31st March 2022 Current Affairs and GK Updates in English

April 1, 2022
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Current Affairs in English

National

Piyush Goyal inaugurates the Indian Jewellery Exposition Centre building in Dubai 

The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal has inaugurated the Indian Jewellery Exposition Centre (IJEX) building in Dubai, UAE, during his visit to Dubai to participate in the India Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020.

During the launch of IJEX, the minister called upon the export members of the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) to go for a USD 100 billion export target annually from the current USD 35 billion.

IJEX will be a one-stop destination for the world to source Indian jewelry in Dubai and the platform will enable GJEPC members to display goods and book orders throughout the year. From India, 15 states and nine central ministries are participating in Dubai Expo, which will end on March 31, 2022.

Museum of all former Prime Ministers of India inaugurates soon

A museum of all former Prime Ministers, Pradhan Mantri Sangrahalaya (the Museum of Prime Ministers), has been built at Teen Murti Estate, in Delhi. The Rs. 270 crore project will be inaugurated on April 14, 2022, at the Teen Murti Bhavan complex which was the residence of ex-PM Jawaharlal Nehru.

The Museum will showcase the life, times, and contribution of all 14 Prime Ministers of India so far, except for the collections and works of Jawaharlal Nehru, who has a separate Nehru Memorial Museum, which was also his residence.

The PMs Museum project was approved in 2018, and the deadline for its completion was October 2020 but faced delays due to pandemic-related lockdowns, as well as civil works and content-curation issues.

Yamunotsav held at ITO Yamuna Ghat, organised by NMCG

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) conducted Yamunotsav at ASITA East River Front, ITO Bridge, as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, in collaboration with a number of NGOs, to celebrate the splendour of Yamuna with a “pledge to keep it clean.”

While under the Namami Gange Program, the focus was on the main stem of the Ganga Basin, and the positive results are now showing, Shri Kumar said.

The target now is to clean River Yamuna and ensure that three large STPs being constructed are completed by December 2022 with the support of stakeholders, preventing all the major drains and dirty water from falling into Yamuna.

He went on to say that by next year, the Yamuna should be significantly cleaner for Delhi residents.

The NMCG is investing roughly Rs. 2300 crore in the construction of sewerage infrastructure for the River Yamuna.

Appointments

FedEx appoints Indian-born Raj Subramaniam as new CEO 

The world’s largest express transportation company FedEx has announced that its new Chief Executive Officer will be Indian American Raj Subramaniam. He has more than 30 years of global experience across strategy and operations and has led the company through a period of tremendous growth.

The US multinational courier delivery giant was previously helmed by Frederick W Smith. Smith, chairman, and CEO will step down from this position on June 1. He will now be its executive chairman.

In his new role, Smith said he looks forward to focusing on Board governance as well as issues of global importance, including sustainability, innovation, and public policy. Smith had founded FedEx in 1971.

Uday Kotak resigns as the Chairman of IL&FS

Uday Kotak has announced to step down as the Chairman of the board of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS), after his term ends on April 2, 2022.

CS Rajan, Managing Director, IL&FS has been appointed as Chairman and Managing Director for six months with effect from April 3 by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Crisis-hit Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS) has resolved nearly 55% of the group’s outstanding debt over the last three-and-a-half years, managing director C.S. Rajan said on Tuesday. Among others, the company sold its iconic headquarters at Bandra Kurla Complex for ₹1,080 crores to reduce debt.

IFS officer Renu Singh appointed Forest Research Institute (FRI) director 

Dr Renu Singh has been appointed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) as the next director of the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun. She will be the institute’s second woman director. Singh joined as FRI director after AS Rawat, director-general, ICFRE, handed over his additional charge of director FRI to her.

Dr. Renu Singh has an extensive experience in Forest Policy, Forest Management, and Research Issues. She has a special interest in gender and development, climate change adaptation, and mitigation issues in the forestry sector.

She has participated in and represented various biodiversity, forest, and climate change-related issues in international conventions like United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

As a field practitioner, she has vast experience in implementing Joint forest management practices involving rural communities and addressing their livelihood-related needs from the forest while working in the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department.

Himanta Biswa Sarma was re-elected as President of the Badminton Association Of India 

The incumbent president of the Badminton Association of India (BAI), Himanta Biswa Sarma has been re-elected unopposed for a second four years term, from 2022 to 2026. He was elected during the General Body Meeting of BAI in Guwahati on March 25, 2022.

He is also the current Chief Minister of Assam. He was first elected as BAI chief in 2017. Apart from this, Sarma also serves as Vice President of Badminton Asia and a member of the Badminton World Federation Executive Council.

Badminton Association of India is the governing body of badminton in India. BAI is an association registered under the Society’s act. It was formed in 1934 and has been holding national-level tournaments in India since 1936.

Useful Points:

  • Badminton Association of India  Founded: 1934;
  • Badminton Association of India  Headquarters: New Delhi.

Agreements

India and the WHO have agreed to establish a global traditional medicine center in Jamnagar 

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of India signed a memorandum of understanding to create the Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Gujarat. According to a WHO statement, the onsite opening of the new WHO global center for traditional medicine in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India, will take place on April 21, 2022.

With a USD 250 million investment from the Indian government, this worldwide knowledge hub for traditional medicine intends to harness the potential of traditional medicine from around the world using modern science and technology to improve people’s and the planet’s health.

Economy

ICRA cuts India’s GDP growth forecast in FY23 to 7.2% 

Rating agency ICRA has lowered the growth forecast for India’s GDP in 2022-23 (FY23) to 7.2 percent. Earlier this rate was 8 percent. The ICRA Ltd. has projected the GDP growth forecast for 2021-22 (FY22) at 8.5%, lower than the official advance estimate from the National Statistical Office of 8.9%.

Citing elevated commodity prices and supply chain challenges arising from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as well as higher prices of fuels and edible oils denting demand due to squeezed household incomes.

Banking

RBI unveiled a framework for geo-tagging of payment system touchpoints

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released the framework for geo-tagging of payment system touchpoints. The framework is part of the central bank’s focus on deepening digital payments and providing inclusive access to all citizens of the country.

Geo-tagging of payment system touchpoints will enable proper monitoring of the availability of payment acceptance infrastructure like Points of Sale (PoS) terminals, Quick Response (QR) codes, etc.

Geo-tagging of Payment System TouchPoints/acceptance infrastructure under Section 10 (2) read with Section 18 of Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Act 51 of 2007).

This system will be deployed by banks / non-bank Payment System Operators (PSOs) to ensure proper monitoring of the availability of payment acceptance infrastructure. The framework was issued along the lines of the Monetary Policy Statement 2020-21of October 08, 2021.

Business

Max Life Insurance teamed with PhonePe to provide consumers with financial security

Max Life Insurance Co. Ltd has announced the debut of the Max Life Smart Secure Plus Plan via the PhonePe app, a non-linked non-participating individual pure risk premium life insurance plan aimed at digitally savvy customers.

Customers can choose a sum assured of up to ten crore rupees and have their policies renewed through the PhonePe app.

Max Life will provide PhonePe users an inherent terminal sickness benefit and a particular exit option within the life insurance category.

IRDAI has awarded PhonePe, a digital payments platform, a direct broking license, allowing them to offer insurance through their app.

Awards

President Kovind Confers National Water Awards 2022

The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind has presented the 3rd National Water Awards in New Delhi. National Water Awards is given for exemplary work in the field of water resource management.

The first National Water Award was launched in 2018, by the Jal Shakti Ministry. A total of 57 National Water Awards for 2022 have been conferred to states, organizations and others in 11 different categories. Uttar Pradesh has been awarded first prize, followed by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.

In the Best State category:

  • Uttar Pradesh has been awarded first prize, followed by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.

In the Best District category:

  • The ‘Best District’ awards for the north zone was bagged by Muzaffarnagar (Uttar Pradesh) and Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar (Punjab);
  • For the south zone, it was Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) and Kadapa (Andhra Pradesh);
  • For the east zone, East Champaran (Bihar) and Godda (Jharkhand) won the award;
  • Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Vadodara (Gujarat) and Banswara (Rajasthan) won the awards in the west zone.
  • Goalpara (Assam) and Siang (Arunachal Pradesh) won the awards for the northeast zone.

In the “Best Village Panchayat” Category

North Zone

  • Dhaspad, Almora, Uttarakhand
  • Jamola, Rajouri, J&K
  • Balua, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

South Zone

  • Yelerampura Panchayat, Tumakuru District, Karnataka
  • Vellaputhur Panchayat, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu
  • Elappully Grama Panchayat, Palakkad District, Kerala

East Zone

  • Telari Panchayat, Gaya District, Bihar
  • Chhindiya Panchayat, Surajpur District, Chhattisgarh
  • Guni Panchayat, Khunti District, Jharkhand

West Zone

  • Takhatgadh, Sabarkantha, Gujarat
  • Kankapar, Kachchh, Gujarat
  • Surdi, Solapur, Maharashtra

North-East Zone

  • Sialsir, Sirchip, Mizoram
  • Aminda Simsanggre , West Garo Hills, Meghalaya
  • Chambagre, West Garo Hills, Meghalaya

In the “Best Urban Local Body” Category

  • Vapi Urban Local Body, Gujarat
  • Dapoli Nagar Panchayat, Maharashtra
  • Madurai Municipal Corporation, Tamil Nadu

In the “Best Media (Print & Electronic)” Category

  • Agrowon, Sakal Media Pvt. Ltd. (Adinath Dattatray Chavan)
  • Sandesh Daily Bhuj Edition

In the “Best School” Category

  • Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kaveripattinam in Tamil Nadu, Amalorpavam Lourds Academy, Thiruvallur, Puducherry and Amity International School, Noida, Uttar Pradesh won the awards in the Best School category.

In the “Best Institution/RWA/Religious organization for Campus usage” Category

  • Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Jammu
  • IIT Gandhinagar, Gujarat
  • Indian Oil Corporation Limited Faridabad

In the “Best Industry” Category

  • Trident (Textile) Ltd., Punjab
  • Steel Authority of India Ltd., New Delhi

In the “Best NGO” Category

  • Gramvikas Sanstha, Aurangabad
  • Vivekananda Research and Training Institute, Bhavnagar

In the “Best Water User Association” Category

  • Panchgachiya MDTW WUA, Hooghly, West Bengal
  • Hatinada Champa Purulia, West Bengal
  • Amtore Mini River Lift Irrigation WUA, Purulia, West Bengal

In the “Best Industry for Corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities” Category

  • HAL, Bengaluru, Karnataka
  • Dharampal Satyapal Ltd., Noida, Uttar Pradesh

Apart from this President Kovind launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan:

Catch the Rain campaign 2022, which is an expansion of the water campaign launched in 2021 March, to underline the importance of water in our daily life and on the planet Earth. The 2022 ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign will be implemented till November 30, 2022.

Sports

Canada reaches Football World Cup for first time since 1986

Canada has qualified for the Qatar 2022 football World Cup for the first time in 36 years, after thoroughly beating Jamaica 4-0 in Toronto. The North American nation have booked their place at the finals for the first time since Mexico in 1986.

Canada is top of the CONCACAF qualifying group and has now secured its place at a World Cup finals tournament for the first time since 1986.

Canada becomes the 20th team to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which will feature 32 nations vying for the ultimate prize in Qatar from November 21 to December 18. The remaining 12 teams will be decided in the coming days before the draw on April 1 to determine the eight groups.

Defence

IAF unveils ‘Fleet Card-Fuel on Move’ new initiative for refuelling

The Indian Air Force has unveiled a new initiative with the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. Under it, IAF’s convoys will be refuelled at fuel stations of the state-run energy major. As per the Defence Ministry, ‘Fleet Card-Fuel on Move’ has been rolled out to facilitate the refuelling of convoys belonging to the Indian Air Force.

Under the existing system, the Indian Air Force procures fuel from various agencies and then distributes it within the Air Force establishment.

With the advent of the Fleet Cards, the IAF will be able to utilise the vast network of retail fuel distributors across the country to refuel its vehicles on the move. The availability of Fleet Card will permit the convoy to refuel at any IOCL fuel station, thus increasing the pace of movement and reducing the lead time for readiness at operational locations across the nation.

Useful Points:

  • Indian Airforce founded: 08th October 1932;
  • Indian Airforce Headquarters: New Delhi;
  • Indian Airforce Chief of Air Staff: Vivek Ram Chaudhari.

Ranks and Reports

HURUN Global U40 Self-Made Billionaires 2022: India ranks 4th

Hurun Research Institute has released the Hurun Global Forty and Under Self-Made Billionaires 2022, which ranks the self-made billionaires in the world (in terms of US dollars) aged forty years and under. The Hurun Report 2022 lists 87 Self-Made Billionaires in the world aged 40 and under, which is up by 8 from last year.

The USA leads the list with 37 self-made billionaires. China is second with 25 billionaires, followed by the United Kingdom (8), India (6) and Sweden (3) respectively in the top five.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is the world’s richest self-made billionaire aged 40 and under with a total wealth of $76 billion. He is followed by ByteDance CEO Zhang Yiming, FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, and Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz, respectively.

20 of the Hurun Global U40 are born and brought up in countries different to where they live today. These immigrant billionaires chose the USA (8), UK (7) and UAE (2) to live in today, and came originally from Russia mostly, followed by China, India and Ireland.

Books and Authors

A book titled ‘Spoorthi Pradatha Sri Somayya’ authored by K Syam Prasad

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, released a book titled ‘Spoorthi Pradatha Sri Somayya’ authored by Syam Prasad. The book is based on the life story of late Shri Somepalli Somaiah, a social worker from Andhra Pradesh.

He inspired youth to dedicate their lives to social welfare. Somepalli Somaiah was born in 1927 in the “Parlamili” village of Prakasham district.

He dedicated his life to reform and the betterment of society for 50 years. He participated in the Satyagraha of 1948 and was against the ban on RSS (Rashtriya Seva Sangh) and was jailed for the same.

NITI Aayog and FAO Launch Book Titled Indian Agriculture towards 2030

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW), Narendra Singh Tomar has released a book titled “Indian Agriculture towards 2030: Pathways for Enhancing Farmers’ Income, Nutritional Security and Sustainable Food and Farm Systems”, at an event organized by NITI Aayog and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

Indian Agriculture towards 2030 captures the outcomes of the deliberative process of national dialogue by NITI Aayog and the Ministries of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare; and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, and facilitated by FAO since 2019.

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