Daily Current Affairs and GK | 11 February 2022

Topic: Important Day

1. World Pulses Day 2022: 10 February

• Every year on February 10th, World Pulses Day is observed to recognise pulses as a global food.
• The theme of the World Pulses Day 2022 is “Pulses to empower youth in achieving sustainable agrifood systems”
• World Pulses Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2019 to raise global awareness and access to pulses.
• Burkina Faso had proposed this day in General Assembly.
• UN General Assembly had announced 2016 as the International Year of Pulses.
• Pulses:
  • The pulses are rich source of protein and play a vital role in a healthy diet.
  • Some Pulses, and legumes are - lentil, pea, chickpeas, beans, soybean, and peanut.
  • India is the world's top producer of pulses (25 percent of global production), consumer (27 percent of global consumption), and importer (14 percent).
  • Madhya Pradesh is the largest producer of pulses in India.

Topic: Space and IT

2. INSAT-4B has been decommissioned on January 24, 2022.

• The INSAT-4B, an Indian communications satellite that was part of the Indian National Satellite System, has been decommissioned by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• INSAT-4B has been decommissioned to comply with UN and INTER Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) recommended space debris mitigation guidelines.
• Through 11 manoeuvres, the satellite was pushed into the desired orbit mandated by the IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines.
• According to IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines, the minimum orbit rise required was 273 km, and INSAT-4B finally achieved approximately 340 km.
• INSAT-4B:
  • On March 12, 2007, INSAT-4B was launched for DTH and other communication services.
  • INSAT-4B had completed almost 14 years of operation in orbit.
  • It is the 21st Indian Geostationary (GEO) satellite to undergo Post Mission Disposal (PMD).

Topic: Appointment

3. In a top-level bureaucratic reshuffle, Sanjay Malhotra is appointed new DFS secretary.

• Sanjay Malhotra has been appointed Secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS), as part of the Centre's top-level bureaucratic reshuffle.
• Malhotra is the present Chairman and Managing Director of REC Ltd.
• Manoj Ahuja has been appointed to the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD).
• Ahuja, the chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), will take over after Sanjay Agarawal retires on March 31.
• Centre's top-level bureaucratic reshuffle:

Topic: Appointment

4. S Kishore has been named Chairman of the Staff Selection Commission.

• The Cabinet's Appointments Committee approved the Centre's request to appoint S Kishore as Chairman of the Staff Selection Commission.
• Kishore, a 1989-Batch IAS officer from the West Bengal cadre, has been temporarily upgraded to the Secretary-equivalent rank and pay.
• Prior to this appointment, he was Special Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Staff Selection Commission (SSC):
  • SSC is an organisation under the Government of India that recruits staff for various positions in the Government of India's Ministries and Departments, as well as in Subordinate Offices.
  • Its headquarters is in New Delhi. It was formed on 4 November 1975.

Topic: Indian Economy

5. RBI became second largest buyer of gold in 2021.

• RBI has become second largest buyer of gold among the world’s Central Banks in 2021.
• Central Bank of Thailand was the largest buyer of gold in 2021. It bought 90 metric tonnes of gold.
• RBI bought 77.5 metric tonnes of gold in 2021. This is second highest ever buying after 2009. In 2009, RBI had bought 200 metric tonnes from the International Monetary Fund.
• RBI’s total gold reserves reached to 754.1 tonnes at the end of December 2021. This amounts to 6.22% of India’s forex reserves.
• As per RBI data, India’s total reserve stood at $633.61 billion at the end of December 31, 2021.  
• As per Goldhub, India’s official gold reserves is ninth largest in the world. Goldhub is the official website of World Gold Council.
• As per RBI, total forex reserves were $576.98 billion at the end of March 2021. Out of this, $536.6 billion were held as foreign currency assets (FCA).
• Most of India’s FCA are in U.S. treasury bills and U.S. treasury bonds. Fall in value of fiat currency such as U.S. dollar or Euro can be countered by increasing gold reserves.
• Buying more gold would help RBI in handling global inflationary environment and fall in value U.S. dollar.

Topic: National News

6. Khadi's employment campaign rejuvenates tiger-infested Bali Island in Sunderbans.

• Khadi's employment campaign has rejuvenated tiger-infested Bali Island in Sunderbans.
• The island of Bali has more than a hundred tiger widows (locally called Bagh Bidhoba).
• These were associated with the spinning activity of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in 2018.
• A temporary structure set up by KVIC three years ago to start Khadi activities in the island has now been converted into a permanent workshed.
• The newly constructed 3000 sq ft work shed and 500 sq ft Common Facility Center has been inaugurated by KVIC Chairman Vinay Kumar Saxena for Khadi artisans in Bali Island.
• “Tiger Victim Khadi Katai Kendra” is now equipped with 125 new model charkhas and 15 modern looms.
• It now provides employment to nearly 150 women artisans of the Bali Island.
• Sunderbans is spread over 4000 sqkm. Sunderbans is an archipelago of 102 islands.
• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC):
  • The Khadi and Village Industries Commission is a statutory body established in 1956 by the Government of India.
  • Its headquarters is located in Mumbai. Vinay Kumar Saxena is its current chairman.  

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Awards and Prizes

7. Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari gets 18th Late Madhavrao Limaye Award.

• Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari has got 18th Late Madhavrao Limaye Award.
• The award is given annually by Public Library, Nashik in memory of (late) Madhavrao Limaye.
• Gadkari have got the award for the first time. He has received the award in the category of Karyakram Khaasdar (Efficient Member of Parliament) for 2020-21.
• From this year onwards, the scope of award has been extended. It was earlier given to an efficient MLA from Maharashtra.
• The award recognizes the exceptional performances of elected representatives. It was started in memory of senior socialist leader and former MLC Limaye. It consists of Rs 50,000 cash and several mementos.

Topic: Defence

8. Indian Army starts RFID tagging of its ammunition inventory.

• Indian Army has started Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tagging of its ammunition inventory on 09 February.
• The first consignment of RFID tagged ammunition was dispatched from Ammunition Factory Khadki to Central Ammunition Depot (CAD) Pulgaon.
• Ordnance Services Directorate of the Indian Army and Munitions India Limited (MIL), Pune, has steered the implantation of RFID tagging.
• Munitions India Limited (MIL), Pune is the newly created entity formed post corporatisation of the Ordnance Factories Board.
• RFID tagging adheres to global standards in consultation with GS-1 India. GS-1 India is a Global Standards organisation set up by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Radio Frequency Identification:
  • It is a method of automatic identification and data capture. With this technology, tagged items can be identified by the use of radio waves.
  • RFID consists of a tag and reader. The reader emits radio waves and gets signals from RFID tag.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: National News

9. Mumbai Central Division of Western Railway operated 100th Textile train.

• Mumbai Central Division of Western Railway has operated the 100^th Textile train from Chalthan to Sankrail.
• Railways has achieved the milestone of 100^th Textile train within a span of five months.
• First train was flagged off by Darshana Jardosh, Minister of State for Railways and Textiles from Udhna on 1 September 2021.
• Western Railways is one of eighteen zones of Indian Railways. Major routes under the western railway are Mumbai Central–Ratlam, Mumbai Central–Ahmedabad and Palanpur–Ahmedabad.

Topic: Appointments

10. Air Marshal K Anantharaman VSM assumes charge of Air Officer-in Charge Administration (AOA) at Air HQ New Delhi.

• Air Marshal K Anantharaman VSM has assumed charge of Air Officer-in Charge Administration (AOA) at Air HQ New Delhi.
• Air Marshal K Anantharaman was commissioned in the Administration branch of the Indian Air Force in June 1985.
• He is an alumnus of Defence Services Staff College Wellington. He was Director-General (Administration) at Air HQ. He is a recipient of the Vishisht Seva Medal.

Topic: Space and IT

11. SpaceX’s satellites getting affected by solar storm.

• SpaceX has informed that its satellites are getting affected by a solar storm.
• The company said that 40 of the 49 small satellites launched last week have reentered the atmosphere and burned up. Some of these satellites are on the verge of doing so.
• SpaceX said that atmosphere has become denser after a geomagnetic storm and the pull on Starlink satellites has increased as a result.
• SpaceX has about 2,000 Starlink satellites orbiting Earth. The satellites circle the globe more than 340 miles up (550 kilometers) and provide internet services to remote areas of the world.
• First set of Starlink satellites was launched in 2019. SpaceX is making efforts to restore internet service to Tonga after devastating volcanic eruptions and tsunami.
• London-based OneWeb also has its internet satellites. Amazon is planning to launch its satellites later this year.
• Starlink is a project under which SpaceX aims to send 12,000 satellites to provide space-based internet.
• SpaceX was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk. It is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company. CEO of SpaceX is Elon Musk.   

Topic: National News

12. Goa Shipyard Ltd delivered ICGS ‘Saksham’ ahead of the schedule.

• Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) has delivered ICGS ‘Saksham’, the 5th and final vessel of the 5 Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vehicle (CGOPV) Project.
• All five vessels have been delivered ahead of the schedule to the Indian Coast Guard.
• The contract for 5 CGOPVs was signed by GSL with the Ministry of Defence on 26^th August 2016.
• ICGS ‘Saksham’ 5^th and the last vessel of the indigenous Project for 05 Offshore Patrol Vessels for Indian Coast Guard was launched on 14^th December 2020.
• The indigenous Project for 05 Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Indian Coast Guard was launched by the Prime Minister on 13^th November 2016.
• Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL):
  • It is an Indian Government owned shipbuilding company.
  • It is the first Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU) Shipyard to formulate and adopt Make-in-India Policy.
  • It is the first DPSU to adopt Purchase Preference Policy in October 2015 in order to provide preference to local Indian Manufacturers.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

13. Patients with Fairbank's disease and Acromegaly are getting treatment in India.

• In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar stated that patients of Fairbank's disease and Acromegaly are getting treatment in India.
• Patients with Fairbank's disease (Multiple epiphyseal dysplasia) usually require management of pain and orthopedic procedures.
• Fairbank's disease is a rare genetic disorder. It affects the growing ends of bones.
• Acromegaly is caused by excessive secretion of growth hormone, which most commonly occurs from a tumor in the pituitary gland.
• Acromegaly causes increased height when it manifests in the childhood and adolescent age group.
• National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has fixed the ceiling price for somatostatin drugs used for Acromegaly. This drug is a scheduled drug according to National List of Essential Medicines 2015.
• National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority:
  • National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority is a government regulatory agency that regulates the prices of pharmaceutical drugs in India.
  • It was founded in August 1997. Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.