross-deck flying, advanced tactical manoeuvres and special forces operations at sea.