Daily Current Affairs and GK | 18 February 2022

Topic: Science and Technology

1. IIT Madras researchers developed a special class of Origami metamaterials.

• The researchers of IIT Madras have developed a special class of origami metamaterials to reduce shock.
• It has a constant value of Poisson’s Ratio when subjected to stress.
• This special class of Origami metamaterials has been developed by combining the Japanese art of paper folding (origami) and the existing material of choice.
• Origami-based metamaterials are designed by introducing folding creases into thin-film materials.
• Metamaterials have different properties and are not found in nature. It has a negative refractive index.
• Poisson’s ratio is defined as the ratio of lateral stress and longitudinal stress.

Topic: National News

2. Delhi Police becomes India’s first security force to launch ‘Smart Card Arms License'.

• Licensing unit of Delhi Police has decided to replace arms license booklet with Smart Card Arms License.
• Smart Card Arms License has inherent security features and is easy to carry and handle.
• It has been integrated with an e-beat book by means of mobile application Shastra App for effective policing.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah formally launched the smart card and Shastra App on 16 February on occasion of 75th anniversary of the Delhi Police.
• Both smart card and Shastra App have been designed and developed in association with National e-Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
• Delhi Police is also India’s first police organization to have launched e-arms license module. The module was launched on 31 January 2019.

Topic: Personality in News

3. Litterateur Dr. Chennaveera Kanavi passes away.

• Kannada litterateur (person interested in and having knowledge about literature) Dr Chennaveera Kanavi has passed away recently.
• He had won Sahitya Akademi award for his book 'Jeevadhwani'. He was known as "Samanvayada Kavi" and "Soujanyada Kavi".
• He also received Rajyotsava Award, Pampa Award, Nadoja title, Nrupathunga award and Sahitya Bangara Award.

Topic: State News/ Madhya Pradesh

4. PM Modi to virtually launch Asia's largest Bio-CNG plant at Indore in MP.

• PM Modi will virtually launch Asia's largest Bio-CNG plant at Indore in Madhya Pradesh on 19 February 2022.
• This Bio CNG plant will be run from 100% wet waste. The plant is built in PPP mode.
• It has been established on 15 acres land of Indore Municipal Corporation in Devguradia area with an investment of Rs 150 crore.
• 400 buses can be run daily with the gas generated from the Bio-CNG plant.
• Madhya Pradesh:
  • It is the second-largest state in India in terms of area.
  • Capital of Madhya Pradesh is Bhopal.
  • Largest city of Madhya Pradesh is Indore.
  • It shares its border with Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
  • Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
  • Governor of Madhya Pradesh: Mangubhai C. Patel

Topic: MoUs/ Agreements

5. Tourism Ministry and Alliance Air Aviation Limited signed an MoU to boost domestic tourism.

• The Tourism Ministry and Alliance Air Aviation Limited (AAAL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to improve collaboration in the promotion and marketing of domestic tourism across the country.
• The MoU has been signed to achieve the common purpose of joint domestic promotion and to improve synergise in the activities of MoT and AAAL in the tourism markets.
• Alliance Air is the front-runner in promoting the government's “Regional Connectivity Scheme”, which is being promoted under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Awards and Prizes

6. RailTel received ICAI financial reporting excellence award.

• RailTel has won the ICAI award for excellence in financial reporting in the Public Sector Entities category for the year 2020-21.
• RailTel has been adjudged as winner in the 'plaque' category.
• The award has been conferred by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), the country's preeminent accounting body.
• Despite the Covid epidemic, RailTel has recorded its highest-ever consolidated income of Rs 1,411 crore in FY 20-21, with an increase of 21%.
• For the fiscal year 2021-22, the RailTel has announced an interim dividend of 17.5 percent of paid-up share capital (Rs 1.75 per share).
• ICAI award:
  • This award was established to encourage higher standards in the preparation and presentation of financial statements information.
  • Since 1958, the award has been given by ICAI annually.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

7. Ministry of Power releases Green Hydrogen/ Green Ammonia Policy.

• The policy deals with production of Green Hydrogen/ Green Ammonia using renewable sources of energy. Important highlights of the policy are given below.
  • Manufacturers of Green Hydrogen/Ammonia can buy renewable power from the power exchange or establish renewable energy capacity themselves or through any other, developer, anywhere.
  • Green Hydrogen / Ammonia producers can bank their unconsumed renewable power with a distribution firm for up to 30 days and take it back when needed.
  • Manufacturers of Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia will be allowed waiver of inter-state transmission charges for a period of 25 years for the projects commissioned before 30 June 2025.
  • Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will set up a single portal for carrying out all the activities including statutory clearances in a time bound manner to ensure ease of doing business.
• The policy is a step towards National Hydrogen Mission, which was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister on 15 August, 2021.
• The mission aims to help government in meeting its climate targets and making India a green hydrogen hub.
• This will help India in meeting the target of production of 5 million tonnes of Green hydrogen by 2030.
• Hydrogen/Ammonia produced by using power from renewable energy is termed as Green Hydrogen/Green Ammonia.

Topic: International News

8. Nepal to be first country to adopt UPI platform of India.

• Nepal will be first country to adopt India’s Unified Payment Interface (UPI) as the payments platform.
• NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) has joined hands with Gateway Payments Service Pvt Ltd and Manam Infotech Private Limited to deploy UPI in Nepal.
• Gateway Payments Service Pvt Ltd is authorized Payment System Operators in Nepal. It will run and manage UPI in Nepal as the Nepal Rastra Bank Authorized Payment System Operator.
• In 2021, UPI enabled 39 billion financial transactions. These transactions amount to commerce worth USD 940 billion, which is equivalent to approximately 31% of India’s GDP.
• NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) is the International arm and a wholly-owned subsidiary of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• Nepal:
  • Nepal is a landlocked nation. It shares a border with Indian states like Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, West Bengal, and Bihar.
  • Its capital is Kathmandu and the currency is Nepalese Rupees.
  • Bidya Devi Bhandari is the President of Nepal and Sher Bahadur Deuba is the Prime Minister of Nepal.

Topic: State News/ Gujarat

9. Gujarat government announced New Biotechnology Policy for 2022-27.

• The Government will give special packages to Mega and large projects and the strategic projects under this policy.
• Under this new policy, the MSMEs with a capital investment of less than 200 crore rupees will be given maximum assistance of 40 crore rupees.
• The MSMEs with a capital investment of more than 200 crore rupees will get assistance up to 25% of the total capital expenditure.
• Mega and large projects with a capital investment of more than 200 crore rupees will get assistance up to 15 percent of the total operating cost.
• The financial assistance will be provided in the form of 20 quarterly installments over five years.
• The main aim of this policy is to attract investment in the state and create job opportunities for youth.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Appointments

10. G Ashok Kumar appointed as India’s first National Maritime Security Coordinator.

• Former Navy Vice Chief G Ashok Kumar appointed as India’s first National Maritime Security Coordinator.
• National Maritime Security Coordinator will be part of the National Security Council Secretariat. He will report to National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
• National Maritime Security Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating will all the agencies involved in maritime security and maritime civil issues.
• National Maritime Security Coordinator will be responsible to look after the maritime security of India and will be the nodal point for all issues related to it.
• The need of this coordinating agency was first envisaged after the Kargil War. A group of ministers had recommended forming an apex body for the management of maritime affairs.
• After the 26/11 terror attacks, Defense Ministry recommended forming a Maritime Security Advisory Board and appointing a Maritime Security Advisor.
• The Navy has also proposed to set up a National Maritime Domain Awareness Center. It will be a multi-agency body comprising Navy, Coast Guard, intelligence agencies, state marine police forces, etc.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

11. RK Singh and Angus Taylor co-chaired 4^th India-Australia Energy Dialogue.

• Various topics associated with energy transition, renewable energy, energy efficiency, storage, electronic vehicles were discussed during the meeting.
• A letter of intent has been also signed between both countries on New and Renewable Energy Technology.
• It will help in reducing the cost of new and renewable energy technologies.
• The primary aim of this Letter of Intent (LoI) is to increase the production and deployment of ultra-low-cost solar and clean hydrogen.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

12. Kharu team won 15^th CEC Cup Women's Ice Hockey Championship 2022.

• The Kharu team defeated Lalok by 4-1 at the Ice Hockey Rink, NDS Sports Complex at Leh.
• Seven teams have participated in the tournament. 
• It was organized by the District Youth Services and Sports Department in collaboration with Ladakh Winter Sports Club Leh.

Topic: State News/ Bihar

13. Bihar government will commemorate 15 February as 'Shahid Diwas'.

• Bihar CM Nitish Kumar announced that 15 February will be celebrated as 'Shahid Diwas'.
• It will be celebrated in the memory of the 34 freedom fighters who were killed by police in Tarapur town in Munger district 90 years ago.
• The Tarapur massacre was carried out by the British police after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
• A group of young freedom fighters planned to hoist Indian national flag at Thana Bhavan in Tarapur on 15 February 1932.
• The plan was known to the police, and numerous officers were present on the spot.
• Around 4000 crowds pelted stones on police and in response police opened indiscriminate fire on the crowd. 34 freedom fighters died in this incident.
• The Bihar government has taken this initiative to recognize and to take pride in the modern history of the state.

Topic: International News

14. India, UAE to sign Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement on 18 February.

• CEPA will be signed during a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan.
• India and UAE have started the negotiations for CEPA in September 2021 and now it has been completed.
• CEPA will increase the bilateral trade and investment between both countries.
• Both countries have been making efforts to enhance cooperation in new areas like fintech, startups, and renewable energy.
• UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner and the bilateral trade between the two countries is around USD 60 billion.
• A Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is a free trade agreement between two countries. It covers negotiation on trade in services and investment, and other areas of economic partnership. India has signed CEPA with many countries like South Korea and Japan.

(Source: News on AIR)