Daily GK Update- 24th Feb, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi inaugurated ‘Kisan Drone Yatra’ and flagged off 100 ‘Kisan Drones’: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the ‘Kisan Drone Yatra’, an initiative by Garuda Aerospace Pvt Ltd and flagged off 100 ‘Kisan Drones’ in various cities and towns across India to spray pesticides in farms across the states of India. The 100 Kisan Drones were set off in 100 villages in 16 states across India which includes Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Goa.

Key Points:

a)      The farmers can use the high capacity Kisan drones to transport their produce such as fruits, vegetables and flowers to markets in a minimal time and boost their income.

b)      While Inaugurating, PM addressed the farmers in Manesar, Haryana. The Kisan Drone Yatra was flagged off from the Manesar in Gurgaon, Haryana.

c)       The Kisan Drones will also be promoted for crop assessment, digitization of land records and spraying of insecticides and nutrients.

d)      Garuda Aerospace has set a target of manufacturing two lakh drones in the next two years and this will provide ample employment to youth.

Note: Garuda Aerospace Pvt Ltd Founder and CEO: Agnishwar Jayaprakash; Garuda Aerospace Pvt Ltd Headquarter: Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

 

2. Assam Govt Launches India’s First Night Navigation Mobile App In Rivers: Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma has launched India’s first Night Navigation mobile application for ferry services on the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati, Assam. It was developed by the State Transport Department in association with K Raju, the principal scientist of IIT Madras. The first night journey of the IWT (Inland Water Transport) ferry between Guwahati and North Guwahati was started on 19 February 2022.

The Chief Minister also launched ten Aadhar-based contactless services of the State Transport Department to make public service delivery time-efficient and budget-friendly. The CM also launched an e-ticketing system for Dhubri and Silchar ferry services. An MoU was also signed between the Common Service Centres (CSCs) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the State Transport Department to provide online services at the panchayat level.

Note: Assam Capital: Dispur; Assam Chief Minister: Himanta Biswa Sarma; Assam Governor: Jagadish Mukhi.

 

3. Indian Railways Gives Glimpse Of India’s 1st Cable Stayed Rail Bridge In J&K: The Indian Railways has shared new images of the country’s first cable-stayed bridge on the Anji river in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district. The under-construction Anji Khad bridge, part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, will connect Katra and Reasi areas through rail links. The bridge will stand at a height of 331 metres above the river bed – higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The total length of the bridge is 473.25 metres and it is supported by 96 cables.

About the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project: The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link is deemed to be one of the most difficult projects undertaken in the Indian subcontinent. The bridge has been designed to withstand storms and strong winds. Given the complex geology of the high-altitude region, constructing the bridge is very challenging. The Railways has divided the 272-km rail link into three subsections.

 

4. GoI organise week-long ‘Vigyan Sarvatra Pujyate’ Science exhibition: The Government of India has organised a week-long science exhibition titled ‘Vigyan Sarvatra Pujyate’ from February 22 to 28, 2022, as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav commemoration. It will be conducted simultaneously at 75 locations across the country through a hybrid model. The inaugural programme was held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on the 22nd of February.

The exhibition will celebrate science and technology (S&T) and display the country’s scientific legacy and technology prowess. The exhibition will culminate on February 28, 2022, which coincide with the National Science Day, commemorated in remembrance of Nobel Laureate Sir C.V. Raman’s path-breaking discovery of the Raman Effect in 1930.

Organised by: The program was jointly organized by the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Indian Council of Medical Research, All India Council for Technical Education, and Defence Research Development Organisation.

 

5. Central Excise Day: 24th February: Central Excise Day of India is celebrated every year on February 24. The day is being celebrated to honour the service of the Central Board of Excise and Custom (CBEC) to the country. The day is celebrated to honour the officers associated with CBEC and their services. The day is celebrated to commemorate the legislation of the Central Excise and Salt act on 24 February 1944.

Central Excise Day Significance: The central excise day is celebrated to raise awareness about the contribution of the central excise officers among the general public of the country. The jobs of the members of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs in preventing corruption among the manufacturing industries are worth appreciation and encouragement.

About Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs:

a)      The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs is formerly known as the Central Board of Excise and Customs. The Customs and Central Excise/ Central GST department was established to administer customs laws.

b)      Now the department is under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance which deals with the policy formulation concerning levy and collection of Customs, Central Excise duties, Central Goods & Services Tax and IGST, prevention of smuggling and administration of matters relating to Customs, Central Excise, Central Goods & Services Tax, IGST and Narcotics to the extent under CBIC’s purview.

Note: Chairman of Central Board of Excise and Custom: Vivek Johri; Headquarters of Central Board of Excise and Custom: New Delhi; Central Board of Excise and Custom Founded: 1 January 1964.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India and France sign Roadmap on Blue Economy: India and France have inked a roadmap to enhance their bilateral exchanges on the blue economy and ocean governance. Dr S Jaishankar is on a three-day visit to France, from February 20 to 22, 2022, to attend EU Ministerial Forum for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific scheduled for February 22. The agreement on ‘Roadmap on Blue Economy and Ocean Governance’ was signed between India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar’s and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian.

About the partnership:

a)      The partnership will help to explore the potential for collaboration in marine science research for a better understanding of oceans and ensure that the ocean remains a global common, a space of freedom and trade, based on the rule of law.

b)      The scope of the roadmap will encompass maritime trade, the naval industry, fisheries, marine technology and scientific research, integrated coastal management, marine eco-tourism, inland waterways, and cooperation between competent administrations on civil maritime issues.

c)       India and France underscored that fisheries are a vital economic sector and play a decisive role in food security and livelihood security, particularly for coastal populations.

 

2. K.N. Raghavan named as new Chairman of International Rubber Study Group: Executive Director of the Indian Rubber Board, K.N. Raghavan has been elected the new Chairman of the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG). He will officiate as Chairman of the group for the next two years. He will preside over the meeting of the heads of delegation scheduled for March 31 at Singapore.

About the International Rubber Study Group: International Rubber Study Group (IRSG), an intergovernmental organisation of natural and synthetic rubber producing and consuming countries. IRSG is the only forum for natural rubber (NR) and synthetic rubber (SR) producers and consumers to discuss matters affecting the world rubber industry and act as an interface between government and the Industry. International Rubber Study Group Members: Cameroon; Cote d’Ivoire; European Union; India; Nigeria; Russia; Singapore; Sri Lanka.

Note: International Rubber Study Group Secretary-General: Salvatore Pinizzotto; International Rubber Study Group Formed: 1944; International Rubber Study Group Headquarters: Singapore.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz creates history, becomes youngest ATP 500 winner: The 18-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz has clinched the Rio Open tennis title after defeating Diego Schwartzman in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The seventh-seeded Alcaraz defeated third-seeded Schwartzman 6-4, 6-2 to become the youngest ATP 500 champion since the category was created in 2009. It is the second tour-level title of the teen’s career following his breakthrough in Umag last year. Alcaraz converted five of his six break points in the match. Overall, he won 55 per cent of his return points to put constant pressure on his veteran opponent.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SEBI reconstitutes advisory panel for alternative investment policy: Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has reconstituted its alternative investment policy advisory committee, which advises the capital markets regulator on a range of issues that impact further development of the (Alternative Investment Fund) AIF space. The committee has now 20 members. The panel, which was constituted by Sebi in March 2015, earlier had 22 members. Till now, the committee has submitted three reports on the AIF industry.

Members of the committee:

a)      The committee is chaired by Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy. Apart from Murthy, the committee includes members from Sebi, Ministry of Finance, AIF players and industry associations.

b)      Gopal Srinivasan, chairman and managing director, TVS Capital Funds; Gopal Jain, co-founder and managing partner, Gaja Capital; Vipul Roongta, managing director and CEO, HDFC Capital Advisors; and Renuka Ramnath, chairperson, Indian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (IVCA) are among the members of the panel, as per Sebi.

c)       The other members include Prashant Khemka, founder and partner at White Oak Capital Management; Gautam Mehra, partner at PwC; Subramaniam Krishnan, partner at Ernst & Young; Deepak Ranjan, deputy director, DEA, Ministry of Finance; Mahavir Lunawat, vice chairman, Association of Investment Bankers of India (AIBI); and Sujit Prasad, executive director at Sebi.

About the panel:

a)      The panel is mandated to advise Sebi on any hurdles that might hinder the development of the alternative investment industry and any other item relevant to the segment as well as the development of the startup ecosystem in India.

b)      Also, the committee has been entrusted with the task of advising Sebi on any issues which need to be taken up with other regulators for the development of the alternative investment industry.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Tata Power collaborated with RWE to develop offshore wind projects: Tata Power has collaborated with Germany-based RWE Renewable GmbH to explore the potential for joint development of offshore wind projects in India. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard was signed between Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Power, and RWE, one of the world’s leaders in offshore wind. This is in line with Government of India’s announcement of achieving 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind installations by 2030.

India is an unexplored and highly attractive market to develop opportunities for offshore wind as it has a large coastline of about 7,600 kilometres. RWE and Tata Power Renewable Energy possess complementary strengths and will enable the establishment of a competitive offshore wind market in India.

Note: Tata Power CEO: Praveer Sinha; Tata Power Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

2. Takuya Tsumura appointed as new President & CEO of Honda Cars India: Japanese auto major Honda Motor Co. Ltd. has announced the appointment of Takuya Tsumura as the new President & CEO of Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) with effect from 1 April 2022. The appointment comes as part of the management changes announced annually by the company.

Tsumura will take over from Gaku Nakanishi, who moves from India to regional headquarters in Asia and Oceania region – Asian Honda as General Manager, Automobile Business for the region. Tsumura has been associated with Honda Motor for more than 30 years. He has worked in several international markets including Thailand, Australia, China, Japan, Turkey, Europe and Asia & Oceania regions. Tsumura was in-charge of South Asian countries, including India from 1997 to 2000.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Andhra Pradesh Industries Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy passes away: Andhra Pradesh Industries Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy has passed away. The 50 years old Minister returned to India from Dubai Expo. Reddy, was a two-time MLA from the Atmakur Assembly constituency in the Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh. He was the Minister for Industries, Commerce, and Information Technology in Andhra Pradesh Government.

Daily GK Update- 23rd Feb, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India’s first Biosafety Level-3 mobile laboratory inaugurated in Maharashtra: Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Bharati Pravin Pawar has inaugurated India’s first Biosafety level-3 containment mobile laboratory in Nashik, Maharashtra. The mobile laboratory will help to investigate newly emerging and re-emerging viral infections, by specially trained scientists from ICMR. The newly launched lab will be able to access remote and forested areas of the country, to investigate outbreaks using samples from humans and animal sources.

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar inaugurated the laboratory and said that the Biosafety Level-3 mobile laboratory is a significant value addition to the government’s efforts to strengthen healthcare infrastructure through the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission.

 

2. Himachal Pradesh gets 1st Biodiversity Park at Mandi: Himachal Pradesh gets the first biodiversity park to make its contribution towards the conservation of endangered Himalayan herbs. This park is set to come up at Mandi’s Bhulah valley. With the cost of Rs 1 crore, the biodiversity park is set up under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS) by HP’s forest department. The aim of the park is to link tourism activities along with extending new opportunities for researchers to conduct in-depth exploration of various medicinal herbs found in the Himalayas that are on the verge of extinction.

Importance of Biodiversity parks: Biological diversity is a precious resource intended for the continued existence of mankind, and hence, conserving biodiversity is concerned with restoring the equilibrium between humans & the atmosphere. The important role of Biodiversity Parks include:

a)      A nature reserve for the conservation of the natural heritage of the city

b)      Enhancing the quality of the urban environment

c)       Serving as a hub for education, cultural and conservation activities

d)      Connecting biodiversity to the city and people

e)      Promoting eco-tourism

f)        Creating livelihood for local communities

g)      Preserving the rare endemic and threatened plant and animal species of the area.

Note: Himachal Pradesh Capital: Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter); Himachal Pradesh Governor: Rajendra Arlekar; Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister: Jai Ram Thakur.

 

3. Corbevax gets emergency approval for 12-18 age group by DGCI: The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved the Corona Vaccine Biologicals E Ltd’s Corbevax for children in the age group of 12 to 18 years. Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company Biological E Ltd said its coronavirus vaccine Corbevax, is also India’s third homegrown vaccine. Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin is being given to children aged 15 to 18 years from January 3.

About the Corbevax: Corbevax is called a protein subunit and currently, we have an example of the hepatitis B vaccine which is also similarly a protein subunit vaccine. Corbevax and the other vaccine in India, we have Covovax from Serum Institute.

 

4. Government approved continuation of RUSA scheme till 2026: The Ministry of Education has approved the continuation of the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) scheme till 31st March 2026 with an expenditure of 12,929.16 crores. The new phase of the scheme would support around 1,600 projects. Out of Rs 12,929.16 crores of expenditure, the centre will share Rs 8,120.97 crores, and the state will share Rs 4,808.19 crores.

The new phase of the scheme has been designed to implement some of the recommendations of the New Education Policy (NEP). Under the new phase of the scheme, State Governments will support Gender inclusion, Equity Initiatives, Enhance employability through vocationalisation and skill upgradation.

Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA): Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan was launched in 2013. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to provide funding to state government universities and colleges. Its main objective is to improve the quality of state institutions and ensure reform in affiliation, academic, and examination systems.

 

5. Madhya Pradesh: 48th Khajuraho Dance Festival begins: Madhya Pradesh Governor, Mangu Bhai Patel has inaugurated the 48th ‘Khajuraho Dance Festival-2022’ at world-famous tourist destination Khajuraho on the occasion of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. The event will be organized till 26 February. This year a 5-km ‘Dil Khel Ke Ghoomo’ marathon was also organized under the banner of ‘Safe Tourism Project for Women’ at the event. It aims to create a sense of security among women in tourist destinations with the slogan ‘Hindustan Ke Dil Mein Aap Safe Hain’.

This dance festival is being organized with the joint effort of Ustad Alauddin Khan Sangeet and Kala Akademi Madhya Pradesh Sanskriti Parishad of Culture Department, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, Archaeological Survey of India and District Administration Chhatarpur. It is the topmost festival of the country focusing on Indian classical dance forms, and is well known nationally and internationally.

Ambassadors and High Commissioners of 8 countries attended the family function to witness the performances of the 48th Khajuraho Dance Festival. These include ambassadors and high commissioners from Korea, Argentina, Vietnam, Brunei, Finland, Malaysia, Thailand and Lao.

History of the festival: The Khajuraho dance festival was started in 1975 from the temple premises itself. It was not allowed to be performed in the temple premises only after two-three years, as a result, this ceremony was performed outside the temple premises. Last year, the Culture Department’s effort to organize this program in the temple premises was successful and this year also this function is being done in the temple premises itself.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Israel successfully tests fire ‘C-Dome’ new naval air defence system: Israel successfully tested a new naval air defence system “C-Dome,” to be used on the Israeli Navy’s Sa’ar 6-class corvettes. C-Dome is the naval version of the Iron Dome, an all-weather air defence system of Israel to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and missiles, from the Gaza Strip. The successful test further strengthens the missile defence systems of the Israeli Navy to safeguard the maritime assets of the State of Israel.

About the system: The systems that we are developing as part of Israel’s multi-tier missile defence array enable us to operate against Iranian proxies in the region and defend against their weapon systems, which are constantly being upgraded. The C-Dome is to become part of Israel’s multilayer missile defence system — which includes weapons capable of intercepting everything from long-range missiles to short-range rockets.

Note: Israel Capital: Jerusalem; Israel President: Isaac Herzog; Israel Prime minister: Naftali Bennett; Israel Currency: Israeli Shekel.

 

2. Jimmy Soni authored a book titled ‘The Founders: The Story of Paypal”: A new book titled ‘’The Founders: The Story of Paypal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley ’’, authored by Jimmy Soni and published by Simon & Schuster released soon. It highlights the story of multinational digital-payments company PayPal and how it covered the journey of a start-up that turned into one of the most successful companies of all time, worth over USD 70 billion today. It also offers colourful anecdotes about famous people like Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Reid Hoffman.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Winter Olympics Games 2022 in Beijing concludes: The closing ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games was held on February 20, 2022, at National Stadium (known as the Bird’s Nest) in Beijing. The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, was held from 4 to 20 February 2022. The Games featured a record 109 events across 15 disciplines in 7 sports. The venues of the Games were distributed across three zones- Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou. The Presidency of the Games was formally handed over to Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, in Italy, to host the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The top country in Winter Olympics 2022 in Beijing:

a)      Norway has topped the medal table for the second successive Winter Olympics, winning a total of 37 medals, including 16 golds. This is a new record for the most amount of gold medals won at a single Winter Olympics.

b)      Germany finished second with 27 medals overall, while the host nation China finished third with 15 medals.

India at the 2022 Winter Olympics: The Indian team at the game was represented by one male alpine skier, Arif Khan. He was the country’s flagbearer during the opening ceremony, meanwhile, a volunteer was the flagbearer during the closing ceremony. India could not win any medal at the games.

 

2. IOC Athletes’ Commission re-elected Emma Terho as Chair: International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission re-elected ice hockey player Emma Terho of Finland as its Chair and table tennis player Seung Min Ryu of the Republic of Korea as its First Vice-Chair. The commission also elected cyclist Sarah Walker of New Zealand as the second VC of the Commission. Emma Terho is a five-time Olympian and former captain of the Finland women’s ice hockey team. She will be the head of the Commission until the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

Note: International Olympic Committee Founded: 1894; International Olympic Committee Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland; International Olympic Committee President: Thomas Bach.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Bharti Airtel joins SEA-ME-WE-6 undersea cable consortium: Telecom operator, Bharti Airtel Ltd has announced that it has joined South East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 6 (SEA-ME-WE-6) undersea cable consortium, in a bid to scale up its high-speed global network capacity and serve India’s fast-growing digital economy. It shall be anchoring 20 per cent of the overall investment in the cable system. Through SEA-ME-WE-6, Airtel will be able to add 100 TBps capacity to its global network. The telco will land the SEA-ME-WE-6 cable system in India at new landing stations in Mumbai and Chennai. Apart from Airtel, there are 12 other global members in the consortium.

SEA-ME-WE 6:

a)      SEA-ME-WE 6 is a proposed optical fibre submarine communications cable system to carry telecommunications between Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Western Europe.

b)      SEA-ME-WE-6 is a 19,200 km network, which will run from Singapore to France.

c)       It will have a bandwidth of 120 Tbps

d)      The system is scheduled to go LIVE in 2025.

e)      Once operational, it will be amongst the largest undersea cable systems globally.

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

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Coal India gets ‘India’s Most Trusted Public Sector Company’ award: Maharatna company of the Government of India, Coal India Limited has been awarded the ‘India’s Most Trusted Public Sector Company’ award. Coal India received this honour at the “Energy Meet and Excellence Award” function organized by Industry Chamber “ASSOCHAM” in Kolkata. The company has got this honour at a time when Coal India has not allowed the situation of power crisis in the country by significantly increasing coal production and supply in the last few months to meet the increased demand for coal for the power sector.

In the midst of all these difficulties, Coal India has continuously increased its coal production and supply and did not allow the shortage of coal required to generate electricity in the country. It is worth noting that the name of Coal India Chairman Mr Pramod Agarwal was included in the list of “Top 40 CEOs of India” released in January 2022 by the well-known organization Start-up Lens. Last month, Vinay Ranjan, Director (Personnel & Industrial Relations), Coal India was named in Forbes India’s list of “India’s 100 Great People Managers, 2021”.

 

2. Philanthropist Bill Gates conferred Hilal-e-Pakistan honour to eradicate polio: Microsoft founder and philanthropist, Bill Gates has been conferred with Hilal-e-Pakistan, the second-highest civilian honour in the country, for his efforts to help eradicate polio in Pakistan. Gates is on a day-long visit to Pakistan and has met with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. He also visited the National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) that oversees efforts to curb Covid-19.

According to the statement, Gates appreciated Pakistan’s success against Covid-19 despite resource constraints and the initiatives and measures for public health safety. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been a major contributor in worldwide polio eradication through Gavi, the vaccine alliance. Gates also met Planning and Development Minister and NCOC head Asad Umar and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan.

Note: Microsoft Founded: 4 April 1975, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States; Microsoft  Headquarters: Redmond, Washington, United States; Microsoft  CEO: Satya Nadella; Microsoft  Chairperson: John W. Thompson.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India and Oman begins Eastern Bridge-VI Air Exercise: The Indian Air Force (IAF) and Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) have organised a bilateral air exercise named Eastern Bridge-VI from February 21 to 25, 2022 at Air Force Station Jodhpur in Rajasthan. Eastern Bridge-VI is the sixth edition of the exercise. The exercise will provide an opportunity to enhance operational capability and interoperability between the two Air Forces.

Participation of IAF and RAFO in this exercise will promote professional interaction, exchange of experiences and enhancement of operational knowledge, besides strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. Various senior dignitaries are planning to visit Air Force Station Jodhpur during this exercise.

Note: Oman Capital: Muscat; Oman Currency: Omani rial.

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.