Daily Current Affairs and GK | 4 December 2021

Topic: State News/ Bihar

1. Bihar wins gold award in 40th International Trade Fair.

• Bihar has won the gold medal in the 40th India International Trade Fair (IITF). The Bihar Pavilion has 41 stalls with the finest products from the state.
• Bihar has won the gold medal for “excellence in display” in the state government/union territory pavilion category.
• This award will encourage traditional skills and folk art in the state. It will support the handicraftsmen and weavers of the state.
• Bihar has won the gold medal for the sixth time in the past seven years.
• The products made by the handicraftsmen and weavers of Bihar are of international standard in terms of beauty and quality.
• The eco-friendly products of Bihar Pavilion were also appreciated. Bihar Pavilion has presented the picture of Aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) village on the international stage.
• Padma Shri awardee Dulari Devi’s live exhibition of Madhubani paintings remained the centre of attraction during the International Trade Fair.
• International Trade Fair has been organized at Pragati Maidan in Delhi from November 14 to 27.

Topic: International News

2. India and Paraguay discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in cultural & consular matters.

• The Third Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between India and Paraguay was held on 1 December.
• The Indian delegation has been led by Riva Ganguly Das and the Paraguayan side was represented by Marcelo Scappiniand and Raul Cano Ricciardi.
• Both sides discussed ways to improve collaboration in cultural and consular matters. They also exchanged views on pandemic management.
• Both sides agreed to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Both sides discussed regional issues in South Asia and South America.
• The Paraguayan Embassy in India was inaugurated in 2006. The Honorary Consulate of Paraguay are located in Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
• India’s exports products valued at USD 161 million to Paraguay. Soyabean oil accounts for over 90% of the Paraguay’s exports to India.

Topic: National News

3. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence to celebrate 64th Founding Day on 4 December.

• The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence will celebrate its 64th Founding Day on 4 December.
• The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence will also release a report on Smuggling in India 2020-21. The report will also highlight the performance of DRI over the last year.
• It also mentioned the issues related to national security, foreign trade policy, gold smuggling, environmental violations, narcotics, import and export frauds.
• The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence will also organize a Regional Customs Enforcement Meeting.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

4. President Ram Nath Kovind conferred annual National Awards.

• President Ram Nath Kovind conferred National Awards for outstanding work towards the empowerment of persons with disabilities.
• The awards were given to individuals, institutions, organizations, state, and districts for their outstanding achievements.
• The award has been given to people who have worked for the empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
• In recent years, the government has taken several steps for the empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
• The government has issued more than 64 lakh Unique Disability ID Card till date. Unique ID for Persons with Disabilities project has been implemented for creating a National Database.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

5. India and EU agreed to strengthen Clean Energy and Climate Partnership.

• India and European Union (EU) have agreed to strengthen Clean Energy and Climate Partnership.
• The meeting of India-EU Energy Panel was held 01 December 2021. It was co-chaired by India’s Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (West) and Deputy Director-General for Energy, European Commission.
• They together agreed on a detailed work programme until 2023 to implement the 2016 India-EU Clean Energy and Climate Partnership.
• The panel also agreed to explore further avenues to step up India-EU cooperation within the context of International Solar Alliance.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

6. Prasar Bharati enters into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Kanpur.

• Prasar Bharati has entered into a MoU with IIT Kanpur to develop Next Generation Broadcast solution for digital terrestrial broadcasting consistent with emerging standards such as 5G broadcast.
• In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said that sanction for the proof of concept of Next Generation broadcasting has also been conveyed to IIT, Kanpur.
• He said that selection of suitable Next Generation broadcast technology and digital terrestrial transmission roadmap of Doordarshan depends upon evaluation of this proof of concept.

Topic: National News

7. ADB approves Rs 3,752 cr for improving quality of school education in India.

• Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved Rs 3,752 cr for improving the quality of school education in India and to mitigate the impact of coronavirus on student’s learning.
• The financial assistance from Asian Development Bank will help the Integrated Scheme for School Education (Samagra Shiksha) and the new Exemplar School Initiative of the Ministry of Education (MOE).
• The exemplar schools will be first set up in the states of Assam, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand.
• It will focus on inclusive and equitable learning outcomes. Around 1,800 government schools will be converted into exemplar schools.
• Exemplar schools will improve the quality learning and it will become role models for government schools across India.
• It will help in the government’s commitment to provide high-quality education across the states.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

8. Delhi’s Nizamuddin Basti conservation project wins two Unesco awards.

• The conservation project of Delhi’s Nizamuddin has won two awards at the Unesco Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
• The conservation initiative at Nizamuddin received the Award of Excellence and Special Recognition for Sustainable Development Award.
• The conservation projects of Delhi’s Nizamuddin was the only entry from India. Conservation project at Nizamuddin Basti has been undertaken by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in partnership with the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Archaeological Survey of India, Delhi Urban Heritage Foundation, and the Dargah Committee.
• The conservation project includes the restoration of over 20 historic monuments around the mausoleum of Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.
• The jury applauded the Nizamuddin Basti project for its “outstanding achievement in placing heritage at the heart of the sustainable development agenda”.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

9. Assam government conferred 'Asom Baibhav Award' to industrialist Ratan Tata.

• Assam government has decided to confer the 'Asom Baibhav Award' to Ratan Tata. It is the highest civilian award of Assam.
• He has been honoured for his enormous contributed to the Cancer treatment in Assam.
• The Board of Trustees of Tata Trust has approved Rs 540 Crore for setting up of 3-level cancer care grid in 2017.
• Under this project, a South Asian Cancer Research Centre will be set up to undertake research and to develop treatment protocols.
• The Assam Ratna award is now known as Asom Baibhav award and Assam Vibhushan is also known as Asom Saurav.
• Ratan Tata is the chairman of the Tata group. He served as the chairman of Tata groups from 1990-2012.

Topic: Geography

10. Heavy rainfall alert issued by IMD in view of the impending storm Jawad.

• Heavy rainfall alert has been issued by IMD in south Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh in view of the impending storm Jawad. 
• Odisha government has reviewed its cyclone preparedness consequent upon the high-level meeting of National Crisis Management Committee meeting chaired by the cabinet secretary in New Delhi on 01 December.
• As per forecast by meteorological department, cyclone is likely to approach south Odisha and North Andhra Pradesh coast.
• National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) is formed by central government in view of a natural calamity for effective coordination and implementation of relief measures and operations. Cabinet Secretary heads NCMC.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Indian Polity

11. Lok Sabha to take up National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

• Lok Sabha is scheduled to take up National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
• The bill will amend National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Act, 1998.
• National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Act, 1998 established National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), at Mohali in Punjab.
• National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Act, 1998 was earlier amended in 2007.
• After the 2007 amendment, six new NIPERs were set up at Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Hajipur, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Raebareli.
• The Rajya Sabha is scheduled to discuss the Dam Safety Bill, 2019 for consideration and passing.
• Dam Safety Bill, 2019 will provide surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of the specified dam for prevention of dam failure related disasters.
• It will also create institutional mechanism to ensure safe functioning of Dam.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

12. IREDA and THDC India Ltd (THDCIL) sign MoU for Green Energy collaborations.

• Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) and THDCIL have signed MoU for Green Energy collaborations.
• The MoU was signed by Shri Pradip Kumar Das, Chairman & Managing Director (CMD), IREDA and CMD of THDCIL.
• This is the sixth MoU signed by IREDA within one year for providing its consultancy services for developers of Renewable Energy and Energy transition.
• Under the MoU, IREDA will carry out Techno-Financial due diligence of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency &Conservation projects for THDCIL.
• IREDA will help THDCIL in developing an action plan to create and acquire Renewable Energy projects for the next 5 years.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Important Days

13. Indian Navy Day: 4 December

• Every year on December 4, Indian Navy Day is commemorated to honour the sacrifices and accomplishments of our country's naval forces.
• The day is marked to commemorate the sinking of four Pakistani ships by the Indian navy during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. The liberation of Bangladesh was the goal of the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
• The Indian Navy is the naval arm of the Indian Armed Forces, and its Commander-in-Chief is the President of India.
• The Indian Navy's military staff is led by the Chief of the Naval Staff. Recently, Admiral R Hari Kumar has been appointed as the new Chief of the Naval Staff.
• To mark the 50th anniversary of India's triumph in the 1971 war, the year 2021 is being celebrated as 'Swarnim Vijay Varsh.'

Topic: Appointment

14. Gita Gopinath has been appointed as Deputy Managing Director of the IMF.

• IMF's Indian-American chief economist Gita Gopinath has been promoted as first deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
• She has been appointed for her exceptional intellectual leadership in helping the global economy and the Fund to navigate the “twists and turns” of the “worst economic crisis of our lives”.
• Gopinath will succeed Geoffrey Okamoto, who will leave the International Monetary Fund early next year, according to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.
• Gopinath, who was set to return to her academic position at Harvard University in January 2022 but now she has decided to stay.