Daily GK Update- 28th Mar, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PMGKAY Scheme: PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana extended by half a year: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has extended the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) scheme for another six months, till September 2022, in order to show care and compassion towards the underprivileged and vulnerable parts of society (Phase VI). Key Points:

a)      The PM-GKAY scheme’s Phase-V was set to finish in March 2022. It should be noted that the PM-GKAY has been in effect since April 2020, making it the world’s largest food security programme.

b)      So far, the government has spent over Rs. 2.60 lakh crore, with another Rs. 80,000 crore set to be invested over the next six months through September 2022, bringing the total expenditure under PM-GKAY to roughly Rs. 3.40 lakh crore.

c)       This will benefit over 80 million people across India and, like before, will be totally sponsored by the Indian government.

d)      Despite the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has largely subsided and economic activity is picking up, this PM-GKAY extension would ensure that no impoverished family goes to bed hungry during this period of recovery.

e)      In addition to his normal NFSA quota of foodgrains, each beneficiary under the extended PM-GKAY will receive an additional 5 kg free ration per person each month. This means that each disadvantaged family would receive roughly double the usual allotment.

 

2. Ministry of Jal Shakti launches Sujlam 2.0 Campaign: Ministry of Jal Shakti has launched the Sujalam 2.0 campaign for greywater management. It was launched by Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. The theme for this year for Sujalam 2.0 campaign is ‘Groundwater: making the invisible visible’.  Objective of Sujalam 2.0 is  to manage greywater through people’s participation. Under the campaign, we plan to mobilize communities, our institutions like panchayats, schools, anganwadi to undertake greywater management.

 

3. NITI Aayog`s releases Export Preparedness Index 2021, Gujarat again tops: Gujarat topped Niti Aayog’s Export Preparedness Index 2021, followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka in second and third place, respectively. Gujarat has topped the Niti Aayog rankings for the second year in a row “s Export Preparedness Index 2021, which is intended to assess states’ preparation in terms of export potential and performance.

Key Points:

a)      According to the government think tank, Gujarat was followed by Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Telengana “s document. Union territories and states such as Lakshadweep, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Ladakh, and Meghalaya ranked worst. 

b)      NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar, speaking at the launch of the study, claimed that India’s exports are growing at 36%, while global trade is growing at 30%. “

c)       After a long time, we will see India’s share of world goods trade increase from 1.6 to 1.7 percent,” he added, adding that sectors such as cars, electrical machinery, and iron and steel contributed to the expansion.

d)      The world trade is about USD 24 trillion, with India’s exports worth USD 400 billion, indicating “huge” potential.

e)      The Export Preparedness Index measures a state’s readiness to export in terms of potential and performance.

 

4. Smriti Irani inaugurates ‘Bharat Bhagya Vidhata’ mega Red Fort Festival: Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani has inaugurated the ten-day mega Red Fort Festival, ‘Bharat Bhagya Vidhata’ at Red Fort in Delhi. The Red Fort festival has been organised by the Union Ministry of Culture, as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. The ministry has collaborated with the Dalmia Bharat Group (DBG) to organise the event as DBG has adopted the Red Fort as its Monument Mitra. The festival will commemorate the heritage, culture and diversity of every part of India.

The festival aims to commemorate the heritage of the country and the culture of every part of India. The festival Bharat Bhagya Vidhata will help everyone to appreciate the diversity of India. More than 70 master craftsmen have displayed their craftsmanship at the venue.

 

5. An auspicious celebration of spirit of the Tribe culture: Aadi Bazaar: In keeping with the sequence of Aadi Bazaars – A Celebration of the Spirit of Tribal Culture and Cuisine, a new one opened on March 26th, 2022 in Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, Statue of Unity in Gujarat’s Narmada district. The 11-day exhibition, which began on March 26 and ended on April 5, was inaugurated by Smt. Nimishaben Suthar, Minister of State for Tribal Development, Health, Family Welfare, and Medical Education, Government of Gujarat, in the august presence of Dr. Kuberbhai Manshukhbhai Dindor, Minister of State for Higher and Technical Education, Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Gujarat; Shri Ramsinh Rathwa, Chairperson, TRI. Key Points:

a)      More than 100 exhibitors will represent more than 10 states from throughout the country at the bright 11-day exhibition offering organic tribal goods and handcrafted wares at the landmark monument, Statue of Unity.

b)      The efforts of Bharat Ratna Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s First Deputy Prime Minister, are largely responsible for the country’s unity. As a result, one of his key goals for the country was for it to be inclusive and united.

c)       This magnificent monument, the world’s tallest statue, is a homage to the values that Sardar Patel preached and upheld. In addition, this district is predominantly a tribal region.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. UNEP Report: Dhaka is world’s most noise polluted city: Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, has been ranked as the most noise polluted city globally, according to the recent ‘Annual Frontier Report, 2022’ published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). As per the report, the city recorded noise pollution of 119 decibels at its highest (dB) in 2021. Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad came second in the list with noise pollution of 114 decibels. Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan is third, with maximum noise pollution of 105 dB.

Important points of the report:

a)      The quietest cities in the world as per the report are Irbrid at 60 dB, Lyon at 69 dB, Madrid at 69 dB, Stockholm at 70 dB, and Belgrade at 70 dB.

b)      The other four most noise polluted cities in India in the list are Kolkata (89 dB), Asansol (89 dB), Jaipur (84 dB), and Delhi (83 dB).

c)       A total of 61 cities from around the world have been ranked in the report, out of which 13 cities are from South Asia, while 5 among them are from India.

Guidelines of WHO: The WHO guidelines state that sounds with a frequency of over 70 dB are considered harmful to health. For residential areas, the sound limit of 55-dB are standard, while for traffic and business sectors, this limit is 70 dB.

Note: UNEP Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya; UNEP Head: Inger Andersen; UNEP Founder: Maurice Strong.

 

2. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw named for Fellow of Royal Society of Edinburgh: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the executive chairperson of Biocon and Biocon Biologics, has been elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) in Scotland. She will be joining RSE’s current fellowship of around 1,700 fellows who are recognised as being some of the greatest researchers and practitioners working in or with Scotland.

RSE is one of the world’s oldest and most respected academic societies. Fellows are elected to join the RSE from across the fields of science, arts, education, business and public life in recognition of their impact in improving the world around them. The Biocon chief is among the 80 luminaries to be appointed to the RSE’s Fellowship this year.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. SAFF U-18 Women’s Championship title 2022 won by Indian women’s team: India has been declared the winner of the 3rd edition of the SAFF U-18 Women’s Football Championship. The 2022 edition of the international football competition for women’s under-18 national teams was held in Jharkhand at JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur. The valuable player of the tournament and the highest goal scorer was Lynda Kom who scored five goals in total.

Although India lost to Bangladesh, 0-1 in the final league match, but still emerged champions of the tournament on account of better goal difference. India enjoyed a better goal difference of +11 in comparison to +3 of Bangladesh.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das inaugurated RBIH in Bengaluru: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das inaugurated the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) in Bengaluru on Thursday, which was established with a Rs 100 crore initial capital contribution to foster and nurture financial innovation. According to the central bank, the Hub has an independent Board with Senapathy (Kris) Gopalakrishnan as Chairman and other notable people from industry and academics as members. Key Points:

a)      The RBIH was established as a Section 8 business under the Companies Act of 2013, with an initial capital contribution of Rs 100 crore, to stimulate and develop financial innovation in a long-term institutional setting.

b)      RBIH intends to build an ecosystem that promotes access to financial services and goods for the country’s low-income people.

c)       The Hub would bring together several stakeholders in the financial innovation area (BFSI sector, startup ecosystem, regulators, and academia).

 

2. Govt sets Rs 1-trillion infrastructure lending target for DFI for 2022-23: Central Government has set a target of about Rs 1 trillion for the National Bank for Financial Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) for sanctioning loans to the infrastructure sector in the next financial year i.e 2022-23. NaBFID is a government-backed Development Finance Instit­ut­ion (DFI) and will start operations in the first quarter of 2022-23.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Kotak, Axis acquire 7.84% stake each in ONDC: Kotak Mahindra Bank and Axis Bank have acquired 7.84% stake each in Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). Before this, SBI (7.84%) and PNB (9.5%) have also acquired a stake in ONDC. ONDC was incorporated in India on December 30, 2021. It aims for creating an open public digital infrastructure to develop and transform the Indian digital commerce ecosystem for both goods and services. Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is been managed by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Mario Marcel wins the Governor of the year award 2022: Mario Marcel, the Governor of the Central Bank of Chile, has won the Governor of the year award at the Central Banking Awards 2022. Banco Central de Chile is the name of the central bank of Chile.

When Mario Marcel was named governor of the Central Bank of Chile (BCCh) in October 2016, he took over the leadership of an institution that had secured a reputation as one of the most independent and well-run central banks in Latin America. Marcel took steps to further improve the institution. He changed its internal management structure, reducing the number of monetary policy meetings from 12 to eight. The BCCh also improved the quality of its communications in both English and Spanish. But the BCCh’s reputation, as well as Marcel’s own, would be put to a severe test from 2019.

 

Oscars Awards 2022: 94th Academy Awards 2022 announced: The 94th Academy Awards returned to the Dolby Theater in Hollywood as the top films from the last year were honoured by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The show was hosted by Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes, the first time the award ceremony has had multiple hosts since Anne Hathaway and James Franco co-hosted the 83rd instalment in 2011.

Full list of winners:

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Will Smith, “King Richard”

Best Actress in a Leading Role: Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye)

Best Picture: CODA

Best International Feature Film: Drive My Car

Documentary Short Subject: The Queen of Basketball

Best Directing: Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Ariana DeBose (West Side Story)’

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Troy Kotsur (CODA)

Best Makeup & Hairstyling: The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Best Cinematography: Dune

Best Original Score: Hans Zimmer (Dune)

Best Visual Effects: Dune

Best Animated Feature Film: Encanto

Best Animated Short Film: The Windshield Wiper

Best Costume Design: Cruella

Best Original Screenplay: Kenneth Branagh (Belfast)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Sian Heder (Coda)

Best Live Action Short Film: The Long Goodbye

Best Sound: Dune

Best Documentary Feature: “Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)”

Best Original Song: “No Time To Die” from “No Time to Die,” music and lyric by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell

Best Production Design: Dune

Best Film Editing: Dune

 

  

Daily GK Update- 27th Mar, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. GoI designates October 5 as National Dolphin Day: The Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change has designated the 5th of October to be celebrated as National Dolphin Day every year as a historic step in creating awareness for the conservation of Dolphins, beginning from 2022. This information was given by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav on March 25, 2022, during the 67th meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wild Life in New Delhi.

Dolphins act as ideal ecological indicators of a healthy aquatic ecosystem and conservation of the dolphins will, therefore, benefit the survival of the species and also, the people dependent on the aquatic system for their livelihood.

 

2. Yogi Adityanath take Oath as UP Chief Minister for 2nd Term: Yogi Adityanath takes oath as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for his second term in office. Governor Anandiben Patel administered the oath of office and secrecy to Adityanath at Lucknow’s Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and other central ministers.

Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak also took oath as the Deputy Chief Ministers in the new government. The BJP-led NDA secured 274 seats out of 403, becoming the first party in over three decades to form a government for a second consecutive time in the state.

The Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government created history with its comeback as no other CM has been able to repeat a government in the state in 37 years. The Congress had returned to power with a majority in the state 37 years ago. After this, chief minister Yogi Adityanath has not just made history by completing five successful years of governance but by also returning to power with a thumping majority. He has become the first such BJP leader to become the CM for the second consecutive term.

 

3. Ministry of Heavy Industries extends Phase-II of FAME India Scheme for two years till 2024: Ministry of Heavy Industries had notified Phase-II of FAME India Scheme for three years from April 2019 to March 2022. However, the government has extended the FAME II scheme for 2 years. So now this scheme will be applicable till March 2024. Total budgetary support to Phase-II of FAME India Scheme for a period of five years is Rs. 10,000 crore, from financial year 2019-20 to 2023-24. Focus area of Phase II will be mainly on supporting electrification of public & shared transportation through demand incentive and creation of a network of charging infrastructure.

Objective of FAME India Scheme is to promote adoption of electric/ hybrid vehicles (xEVs) in India.

 

4. A Children’s Book ‘The Little Book of Joy’ authored by Dalai Lama & Desmond Tutu: A picture book edition co-authored by Nobel Peace Prize winners 14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) & Archbishop Desmond Tutu, titled “The Little Book of Joy” will be released in September 2022. The illustrations provided by artist Rafael López and Rachel Neumann & Douglas Abrams collaborated on the text. This book focuses on the meaning of true happiness, which is not in the materialistic world but lies in the nature of human beings.

In 2016, they also co-authored the book titled “The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World”, which became a bestseller & sold more than 1 million copies and translated into more than 40 languages.

 

5. ‘Ishan Manthan’ Festival organised in New Delhi: Union Minister for Culture, Tourism & DONER, G Kishan Reddy has inaugurated the three-day North-East festival called ‘Ishan Manthan’ at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts in New Delhi. The three-day Ishan Manthan programme will celebrate the rich ethnicity and colours of North East India, from March 25 to 27, 2022. The event will give an opportunity to know about the culture, art, music, folk dances, handicrafts and traditional cuisines of Northeast India.

Ishan Manthan is an attempt to celebrate the plural expressions of northeast India. It can be understood as “North East Brainstorming”. The inaugural session also witnessed the release of two books titled ‘Lok Beyond Folk’, a book on the Lok Culture which was edited by Shri J Nandalumar and ‘Jewels of North East India’.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. First wildlife bond issued by World Bank to save Africa’s black rhino: The World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD) has issued the Wildlife Conservation Bond (WCB) to support of South Africa’s efforts to conserve endangered species of Black Rhino. Wildlife Conservation Bond (WCB) is also known as “Rhino Bond”. It is a five-year $150 million Sustainable Development Bond. It includes a potential performance payment from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

The bond will contribute to protecting and increasing black rhino populations in two protected areas in South Africa namely the Addo Elephant National Park (AENP) and the Great Fish River Nature Reserve (GFRNR).

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

 

2. Malaysia to host 4 nations for Bersama Shield 2022 military exercise: Malaysia will host armed forces from 4 nations namely, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom in the annual Bersama Shield 2022 training exercise. The exercise, referred to as BS22, is conducted within the framework of the Five Power Defense Arrangements (FPDA) – a series of bilateral and multilateral defence agreements established in 1971. Bersama means together in Malay.

About the exercise: The exercise will involve sea and air drills, mostly in international waters but also in part of Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea. The exercise, referred to as BS22, is conducted within the framework of the Five Power Defense Arrangements (FPDA). The FPDA is the oldest defense arrangement in the region and includes counter-piracy operations as well as disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.

Note: Malaysia Capital: Kuala Lumpur; Malaysia Currency: Malaysian ringgit; Malaysia Prime Minister: Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

 

3. World theatre Day: 27th March: World Theatre Day is celebrated annually on March 27, promoted by the International Theatre Institute (ITI) through its centres, and supported by theatre communities all over the world. This year, the World Theatre Day celebration will focus on the young, the next generation, the emerging artists, who have been a strong special focus of ITI in the recent past. Through this 60-year-old ITI flagship event, ITI wishes to offer the next generation of artists and art professionals a platform to exchange ideas and present themselves to the world.

History of the day: The day was initiated by ITI, following President Arvi Kivimaa’s June 1961 proposal at the ninth World Congress of the ITI in Vienna — on behalf of the ITI’s Finnish Centre — for a World Theatre Day to be instituted. The proposal was supported by the Scandinavian centres of the ITI and publicized with enthusiasm. Since 1962, World Theatre Day has been celebrated by ITI Centres, ITI Cooperating Members, theatre professionals, theatre organizations, theatre universities and theatre lovers all over the world on the 27th of March.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Swiss Open Badminton title 2022: PV Sindhu won the title: India’s P.V. Sindhu has defeated Busanan Ongbamrungphan of Thailand to win the women’s singles title at the Swiss Open Super 300 badminton tournament. Playing her second successive final in the tournament, Sindhu, a double Olympic medallist, took 49 minutes to get the better of the fourth-seeded Busanan 21-16, 21-8 at the St. Jakobshalle.

In the men’s singles title of the Swiss Open Super 300 badminton tournament, Indian badminton player HS Prannoy lost to Jonatan Christie (Indonesia). However, Prannoy suffered a 12-21, 18-21 defeat against Asian Games gold medallist and fourth seed Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in a 48-minute summit clash to finish runner-up.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Pralay Mondal named as interim MD and CEO of CSB Bank: The Reserve Bank of India has approved the appointment of Pralay Mondal as the interim Managing Director and CEO of CSB Bank. Presently he is the Managing Director at CSB Bank. The post of MD and CEO at CSB Bank was lying vacant after its full-time MD and CEO, C V R Rajendran announces early retirement on health grounds (w.e.f March 31, 2022). RBI has approved the appointment of Pralay for three months from April 1, or till the appointment of a regular Managing Director and CEO of CSB Bank, whichever is earlier.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Hisashi Takeuchi named as MD and CEO of Maruti Suzuki: Hisashi Takeuchi (from Japan) has been appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Maruti Suzuki for a period of three years with effect from April 1, 2022. Takeuchi will succeed Kenichi Ayukawa as the MD and CEO. Ayukawa will now be designated as Executive Vice-Chairman for a period of six months with effect from 1st April, 2022 till 30th September 2022. Ayukawa joined as MD, MSIL in 2013.

Takeuchi, is a graduate from the Faculty of Economics, Yokohama National University, Japan. He joined Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) in 1986 and started his professional journey with Overseas Marketing Department, Europe Group of SMC. Prior to his joining as Joint Managing Director (Commercial) in MSIL in April last year, he was working as Managing Officer, Executive General Manager- Asia Automobile Marketing/ India Automobile Department at SMC.

Note: Maruti Suzuki Founded: 1982, Gurugram; Maruti Suzuki Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Army with Maharashtra Police conducted “Suraksha Kavach 2” Exercise: Indian Army’s “Agnibaaz Division” organized a joint exercise “Suraksha Kavach 2” with Maharashtra Police at Lullanagar, Pune. The exercise aimed to counter any terrorist actions in Pune. The exercise involved the participation of the Counter-Terrorism Task Force (CTTF) of the Indian Army, Anti-Terrorism Squad of Maharashtra Police along with Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs), Dog Squads, and Bomb Disposal Teams of both agencies. The exercise aimed to harmonize the drills and procedures undertaken by Army and Police to counter-terrorism.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Chief Justice of India R C Lahoti passes away: Former Chief Justice of India Ramesh Chandra Lahoti passed away at the age of 81 years. Justice Lahoti was appointed as the 35th chief justice of India on June 1, 2004. He retired on November 1, 2005.

 

2. Creator of the GIF format, Stephen Wilhite passes away: Stephen Wilhite, the creator of the Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) format passed away at the age of 74 years due to Covid-19 related issues. Wilhite devised the Graphics Interchange Format, or GIF, in 1987 while working at Compuserve. The Oxford American Dictionary named GIF the word of the year in 2012. He was honoured with a Webby Lifetime Achievement award in 2013.

Daily GK Update- 26th Mar, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Kerala becomes first state to introduce carbon-neutral farming methods: Kerala is set to become the first state in the country to introduce carbon-neutral farming methods in selected locations, for which the government has set aside Rs 6 crore in the 2022-23 Budget. In the first phase, carbon-neutral farming will be implemented in 13 farms under the Agriculture Department and tribal areas, and steps are on to convert the State Seed Farm at Aluva to a carbon-neutral farm. In the second phase, model carbon-neutral farms will be developed in all the 140 Assembly constituencies.

New farming methods: The Agriculture Department was involved in a process of adopting new farming methods in phases, which would reduce carbon emissions and help the carbon to be stored in the soil. The government had already initiated discussions with experts in this regard. Improving soil health through integrated farming methods, rotation of crops, adoption of fertigation, precision farming methods, changing the ways in which the soil is irrigated and limiting the indiscriminate use of fertilizers were important for preventing soil degradation and thus reducing carbon footprint in agriculture.

Note: Kerala Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan; Kerala Capital: Thiruvananthapuram; Kerala Chief Minister: Pinarayi Vijayan.

 

2. Lt Governor Manoj Sinha addresses Gulf Countries’ Investment Summit: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has addressed the Gulf Countries’ Investment Summit at SKICC, Srinagar which is aimed at providing a platform for the foreign business delegates to explore a host of investment opportunities in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir. The Lt Governor highlighted the scope for J&K and GCC companies’ economic cooperation to make Jammu and Kashmir the most beautiful investment destination in the world.

The visit of CEOs of top companies, entrepreneurs, start-up representatives, exporters in Jammu and Kashmir is an expression of confidence of the industry leaders in the potential for business cooperation between J&K and Gulf countries. The development of the power sector, trade, horticulture, rural infrastructure, roads and air links, medical education and health services, Industrial Training Institutes, Information Technology and storage facilities for the products are the diverse areas that have been addressed.

 

3. Indian Psychiatric Society national conference begins in Visakhapatnam: The 73rd Annual National Conference of Indian Psychiatric Society (ANCIPS) has been organized in Visakhapatnam. Experts from various parts of India and a few from abroad are participated in the three-day conference held at Vizag Conventions at Madhurawada. The last national conference was held 37 years ago in Visakhapatnam.

Focus of the conference: The focus areas was on drug and alcohol abuse in society, stress among students and growing incidence of suicides, depression and anxiety, old-age problems and dementia. The national conference, being hosted jointly by IPS, A.P. State branch, Government Hospital Mental Care and Visakha Psychiatric Society, inaugurated by Justice P. Laxmana Reddy, Lokayukta of Andhra Pradesh. The theme is chosen for ANCIPS – 2022 ‘Bridging minds … Connecting generations’ was very appropriate in view of the growing generation gap and its impact on society.

 

4. IIT Madras established Policy Centre along with AquaMAP Water Management: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras builds a new interdisciplinary water management and policy centre known as ‘AquaMAP’ to address India’s water issues. The centre will build scalable models employing novel technology to provide smart solutions for water concerns. As proof of concept, these models will be installed in various areas across the country.

Key Points:

a)      AquaMAP’s Principal Investigator is Professor Ligy Philip. She will be aided by a group of 20 faculty members working on water-related topics from a variety of departments, including chemistry, civil engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, management, humanities, and social sciences.

b)      Aqua Map is governed by a board of directors directed by the director of IIT Madras and an advisory board made up of experts in the fields of water technology, management, and policy. AquaMAP will work with other water research institutions at IIT Madras, including Sutram, the International Centre for Clean Water (ICCW) At IIT Madras, and the PCoE on Water and Sustainability, as well as other partners.

c)       In addition, a state-of-the-art hydro-informatics laboratory will be established, as well as a model for alumni and community participation.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. IQAir’s 2021 World Air Quality Report: Delhi world’s most polluted capital: New Delhi has been ranked the world’s most polluted capital city for the second consecutive year as per IQAir’s 2021 World Air Quality Report. New Delhi is followed by Dhaka (Bangladesh), N’Djamena (Chad), Dushanbe (Tajikistan) and Muscat (Oman) as the top five most polluted capital cities respectively. Meanwhile, Bhiwadi was the most polluted city in India, followed by Ghaziabad, Delhi and Jaunpur.

Globally: Bangladesh was the most polluted country, followed by Chad, Pakistan and Tajikistan. India was the fifth most polluted country.

Key points of the report:

a)      The 2021 World Air Quality Report by Swiss organisation IQAir is the first major global air quality report based on updated annual WHO air quality guidelines for PM2.5.

b)      The new guidelines were released in September 2021 and cut existing annual PM2.5 guideline values from 10 Aug/m 3 to 5 Aug/m 3.

c)       The report has analysed PM2.5 air pollution measurements in 6,475 cities in 117 countries, regions and territories.

d)      Of the 15 most polluted cities in Central and South Asia in 2021, 12 were in India.

e)      PM2.5 concentration in New Delhi increased by 14.6 per cent in 2021 to 96.4 Ig/m3, compared to 84 Ig/m3 in 2020.

 

2. Knight Frank: India Placed 51st in Global House Price Index Q4 2021: India has improved its rank by five spots to be placed at 51st position in the ‘Global House Price Index Q4 2021’ released by property consultant Knight Frank. India was placed at 56th position in Q4 of 2020. India witnessed a 2.1 per cent annual appreciation in housing price rates during the October-December quarter of 2021 against Q4 of 2020.

Globally:

a)      Turkey saw the highest annual price growth rate by 59.6 per cent in Q4 2021.

b)      New Zealand (22.6 per cent), Czech Republic (22.1 per cent), Slovakia (22.1 per cent) and Australia (21.8 per cent) are among the top 5 countries respectively in the latest research report.

c)       Malaysia, Malta and Morocco markets recorded a decline in housing prices by 0.7 per cent, 3.1 per cent and 6.3 per cent, respectively, in the year 2021.

 

3. Earth Hour 2022 Celebrated on 26th March: Every year, the Earth Hour is celebrated worldwide on the last Saturday of March month to show support for the fight against climate change and commitment towards a better planet. Earth Hour 2022 is being marked on March 26, 2022. The Earth Hour 2022 theme will focus on ‘Shape Our Future.

History of the day: The Day is a worldwide movement organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), encouraging individuals, communities, corporates, and households to turn off their lights for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. It was started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 to raise awareness for energy consumption and its effects on the environment.

Note: World Wide Fund Headquarters: Gland, Switzerland; World Wide Fund Founded: 29 April 1961, Morges, Switzerland; World Wide Fund President and CEO: Carter Roberts.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. World tennis No.1 Ashleigh Barty announces retirement: Australian female tennis player Ashleigh Barty has announced retirement from tennis at the age of 25 years. She has won three Grand Slam singles titles — the French Open in 2019, Wimbledon in 2021 and the Australian Open in 2022. Apart from playing tennis, she has also played semi-professional cricket during her break from tennis between 2014-2016.

Barty is retiring after winning three major singles titles on three different surfaces – the 2019 French Open, the 2021 Wimbledon and, back in January, the Australian Open.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. DBS Bank India launches Green Deposits programme: DBS Bank India has announced the launch of its Green Deposit Programme for corporate clients providing a simple way for companies to support environmentally-friendly projects or avenues. DBS Bank is one of the few banks globally to integrate Sustainable Development Goals by offering lending & trade credit solutions to sustainable and environmentally-friendly green sectors and now offering a Green Deposit product.

Under the Bank’s sustainability programme:

a)      Green Deposits will fund green industries and initiatives such as; green building sustainable water initiatives that include wastewater management, renewable energy and clean transportation.

b)      The Green Deposits proposition combines all the benefits of a regular fixed deposit with a commitment from DBS to support green and sustainable loans disbursed by the bank.

c)       Green Deposits serve as an ideal opportunity for corporates looking to include sustainability agenda into their treasury activities or those having limited options for investing in environmentally-beneficial projects.

 

2. Chennai Super Kings and ICICI Bank partners for co-branded credit card: ICICI Bank announced that it has partnered with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), one of India’s most successful cricket teams, to introduce a co-branded credit card. The card, dubbed the ‘Chennai Super Kings ICICI Bank Credit Card,’ has been expressly developed with a range of exclusive perks for the iconic team’s millions of cricket fans.

Key Points:

a)      The new card is part of a limited-edition line of co-branded credit cards offered by the Bank to allow sports fans to interact with their favourite teams while also taking advantage of credit card features.

b)      The new card is another addition to an exclusive set of co-branded credit cards offered by the Bank to enable sports enthusiasts to connect with their favourite teams as well as avail benefits of a credit card.

c)       ICICI Bank and Manchester United, a professional football club in England, launched a co-branded credit card four years ago.

d)      Process to Apply for the ICICI Bank Chennai Super Kings Credit Card: Customers can apply for the ‘Chennai Super Kings ICICI Bank Credit Card’ by sending an SMS to 5676766 with the word ‘KING’ in the subject line.

Note: ICICI Bank MD & CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi; ICICI Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; ICICI Bank Tagline: Hum Hai Na, Khayal Apka.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. OECD projects India’s GDP for FY23 at 8.1%: The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has retained the outlook for India’s real gross domestic product (GDP) at 5.5% in FY24, lower than 8.1% in 2022-23. Driven by infrastructure spending and border reopenings, the GDP of emerging Asia – China, India and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)- is projected to grow 5.8% this year, following a 7.4% expansion in 2021 and a 0.8% contraction in 2020, it said, adding that the Ukraine war adds to inflation and supply chain risks facing an emerging Asia attempting to break out of the Covid-19 slump.

 

2. TCS partnered with IIT Madras to launch M.Tech in Industrial Artificial Intelligence: The Indian Institute of Technology Madras has teamed up with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to offer a web-based, user-friendly programme on “Industrial AI,” aimed at upskilling employees and incorporating AI applications to industrial concerns.

Key Points:

a)      IIT M will provide the 18-month programme, which was developed in collaboration with TCS, in a wholly online live teaching method via virtual classrooms. TCS students will make up the program’s initial cohort.

b)      This programme, established in conjunction with TCS, will offer strong theoretical courses and labs covering significant issues in data science and AI.

c)       Theoretical courses will address essential mathematical approaches needed to comprehend data science algorithms, time series analysis, multivariate data analysis, machine learning, deep learning, and reinforcement learning.”

d)      This course will provide a unique perspective on the impact of artificial intelligence in industrial systems. Incorporating AI approaches into industry processes can result in systems that are more resilient, intrinsically safe, and ultimately more environmentally friendly. These are only a few of the important topics that will be discussed in this course.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Devendra Jhajharia became 1st para-athlete to receive Padma Bhushan: Devendra Jhajharia became the first para-athlete to receive the Padma Bhushan award. He has won many Paralympic medals, including gold at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens and 2016 Rio Games, and a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Avani Lekhara (para-shooter) was also awarded the Padma Shri award in the Sports category. She is the first Indian woman to win two Paralympic medals in the same Games, as well as the first Indian woman to earn Paralympic gold.

 

2. Abel prize for 2022: American mathematician Dennis P. Sullivan: The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has awarded the Abel Prize for the year 2022 to American Mathematician Dennis Parnell Sullivan. The citation mentions that the award has been given, “For his groundbreaking contributions to topology in its broadest sense, and in particular its algebraic, geometric and dynamical aspects.”

Topology: Topology is a field of mathematics which was born in the nineteenth century and has to do with properties of surfaces that do not change when they are deformed. Topologically, a circle and a square are the same; similarly, surfaces of a doughnut and a coffee mug with one handle are topologically equivalent, however, the surface of a sphere and a coffee mug are not equivalent.

Abel Prize: The Prize recognises extraordinary contributions to the sector of mathematics & is funded by the Norwegian Government & supported the recommendations of the Abel Committee, which consists of 5 internationally recognized mathematicians, the Abel Laureates is chosen.