Daily Current Affairs and GK | 24 and 25 April 2022

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

1. First edition of Naval Commanders' Conference begins from 25th April.

• The first edition of the Naval Commanders' Conference of 2022 will be organized from 25-28 April.
• It is a platform for naval commanders to discuss important maritime matters. It gives an opportunity to senior government functionaries to interact through an institutionalised forum.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will address the conference and interact with naval commanders.
• The chiefs of the Indian Army and Indian Air Force will also interact with the naval commanders.
• The Navy chief will review major operational, materiel, logistics, and human resource development activities undertaken by the Indian Navy.
• During the conference, naval commanders will also discuss the geostrategic situation as well as changes that emerged due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Topic: Personality in News

2. Noted writer Binapani Mohanty and Congress leader K Sankaranarayanan passes away.

• Binapani Mohanty has written more than 100 books. ‘Kasturi Mriga O Sabuja Aranya', 'Khela Ghara', 'Naiku Rasta', 'Bastraharana' are famous book written by her.
• Binapani Mohanty has made remarkable contribution to Odia literature, especially fiction writing.
• Her works have been translated into various languages. She is a recipient of Padma Shri and Sahitya Akademi Award.
• Her literary career as a storyteller began with the publication of 'Gotie Ratira Kahani' in 1960.
• K Sankaranarayanan passed away at Palakkad in Kerala. He served as Governor in six states, including Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Nagaland.
• Shankaranarayanan was elected to the state assembly from Trithala, Sreekandapuram, Ottapalam and Palakkad constituencies.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

3. 7th edition of Raisina Dialogue inaugurated by PM Modi in New Delhi.

• Ursula Von Der Leyen, President of the European Commission, was the chief guest at the Dialogue.
• It will take place over three days from April 25 to April 27.
• “Terranova, impassioned, impatient, imperilled” is the theme of the dialogue.
• There will be over 100 sessions at Raisina Dialogue, with over 210 speakers from 90 countries.
• The dialogue has six broad thematic pillars, including Rethinking Democracy, End of Multilateralism, Water Caucuses, and Achieving Green Transitions.
• Raisina Dialogue:
  • It is being held annually since 2016.
  • It is a multilateral conference organized to discuss international issues.
  • It is a flagship conference of India on geopolitics and geoeconomics.
  • It is organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Observer Research Foundation.

Topic: International News

4. President Macron won re-election in France.

• Emmanuel Macron received 58.2% of the vote in France's presidential election for second term.
• Marine Le Pen, Macron's opponent, received 41.8% of the vote in the election.
• Macron, 44, has become the first French President to win re-election after Jacques Chirac.
• France:
  • It is a Western European country whose capital is Paris.
  • Prime Minister is Jean Castex.
  • The currency of France is Euro.
  • It is one of the five permanent members of the UNSC.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. Union Agriculture Ministry launched a campaign called "Kisan Bhagidari, Prathmikta Hamari."

• The campaign, which will run through the 30 April, is being organised in collaboration with a number of different Ministries and Departments under the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'.
• Agriculture Research and Education Department will organize Krishi Mela in each Krishi Vigyan Kendra and field exhibition on natural farming.
• The country-wide workshop on crop insurance, will be organised by the common service centre. It will be launched by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar (CSC).
• A National Atma Nirbhar Bharat Conclave of 75 selected farmers and entrepreneurs will take place under the campaign.
• The campaign is expected to involve one crore farmers and stakeholders.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Days

6. World Malaria Day 2022: 25 April

• Every year on April 25, World Malaria Day is commemorated.
• It is observed to highlight the need for investment and sustained political commitment to the prevention and control of malaria.
• The theme of World Malaria Day 2022 is “Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives.”
• In 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted World Malaria Day at the 60th session of the World Health Assembly.
• Malaria:
  • It is spread by the bite of an infected female anopheles mosquito. Infected mosquitoes spread the Plasmodium parasite.
  • It is a preventable and treatable infectious disease.
  • In 1897, Sir Ronald Ross found that malaria among humans is spread by female mosquitoes.
  • Hydroxychloroquine is an anti-malarial drug.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Days

7. National Panchayati Raj Day: 24 April

• National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated every year on 24 April.
• It commemorates the day on which the 73^rd Constitutional Amendment was passed in 1992.
• National Panchayati Raj Day was first declared in 2010. There are more than 2.6 lakh Panchayats at all three tiers in India.
• This day provides an opportunity for direct dialogue with Panchayat representatives from all over the country.
• On this occasion, PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of development projects worth over Rs 20,000 crore in Jammu and Kashmir.
• He will also visit Palli Panchayat in the Samba district and he will attend the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Awards Ceremony in Mumbai.
• National Panchayat Awards–2022 will also be conferred on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day to 322 Panchayats.

Topic: International Appointments

8. Patrick Achi has been reappointed as Prime Minister of Ivory Coast.

• Patrick Achi has been reappointed just after resigning from the post.
• He was appointed as Prime Minister in March last year. He is the third Prime Minister of the Ivory Coast in the last three years.
• Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara appointed Tiemoko Meyliet Kone as the governor of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO).
• Ivory Coast:
  • It is located on the southern coast of West Africa.
  • Yamoussoukro is the political capital of the Ivory Coast.
  • Alassane Ouattara is the president of Ivory Coast.

Topic: National News

9. Information and Broadcasting Ministry issued new advisory to private satellite TV channels.

• All Private Satellite TV channels have to refrain from publishing and transmitting violative content under the provision of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act.
• Information and Broadcasting Ministry states that in the recent past Satellite TV channels have shown the coverage of events in an unauthentic, and misleading manner.
• According to the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, no programme should be carried which contains criticism of friendly countries.
• Section 20 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 empowers the Central Government to regulate or prohibit transmission/retransmission of a programme.

Topic: Sports

10. First-of-its-kind mobile app has been launched for Khelo India University Games 2021.

• The second edition of Khelo India University Games will be held in Bengaluru.
• 4,500 participants from 189 universities will participate in 20 sports.
• The app will have a unique feature of ‘my-pass’ for every participant. The e-pass will have a unique identification number and photograph of the athlete.
• The ‘my food’ feature on the app will provide an everyday menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Participants can also find information about places in Bengaluru under the ‘explore Bengaluru’ icons on the application.
• Khelo India University Games will be India’s first largest mass participation sporting event after the pandemic.

Topic: Important Days

11. World Book Day: 23rd April.   

• World Book Day is also known as International Day of the Book. It is celebrated on 23rd April since 1995.
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) organizes it.
• Guadalajara is named World Book Capital 2022. It is located in western Mexico and capital of Jalisco. 
• Madrid was the first city to be named World Book Capital in 2001. Tibilisi (Georgia) was World Book Capital in 2021. 
• World Book Day 2022 theme is 'Read…So you never feel alone.'

Topic: Agriculture

12. Foodgrain production target for the crop year 2022-23 has been fixed at 328 million tonnes.

• The foodgrain production target of 328 million tonnes is 3.8% higher than output of previous year.
• This target includes Kharif foodgrain production target of 163.15 million tonnes and Rabi foodgrain production target of 164.85 million tonnes.
• Government has announced national foodgrain production target during National Conference on Agriculture: Kharif Campaign 2022.
• Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the conference.
• Total foodgrain production has grown by 25% in last 6 years from 251.54 to 316.01 million tonnes.
• The average rate of increase in production of fruits and vegetables is 5% per annum during the period 2014-15 to 2019-20.  

Topic: Awards and Prizes

13. NMDC bagged the first Prize in four categories of the Public Relations Awards 2022.

• Public Relations Awards 2022 were presented by the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI).
• The mining company got this honour for their Corporate Website, Annual Report, Layout and Design of Newsletter, and CSR Corporate Video.
• ED (Personnel) Praveen Kumar and DGM Ch. Srinivasa Rao received the awards on the behalf of NMDC.
• A conference was also hosted on the theme of ‘Emerging Trends in Modern Public Relations’.
• National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) is the country’s largest Iron Ore producer. It is a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Steel. It is headquartered in Hyderabad.

Topic: Defence

14. 'Urja Pravaha' vessel commissioned into Indian Coast Guard.

• A new vessel named Urja Pravaha has been inducted into the Indian Coast Guard at Bharuch in Gujarat.
• It will be under the operational command of Coast Guard District Headquarters-4 (Kerala and Mahe).
• It has been designed as a cargo ship to carry fuel, aviation fuel and freshwater with a capacity of 50 tons, 10 tons and 40 tons respectively.
• It will enhance the operations capability of Indian Coast Guard in providing logistics support to ICG ships deployed in the sea.
• It will be deployed at far-flung areas in the Maritime Operational area including EEZ and Lakshadweep/ Minicoy islands.
• Indian Coast Guard:
  • It is an armed force, maritime, search and rescue, and law enforcement agency.
  • It works under the Ministry of Defense.
  • It is headquartered in New Delhi.

(Source: News on AIR)