CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS
15th and 16th April 2022
National News
PM Modi Dedicates K. K. Patel Super Speciality Hospital in Bhuj
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dedicated to the nation, a 200-bed KK Patel
Super Speciality Hospital in Bhuj in the Kutch district of Gujarat, via
video-conferencing. This hospital has
been built by Shree Kutchi Leva Patel Samaj, Bhuj and is the first charitable
super speciality hospital in the Kutch region. It will guarantee quality
medical treatment for the people of Kutch including lakhs of soldiers, par
military personnel and traders. This
initiative is in line with the policy of the Central government to set up at
least one medical college in every district of the country so that India gets a
record number of doctors in the next 10 years.
Uttarakhand
to launch “Him Prahari” scheme for ex-servicemen & youngsters
The Government of Uttarakhand is set to implement the ‘Him Prahari’ Scheme
which is meant for ex-servicemen and youngsters. The Uttarakhand Govt is
seeking the cooperation of the Union Government to implement the scheme in
areas bordering the Uttarakhand. The
scheme will also prioritise settling ex-servicemen in areas bordering the
state. The scheme is aimed at stopping the migration of people from Uttarakhand
and will focus on areas where migration occurs at a rapid phase so that people
stay put, and not move out. The
estimated expenditure of the scheme is around Rs 5.45 crore. The Him Prahari
Scheme was announced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Uttarakhand unit in
its 2022 Election Manifesto.
Assamese New Year 2022, Rongali Bohag Bihu Festival
Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu, one of the biggest festivals of Assam, falls in the
second week of April every year, marking the beginning of the harvest period.
This year Bohag Bihu is being observed from April 14 to April 16. Rongali means joy in Assamese and the
festival indeed is the time to rejoice and make merry with family and
community. The first day of the Hindu solar calendar is celebrated in the
states of Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Kerala, Manipur, and West Bengal among
others with different names and traditions.
Bihu is celebrated thrice a year; apart from Rongali or Bohag Bihu -
Kati Bihu or Kongaali Bihu and Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu are celebrated to mark
different stages of the harvesting period.
The history of Bihu is said to go back to ancient times, around 3500 BC,
when people made fire sacrifices for a better harvest. It is said that an
agrarian tribe who lived in the north-eastern part of the world thousands of
years back celebrated the festival.
Himachal Pradesh statehood Day 2022: 15th April
Himachal Day is observed on the 15th of April in Himachal Pradesh. The state
became a full-fledged state on this day. Four districts of Mandi, Chamba,
Mahasu and Sirmour were integrated with over two dozen princely states, leading
to the formation of Himachal Pradesh as a Union Territory in 1948. Decades later, in 1971, Himachal Pradesh
became the 18th state in India with Shimla as its capital. It was on this day
in 1948 that Himachal Pradesh was created as a province of India. The day is
marked with a grand parade in the capital city of Shimla. Local events are also
organised in the cities, towns, and villages to mark the day. Himachal Pradesh is a state in northern
India. Bordering Tibet, it is noted for its Himalayan landscapes (Himachal
means 'snow-laden region') and is a popular tourist destination for trekking
and enjoying the natural beauty. The state also has the fourth-highest per
capita income of the Indian state and is the third fastest growing economy in
India.
International News
Sri Lankan stock exchange to halt trading
for 5 days amid crisis
The Colombo Stock Exchange will remain shut for five business days from
April 18, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka. The
move is aimed at providing investors an opportunity to have "more clarity
and understanding" of the current economic conditions, it said. Sri Lanka
is dealing with its worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948.
Prez Biden nominates Indian-American
diplomat as his envoy to Mali
The White House on Friday announced that US President Joe Biden has
nominated Indian-American diplomat Rachna Sachdeva Korhonen as his envoy to
Mali. Korhonen is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of
Counselor, it said in a statement. She also had assignments at the US Consulate
General in Mumbai, according to the statement.
Singapore PM Loong says Finance Minister
Wong to succeed him as PM
Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Saturday said Finance
Minister Lawrence Wong will succeed him as the next leader of the city-state.
"The plan is for Lawrence to succeed me as PM, either before or after the
next General Election," Loong, 70, said. Wong, 49, helped Singapore
through the COVID-19 pandemic as co-chair of the government's task force.
Israel successfully tests ‘Iron Beam’ new laser-based air defence
system
Israel successfully tested a new laser missile-defence system ‘Iron Beam‘ which
can destroy any airborne object including drones. Iron Beam is the world’s first energy-based
weapons system that uses a laser beam to shoot down incoming UAVs, rockets,
mortars, long-range missiles, anti-tank missiles etc. The Iron Beam which is developed by the
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is using a directed-energy weapon system and
can go a long way in providing aerial defence.
Iron Beam: How it works
Iron Beam works on a fibre laser system to destroy any airborne object. Iron Dome defense system has been a great
success, with a 90% interception rate against incoming rocket fire.
Banking, Business and Economy
World
Bank Slashes India's GDP Growth Forecast for FY22-23 to 8 Percent
The World Bank has slashed the GDP growth forecast for India in FY2022/23 to 8
per cent in its bi-annual “South Asia Economic Focus” report, due to the
negative impact of the war in Ukraine on FY23 growth. Earlier in January 2022,
the growth forecast for FY23 was estimated at 8.7 per cent. The World Bank said a further escalation in
the war in Ukraine could scare investors in emerging market securities and debt
instruments and lead to a capital flight from South Asia to “safe havens” in
the West. Foreign investors have already
been exiting India’s financial market since October 2021, due to the impending
monetary tightening by the US Federal Reserve. Recent developments in Eastern
Europe have intensified the capital outflow, weakening the Indian rupee (INR). Maintaining macroeconomic stability through
prudent and transparent policies will be important also if the Indian
government turns to domestic borrowing.
Three General insurance companies’ share capital increased by the
government
Three public sector general insurance businesses – National Insurance Company
Limited, Oriental Insurance Company Limited, and United India Insurance Company
– have had their authorised share capital increased by the government. This
will allow for a capital inflow of Rs. 5,000 crore into these businesses. The permitted capital for National Insurance
will now be 15,000 crore (1,500 crore shares with a face value of 10 apiece),
up from the current 7,500 crore, according to a notification released by the
Finance Ministry (1,500 crore shares with a face value of ten each). Oriental Insurance would have a market
capitalization of 7,500 crore (750 crore shares with a face value of ten rupees
each), up from 5,000 crore (500 crore shares with a face value of ten rupees
each).
United India Insurance's permitted capital has been increased to Rs 7,500
crore. United India Insurance's authorised capital has been raised from 5,000
crore (500 crore shares with a face value of 10) to 7,500 crore (750 crore
shares with a face value of 10). Finance
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in her FY 2018-19 Budget speech that
three public sector general insurance companies, National Insurance Company
Ltd., United India Assurance Company Limited, and Oriental India Insurance
Company Limited, would be merged into a single insurance entity and then
listed.
Union Govt crosses its asset monetization target for FY22
According to the evaluation made at a high-level review meeting, the central
government has exceeded its asset monetization target of 88,000 crores for
FY22 and has concluded agreements worth 96,000 crores. Roads, power, coal and mineral mining are
among the industries that have made significant contributions to asset
monetisation. The Centre has set an asset monetisation target of over 1.6
trillion dollars for FY23, for which proposals from various ministries are in
various stages of processing. Prominent
investors who purchased assets in FY22 include CPP Investments, Ontario
Teachers Pension Plan, and Utilico Emerging Markets Trust Plc. At the time of
publication, emails made to these investors evening had gone unanswered. When the final data are in, the total asset
sale in FY22 could reach $1 trillion. Senior officials from the finance and
infrastructure ministries, as well as the NITI Aayog, attended the meeting,
which was headed by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The strategy included a pipeline of assets totalling
$6 trillion that would be monetised over a four-year period until FY25. As
asset acquirers borrow loans and expand their operations, the government
anticipates the asset sale completed in FY22 to result in an additional $9
trillion in cumulative investments.
Kotak
Mahindra Bank Launches Digital Platform, FYN
Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMBL) has launched Kotak FYN, a new enterprise platform
designed specifically for Business Banking and Corporate clients. Customers of
the bank can utilise the portal to conduct all trade and service transactions. According to a press release, the Kotak FYN
portal will contain many other services by the fourth quarter of 2022,
including account services, payments, and collections. The portal will also have a dashboard that
consumers can personalise, real-time tracking of transaction limits, access to
prior transactions, and upcoming transaction events, among other things. It also promises to deliver a tailored
experience in small steps with system stability.
Kotak FYN seeks to provide clients with a consistent experience across all
product platforms through a unified perspective. The platform ensures paperless transactions
and the ability to follow transactions from beginning to end.
'SVANidhi
se Samriddhi' introduced by MoH & UA
In the presence of senior officials from States/UTs and several Central
Ministries, Shri Manoj Joshi, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
(MoHUA), launched the 'SVANidhi se Samriddhi' programme in an additional 126
cities across 14 States/UTs. PMSVANidhi's
extra initiative, 'SVANidhi se Samriddhi,' was launched in 125 cities in Phase
1 in 2021, covering around 35 lakh street vendors and their families. They have been given 22.5 lakh scheme sanctions,
which include 16 lakh insurance benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima
Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeeban Jyoti Yojana, and 2.7 lakh pension benefits under
the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana, among other things.
HDFC Bank year-on-year profit up by 24% in
Q1
Keeping in line with analysts' expectations, India's largest private
sector lender HDFC Bank has reported a jump of 24% year-on-year (Y-O-Y) in its
consolidated net profit for the Jan-March, 2022 quarter. The lender's gross
non-performing assets were at 1.17% of its gross advances, as compared to 1.32%
last year. Its consolidated net profit is at ₹10,474 crore.
128th Foundation Day of Punjab National Bank
Punjab National Bank, India’s second-largest bank has celebrated its 128th
Foundation Day on April 12, 2022. On the
occasion of foundation day, MD & CEO of PNB, Atul Kumar Goel has launched a
cardless cash withdrawal service and a virtual debit card for its customers. Bank also launched various services on its
mobile app named PNB One for safe banking transactions. PNB was established by the great freedom
fighter Lala Lajpat Rai, proudly known as Sher-e-Punjab (Lion of Punjab) in
1894 as the First Swadeshi Bank after being influenced by the swadeshi
movement.
Fino Payments Bank to buy 12.19% stake in Paysprint Pvt Ltd
Fino Payments Bank announced that its board of directors has approved a 12.19
percent minority strategic investment in New Delhi-based fintech Paysprint Pvt
Ltd. Fino Payments Bank is making its first strategic investment since becoming
public. This is in addition to the bank's Fino 2.0 projects, which include many
internal programmes aimed at creating a digital ecosystem for its customers. Paysprint, a profitable fintech, is a
fast-growing financial technology firm that provides next-generation
application programming interfaces (APIs) in banking, payments, travel,
lending, insurance, and investment, among other fields. Paysprint's co-founder and CEO, S Anand, said
the fintech company is excited to collaborate with Fino Payments Bank and
combine technical knowledge to develop innovative banking products and
solutions that will increase consumer acceptance. Paysprint completed its first full year of
operations in FY22, with an annual GMV of Rs 5,500 crore.
Awards News
New
Zealand Cricket Awards 2022 announced
New Zealand announced awards for Men and Women's cricketers. New Zealand
speedster Trent Boult and White Ferns skipper Sophie Devine won the ‘T20
International Player of the Year’ in the recently announced New Zealand Cricket
Awards 2022. New Zealand pace bowler Tim
Southee has been awarded the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal at the New
Zealand Cricket (NZC) Awards on April 14, 2022.
This is Southee’s first Sir Richard Hadlee Medal in his 14-year-long
career. He has been awarded for his consistency throughout the 2021-22 season.
Sir Richard Hadlee's medal is the highest cricketing honour of New Zealand
(Black Cap).
Other category awards announced are given below:
Women’s Super Smash Player of the Year: Amelia Kerr (Wellington Blaze).
Men’s
Super Smash Player of the Year: Michael Bracewell (Wellington Firebirds).
Fan
Moment of the Summer: Ross Taylor’s final wicket in his last Test.
International
Women’s ODI Player of the Year: Amelia Kerr (Wellington Blaze).
International
Men’s ODI Player of the Year: Will Young (Central Stags).
Redpath
Cup for first-class batting: Devon Conway (Wellington Firebirds).
Ruth
Martin Cup for women’s domestic batting: Suzie Bates (Otago Sparks).
Winsor
Cup for first-class bowling: Tim Southee (Northern Districts).
Phyl
Blackler Cup for women’s domestic bowling: Eden Carson (Otago Sparks).
New
Zealand Umpire of the Year: Chris Gaffaney.
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu presents International Gandhi Award for
Leprosy, 2021
Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu has presented the International
Gandhi Awards for Leprosy, 2021 to Dr Bhushan Kumar of Chandigarh under the
Indian nomination (individual) category and Sahyog Kushtha Yagna Trust, Gujarat
under the institutional category. The
award was given during a function in New Delhi on April 13, 2022. Sahyog
Kushtha Yagna Trust and Dr. Bhushan Kumar have been working round the clock to
raise awareness regarding leprosy and the care that can be provided to those
afflicted with this disease. They have also been working to remove the social
stigmas that are associated with this disease.
The annual award has been instituted by Gandhi Memorial Leprosy
Foundation to recognise the work of individuals and organisations who have
worked tirelessly to fight this disease and the prejudices associated with it.
The award commemorates the compassion that Gandhiji possessed and the service
he rendered toward people afflicted with leprosy.
Prabhat Patnaik named for Malcolm Adiseshiah Award 2022
Well-known Indian economist and political commentator, Prabhat Patnaik has been
selected for the Malcolm Adiseshiah Award 2022.
The award is annually given by the Malcolm and Elizabeth Adiseshiah
Trust to an outstanding social scientist selected from nominations received by
a specially constituted national jury. The
award includes a citation and prize money of Rs 2 lakh. Dr Patnaik has taught
at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning in the School of Social
Sciences at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi and was the Vice
Chairman of the Kerala State Planning Board.
Schemes News
(e-NAM) National Agriculture Market Completed 6 years
e-NAM marks the sixth anniversary of the National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), a
pan-India electronic trade network. To ease online trade of agricultural
commodities, the flagship programme incorporates physical wholesale mandis and
markets from several States and Union Territories. The Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium is
implementing e-NAM, which was launched on April 14th in 2016 by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi. It is completely funded by the Central Government. The National Agriculture Market (eNAM) is a
pan-India electronic trading system that connects the existing APMC mandis to
form a unified national agricultural commodities market. Under the Ministry of
Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare of the Government of India, the Small Farmers
Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) is the key agency for implementing eNAM.
Sports News
Orleans
Masters 2022: Indian Shuttler Mithun Manjunath won silver
Indian shuttler Mithun Manjunath has won silver in Men’s Singles at the Orléans
Masters 2022, a badminton tournament held from 29th March to 3rd April 2022 in
Orleans, France. Playing in his maiden
BWF final, the 79th ranked Indian shuttler lost 11-21, 19-21 to world number 32
Frenchman Toma Junior Popov at the Palais des Sports Arena. The women’s doubles
pair of Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam has won the bronze in the Women’s
doubles at the tournament.
India will host Street Child Cricket World Cup in 2023
India is ready to host the Street Child Cricket World Cup in 2023. This world
is organized by Street Child United and Save the Children India, the Street
Child Cricket World Cup 2023 will welcome 22 teams from 16 countries to India
next year. The Street Child Cricket
World Cup 2023 will welcome 22 teams from 16 countries to India next year. Countries that will participate this year are
Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Burundi, England, Hungary, Mauritius, Mexico,
Nepal, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. In
addition to the partnership between Street Child United and Save the Children
the SCCWC 2023 will also collaborate with World Bank, ICC and the British High
Commission.
Karthik smashes 66*(34) as RCB defeat DC to
go 3rd on IPL 2022 points table
RCB defeated DC by 16 runs to register their fourth win in IPL 2022 and
jump to third position on IPL 2022 points table. Dinesh Karthik slammed an
unbeaten 66 off 34 deliveries as RCB put up a total of 189/5. DC were
restricted to 173/7 as RCB pacers Josh Hazlewood and Mohammed Siraj took three
and two wickets, respectively.
Odisha CM unveils logo of 2023 Men's Hockey World Cup
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has unveiled the logo of the 2023 FIH
Men’s Hockey World Cup at the Kalinga stadium in the capital Bhubaneswar. To be
held in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, the prestigious
quadrennial tournament is scheduled from January 13 to 29. Hockey India and its official partner Odisha
will host the marquee event for the second consecutive time in the country
after 2018. The 15th edition of the showpiece will be staged in Bhubaneswar and
Rourkela, where the country’s largest hockey stadium is being constructed.
Tamil Nadu beat Punjab in National basketball championship final
Tamil Nadu defeated defending champion Punjab 87-69 in the final to win the
men's title in the 71st Senior National Basketball Championship. The formidable
Indian Railways team won the women's title, beating Telangana 131-82 in
convincing fashion, riding on Poonam Chaturvedi's 26 points. In the men's summit clash, Tamil Nadu pulled
ahead after a slow start when Punjab kept pace and never looked back. At
half-time, the host had widened the lead to 17 with a 50-33 scoreline. An
Aravind with 26 points and M Arvind Kumar (21) were in the fine nick for the
home team as they stamped their authority against their arch-rival.
Science and Technology News
IIT Guwahati collaborated with NTPC to develop energy-efficient tech to
capture CO2
The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, has teamed up with the National
Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to design and construct a highly
energy-efficient CO2 collection system from power plants. A research team led by Prof. Bishnupada
Mandal, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Guwahati, developed this
indigenous technique, which could be copyrighted soon. The oil, natural gas, and biogas industries,
as well as petroleum refineries, will benefit from the project's outputs. It also has the potential to save India money
in terms of foreign exchange.
This project will also assist and strengthen the UN's Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) through its research and education. The pilot plant has been relocated to NTPC's
NETRA site following the successful completion of test investigations.
Important Days
World
Art Day observed on 15th April
World Art Day is observed every year on 15 April globally. This day is being
celebrated all over the world to emphasize the importance of art that nurtures
creativity, innovation and cultural diversity for all peoples across the globe.
The day was declared by the International Association of Art (IAA), an NGO
working in official partnership with UNESCO.
The first celebration of World Art Day was held on April 15, 2012. The
date has been selected in honour of the birthday of Leonardo da Vinci, the
famous painter of the Mona Lisa. He was chosen as a symbol of world peace,
freedom of expression, tolerance, brotherhood and multiculturalism as well as
art’s importance to other fields. In
order to honour Leonardo da Vinci's birthday, World Art Day is celebrated. As
per IAA, Leonardo da Vinci was considered the symbol of world peace, freedom of
expression, tolerance, and brotherhood. World Art Day aims to nurture an
artist's creativity and innovation. The day also sheds light on the different
varieties that exist in artistic expression.
Save the Elephant Day 2022: 16 April
Save the Elephant Day is celebrated on April 16 every year to raise awareness
about the dangers elephants face and the various difficulties they have to
overcome to live. Save The Elephant Day
aims to change this alarming trend by educating people about elephants and the
plights they face, encouraging everyone to do their bit and helping save them
from extinction. The Day is established
by the Thailand-based Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, to spread awareness
among the general people about the significance and consequences of their
actions, or inactions on the future of elephants. According to WWF data, at
present, the population of Pachyderms in India is around 20,000 to 25,000. Elephants are known as the most enormous land
animal and a surprisingly gentle giants in the animal kingdom. Emotional,
intelligent and beautiful in the wild, sadly elephant populations have been
rapidly decreasing due to various threats, perhaps most significantly poaching.
World Voice Day 2022 celebrates on 16 April
World Voice Day (WVD) is celebrated globally on April 16 every year. The day is
observed to demonstrate the enormous importance of the voice in the daily lives
of all people. The Day is a global annual event dedicated to recognizing the
boundless limits of the human voice. The
mission is to share the excitement of the voice phenomenon with people,
scientists, and other funding bodies. This year, the theme of the World Voice
Day campaign is ‘Lift your voice’. The
American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) has put
forward the motto of the campaign to highlight how maintaining a good quality
of voice can improve communication skills.
The celebration of World Voice Day was initiated by a group of vocal
care professionals in Brazil. In 1999,
the Brazilian Society of Laryngology and Voice under the chairmanship of Dr
Nedio Steffen first celebrated the day as Brazilian Voice Day on 16 April. The
day was also observed in Portugal and Argentina.
Miscellaneous News
Puducherry LG inaugurated Beach Festival I Sea PONDY-2022
In the presence of Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, Lieutenant Governor Dr.
Tamilisai Soundararajan opened the Puducherry first-ever Beach Festival I Sea
PONDY-2022. Gandhi Beach, Pondy Marina,
and Sandunes of Paradise Beach in Puducherry will host the festival for four
days. During the festival, there will be
a variety of cultural events and competitions.
Pondicherry (or Puducherry) was a French colonial settlement in India
until 1954 and is currently a Union Territory town bordering the Tamil Nadu
state in the southeast. The French
Quarter, with its tree-lined avenues, mustard-coloured colonial mansions, and
stylish stores, preserves the city's French heritage. Along the Bay of Bengal, a beachfront
promenade passes various statues, including a 4m-high Gandhi Memorial.
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