CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS OCTOBER 20 AND 21, 2022

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS

20^TH AND 21st October 2022

 

 

National News

 

PM Modi launched Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana-One Nation One Fertiliser. Under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana, companies must market all subsidized fertilizers under a single brand, ‘Bharat’.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the single brand under the scheme during the two-day event PM Kisan Samman Sammelan 2022.  The launch event was felicitated by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Chemicals & Fertilizers Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.  The event was also joined by more than one crore farmers who joined virtually.

$500 Million Accelerator Program to Strengthen Agri Startups to be launched by Centre

$500 Million Accelerator Program to Strengthen Agri Startups: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar announced that the central government will launch a Rs 500 crore accelerator programme to support the productive ideas of agro-businesses.  On the second day of the PM Kisan Samman Sammelan, Tomar made numerous significant announcements regarding big policy efforts for agriculture entrepreneurs.
Narendra Singh Tomar stated that an executive committee made up of relevant organisations.  This will include the Department of Agriculture Research and Education (DARE), DPIIT, agricultural incubators and knowledge partners, agricultural universities, research institutes, top investors, and other stakeholders would be established under the chairmanship of the agriculture secretary.

 

Hardeep Puri inaugurated Asia’s largest Compressed Bio Gas plant

Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri has inaugurated Asia’s largest Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) plant in Lehragaga, in Sangrur, Punjab. The plant in Sangrur is just the beginning of India’s master plan for a CBG-based rural economy and the government is taking all steps to promote the ecosystem around it.  The plant has been commissioned with a foreign direct investment of approximately Rs. 220 crores by Verbio AG, one of Germany’s leading bio-energy companies. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and senior management from Verbio India Private Limited were also present at the inaugural ceremony.

United Nations Secretary-General on India’s Visit 

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Mumbai, India on October 19 on a three-day official visit. This is his first visit to India, since he assumed his second term in office in January this year.  Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations (UNSG) will be on an official visit to India from 18-20 October 2022. This will be UNSG’s first visit to India, since he commenced his second term in office in January 2022. He had earlier visited India (in his first term) from 01- 04 October 2018.  According to ministry, Guterres will commence his visit to India, by paying tributes to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai. He will also deliver a public address at IIT Mumbai on the subject – “India @75: UN-India Partnership: Strengthening South-South Cooperation”.

‘Mission Schools of Excellence’ launched by PM Modi in Gujarat 

“Mission Schools of Excellence” unveiled by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi: The ‘Mission Schools of Excellence’ is an ambitious project in Gandhinagar with the dual goals of reforming the curriculum in Gujarat’s public schools and countering the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) criticisms of the State government for the low quality of education.  The ‘Mission Schools of Excellence’, has a budget of 10,000 crore and is partially supported by the World Bank.  It was designed to improve the state’s educational infrastructure by constructing new classrooms, smart classrooms, computer labs, and other improvements.  Over 5,567 crore worth of school infrastructure upgrades would be carried out during its first phase.

International News

Pakistan removed from terror financing watchdog FATF's grey list after 4 years

Pakistan was on Friday removed from the global terror finance watchdog Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) grey list after four years and won't be subjected to "increased monitoring". FATF said it welcomed "Pakistan's significant progress in improving its AML/CFT (anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing) regime". Apart from Pakistan, Nicaragua was also removed from the grey list.

 

 

Indus Waters Treaty: World Bank Appoints Chairman of Court of Arbitration

The World Bank has appointed a “neutral expert” and a chairman of the Court of Arbitration regarding the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric power plants, in view of disagreements and differences between India and Pakistan over the 1960 Indus Water Treaty.  Michel Lino has been appointed as the Neutral Expert and Sean Murphy has been appointed as Chairman of the Court of Arbitration. They will carry out their duties in their individual capacity as subject matter experts and independently of any other appointments they may currently hold, the World Bank said in a statement.

One Health Joint Plan of Action: WHO, UNEP, and FAO lay a plan 

One Health Joint Plan of Action: The One Health Joint Plan of Action would develop a framework and integrate systems and capability to enable improved collaborative prevention, prediction, detection, and response to health hazards. This will support sustainable development while enhancing the health of people, animals, plants, and the environment.  A sustainable balance and optimization of the health of people, animals, plants, and ecosystems are the goals of the comprehensive, unified approach known as “One Health.”  It is the main strategy for solving the numerous health issues that our civilization is currently confronting, including ecosystem degradation, problems with the food system, infectious diseases, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

 

India, France Re-Elected as President and Co-President of International Solar Alliance 

In the third assembly of ISA, Union Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh has been re-elected as the President of International Solar Alliance. France Minister of State for Development Chrysoula Zacharopoulou has been re-elected as Co-President.  The Third Assembly of the International Solar Alliance has been attended by 34 ISA Members ministers. 53 Member countries and 5 Signatory and Prospective Member countries participated to the Assembly.  The ISA is an initiative that was launched by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France on 30 November 2015 at Paris, France on the side-lines of the COP-21. The overarching objective of the ISA is to collectively address key common challenges to the scaling up of solar energy in ISA member countries.

Liz Truss to resign as PM of UK, Indian-origin Suella Braverman also quits 

Liz Truss, the British prime minister will step down from her position after only six weeks in office due to an economic plan that angered many members of her own party and rattled financial markets.  Suella Braverman, Indian origin British interior minister, also resigned making her the second senior cabinet official to do so in the past week after finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng.  Suella Braverman said that she left the Liz Truss administration due to a “technical” violation of government regulations and expressed her reservations about the government’s course while also criticising the premier. Grant Shapps, the country’s new interior minister, has taken Suella Braverman’s seat.

State News

Wildlife Board Approves Durgavati Tiger Reserve as New Tiger Reserve 

The Durgavati Tiger Reserve is a 2,339 square kilometers new tiger reserve that will spread across Narsinghpur, Damoh, and Sagar districts.  Madhya Pradesh Wildlife Board has approved the making of a new tiger reserve of Panna Tiger Reserve (PTP), one-fourth of which will get submerged due to the Linkin of the Ken-Betwa rivers.  The new tiger reserve will be known as Durgavati Tiger Reserve and it will spread across Narsinghpur, Damoh, and Sagar districts.  A green corridor linking PTR with Durgavati will be developed for the natural movement of the tiger to the new reserve.  The Madhya Pradesh Wildlife Board was chaired by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Appointments News

 

Mallikarjun Kharge elected as President of Congress Party

Veteran Karnataka leader Mallikarjun Kharge defeated his rival Shashi Tharoor to become the first non-Gandhi Congress president in 24 years, and the first Scheduled Caste chief of the grand old organization in four decades.  Kharge polled 7897 of the 9385 votes cast while Tharoor garnered a meagre 1072. Sources said 416 votes were invalid. He is the first non-Gandhi to head the Congress in 24 years, after Sitaram Kesri was unceremoniously ousted in 1988 through a Congress Working Committee resolution that invited Sonia Gandhi to become the party chief.  Sonia had become a primary member of the Congress only a year ago at the AICC Kolkata plenary in 1997.

Deependra Singh Rathore named as Interim CEO of Paytm Payments Bank 

Paytm Payments Bank has appointed Deependra Singh Rathore as the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO), in addition to his role as Chief Product & Technology Officer. CEO Satish Gupta is retiring this month. The bank will announce the new full-time CEO after receiving regulatory approvals.  The bank has also appointed Sunil Chander Sharma, a former IRS officer as Chief Operating Officer (COO). As the COO, he would oversee the functions of customer support, retail operations, legal and Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA) and Human Resources and Administration.  Paytm Payments Bank (PPBL) is an Indian payments bank, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Noida. In the same year, it received the license to run a payments bank from the Reserve Bank of India and was launched in November 2017. In 2021, the bank received a scheduled bank status from the RBI.

Dr. Sankarasubramanian K. named Principal Scientist of ISRO's Aditya-L1 mission

The Indian Space Research Organisation has designated Dr. Sankarasubramanian K as the Principal Scientist of the Aditya-L1 mission. Aditya-L1 is the first observatory-class space-based solar mission from India. Sankarasubramanian has contributed to AstroSat, Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2 missions of ISRO in several capacities.  Aditya-L1 is the first observatory-class space-based solar mission from India. The spacecraft will be placed in a halo orbit around the first Lagrange point, L1, of the Sun-Earth system.  A satellite around the L1 point has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without occultation/eclipses. This position provides a greater advantage of observing solar activities continuously.

ISRO Chairman: S. Somanath;

ISRO’s foundation Date: 15th August, 1969;

ISRO’s Founder: Dr. Vikram Sarabhai.

Pradeep Kharola named as CMD of India Trade Promotion Organization 

Former Civil Aviation Secretary, Pradeep Singh Kharola was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of the India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO). Kharola, a 1985 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Karnataka cadre, retired as the Civil Aviation secretary in September last year.  The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has accepted Kharola's appointment as Chairman and Managing Director, ITPO, on a contract basis for two years from the date of assumption of charge of the post.

India Trade Promotion Organization Headquarters: New Delhi;

India Trade Promotion Organization Founded: 1 April 1977.

Centre appoints Sanjay Malhotra as new Revenue Secretary 

The Centre has appointed Sanjay Malhotra, a 1990 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Rajasthan cadre, as the new revenue secretary. He will replace Tarun Bajaj who will superannuate at the end of November.  Malhotra, currently serving as secretary in the Department of Financial Services (DFS), will join the Revenue Department as an officer on special duty. The centre has announced new secretaries for 16 ministries and departments.

Agreements News

 

Google partners with Assam Government to power digitalled learning

Google partners with Assam Government: In order to help and expedite the Assam government's objective to foster digital growth and development in the State, Google inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).  As part of this new initiative, Google will work with the Assam Government's Skill, Employment & Entrepreneurship Department (SEED) to strengthen school digitization efforts with digital tools and solutions to support teaching and learning, as well as to promote the fundamentals of online safety and digital citizenship to schoolchildren through the "Be Internet Awesome" programme.

Mahindra Finance partnered with India Post Payments Bank to Boost Credit Access

Mahindra and Mahindra Financial Services Ltd announced a strategic partnership with India Post Payments Bank to enhance credit access to a larger customer base.  India Post Payments Bank will provide lead referral services to Mahindra Finance for Passenger vehicles, three-wheelers, tractors, and commercial vehicle loan categories and provide cash EMI deposit facilities to existing Mahindra Finance Customers at the post office.  The scheme will go live in India Post Payments Bank branches in the states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

Banking News

CASHe tie-up with IRCTC to launch ‘travel now pay later’ facility 

AI-driven financial wellness platform, CASHe, announced that it has partnered with the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), to provide a "travel now pay later" (TNPL) payment option on its travel app, IRCTC Rail Connect.  This will enable travellers of Indian Railways to book their rail tickets instantly and pay for it later in pocket-friendly EMIs, ranging from three to six months. With CASHe’s payment option, booking and paying for rail tickets on the IRCTC travel app will now be easier and hassle-free for millions of Indian Railway passengers.

LIC Launched New ‘Dhan Varsha’ Plan 

Life Insurance Company (LIC) has launched the 'LIC Dhan Varsha' scheme. The 'LIC Dhan Varsha scheme is a non-linked, non-participating, individual, savings life insurance plan which offers a combination of protection and savings.  The savings insurance plan provides financial support for the family in case of unfortunate death of the life assured during the policy terms.
LIC Dhan Varsha scheme provides a guaranteed amount on the date of maturity for the surviving life assured.  The death benefits are payable on the death of the life assured during the policy term after the date of commencement of risk.

 

HDFC Securities Opens Women-Only Digital Centre in Bengaluru

Leading stock brokerage firm, HDFC Securities, announced the opening of the first-ever Women-Only Digital Centre (DC) in India. This pioneering centre, staffed with a team of women, will serve both male and female investors.  This closely follows the company’s announcement regarding the opening of multiple DCs across India to ease access to services and promote digital adoption.  The Women-Only DC is another step in HDFC Securities’ aim to foster diversity within the organization, while also empowering its customers with technology that eases their journey to financial freedom. The company’s digital focus is also driven by the fact that India has among the largest populations of young adults in the world, with Gen Z making up 27% of them.

Fintech platform PhonePe launches its first green data centre in India 

PhonePe, a homegrown fintech platform, announced the launch of its first green data centre in India, leveraging technologies and solutions from Dell Technologies and NTT.  The facility opens up new opportunities in data management for PhonePe, with efficient data security, power efficiency, ease of operations, and cloud solutions. The centre will also help the company to build sustainable and efficient infrastructure to scale its operations across the country further seamlessly.  This 4.8-megawatt facility, which occupies 13740 sqft at Mahape, Navi Mumbai, is built and designed with advanced alternative cooling technologies like Direct Contact Liquid Cooling (DCLC) and Liquid Immersion Cooling (LIC). The data centre’s Dell PowerEdge servers will provide exceptional performance, simplified management, and intelligent automation while using less energy.

CEO of Phonepe: Sameer Nigam

Headquarters location of Phonepe: Bengaluru, Karnataka.

MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, OYO fined Rs 392 crore by CCI

Make My Trip, Goibibo (MMT-Go), and OYO were fined Rs 392 crore by the Competition Commission of India (CCI).  CCI fined these companies which were spelled out in a 131-page order which is for "unfair business practices". Make My Trip and Goibibo will pay a fine of Rs 223.48 crore while OYO will pay Rs 168.88 crore.  MMT-Go alleged that it imposed a price parity in its agreements with hotel partners.  These deals restrict the hotel to not sell its rooms on any other platform or its online portal at a price below the price at which it is being offered on the two entities.  Make My Trip accorded preferential treatment to OYO on its platform which caused a denial of market access to other companies.

India Ranks 3rd in list of Centi-millionaires, to Overtake China by 2032 

With levels of poverty, inflation and hunger notwithstanding, India ranks third in the world's first-ever global study on the rise of centi-millionaires -- individuals with assets of more than Rs 830 crore ($100 million), a new report has revealed.  Out of the world's 25,490 centi-millionaires, India has 1,132, beating countries like the UK, Russia and Switzerland, in a swift growing and powerful class of super-rich tech titans, financiers, multinational CEOs, and heirs.  By 2032, India will overtake China (number 2) as the fastest growing market for centi-millionaires, with an anticipated 80 per cent growth rate in individuals worth over $100 million, the report released by international investment migration advisory firm Henley & Partners stated.

Sports News

Magnus Carlsen wins Meltwater Champions Chess Tour 2022

Magnus Carlsen claimed the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour 2022 title with a tournament defeating Arjun Erigaisi in the quarter-finals of the 8th and penultimate event of the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour with a convincing 2.5-1.5 result, Carlsen secured the title of the tour champion and a $50.000 prize on top of his overall winnings (so far) of $192.000.  The 31-year-old had to work in the opening game of his quarter-final match as Erigaisi played some of his best chess against the champ to go three pawns up and set up a seemingly easy win.

FIFA: Tazuni unveiled as mascot for 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup

Tazuni, a fun, football-loving penguin is unveiled as the Official Mascot of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023.  Tazuni will become an important symbol for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand, appearing on official tournament merchandise and media platforms, as well as in real life in community activities ahead of the event.  Tazuni, a 15-year-old midfielder whose story involves her falling in love with football after playing with a group of children on a beach, is set to feature on merchandise, media platforms and community activities in the build-up to the FIFA Women's World Cup. The name Tazuni is a fusion of the Tasman sea, the home of penguins and Unity, which is the key value of the event.

Important Days

 

International Chef’s Day 2022 celebrates on 20th October

Every year on October 20th, International Chefs Day is observed to honour the culinary masters who have protected the value of food and are passing on the same message to future generations.  This day celebrates the culinary arts and recognizes the hard work and dedication that chefs put into their craft. If you know a chef, be sure to thank them for their delicious creations. And if you’re a chef yourself, take pride in knowing that your skills are appreciated by people all over the world!  The theme for this year is "Growing A Healthy Future." The idea behind this theme is to ensure a healthy and sustainable planet for future generations.

World Statistics Day 2022 celebrates on 20 October

World Statistics Day 2022 is celebrated annually on October 20th to recognize the importance of statistics in our daily lives.  The United Nations Statistical Commission has been at the forefront of advocating for the use of statistics to track progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Good data and statistics are essential for effective planning, monitoring and evaluation of progress towards the SDGs.  The theme of Statistics Day, 2022 is "Data for Sustainable Development".  The United Nations Statistical Commission proposed celebrating 20 October 2010 as World Statistics Day. The General Assembly adopted on 3 June 2010 resolution 64/267, which officially designated 20 October 2010 as the first-ever World Statistics Day under the general theme “Celebrating the many achievements of official statistics.

World Osteoporosis Day 2022 observed on 20th October

World osteoporosis day is a global healthcare event observed every year on 20 October. The day is observed to promote the early diagnosis of osteoporosis, its treatment and preventive tips for strong bones.  This year 2022, the World Osteoporosis Day theme is "Step Up For Bone Health", intending to encourage people around the world to check for bone density and bone health status regularly (especially people above 50) and inculcate healthy lifestyle to strengthen the bone health.  The first occurrence of World Osteoporosis Day was noticed on October 20, 1996, held by the United Kingdom's National Osteoporosis Society with the collaboration of the European Commission. Later on, in 1997 International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) organized World Osteoporosis Day (WOD).

National Police Commemoration Day: 21 October

October 21 commemorates the sacrifices of ten CRPF personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty. On October 21, 1959, ten Indian policemen were killed during an attack by Chinese troops in the Hot Springs region close to Ladakh after an argument between the troops.  Since that day, 21 October has been observed as National Police Commemoration Day in honour of the martyrs. This incident started on October 20, 1959, when the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was in charge of patrolling the 2,600-mile border between India and Tibet.  Three units of the CRPF’s 3rd Battalion were dispatched on separate patrols to a location known as Hot Springs to keep an eye on the Indo-China border in North Eastern Ladakh. However, one of the three contingents, which consisted of two police constables and a porter, did not return.

Central Reserve Police Force Headquarters: New Delhi

Central Reserve Police Force Formed: 27 July 1939;

Central Reserve Police Force Director General, CRPF: Dr Sujoy Lal Thaosen, IPS.

Global Dignity Day 2022: 3rd Wednesday in October

Global Dignity Day is observed every year on the 3rd Wednesday of October. This year Global Dignity Day is observed on the 19th of October. The day is an initiative to educate and inspire young people and help them to understand their self-worth and goals.  It was established in 2008 and continues to grow in popularity. Dignity is an inherent part of the human condition. It is an initiative celebration day that educates and inspires young people. Global Dignity Day is celebrated to make everyone living in this world realize that they have rights and deserve respect in every aspect.

National Solidarity Day 2022: Significance and History

India observes National Solidarity Day on 20th October every year. This day is observed to honour the Armed Forces. In the wake of the mortifying military thrashing because of China, India had started observing National Solidarity Day on October 20—the date on which China began the assaults in 1962.  In 1966, India was ruled by Indira Gandhi as its prime minister and at that time a committee was set up. In order to honour the soldiers who fought in the war and the families of those soldiers who gave their lives in the line of duty, the 20th of October was designated as “National Solidarity Day” by this committee, which also consisted of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.  National Solidarity Day 2022 commemorates the 1962 war between China and India. In this war, India was defeated by China. Many of the country’s warriors were also martyred in this war, the consequences of which were disastrous for both India and China, particularly India.

OCTOBER 20 AND 21, 2022

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