Daily GK Update- 8th Mar, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Rs 11,400 Crore Pune Metro Rail Project: The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has inaugurated Pune Metro Rail Project on March 06, 2022, and also interacted with differently-abled, visually impaired students present inside the metro coach, during his 10-minute ride in the Pune Metro. Pune Metro Rail Project has been built at a total cost of INR 11,420 Crore. It has a total length of 33.2 km and 30 stations.

Pune Metro is the first metro project in the country to have Aluminum body coaches, indigenously manufactured under the Make in India policy of GoI. PM Modi also unveiled the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the premises of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple developmental projects in Pune.

 

2. Minister of Electronics & IT inaugurates Tech Conclave 2022: National Informatics Centre (NIC) has partnered with governments on digital initiatives. We’ve constructed state-of-the-art PAN-India ICT infrastructure, digital platforms, and solutions for the government’s exclusive usage over the years. We’ve helped the federal and state governments automate their procedures and deliver public services electronically.

KEY POINTS:

a)      It is critical to stay current with the latest technologies because the IT industry is always upgrading and improving. It is also critical that government personnel become aware of and adapt to new and evolving technologies.

b)      NIC has been hosting a Tech Conclave on Emerging Technologies, which are particularly useful in e-Government. “Next Gen Technologies for Digital Government” is the theme of this year’s Tech Conclave.

c)       Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Railways and Communications, will inaugurate the 3rd edition of the NIC Tech Conclave 2022, a two-day event held by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), on March 3rd and 4th, 2022 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

d)      Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; and Electronics and Information Technology, will be the guest of honour at the event. The Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, as well as other dignitaries from the Centre and state governments, will attend the ceremony.

 

3. Telangana topped the Country in terms of Per Capita Net State 2022: Telangana became the top-performing state in India with a population over one crore in terms of the growth rate of Per Capita Net State Domestic Product at Current Prices by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). It succeeded other states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.

According to the MoSPI:

a)      The Gross State Domestic Price (GSDP) of Telangana increased from Rs 359434 crores in 2011-12 to Rs 1,154,860 crores in 2021-22. It recorded GSDP growth by 31.12 per cent from 2011-12. It is one of the highest growth rates for any state in the country.

b)      In terms of the percentage growth in GSDP, Telangana has shown the most rapid increase in its growth rate by around 17% from 2020 to the present.

c)       Major projects include Rythu Bandhu scheme for farmers, the world’s largest lift irrigation Kaleshwaram project to provide water to the fields, and the Arogya Laxmi scheme for pregnant and lactating women.

Note: Telangana Capital: Hyderabad; Telangana Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan; Telangana Chief Minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao.

 

4. The Queen of Indian Pop: The Authorised Biography of Usha Uthup: The biography of pop icon Usha Uthup titled “The Queen of Indian Pop: The Authorised Biography of Usha Uthup” was released. The book was originally written in Hindi titled “Ullas Ki Naav” by author Vikas Kumar Jha. “The Queen of Indian Pop: The Authorised Biography of Usha Uthup” is the English translation of the book, translated by the writer’s daughter Srishti Jha. The book is published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI).

 

5. A book titled ‘The Blue Book’ authored by Journalist Amitava Kumar: Indian writer and journalist, Amitava Kumar has come out with a new book titled ‘The Blue Book: A Writer’s Journal’. The book has been published by HarperCollins India. The Blue Book is the outcome of the diary-keeping by the author during the time of lockdown due to pandemics. The author has used watercolour drawings as well as words to depict the experience, both individual and collective, of the pandemic.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Study in India meet 2022 inaugurated in Dhaka: The two-day-long Study in India (SII) 2022 meeting was inaugurated in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The event organised by the High Commission of India was inaugurated by the Education Minister of Bangladesh Dr Dipu Moni and the High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami. Education Minister of Bangladesh said the educational exchange between the two countries will further strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries. She said that students of today have the responsibility to find solutions for the common issues like poverty that are faced by the countries of South Asia.

Key points:

a)      A large number of students from various educational institutions took part in the event. They explored the opportunity for studying abroad provided by some of the best colleges and universities in India.

b)      A total of 19 educational institutions from India are taking part in the Education Fair in Dhaka. The Study in India meet will be organised in Chittagong on March 7 for the benefit of Bangladeshi students.

About the Study In India programme:

a)      The Study In India programme is a flagship project launched by the Ministry of Education in 2018. The programme is designed to encourage the global student community to pursue higher education in India.

b)      It helps facilitate the student fraternity from all across the globe to come and experience the best of academic learning from the top institutions in India. Since its inception, Study In India has drawn in students from more than 150 countries spanning across SAARC, Africa, South-East Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East.

 

2. India & International Telecommunication Union Sign Host Country Agreement: The Government of India has signed the Host Country Agreement (HCA) with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the establishment of an Area Office & Innovation Centre of ITU in New Delhi. The Host Country Agreement provides the legal and financial framework for the establishment and operations of the Area Office. The Area Office and Innovation Centre of ITU at New Delhi will serve South Asian countries comprising of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India. The agreement was signed between Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Communications and H.E. Houlin Zhao, Secretary-General of ITU, in a virtual ceremony during the World Telecommunications Standardisation Assembly-20 (WTSA-20) being held in Geneva, Switzerland.

About the ITU: ITU is the United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs). ITU currently has a membership of 193 countries. It allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits, develops the technical standards that ensure networks and technologies seamlessly interconnect, and strives to improve access to ICTs to underserved communities worldwide.

Note: International Telecommunication Union Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; International Telecommunication Union Founded: 17 May 1865; International Telecommunication Union Secretary-General: Houlin Zhao.

 

3. International Women’s Day: 8th March: International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated globally on March 8 every year. The day recognises the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The event celebrates women’s achievements and raises awareness about women’s equality and lobbies for accelerated gender parity. The theme of 2022 International Women’s Day is “gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”.

History of International Women’s Day: International Women’s Day was observed for the first time in 1911. The United Nations began celebrating International Women’s Day in the International Women’s Year, 1975. In 1977, the United Nations General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for women’s rights and world peace.

Note: Secretary-General of United Nations: Antonio Guterres; United Nations founded: 24 October 1945; Headquarters of United Nations: New York, United States.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Mithali Raj becomes first woman cricketer to appear at six Cricket World Cups: Indian women cricket captain, Mithali Raj has become the first woman to appear in six World Cups. She is the only third cricketer overall to play six world cup after Sachin Tendulkar and Javed Miandad. She has played in the ICC women’s cricket world cup events in 2000, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017 and now in 2022. The ICC women’s cricket world cup 2022 is being held in New Zealand.

In the women’s game, the Indian batter surpassed former New Zealand cricketers, Debbie Hockley and Charlotte Edwards of England. Fast bowler Jhulan Goswami, Raj’s India teammate for the longest time, stands second on the list with five World Cup appearances.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SBI named ex-Ujjivan Small Finance Bank CEO Nitin Chugh as DMD: State Bank of India (SBI) has appointed former Ujjivan Small Finance Bank CEO, Nitin Chugh as Deputy Managing Director (DMD) to drive digital banking operations. He has been appointed for an initial term of three years. Prior to this appointment, Chugh was CEO and managing director of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank. He joined there from HDFC Bank where he served as the Group Head of Digital Banking.

According to public notice by SBI, the position would be responsible for envisioning, developing and executing of bank’s digital banking strategy and business plan for imparting digital knowledge/skills in a constructive, empowering and collaborative way.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Hero MotoCorp named New EV Brand ‘Vida’ 2022: Hero MotoCorp has unveiled a new brand “Vida”, (Vida means life) for its emerging mobility solutions and upcoming electric vehicles. Vida brand has been unveiled by Dr Pawan Munjal, Chairman and CEO of Hero MotoCorp, on March 3, 2022, in Dubai. He also announced a $100 million Global Sustainability Fund that will help the company to nurture more than 10,000 entrepreneurs on ESG solutions.

The first electric vehicle under the Vida brand will be officially unveiled on July 1, 2022, to coincide with the birth anniversary of Dr Brijmohan Lall, Chairman Emeritus of Hero MotoCorp.

Note: Hero MotoCorp Headquarters: New Delhi; Hero MotoCorp Founder: Brijmohan Lall Munjal; Hero MotoCorp Founded: 19 January 1984, Dharuhera.

 

2. Vidya Balan named as Brand Ambassador of Bharti AXA Life Insurance: Bharti AXA Life Insurance has appointed National Award-winning actress VidyaBalan as its Brand Ambassador. She as the brand ambassador will help in promoting the #DoTheSmartThing champion of Bharti AXA Life Insurance. Bharti AXA Life Insurance is a joint venture of Bharti, India’s leading business group and AXA, one of the world’s leading organizations in financial protection and wealth management.

Note: MD & CEO of Bharti AXA Life Insurance: Parag Raja; Bharti AXA Life Insurance Founded: 2007; Bharti AXA Life Insurance Parent organization: Bharti Enterprises.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India’s first indigenous Flying Trainer HANSA-NG completes sea level trials: India’s first indigenously developed Flying Trainer, ‘HANSA-NG’, successfully completed the sea-level trials at Puducherry. HANSA-NG was flown from Bengaluru to Puducherry on February 19, covering a distance of 140 nautical miles in 1.5 hours at a cruising speed of 155 km/hr. The objectives of sea level trials is to evaluate handling qualities, climb / cruise performance, balked landing, structural performance including positive & negative G, power plant and other systems performance.

Key points:

a)      The aircraft has been designed and developed by CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

b)      HANSA-NG is one of the most advanced flying trainers, designed to meet the Indian flying club needs and it is an ideal aircraft for Commercial Pilot Licensing (CPL) due to its low cost and low fuel consumption.

c)       A trainer aircraft is designed specifically to facilitate flight training of pilots and aircrews.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Australian cricketer Rod Marsh passes away: Former Australia cricketer (wicketkeeper), Rodney William Marsh has passed away in Adelaide Australia. He was the 1st Australian wicketkeeper to score a century in test cricket and finished his career with 3 centuries. He held a test record of 355 dismissals by a wicketkeeper, including 95 off the bowling of pace bowler Dennis Lillee. He has played 96 test matches for Australia from 1970 to 1984 and 92 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) for Australia and later retired from top-flight cricket in February 1984.

Daily GK Update- 7th Mar, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

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

Key Points:

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

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

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

 

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

Key Points:

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

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

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

Commercial and Trade Relations

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

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

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

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

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

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

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

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

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

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

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

Key Points:

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

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

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

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

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

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

Key Points:

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

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

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

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

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

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

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

 

OBITUARIES

 

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

 

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

 

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

Daily GK Update- 6th Mar, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Rajasthan govt announces ‘Camel Protection and Development Policy’: Rajasthan, the state government has announced a ‘Camel Protection and Development Policy’ in its budget 2022-23. According to the government figures, less than two lakh camels are left in Rajasthan and in the entire country, the number of camels has reduced by 1.5 lakh since 2012. There were about 2.5 lakh camels left when counted last in 2019.

Camel is the state animal of Rajasthan and their number is continuously decreasing. The Rajasthan government had declared the camel as the state animal in 2014. About 85 per cent of the country’s camels are found in Rajasthan followed by Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

Note: World Camel Day is observed every year on 22 June to recognize the importance of camels to the livelihood of a large population.

 

2. DST tieup with Intel India to boost AI readiness: ‘Building AI Readiness among Young Innovators’, a program by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, in partnership with Intel India, was launched by Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology (I/C). The program aims to build digital readiness among the students from classes 6 to 10, enrolled under DST’s INSPIRE-Awards MANAK scheme.

About the program:

a)      The flagship program of DST reaches out to students pan India with an aim to create a culture of creativity and innovative thinking. Intel said its commitment to promoting AI readiness in the country is in synergy with the government’s vision of leveraging AI to make India a leader in the field while utilizing the technology to address its socio-economic challenges.

b)      The program will bring both these together and seek to build an AI-ready generation by empowering the students with the knowledge and skills to leverage AI in an inclusive way.

 

3. Biodegradable nanoparticle developed by IIT Kanpur: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur have created a biodegradable nanoparticle that can be used as an alternative to chemical-based insecticides to protect crops from bacterial and fungal illnesses. Abhay Karandikar, who is the director of IIT Kanpur said that because farmers suffer a variety of issues, IIT Kanpur has worked tirelessly to improve the farming environment as a whole. Nanoparticles would reduce the risk of crop infection while also increasing agricultural productivity. Key Points:

a)      The nanoparticle, dubbed Biodegradable Carbonoid Metabolite (BioDCM), can be active at low concentrations and be as effective as pesticides while having no detrimental effects on soil or consumer health. It operates quickly because it is administered in bioactive form and can resist high temperatures.

b)      The nanoparticle was produced in collaboration with C. Kannan and D. Mishra of ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, and also with R Balamurugan and M. Mandal of the Hyderabad University’s School of Chemistry.

c)       Given the nanoparticle developed by IIT Kanpur’s biodegradable and non-harmful nature, it is likely to attract a lot of interest from farmers looking to reduce their use of chemicals in farming, particularly pesticides.

 

4. Centre postpones 2022 Gandhinagar DefExpo: The DefExpo 2022 that was scheduled to be held from March 10 to March 14, in Gandhinagar of Gujarat has been postponed by the Ministry of Defence, due to logistics problems being experienced by participants. The new dates of the defence expo shall be communicated in due course.

 

5. CISF’s 53rd Raising Day: 6th March: The 53rd Raising Day ceremony of Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF) was organised on March 06, 2022, in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has attended and addressed the Raising Day ceremony of CISF at Ghaziabad’s Indirapuram. The CISF, which functions under the Union Home Ministry, is a central armed police force and among one of the six paramilitary forces of India.

About CISF:

a)      CISF was set up under an Act of the Parliament of India on 10 March 1969, to provide security cover to industrial units, government infrastructure projects and facilities and establishments located all over India.

b)      Eventually, it was made an armed force of the Republic of India by another Act of Parliament passed on 15 June 1983.

c)       CISF is one of six paramilitary forces in India and functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Its headquarters is in New Delhi.

Note: Director-General of CISF: Sheel Vardhan Singh.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. SDG Index 2021: India ranks 120th position: India has been ranked at 120th position in the Sustainable Development Report 2021 or Sustainable Development Index 2021. In this Index, countries are ranked by a score out of 100. India has a score of 60.07. Last year India’s rank was 117. The Index measures the country’s total progress towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The Index has been topped by Finland.

The top 5 countries in this ranking are:

1- Finland;

2- Sweden;

3- Denmark;

4- Germany;

5- Belgium

These 17 Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2015 as a part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

 

2. Knight Frank: India ranks 3rd in billionaire population globally: India is ranked 3rd in terms of most number of billionaires’ population globally in 2021, as per Knight Frank’s latest edition of The Wealth Report 2022. The number of ultra-high-net-worth-individuals (UHNWIs) in India increased by 11% YoY in 2021 to 145 billionaires, the highest percentage growth in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. UHNWIs are individuals with net assets of US$ 30m or more (Rs 226 crore).

Globally: The list has been topped by the United States (748) and China (554) respectively.

Indian City-wise: Bengaluru recorded the highest growth in the number of UHNWIs in 2021 at 17.1% to 352 billionaires. It was followed by Delhi (12.4% to 210) and Mumbai (9% to 1596) in 2021.

Top 5 countries with the most number of billionaires in 2021:

Billionaires	2021
United States	748
China	554
India	145
Germany	136
Russia	121

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. ISSF World Cup: Shri Nivetha, Esha, Ruchita win gold in women’s 10m air pistol: India’s Shri Nivetha, Esha Singh, and Ruchita Vinerkar have won the gold medal in the women’s 10m air pistol team event of the ISSF World Cup in Cairo, Egypt. With this win, India is leading the medal table with three medals, including two gold and silver. Andrea Katharina Heckner, Sandra Reitz and Carina Wimmer of Germany settled for the silver medal.

Germany and Italy are joint seconds on the table with one gold, two silver and one bronze medal each. A total of 17 countries have won medals so far.

 

2. ICC Women’s World Cup New Zealand 2022 begins: The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 has kicked off on March 04, 2022, in New Zealand. This is the 12 edition of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, being held in New Zealand from March 04 to April 03, 2022. The opening match of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 was held at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui between West Indies and New Zealand, in which West Indies women beat New Zealand by 3 runs. India will open against Pakistan on the 6th of March.

Key points:

a)      The final match is scheduled to take place at the Hagley Oval stadium.

b)      Total 8 teams are participating which includes, New Zealand, Australia, England, South Africa, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and West Indies.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Govt approves 20% FDI in LIC via automatic route: The Union Cabinet has approved an amendment to the FDI Policy to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) up to 20 percent under the “automatic route” in Life Insurance Corporation (LIC). This comes ahead of IPO of LIC. Prior to this, there was no limit was prescribed for foreign investment in LIC. The FDI ceiling for LIC has now been made at par with that of public sector banks. It must be noted that the FDI limit in the insurance sector is 74 percent. Last year it was raised from 49% to 74%.

 

2. HDFC Bank finances Asia’s largest waste to energy plant in Indore- Gobar-Dhan plant: HDFC Bank has partnered with Indore Clean Energy Private Limited (ICEPL) for the development of Gobar-Dhan plant in Indore under its Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments. The 550-tonne capacity “Gobar-Dhan (Bio-CNG) Plant” was inaugurated by PM Modi in Indore, Madhya Pradesh on February 19, 2022. This is the biggest Bio-CNG plant in Asia. It has been set up at a cost of Rs 150 crore. Indore Clean Energy Pvt Ltd (ICEPL) is promoted by Green Growth Equity Fund (GGEF), which is the largest climate impact fund in India with anchor investors like NIIF & Government of UK.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Tata Motors launches ‘Anubhav’- showroom on wheels: Tata Motors has launched a mobile showroom (showroom on wheels) named ‘Anubhav,’ to target rural customers by increasing their reach in rural areas and providing them with a doorstep car buying experience. Tata Motors will deploy a total of 103 mobile showrooms across the country, to enhance the Tata Motors brand awareness in rural India.

About the ‘Anubhav,’ mobile showrooms:

a)      These mobile showrooms will be operated by dealerships under Tata Motors’ supervision and guidance. All the dealerships will define monthly routes for these vans on which they will ply and cover the targeted village or tehsil.

b)      A total of 103 mobile showrooms are being deployed across the country to enhance the Tata Motors brand awareness in rural India.

c)       These mobile showrooms will help existing dealerships offer a doorstep sales experience to customers and assist them with information about Tata Motors’ products.

d)      These products include a new forever range of cars and SUVs, accessories, avail finance schemes, book a test drive and evaluate existing cars for exchange.

Note: Tata Motors Headquarters: Mumbai; Tata Motors Founder: J. R. D. Tata; Tata Motors Founded: 1945, Mumbai.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. 19th Military Cooperation meet of India & US held in Agra 2022: The 19th edition of the India-US Military Cooperation Group (MCG) meeting was conducted in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The discussion was co-chaired by Air Marshal BR Krishna, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC), and Lieutenant General Stephen D Sklenka, Deputy Commander, US Indo-Pacific Command, represented the US side.

Key Points:

a)      The conference took place when Russia was engaged in a significant military operation in Ukraine. Western countries, such as the United States, have implemented severe economic sanctions against Russia.

b)      Around 70% of India’s defence equipment is made in Russia.

c)       According to the Defence Ministry, the India-US military cooperation group was established to advance defence collaboration between the two nations through regular meetings at the strategic and operational levels between the Headquarters of the Integrated Defence Staff and the US Indo-Pacific Command.

d)      The India-US MCG is a forum set up to advance defence cooperation between the two nations by frequent strategic and operational consultations involving Headquarters, the Integrated Defence Staff, and the US Indo-Pacific Command.

e)      The discussions centred on improving the two countries’ ongoing defence engagements and considering new initiatives within the framework of the existing cooperation mechanism.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Noted film critic, writer Jaiprakash Chouksey passes away: Film critic, writer Jaiprakash Chouksey has passed away due to cardiac arrest at the age of 82 years. He has penned scripts and dialogues for several films including ‘Shayad’ (1979), ‘Qatl’ (1986) and ‘Bodyguard’ (2011), and was also involved in writing for television serials. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, state Congress chief Kamal Nath and several other leaders condoled Chouksey’s death.