Daily Current Affairs and GK | 10 February 2022

Topic: Important Days

1. National Deworming Day: 10 February

• National Deworming Day is observed every year on 10 February.
• It is observed to raise awareness about the importance of deworming all preschool and school-age children between the ages of 1-19 years.
• National Deworming Day was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2015.
• The main aim of National Deworming Day is to raise awareness on intestinal worms and to attain complete eradication of Soil-Transmitted Helminths in children.
• Around 24% of the world's population is infected with soil-transmitted helminths (worms).
• Intestinal worms are found in the gastrointestinal tract and they damage the body.
• Regularly washing hands with soap and hot water before and after using the toilet can prevent intestinal worms.

Topic: Personality in News

2. Zara Rutherford becomes youngest woman to fly around the world solo.

• Zara Rutherford, a Belgian-British pilot, has become the youngest woman to fly solo around the world.
• She achieved this feat at the age of 19. She stopped in 30 countries.
• She completed her 51,000 km journey in 155 days.
• She landed at Kortrijk Wevelgem International Airport in Belgium.
• Previously, the youngest woman to fly solo around the world was Shaesta Waiz.

Topic: Miscellaneous

3. India’s ‘Writing With Fire’ nominated for Oscar in the documentary category.

• Indian documentary ‘Writing with Fire’ has been nominated for Oscar in the Best Documentary Feature category.
• It was directed and produced by Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh.
• It is the only Indian film to get nominated at the 2022 Oscars.
• The documentary depicts the journey of the team of 'Khabar Lahariya' from newspaper to digital media.
• ‘Writing with Fire’ has won more than 20 international awards including Audience Award and a Special Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2021.
• The 94^th Academy Awards is scheduled to take place on March 27, 2022, in Los Angeles. No Indian film has ever won an Oscar.

Topic: State News/ Haryana

4. Haryana Cabinet approved draft of anti-conversion Bill.

• The Haryana Cabinet has approved the draft of the Haryana Prevention of Unlawful Conversion of Religious Bill, 2022.
• Its main objective is to prohibit religious conversion through misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement, by marriage.
• The bill has the provision of stricter punishment for conversion of minors, women, Scheduled Castes, and the Scheduled Tribes.
• It puts the onus on the accused to prove that conversion was not done through misrepresentation, use of coercion, and false marriage.
• Every individual converting from one religion to another has to submit a declaration to the prescribed authority.
• Apart from this, it has provisions to declare void and illegal marriages which are performed by hiding religion.
• According to Indian Constitution, “State has no religion, all religions are equal, and no religion shall be given preference over the other”.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

5. THDC India signs an agreement to set up solar projects in Rajasthan.

• State-owned THDC India Ltd (THDCIL) signed the letter of intent (LoI) to set up 10,000-megawatt (MW) solar power projects in Rajasthan.
• These solar projects will be established with an investment of Rs 40,000 crore in Rajasthan.
• The land will be allocated by the Government of Rajasthan through RRECL.
• The renewable energy park will be set up through a special purpose vehicle.
• The investment by THDC India Ltd is expected to create 10,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities.
• The mega ventures by THDCIL and RRECL will promote socio-economic development in the region.
• This agreement will help in achieving the RE capacity addition target of 500 gigawatts (GW) by 2030.
• THDC India Limited:
  • THDC India Limited is a leading Power Sector company. It was established in 1988.
  • THDC India Limited is a Mini Ratna Category-I Enterprise of India.
  • It operates and maintains the Tehri Hydro Power Complex and other Hydro Projects.

Topic: Art and Culture

6. Kanchoth Festival celebrated in J&K.

• People in Bhaderwah (Jammu and Kashmir) celebrated the Kanchoth festival, a symbol of Nag culture.
• This festival is celebrated during the Shukla Paksha of Magha month which usually falls in January or February.
• Hindu Nag followers commemorate this ancient festival.
• The three-day festival is celebrated by married women who pray for the long life of their husbands.

Topic: India and its Neighbourhood

7. India to assist Sri Lanka in launching its own version of Aadhaar.

• India has agreed to provide a grant to Sri Lanka to implement a ‘Unitary Digital Identity framework’, modeled on the Aadhaar card.
• The implementation of the framework as a national-level program will be a "priority" for the Rajapaksa government.
• It is expected to introduce a personal identification verification device based on biometric data under the proposed framework.
• The initiative started after bilateral talks between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2019.
• Sri Lanka:
  • It is an island country in South Asia.
  • Its executive and judicial capital is Colombo, and its legislative capital is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.
  • Currency: Sri Lankan rupee
  • Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the current President of Sri Lanka.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

8. White-cheeked Macaque discovered in Arunachal Pradesh.

• Scientists have discovered the presence of the White-Cheeked Macaque (Macaca leucogenys) in central Arunachal Pradesh, India.
• The species was found in 2015 by a group of Chinese scientists from the Modog region in the southeastern part of Tibet.
• White-cheeked Macaques are different from other macaques in the area because they have white cheeks, and long and thick hairs on their neck, and a longer tail.
• The White-Cheeked Macaques were discovered by scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), led by Mukesh Thakur.

Topic: National News

9. NITI Aayog announced five most improved aspirational districts in agriculture and water resources sector.

• NITI Aayog has announced the five most improved aspirational districts in the Agriculture and Water Resources sector for December 2021.
• Malkangiri district of Odisha has topped the list, followed by Chhatarpur of Madhya Pradesh and Baramulla of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Ramgarh district of Jharkhand and Begusarai district of Bihar also got a place in the list.
• This list of districts is based on the NITI Aayog’s Delta Rankings.
• Aspirational Districts Programme:
  • Aspirational Districts Programme was launched in 2018 for the development of under-developed districts across the country.
  • It focuses on the strength of each district and identifies sectors for immediate improvement.
  • NITI Aayog releases a ranking of districts every month.
  • The ranking is based on the 5 broad socio-economic themes - Health & Nutrition, Education, Agriculture & Water Resources, Financial Inclusion & Skill Development, and Infrastructure.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

10. Atal Tunnel gets World's Longest Highway Tunnel certificate from Guinness World Book of Records.

• The Guinness World Book of Records has officially certified Atal Tunnel as the World's Longest Highway Tunnel above 10,000 feet.
• Atal Tunnel is constructed by Border Roads Organisation (BRO). It connects Manali to the Lahaul - Spiti Valley.
• Atal Tunnel is a 9.02 kilometers long tunnel constructed on the Manali - Leh Highway. It has reduced the road distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km.
• It was dedicated to the Nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 3^rd October 2020.
• World Book of Records is an organization that catalogues and verifies extraordinary records across the world with certification.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: International News

11. US approves 100 million dollar weapons deal with Taiwan.

• The United States has approved a 100-million-dollar deal to strengthen the missile defense system of Taiwan.
• The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said that this deal will help in upgrading the Patriot Air Defense System. It would help in strengthening the security of Taiwan.
• It will help in maintaining political stability, military balance, and progress in the region. The deal is expected to come into effect within one month.
• Earlier, China had imposed sanctions on Lockheed Martin and other U.S. companies to sell weapons to Taiwan.
• Taiwan:
  • It is located in the East China Sea. It was formerly known as Formosa.
  • It shares its maritime border with China, Japan, and Philippines.
  • Its capital is Taipei and its largest city is New Taipei city.
  • The political status of Taiwan is contentious.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

12. Government to develop ropeways in hilly areas under National Ropeways Development Programme – “Parvatmala”.

• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will build ropeways for hilly areas as an alternate and efficient means of connectivity.
• The National Ropeways Development Programme – “Parvatmala” has been announced in the Union Budget for 2022-23.
• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will be in charge of the construction of ropeways in hilly areas as well as research, and policy development in this area.
• Transport Ministry will also formulate an institutional, financial, and regulatory framework for the technology of ropeways.
• “Parvatmala” programme will be implemented in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
• Government will give the contract for 8 ropeway projects for a length of 60 km in 2022-23.
• This scheme will be started first in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Jammu & Kashmir and the other North-Eastern states.
• Benefits of Ropeway:
  • It is an environmentally friendly mode of transportation.
  • It is one of the faster modes of transportation.
  • It is an economical mode of transportation.
  • It will provide last-mile connectivity in hilly areas.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Personality in News

13. Mahabharat's Bheem, actor Praveen Kumar Sobti passed away.

• Actor and athlete Praveen Kumar Sobti died due to cardiac arrest at an age of 74.
• He was famous for playing the role of Bheem in the TV series "Mahabharat".
• He represented India in various athletic events in hammer and discus throw.
• He won gold medals in the discus throw at the 1966 and 1970 Asian Games.
• He had won a silver medal in Hammer Throw at the 1966 Commonwealth Games.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Appointments

14. Dr. Unnikrishnan Nair appointed as director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.

• Dr. S Unnikrishnan Nair, a scientist and launch vehicle expert, has been appointed as director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.
• He has taken the place of S Somanath, who has taken the charge as Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• He is currently serving as the Director of the Human Space Flight Centre. He will also continue to hold this post also.
• He joined VSSC in 1985 and worked in various different positions including project director, Human Space Flight Project, programme director of Advanced Space Transportation System.
• He has won many awards including ISRO team excellence award for contributions to the space capsule re-entry experiment in 2007, and ISRO individual merit award in 2014.
• Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre:
  • It is one of the most important research centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
  • It is responsible for the design and development of launch vehicle technology.
  • It is located in Thiruvananthapuram.
  • It is named after Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the father of Indian space program.