Latest Current Affairs For Wednesday 9th March, 2022

International Women’s Day 2022 Celebrates on 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”.

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.

Important For All Exam 2022:

Secretary-General of United Nations: Antonio Guterres.

United Nations founded: 24 October 1945.

Headquarters of United Nations: New York, United States.

Priyanka Nutakki becomes the 23rd Woman Grandmaster of India

19-year-old Priyanka Nutakki has secured her final WGM-norm at MPL’s forty-seventh National Women Chess Championship. She became India’s twenty-third Woman Grandmaster.

She is from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. Priyanka Nutakki scored her first WGM-norm in January 2019 and crossed the 2300 rating criteria in the next two months. However, much like a lot of players, the Covid-19 pandemic delayed her title hopes.

Priyanka braved the odds, resumed playing over-the-board tournaments in October 2021 at ChessMood Open. In her third over-the-board tournament of the year, she scored her second WGM and maiden IM-norm at the 7th Sunway Sitges Open 2021.

India Global Forum annual summit held in Bengaluru

India Global Forum’s (IGF) annual summit is being organized in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The summit will bring together eminent faces of tech-driven disruption and those who have joined the unicorn club along with Union ministers, policymakers, and global business leaders.

The previous editions were hosted in Dubai and the UK and addressed by esteemed speakers like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the PM of the UK Boris Johnson amongst other leaders from Governments and industry across the globe.

This is the first-ever edition of IGF at Bengaluru. The agenda-setting forum for international business and global leaders, IGF, offers a selection of platforms that corporates and policymakers can leverage to interact with stakeholders in their sectors and geographies of strategic importance.

NMDC receives 1st prize in Ispat Rajbhasha Award for 2018-19 and 2020-21

National Mineral Development Corporation Ltd Country’s largest Iron Ore producer, a CPSE under Ministry of Steel received 1st prize in the Ispat Rajbhasha Award for 2018-19 and 2020-21 and company also received the Ispat Rajbhasha Prerna Award for 2019-20.

The award ceremony was held in the meeting of the Hindi Salahakar Committee of the Ministry of Steel held in Madurai on 3rd March 2022. The Union Minister of Steel, Shri Ram Chandra Prasad Singh, presented the accolades to Shri Sumit Deb, Chairman and Managing Director, NMDC.

NMDC, a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Steel and one of the most profitable PSUs of the Government of India also it is an eco-friendly mining company and the largest producer of iron ore in India.

Important For All Exam 2022:

NMDC Headquarters: Hyderabad;

NMDC Founded: 15 November 1958.

Microsoft will set up India’s largest Data Center region in Hyderabad

Tech giant, Microsoft has announced to set up its fourth data centre in India in Hyderabad, Telangana. Hyderabad Data centre will be one of the largest data centres in India and will be operational by 2025.

Microsoft already has a data centre in three Indian regions across Pune, Mumbai, and Chennai. The new data centre will add to the growing demand for Microsoft’s cloud services from both the private enterprises as well as the government sector.

To set up the data centre, Microsoft has signed a definitive agreement with the Telangana state government with a total investment of Rs 15,000 crore.

In terms of Microsoft’s own expansion plans’s the company stated that they are expanding their Hyderabad campus and the total campus is now spread over a 2.5 mn Sq.ft area with 18,000 full-time employees.

The Hyderabad centre of Microsoft is the largest centre for the tech giant after Redmond. In India, Microsoft has 14,000 partners and it serves around 340,000 companies in the country.

Important For All Exam 2022:

Microsoft CEO and Chairman: Satya Nadella;

Microsoft Headquarters: Redmond, Washington, United States.

RIL opens India’s biggest business and cultural hub in Mumbai

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has announced the opening of the Jio World Centre, which will be India’s largest and most prestigious multi-faceted destination.

The Centre, which covers 18.5 acres in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex and was envisioned by Nita Ambani, Director Reliance Industries and Founder-Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, and it is set to become a historical business, commerce, and culture destination, which will provide the people of India with a world-class landmark.

The world-class Fountain of Joy and the Dhirubhai Ambani Square are dedicated to the people and city of Mumbai. It will be an iconic new public space, a celebration of the city’s spirit, where people can share joys and soak up the colours and sounds of Mumbai.

Paytm to offer digital ticketing services by partnering with IRCTC

Paytm, a digital payments company, announced that it has expanded its partnership with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to provide consumers with digital ticketing services via Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVM) installed at railway stations across the country.

Passengers will be able to scan QR codes generated on the screens to purchase unreserved train ride tickets, platform tickets, renew their seasonal tickets, and recharge smart cards.

Paytm’s latest ATVM digital payment solution is in addition to the company’s other railway-related offerings, which include e-catering payments and reserved train ticket booking via its smartphone. The new function is part of the company’s nationwide campaign to promote cashless transactions and digital payments.

Ministry of Labour launches ‘Donate-a-Pension’ initiative

Union Labour and Employment Minister, Bhupender Yadav has launched the ‘Donate-a-Pension’ campaign under Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM) scheme, on March 07, 2022, from his residence and donated the same to his gardener.

Under the new initiative, citizens can contribute to the pension fund of their immediate support staff such as domestic workers, drivers, helpers etc, by donating the premium amount.

The ‘Donate-a-Pension’ program is part of various initiatives to be launched in the ‘Iconic Week’ celebrations by the Labour Ministry from March 7 to 13, 2022. It is an initiative under (PM-SYM) pension scheme where citizens can donate the premium contribution of their immediate support staff such as domestic workers, drivers, helpers etc.

MSME Ministry launches “SAMARTH” Special Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive for Women

Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises has launched a Special Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive for Women named –“SAMARTH”. The drive was launched by Union Minister for MSME, Shri Narayan Rane along with Minister of State for MSME, Shri Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma in New Delhi.

To provide Skill Development and Market Development Assistance to women and to train more than 7500 women candidates from rural and sub-urban areas in the FY 2022-23.

BBB develops programme For bettering the quality of PSU bank boards

The Banks Board Bureau (BBB) has launched a development programme for public sector bank management with the goal of boosting the quality of bank boards. The nine-month Directors’ Development Programme (DDP) is made for directors of Public Sector Banks and financial institutions with the main objective of improving director effectiveness and increasing their impact on boards, according to the Banks Board Bureau.

This programme is aimed to help the directors think about the business’s future and upgrade themselves to be a source of wisdom and counsel for management and stakeholders in order to improve PSB’s performance levels in the world scenario.

The curriculum, developed in partnership with IBA and others, will assist in empowering and enriching the board of directors, which is crucial for decision-making.

Financial Services Secretary Sanjay Malhotra, who is also a BBB member, remarked that there is no end to what can be learned during this course.

T Raja Kumar named President of the Financial Action Task Force

T Raja Kumar, a Singaporean, has been named president of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the world’s anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing agency. His appointment is for a set two-year term, which begins on July 1. During the FATF plenary, he was chosen to succeed Dr Marcus Pleyer of Germany.

Mr Raja’s nomination marks the first time Singapore has assumed the president of the organisation, according to a joint news release issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Ministry of Finance (MOF), and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) on March 7.

Mr Raja is a senior advisor at MHA and has been the leader of Singapore’s FATF mission since January 1, 2015. Since July 2018, he has also been a member of the steering group, which advises the FATF president.

DN Patel named as Chairperson of TDSAT

The Central Government has appointed Justice Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel, Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, as the Chairperson of Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal(TDSAT). He was appointed as Chief Justice of Delhi High Court on June 7, 2019, and is now given the Chair of TDSAT, days before his retirement on March 12, 2022.

Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification regarding the approval of his appointment by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), stating that he will serve the Chair for a period of 4 years from the date of assumption of charge of the post, or till attaining the age of 70 years, or until further orders, whichever is the earliest.

The conditions of his service will be governed by the provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 and the Tribunal (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2021.

Important For All Exam 2022:

TDSAT Establishment: 2000;

TDSAT Headquarter: New Delhi.

Pakistan again placed on FATF’s grey list

The global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, Financial Action Task Force (FATF), retained Pakistan in the grey list and asked the country to work on money laundering investigations and prosecutions. FATF also added the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to its grey watchlist.

The decision has been taken after the conclusion of the four-day FATF Plenary from March 1-4, 2022. The event took place in hybrid mode from Paris, France. Pakistan has been on the grey list of FATF since June 2018 for failing to check money laundering and terror financing. It was given a plan of action to complete it by October 2019 but it fails to comply with the FATF mandates.

Important For All Exam 2022:

FATF Founded: 1989;

FATF Members: 39;

FATF Headquarters: Paris, France;

FATF President: T Raja Kumar (Singapore).

Hybrid form United Nations Environment Assembly held in in Nairobi, Kenya

The United Nations Environment Assembly was hosted by the UN Environment Programme. It brings together representatives from the UN’s 193 member countries, corporations, civil society, and other stakeholders to agree on policies to address the world’s most serious environmental concerns.

The aim of UNEA-5 was “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” emphasising the importance of nature in our lives as well as in social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

Its goal was to give nations the impetus they needed to build on and catalyse global environmental initiatives to safeguard and restore the natural world on which our economy and societies rely.

2000 km network to be brought by Indian Railways under ‘KAVACH’ in 2022-23

The trial of the ‘Kavach’ functioning system between Gullaguda and Chitgidda Railway stations was examined by Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways, Communication, Electronics and Information Technology.

2,000 km of railway network will be brought under Kavach for safety and capacity augmentation in 2022-23, as a part of Prime minister’s Atmanirbhar Bharat.

During the testing, both locomotives were travelling towards each other, creating a head-on collision situation.

The ‘Kavach’ system activated the automatic braking mechanism, bringing the locomotives to a complete stop 380 metres apart.

The locomotive was also tested crossing the red light; however, the locomotive did not pass the red signal because ‘Kavach’ required the automated deployment of brakes.

When the gate signal neared, the automatic whistle sounded loud and clear. During the trial, the crew did not touch the sound or brake systems manually.

When the locomotive was ran on the loop line, the speed restriction of 30 km/h was checked. As the locomotive approached the loop line, ‘Kavach’ automatically decreased the speed to 30 km/h from 60 km/h.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled a tall statue of great Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Pune, Maharashtra. The Statue is made up of 1,850 kg of gunmetal and is about 9.5-feet tall.

He also launched a 12-km stretch of 32.2-km-long metro rail project at a total cost of more than ₹ 11,400 crores in Pune. Pune Metro is the first project in India to have aluminium body coaches, indigenously manufactured under the ‘Make in India’.

PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for the rejuvenation and pollution abatement of the Mula-Mutha River projects in Pune. The rejuvenation will be done in a 9 km stretch of the river under the project which will cost more than Rs 1080 crore.

PM Narendra Modi to be awarded prestigious Lokmanya Tilak Award 2023

The Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust (Hind Swaraj Sangh) would confer the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2023 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Pune on August 1, 2023.

Reason: This award recognizes PM Modi's supreme leadership under which India has climbed the ladder of progress

It is presented annually on the occasion of Lokmanya Tilak's death anniversary.

Other awardees: Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sharad Pawar, Cyrus Poonawalla, and Manmohan Singh. 

J&K Bank wins award for Best Performance in CASA

Jammu & Kashmir Bank has been felicitated for the Best Performance in CASA-India (1st Runner up in Small Bank Category) at ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave & Awards 2022.

The event was participated by banks from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & Myanmar.

The function was organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Goa.

Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is a non-governmental trade association and advocacy group headquartered in Calcutta.

India poised to become world’s 2nd-largest economy by 2075: Goldman Sachs

According to the Investment Bank Goldman Sachs, India is poised to become the world’s second-largest economy by 2075.

As per the report, India would cross Japan, Germany, and the US With a population of 1.4 billion people.

India’s GDP is estimated to expand remarkably, reaching 52.5 trillion dollars surpassing the US GDP projection.

The labour force participation set to make India the second-largest economy in the world by 2075.

L&T and Spain's Navantia sign agreement for submarine project

L&T has signed a teaming agreement with Spanish-based Navantia for the submission of a techno-commercial bid for the Indian Navy’s prestigious P75 (India) submarine program.

P75 (India) Submarine Project is expected to be valued at €4.8 billion.

Navantia would carry out the design of P75(I) submarines based on its S80 class of submarines.

The first S80 class submarine was launched in 2021 and is undergoing sea trials prior to its delivery to Spanish Navy. 

India overtakes China as most attractive emerging market for investing

According to a study by Invesco Global Sovereign Asset Management, India has overtaken China to become the most attractive emerging market for investing in sovereign wealth funds this year.

Reason: This is due to its solid demographics, political stability, and proactive regulation. 

Positives for the nation also include the rapidly expanding demography, strong regulatory actions, and a welcoming climate for sovereign investors.

World Population Day 2023: 11 July

World Population Day is observed every year on July 11 in order to raise awareness about global population issues, including population control.

2023 theme: Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities. 

It was established by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1989, after the day the world approximately reached a population of five billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987.

MoHUA conducts SBM-U 2.0 Planning & Implementation Review-cum-Workshop

The Housing Ministry organized a review-cum-workshop to evaluate and accelerate the planning and implementation of the SBM-Urban 2.0.

PM Modi launched the 2.0 versions of SBM-U and AMRUT on October 1, 2021.

SBM-U 2.0: Achieving 100% waste segregation in all households and premises and 100% door-to-door collection of segregated waste from each. 

AMRUT 2.0: To provide complete coverage of water supply to all households and sewerage and septage in 500 AMRUT cities. 

Gujarat CM launches pilot project of ‘Antyodaya Shramik Suraksha Yojana’

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel launched the Antyodaya Shram Suraksha Accident Insurance Scheme from Kheda

All those registered under the e-Shram portal from Nadiad will benefit from the scheme.

It is being implemented through the Indian Postal Department, the IPPB, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Under this scheme, insurance with a premium of Rs. 289 and Rs. 499 per year will be a big support to workers in the event of death or partial disability.

OCA elects Sheikh Talal as the new President

Kuwait’s Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah has been elected as the new President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

He replaced his older brother Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who led the OCA for 30 years until 2021.

The OCA was founded in 1982 by his father Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who led it until 1990.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45 member National Olympic Committees.

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance wins Insurer Innovation Award 2023

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance has won the Insurer Innovation Award 2023 for the APAC region at the 8th World Digital Insurance Awards, hosted by TDI - The Digital Insurer.

Recognition: Bajaj Allianz Life's ground-breaking WhatsApp Conversational Platform - empowering customers to digitally services their policies seamlessly. 

The award entries were shortlisted by industry experts and the winner was selected by the community through pre-voting and live event voting.