Daily Current Affairs and GK | 16 February 2022

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

1. Government launched Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED).

• The Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar has launched the scheme for Economic empowerment of the De-notified (SEED).
• It has been launched for the welfare of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Communities.
• Under this scheme, good quality coaching, health insurance livelihoods initiative at community level and financial assistance for construction of houses will be provided to the members of DNT/NT/SNT Communities.
• Free Coaching for DNT students will help them to appear in competitive examinations and to take admissions in professional courses.
• The Scheme have four components and around Rs, 200 crore will be spent over 5 years.
• The Scheme will be implemented through a portal developed by the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment.
• The Government had constituted a National Commission for De-Notified, Nomadic, and Semi Nomadic Tribes in 2014.
• The Government had also formed the Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNCs) in 2019.
• There are nearly 1,500 nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes and 198 denotified tribes in India.

Topic: Corporates/Companies

2. Vedanta inked a pact with Foxconn to manufacture semiconductors in India.

• Vedanta has signed a pact with Foxconn to establish a joint venture (JV) for the manufacturing of semiconductors in India.
• Vedanta is the first company to announce investment in the manufacturing of semiconductors in India.
• According to this MoU, Vedanta will hold the majority stake and Anil Agarwal will be the Chairman of this joint venture.
• Recently, the government has announced a Rs 76,000-crore programme to boost the manufacturing of electronic chip and display ecosystems in India.
• This will be the first joint venture in electronics manufacturing after the announcement of the government policy.
• Vedanta is also planning to set up factories at different places for the manufacturing of semiconductors in India.
• Vedanta Limited is a mining company headquartered in Mumbai. Anil Agarwal is the founder and Chairman of Vedanta Resources Limited.

Topic: National News

3. Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of a secretariat for India's G20 presidency.

• On February 15, the Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of a G20 Secretariat and associated reporting structures.
• The Secretariat will be in charge of implementing the overall policy decisions and arrangements necessary for steering India’s forthcoming G20 Presidency.
• The G20 Presidency will be held by India from December 1, 2022, to November 30, 2023.
• The Secretariat will be operational until February 2024. It will be guided by an Apex Committee, which will be chaired by the Prime Minister.
• Finance Minister, Home Minister, External Affairs Minister, and G20 Sherpa will be member of this apex committee.
• G20:
  • The G20 is the principal forum of the world's 20 major economies for international economic cooperation.
  • Joko Widodo is its chairman.
  • It consists of 19 countries and the European Union.

Topic: Appointments

4. Vineet Joshi appointed as the next chairman of CBSE.

• The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has appointed Vineet Joshi as its next chairman on 14 February.
• Joshi has taken over from IAS Manoj Ahuja.
• He is presently an Additional Secretary in the Department of Higher Education.
• Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE):
  • It is a national-level board of education in India for public and private schools.
  • It works under the Ministry of Education.
  • It was formed on 2 July 1929. Its headquarter is in New Delhi.

Topic: Sports

5. Indian Railways to build a world-class wrestling academy in Delhi.

• The Indian Railways will establish a world-class wrestling academy in Kishanganj, Delhi, at a cost of approximately 30.76 crores.
• This will be India's biggest wrestling academy, with cutting-edge training facilities.
• Sushil (in 2008 and 2012), Sakshi Malik (in 2016), Ravi Kumar, and Bajrang Punia (in 2020) from Indian Railways have won the majority of India's wrestling medals at the Olympics.
• For their remarkable sporting achievements, railway sportsmen have received 27 Padam shri, 176 Arjuna, 12 Dhyanchand, 14 Dronacharya, and 9 Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Awards.

Topic: National News

6. Darkathon -2022 has been organised by NCB.

• The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) held the Darkathon -2022 in New Delhi on February 15.
• It has been organized to find solutions to counter drug trafficking through darknet.
• The initiative aims to involve students, youth, and technology experts in order to discover effective solutions to the anonymity of darknet markets.
• This hackathon will be held in three phases, beginning on February 14th and ending on April 22nd.
• The Darkathon registration began on February 15th and will close on the 31st of March.
• Darkathon's winner will receive a cash prize of 2.5 lakh rupees, while the runner-up and third winner will receive 2 lakh rupees and 1.5 lakh rupees, respectively.
• Narcotics Control Bureau:
  • It was established in 1986.
  • It is a government agency under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
  • It is responsible for tracking illegal drug trafficking and the implementation of international drug laws.

Topic: National News

7. Centre formed Ken-Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA).

• Centre has formed Ken-Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA) and a national steering committee for interlinking of Ken-Betwa Rivers.
• The national steering committee will have 20 members, including five central secretaries. It will be chaired by jal shakti ministry secretary.
• It will also have secretaries of ministries of environment, power and tribal affairs and the Department of Expenditure secretary.
• Other members in the steering committee will be additional chief secretaries of UP and MP governments and Central Water Commission chairman.
• The committee will also include heads of National Tiger Conservation Authority and National Waterway Development Authority and officials from state wildlife departments.
• The committee will meet at least twice a year, with a quorum of 2/3 of total members.
• KBLPA has been formed as a vertical of National Water Development Agency, an autonomous organization under Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• In Union Budget 2022-23, government has announced Rs 44,605 crore for Ken-Betwa Link Project.
• Ken River in Madhya Pradesh and Betwa River in Uttar Pradesh are both tributaries of Yamuna.

Topic: Personality in News

8. Bappi Lahiri passes away.

• Bollywood Music Composer and Singer Bappi Lahiri passed away recently.
• Alokesh Lahiri, famously known as Bappi Lahiri was instrumental in popularizing Disco music in India.
• He won Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award at 63rd Filmfare Awards.  He won Filmfare Best Music Album Award in 1985.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: International News

9. Canadian PM invokes emergency to quell anti-government protests.

• Canadian PM Trudeau invokes the Emergencies Act for the first time in last 50 years to end the anti-government protest.
• The Canadian government has made it mandatory for truck drivers to get vaccinated, only then they will be able to cross the border.
• People of Canada are protesting against this vaccination rule and restriction.
• The protest has affected the economy of Canada and its relations with the United States.
• The Emergencies Act was passed in 1988 and it can be used to ensure the safety and security of Canada.
• The act covers four emergencies: public welfare emergency, public order emergency, war emergency, and international emergency.
• The Emergencies Act gives the power to government to prohibit or regulate the assembling of citizens.
• The government can freeze the bank accounts of anyone linked to the protests.
• Canada:
  • It is a country in North America.
  • It is the world's second-largest country by total area.
  • Ottawa is the Capital and the Canadian dollar is the currency.

Topic: Important Days

10. RBI is observing financial literacy week from 14-18 February.

• The Reserve Bank of India is observing financial literacy week from 14-18 February.
• The main aim of observing this day is to create awareness about financial products and services, good financial practices, going digital, and consumer protection.
• The theme of this year’s financial literacy week is "Go Digital, Go Secure".
• This theme is one of the strategic objectives of the National Strategy for Financial Education 2020-2025.
• The main focus of Financial Literacy Week 2022 will be on spreading awareness about the Security of digital transactions and the Convenience of digital transactions.
• RBI is observing financial literacy week every year since 2016.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

11. PM Modi to inaugurate TERI's World Sustainable Development Summit.

• The World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) organized by TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 February.
• The theme of the summit is 'Towards a Resilient Planet: Ensuring a Sustainable and Equitable Future'. It is scheduled to be held from 16-18 February.
• Many issues will be discussed by experts including climate change, sustainable production, energy transitions, resource security, etc.
• This three-day summit will be attended by the President of the Dominican Republic and the President of Guyana.
• Ministers for Environment of many countries, heads of inter-governmental organizations, and delegates from 126 countries will participate in this summit.
• The main objective of this summit is to bring governments, business leaders, academicians, climate scientists on a common platform to discuss the issues related to climate change.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: State News/ Maharashtra

12. "Hope Express" will be launched in Maharashtra to prevent cancer.

• Maharashtra’s Health Minister Rajesh Tope announced that "Hope Express" will be launched in the state to prevent cancer.
• The Government will start Hope Express in every district of the state through district planning.
• This will be the first such machine in India.
• Maharashtra’s Health Minister also inaugurated the Oncoprime Cancer Center at the Hattarki Hospital in Gadhinglaj.
• Globally, Cancer is the second leading cause of death. Every minute 17 people die from cancer in the world.
• National Cancer Control Programme is a centrally sponsored scheme by the Ministry of Health and Family welfare.

Topic: Appointments

13. Ilker Ayci appointed as MD and CEO of Air India.

• The Tata Group has appointed Ilker Ayci as Air India’s Managing Director and CEO. His appointment will become effective on or before 1 April.
• Ilker Ayci is a former chairman of Turkish Airlines. He was appointed chairman of Turkish Airlines in 2015.
• The Air India board has approved the appointment of Mr. Ilker Ayci. This appointment is subject to requisite regulatory approvals.
• Recently, Tata Group has officially taken over Air India from the government of India.
• Currently, Air India controls over 4,400 domestic and 1,800 international landing and parking slots at domestic airports.
• Air India:
  • Industrialist Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy had launched it in 1932.
  • It flew its first flight as Tata Airlines on 15 October 1932.
  • It was nationalized in 1953.
  • Its headquarters is in New Delhi.

Topic: Miscellaneous

14. Manoj Tiwari named as brand ambassador for Khadi and other handicrafts of Bihar.

• Bhojpuri singer and BJP MP Manoj Tiwari has become the brand ambassador for Khadi and other handicrafts of Bihar.
• Manoj Tiwari will promote the use of Khadi fabric, which was popularized by Mahatma Gandhi during India’s Independence movement.
• Other brand ambassadors in News:
  • Krishi Network has announced Pankaj Tripathi as its ambassador. He has also invested in this start-up.
  • The former Indian National Kabaddi team captain Ajay Thakur has become the brand ambassador of Fan2Play.
  • Mamaearth ropes Samantha Ruth Prabhu as its brand ambassador.