Latest Current Affairs For Friday 8th April, 2022

Ministry of Ayush’s Yoga Mahotsav begins at the Red Fort in Delhi

On World Health Day and the 75th day of the countdown to International Day of Yoga, the Ministry of Ayush is hosting a magnificent programme for the presentation of the Common Yoga Protocol in the backdrop of 15th August Park, Lal Quila, (Red Fort) Delhi.

The program’s Chief Guest is slated to be Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla. Several Union Ministers, Members of Parliament, Ambassadors of several nations stationed in Delhi, famous Sports Celebrities, and Yoga Gurus are expected to attend the event.

The Ministry, in collaboration with its numerous stakeholders, has devised a 100-day countdown programme for the 8th International Day of Yoga, in which 100 organisations promote yoga in 100 different locations/cities.

The Ministry of Ayush is the nodal ministry for the International Day of Yoga’s commemoration. The primary event of IDY is a Mass Yoga Demonstration, which is led by Prime Minister Modi every year. The IDY-2022 preparations are well underway.

Because the 8th International Day of Yoga falls within the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav year, the Ministry advises commemorating IDY at 75 iconic locations around the country. This countdown effort is already underway, and IDY-2022 observation is gathering traction.

International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda

International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda is commemorated by UNESCO on April 07, every year. 2022 marks the 28th anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, one of the darkest chapters in human history. On April 7th, the date where the genocide against members of the Tutsi began.

The day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2003. The day commemorates the beginning of the genocide perpetrated against members of the Tutsi minority by the Hutu extremist-led government.

Within just over 100 days, more than 1 million Tutsi were systematically murdered. Moderate Hutu and others who opposed the massacres were also killed during this period.

Important For All Exam 2022:

UNESCO formation: 4 November 1946;

UNESCO Headquarters: Paris, France;

UNESCO Director-General: Audrey Azoulay.

World Health Day 2022 Celebrates on 7th April

World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated on the 7th April every year. Every year, World Health Day focuses on contemporary health issues that require immediate attention, with varied themes.

On World Health Day 2022, World Health Organisation will focus global attention on urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on well-being. The World Health Organization has done its part to raise awareness about health and health-related concerns, as well as how to address them.

The theme for World Health Day 2022 is ‘Our Planet, Our Health’. This year’s theme aims to direct global attention toward the well-being of our planet and the humans living in it.

Important For All Exam 2022:

World Health Organization Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland;

World Health Organization Founded: 7 April 1948;

World Health Organization Director-General: Tedros Adhanom.

A book titled ‘The Maverick Effect’ authored by Harish Mehta

“The Maverick Effect”, tells the untold story of how in the 1970s and 80s a ‘band of dreamers’ joined hands to create NASSCOM and pave the way for the IT revolution in India.

The book, touted to be an authoritative biography of the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), the apex body of software and IT service companies, is written by Harish Mehta.

Harish Mehta is the founder and executive chairperson of Onward Technologies Ltd. He is the founding member and the first elected chairman of NASSCOM, a not-for-profit representing India’s burgeoning IT industry and considered among the world’s most exemplary associations. As a prominent angel investor, he also spends time mentoring young entrepreneurs and start-ups.

Government establishes a Semicon India advisory committee

The government announced the formation of a Semicon India advisory committee, which will include top government officials, established academicians, as well as industry and domain specialists.

The Minister of Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, will head the Committee, with Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Minister of State, Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), as Vice-Chairperson. The convenor will be MeitY, the Secretary.

The Union Cabinet recently approved the ‘Semicon India’ programme, which will spend a total of 76,000 crore to strengthen the country’s semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem.

Within Digital India Corporation, a specialised and dedicated “India Semiconductor Mission (ISM)” has been established to drive India’s ecosystem development strategies.

The group would meet at least once every three months to provide crucial insights to help India’s ecosystem expand sustainably, it said, adding that the committee’s term will be one year, after which it will be reformed with the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology’s consent.

The newly created Advisory Committee will lead the objectives in a systematic, efficient, and strategic manner, the government stated in a statement.

Forbes Billionaires 2022: The Richest People In The World

The Forbes billionaires 2022 list is out, which compiles the list of the world’s richest, who this time was hit by the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, coronavirus pandemic and sluggish markets.

Elon Musk, the Tesla and SpaceX founder topped Forbes’ list for the first time ever with a net worth of $219 billion. Elon Musk is leading the Forbes billionaires list with a net worth of $219 billion, followed by Amazon chief Jeff Bezos at $171 billion.

Mukesh Ambani ranked at the 10th position on the global list, followed narrowly by fellow industrialist and Adani Group founder Gautam Adani, whose fortune climbed by almost $40 billion over the past year, to an estimated $90 billion.

Savitri Jindal, the chairperson of the Jindal Group, is the richest woman in India, according to the Forbes’ Billionaires List 2022, with a net worth of $17.7 billion. A total of 11 Indian women, with 4 newcomers, joined the global rich list this year.

Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, cosmetics giant L’Oréal’s founder’s granddaughter, was listed as the richest woman in the world this year – with a net worth of $74.8 billion, according to the report.

Ramdarash Mishra named for Saraswati Samman 2021

Noted poet and litterateur Prof Ramdarash Mishra will be awarded the prestigious Saraswati Samman, 2021, for his collection of poems ‘Mein to Yahan Hun’, the KK Birla Foundation announced. The recipient is chosen by a selection committee, whose current head is Dr Subhash C Kashyap.

Instituted in 1991, Saraswati Samman is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the country. It is given every year to an outstanding literary work written in any Indian language by an Indian citizen and published within the last 10 years.

It carries a citation, a plaque, and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakhs. The recipient is chosen by a selection committee, whose current head is Dr Subhash C Kashyap, former secretary-general of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

Jio-bp and TVS Motor to collaborate on EV solutions

Jio-bp and TVS Motor Company announced that they had agreed to explore the establishment of a comprehensive public EV charging infrastructure in India for electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers, building on Jio-developing bp’s network in this field.

Customers of TVS electric vehicles are likely to gain access to Jio-extensive bp’s charging network, which is also open to other vehicles, as part of this proposed agreement.

The partnership’s goal is to build a standard AC charging network as well as a DC fast-charging network.

According to TVS Motors, this will match with Jio-bp and TVS‘ aim to deliver a vast and reliable charging infrastructure to their customers.

Both TVS Motor and Jio-bp have developed solutions for a seamless customer journey on their own apps.

This agreement will aid in the adoption of electric vehicles in the country among two- and three-wheeler customers who want to take the next step toward turning electric.

The fast spread of these charging stations will widen the horizons of both companies and India’s net-zero emission goal.

Union Bank launches super-app UnionNXT and digital project SMBHAV

Union Bank of India has launched its super-app named UnionNXT and digital transformation project SMBHAV, with an investment outlay of around Rs 1,000 crore for the current financial year 2022-23 (FY23).

The public sector lender expects recovery from the spending in two years and aims to have 50 per cent of business originating on the digital platform by 2025. A banking super-app essentially combines a number of services, such as payments, online shopping, bill payments, recharges, investment, loans, and fund transfer, on a single platform.

UBI’s super-apps is similar to the super-apps by other large lenders such as State Bank of India’s Yono, Bank of Baroda’s Bob world and HDFC Bank’s PayZapp and ICICI Bank’s iMobile.

Important For All Exam 2022:

Union Bank of India Headquarters: Mumbai;

Union Bank of India CEO: Rajkiran Rai G. (1 Jul 2017);

Union Bank of India Founded: 11 November 1919, Mumbai.

Govt released data: India’s trade deficit rises 88% in FY22 

According to government data released, India’s trade imbalance increased by 87.5 percent to $192.41 billion in 2021-22, up from $102.63 billion the previous year. While total exports hit a new high of $417.81 billion last fiscal year, imports also hit a new high of $610.22 billion, resulting in a $192.41 billion trade deficit.

As per the ministry of commerce and industry, “India’s merchandise imports in April 2021-March 2022 totalled $610.22 billion, up 71 per cent from $394.44 billion in April 2020-March 2021 and 28.55 percent higher than $474.71 billion in April 2019-March 2020.”

In March 2022, the trade deficit was $18.69 billion, compared to $192.41 billion for the entire fiscal year 2021-22.

India’s monthly merchandise exports surpassed $40 billion for the first time in March 2022, reaching $40.38 billion, up 14.53 percent from $35.26 billion the previous month.

It increased by 87.89% from $21.49 billion in March 2020.

Imports of non-petroleum goods totalled $40.66 billion in March 2022, up 5.26 percent from $38.63 billion the previous month. According to the ministry’s figures, it was up 89.79 percent from $21.42 billion in March 2020.

NTPC and GGL have agreed to combine Green Hydrogen into piped Natural Gas

With a sustained focus on the environment, NTPC has taken the initiative of blending green hydrogen in the GGL (Gujarat Gas Limited) Piped Natural Gas (PNG) network at NTPC Kawas. In the presence of Mohit Bhargava, CEO, NTPC REL & ED RE, NTPC, and Sanjeev Kumar, MD-GGL & GSPL, a formal agreement between the two firms was signed.

This hydrogen blending project at NTPC Kawas is a ground-breaking initiative and the country’s first of its type. This is a step toward decarbonizing the culinary sector and achieving energy self-sufficiency for the country.

RBI approves re-appointment of Murli Natarajan as MD-CEO of DCB Bank 

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved an extension in the tenure of Murli M Natarajan as the managing director and chief executive officer (MD & CEO) of DCB Bank for a period of two years.

His extended term will be applicable from April 29, 2022, to April 28, 2024. Natrajan is serving as MD & CEO of the bank since April 2009.

RBI has capped the tenure of bank chief executives at 15 years and Natrajan will complete 15 years at the helm of the bank in 2024. The re-appointment as above is subject to the approval of shareholders at the ensuing annual general meeting of the bank.

Important For All Exam 2022:

DCB Bank Headquarters: Mumbai;

DCB Bank CEO: Murali M. Natrajan (29 Apr 2009);

DCB Bank Founded: 1930.

Sarhul Festival 2022 celebrated in Jharkhand

Sarhul is the festival of the New Year celebrated in the state of Jharkhand by the tribal communities as part of the local Sarna religion. It is celebrated in the Hindu month of Chaitra, three days after the appearance of the new moon.

It is also a celebration of the beginning of spring. The word ”Sarhul” is connected with tree worship. It is a festival where nature is venerated. In the year 2022, it falls on 04 April, Monday.

Sarhul is celebrated by many tribes in Jharkhand, but most notably the Munda, Ho, and Oraon tribes. While nature veneration is an important aspect of the festival, there are also many cultural programmes that are enjoyed along with it.

Among these many cultural events is“Baa Porob”, the festival of flowers and the worship of the Sal Tree as well as a special Sarhul dance.

The festivities around Sarhul are made even more special with the many festive delicacies that are cooked and enjoyed, such as the rice dish called ”handia”’, a baked or dried fish dish called ”fish sukha”.

Important For All Exam 2022:

Chief Minister of Jharkhand: Hemant Soren;

Governor: Ramesh Bais.

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.