Latest Current Affairs For Wednesday 20th April, 2022

Ethosh Digital has opened its first IT Training & Services centre in Leh.

Leh has taken the first step in building an IT sector. SS Khandare, the Additional Director General of Police for Ladakh, has opened Ethosh Digital’s first IT Training and Services centre in Leh.

Ethosh Digital is a multinational company established in California that specialises in digital communications and AR-VR products. Ethosh Digital was assisted in establishing the first IT office in Ladakh by Aseem Foundation, a Pune-based NGO that works in India’s border regions in the sectors of education, business, health, sports, and sustainable development.

ETHOSH is a technology-driven firm that creates high-impact Digital Experiences for global industry leaders and big brands in the Lifesciences, Healthcare, and Engineering sectors. They specialise in marketing, customer service, training, and R&D enablement, therefore they  generate unique digital content and solutions. 

Important For All Exam 2022:

Minister of Information and Broadcasting: Anurag Thakur

Additional Director General of Police for Ladakh: SS Khandare

World Liver Day 2022 Observed globally on 19 April

World Liver Day is observed on 19 April annually to spread awareness about the causes of liver disease and tips for its prevention so as to take holistic care of the liver.

The liver is the second largest and the second most complex organ in the body, after the brain. It performs crucial body functions and is associated with a person’s digestion, immunity, metabolism, and nutrition storage.

The liver regulates blood sugar, removes toxic substances from the body, helps blood clot, and controls cholesterol levels.

Haryana wins 12th Senior Men’s National Hockey Championship

Haryana has emerged as the champions of the 12th Senior Men’s National Hockey Championship by defeating Tamil Nadu 3-1 in the shootout after the final ended 1-1 in the regulation time.

The tournament was held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh from April 6 to 17, 2022. Haryana has won the trophy for the first time since 2011. Karnataka prevailed over Maharashtra 4-3 in the third/fourth place classification match.

A new Children’s Book titled “The Boy Who Wrote a Constitution ” has been Released

On the occasion of Dr BR Ambedkar’s 131st birth anniversary, a new book titled “The Boy Who Wrote a Constitution: A play for Children on Human Rights” authored by Rajesh Talwar, a fact-based drama on Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar’s own recollections of his childhood has been released. It is published by Ponytale Books.

Talwar’s also authored books include “The Vanishing of Subhash Bose”, “Gandhi, Ambedkar, and the Four-Legged Scorpion”, and “Aurangzeb”.

This book conveys to the children about the challenging boyhood and grown-up years of Ambedkar who had written the Constitution of India and became India’s first law minister.

World bank Report States Extreme Poverty in India Decline by 12.3%

The extreme poverty rate in India fell from 22.5% in 2011 to 10.2% in 2019 as per World Bank Policy Research Working Paper. This represents a decline of 12.3 percentage points in extreme poverty count between 2011 to 2019 in the country. The decline in rural areas was much higher than in urban areas.

While the reduction in rural poverty dropped by 14.7 percentage points, the poverty in urban areas dropped by 7.9 percentage points. The paper titled ‘Poverty has Declined over the last decade But Not As Much As Previously Thought’ was jointly authored by economists Sutirtha Sinha Roy and Roy van der Weide.

Important For All Exam 2022:

World Bank Founded: July 1944, Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, United States;

World Bank Headquarters: Washington DC, USA;

World Bank President: David Robert Malpass;

World Bank Member Countries: 189 (including India).

WPI based inflation in March rose to 14.55%

The wholesale price index (WPI) based inflation in India in the month of March rose to 14.55% due to an increase in power prices and rising edible oil prices.

In March 2022, the high rate of inflation was recorded due to a rise in prices of mineral oils, crude petroleum and natural gas, and basic metals owing as there was a disruption in the global supply chain caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In March 2021, the WPI-based inflation had stood at 7.89%.

The food index, which includes food products from the Manufactured Products group and food articles from the government’s Primary Articles group, has risen to 167.3 in March 2022 from 166.4 in February 2022.

The WPI Food Index-based rate of inflation also increased to 8.71 % in March 2022 from 8.47 % in February 2022. In March 2022, the index for the major fuel and power group increased by 5.68 % to 146.9 from 139.0 in February 2022.

In New Delhi, the Army Commanders’ Conference gets underway

In New Delhi, the Army Commanders’ Conference, an apex level biannual event, has commenced. The conference serves as an institutional forum for high–level discussions that lead to major policy decisions for the Indian Army.

The Indian Army’s senior command will analyse the operational posture along active borders, assess threats throughout the spectrum of conflict, and conduct an analysis of capability voids to focus on capability development and operational preparation plans during the five-day conference.

Discussions on infrastructure projects in border areas, modernisation through reform, induction of Niche tech, and any influence of the Russia-Ukraine conflict are also on the agenda.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to meet with senior commanders and deliver a speech at the Conference.

Apart from ideas for enhancing works, financial management, adopting e-vehicles, and digitalisation in the Indian Army, the top commanders will discuss a variety of agenda items sponsored by regional commands.

Important For All Exam 2022:

Union Defence Minister: Rajnath Singh

India Pulses and Grains Association named Bimal Kothari as Chairman

India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA), the apex body for India’s pulses trade and industry, has appointed Bimal Kothari as the new Chairman with immediate effect. Kothari takes over from Jitu Bheda, who was the IPGA chairman since 2018.

Kothari, one of the key founding members of the association, has been the Vice-Chairman of IPGA since 2011 when it was formed. Bimal Kothari takes over as the third chairman of the association after Pravin Dongre and Jitu Bheda.

India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA), the apex body for pulses and grains trade and industry in India has over 400 direct and indirect members which include individuals, corporates as well as Regional Pulses Traders and Processors Associations taking its pan-India reach to over 10,000 stakeholders involved in the farming, processing, warehousing and import business of pulses across the entire value chain.

Lt Gen Manoj Pande named as India’s next Chief of Army Staff

Lieutenant General Manoj Pande has been appointed as the next Chief of Army Staff. Lt Gen Pande is the incumbent Vice-Chief of the Army. He will take over from General MM Naravane, who is set to retire on April 30, 2022.

Lt Gen Manoj Pande is the first-ever officer from the Corps of Engineers to be appointed as Army Chief. He has served as chief engineer in the UN mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea. He was the Commander-in-Chief Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) from June 2020 to May 2021.

Outgoing army chief Gen MM Naravane is seen as the frontrunner for the Chief of Defence Staff’s (CDS) post, that has been vacant since the death of India’s first CDS Gen Bipin Rawat in an air crash last December.

Tropical Storm Megi: Landslides and floods caused Mass Destruction in Philippines

Tropical Storm Megi wreaked havoc on the Philippines, killing at least 167 people in landslides and floods. According to the national disaster organisation, another 110 persons are missing, and 1.9 million people have been impacted.

Hillside avalanches and overflowing rivers wreaked havoc on the villages surrounding Baybay city in central Leyte province.

Tropical Storm Megi, also known as Tropical Storm Agaton in the Philippines, was a minor but devastating tropical storm that hit the Philippines in April 2022.

It’s the third tropical depression and second tropical storm of the typhoon season in the Pacific for 2022.

Megi arose from a convection zone in the Philippine Sea, travelling northwestward into the Leyte Gulf, where it stayed nearly stationary, slowly tracking eastward.

Megi made two landfalls, one at Guiuan’s Calicoan Island and the other in Samar’s Basey.

Before fading, it continued southwestward and reentered the Philippine Sea.

Tropical storms have become more intense and powerful as a result of human-caused climate change, according to scientists.

Since 2006, the Philippines has been hit by some of the world’s deadliest hurricanes.

Because of its location, it has been named one of the countries most vulnerable to climatic calamities.

Russian vessel Moskva has sunk as a result of a ‘Neptune missile strike’ by Ukraine

According to a ministry message, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, Moskva, was being hauled to port when it sank due to stormy waves. The 510-crew missile cruiser, which led Russia’s naval attack on Ukraine, was a symbol of the country’s military might.

Kyiv claims that its rockets struck the cruiser. According to the United States, it was also targeted by Ukrainian missiles.

Moscow has denied any attack and claims the ship sank due to a fire.

According to Russia, the conflagration caused the warship’s ammunition to explode, and the whole crew was eventually evacuated to adjacent Russian boats in the Black Sea.

After first stating that the battleship was floating, the Russian defence ministry revealed late Thursday that the Moskva had been lost.

The 12,490-tonne warship is the largest Russian warship sunk in combat since WWII.

World’s Highest Tunnel connecting Himachal Pradesh to Ladakh to be construed by BRO

BRO Director General Lieutenant General Rajeev Chaudhary announced that the Border Roads Organisation will build the world’s highest tunnel at Shinku La Pass, at 16,580 feet, to connect Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh. He said this while opening the strategically crucial Himachal to Zanskar Road at Shinku La Pass, where more than a half-dozen vehicles crossed from the Zanskar side towards Manali.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), according to Lieutenant General Rajeev Chaudhary of PTI, would begin construction of the tunnel connecting Himachal Pradesh and the Zanskar Valley in Ladakh by July this year. He stated that the Centre has already established BRO’s ‘Mission Yojak’ to carry out this ambitious project.

The tunnel, which is expected to be completed by 2025, will transform the economy of Zanskar Valley, according to the official.

Currently, one must travel 101 kilometres on the Leh route from Manali to Darcha, then turn left towards Shinku La Pass and enter Zanskar valley.

The tunnel’s south portal will be at Shinku La, and the tunnel’s north portal will be at Lhakhang.

The D-G praised BRO personnel’s efforts in reopening the Shinku La-Padum and Manali-Leh roads in record time.

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.