Daily Current Affairs and GK | 23 September 2022

Topic: Defence

1. Indian Navy launched two Diving Support Vessels 'Nistar' and ‘Nipun' in Visakhapatnam.

• Diving Support Vessels (DSVs) have been designed indigenously and built at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, Vishakapatnam for the Indian Navy.
• These are first-of-its-kind ships developed in India. The vessels are 118.4-m-long, 22.8 m broad and have a displacement of 9,350 tonnes.
• Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar was the chief guest of the launching ceremony.
• These ships can be deployed for deep-sea diving operations and submarine rescue operations.
• These ships are capable of carrying out helicopter operations and patrolling. DSVs are equipped with complex diving support systems.
• ‘Nistar' and 'Nipun' have 80% indigenous content. The DSV project has created employment for local people.
• 45 ships and submarines are presently under construction across the country.

Topic: Banking System

2. Maharashtra-based Laxmi Cooperative Bank license has been cancelled by RBI.

• RBI cancelled the license of the Laxmi Cooperative Bank because it does not have adequate capital and earning prospects.
• RBI said that the bank has failed to comply with the requirements of the Banking Regulation Act, of 1949 and its continuation is Unfavorable to the interests of its depositors.
• As per the bank data, around 99% of the depositors are entitled to receive the full amount of their deposits from the deposit insurance and credit guarantee corporation (DICGC).
• The bank has been prohibited from conducting the business of banking with effect from 22 September 2022.
• Upon liquidation, every depositor is entitled to receive a deposit insurance claim amount of up to 5 lakh rupees.
• Till 13 September, the DICGC has already paid Rs 193.68 crore of the total insured deposits.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Environment and Ecology

3. An online green event tool unveiled by UNEP, UNFCCC, and GORD.

• The Gulf Organisation for Research & Development (GORD), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat, and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have developed an online Green Events Tool (GET).      
• The event aims to facilitate eco-friendly events and is designed to evaluate the sustainability performance of events.
• In 2021, the platform was first introduced at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland.
• On 14 September 2022, the GET's online portal was unveiled in a virtual ceremony.
• The GET online portal is now accessible to the public, so organizations can work towards their climate mitigation goals by taking their events green.
• GORD:
  • It is a non-profit organization for the sustainable environment of the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region.
  • It is headquartered in Qatar Science and Technology Park.
  • It influences corporate ethics, fosters innovation, and enables low-carbon, sustainable development for present and future generations.

Topic: National News

4. Nutrition rating stars will soon appear on food packaging labels.

• Draft notification on front-of-package labeling has been issued by the FSSAI, which proposes an "Indian Nutrition Rating" (INR) based on the health star-rating system.
• On 20 September, the draft of the Revised Food Safety and Standards (Labeling and Display) Regulations, 2020, was made public.
• It is required for packaged food to display the prescribed format of INR by giving it a rating of 1/2 star (least healthy) to 5 stars (healthiest).
• The INR is determined based on the contribution of energy, saturated fat, total sugar, sodium, and positive nutrients per 100 grams of solid food or 100 ml of liquid food.
• The star assigned to a product shall be displayed close to the product name or brand name on the front of the pack.
• Certain food items, including milk and milk products, butter oil, ghee, vegetable oil and fat, fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables, fresh and frozen meat, egg, fish, flour, and sweeteners, have been exempted from the regulation.

Topic: Important Days

5. Sign Language Day 2022: 23 September

• Every year on 23 September Sign Language Day is celebrated.
• The theme of Sign Language Day 2022 is “Sign Languages Unite us”.
• Sign Language Day aims to raise awareness of sign languages and information and communication accessibility for hearing-impaired people.
• The International Day of Sign Language was first observed across the world on September 23, 2018. 
• The UNGA has proclaimed September 23 as the International Day of Sign Languages to mark the anniversary of the WFD’s formation in 1951. 
• It is celebrated annually by the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) under the aegis of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
• The Indian Sign Language Dictionary App, the e-content of NCERT Class 6 books in Indian Sign Language, and 500 new Academic Terms of Indian Sign Language, etc will be launched during the program.
• International Week of the Deaf is celebrated in the fourth week of September every year. It was first celebrated in 1958.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Defence

6. Defense Ministry signs a contract for acquisition of BrahMos missile for frontline warships.

• The Ministry of Defence has signed the contract with BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL) to provide further impetus to Aatmanirbharta in defence production.
• The contract has been signed for the acquisition of more surface-to-surface BrahMos missiles under the ‘Buy-Indian’ category at a total estimated cost of Rs 1700 crore.
• The operational capability of Indian Navy fleet assets will be significantly enhanced with the induction of these dual-role capable missiles.
• BAPL is a joint venture between India and Russia.
• It is contributing significantly to the development of a new generation of surface-to-surface missiles with an enhanced range and capability for both land and anti-ship attacks.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Reports and Indices

7. The fourth report of the WHO Global Evidence Review on Health and Migration released on 19 September, 2022.

• Over 1.27 Million people all over the world die every year due to antimicrobial resistance as per the report.
• According to the report, refugees and migrant populations are particularly vulnerable to antimicrobial resistance.
• The report noted that the healthcare needs of these populations are heterogenous.
• It noted that the healthcare needs of these populations depend heavily on host countries’ capacity.
• International refugees and migrant populations increased throughout this century.
• International refugees and migrant populations accounted for 281 million or about 3.5% of the global population in 2020.
• The report reveals key barriers to accessing and using antibiotics across the world. The barriers are given below.
  • Long waiting times to consult a doctor
  • Limited capacity of health services
  • High healthcare costs
  • Inappropriate prescription of antibiotics
  • Lack of translated materials or interpretation services
• In the report, the evidence is assessed based on the literature available on four key indicators.
• The indicators are access, appropriate use, barriers to access and use and interventions to improve access and use.

Topic: Economy/Banking/Finance

8. RBI Governor launched three key digital payment initiatives at Global Fintech Fest 2022 held in Mumbai.

• These initiatives are RuPay Credit Card on Unified Payments Interface (UPI), UPI Lite, and Bharat BillPay Cross-Border Bill Payments.
• RBI had announced the linking of RuPay credit cards to UPI in the June monetary policy.
• RuPay credit cards will be linked to a Virtual Payment Address, that is, UPI ID. This will directly enable safe payment transactions.
• Customers of Punjab National Bank (PNB), Union Bank of India, and Indian Bank will be the first to be able to use RuPay Credit Card on UPI with BHIM App.
• With UPI Lite enabled on BHIM App, users will be able to make small-value transactions in a near-offline mode.
• The upper limit of a UPI Lite payment transaction will be ₹200.
• The total limit of UPI Lite balance for an on-device wallet will be ₹2,000 at any point in time.
• Eight banks are live with this feature. These banks are Canara Bank, HDFC Bank, Indian Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India, Union Bank of India and Utkarsh Small Finance Bank.
• Federal Bank with UAE’s Lulu Exchange will be the first to go live with Bharat BillPay Cross-Border Bill Payments.
• RBI Governor, Shaktikanta Das said massive growth of 427% has been recorded in UPI transactions from March 2020 to August 2022.
• The number of UPI QR code-enabled payment acceptance points has grown by about 90 million (up 86 % YoY) to reach 200 million at the end of July 2022.
• He spoke about the recently-issued digital lending guidelines.
• Big Tech companies such as Google, Amazon, and WhatsApp are already involved in India’s payment ecosystem.
• Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2022:
  • It was third edition of Global Fintech Fest. It was held from September 19th-22nd, 2022 in Mumbai. 
  • It was organized by the National Payments Corporation of India, Payment Council of India, and Fintech Convergence Council.
  • The theme for GFF 2022 is 'Creating A Sustainable Financial World - Global , Inclusive , Green'.

Topic: Space and IT

9. Former moons may be responsible for Saturn’s mysterious rings & extreme tilt.

• As per a new study, pre-existing moons may be the cause of Saturn’s bright rings and extreme tilt.
• The study found that the former moon named ‘Chrysalis’ led the formation of the rings.
• Around 160 million years ago, Chrysalis orbited Saturn for several billion years.
• As per a study published in Science journal, Chrysalis debris of water ice may have formed Saturn’s ring.
• According to the scientists, Chrysalis became unstable and came too close to Saturn as of result, it get destroyed.
• Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus are known to have rings. Saturn’s rings are made of water ice particles ranging from microns to 10 meters in size.
• Saturn has a tilt of 26.73 degrees while Earth and Jupiter have a tilt of 23.45 degrees and 3 degrees respectively.
• As per the study, Saturn’s tilt was not present during its formation stages.
• According to a well-known theory, Saturn got its tilt due to gravitational interactions with its neighbour Neptune.
• Researchers of a new study claimed that Saturn is no longer under Neptune’s gravitational influence.
• NASA’s Cassini spacecraft observation suggests that Saturn’s largest satellite, Titan’s fast movement is responsible for the further tilt of Saturn.

Topic: International News

10. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met International Finance Corporation (IFC) Managing Director Makhtar Diop.

• Nirmala Sitharaman and Makhtar Diop discussed ways to increase lending opportunities in India.
• Nirmala Sitharaman said that loans to India by IFCs will reach USD 2-2.5 billion in the next 1-2 years and USD 3-3.5 billion in the next 3-4 years.
• International Finance Corporation:
  • It is an arm of the World Bank for private sector funding.
  • It promotes private-sector development in less developed countries.
  • It was established in 1956 and its headquarters is located in Washington, US.
  • Makhtar Diop is the Executive Vice President & CEO.

Topic: State News/ New Delhi

11. Revised Graded Response Action Plan will be implemented in Delhi from October 1, 2022.

• Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has formulated a new policy to prevent air pollution in Delhi-NCR. The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is part of this policy.
• GRAP are a set of measures to reduce air pollution in Delhi. This year, it will come into force 15 days before the usual date.
• The main aim of GRAP is to prevent the build-up of pollutants after the monsoon withdrawal.
• The revised plan bans BS IV four-wheeler diesel vehicles in Delhi except vehicles engaged in essential service in case AQI reaches more than 450.
• Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP):
  • It was notified in 2017 to fight air pollution.
  • It includes different measures for different categories of Air quality from Moderate to Emergency.
  • Its main focus is to proactive implement curbs based on the forecast.
  • It has now been classified under four different stages of adverse air quality in Delhi. The categories are as follows:
    • Stage I – ‘Poor’ (AQI 201-300)
    • Stage II – ‘Very Poor’ (AQI 301-400)
    • Stage III – ‘Severe’ (AQI 401-450)
    • Stage IV – ‘Severe Plus’ (AQI >450)

Topic: National News

12. Satellite-Based Internet Service has been launched at Siachen Glacier.

• The Satellite broadband-based internet service has been launched by the Indian Army on the world’s highest battlefield, Siachen Glacier, at an altitude of 10,061 feet.
• This milestone has been achieved by the Indian Army’s XIV Corps or ‘Fire and Fury Corps’ Siachen Signallers.
• This satellite-based Internet Service is provided through Communication Satellites like GSAT 19 and GSAT 11 in India.
• After Siachen Glacier, satellite-based Internet Service will be provided in the North East regions.
• Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) has provided satellite internet service on the Siachen Glacier frontier.
• Bharat Broadband Network Limited is a Government of India undertaking. It is implementing the BharatNet Project across India.
• Fire and Fury Corps or XIV Corps is part of the Indian Army’s Northern Command.
• Siachen Glacier is located in the Eastern Karakoram Range of the Himalayas. After ‘Operation Meghdoot’ in 1984, it came under India’s strategic control.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

13. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched an e-learning platform, Bharat Vidya, on 21 September 2022.

• Bharat Vidya is an e-learning platform for Oriental and South Asian studies.
• This e-learning platform has been designed and developed by the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI).
• It is the first-of-its-kind online platform to provide free and paid courses covering various aspects of Indology related to art, architecture, philosophy, language and science.
• Six courses – Veda Vidya, Bharatiya Darshanshashtra, Sanskrit learning, 18 Parvas of Mahabharata, Fundamentals of Archaeology and Kalidasa and Bhasha will be provided through this platform.
• The courses have been designed as per the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI):
  • It was founded on 6 July 1917.
  • It is famous for its collection of old Sanskrit and Prakrit manuscripts.
  • It has one of the largest collections of rare books and manuscripts in South Asia.
  • It is located in Pune, Maharashtra.

Topic: Sports

14. International Cricket Council (ICC) announced several changes in cricket's rules.

• The main changes to the Playing Conditions will become effective from 1^st October 2022.
• As per the new rules, Mankad wouldn’t be considered an unfair play, it will be considered a legitimate run-out.
• ICC has banned the use of saliva for the ball shine. ICC had banned the use of saliva for the first time in 2020.
• According to the new rule, the new coming batter has to get ready to face the ball within two minutes after reaching the pitch.
• Earlier, a batter was given three minutes to take the strike in ODIs and Tests.
• Now, if a batter is caught out then the new batsman coming would have to take the strike.
• A batter will have to keep some part of their bat or their body inside the pitch while facing a delivery. If a batter stands beyond the pitch then the ball will be called a dead ball.
• Five runs shall be awarded to the batting side when the bowler is running to bowl and if the fielding side distracts the batsman by any improper or intentional move.