Daily Current Affairs and GK | 15 April 2022

Topic: Indian Economy

1. Consumer Price Index (CPI) based retail inflation rose to a 17-month high at 6.95 % in March 2022.

• As per data released by National Statistical Organisation, retail inflation has increased from 6.07 % in February to 6.95% in March 2022.
• Inflation based on Consumer Price Index has increased mainly due to rising food and oil prices. Apart from this, the vegetable prices have also increased by 11.64 %.
• According to the data, there is a steady decline in consumer demand and it has been recorded at 6.6%. The annual contraction in consumer demand was the highest in the past five months.
• Retail inflation has exceeded the RBI target for the third consecutive month.
• The RBI has been mandated by the government to keep retail inflation at 4 % with a margin of 2 % on either side.
• Index of Industrial Production (IIP) witnessed a growth of 1.7 % in February 2022.

Topic: Sports

2. Rohit Sharma has become 2^nd Indian to score 10,000 runs in T20 cricket.

• Rohit Sharma made this record during the IPL 2022 match between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings.
• Rohit Sharma is the seventh batter to achieve the record of 10,000 runs in the T20s.
• Virat Kohli is the first Indian to score 10 thousand runs in the T20 cricket.
• Rohit Sharma:
  • He is current captain of India’s men's national cricket team (Team India). In domestic cricket, he plays for Mumbai.
  • He is the only player to have hit three double-centuries in one-day internationals.
  • He holds world record for the greatest individual score in a one-day international match.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Days

3. World Art Day: 15 April

• 15^th April was proclaimed as World Art Day at the 40^th session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 2019.
• First World Art Day was celebrated in 2012. It is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Leonardo Da Vinci, a painter, sculptor, architect of Italy.
• UNESCO celebrates this day in association with the International Association of Art.

Topic: Art and Culture

4. Vishu festival celebrated by Keralites on 15 April 2022.

• The festival marks beginning of spring and harvest season and first day of Malayalam month Medam.
• On the occasion, family members wake up early morning to view Vishukani.
• Then, Vishukaineettam is given to the youngsters by the elders in the family. Vishukaineettam is a token amount. 
• Vishukani is an arrangement of raw rice, coins, golden cucumber, cotton dhoti, coins, etc. It is placed before the idol of Lord Krishna.
• Onam, Thrissur Pooram, Attukal Pongala, Makaravilakku and Theyyam are the other important festivals in Kerala.

Topic: State News / Haryana

5. Haryana government will set up a training institute for drone pilots.

• Haryana will establish a drone pilot training centre to aid in capacity development.
• The institute, to be established under the aegis of the Drone Imaging and Information Service of Haryana Limited (DRIISHYA), will give training to personnel of DRIISHYA and other organisations.
• DRIISHYA's second board of directors meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, made a decision in this regard.
• Haryana is the first state to create a separate corporation to expedite the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-powered governance application.
• Khattar said that with the help of drones, cases of land encroachment can be controlled and the extent of the area can also be detected.

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(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Days

6. World Chagas Disease Day 2022: 14 April

• Every year on April 14, World Chagas Disease Day is commemorated to raise awareness about the disease.
• This day was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) at the 72^nd World Health Assembly in 2019.
• The theme of World Chagas Disease Day 2022 is "Finding and reporting every case to defeat Chagas disease".
• On April 14, 2020, the first World Chagas Disease Day was observed.
• It has been named after Carlos Ribeiro Justiniano Chagas, the Brazilian doctor.
• Chagas disease:
  • It is also known as American trypanosomiasis.
  • Around 6 million to 7 million people in the world are infected with this disease.
  • It mainly transmits to humans through insects known as Triatominae.
  • It can lead to heart problems and digestive complications.
  • It is mainly prevalent in Latin America.

Topic: Sports

7. India will host Street Child Cricket World Cup 2023.

• 22 teams from 16 countries will come to India to participate in Street Child Cricket World Cup next year.
• The event will be held in September before the ICC World Cup. The venues of the event will be announced later.
• The world cup is organized by Street Child United (a UK-based charity) and Save the Children India.
• Save the Children India (also known as Bal Raksha Bharat) is a non-profit organization. It is a member of the international Save the Children Alliance.
• Street Child Cricket World Cup:
  • It was held in London in 2019. A total of eight teams participated in 2019.
  • In 2019, Team India South won the cup by defeating host England.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: National Appointments

8. Iqbal Singh Lalpura has been reappointed as NCM chairperson.

• He is an ex-IPS officer of Punjab cadre. He was appointed as NCM chairperson in September 2021.
• He had served as Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Punjab Police.
• National Commission for Minorities (NCM):
  • The central government has established it under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.
  • It is a statutory body. It consists of a chairperson, a vice-chairperson and five members.
  • The NCM was first set up in May 1993.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

9. Indian Institute of Science (IISc) study found microplastics in the Cauvery river.

• A new study by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) revealed that microplastics found in the Cauvery River may affect the skeletal deformities of fish.
• The study has been led by Upendra Nongthomba, a professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).
• The researchers also found unstable molecules called ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) in the cells of the fish.
• These ROS molecules can cause disorders in the fish body as well as damage the DNA of the organisms.
• Nongthomba’s lab conducted a comprehensive study of pollution near the KRS Dam and the potential effects of pollution on fish.
• The researchers detected microplastics and toxic chemicals by using a technique called Raman spectroscopy.
• According to the researchers, the effect of ROS molecule on fish has been found in places where the flow of Cauvery is slow or there is stagnant water.
• Microplastics and chemicals of the cyclohexyl group have decreased dissolved oxygen in the river.
• The pieces of plastic smaller than 0.2 inches in diameter are called Microplastics.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

10. Telangana government signed MoU with Thailand government for the growth of SMEs and startups.

• Telangana’s Department of Industries and Commerce and Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce signed an MoU for cooperation in the field of SMEs (small and medium enterprises) and startups.
• They have signed a memorandum of understanding for promoting bilateral trade and investment through innovation eco-system enabler T-Hub, Telangana State GlobalLinker and Thaitrade.com of Thailand.
• Both governments will also explore opportunities to enhance investment in the field of agro-based food processing, wood processing and wood-based industry.
• This MoU has been signed on the occasion of the 75^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Thailand.
• This is the first such agreement between an Indian state and the Government of Thailand.

Topic: Indian Economy

11. Government released 10th and 11th Edition of Status Paper on Government Debt.

• It will give detail about the overall debt position of the Government of India.
• The government is releasing the Annual Status Paper on Government Debt since 2010-11.
• It will increase transparency by providing detail of the debt operations during the year 2019-20 and 2020-21.
• The Debt Management Strategy (DMS) is based mainly on three pillars: low cost, risk mitigation and market development.
• Detail of Government Debt:
  • Government total net liabilities stood at 59.2 per cent of GDP till March 2021. It was 49.1 per cent of GDP at the end of March 2020.
  • General Government Debt (GGD)-GDP ratio has increased from 73.7 per cent to 87.8 per cent.
  • Out of the total liabilities of the government, 94.7 per cent are in domestic currency.
  • The share of marketable securities in internal debt has decreased as compared to last year.
  • In 2020-21, the Interest Payments to Revenue Receipts (IP-RR) ratio of the Centre has reached at 41.6 per cent.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

12. Netherlands wins 2022 FIH Junior Women's Hockey World Cup title.

• Netherland defeated Germany by 3-1 in the finals of the FIH Junior Women's Hockey World Cup.
• Danique van der Veerdonk of Netherland scored the first goal in seven minutes.
• England defeated India 3-0 in the shoot-out and won the bronze medal.
• Mumtaz from India is the highest scorer in the tournament with eight goals.
• Women's FIH Hockey Junior World Cup:
  • It was earlier known as the Women's Hockey Junior World Cup.
  • It is organized by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
  • The first edition was held in 1989. 

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Economy/Banking/Finance

13. World Trade Organization slashed its forecast for global trade from 4.7% to 3% for FY 2022.

• For FY 2023, global trade growth is expected to remain at 3.4%. World GDP at market exchange rates is expected to grow by 3.2% in 2023.
• World Trade Organization has lowered its forecast due to the Russia-Ukraine war and it warned that the global economy will be divided into rival blocks.
• Western sanctions on Russian businesses and individuals will affect the commercial services trade.
• The most immediate economic impact of the Russia-Ukraine war has been a sharp rise in the prices of commodities and Oil.
• According to the World Trade Organization’s report, imports and GDP will decline in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region.
• Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan comes under the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

14. Falguni Nayar selected as ‘EY Entrepreneur of the Year’ for 2021.

• She will represent India at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award on June 9.
• In 2019, She had won the EY Entrepreneur of The Year Award in the Start-up category.
• Falguni Nayar is the founder & CEO of Nykaa, a Cosmetics & beauty products e-commerce Company.
• A.M. Naik won the Lifetime Achievement Award. He is Group Chairman of Larsen & Toubro.
• Other important winners and categories of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award 2021 are given below.