Daily Current Affairs and GK | 10 and 11 April 2022
Main Headlines:
- 1. DRDO and Indian Army successfully flight-tested Pinaka Mk-I (Enhanced) Rocket System and Pinaka Area Denial Munition Rocket Systems.
- 2. Vinod Rai authored a book titled 'Not Just A Nightwatchman: My Innings with BCCI'.
- 3. India won its maiden Women's Doubles and Mixed Doubles titles in World Doubles Squash Championships.
- 4. Sibling Day: 10 April
- 5. IIT Guwahati developed technology to standardize electric vehicles in India.
- 6. Space-X launched the first private mission to the space station.
- 7. Union Minister Bhupender Yadav chaired 20th Meeting of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
- 8. Tourism facilities for SeemaDarshan at Nadabet have been inaugurated by Home Minister Amit Shah.
- 9. Reserve Bank decided to allow all banks to introduce cardless cash withdrawal facilities from ATMs.
- 10. 4th India and US 2+2 dialogue will be organized in Washington.
- 11. Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu conferred Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship and Sangeet Natak Awards for the year 2018.
- 12. AAI launched ‘AVSAR’ scheme to promote local products of SHG.
- 13. UIDAI and ISRO signed MoU for Technical Collaboration.
- 14. World Homoeopathy Day: 10 April
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Topic: Defence
1. DRDO and Indian Army successfully flight-tested Pinaka Mk-I (Enhanced) Rocket System and Pinaka Area Denial Munition Rocket Systems.
- The Pinaka rocket system has been developed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment, Pune laboratory of DRDO.
- The high Energy Materials Research Laboratory of DRDO has also provided support for the development of the Pinaka rocket system.
- The required accuracy and consistency have been achieved by the rockets during the trial.
- The EPRS is the upgraded version of the Pinaka variant. The upgraded version with advanced technologies will meet the emerging requirements.
- The enhanced version of Pinaka rocket system technology has been transferred to defence industries like Munitions India Limited (MIL) and Economic Explosives Limited Nagpur.
- Pinaka rocket systems can fire 12 rockets in 44 seconds.
Topic: Books and Authors
2. Vinod Rai authored a book titled 'Not Just A Nightwatchman: My Innings with BCCI'.
- Vinod Rai has written a new book titled 'Not Just A Nightwatchman: My Innings with BCCI'. It has been published by 'Rupa’ publication.
- This book is about the tenure of Vinod Rai as the chairman of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) of the BCCI for 33 months.
- He has also written about Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble's rift in his book.
- “Not Just an Accountant: The Diary of the Nation’s Conscience Keeper” and “Rethinking Good Governance: Holding to Account India’s Public Institutions” are some other famous books by Vinod Rai.
- Vinod Rai is a former Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).
Topic: Sports
3. India won its maiden Women's Doubles and Mixed Doubles titles in World Doubles Squash Championships.
- Dipika Pallikal teaming up with Saurav Ghosal and Joshna Chinappa has won mixed doubles and women's double titles in the World Doubles Squash Championships at Glasgow.
- Dipika Pallikal and Saurav Ghosal won the mixed doubles title 11-6, 11-8 by defeating English pair Adrian Waller and Alison Waters.
- Pallikal and Joshna Chinappa won the women's doubles title after defeating Sarah-Jane Perry and Alison Waters of England.
(Source: News on AIR)
Topic: Important Days
4. Sibling Day: 10 April
- Sibling Day is celebrated every year on 10 April.
- The day marks the special bond that exists between brothers and sisters.
- Claudia Evert started the day on the birth anniversary of her sister Lisette in the United States in 1997.
- The Siblings Day Foundation was established in 1997 and became a non-profit organisation in 1999.
- In India, a special day called Raksha Bandhan commemorates the special day of siblings.
Topic: New Developments
5. IIT Guwahati developed technology to standardize electric vehicles in India.
- IIT Guwahati has developed a technology that evaluates Electric Vehicle (EV) motors and batteries and can help Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in manufacturing the best equipment components suited to the Indian scenario.
- This is a one-of-a-kind system for standardizing electronic vehicles based on Indian driving cycles.
- So far, researchers have not considered Indian drive-cycles. This is why the drive-cycles developed so far are not focused on rural and urban cycles.
- The team at IIT Guwahati worked on both rural and urban climatic conditions in India.
- Researchers from the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, IIT Guwahati, have developed a method for manufacturing of electronic drivetrain (the set of components that power the wheels).
- OEMs are currently looking at making a standard drive cycle for Indian conditions.
- Researchers are developing this technology for four-wheelers as well, but the current project focuses exclusively on two-wheelers.
Topic: Space and IT
6. Space-X launched the first private mission to the space station.
- The first all-private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has taken off.
- A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule carrying four people took off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
- Michael Lopez-Alegria, a retired NASA astronaut, is leading the crew.
- The mission is a collaboration between Axiom, SpaceX, and NASA.
- This mission will help in the expansion of commercial space ventures known as the low-Earth orbit economy.
- SpaceX:
- It is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company founded by Elon Musk in 2002.
- It is known for its reusable rockets and astronaut capsules.
- Its headquarters is located in California.
- CEO of SpaceX is Elon Musk.
Topic: Environment and Ecology
7. Union Minister Bhupender Yadav chaired 20th Meeting of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
- The meeting was held in Pakke tiger reserve in Arunachal Pradesh.
- For the first time in the history of NTCA, its meeting was held outside the national capital.
- Union Minister has directed that NTCA meetings will be held outside of Delhi from now on.
- The Minister issued the Standard Operating Protocol for dealing with the reintroduction and supplementation of tigers in the wild, which was produced by the NTCA.
- Forest fire audit protocol for tiger reserves has been released.
- NTCA has released technical manual on Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of tiger reserves in India.
- The MEE exercise in tiger reserves began in 2006, and four cycles have now been completed. 5th cycle of MEE exercise is starting in 2022.
- Arunachal Pradesh provides a model to follow programmes such as Hornbill Nest Adoption and Air Gun Surrender Abhiyan.
- Arunachal Pradesh started the Air Gun Surrender Abhiyaan in March 2021.
Topic: State News/Gujarat
8. Tourism facilities for SeemaDarshan at Nadabet have been inaugurated by Home Minister Amit Shah.
- 'The SeemaDarshan project was started to provide people a glimpse into the lives and activities of BSF officers on our border.
- SeemaDarshan programme in Nadabet, Banaskantha district, Gujarat cost is around Rs. 125 crore.
- He also visited Nadeshwari Mata Temple at Nadabet.
- He said that BSF personnel guard the 6,385 km long border of India.
- Border Security Force (BSF):
- It was founded on 1 December 1965. ‘Jeevan Paryant Kartavya’ is the motto of the Border Security Force.
- Its headquarters is located in New Delhi. It works under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Pankaj Kumar Singh is the current Director-General of the Border Security Force.
(Source: PIB)
Topic: Banking System
9. Reserve Bank decided to allow all banks to introduce cardless cash withdrawal facilities from ATMs.
- During the monetary policy meeting, RBI proposed to make the card-less cash withdrawal facility available across all banks and ATM networks using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
- This initiative will help in preventing frauds like card skimming, and card cloning.
- The cardless cash withdrawal facility will allow individuals to withdraw cash without using any debit card at Automated teller machines (ATMs).
- An individual can withdraw a maximum of ₹10,000 per day or ₹25,000 per month by using this facility.
- At present, banks like SBI, ICICI, and HDFC are giving this facility to customers.
- Customers will be identified using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) while settlement of transactions will be done through the ATM network.
- Unified Payments Interface (UPI):
- It is an instant real-time payment system for transferring money in bank accounts.
- It was launched in 2016.
- It was developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings
10. 4th India and US 2+2 dialogue will be organized in Washington.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation at the 4th India and US 2+2 dialogue.
- Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will attend the dialogue from the US side.
- The 2+2 Dialogue gives an opportunity to exchange views related to important regional and global issues.
- Both sides will discuss agendas related to foreign policy, defence, and security.
- This year’s 2 plus 2 Ministerial Dialogue will celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations.
- Apart from the US, India also takes part in 2+2 Dialogue with Japan, Russia and Australia.
- India-US Ministerial 2 plus 2 Dialogue:
- It was first held in 2018 in New Delhi.
- It is the highest level institutional mechanism between US and India in which the defense and foreign ministers from both countries meet.
- The second 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue was held in 2019 in Washington DC.
(Source: News on AIR)
Topic: Awards and Prizes
11. Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu conferred Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship and Sangeet Natak Awards for the year 2018.
- M. Venkaiah Naidu also awarded eminent artists with the National Awards of Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi.
- Four artists have been awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship and 40 were honoured with Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards.
- 23 artists including three fellows received Lalit Kala Akademi Awards.
- Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, Jatin Goswami, Dr Sonal Mansingh and Thiruvidaimarudur Kuppiah Kalyanasundaram were awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship.
- Himmat Shah, Jyoti Bhatt and Shyam Sharma are awarded with the prestigious Fellowships of the Lalit Kala Akademi.
- Sangeet Natak Akademi is also organising a festival of Performing Arts in New Delhi.
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards:
- The Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards are the highest national recognition given to practising artists.
- First Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards was conferred in 1952.
- Sangeet Natak Akademi also confers Fellowships to eminent artists and scholars of music, dance and drama.
(Source: News on AIR)
Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives
12. AAI launched ‘AVSAR’ scheme to promote local products of SHG.
- Under the “AVSAR” (Airport as Venue for Skilled Artisans Of The Region) scheme, an area of 100-200 square feet will be allocated to self-help groups at each Airports Authority of India (AAI) operated airport.
- It will give an opportunity for self-help groups for showing their local products at Airports.
- Some outlets have been already commissioned at Chennai, Agartala, Dehradun, Kushinagar, Udaipur & Amritsar Airport.
- The allocated area will be given on a turn basis for a duration of 15 days.
- SHGs operated by women can showcase their homemade local products like Puffed Rice, Packaged Papad, Pickles, etc.
- The main aim of this initiative is to support Self Help Group by promoting their local products.
(Source: News on AIR)
Topic: MoUs/Agreements
13. UIDAI and ISRO signed MoU for Technical Collaboration.
- The Unique Identification Authority Of India (UIDAI), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) signed an MoU for technical collaboration.
- As per the agreement, NRSC will develop 'Bhuvan-Aadhaar' portal which will provide the location information of Aadhaar card centres across the country.
- Apart from this, NRSC will also provide a web portal to collect and store data pertaining to existing and new enrolment centres.
- The agreement has been signed by UIDAI Deputy Director General Shailendra Singh and NRSC Director Prakash Chauhan.
- Bhuvan will provide complete geographic information storage, retrieval, analysis and reporting of Aadhaar centres, with the help of high-resolution satellite images.
- Unique Identification Authority Of India (UIDAI):
- It was established as a statutory authority under the Aadhaar Act 2016.
- It works under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
- It has so far issued Aadhaar numbers to more than 132 crore residents.
- Dr. Saurabh Garg is the Chief Executive Officer of Unique Identification Authority of India.
(Source: News on AIR)
Topic: Important Days
14. World Homoeopathy Day: 10 April
- Every year World Homoeopathy Day is observed on 10 April to commemorate the birth anniversary of the founder of Homoeopathy, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann.
- It is observed to mark the importance of homoeopathy and its contribution to the world.
- World Homeopathy Awareness Week is celebrated annually from 10th April to 16th April.
- On this occasion, the Ministry of Ayush has organised a two-day scientific convention under the theme ‘Homoeopathy: People’s Choice for Wellness’.
- Samuel Hahnemann is known as the “Father of Homeopathy”.
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