Daily Current Affairs and GK | 22 September 2022

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

1. PM to inaugurate the National Conference of Environment Ministers in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.

• The main aim of the Conference is to create further synergy between the Central and State Governments to implement policies for the elimination of plastic pollution and climate change.
• The conference will promote cooperative federalism for resolving environment-related challenges.
• The two-day Conference will be organised on September 23-24.
• It will have six thematic sessions based on different topics, the topics given below:
  • Combating Climate Change
  • PARIVESH (Single Window System for Integrated Green Clearances)
  • Forestry Management
  • Prevention and Control of Pollution
  • Wildlife Management
  • Plastics and Waste Management
  • LiFE- Lifestyle for Environment
• India’s per capita plastic consumption is 11 kg while the global average of plastic per capita consumption is 28 kg.

Topic: Personality in News

2. Elvis Ali Hazarika has become the first from North East India to cross the North Channel.

• Elvis Ali Hazarika is a veteran Assamese swimmer.
• Elvis has also become the oldest Indian swimmer to cross the North Channel.
• Elvis and his team needed 14 hours 38 minutes to achieve this feat.
• The North Channel is the strait between north-eastern Northern Ireland and south-western Scotland.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Days

3. International Day of Peace: 21 September

• International Day of Peace is observed every year on 21 September.
• The theme for International Day of Peace 2022 is “End racism. Build peace.”
• United Nations Association of Japan donated The Peace Bell in 1954.
• It has become a tradition to ring The Peace Bell on 21 September to celebrate the International Day for Peace.
• United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) established the International Day of Peace in 1981. The day was first celebrated in 1981.
• In 2001, UNGA unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire.

Topic: National News

4. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated the third edition of the Lok Manthan programme at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati on 22 September 2022.

• The theme for this year’s programme is Lokparampara (Lok traditions).
• This will emphasise how Lok traditions have kept our cultural consciousness intact and strengthened our feeling of National Selfhood.
• Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan will be the Chief Guest at its concluding session on 24 September 2022.
• Lokmanthan is an occasion where artists, intellectuals and academicians from different parts of the country brainstorm on the questions that face society.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

5. India's Hypertension Control Initiative won the UN Award.

• India has won a UN award for its "India Hypertension Control Initiative”, IHCI which is an important achievement and recognition of the nation's efforts to fight hypertension.
• IHCI is a large-scale initiative under the National Health Mission.
• The IHCI has been honoured for its outstanding contributions to India's primary healthcare system.
• The IHCI has been awarded the '2022 UN Interagency Task Force and WHO Special Programme on Primary Health Care Award' at a side event of the UN General Assembly held in New York, USA.
• The award has been given for India's exceptional efforts to prevent and control Non-Communicable Diseases.
• In 2017, this initiative was launched in a phased manner to cover over 130 districts across 23 states.
• Under this initiative, more than 34 lakh hypertensive patients are being treated in government health facilities including Ayushman Bharat Health Wellness Centres.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

6. A Convergence Portal has been launched by the Government.

• The Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries has launched a Joint Convergence Portal for its various schemes.
• The portal has been launched between Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme, and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi.
• The objective of the joint portal is that all the ministries and departments of the government together serve the people of the country according to their capacity.
• This is a step towards realizing the Prime Minister's dream of a self-reliant India and will also promote the concept of 'Vocal for Local'.
• Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF):
  • The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is implementing AIF for the creation of post-harvest management infrastructure and community farm assets.
  • It is a medium to long-term credit financing facility launched on July 08, 2020.
• Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme:
  • Ministry of Food Processing Industries launched a centrally sponsored PPMFME scheme to enhance the competitiveness of individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment & promote the formalization of this sector.
  • It was launched on June 29, 2020 as a part of “Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.”
• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY):
  • It is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
  • It is envisaged as a comprehensive package and helps in the creation of a modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management, from farms to retail outlets.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

7. Union Cabinet approved Production Linked Incentive Scheme Tranche-2 on ‘National Programme on High-Efficiency Solar PV Modules’.

• Tranche-2 scheme of High-Efficiency Solar PV Modules has been approved with an outlay of 19,500 crore rupees for achieving manufacturing capacity of Giga Watt scale.
• The aim of the National Programme on High-Efficiency Solar PV Modules is to build an ecosystem for manufacturing high-efficiency solar PV modules in India.
• One benefit expected from the scheme is that about 65,000 MW per annum manufacturing capacity of fully and partially integrated, solar PV modules would be installed.
• Another benefit expected from the scheme is that it will bring a direct investment of around Rs.94,000 crore.
• It will generate direct employment for around 2 lakh persons and indirect employment for around 8 lakh persons.
• The scheme is expected to bring about import substitution of approximately Rs.1.37 lakh crore. 

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

8. Defence Ministry has signed an MoU with Bank of Baroda, HDFC Bank.

• This MoU has been signed under SPARSH- System for Pension Administration initiative to cover seventeen lakh defence pensioners.
• According to Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar, 17 lakh pensioners out of the total 32 lakh defence pensioners will be added to SPARSH by the end of this month.
• Remaining pensioners will be brought under SPARSH at the earliest.
• The Ministry said MoU will onboard over 14,000 bank branches as Service Centres to provide an effective medium for pensioners to perform profile update requests, register grievances and seek redressal.
• SPARSH is an initiative of the Ministry of Defence. It aims at providing a comprehensive solution to the administration of pensions to the Defence pensioners.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

9. Cabinet approved modifications in the “Programme for Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing Ecosystem in India”.

• The government will provide financial support of 50% of the Project Cost under the modified programme to establish Semiconductor Fabs.
• Under the modified programme, fiscal support of 50% of Capital Expenditure will be provided for setting up compound semiconductors/ sensors / Discrete semiconductors fabs and ATMP/OSAT.
• This program has attracted many global semiconductor companies to set up fabs in India.
• An Advisory Committee was formed for the development of the semiconductors and display manufacturing ecosystem in India.
• It recommended uniform support for all technology nodes of silicon semiconductor fabs / Silicon Photonics / Sensors / Discrete Semiconductor Fab and ATMP/OSAT. It has been accepted by the government.
• The Programme for Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing Ecosystem in India aim is to support companies engaged in Silicon Semiconductor Fabs, Display Fabs, and Compound Semiconductors.
• The India Semiconductor Mission act as the nodal agency for the efficient and smooth implementation of the schemes on the Semiconductors and Display ecosystem.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Ranking

10. UNESCO released the 2022 State of the Education Report for India.

• Recently, UNESCO released the ‘2022 State of the Education Report for India: Artificial Intelligence in Education’. It is the fourth edition of the annual report.
• The report has been developed by an expert team of researchers under the guidance of the UNESCO New Delhi Office.
• The report has mentioned challenges and opportunities in the Indian Education Sector that can be resolved by AI.
• Key highlights of the report are as follows:
  • As per the report, the AI market in India is likely to reach US Dollars 7.8 billion by 2025.
  • It states that AI literacy efforts need to be expanded.
  • The report recommends that the ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Education should be given utmost priority.
  • It recommends creating effective public-private partnerships.
  • It states that all students and teachers should have the access to the latest technology.
  • It urges the private sector to involve students and educationists in creating AI products.
  • It emphasized the integration of AI in Education to also promote quality and skill-based education.

Topic: Space and IT

11. ISRO successfully tested the hybrid propulsion system.

• ISRO tested the hybrid propulsion system at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri.
• The hybrid propulsion system uses solid fuel and liquid oxidizers. It is more efficient, greener and safer.
• It has been tested by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) with support from the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC).
• During the test, Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB)-based aluminized has been used as solid fuel while liquid oxygen (LOX) has been used as an oxidizer.
• The test was performed for 15 seconds on a 300-mm-sounding rocket motor.
• The hybrid technology is different from the conventional solid motors. It allows restarting and throttling capabilities of the motor.
• This test will pave the way for hybrid propulsion-based sounding rockets.
• Conventionally, HTPB-based solid propellant motors use ammonium perchlorate as an oxidizer. An oxidizer is used to provide oxygen for combustion.

Topic: Indian Economy

12. Asian Development Bank cuts GDP forecast of India to 7% from 7.2% earlier for FY 2022-23.

• Asian Development Bank lowered the GDP forecast of India due to high inflation and monetary tightening.
• In the first quarter of 2022-23, India's GDP has grown by 13.5%, reflecting strong growth in services.
• For FY 2023-24, the Asian Development Bank forecasted a growth of 7.2%.
• Asian Development Bank predicted that price pressures will adversely impact domestic consumption and high oil prices will reduce net exports.
• ADB in its report predicts that the Chinese economy will grow by 3.3% in 2022, the earlier forecast was 5%.
• Asian Development Bank also reduced the overall growth projections for Asia and the Pacific regions.
• Recently, Fitch Ratings has also lowered India's growth forecast for 2022-23 to 7% from 7.8%.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

13. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar virtually attended the Leeds-2022 conference.

• The Leeds-2022 conference has been organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in New Delhi.
• While addressing the conference, he said that India’s agriculture sector registered a growth of 3.9 percent despite the COVID pandemic.
• Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, the government will invest more than 70,000 crore rupees in the fisheries sector.
• India is the second-largest food producer in the world and agricultural export has crossed the 4,00,000 crore rupees mark.
• Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI):
  • It was established in 1927.
  • It is the largest, oldest and apex business non-governmental trade association in India.
  • It is headquartered in New Delhi.
  • Sanjiv Mehta is the current President.

Topic: Personality in News

14. Popular comedian Raju Srivastava passed away.

• Comedian-actor Raju Srivastava passed away at the age of 58.
• He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi after he suffered a cardiac arrest at the gym.
• He was a popular comedian who has been a part of several comedy shows.
• He was born in 1963 in Kanpur city, Uttar Pradesh. He was a brand ambassador of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

(Source: News on AIR)