Daily Current Affairs and GK | 19 January 2022

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

1. Nitin Gadkari inaugurated India’s first Intelligent Chronic Disease Patients Habit Tracking System.

• Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has inaugurated Madhavbaug’s, Power MAP. It is India’s first Intelligent Chronic Disease Patients Habit Tracking System.
• Power MAP is a medical analytics application. It is developed by Madhavbaug to help doctors in getting necessary medical intelligence regarding a patient’s clinical parameters.
• This application integrates various medical services like pathology labs, dietitians, exercise experts, stress counsellors and other specialized consultants.
• It will also provide in-depth medical analysis of a patient’s current health status and its comparison with historical data.
• Power MAP will provide access to medical professionals at a very low cost.
• Madhavbaug (Vaidya Sane Ayurved Labs Ltd) is a medical institution that treats chronic diseases by amalgamating technology with the traditional healing of Ayurveda.

Topic: National News

2. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi launched new rehabilitation & resettlement policy of NLC India Ltd.

• Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs, Pralhad Joshi, has launched new rehabilitation & resettlement policy of NLC India Ltd (NLCIL).
• The new rehabilitation & resettlement policy will be applicable to landowners of the NLCIL mines area.
• The Minister said that there is a provision to provide more facilities to the project affected families in the new policy.
• He said that NLCIL has signed an MoU with the Tamil Nadu government to impart skill development to the youth under Skill India Mission. 
• NLC India Ltd:
  • It is a Navratna public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Coal.
  • It was founded in 1956. It is headquartered in Neyveli, Tamil Nadu.

Topic: Indian Economy

3. SEBI lowered down time period for filing settlement applications to just 60 days.

• SEBI has lowered down time period for filing settlement applications from the current 180 days to just 60 days.
• As of now, applicants can file settlement applications within 60 days of the date of receipt of show-cause notice.
• However, applicants can get additional 120 days by paying additional 25% over the settlement charges. Now, SEBI has removed this provision of additional 120 days.
• The time for submission of revised settlement terms has been reduced to 15 days from the date of the internal committee (IC) meeting. The current rule provided 10 days plus additional 20 days.
• SEBI has also amended norms governing foreign portfolio investors (FPIs). SEBI can now grant exemption to FPIs from strict enforcement of any of provisions of these regulations.

Topic: Important Days

4. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) celebrated its 17^th raising day. 

• NDRF celebrates its raising day every year on 19 January. In 2022, it is celebrating its 17^th raising day.
• NDRF was raised on 19^th January 2006. It is the world’s first dedicated stand-alone Disaster Response Force.
• National Disaster Response Force (NDRF):
  • It was established in the year 2006 under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
  • It works under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
  • Its main objective is to provide immediate assistance in natural and man-made disasters.
  • Its motto is ‘Apda Seva Sadav Sarvatra’.
  • Atul Karwal is the current Director-General of NDRF.  

Topic: MoU/ Agreement

5. An MoU signed between NCGG and NIRD & PR, Hyderabad.

• The government of India's National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) and Hyderabad located National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD & PR) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 17 January 2022.
• The Memorandum of Understanding has been signed to enhance inclusive good governance, local institution strengthening, and the effective implementation of government programs.
• The main objective of this agreement is to bring better good governance mechanisms into practice by combining the strength of these two national organizations.
• National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG):
  • The National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) is an independent organization within the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances of the Indian government. 
  • Initially, the National Centre for Good Governance was established as the National Institute of Administrative Research (NIAR).
  • Its headquarters is in New Delhi.
  • Shri V. Srinivas is the additional Secretary of DARPG and Director General of the NCGG.

Topic: International News

6. Dimitar Kovacevski elected as North Macedonia's new Prime Minister.

• After more than two months of political turmoil, North Macedonia's Parliament has elected Social Democrat technocrat Dimitar Kovacevski as Prime Minister.
• Former Deputy Finance Minister Kovacevski took over Zoran Zaev, who stepped down the last month after his party's heavy defeat in municipal elections.
• North Macedonia:
  • North Macedonia is a country in the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe.
  • It became independent from Yugoslavia in 1991.
  • Its capital is Skopje and the currency is the Macedonian dinar.
  • Its President is Stevo Pendarovski.

Topic: Appointments

7. Appointment of Shashank Goel as Additional Secretary in Ministry of Labour and Employment has been approved.

• The appointment of Shashank Goel as Additional Secretary in Ministry of Labour and Employment has been approved by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
• Shailesh Kumar Singh has been appointed as Additional Secretary and Development Commissioner, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
• Manish Kumar Gupta has been appointed as Vice-Chairman, Delhi Development Authority in the rank of Additional Secretary.
• Chanchal Kumar has been appointed as Managing Director, National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

Topic: State News/Telangana

8. Telangana cabinet decides to introduce English medium in all government schools from academic year 2022-23.

• Telangana cabinet has also decided to regulate fees in private schools, junior and degree colleges.
• The cabinet has also given its approval to ‘Mana Vooru Mana Badi’ (Our Village-Our School) scheme at a cost of Rs 7289 crore.
• The scheme is for better infrastructure facilities and quality education in government schools.
• Telangana:
  • Telangana is a state in southern India. Its capital is Hyderabad.
  • Telangana Governor is Tamilisai Soundararajan and Chief Minister is K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
  • Telangana's state animal is reindeer, state bird is Indian roller, state tree is jummi chettu and state flower is Tangedu.
  • Telangana has 17 seats in the Lok Sabha and 119 assembly seats.

Topic: Report and Indices

9. Global unemployment to reach 207 million in 2022: International Labour Organisation.

• International Labour Organisation has released a report titled ‘World Employment and Social Outlook Trends 2022’.
• According to the World Employment and Social Outlook report, Global unemployment will reach 207 million in 2022. It will be almost 21 million more than in 2019.
• The global unemployment rate is projected to reach 5.9% in 2022.
• The total Global working hours in 2022 will be 2% below than pre-pandemic level - that is equivalent to the loss of 52 million full-time jobs.
• According to this report, around 40 million people will not participate in the global labour force in 2022.
• The pandemic has pushed millions of children into poverty. In 2020, 30 million adults fell into extreme poverty. The number of extreme poor has increased by 8 million.
• The report also states that global recovery is also following different trajectories. Labour market recovery is highest in high-income countries.
• Europe and North America are showing good signs of recovery while regions like South-East Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean have shown negative trends.
• Travel and tourism sectors are worst hit while sectors related to information technology have thrived.
• Women have been worst hit by labour market crisis as compared to men.

Topic: National News

10. Government approves 20 strategic projects under National Technical Textiles Mission.

• Ministry of Textiles has approved 20 strategic research projects in the field of Specialty fibers and geotextiles under the National Technical Textiles Mission.
• Amongst the 20 Research projects, 5 projects are in healthcare, 4 projects are in industrial and protective, 3 are in energy storage, 3 projects are in textile waste recycling and 4 projects are in geotextile.
• Earlier, the government had approved 11 research projects worth INR 78.60 Crores on 26 March 2021.
• Technical textiles are defined as textile materials and products that are used primarily for technical performance and functional properties.
• National Technical Textiles Mission:
  • The government has launched a National Technical Textiles Mission for promoting research and development in the textile sector.
  • The focus of the Mission is to promote the use of technical textiles in various strategic sectors.
  • The government had launched National Technical Textiles Mission for a period of 4 years (2020-21 to 2023-24) with an outlay of Rs.1480 crores.

Topic: Personality in News

11. Narayan Debnath passed away recently.

• Noted cartoonist, Narayan Debnath passed away recently.
• He was awarded Padma Shri in 2021. He also received Sahitya Akademi Award and Banga Bibhushan Award.
• He is known for Bengali comic strips of Handa Bhonda, Batul the Great and Nonte Phonte.
• He holds the record for the longest running comic by an individual artist for the Handa Bhonda comic series.

Topic: Art and Culture

12. Sumit Bhale from Maharashtra wins gold medal at International Folk Art Festival.

• Sumit Bhale from Maharashtra has won the gold medal at International Folk Art Festival in Dubai.
• He is a young Lavni artist from Maharashtra. He led the entire state of Maharashtra in International Folk Art Festival in Dubai.
• Lavni is a performing art that is a mixture of dance, music and acting. It forms a basic and necessary part of the rural culture of Maharashtra.
• Initially, it was meant for the entertainment of warriors. It used to be performed at camps of soldiers.

Topic: National News

13. Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya releases commemorative Postal Stamp on Covid-19 vaccine.

• Union Health Minister has released commemorative Postal Stamp on Covid-19 vaccine to commemorate the first anniversary of India's National Covid-19 Vaccination program.
• Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mandaviya said that 93% people above the age of 18 years have been vaccinated from the first dose and 70% of the population has been fully vaccinated.
• India’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign was launched by Prime Minister Modi on 16 January 2021.
• On June 21, 2021, vaccination was made free for all people over the age of 18.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

14. Dr Jitendra Singh releases CSIR Guidelines on Disinfection Technologies for Mitigation of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission.

• Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh released CSIR Guidelines on Disinfection Technologies for Mitigation of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission.
• He said that CSIR's newly developed disinfection technology is being installed to combat the pandemic in railway coaches, AC buses, closed spaces, etc.
• UV-C technology has been developed by the Ministry of Science & Technology through CSIR-CSIO (Central Scientific Instruments Organisation).
• The technology has been successfully tried in Railways, AC Buses and even the Parliament House and is now open for general roll-out for use by common masses.
• UV-C deactivates viruses, bacteria, fungus and other bio - aerosols etc. with appropriate dosages using 254nm UV light.