Daily Current Affairs and GK | 28, 29 and 30 March 2021

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

1. US President Joe Biden invites PM Modi to Leaders’ Summit on Climate.

• US President Joe Biden has invited PM Modi to the Leaders’ Summit on Climate.
• Leaders’ Summit on Climate will be held virtually on 22 and 23 April.
• Biden has invited 40 leaders and PM Modi is one among them.
• Leaders’ Summit on Climate will reconvene the US-led Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate.
• US-led Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate brings together 17 countries responsible for nearly 80% of global emissions and global GDP.
• United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held in November in Glasgow. 

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Reports and Indices/Rankings

2. World Bank Group releases its flagship report, World Development Report 2021.

• World Bank Group has released its flagship report, World Development Report, for the year 2021.
• The report is titled “World Development Report 2021: Data for Better Lives”. It is about changing the potential of the data landscape to improve the lives of poor people. 
• The report gives five main messages. They are given below.
  • Forge a new social contract for data
  • Increase data use and reuse to realize greater value
  • Create more equitable access to the benefits of data
  • Foster trust through safeguards that protect people from the harm of data misuse
  • Work toward an integrated national data system (INDS)
• World Development Report is published annually (once in a year) since 1978. Last year, the report was titled “The World Development Report (WDR) 2020: Trading for Development in the Age of Global Value Chains”.
• The term World Bank Group consists of the following five organizations.
  • International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
  • International Development Association (IDA)
  • International Finance Corporation (IFC)
  • Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
  • International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
• IBRD and IDA are together known as World Bank. Therefore, World Bank is a component of World Bank Group.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

3. A virtual introductory meeting held between India’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel and US Secretary of Energy.

• A virtual introductory meeting was held between India’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel and US Secretary of Energy.
• During the meeting, both leaders reviewed India-US Strategic Energy Cooperation (SEP). Both leaders agreed to prioritize greater collaboration in joint R&D through Partnership to Advance Clean Energy Research (PACE-R).
• They also agreed to prioritize greater collaboration in biofuels, Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen production.
• India and US also agreed to convene a third meeting of a revamped India-US Strategic Energy Partnership. They will soon convene the third meeting of a revamped India-US Strategic Energy Partnership.
• Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) is a technology for the reduction of carbon emissions.

Topic: Indian Polity

4. OCI cardholders will no longer be required to carry old, expired passports for travel to India.

• OCI cardholders will no longer be required to carry old, expired passports for travel to India.
• This is based on a statement by the Indian embassy on its website. The statement referred to a notification issued by the central government in this regard.
• The embassy said that an OCI cardholder travelling on the basis of an existing OCI card bearing an old passport number is not required to carry the old passport. However, the embassy further said that carrying the new (current) passport is mandatory.
• As per the embassy, the deadline to get OCI Card re-issued for people below the age of 20 years and people above the age of 50 years has also been extended until 31 December 2021.
• As per current guidelines, an OCI Card is required to be re-issued each time a new passport is acquired by cardholder below the age of 20 years and above the age of 50 years. These guidelines are in force since 2005.
• Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) is a person who has registered under the Citizenship act, 1955. 

Topic: Polity

5. Fifth session of 17^th Lok Sabha prorogues.

• President Ram Nath Kovind prorogued the fifth session of 17th Lok Sabha. The session was started on 29^th January.
• He also prorogued the Rajya Sabha.
• According to Article 85 of the Indian Constitution, the President summons both the houses of the Parliament and prorogues them. He can also dissolve the Lok Sabha.
• The President addresses the Parliament after the general elections and also at the beginning of the first session every year.
• The 17^th Lok Sabha was formed after the general election of 2019.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Polity

6. President gave assent to Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

• President has given his assent to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
• The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill was passed by Parliament on 22 March.
• According to the bill, the “government” in Delhi means the “Lieutenant Governor”. It also proposed that the Delhi government have to seek L-G’s opinion before taking an executive decision.
• It also proposed that the Delhi Legislative Assembly shall not make any rules or committees to consider the matters of the day-to-day administration of Delhi and to conduct any inquiry related to administrative decisions. 
• It has amended the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991. An act that provides a framework for the functioning of the Delhi government and Legislative Assembly.
• President also gave his assent to the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development Act, 2021 and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2021.

Topic: Personality in News

7. Hero of 1971 Battle of Basantar, Lt Gen Pinto, passed away at 97.

• A military hero Lt Gen Pinto passed away at the age of 97.
• Lieutenant General WAG Pinto had led the 54 Infantry Division in the Battle of Basantar during the 1971 war.
• He is also known as the ‘Victor of Basantar’.
• His division won 196 gallantry medals for this battle, including two Param Vir Chakras and nine Maha Vir Chakras.
• India- Pak war 1971:
  • It was a military confrontation between India and Pakistan for the Independence of Bangladesh.
  • It started on 3 December 1971 and ended on 16 December 1971.
  • It is one of the shortest wars in the modern world.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

8. External Affairs Minister will attend ‘Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process’ conference.

• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will attend the ninth Ministerial Conference of Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process (HoA-IP) on Afghanistan in Dushanbe. He is on a three-day visit to Tajikistan.
• S Jaishankar is attending this conference on the joint invitation of Afghanistan and Tajikistan. He will also meet with other leaders.
• The main aim of this conference is to bring regional and international consensus for Afghan peace.
• India is a key stakeholder for the peace, prosperity and stability in Afghanistan. India has started a dedicated Air Freight Corridor between India and Afghanistan and made efforts to integrate with Afghanistan.
• S Jaishankar also visited the Dushanbe-Chortut Highway Project site. The Border Roads Organisation of India builds it.
• Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process (HoA-IP):
  • It was founded on 2 November 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey.
  • It is a platform to address the shared challenges and interests of Afghanistan and its neighbours and regional partners.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

9. PM Narendra Modi announced to unveil the updated edition of “Exam Warrior”. 

• PM Modi recently announced the new updated version of Exam Warrior for students as well as for Parents and Teachers.
• Many new parts have been added in Exam Warrior and that would be very interesting for both Parents and students.
• To keep out from stress before an exam, the book has many new mantras and very interesting activities.
• The Exam Warrior is also now available on NaMo App.
• Exam Warrior:
  • Exam Warriors is a book by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, published in 2018.
  • Exam Warriors has been written for young students to help them deal with the stress of exams.      

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Defence

10. Pakistan successfully tested Nuclear-Capable Ballistic Missile, Shaheen-1A.

• Shaheen-1A, the nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a range of 900 kilometres successfully tested by Pakistan.
• The aim of the missile test was to re-validating various design and technical parameters of the weapon system, including the advanced navigation system.
• During the missile launch, senior officials from the Strategic Plans Division, strategic forces, scientists, and engineers of strategic organizations were present.
• Pakistan had also tested a nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile ‘Ghaznavi’ in February, which can strike targets up to 290 kilometers.
• In January, Pakistan had tested the nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile Shaheen-III, which can strike targets up to 2,750 kilometres.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

11. Mahinder Giri will be honored with International Ranger Award.

• Prakash Javadekar, Minister for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, has congratulated Mahinder Giri for getting the prestigious International Ranger award.
• Mahinder Giri, a Rajaji Tiger Reserve range officer (RTR), has now become the only ranger from Asia to win the prestigious International Ranger Award.
• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) has awarded 10 professionals across the world with this prestigious award.
• With the aim to honour the extraordinary work done by rangers in protected and conserved areas around the world, the award was created in 2020 by IUCN and WCPA in collaboration with International Ranger Federation, Global Wildlife Conservation, and Conservation Allies.
• Rajaji National Park:
  • It is an Indian national park and tiger reserve near the foothills of the Himalayas.
  • It is spread over 820 km² in Uttarakhand’s three districts: Haridwar, Dehradun, and Pauri Garhwal.
  • Chilla, Motichur, and Rajaji wildlife sanctuaries were merged into one in 1983.

Topic: Important Days

12. Rajasthan Diwas: 30 March

• Rajasthan Diwas is celebrated on 30 March every year.
• The day is also known as Rajasthan Day or Rajasthan Foundation Day.
• Rajasthan was formed on 30 March 1949. 72^nd Rajasthan Day is celebrating this year.
• Rajasthan is made up of two words, ‘Raj’ and ‘sthan’, which means the place of kings.
• Rajasthan:
  • It is a state in northern India.
  • It covers 10.4% of the total geographical area of ​​India.
  • Kalraj Mishra is the Governor of the Rajasthan.
  • Ashok Gehlot is the Chief Minister of the state.
  • Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan.
  • It is surrounded by Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab.
  • The state has 25 Lok Sabha and 200 assembly seats.