Daily Current Affairs and GK | 14 December 2021

Topic: Sports

1. Divyansh Panwar wins senior and junior air rifle titles.

• Divyansh Panwar wins senior and junior air rifle titles at the 64th National shooting championship in Bhopal.
• He defeated Rudrankksh Patil by 0.7 points for the gold medal. Divyansh won the junior air rifle title by beating Rudrankksh.
• Hriday Hazarika won the bronze medal by defeating Shahu Tushar Mane and Paarth Makhija.
• Former national champion Ravi Kumar got 52nd place with 623.7 points. 768 athletes participated in the men’s 10m air rifle tournament.
• Madhya Pradesh’s Aakash Kushwaha and Pragati Dubey won the mixed team trap competition.

Topic: State News/ Himachal Pradesh

2. Himachal Pradesh to set up general category commission.

• Himachal Pradesh government will set up general category commission. It will help in resolving the grievances of the upper caste people.
• According to the 2011 Census, Himachal Pradesh has 50.72% people from the upper caste. Among upper castes, 32.72% are Rajputs and 18% are Brahmins.
• The movement for the formation of this Commission was started as a reaction to the reservation given to the SC/ST categories.
• Madhya Pradesh was the first state to set up a commission for the general category. Himachal Pradesh becomes the second state to constitute a Commission for the general category.
• Earlier, 102^nd Constitution Amendment Act, 2018 provided constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).
• National Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is a constitutional body for the protection of scheduled castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes in the country.

Topic: Miscellaneous

3. Defence Minister inaugurated ‘Swarnim Vijay Parv’ at India Gate in Delhi.

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the two-day ‘Swarnim Vijay Parv’ at India Gate in Delhi.
• It has been commemorated to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1971 war and the Indo-Bangladesh friendship.
• The event marks the culmination of year-long celebrations of 50 years of India's victory in the Indo-Pak 1971 war.
• On this occasion, major weapons and equipment used during the 1971 war has been displayed along with snippets of major battles.
• The closing ceremony of this event will be attended by Rajnath Singh along with many dignitaries from Bangladesh.
• Swarnim Vijay displayed the zeal, passion, and valour of forces displayed during the 1971 war.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the 1971 war is one of the most decisive wars in the world after the two World Wars.

Topic: Miscellaneous

4. Government to launch National Helpline against atrocities on SCs, STs.

• Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry will launch National Helpline against atrocities on SCs, STs.
• The main aim of this is to ensure proper implementation of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
• The Helpline will be available 24-7 on toll-free number – 14566. This Service will be available in Hindi, English, and Regional Language of the States.
• The objective of this helpline is to spread awareness about the provision of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

5. PM Modi to address valedictory session of National Summit on Agro and Food Processing on 16th December 2021.

• PM Modi will address valedictory session of National Summit on Agro and Food Processing on 16th December 2021.
• This summit is being organised as part of Pre-event Vibrant Gujarat Summit to be held in Anand, Gujarat from 14th to 16th December 2021.
• Government of Gujarat is organizing National Summit on Agro and Food Processing from 14th December to 16th December 2021 at Anand, Gujarat with focus on Natural Farming.
• In this summit, detail contours of Natural Farming will be presented to farmers.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Indian Polity

6. Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021 passed by Lok Sabha.

• Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021 has been passed by Lok Sabha.
• The bill will replace Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Ordinance 2021. This ordinance was promulgated due to court orders.
• Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman allayed the apprehensions of some opposition members over the intention of bringing the amendment.
• She said that the bill does not violate and diminish Article 20 of constitution. She said the bill respects Article 20 in letter and spirit. 
• Article 20 grants protection in respect of conviction for offences.
• She said Bombay and Tripura High court had ordered to amend the notified act retrospectively.   

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

7. National Testing Agency launched ‘National Test Abhyas’ Mobile App for aspirants.

• The National Testing Agency (NTA) has launched the ‘National Test Abhyas’ App for high-quality mock tests.
• Around 14 lakh NEET students and more than 9 lakh JEE students have registered in the app.
• The government has also launched Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds. It offers interactive course content such as video lectures, reading material, self-assessment through tests and quizzes.
• The government has also launched another initiative named Indian Institute of Technology - Professor Assisted Learning. It will provide video content for Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics.

Topic: Defense News

8. India successfully launched Supersonic Missile Assisted Torpedo from coast of Odisha.

• India successfully launched Supersonic Missile Assisted Torpedo from Wheeler Island in Odisha.
• Supersonic Missile Assisted Torpedo has been developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation for the Indian Navy.
• It is the next-generation missile-based standoff torpedo delivery system. It has been designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability.
• The missile has been launched from the ground mobile launcher. It can neutralize targets in a range up to 10 km.
• Many DRDO laboratories developed various technologies for this advanced missile system.
• It will help in promoting self-reliance in the defense sector.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

9. BPCL and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre collaborated for production of green hydrogen.

• Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) has collaborated with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) for the production of green hydrogen.
• It is the first of its kind initiative for the production of green hydrogen. It will help India in achieving the goal of renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• At present, hydrogen is made at the refinery through steam reforming of natural gas. Therefore, refineries are setting up large-scale electrolyzers to produce green hydrogen from water.
• Bharat Petroleum is planning to achieve Net Zero Emissions by 2040. BPCL is planning to establish new renewable energy projects for meeting its target.
• Bharat Petroleum is planning to invest in solar energy, wind energy, and biofuels.

Topic: International News

10. India re-elected to International Maritime Organisation Council.

• India has been re-elected to International Maritime Organisation Council for the 2022-23 period.
• The newly elected Council will meet at the conclusion of the 32nd assembly which will elect its Chair and Vice-Chair for the next biennium.
• International Maritime Organisation Council is the executive organ of IMO and is responsible for supervising the work of the organization.
• China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Norway, Panama, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, the UK, and the US have been elected to the Council under the Category of 10 States.
• The 32nd Assembly of IMO is undergoing at London from 6-15 December. 175 member states and three associate members are attending this meeting.
• International Maritime Organisation Council also elects a 40-member council at the meetings for the next two-year period.

Topic: Reports and Indices

11. India is Asia's fourth most powerful country, while the US left behind China.

• India is the fourth most powerful country in Asia among the 26 countries and territories in Indo-Pacific, according to Lowy Institute's Asian Power Index 2021.
• According to the report, India has dropped in crucial indicators such as diplomatic influence and economic relationships over the last year.
• In comparison to the 2020 rating, India has retained its 4th position based on several indicators of strength, such as economic capability, military capability, resilience, and cultural impact.
• Due to improved diplomatic contacts and a vaccination-driven rapid recovery from the COVID-19 epidemic, the United States ranked first among countries with influence in the region.
• Overall, the United States ranked first in six of the index's eight metrics in 2021.
• The Lowy Institute's annual Asia Power Index, which was launched in 2018, measures resources and influence to rank the relative power of Asian states.

Top 10 Most Powerful Countries:

Topic: Miscellaneous

12. Time magazine has chosen Tesla CEO Elon Musk as its Person of the Year for 2021.

• Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has been named Time magazine's Person of the Year for the year 2021.
• Musk is the world's wealthiest individual, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, with a net worth of $266 billion.
• The title of Time's Person of the Year, which the magazine has been naming since its inception in 1927, at the end of each calendar year represents the influence of the person or persons who were on the news in last year.
• Simone Biles and Olivia Rodrigo were named Athlete of the Year and Entertainer of the Year, respectively, by Time on December 9.
• Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were chosen as Persons of the Year in 2020.

Topic: Important Days

13. National Energy Conservation Day 2021: 14 December

• Every year on December 14, National Energy Conservation Day is celebrated.
• The day is dedicated to raising public awareness about global warming and climate change, as well as encouraging people to save energy.
• The Energy Efficiency Bureau (BEE) implemented the Energy Conservation Act in 2001.
• BEE is a constitutional entity that works under the Indian government and aids in the creation of energy-saving policies and programs.
• The Ministry of Power is commemorating Energy Conservation Week from December 8 to 14, 2021, as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• For school children, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency has organized National Level Painting Competitions on Energy Conservation.
• The theme for the 2021 competition is ‘AzadikaAmritMahotsav: Energy Efficient India” and ‘AzadikaAmritMahotsav: Cleaner Planet’.

Topic: International News

14. Dubai is the first government in the world to go '100% paperless'.

• According to Emirate's Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Makhtoum, the Dubai government is the first in the world to go completely paperless.
• The Dubai government's internal and external transactions and procedures are 100 percent digital and managed by a comprehensive digital government services platform.
• The Dubai Paperless Strategy was implemented in five phases, each involving a distinct group of Dubai government entities.
• The strategy was fully implemented throughout all 45 government entities in the emirate by the end of the fifth phase.
• More than 1,800 digital services and over 10,500 important transactions are provided by these organizations.
• This strategy has also helped to save the Dubai government's more than 1.3 billion dirhams (USD 350 million) and over 14 million man-hours.