Daily Current Affairs and GK | 30 and 31 January 2022

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

1. Government organized a webinar on “Cage aquaculture in Reservoir: Sleeping Giants”.

• Department of Fisheries has organized a webinar on “Cage aquaculture in Reservoir: Sleeping Giants”.
• ICAR- Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) gave a comprehensive presentation on Cage aquaculture in reservoir.
• Around 100 participants including officials of the Department of Fisheries, entrepreneurs, scientists, farmers, etc. have participated in this webinar.
• The Department of Fisheries has set investment targets for promoting cage aquaculture under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMSY) scheme.
• Cage aquaculture:
  • It is a method of growing of fishes in existing water resources by using floating net cage.
  • It is an aquaculture production system made of a floating frame, net materials, and mooring system.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

2. NGT directed government to set up ‘Fly ash management and utilization Mission’.

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the government to form a ‘Fly Ash Management and Utilisation Mission’.
• The secretary of MoEF&CC will be the nodal agency for the coordination and compliance of this mission.
• It will help in monitoring scientific management and utilization of the Fly ash.
• The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCB) will be responsible for the implementation of this mission.
• The mission will also monitor the stock of unutilized fly ash and it will also ensure that fly ash could be utilized in the least hazardous manner.
• The mission will hold its first meeting within one month to see the current situation of fly ash management in coal power plants.
• It will also create a roadmap for fly ash utilization available for all thermal power plants and their clusters.
• Fly ash:
  • It is an unwanted unburnt residue of coal combustion in a coal thermal power plant.
  • It is collected by using the electrostatic precipitators and is converted into a wet slurry to minimize dust emissions.

Topic: International News

3. Socialist Party of Portugal has won an outright majority in Parliament.

• Portugal's ruling Socialist Party (PS) has won an absolute majority in Parliament as a result of the snap elections held on 30January.
• PS, led by Prime Minister Antonio Costa, received 42 percent of the vote and won 117 of the 230 mandates, which ensured Costa will remain in power.
• The Social Democratic Party came in second with roughly 28 percent of the vote.
• Portugal:
  • It is located in south-western Europe.
  • It is the westernmost country in Europe.
  • It is the oldest country in Europe.
  • Lisbon is the Capital of Portugal, and Euro is the currency of Portugal.

Topic: Important Day

4. Martyrs’ Day / Shaheed Diwas: 30 January

• Every year on January 30th, India commemorates Martyr's Days, to honor Mahatma Gandhi's sacrifices.
• On the 74th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's death, the country paid tribute to the Father of the Nation.
• Nathuram Godse killed him at Birla House in New Delhi on January 30, 1948.
• On the occasion, Union Home Minister Amit Shah dedicated a mural of Mahatma Gandhi at Ahmedabad's Sabarmati Riverfront.
• Mahatma Gandhi:
  • His full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
  • Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the Nation, was a lawyer, political ethicist, activist, and writer.
  • He was born in Porbandar, Gujarat on 2nd October 1869.
  • He founded the Harijan Sevak Sangh in 1932.
  • Times Magazine named Mahatma Gandhi as the Man of the Year in 1930.

Topic: Sports

5. Unnati became the youngest Indian to win Odisha Open titles.

• Unnati Hooda became the youngest Indian woman to win the women's singles title at the Odisha Open Super 100 badminton tournament.
• In the women's singles final, the 14-year-old Hooda defeated Smit Toshniwal 21-18, 21-11 in just 35 minutes.
• Kiran George won the men's singles title in the Odisha Open Super 100 badminton tournament.
• He defeated Priyanshu Rajawat 21-15, 14-21, 21-18 in 58 minutes in the men’s category.
• Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand defeated Sanyogita Ghorpade and Shruti Mishra 21-12, 21-10 to clinch the women's doubles title.
• In the mixed doubles final, Sachin Dias and Thilini Hendadahewa of Sri Lanka defeated India's MR Arjun and Jolly.
• Odisha Open 2022:
  • Odisha Open 2022 was started on 25 January at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack.
  • The Odisha Open was held for the first time, and it was organized by the Badminton Association of India.
  • There was a total prize pool of $75,000 USD in the tournament.

Topic: International news

6. Netherlands has unveiled the world's largest canal lock.

• The world's largest canal lock has been unveiled in Ijmuiden, a small port town in the Amsterdam port of Netherlands.
• The Dutch King Willem-Alexander inaugurated the world's largest canal lock.
• Ijmuiden sea lock is a 500-meter (1,640-foot) long and 70-meter-wide. It connects the North Sea Canal with the port of Amsterdam.
• The major infrastructure project began in 2016 and was supposed to be completed by 2019.
• The older structure, known as the Noordersluis (northern lock), was constructed in 1929 and is now being replaced.

Topic: Sports

7. Rafael Nadal becomes first player to win 21 Grand Slams.

• Rafael Nadal has become first player in the world to win 21 Grand Slams. He has also become only player to win the most grand slam titles.
• He defeated World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev in Australian Open men's singles final.
• It was his first Grand Slam title after winning the 2020 French Open.
• Nadal now has one more Grand Slam title to his name than Roger Federer and Djokovic.
• Prior to the Australian Open, all three had the same record of 20 Grand Slam titles to their name.
• Nadal has become the third-oldest man to win a Grand Slam title. Ken Rosewall and Roger Federer are the first two such individuals.
• He is also only the second man to have won all four Grand Slams at least twice.    
• World Number one Ashleigh Barty has won her first Australian Open title. She defeated Danielle Collins of United States in the Women's Singles final.
• In Australian Men's doubles final, Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis claimed their first major title.
• Rafael Nadal is a Spanish professional tennis player. Daniil Medvedev is a Russian professional tennis player. Ashleigh Barty is an Australian professional tennis player.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: National News

8. NCW’s 30^th Foundation Day Programme to be addressed by PM Modi.

• National Commission for Women’s 30th Foundation Day Programme will be addressed by PM Modi on 31st January 2022.
• The theme of the programme is ‘She The Change Maker’. It is aimed at celebrating the achievements of women in different fields.
• Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani will be present on the occasion.
• National Commission for Women (NCW):
  • It is the statutory body responsible for advising the government on all policy matters affecting women.
  • It was formed in 1992.
  • Rekha Sharma is its chairperson. Jayanti Patnaik was its first head.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

9. Maharashtra NCC Directorate wins PM Banner at RDC 2022.

• At the Republic Day Camp (RDC) 2022, the Maharashtra National Cadet Corps (NCC) Directorate has won the prestigious Prime Minister Banner.
• Cadets from 17 NCC directorates from various states have participated in this year’s RDC Camp.
• The RDC 2022 for the NCC concluded on 28 January 2022 with the PM’s Rally at Cariappa Parade Ground.
• PM presented the prestigious PM Banner to Major General Y P Khanduri. Siddhesh Jadhav was the Banner Bearer and Cadet captain Nikita Khot was the Trophy bearer.
• Maharashtra NCC Directorate has won this prestigious PM Banner after seven years.
• National Cadets Corps:
  • It was formed under the National Cadets Corps Act 1948.
  • It is a tri-service voluntary organization responsible for giving military training to the youths from high and higher secondary schools, colleges, and universities.
  • Gurbirpal Singh is the current Director-General of NCC.
  • Motto: Unity and Discipline
  • Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: State News/ Kerala

10. Kerala gets its first Bird Atlas comprising 361 bird species.

• Kerala Bird Atlas (KBA) is the first of its kind state-level bird atlas in India.
• It consists of three lakh records of 361 species including 94 very rare species, 103 rare species, 110 common species, 44 very common species, and 10 most abundant species.
• The majority of endemic species are found in western Ghats, while the threatened species were mostly found along the coasts.
• The Kerala Bird Atlas is the largest bird atlas of Asia in terms of geographical extent, sampling efforts, and species coverage.
• Data for this atlas has been collected from the geographical terrain split into nearly 4000 grids.
• It represents the current scenario of the wildlife and creates a database over the distribution of their habitat.
• At present, Kerala has 33 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs).

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: International News

11. India and ASEAN approves Digital Work Plan 2022.

• India-ASEAN Digital Work Plan 2022 has been approved at the 2^nd ASEAN Digital Ministers meeting with India.
• Devusinh Chauhan, Minister of State for Communications (MoSC) and Tin Aung San, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Myanmar co-chaired the meeting.
• Various relevant topics related to strengthening regional digital cooperation were discussed in the meeting.
• The work plan includes the system for combating the use of stolen and counterfeit mobile handsets, wifi access network interface for public internet, capacity building and knowledge sharing, etc.
• This project is backed by the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) system.
• The ADGMIN is an annual meeting of Telecom Ministers of 10 ASEAN and dialogue partner countries
• During the meeting, Devusinh Chauhan said that Information and Communication Technologies strengthen democratic systems through engagement between citizens and government.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Miscellaneous

12. India is planning to convert 150 villages into 'Villages of Excellence' with the help of Israel.

• The government of India has decided to convert 150 villages into 'Villages of Excellence' in 12 states with technical help from Israel.
• The Israeli government has already established 29 Centre of Excellence (CoEs) in 12 States.
• These Centre of Excellences are producing more than 25 million vegetable plants and provides training to more than 1.2 lakh farmers per year.
• The 150 villages located near Centre of Excellence will be converted into 'Villages of Excellence.
• In Phase-I, 75 villages will be converted into 'Villages of Excellence to commemorate the 75th year of India's independence.
• This year, India and Israel are celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

Topic: Books and Authors

13. Subhash Chandra Garg authored a book titled "The $10 Trillion Dream".

• Former finance secretary Subhash Chandra Garg's upcoming book "The $10 Trillion Dream" will be released soon.
• In this book, he has suggested measures to make India a 10 trillion US dollar economy by 2030.
• It will be released in February by Penguin Random House India (PRHI).
• He said that India needs to adopt a robust economic policy to become a USD five trillion economy by 2026-27 and USD 10 trillion economy by 2030.
• Subhash Chandra Garg has served in various key positions in the Union government and the government of Rajasthan. He was appointed finance secretary in 2019.

Topic: Important Days

14. World Leprosy Eradication Day 2022: 30 January.

• World Leprosy Day is celebrated every year on the last Sunday of January. In 2022, it was celebrated on 30 January.
• It is observed to raise awareness about Leprosy and to end the stigma and discrimination associated with Leprosy.
• The theme for World Leprosy Day 2022 was 'United for Dignity'.
• National Leprosy Eradication Program was launched in 1983 in India to eradicate leprosy.
• Leprosy:
  • It is also known as Hansen's disease.
  • It is an infection caused by Mycobacterium lepromatosis.
  • It can damage the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and eyes of the infected person.