Daily Current Affairs and GK | 6 and 7 March 2022

Topic: Miscellaneous

1. Reliance Industries announced opening of India's largest convention Centre at Jio World Centre in Mumbai.

• It has three exhibition halls spread over an area of more than 1.61 lakh square feet and two convention halls of 1.07 lakh square feet.
• The convention centre has a kitchen capacity to provide meals to 18,000 people per day. It has a total area of over 1.39 lakh square feet.
• It is the first-of-its-kind center, which includes a cultural centre, a musical fountain, serviced apartments, and offices, etc.
• Reliance Industries also announced the opening of Dhirubhai Ambani Square and 'Fountain of Joy'.
• The Dhirubhai Ambani Square is centered around the Fountain of Joy. The fountain has eight fire shooters, 392 water jets, and over 600 LED lights.
• The Jio World Centre will be opened phase-wise over the course of the current and the next year.

Topic: National News

2. Union Minister of Home Affairs attended 53^rd Raising Day celebration of CISF as Chief Guest in Ghaziabad on 06 March 2022.

• Shri Amit Shah also released the Force's magazine 'Sentinel-2022'. He also presented medals to Officers and Jawans of CISF for gallantry and outstanding services.
• He appreciated CISF’s role during coronavirus pandemic. He urged CISF to prepare a roadmap of next five years as there will be huge expansion in the private sector.
• He said that CISF is the only industrial security force in the world. CISF Raising Day lies every year on 10 March. 
• Central Industrial Security Force (CISF):
  • It was formed on 10 March 1969 under the act of the Parliament. It works under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
  • The CISF provides security to India’s most critical infrastructure facilities like nuclear installations, space establishments, airports, seaports, power plants etc.
  • It also protects important government buildings, iconic heritage monuments and the Delhi Metro.
  • Its headquarters is in New Delhi. Sheel Vardhan Singh is its Current Director-General. The motto of CISF is “Protection and Security”.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

3. NMDC received 1^st prize in Ispat Rajbhasha Award for 2018-19 and 2020-21 and Ispat Rajbhasha Prerna Award for 2019-20.

• National Mineral Development Corporation Ltd. (NMDC) received the awards in the meeting of the Hindi Salahakar Committee of the Ministry of Steel organized in Madurai on 3rd March 2022.
• The awards were presented by Union Minister of Steel, Shri Ram Chandra Prasad Singh to Sumit Deb, Chairman and Managing Director, NMDC.
• Ispat Rajbhasha Award and Ispat Rajbhasha Prerna Award are given in order to encourage use of Hindi.
• NMDC is country’s largest Iron Ore producer. It is a Central Public Sector Enterprise under Ministry of Steel. It is headquartered in Hyderabad.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: International News

4. India and the Netherlands are commemorating 75^th anniversary of the beginning of their diplomatic relations in 2022.

• To mark the occasion, special logo was unveiled on 2^nd March 2022. The logo features a lotus and a tulip – the national flowers of both countries.
• Netherlands presented 3000 fresh tulips to India, as a symbol of friendship.
• India and the Netherlands had established diplomatic relations in 1947. In FY 2019-20, Netherlands was the third largest investor in India after Mauritius and Singapore.
• In FY 2019-20, Netherlands was the fourth highest destination for overseas direct investment (ODI) from India. It was also the fourth largest ODI destination in FY 2020-21.
• Dutch Indo Water 3 Alliance Leadership Initiative has been created to identify solutions for water-related challenges, in which both nations can collaborate to build solutions.
• Netherlands has Europe’s second-biggest Indian diaspora community after the United Kingdom.
• Netherlands:
  • It is a country in Western Europe whose capital is Amsterdam and currency is Euro.
  • It borders Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North Sea to the northwest.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Defence

5. Flying trainer HANSA-NG completed sea level trials successfully.

• From February 19 to March 5, the country's first indigenous Flying Trainer, the HANSA-NG, has successfully completed sea level trials in Puducherry.
• CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories in Bangalore designed and developed the HANSA-NG.
• On 19 February, the aircraft flew 140 nautical miles in one and a half hours at a cruising speed of 155 kilometers per hour.
• The HANSA-NG is a cutting-edge flying trainer powered by the Rotax Digital Control Engine.
• Just-In-Time Prepreg (JIPREG) Composite lightweight Airframe, Glass Cockpit, Bubble Canopy with wide panoramic vision, and electrically operated flaps are some of its unique features.

Topic: Defence

6. Advanced version of Brahmos missile successfully test-fired by the Indian Navy.

• In the Indian Ocean, the Indian Navy successfully test-fired an advanced version of the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile from a stealth destroyer INS Chennai.
• The missile hit its intended target with accuracy after crossing an extended range of trajectory and performing complex manoeuvres.
• Both the BrahMos missile and the INS Chennai were designed and built in India. They demonstrate the India's cutting-edge missile and shipbuilding capabilities.
• BrahMos missile:
  • The supersonic cruise missiles are produced by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India and Russia.
  • It can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.
  • The BrahMos missile travels at 2.8 Mach, or nearly three times the speed of sound.
  • The range of advanced version of the missile has increased to roughly 350 kilometres from the initial 290 kilometres.

Topic: Defence

7. Ninth edition of Exercise SLINEX started in Visakhapatnam on 07^th March 2022.

• The exercise is being conducted in two phases. Its harbor phase is being carried out at Vishakhapatnam on March 7 and 8.
• The sea phase of Sri Lanka-India Naval Exercise SLINEX will be carried out on March 9 and 10 in the Bay of Bengal.
• SLNS Sayurala, the Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel of Sri Lanka Navy, will represent Sri Lankan Navy in the exercise.
• Indian Navy will be represented by INS Kirch, a guided missile corvette.
• INS Jyoti, a Fleet support tanker, Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), Seaking and Chetak Helicopters and Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft are other participants from Indian Navy.
• Sri Lanka-India Naval Exercise- SLINEX:
  • It was last held in October 2020 off the coast of Trincomalee.
  • It aims to improve inter-operability, enhance mutual understanding and exchange best practices and procedures for multi-faceted maritime operations between both navies.

Topic: State News/Maharashtra

8. PM Modi inaugurated 12km stretch of Pune Metro Rail Project.

• He also unveiled the statute of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the premises of the Pune Municipal Corporation. The statue is made up of 1,850 kg gunmetal and is about 9.5 feet tall.
• PM Modi also inaugurated the Symbiosis Arogya Dham at Lavle campus, Pune.
• PM Modi also inaugurated a state-of-the-art electric bus depot and charging station in the Baner locality of Pune.
• PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of Rejuvenation and Pollution Abatement of Mula-Mutha River projects. 
• Further, he inaugurated R K Laxman Art Gallery Museum at Balewadi in Pune.
• Pune Metro Rail Project is total 32.2 km long. It was sanctioned in 2016 and its foundation stone was laid by PM Modi on 26 December 2016. It is being built at a total project cost of Rs 11,400 crores.
• Mula-Mutha River is formed by confluence of Mula and Mutha rivers in Pune. It later meets Bhima River (also known as Chandrabhaga River). Bhima River is left bank tributary of Krishna River.

Topic: Appointments

9. Chief Justice DN Patel appointed as chairperson of TDSAT.

• He has been appointed as chairperson of the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) for four years or till attainment of the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier.
• His appointment has been approved by the Appointment Committee of the cabinet.
• Before this appointment, he had served as Chief Justice of Jharkhand High court and served as Judge of Gujarat High court.
• Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT):
  • It was established in 2000.
  • It was established to protect the interests of service providers and consumers of the telecom sector.
  • It consists of a Chairperson and two Members appointed by the Central Government.
  • The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) is governed by the provision of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 and the Tribunal (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2021.
  • Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

10. Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launched a program to promote Artificial Intelligence readiness in India.

• Department of Science and Technology and Intel India have collaborated to launch a program named 'Building AI Readiness among Young Innovators'.
• This program has been designed for students of grades 6th-10th enrolled in the DST's INSPIRE-Awards MANAK scheme.
• Its main aim is to create a culture of creativity and innovative thinking among students. It will help in building an AI-ready generation by empowering the students with the knowledge and skills.
• This program will be completed in three stages. Students will be introduced to the basics of AI and its multiple domains.
• The selected students will participate in Intel AI boot camp with AI experts and coaches.
• Top 50 projects will be shortlisted by an independent committee of experts for the third phase. These will be showcased on national/international platforms.
• INSPIRE Awards – MANAK:
  • It is executed by Department of Science & Technology (DST) in association with National Innovation Foundation.
  • Its objective is to target one million original ideas/ innovations rooted in science and societal applications to foster a culture of creativity and innovative thinking among school children.

Topic: India and its neighbours

11. A two-day-long ‘Study in India 2022’ meet inaugurated in Dhaka.

• This event has been organized by the High Commission of India and was inaugurated by Education Minister of Bangladesh Dr. Dipu Moni.
• The Study in India meet will be also organized in Chittagong on March 7.
• A total of 19 educational institutions from India took part in the Education Fair in Dhaka.
• The educational exchange between India and Bangladesh will strengthen the relationship between both countries.
• Bangladeshi students are the third largest foreign student community in India.
• Study in India programme:
  • It is a flagship project launched by the Ministry of Education in 2018.
  • It encourages the global student community to pursue higher education in India.
  • Under this programme, more than 150 countries students have chosen India for pursuing higher education.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Appointments

12. Sanjiv Kapoor appointed as CEO of Jet Airways.

• Jet Airways has announced that Sanjiv Kapoor will be the new CEO. His appointment will become effective from 4 April 2022.
• Before this appointment, he had worked as chief operating officer at SpiceJet and Chief Strategy and commercial officer at Vistara.
• Jet Airways has recently hired P P Singh as its accountable manager.
• Jet Airways had stopped its operation in April 2019 due to piling losses, debt, and dues.
• Jet Airways is planning to restart its operation from summer months.
• Recently, Ilker Ayci has declined the offer to become the new Air India Chief executive officer (CEO).

Topic: Important Days

13. Jan Aushadhi Diwas: 7 March

• The Jan Aushadhi Diwas will be celebrated on 7^th March 2022. It was first observed in 2019.
• It is celebrated by the Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI).
• The theme of the 4^th Janaushadhi Diwas is “Jan Aushadhi-Jan Upyogi”.
• It is observed to spread awareness about the usages of generic medicines and the benefits of Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana.
• Janaushadhi Diwas week is being observed from 1st March to 7th March 2022.
• On this occasion, Doctors, Health Workers, Nurses, Pharmacists, and Jan Aushadhi Mitra’s will discuss the Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana.
• The government has set a target to increase the number of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) to 10,500 by March 2025.

Topic: Personality in News

14. Ex-Army Chief General SF Rodrigues passed away.

• Former Punjab governor and ex-Army Chief Gen SF Rodrigues passed away at the age of 88.
• He was born in Bombay in 1933 and served as the chief of the Indian Army from 1990 to 1993.
• He was appointed as Governor of Punjab and Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh in 2004.
• He will be remembered for his deep strategic knowledge. He also served as a member of the National Security Advisory Board.