Current Affairs 17 March 2022

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

BRO signs MoU with GRSE for construction of 27 double-lane class 70 modular bridges in Border Areas

On March 15, 2022, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was inked between Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) worth around Rs 60 crore for fabrication, supply, erection and launching of 27 carriageway double lane galvanised modular bridges of 7.5 meters with Indian Road Congress (IRC) Load Class 70 in border areas. It is two-year contract
Signatories:
It was signed by Director General Border Roads (DGBR) Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry, and Officiating Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of GRSE Commodore PR Hari (Retd) in New Delhi (Delhi).
Key Points:
i.In 2021, BRO had successfully trial evaluated an Indigenous 140 feet Double Lane Modular Bridge of IRC Load Class 70, supplied by GRSE Ltd. This was first of its kind indigenous bridge on “Flag Hill-Dokala” Road in Sikkim at an altitude of 11,000 feet by Karamyogis of Project Swastik.
ii.These bridges could be launched within 45 days of handing over the site by the units.
iii.The IRC Load Class 70 classification enables these bridges to enhance the operational preparedness of the security forces in the forward areas.

MV Ram Prasad Bismil, Longest Vessel Ever to Sail On Brahmaputra, Accomplished Pilot Run

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways has attained a landmark achievement by sailing the Motor Vessel (MV) Ram Prasad Bismil, the longest vessel ever to sail on the river Brahmaputra. The pilot run of this 90-meter-long heavy cargo movement, which started off from Haldia Dock, Kolkata, West Bengal, has reached Pandu Port, Guwahati, Assam, upon successful completion.

• The vessel was flagged off by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (PSW), Sarbananda Sonowal, along with two barges – Dumb Barge (DB) Kalpana Chawla and Dumb Barge (DB) APJ Abdul Kalam -from the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Haldia on February 16, 2022.
• This pilot run embarks on the commencement of barging operations from Kolkata to Guwahati via the Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR) and makes possible the much-awaited connection for the business of the Northeast through the marine network with the rest of the world.

Significance:
i.The successful completion of this consignment, which carried 1,793 metric tonnes (MT) of steel rods from Tata Steel in Jamshedpur and required a draft of 2.0 meters, at critical stretches like Sirajganj – Daikowa stretch of IBPR.
ii.The Government of India and the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh made this possible by funding, in the ratio 80:20 respectively, for dredging of the key stretches of the Brahmaputra, resulting in seamless navigation.
iii. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) have jointly put efforts into visualizing this historic cargo movement.
Note:
Recently, two other cargo ships have successfully completed their pilot movements on the river Brahmaputra.
i.MV Lal Bahadur Shastri carried a consignment of 200 MT food grains for Food Corporation of India (FCI) from Patna to Pandu, successfully completing the Pilot Movement cargo between Ganga, the National Waterway 1 (NW1), and Brahmaputra, the National Waterway 2 (NW2).
ii.An Over Dimensional Cargo (ODC) for Numaligarh Refinery was also transported via IBPR further onto NW2.
Note:  Ram Prasad Bismil was a prominent freedom fighter and a revolutionary associated with Manipuri Conspiracy – 1918 & Kakori Conspiracy – 1925.
About Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW):
Union Minister – Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways & Ministry of Ayush (Rajya Sabha –  Assam)
Subordinate/ Attached offices:

• Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai
• Andaman & Lakshadweep Harbour Works, Port Blair
• Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships

India’s first-of-its kind Artificial Intelligence & Robotics Technology Park launched in Bengaluru

India’s first Artificial Intelligence & Robotics Technology Park (ARTPARK) for creating a better world through an inclusive Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Robotics revolution has been inaugurated at Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru, Karnataka.
It was launched by the Government of Karnataka’s Minister for Information, Biotechnology, and Science and Technology, Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan.
It is a joint initiative of IISc Bengaluru and AI Foundry, Bengaluru in a public-private collaborative model to promote technology innovations in the field of AI & Robotics.

• ARTPARK is a one-of-its kind, not-for-profit foundation with a total seed capital of 230 crores, which is funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India with Rs. 170 crores and the Government of Karnataka with Rs. 60 crores to create cutting-edge innovations in terms of new technologies, standards, products, services and intellectual properties outside of India.
• As the field of AI is expected to reach USD 15.7 trillion by 2030, the launch of this novel initiative is a step toward adapting to future technologies such as 5G, AI, and Robotics, which will help to create jobs and contribute to the economy.

About Artificial Intelligence & Robotics Technology Park (ARTPARK):
i.Presently ARTPARK is indulged in projects such as Project Eklavya, XraySetu, Avtaar Robotics, DataSetu and Autonomous Mobility.
ii.CEO – Umakant Soni

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

SIPRI Report: India Largest Importer of Major Arms in 2017-21

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute(SIPRI) Fact Sheet March 2022 – “Trends In International Arms Transfers, 2021”, India remained the largest importer globally even though Indian arms imports have decreased by 21% between 2012-2016 and 2017-2021. 

• India has accounted for 11% of global arms imports in 2017-2021, which was around 14% in 2012-2016. 

The Main suppliers of India in 2017-2021 are Russia(46%), France(27%), and the United States of America (USA)(12%).
>> Read Full News

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS        

2022 EE British Academy Film Awards: Will Smith won Best Actor for King Richard; The Power Of The Dog won Best Film

The winners of the 75th edition of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts(BAFTA)’s annual film awards – 2022 EE British Academy Film Awards(BAFA) were announced on 13th March 2022 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, the United Kingdom(UK). 

• The award ceremony was broadcasted on the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) in the UK and across the globe. 
• The award ceremony was hosted by Australian actress, Rebel Wilson

Highlights:
i.American Actor Will Smith won the BAFTA under the Leading Actor category for his role in King Richard, an American biographical sports drama film, directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green.
ii.The Power Of The Dog, a New Zealand-led Western psychological drama film, written and directed by Jane Campion has won 2 awards, Best Film and Best Director.
About the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA):
BAFTA is a world-leading, Britain’s oldest independent art charity.
Incepted in 1947
President– HRH Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge
Headquarters– London, The United Kingdom(UK)
>> Read Full News

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS      

Bhagwant Mann takes oath as CM of Punjab

On 16 March 2022 the Leader of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bhagwant Singh Mann, was sworn in as the Punjab Chief Minister (CM). The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit to Bhagwant Mann.

• The   swearing-in ceremony took place at Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of  freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in  Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar district, Punjab.

Highlights: 
i.The oath taking ceremony was attended by  Delhi CM and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, deputy CM Manish Sisodia, and others.
ii.The AAP in Punjab won  92 seats out of 117 seats in the  Punjab Assembly elections 2022.
About Bhagwant Singh Mann:
i.Bhagwant Singh Mann was a former actor, comedian and satirist.
ii.He is a former Member of Parliament (MP) in Lok Sabha and represented  Sangrur constituency, Punjab. 

Katalin Novak becomes Hungary’s first-ever female president

The Hungarian National Assembly(Hungarian parliament) has elected the ruling Fidesz Party lawmaker, Katalin Novak, as Republic of Hungary’s first-ever female President. By winning the election, she has become Hungary’s youngest ever head of state, at the age of 44.
i.She received 137 votes (a 2/3^rd majority) against her opposition rival, Peter Rona, an economist, who received 52 votes.
ii.She will replace her predecessor, Janos Ader, who’s term of office ends on May 10. Janos Ader has been holding the presidency since 2012 and was also a co-founder of the Fidesz Party.
iii. Novak will hold the Presidency for a tenure of five years, during which she has the power to temporarily block laws and call referendums.
iv.Earlier, she served as the Vice President of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party and also as a Minister for Family Affairs.
About Hungary:
It is a European Country and is also a member of the European Union (EU), Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Schengen Convention.
Prime Minister – Viktor Orban
Capital – Budapest (largest city in Hungary)
Currency – Hungarian Forint (HUF)
Major river – River Danube
Lakes – Lake Balaton (largest lake in Central Europe); Lake Heviz (second largest thermal lake in the world)

Ranjit Rath Named as Next CMD of Oil India Limited

Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has selected Geoscientist Ranjit Rath as the next Chairman and Managing Director(CMD) of Oil India Limited(OIL). He is currently serving as the CMD of Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd (MECL).

• Sushil Chandra Mishra, the current CMD of OIL will superannuate on 30th June 2022. 

About Ranjit Rath:
i.Ranjit Rath has previously served as the General Manager with Engineers India Limited, New Delhi, Delhi and he was posted with Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited. 
ii.In 2016, then President of India Pranab Mukherjee honoured him with the National Geosciences Award 2016 for applied Geology. 
iii.He has published several technical papers and co-authored a book titled “Underground Storage Technologies”. 
About Oil India Limited(OIL): 
OIL is a premier Indian National Oil Company under the administrative control of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas(MoPNG) and is the 2nd largest national oil and gas company in India.
CMD– Sushil Chandra Mishra
Headquarters– Noida, Uttar Pradesh

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS   

CCI approves acquisition of Micro Life Sciences Private Limited & Future Generali India Insurance Company Limited

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approves acquisition of equity stake in Future Generali India Insurance Company (FGIIC) Limited by Generali Participations Netherlands N.V (GPN). CCI approves acquisition of Micro Life Sciences Private Limited by South Elm Investments B.V

CCI approves acquisition of equity stake in FGIIC by Generali Participations Netherlands N.V

• Under this, there will be acquisition of shares of FGIIC by GPN. GPN proposes to acquire approx. 25% of the equity share capital of FGIIC held by Future Enterprises Limited, pursuant to which GPN’s aggregate (direct and indirect) shareholding in FGIIC will be increased from 49% to approx. 74%.
• Acquirer-Generali Participations Netherlands N.V. (GPN); Target –Future Generali India Insurance Company Limited (FGIIC).

Key Points:
i.GPN N.V. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A (“Generali Group”), the ultimate parent entity of the Generali group of companies. 
ii.The Generali Group is a global insurance provider and is present in the general insurance industry in India through FGIIC.
iii.FGIIC is a general insurance company engaged in the provision of non-life or general insurance services in India.
CCI approves acquisition of Micro Life Sciences Private Limited by South Elm Investments B.V
CCI also approves acquisition of Micro Life Sciences Private Limited by South Elm Investments (SEI) B.V.

• Target-Micro Life Sciences Private Limited (Micro Life); Acquirer-South Elm Investments B.V. (SEI).

Key Points:
i.SEI is an investment holding company incorporated under the laws of Netherlands. 
ii.The shareholders of SEI are certain private equity funds managed by Warburg Pincus LLC.
iii.Micro Life Sciences Private Limited incorporated in India, which is primarily engaged in the following business activities in India along with subsidiaries: manufacture and sale of (a) medical devices in various categories (b) in-vitro diagnostics analyzers and reagents; and (c) over the counter (OTC) products like products COVID self-test kits and pregnancy test kits, in India. 

SPORTS

Badminton: India’s Lakshya Sen Won Silver in Men’s Singles at German Open 2022

Indian Shuttler Lakshya Sen (20) grabbed silver after losing to Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand by 18-21, 15-21, in the men’s singles final at the Yonex Gainward German Open 2022 which was held at the Westenergie Sporthalle in Mülheim, Germany, on March 8-13, 2022.This year marks the 69th edition of the tournament.

• The total prize money of the event was USD 180,000.
• German Open is an annual badminton tournament classified as BWF (Badminton World Federation) World Tour Super 300 event. 
• The tournament was organized by the German Badminton Association with sanction from the Badminton World Federation.

Key Points:
i.Lakshya Sen claimed his maiden Super 500 title at India Open in January 2022.
ii.Now as per the latest BWF world rankings, Lakshya Sen rose a place to 11th from 12th  in the men’s singles chart while  Pusarla Venkata (PV) Sindhu is static at the 7th spot among women’s singles

• India’s Kidambi Srikanth dropped to 12th spot.
• B Sai Praneeth also dropped a place to be in the 19th position.

Winners of Yonex Gainward German Open 2022:

India to host 44th World Chess Olympiad 2022 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu

India is set to host the 44th World Chess Olympiad(44th Chess Olympiad) 2022 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The event will be organised by the International Chess Federation (FIDE -Fédération Internationale des Échecs) at the convention centre at the Four Points by Sheraton, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. 

• Chennai is Called as “Chess Capital of India”
• FIDE has approved the bid to host the 44th Chess Olympiad and FIDE Congress 2022 in India. 
• The 44th World Chess Olympiad 2022 which was previously scheduled to be held in Moscow, Russia from July 26 to August 8, 2022.
• The FIDE’s Chess Olympiad is a biennial team event, in which teams from around 190 countries compete. The 43rd edition was held in 2018 in Batumi, Georgia.45th Chess Olympiad is set to be held in Budapest, Hungary in 2024.
• This is the 2nd major global Chess event to be held in India after the World Championship match in 2013.

OBITUARY

Former AP Governor & Union Minister Kumudben Joshi passed AwayKumudben Manishankar Joshi (Kumudben Joshi), the former Governor of Andhra Pradesh(AP) and former Union Minister, has passed away at the Changa Dhanori village in Navsari district, Gujarat. She was born on 31st January 1934.
About Kumudben Joshi:
i.Kumudben Joshi served as the Union Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting from 1980 to 1982 and as the Union Deputy Minister of Health and Family Welfare from 1982 to 1984. 
ii.She served as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh from 1985 to 1990, she was the 2nd female to hold the office after Sharda Mukherjee.
iii.She was also the General Secretary of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC).
iv.She has served as a member of the Rajya Sabha (Gujarat), representing the Indian National Congress (INC) for 3 terms between 1973 and 1988.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Gita Piramal Authored Biography of Rahul Bajaj Titled “Rahul Bajaj: An Extraordinary Life”The first authorized biography titled “Rahul Bajaj: An Extraordinary Life”, authored by Gita Piramal and published by India Portfolio, Imprint of Penguin Random House India(PRHI) will be launched on 21 March 2022.
About the book: 
i.The book is based on the life of the late iconic industrialist Rahul Bajaj.
ii.It highlights his life’s  journey, struggle and challenges in becoming one of the most well regarded business personalities in the world
About Rahul Bajaj:
i.Rahul Bajaj, born on June 10, 1938.
ii.Rahul Bajaj was the chairman emeritus of the Bajaj Group  and a former member of Parliament. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan.
iii.He is also a former chairman and member of the International Business Council, World Economic Forum.
iv.He is a former member of the South Asia advisory board of Harvard Business School and a former member of the International Advisory Council of the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC.
Popular books of Gita Piramal:

• “Business Maharajas”
• “Business Legends”.

‘Monsoon’ – A book-length poem of Abhay K published by Sahitya Akademi

Sahitya Akademi has published a book-length poem titled “Monsoon”- A Poem of Love & Longing, written by Indian Poet-Diplomat Abhay Kumar (pen name Abhay K) in the event of its 68th Anniversary on March 12, 2022.
Monsoon is a poem of 150 stanzas of 4 lines each (quatrain or ruba’i) written in free verse.

• In this poem, the monsoon, which travels by invoking the rich flora and fauna, languages, cuisine, music, monuments, landscapes, traditions, myths, and legends of the places, acts as a messenger for the poet, carrying a message from Madagascar to his beloved in Srinagar in the Himalayas.
• Monsoon originates in Mascarene High near Madagascar in April and travels across the Indian Ocean and the Indian subcontinent to reach the high Himalayas in June every year before retreating again to Madagascar after September.

About the author Abhay Kumar:
i.He is an Indian Poet-Diplomat and India’s 21st Ambassador to Madagascar and Ambassador to Comoros.
ii.He was honoured with the SAARC Literary Award 2013 for his contribution to contemporary South Asian Poetry.
iii. His poem Earth Anthem has been termed by UNESCO as a creative and inspiring thought that would contribute to bringing the world together, which is translated into 150 languages.
iv.He has also written a SAARC Song and a Moon Anthem.
About Sahitya Akademi:
i.It is India’s National Academy of Letters, set up by the Government of India and was registered as a society on 7 January 1956, under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. Other than the 22 languages enumerated in the Constitution of India, the Sahitya Akademi has recognized English and Rajasthan as languages for literary activities (totally 24 languages).
Establishment –  1954
President – Dr. Chandrashekhar Kambar
Head Office – Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, Delhi

Book on PM Modi Titled ‘Modi@20: Dreams Meet Delivery’ To Be Released

A new book based on the life of Prime Minister Narendra Modi titled ‘Modi@20: Dreams Meet Delivery’, will be released on April 2022. The book is a compilation of chapters authored by eminent intellectuals & domain experts, edited & compiled by BlueKraft Digital Foundation.The book was published by Rupa Publications.
About the Book:
i.It highlights  the political life of PM Narendra Modi’s past 20 years, ranging from his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister (CM) to PM of India.
ii.The book is divided in five sections titled ‘People First’, ‘Politics of Unity and Development’, ‘Jan Dhan: An Economy for Everyone’, ‘A New Paradigm in Governance’ and ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: India and the World’.
iii.The contributed experts and famous personalities includes Sudha Murty, Sadhguru, Nandan Nilekani, Home Minister Amit Shah, late Lata Mangeshkar, Ajit Doval, Uday Kotak, Anupam Kher, PV Sindhu and Nripendra Mishra.
About  Narendra Modi:
i.He served as the CM of Gujarat for more than 12 years over four terms (2001-2014).
ii.He is the current Prime Minister of India since 2014.
Awards: 

• Seoul Peace Prize (2018)
• Rule of Nishan Izzuddeen (2019)- Maldives’ highest honour

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Vaccination Day 2022 – March 16The National Vaccination Day, also known as National Immunization Day, is annually observed across India on 16th March to create awareness about the importance of vaccination against not only polio but also other viral diseases. 

• The National Vaccination Day 2022 aims to encourage all the Indian people to participate in the world’s largest vaccination campaign, ‘National COVID-19 vaccination drive of India’, and get vaccinated against coronavirus. 

The theme of National Vaccination Day 2022 is “Vaccines Work for all”.
Background:
i.The Government of India observed the first National Vaccination Day (Immunisation Day) on 16th March 1995. 
ii.16th March 1995 also marks the day on which India administered the first dose of an oral vaccine against polio. 
>> Read Full News

STATE NEWS

FM Nirmala Sitharaman presents ~Rs 1.42 Lakh Crore J&K Budget in Lok Sabha; 7.5%  GSDP Growth Projectedi.On March 14, 2022, the Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance presented Rs 14215009.87 crore(~1.42 Lakh Crore) Budget for the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in Lok Sabha, New Delhi (Delhi). 
ii.She also presented supplementary Demands for Grants, and Demands for Excess Grants totaling Rs 18,860.32 crore for J&K.
iii.The budget projected 7.5% Growth in GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) of J&K.
iv.J&K government will be spending Rs 112950 crore in fiscal 2022-23 i.e. Revenue Expenditure: Rs 71615 crore, and Capital Expenditure: Rs 41335 crore (22 % of GSDP).
v.There will be Establishment of 14 Milk villages in 2022-23.
About Jammu & Kashmir (J&K):
Lieutenant Governor– Manoj Sinha
Wildlife Sanctuary -Lachipora Wildlife Sanctuary, Limber Wildlife Sanctuary, Nandini Wildlife Sanctuary.
Airport – Srinagar International Airport, Jammu airport (Satwari Airport),
>> Read Full News

WOLP  Signs MoU with Haryana Govt to Set up Warehouses in the State; WOLP To Invest Rs. 1500 CroresWelspun One Logistics Parks (WOLP) and Government of Haryana signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)  for the development of large scale warehousing facilities in Haryana, WOLP will invest Rs.1500 Crores.
Highlights:
i.The project aims  to explore the available government land parcels to build Grade A warehousing facilities across key warehousing micro-markets.
ii.Welspun Group  will invest under the  integrated fund Rs 1,500 crores in Haryana for the warehousing infrastructure and development.
iii.The developmental projects will be around 5 million square feet of land over 3-4 years and will also help generate more than 4,500 jobs.
iv.Recently WOLP forayed into north India with the acquisition of two land parcels in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh and Farukhnagar in Haryana.

• The development  cost of  Rs. 180 crore will be executed under WOLP  first Alternate Investment Fund.Earlier WOLP partnered with Karnataka & Tamil Nadu

About Haryana:
Governor- Bandaru Dattatreya
Dance- Khoria Dance,Holi Dance
Ramsar site-Sultanpur National Park and Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary

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