CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS 16 AND 17th March 2022
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CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS
16 AND 17th March 2022
National News
Reform, perform, transform to next level: PM
to trainee civil servants
short by Dharini
Mudgal / 04:47 pm on 17 Mar 2022,Thursday
PM Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed the valedictory function of the
96th Common Foundation Course at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of
Administration, Mussoorie. Speaking to the IAS trainees, he urged them to focus
on the "biggest goal of the 21st century" Atmanirbhar Bharat and
Modern India. He further asked them to "reform, perform and transform to
the next level".
IDFC FIRST Bank's CEO gifts 5,00,000 shares
to family of a deceased colleague
short by Pragya
Swastik / 08:46 pm on 17 Mar 2022,Thursday
IDFC FIRST Bank's MD and CEO V Vaidyanathan has gifted 5,00,000 shares
of the bank to family members of a deceased colleague. The deceased colleague
was "closely known" to Vaidyanathan and the shares have been gifted
to back the family's education and financial security, the bank said. Earlier,
Vaidyanathan gifted shares to five people including his driver and househelp.
Bhagavad Gita to be part of school syllabus
for Class 6-12 in Guj
short by Shalini
Ojha / 08:55 pm on 17 Mar 2022,Thursday
Gujarat Education Minister Jitu Vaghani said on Thursday that Bhagavad
Gita will be part of the school syllabus for Classes 6-12 from the academic
year 2022-23. "For students of Classes 6- 8, the scripture will be
introduced in the textbook of...holistic education. From Classes 9-12, it'll be
introduced in form of storytelling in textbook of the first language," he
explained.
Form panels to stop harassment of women:
Kerala HC to film bodies
short by Nakul
Ahuja / 10:17 pm on 17 Mar 2022,Thursday
The Kerala High Court on Thursday said that film bodies and production
houses have the responsibility to form an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC),
as per the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013. "It's only a
question on the formation of it and it could be either done by the Producer's
Association or the Chamber," said Producer Suresh Kumar.
Maternal Mortality in India: Kerala tops in maternal
Kerala has yet again emerged on top when it comes to maternal and child health,
with the State recording the lowest Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of 30 (per
one lakh live births) in the country. According
to the latest data, India’s maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has improved to 103
for the period 2017-19. The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of Kerala has
dropped from 42 to 30. Kerala has
achieved the UN Sustainable Development Goals of MMR in the year 2020 itself.
Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) is defined as the number of maternal deaths per
100000 live births. Kerala, Telangana,
and Maharashtra are included in the top 3 states with the lowest MMR in India.
The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has worsened in West Bengal, Haryana,
Uttarakhand, and Chhattisgarh. The
maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has drastically improved in UP, Rajasthan, and
Bihar. Italy, Norway, Poland, and
Belarus have the lowest MMR in the world.
Oscars
22: India’s ‘Writing with Fire’ nominated in Best Documentary feature category
A documentary about the Dalit-led, all-woman newspaper Khabar Lahariya,
"Writing With Fire" became the first Indian documentary to be
nominated at the Oscars. ‘Writing With Fire’ had won Audience and Jury Awards
at the Sundance Film Festival last year.
It is produced by Ticket Films and directed by filmmakers Rintu Thomas
and Sushmit Ghosh. ‘Khabar Lahariya’ is a newspaper founded in May 2002 in
Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh. Other nominees in the category are: “Ascension”,
“Attica”, “Flee”, and “Summer of Soul (Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be
Televised)”.
Bhagwant
Mann sworn in as new chief minister of Punjab
Bhagwant Mann was sworn in as the 18th chief minister of Punjab at Khatkar
Kalan, the ancestral village of Bhagat Singh in the presence of Governor
Banwarilal Purohit. The Aam Aadmi Party
romped home winning 92 seats in the 117-member Punjab Assembly, decimating the
Congress and the SAD-BSP combine. Chanting
'Jo Bole So Nihal' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', Bhagwant Mann thanked the people
who attended the swearing-in ceremony. Mann ended his speech with 'Inquilab
Zindabad' (long live the revolution). Besides newly-elected AAP MLAs, Delhi
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other senior party leaders were also present
at the ceremony. Among other leaders present at the ceremony are Deputy CM of
Delhi Manish Sisodia and Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai.
India’s 1st Digital Water Bank ‘AQVERIUM’ launched in Bengaluru
India's First Digital Water Bank, ‘AQVERIUM’ has been launched in Bengaluru,
Karnataka which is an innovative initiative aimed at better water management.
It is formed by AquaKraft Group Ventures.
It is a very unique innovation combining sustainable & green
technologies along with information technology, skill development &
entrepreneurship. It is a curated list of water data from all institutions and
sources, that will help tackle some common development challenges. Digital Water Data Bank can be understood as
a curated list of ‘Water Data’ from all institutions and sources that will
further aid in tackling some common development challenges. The digital water data bank also provides
insights and evidence from research and analytics thereby providing fundamental
reliable information for tackling water pollution. Data, in any field, facilitates building a
broader picture that further enables us to harness the best evidence and make
informed decisions. When it comes to making a water-secure world, data-driven
decisions can greatly improve service delivery, sustain water resources and
build resilience.
India’s
first ‘World Peace Center’ will be established in Gurugram
Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti organisation established by Ambassador of Peace, Eminent
Jainacharya Dr Lokeshji will establish India's first World Peace Center in
Gurugram, Haryana. For this, the Haryana
Government has allotted a plot to the organization in Sector 39 of Gurugram
opposite Medanta Hospital and adjacent to Delhi-Jaipur Highway. 'World Peace
Center' will work for the establishment of peace and harmony in the world. The voice of this centre of Gurugram will be
heard all over the world by its work, including the United Nations and the
World Religion Parliament. 'World Peace
Center' will be a major world-class centre for personality building, where
various dimensions such as Personality Development of Youth, Empowerment of
Women and Sanskar Development in Children through Meditation, Yoga, Indian
Culture and Jain lifestyle based scientific programs will also be conducted
here.
Nation’s first AI & Robotics Technology Park (ARTPARK) launched in
Bengaluru
The country's first Artificial Intelligence & Robotics Technology Park
(ARTPARK) was launched in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It is promoted by a
not-for-profit foundation set up by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
Bengaluru, with a seed capital of Rs. 230 crore from the State and Central
governments. ARTPARK (AI and Robotics
Technology Park) along with AI Foundry is going to launch a $100 million
venture fund to support AI and robotics innovations in India. The fund will be
backed by the government, private companies, and VCs. ARTPARK intends to use futuristic
technologies to connect the unconnected will work with a focus on creating a
globally leading AritificiaI Intelligence and Robotics Innovation ecosystem in
India. The ARTPARK has the objective of
channelizing innovations to create a societal impact by executing ambitious
mission-mode R&D projects in healthcare, education, mobility,
infrastructure, agriculture, retail, and cyber-security aiming to solve
problems unique to India.
Net-Zero
Carbon Emissions by 2050: Mumbai became first South Asian City to set
target
Mumbai, Maharashtra announced its detailed framework to ‘zero out carbon
emissions by 2050’ and became the first city in South Asia to set such a
target. Mumbai’s target is 20 years ahead of India’s target to reach net zero
emissions by 2070. Targets also include
a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and 44% reduction by
2040. Mumbai set several short-term goals for decarbonisation measures such as
electrifying public transport, it plans to adopt 2,100 electric buses by 2023
at a cost of 130 billion rupees (USD $1.7 billion). Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has
devised the Mumbai Climate Action Plan (MCAP) as a part of its commitment
towards building a climate-resilient city
Nitin Gadkari inaugurates Toyota "Mirai" India’s first Green
Hydrogen Fuel Cell EV
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari has inaugurated
the world’s most advanced technology-developed Green Hydrogen Fuel Cell
Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Toyota Mirai at New Delhi. Toyota Mirai is India’s first Fuel Cell
Electric Vehicle (FCEV), which is completely powered by Hydrogen. Toyota Mirai
has been launched by Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd and International Center
for Automotive Technology (ICAT) under a pilot project, to study and evaluate
the performance of Toyota Mirai on Indian roads and climatic conditions. This is a first of its kind project in India
which will create a Green Hydrogen based ecosystem in the country and help
India to become ‘Energy Self-reliant’ by 2047.
International News
US Prez Biden to speak with Chinese Prez Xi
over Ukraine crisis
short by Dharini
Mudgal / 08:40 pm on 17 Mar 2022,Thursday
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has announced that the US
President Joe Biden will hold a call on Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Psaki said the call is part of ongoing US efforts to maintain open lines of
communication between the two nations. "The...leaders will discuss
managing...competition between our two countries [and] Russia’s war against
Ukraine," Psaki added.
Bihar-born Dr Ashish Jha named White House
COVID-19 response coordinator
short by Dharini
Mudgal / 09:50 pm on 17 Mar 2022,Thursday
US President Joe Biden has appointed Indian-American physician Dr Ashish
Jha as the new White House COVID-19 response coordinator. President Biden said
Jha is "one of the leading public health experts in America" and
described him as the "perfect person for the job". The 51-year-old
Bihar-born Jha said, "I'm deeply honoured for this chance to serve this
country I love."
India & Sri Lanka sign agreement for a
$1-billion line of credit
short by Deepika
Bhatt / 11:00 pm on 17 Mar 2022,Thursday
The State Bank of India (SBI) will provide a $1-billion credit facility
to Sri Lanka for the procurement of food, medicines and other essential items,
the Union Finance Ministry said on Thursday. Finance Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Sri Lankan Finance
Minister Basil Rajapaksa in Delhi. The ministers discussed wide-ranging issues,
the ministry added.
Govt reacts as judge Bhandari votes against
Russia, says 'voted in individual capacity'
short by Arshiya
Chopra / 10:50 pm on 17 Mar 2022,Thursday
On being asked about Indian judge Dalveer Bhandari's vote against Russia
at International Court of Justice, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson
Arindam Bagchi said, "He happens to be an Indian national who's a member
in his individual capacity on the ICJ." "I am not going to comment on
how judges vote on issues that come to the ICJ," he added.
Revoking
Russia’s Most Favored Nation Trade Status: US
President Biden announced that the United States—along with the G7, the
European Union, and NATO—will revoke Russia’s Most Favored Nation (MFN) trade
status. Revoking Russia’s PNTR status
will allow the United States to increase and impose new tariffs on all Russian
imports. In the US, the “most favoured nation” status is also known as
permanent normal trade relations (PNTR).
Only North Korea and Cuba do not enjoy the “most favoured nation” status
from the US. The main aim of this step is to punish the Russian government for
its invasion of Ukraine. The United States will also not export luxury goods to
Russia. Earlier, the United States has
banned the import of Oil and energy from Russia. This action will cause
economic harm to Russia by damaging its ability to export to wealthier Western
markets; it will also raise costs for Americans and our trading partners that
may rely on affected Russian products.
'Mahatma Gandhi Green Triangle' Unveiled In Madagascar
Mahatma Gandhi Green Triangle' has been unveiled in Madagascar to mark Azadi ka
Amrit Mahotsav. Ambassador of India to Madagascar, Abhay Kumar celebrated the
Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav by inaugurating a Green Triangle, along with Mayor of
Antananarivo Naina Andriantsitohaina. The
word green in the plaque signifies their commitment to sustainable development
and saving the environment. The naming of this park as Mahatma Gandhi Green
Triangle is an apt tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
While addressing the ceremony, the Ambassador of India said that the
Government of India has launched an initiative: Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM)
to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of progressive India. The event was
attended by members of local government, diplomatic corps, heads of
international organisations, and members of the Indian Diaspora in Madagascar.
Bangladesh top in South Asia in terms of women on board of listed
companies
Bangladesh tops the list in South Asia in terms of women on board of listed
companies, says a study conducted by International Finance Corporation (IFC)
and Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE). According
to the latest figures, there was an increase in the percentage of women who are
independent directors on listed companies from five per cent in 2020 to six per
cent, despite the impact of COVID-19, which has disproportionately affected
women, said a press release issued by the IFC.
The findings were revealed at an event marking International Women's
Day. The IFC, DSE, UN Women, and United Nations Global Compact organised the
programme. The IFC has partnered with the DSE, UN Women, and United Nations
Global Compact for the seventh consecutive year to "Ring the Bell for
Gender Equality".
We are very disappointed with India's stance
on Russia's invasion of Ukraine: UK minister
short by Daisy
Mowke / 07:08 pm on 17 Mar 2022,Thursday
Britain is very disappointed with India's stance on Russia's invasion of
Ukraine, UK's Trade Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said. Asked if India's stance
would impact trade talks with Britain, Trevelyan said, "We're very
disappointed, but we continue to work with Indian partners and hope that their
views will change." "India is an incredibly important trading partner
for the UK," she added.
Banking, Business and Economy
Direct tax collection in FY22 stands at
₹13.63 lakh cr: CBDT chief
short by Ashley
Paul / 09:12 pm on 17 Mar 2022,Thursday
CBDT Chairman JB Mohapatra said direct tax collection for FY22
outmatches revised estimates of ₹12.5 lakh crore after touching ₹13.63 lakh
crore. He added that government's cumulative collection through tax deducted at
source currently stood at ₹6.79 lakh crore and corporate tax collection stood
at ₹7.19 lakh crore. "The numbers are more than what we expected," he
said.
Paytm
Payments Bank punished by RBI for data breaching to Chinese firms
The RBI has stopped Paytm Payments Bank from accepting new customers because it
broke the laws by allowing data to transit to servers in other countries and
failing to properly authenticate its consumers.
According to a report, annual inspections by the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) discovered that the company's servers were sharing information with
China-based organisations that indirectly held an interest in Paytm Payments
Bank. SoftBank-backed Paytm Payments
Bank was prevented from adding new customers by the central bank on Friday,
citing "serious supervisory problems found in the bank." The Reserve Bank of India said in a statement
that the bank has also been asked to appoint an audit company to perform a
complete assessment of its IT system. Paytm
Payments Bank, on the other hand, described the allegation as "totally
incorrect, erroneous, and unconfirmed," noting that it complies entirely
with RBI's data localisation directives. Existing users' PPBL savings, fixed
deposits with linked banks, and balances in their Paytm Wallet, FASTag or
Wallet Card, and UPI services are all safe and working, according to the
company.
In the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed a Rs 1.42 lakh
crore budget for the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the fiscal year
2022-23, despite opposition pleas for more time to review the plans. Sitharaman also tabled the Union Territory's
additional demands for the fiscal year 2021-22, totaling Rs 18,860.32 crore,
and moved a resolution to suspend certain norms to allow the House to take up
the debate on the same day.
India entered into world's top five club in terms of market capitalisation
As per Bloomberg’s recent data on Market capitalization, for the 1st time,
India’s equities market has entered the world’s top 5 in terms of market
capitalization. India is ranked 5th with an overall market capitalization of
USD 3.21 trillion. The total world market cap stands at USD 109.22 trillion. The US topped the ranking with an overall
market cap of USD 47.32 trillion, followed by China (USD 11.52 trillion), Japan
(USD 6 trillion) and Hong Kong (USD 5.55 trillion). The United Kingdom (UK) ranked 6th with an
M-Cap of USD 3.19 trillion, Saudi Arabia ranked 7th with an M-Cap of USD 3.18
trillion, Canada ranked 8th with an M-Cap of USD 3.18 trillion, France ranked
9th with an M-Cap of USD 2.89 trillion and Germany ranked 10th with M-Cap of
USD 2.29 trillion.
Awards News
Axis
Bank won ‘Asian Bank of the Year’ at IFR Asia Awards 2021
India's third-largest private sector bank, Axis Bank has been awarded IFR
Asia's Asian Bank of The Year, for its breadth of coverage and depth of expertise
in the Asian investment banking space. The award acknowledges the bank's
outstanding performance in equity and debt issuance, across all major products
and segments. This year, the bank has
also won the 'Best DCM House in India' Award at the Finance Asia's Country
Awards. Axis Bank has been No. 1 on the Bloomberg League Table ranking for 15
consecutive calendar years and has maintained its leadership position in the
domestic Debt Capital Market. Morgan
Stanley has been honoured with the Bank of the year award at the IFR Asia Award
2021 and the JSW Group has been awarded with the Issuer of the year award. The
awards are organized by IFR Asia, a Hong Kong-based provider of capital markets
intelligence.
Narayan Pradhan named for GD Birla Award for Scientific Research
Professor Narayan Pradhan has been selected for the 31st GD Birla Award for
Scientific Research for his outstanding contribution in the field of material
sciences. He has provided his expertise in crystal modulations to help design
new shapes of these tiny lighting materials.
Instituted in 1991, the award recognises eminent Indian scientists below
the age of 50 for their original and outstanding contributions to any branch of
science. It carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh. The recipient is chosen by a
selection board, whose present head is professor Chandrima Shaha, the president
of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA).
Science and Technology News
ISRO successfully tested solid fuel-based booster stage of SSLV
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has successfully completed the ground
test of the solid fuel-based booster stage (SS1) of its new Small Satellite
Launch Vehicle (SSLV) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota at
Andhra Pradesh. It completes the ground
testing of all three stages of the launch vehicle. The vehicle is now ready for
its first development flight, which is scheduled for May 2022. Other stages of SSLV like SS2 & SS3 have
successfully undergone necessary ground tests and are ready for integration. At
present, the launch of small satellites has been dependent on ‘piggy-bank’
rides with big satellite launches on the PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle)
of ISRO, which has completed around 50 successful launches.
Sports News
FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022 will be held in Chennai
India has been picked as the host nation for the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022. The
44th edition of the Olympiad is scheduled to be held in Chennai, from 26th July
2022 to 8th August 2022. This is the first time that India will host the FIDE
Chess Olympiad since its inception in 1927.
The event was originally scheduled to be held in Russia, but FIDE pulled
out from there following the Ukraine invasion. The venue will be the Four
Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort & Convention Center, 60 kilometres south
of central Chennai. It is located in Mamallapuram, one of the famous tourist
sites in India and a UNESCO World Heritage Site of seventh- and eighth-century
Hindu monuments.
Important Days
National
Vaccination Day celebrates on 16th March
In India, the National Vaccination Day (also known as National Immunisation Day
(IMD)) is observed on 16 March every year, to convey the importance of
vaccination to the entire nation. The
day was first observed in the year 1995. In 2022, the National Immunization Day
is important since the Government of India has started the COVID-19 vaccination
for children between 15 to 18 years of age and booster dose for senior
citizens. The theme for National Vaccination Day or National Immunisation Day
2022 is "Vaccines Work for all". It was in 1995 that India started the Pulse
Polio Programme and the first dose of Oral Polio Vaccine was given. According
to the World Health Organization, immunization is a process through which an
individual’s immune system becomes fortified against foreign harm causing
agents.
UN declares March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia
The U.N. General Assembly approved a resolution to proclaim March 15 as the
International Day to Combat Islamophobia every year, starting from 2022. The
resolution, adopted by the 193-member UN General Assembly, was introduced by
Pakistan’s ambassador Munir Akram on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC), on March 15, 2022. It
marks the day when a gunman entered two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand,
killing 51 worshippers and wounding 40 others in the terror attack. The main
objective of International Day to Combat Islamophobia will be curtailing
systematic hate speech and discrimination against Muslims; respect for religious
symbols and practices; along with the elimination of all forms of intolerance
and discrimination based on religion or belief.
Obituaries News
Former Andhra Pradesh Governor ‘Ms Kumudben Joshi’ passes away
The former Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Kumudben Manishankar Joshi has passed
away. She was 88. Ms Joshi served as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh from 26
November 1985 to 7 February 1990. She
was the second female Governor of the state after Sharda Mukherjee. Joshi had
been a member of the Rajya Sabha thrice. Kumudben Manishankar Joshi also became
Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting (October 1980 – January
1982) and Deputy Minister of Health and Family Welfare (January 1982
– December 1984).
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