Daily Current Affairs and GK | 22 December 2021

Topic: Important Days

1. National Mathematics Day: 22 December

• National Mathematics Day is celebrated every year on December 22 across the country.
• It is celebrated as the birth anniversary of mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan. He has given 3500 mathematical formulae to the world.
• Its main objective is to raise awareness among people about the importance of mathematics for the development of humanity.
• In 2012, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared 22 December as National Mathematics Day.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

2. NITI Aayog signed Statement of Intent with United Nations World Food Programme.

• NITI Aayog has signed a Statement of Intent with the United Nations World Food Programme.
• Under the statement of intent signed, the focus will be on mainstreaming millets and strengthening climate-resilient agriculture for enhancing food and nutrition security in India.
• According to the statement, numerous steps have been taken to promote the production of millets.
• The Government has set up a center for excellence, integration of Nutri-cereals in the National Food Security Act, and establishment of Millet Mission in multiple states.
• The government had observed 2018 as a year of millets to encourage and promote millet production in India.
• United Nations General Assembly has also declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
• Under the partnership, both parties will work in four phases for the development of a best practice compendium around millet mainstreaming.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Books and Authors

3. Tusshar Kapoor launched his debut book ‘Bachelor Dad’.

• Tusshar Kapoor has written his first book titled ‘Bachelor Dad’. 
• He became a single father via surrogacy in 2016.
• In this book, he has shared his journey of being a single father.
• It will be published by Penguin India. It will be unveiled in January 2022.

Topic: Appointments

4. Mohit Jain elected President of Indian Newspaper Society.

• Mohit Jain of the Economic Times has been elected as the President of the Indian Newspaper Society.
• Mohit Jain will take place of L Adimoolam of the Health & The Antiseptic. K Raja Prasad Reddy has been elected as the deputy president.
• Tanmay Maheshwari of 'Amar Ujala' has been elected as the honorary treasurer of the society for 2021-22.
• Rakesh Sharma of 'Aaj Samaj' has been chosen as the Vice-President of the Indian Newspaper Society.

Topic: Defence

5. First set of indigenously developed next-generation AERV inducted into Corps of Engineers of Indian Army.

• First set of indigenously developed next-generation Armoured Engineer Reconnaissance Vehicle (AERV) was inducted into Corps of Engineers of Indian Army on 21 December.
• Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane flagged off and inducted the Reconnaissance Vehicle in a solemn function at Bombay Engineering Group in Pune.
• AERV has been designed by DRDO and manufactured by Ordnance Factory Medak & Bharat Electronics Limited, Pune.
• The AERV has been developed by modifying the amphibious infantry fighting vehicle BMP-II. It will enhance the existing engineer reconnaissance capabilities of Indian Army.
• The Corps of Engineers is one of the oldest arms of the Indian Army. It consists of three groups of combat engineers. These three groups are Madras Sappers, Bengal Sappers and Bombay Sappers.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Indian Polity

6. J&K Delimitation Commission proposes six additional assembly seats for Jammu and Kashmir division.

• J&K Delimitation Commission has proposed six additional assembly seats for Jammu division and one for Kashmir division.
• Kashmir division currently has 46 seats. Jammu currently has 37 seats. Total number of seats in Jammu region would increase to 43 and in the Kashmir region to 47.
• For the first time, in J&K, nine seats are proposed to be allocated for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and seven seats are proposed for Scheduled Castes (SCs).
• J&K Delimitation Commission is headed by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai.
• It met all the five Associate Members including Dr Farooq Abdullah, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Hasnain Masoodi and Jugal Kishore Sharma, in New Delhi on 20 December.
• Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and Chief Electoral Officer of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir also attended the meeting.
• The three-member commission was set up on March 6, 2020, to redraw assembly constituencies of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Topic: State News/ Odisha

7. Odisha's longest bridge over Mahanadi inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

• Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has inaugurated the longest bridge of Odisha over the Mahanadi river at Gopinathpur.
• It is a 3.4 km long bridge that will connect Singhanath Pitha and Baideswar in the Cuttack district.
• It has been constructed in T Shape and it has been built at cost of 111 crores. The foundation stone of the bridge was laid on February 28, 2014, by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
• It will now reduce the distance between Badamba and Baideswhar, Banki by 45 kilometers and it will also provide connectivity to Shinghanath Temple.
• Till now, the 2.88-km-long Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Setu over Kathajodi river at Trisulia was the longest bridge of Odisha. It connects Bhubaneswar and Cuttack via Barang.
• In the next two to three years, Road Transport and Highways Ministry has planned to execute infra projects worth an amount of Rs 7 lakh crore.

Topic: Agriculture

8. AIM, NITI Aayog & UNCDF announce first AgriTech cohort under South-South Innovation platform.

• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) have launched their first AgriTech Challenge cohort.
• This AgriTech Challenge cohort will help smallholder farmers of Asia and Africa to address the challenges raised after the Pandemic.
• AgriTech Challenge cohort is part of the South-South Innovation platform launched earlier this year.
• The Cohort represents a diverse range of solutions including soil analysis, farm management, dairy ecosystem, carbon credits, etc.
• AIM, NITI Aayog in partnership with UNCDF, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Rabo Foundation launched a South-South innovation platform. Its main objective is to exchange innovation, insight, and investment.
• This platform will help in cross-border collaboration among emerging markets like India, Indonesia, Malawi, Malaysia, Kenya, etc.
• More than 130 innovators have applied to join the Challenge for addressing challenges associated with productivity, climate risk, and supply chain gaps for smallholder farmers. A selected set of solutions were presented to a global jury.
• The selected participants will receive support for expansion through direct industry linkages, target market and investor connections.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Reports and Indices

9. India is among world's top three dope violators country.

• According to the latest WADA report, India is among the world's top three dope violators country in the world.
• India was placed fourth with 107 ADRVs in the previous WADA report meant for anti-doping violations.
• In 2019, 152 (17 percent of the world total) Anti-doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) were reported in India. The maximum dope offenders are from bodybuilding followed by weightlifting (25), athletics (20), wrestling (10), and boxing.
• Russia (167) and Italy (157) are the top two dope violators in the world. Brazil (78) is at fourth and Iran (70) fifth positions.
• As per the latest report, 278,047 samples were collected by Anti-Doping Organisations around the world. Out of these samples, 2,701 (1 percent) were reported as Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs).
• Among Olympic sports worldwide, athletics has the largest number of dope offenders (18 percent), it is followed by weightlifting.
• Earlier, Russia was banned from participating in Tokyo Olympics for not complying with international anti-doping rules.

Topic: Indian Economy

10. SEBI bans derivative trade of 7 agriculture commodities on future’s platform of NCDEX.

• SEBI has banned derivative trade of 7 agriculture commodities on future’s platform of National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) for a year.
• The seven agriculture commodities are chana, wheat, paddy (non-basmati), soyabean and its derivatives, mustard seed and its derivatives, crude palm oil and moong.
• According to the traders, the decision has been taken to control food inflation before the upcoming elections to the five states.
• Government has banned future’s trade as it is trying to insulate the market from the price shock in case the production is not as per the expectations.

Topic: National News

11. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas launches seventh round bid of Open Acreage Licensing Programme.

• Open Acreage Licensing Programme Bid Round-VII has been launched by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. 
• The bids can be submitted till February 15, 2022. Award of these blocks is likely to be completed by the end of March 2022.
• Eight blocks under present bid round are spread across 6 Sedimentary Basins. They include five Onland blocks, two shallow Water blocks and one Ultra Deep Water block.
• Successful award of Round-VII Blocks would add further 15,766 sq. km of exploration acreage.
• Cumulative acreage under Open Acreage Licensing Programme (OALP) will be increased to 207,692 sq. km.
• NOTE:
  • The Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) was approved in March 2016.
  • Since the launch of HELP on 30 March 2016, five rounds of OALP have been concluded for 105 blocks. Award of 21 blocks under Sixth round of OALP is under progress.
  • These 126 blocks comprise about 191,926 sq km of area spread across 18 sedimentary basins.

Topic: State News/Jharkhand

12. Jharkhand Assembly passes Prevention of Mob Violence and Mob Lynching Bill, 2021.

• Jharkhand Assembly has passed Prevention of Mob Violence and Mob Lynching Bill, 2021.
• Jharkhand became the third state after West Bengal and Rajasthan to pass such a law.
• The bill provides a jail term of three years to life imprisonment and fines of up to ₹25 lakh against those involved in mob lynching leading to “injury or death”.
• The bill also provides compensation for victims of mob lynching under a state government scheme.
• In case of lynching incident leading to the victim suffering hurt, the convicts will be punished with imprisonment up to 3 years and a fine between ₹1 lakh to ₹3 lakh.

Topic: State News/ New Delhi

13. Delhi Police Commissioner launched a project for safety and security of children.

• Rakesh Asthana, the Commissioner of Delhi Police, has launched a Project 'Abhaya'. It is a joint initiative of the Delhi Police and an NGO Shakti Foundation that is aimed at ensuring the safety and security of girls.
• 'Abhaya' means "one who is fearless," which is aimed at empowering, educating, and raising awareness among children.
• The Delhi CP also unveiled the 'Abhaya' statue and launched the 'Abhaya' booklet.
• According to data shared by the Delhi Police, its conviction rate:
  • In rape cases, it is 47.25 percent, compared to a national average of 39.3 percent.
  • In molestation cases, it is 47.32 percent, compared to 27.9 percent.
  • In kidnapping cases, it is 40 percent, compared to 35.6 percent.
  • In outraging modesty cases, it is 50 percent, compared to 27.7 percent.
  • In POCSO cases, it is 79.12 percent, compared to 39.6 percent.
  • In dowry death cases, its conviction rate is 100 percent.

Topic: State News/ Telangana

14. India's first International Arbitration and Mediation Centre inaugurated in Hyderabad by CJI.

• Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao have jointly launched India's first International Arbitration and Mediation Centre (IAMC).
• The IAMC has been set up as temporary accommodation at VK Towers in Gachibowli, an information technology hub, with a total area of 25,000 square feet.
• The state government has stated that land for a permanent building will be allotted at Puppalaguda in Hyderabad.
• International Arbitration and Mediation Centre will help companies and organization in resolving disputes.
• It will not only resolve commercial disputes but will also help in resolving disputes related to the common people.