Daily Current Affairs and GK | 27 May 2022

Topic: Reports and Indices

1. Severe wasting emerging as a major problem among under 5 years age children: UNICEF report

• Around 13.6 million children under the age of 5 are suffering from Severe wasting around the world.
• India has the highest number of children affected by severe wasting, followed by Indonesia and Pakistan.
• Globally, 1 out of 5 deaths in children below 5 years is happening due to Severe wasting.
• Severe wasting affects the immunity system of the children due to which bodies provide no protection against bacteria, viruses or fungi.
• Wasting is defined as low weight-for-height. It usually occurs due to a lack of adequate quality and quantity of food.
• Severe wasting:
  • It is also known as severe acute malnutrition.
  • Lack of nutritious food and repetition of diseases like diarrhoea, measles and malaria are the main cause of Severe wasting.
  • Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) can save children from severe wasting.

Topic: Corporates/Companies

2. Government withdrew its decision to sell 53 percent stake in BPCL.

• The Government has decided to call off the present Expressions of Interest process for the strategic disinvestment of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).
• The government had invited Expressions of Interest (EoIs) from bidders in March 2020.
• Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) said that many EOIs were received from interested parties.
• Due to COVID-19 and geopolitical conditions majority of Qualified Interested Parties (QIP) are not showing interest in the disinvestment processes.
• BPCL is the second-largest oil company in India and it has the third-largest refining capacity.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

3. India and UAE signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 26 May 2022.

• The objective of the MoU is to establish a framework to facilitate and enhance bilateral cooperation on climate action.
• The MoU will also contribute toward implementing the Paris Agreement.
• Paris Agreement: It is a legally binding agreement that was adopted by 196 countries at COP21 in Paris on 12 December 2015. It came into force on 4 November 2016. Its objective is to limit the rise in global average temperature to below 2 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

4. Project ‘NIGAH’ has been launched by Delhi Customs at Inland Container Depot (ICD) Garhi Harsaru, Gurugram.

• Chief Commissioner, Delhi Customs Zone, Shri Surjit Bhujabal launched the project on 26 May 2022.
• Project ‘NIGAH’ aims at container tracking. It also aims to monitor timely clearances to ensure Ease of Doing Business.
• Project ‘NIGAH’ is an initiative to track containers through ICTM.
• ICTM (ICD Container Tracking Module) has been developed in association with the Custodian M/s. GRFL.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Indian Economy

5. Government has decided to bring import of paper under compulsory registration from 1^st October 2022.

• Government has amended the import policy of major paper products from ‘Free’ to ‘Free subject to compulsory registration under Paper Import Monitoring System’.
• Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has issued a notification in this regard on 25th May 2022.
• The order will be applicable to several paper products such as newsprint, handmade paper, wallpaper base, etc.
• This policy will be applicable to all imports made on or after 1st October 2022.
• Currency paper, bank bond and cheque paper, security printing paper, etc. have been kept out of this policy change.
• Government has brought changes to address the dumping concerns of the domestic paper industry.

Topic: Indian Economy

6. Moody's slashed India's GDP growth forecast for CY22 to 8.8% amid rising inflation.

• Moody's Investors Service reduced its GDP growth forecast for India for the calendar year 2022 (CY22) to 8.8 percent from 9.1 percent in March, citing rising inflation and interest rates as reasons.
• Retail inflation in India is expected to rise to 6.8% in 2022 from 5.7 percent in 2021, according to Moody's.
• In April, retail inflation reached a near-eight-year high of 7.8%.
• Even after the most recent downward revision, Moody's GDP projection remains one of the most optimistic.
• While the RBI has projected the economy to grow by 7.2 per cent in FY 2022-23 (FY 23), Fitch expects the economy to grow by 8.5 per cent.
• Moody's has not yet revised its GDP forecast for India in FY23, which remains at 9.1%.
• Due to the negative factors, Moody's reduced its global growth forecast for 2022 to 3.1 percent.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

7. Novel 'Tomb of Sand' by Geetanjali Shree won the International Booker Prize.

• Geetanjali Shree's novel “Tomb of Sand” (Ret Samadhi) has won the International Booker Prize for the year 2022.
• Gitanjali Shree is not only the first Hindi winner of the Booker Prize, but it is also the first time a novel originally written in an Indian language has won the award.
• Geetanjali Shree's ‘Tomb of Sand’ was translated from Hindi to English by Daisy Rockwell.
• David Diop had won International Booker Prize 2021 for his book titled “At Night All Blood is Black”.
• International Booker Prize:
  • It was formerly known as the Man Booker International Prize.
  • The prize is awarded for a book translated into English.
  • Prize money of 50,000 pounds is shared equally between author and translator.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Defence

8. ‘NIRDESHAK’ (YARD 3026) second vessel of survey vessel (large) project was launched on 26 May 22 at Kattupalli, Chennai.

• Nirdeshak is the second of the four Survey Vessels (Large) (SVL) being built by GRSE in collaboration with L&T shipbuilding for the Indian Navy. 
• Nirdeshak was also an Indian Naval Survey ship. It was decommissioned in December 2014.
• On 30 October 2018, the contract for four SVL ships was signed between the Ministry of Defence and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.
• ‘Sandhayak’ was launched on 05 December 2021 at GRSE, Kolkata. It was the first of SVL ships.
• GRSE aims to deliver Sandhayak by January 2023. Nirdeshak is likely to be delivered by April 2023.
• The SVL ships will be used instead of Sandhayak Class survey ships, which are used now.
• Features of Survey Vessel (Large) ships:
  • Deep displacement of about 3400 tons
  • Capacity of 235 personnel
  • Cruise speed of 14 knots
  • Maximum speed of 18 knots
  • Hull made from indigenously developed DMR 249-A steel manufactured by Steel Authority of India Limited

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Awards and Prizes

9. Dr A Gopalakrishnan has won VASVIK Industrial Research Award for the year 2020.

• Dr A Gopalakrishnan has won this award in the category of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.
• He is the Director of the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI). CMFRI is headquartered in Kochi, Kerala. 
• He has won the award in recognition of his work related to fish genetics.
• VASVIK (Vividhlaxi Audyogik Samshodhan Vikas Kendra) Industrial Research Award carries a cash prize of Rs 1.51 lakh and citation.
• The VASVIK research award is presented in eight categories each year, in addition to Agricultural Sciences and Technology.

Topic: National News

10. Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated India’s ‘First Lavender Festival' in Bhaderwah.

• Bhaderwah in Jammu Kashmir is the origin place of India’s purple revolution.
• Scientists, Technologists, Progressive Farmers and Agri- entrepreneurs from different parts of the country will attend the festival.
• CSIR-IIIM is providing quality planting material and end-to-end technology for the cultivation, processing, value addition and marketing of the Lavender crops.
• CSIR-IIIM Jammu signed three MoUs with Agro Voltic Power, Lyallpur Khalsa College, and Fine Fragrance Power Limited.
• The Purple or Lavender Revolution was launched in 2016 by the Union Ministry of Science & Technology under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research’s (CSIR) Aroma Mission.
• The mission is aiming to increase lavender cultivation to 1,500 hectares by 2024.

Topic: State News/ Rajasthan

11. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved new guidelines for the implementation of ‘Indira Gandhi Shahari Rozgar Yojana’.

• ‘Indira Gandhi Shahari Rozgar Yojana’ was announced in the 2022-23 budget of the Rajasthan Government.
• Its main objective is to provide employment in urban areas on the lines of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).
• Under this scheme, 100 days of employment will be provided to families residing in urban areas.
• As per the new guidelines, the people in the age group of 18 to 60 will be registered for this scheme on the basis of the Jan Aadhaar card.
• The state government has allocated Rs 800 crore per year for this scheme.
• The committees formed at the state and district levels will approve and execute the work.
• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA):
  • It was passed on 23 August 2005. It was first proposed in 1991 by PV Narasimha Rao.
  • It provides at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to a rural household.
  • It gives guarantee of 'right to work' in rural areas.

Topic: National News

12. Prime Minister to inaugurate India's biggest Drone Festival-Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 in New Delhi.

• The Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 will be organized at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from 27 to 28 May.
• Around 1600 delegates will participate in this two-day Bharat Drone Mahotsav.
• Several industry leaders, government officials, foreign diplomats, private companies and drone startups will participate in the Mahotsav.
• Awarding of Drone pilot certificates, product launches, flying demonstrations and displaying of a Made in India Drone Taxi prototype will be part of this Mahotsav.
• Prime Minister Modi will interact with Kisan drone pilots and witness open-air drone demonstrations.

Topic: State News/ Uttar Pradesh

13. Yogi Adityanath’s government presented first budget of its second term.

• UP Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna presented a budget of Rs 6,15,518.97 crore for the financial year 2022-23 in the state assembly.
• For the fiscal year 2021-22, the Adityanath’s government had earlier presented a Budget of ₹5,50,270.78 crore.
• Key Highlights of the Budget:
  • The government allocated Rs 1000 crore for CM laghu sinchai yojna for providing free irrigation facilities to the farmers.
  • 500 crore rupees have been allocated for MBBS and PG seats to improve the medical education system in the state.
  • Rs 380 crore has been allocated for opening of new sugar mills and maintenance of old mills.
  • 523 crore rupees have been allocated for the safe city project for women’s security in 6 cities.
  • UP government has proposed ₹276.66 crores for the state's special security force for the security of courts and historical and religious places.
  • The government proposed ₹650 crores for the farmers' accident scheme.
  • The government will install 15,000 solar pumps in the current fiscal year and it will also distribute more than two crore smartphones/tablets to the youth.
  • The government aims to establish a total of 100 incubators and 10,000 startups in the next five years.
  • ₹30 crores have been proposed for the implementation of the Abhyudaya Yojana.

Topic: Personality in News

14. Narinder Batra resigned as President of Indian Olympic Association.

• Narinder Batra has resigned from the post of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president.
• He is also the President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
• He was elected as President of Indian Olympic Association in 2017.
• He also confirmed that he will not contest again for the post of IOA president.
• Indian Olympic Association (IOA):
  • It was formed in 1927.
  • It is the nodal agency for the selection of players to represent India at various platforms like Commonwealth, Olympics, Asian Games, etc.
  • It also acts as the Indian Commonwealth Games Association.

Topic: Important Days

15. International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories: 25-31 May

• United Nations is observing “International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories” from May 25 to 31.
• According to the UN Charter, a non-Self-Governing Territory is defined as a Territory whose people have not yet attained a full measure of self-government.
• In 1946, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States had identified 72 non-self-governing territories.
• 54 Territories attained self-government between 1960 to 2002. At present, there are 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories in the world.
• The UN General Assembly requested to observe the Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories through its resolution in 1999.