Daily Current Affairs and GK | 17 February 2022

Topic: International News

1. India and Germany signed work plan 2022 to strengthen cooperation.

• India and Germany have signed the work plan 2022 during the 8th annual meeting of the Indo-German Working Group on Quality Infrastructure.
• The Working Group meeting is being held every year since 2013. It identifies areas of cooperation for strengthening quality infrastructure.
• The Work Plan 2022 will create a roadmap for collaboration towards well-functioning and resilient systems of quality infrastructures.
• The Work Plan 2022 agreed between both countries will include collaboration in mobility, energy, circular economy, smart farming/ agriculture, etc.
• It will help in reducing technical trade barriers, enhance product safety and strengthen consumer protection.
• Germany also shared the outcome of the Global Quality Infrastructure Index (GQII).
• India has been kept on 7^th position on standardization aspect, 9^th for Accreditation activities and 19^th for the Metrology related activities.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: State News/Maharashtra

2. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways unveiled water taxi service in Mumbai.

• Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal unveiled a water taxi service in Mumbai.
• Due to the water taxi services, the commuting time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai is expected to be reduced by almost 45 minutes to an hour.
• The water taxi service is being started from Belapur with a total of 8 boats.
• It will take only 30 minutes by speed boat from Belapur to Bhaucha Dhakka in South Mumbai.

Topic: National News

3. Railway successfully connects T-49 tunnel.

• Railway has successfully connected the main tunnel of the Katra-Banihal section, T-49 between Sumber and Arpinchala stations.
• South entrance of the T-49 tunnel is located in Sumber village. It is 45 km from Ramban district headquarters in Jammu and Kashmir.
• North entrance of the tunnel is located near Arpinchala village of Khari tehsil, Ramban district, in Mahu-Mangat Valley.
• T-49 tunnel is the longest transportation tunnel of India. It is 12.758 km long. It is lengthier than 11.2-km long Pir Panjal Tunnel on the Banihal-Qazigund section.
• Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link is set to be 272-km long.
• Out of 272-km, 161-km has already been commissioned and operationalized. The remaining 111-km stretch is under progress at a rapid pace.

Topic: Art and Culture

4. Medaram Tribal Fair has started in Telangana.

• 4-day long biennial Medaram Tribal Fair has started in Mulugu, Telangana.
• It is believed to be Asia’s largest tribal fair. It is celebrated every two years at Medaram village.
• It commemorates the fight of Sammakka and Saralamma, against Kakatiya rulers’ oppression.
• The fair has been declared a state festival by Telangana state Government. It will culminate on the 19^th Feb.
• The tribals perform prayers in the bamboo grove every two years. They bring back a casket of vermillion and bamboo sticks wrapped in red cloth. It symbolizes the return of Sammakka and Saralamma.
• During the celebration, the tribals offer jaggery equal to their own weight as a replacement for gold.
• The fair also attracts non-Adivasis. Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs has sanctioned over two crore rupees for Medaram Jatara.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. New India Literacy Programme approved by Centre for FY 2022-2027.

• A new scheme, New India Literacy Programme, has been approved by the government for the period of FY 2022 to 2027.
• The scheme will include all aspects of adult education and will be in line with the National Education Policy 2020 and the Budget Announcements for 2021-22.
• Adult Education and Lifelong Learning are recommended in the National Education Policy 2020.
• The objective of the scheme is to impart not only foundational literacy and numeracy but also to cover other components which are necessary for a citizen of 21st century.
• Non-literates aged 15 and above will be covered by the scheme in all states and UTs across the country.
• The scheme will be implemented through volunteerism through online mode.
• The entire cost of the ‘New India Literacy Programme’ is estimated to be over 1037 crore rupees.
• Performance Grading Index (PGI) for State/UT and district level will show the performance of States and UTs in implementing the scheme.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Agriculture and Allied Sectors

6. Foodgrain production is estimated to cross above 316 million tonnes in 2021-22.

• For 2021-22, the government has expected a record foodgrains production of more than 316 million tonnes in the country.
• The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has released the Second Advance Estimates of Major Crop Production for 2021-22.
• This is 5.32 million tonnes more than the foodgrain production in 2020-21.
• This financial year's production of foodgrains is 25.35 million tonnes more than the previous five years' average production.
• Comparison between Estimated Production for 2021-22 and the previous five years’ (2016-17 to 2020-21) average production of foodgrains:

Topic: Defence

7. Air forces of Bangladesh-US to conduct exercise ‘Cope South 22’.

• Bangladesh-US Air forces will conduct bilateral tactical airlift exercise ‘Cope South 22’.
• The six day long joint air exercises will be conducted between February 20-25 at BAF Kurmitola Cantonment, Dhaka, and Operating Location-Alpha, Sylhet, Bangladesh.
• Two US Air Force C-130J Super Hercules and two Bangladeshi C-130Js will take part in the exercise.
• The exercise aims to improve interoperability with Bangladesh’s air force and to support the armed forces of Bangladesh's long-term modernization efforts.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Indian Economy

8. RBI extends deadline for NBFCs to comply with new NPA recognition norms.

• The timeline for Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) to adhere to new NPA recognition norms has been extended by RBI by six months.
• Earlier, 31 March was the deadline for NBFCs to upgrade NPAs only after all arrears and principal dues are paid.
• NBFCs will now have time till 30 September to put in place the necessary systems to implement this provision.
• RBI has also issued a clarification that loans classified as NPA will be upgraded to the standard category only if all dues are paid.
• Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs):
  • Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) are companies registered under the Companies Act, 1956 and regulated by RBI under RBI Act, 1934.
  • NBFCs are not allowed to accept demand deposits. Their depositors do not get a deposit insurance facility of Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation. So, they are different from banks.

Topic: State News/ Ladakh

9. Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council launched a new scheme ‘Kunsnyoms’ for differently-abled persons.

• Recently, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council has launched the ‘Kunsnyoms’ scheme for differently-abled persons.
• It aims to provide assistive devices/technologies to differently-abled persons at a 90% subsidized rate.
• The main objective of this scheme is to create an inclusive and accessible society in Ladakh.
• LAHDC Leh Chief Executive Councillor and Chairman Tashi Gyalson launched this new scheme.
• He and his executive councilors distributed 28 tri scooters, battery-run wheelchairs, and other devices.
• Ladakh:
  • It became a Union Territory on 31 October 2019.
  • It comprises two districts namely Leh and Kargil.
  • Radha Krishna Mathur is the current Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

10. WHO launched ‘Quit Tobacco App’ to help people in quitting tobacco.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) launched the ‘Quit Tobacco App’ to quit tobacco in all forms.
• It is the first of its kind app launched by WHO and it helps users in setting the target, managing cravings and staying focused on quitting tobacco.
• This app has been launched during WHO’s year-long ‘Commit to quit’ campaign. ‘Commit to quit’ campaign is an initiative started by WHO for South-East Asia Region.
• Tobacco use can cause many non-communicable diseases (NCD) including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases, and diabetes.
• WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is one of the measures to reduce the demand and supply of tobacco.
• Every year Tobacco kills around 8 million people and around 1.6 million death occurs in the South-East Asia Region.
• Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems/ e-cigarettes, sheesha/hukkah have further increased the challenge of controlling tobacco.

Topic: National News

11. Government is planning to prepare digital maps of all villages.

• The government of India is planning to prepare digital maps of 6,00,000 villages and 3D maps of 100 cities under the SVAMITVA scheme.
• The updated geospatial policy guidelines will help private companies to prepare a variety of maps with the help of drones. The government will soon announce a complete geospatial policy.
• The Geographical Information based system mapping will be useful in forest management, disaster management, water distribution, and property taxation.
• So far, the government had conducted surveys of more than 1 lakh villages and created maps of 77, 527 villages.
• The government had launched the SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) scheme in 2020.

Topic: National News

12. NITI Aayog and PhonePe launches Fintech Open Hackathon.

• NITI Aayog in association with PhonePe has launched Fintech Open Hackathon.
• It will provide an opportunity for innovators, digital creators, and developers to present their ideas.
• Its main aim is to showcase path-breaking solutions for the Fintech Ecosystem.
• The winners of the Hackathon will be announced on 28 February.
• The first prize winner will get a cash prize of Rs 1 50,000 while the second place winner will get an award of Rs 1,00,000.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Personality in News

13. Renowned Bengali singer Sandhya Mukhopadhyay passes away at the age of 90 in Kolkata.

• The film industry has given her the title of ‘Geetashree’.
• She was a recipient of Banga Bibhusan, the highest civilian honour given by the Bengal government.
• She received the National Film Award for best female playback singer in 1970.
• She had sung the duet “Bol Papihe Bol” with Lata Mangeshkar for the film Tarana in 1951.

Topic: Corporates/Companies

14. Dabur India becomes India’s first ‘plastic waste neutral’ FMCG company.

• It has collected, processed and recycled around 27000 metric tonnes of plastic waste during last financial year.
• Dabur’s Plastic Waste Management initiative was started in 2017-18 as part of the Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rule.
• Dabur has also launched ‘Save the Environment’ campaign in Himachal Pradesh to create awareness about the management of plastic waste within households.
• Dabur has also established a robust audit mechanism to ensure complete transparency and compliance of the state and central regulations and guidelines on Plastic Waste Management.
• Dabur India is promoting cotton bags to replace plastic bags.