Current Affairs 13 April 2022

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

NITI Aayog’s 1st SECI Round -I April 2022: Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab top among Larger States

i.On April 11, 2022, NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog has launched the 1st State Energy & Climate Index (SECI)-Round I April 2022 at an event chaired by Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog. It is based on 2019-20 data.
ii.SECI is the first index that aims to track the efforts made by States and Union Territories (UTs) in the climate and energy sector. 
iii.The states of Gujarat, Kerala, and Punjab are the top 3 among larger states while Goa, Tripura, and Manipur are top 3 among smaller states.
iv.Among UTs, Chandigarh, Delhi, and Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli ranked 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively.
v.There are 11 Front Runners, 11 Achievers, and 13 Aspirants states/UTs.
About NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India):
Establishment– 2015
CEO-Amitabh Kant
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi
>> Read Full News

SJVN Signs Pact with BHEL, REMC to Develop Renewable Projects for Indian Railways 

SJVN (Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam) Limited, a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of the Government of India has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with engineering firm BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited) and REMC Limited (Railway Energy Management Company) to develop renewable energy projects for the Indian Railways.

• The signing of the MoU would bring in a new age of more efficient power consumption in the Indian Railways, as well as more competitive tariffs for the benefit of consumers. 

The MoU was signed by RK Gupta, CGM, BDE SJVN Limited; Rupesh Kumar, GM, REMC and Sudripto De, AGM, BHEL.  
Key Points:
i.According to the MoU inked, all parties will collaborate to harness their core strengths in project development to establish renewable energy projects for Indian Railways. 
ii.This pact would help SJVN achieve its renewable energy target, as well as Indian Railways’ goal of being a net-zero carbon emission mission by 2030. 
iii. SJVN now has twelve solar power projects with a combined capacity of 3,065 MW (megawatts) in various phases of development, with a total portfolio of more than 16,900 MW. 
iv.This massive portfolio development has led to SJVN’s new shared vision of 5,000 MW of installed capacity by 2023, 25,000 MW by 2030, and 50,000 MW by 2040. 
NOTE: 

• Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) – an engineering and manufacturing PSU under the Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India.
• Railway Energy Management Company (REMC) Limited – is a Joint Venture (JV) of Indian Railways and RITES Limited, a Government of India Enterprise.

About SJVN (Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam) Limited:
A Mini Ratna company, which is a joint venture of the Government of India (GOI) and the Government of Himachal Pradesh (GOHP), under the administrative control of the Ministry of Power, GoI.
Chairman & Managing Director – N.L.Sharma
Incorporation – May 24, 1988

Number of Indian Patents Filed Exceeds the Number of International Patent Filings for the First Time in Over a Decade: Govt. of India

For the first time in the last 11 years, the number of domestic patent filings has surpassed the number of international patent filings at the Indian Patent Office in the January–March 2022 quarter, marking a watershed moment in the IP innovation ecosystem for India.

• Of the total 19,796 patent applications filed, 10,706 were filed by Indian applicants compared to 9,090 by non-Indian applicants.

India will soon enter the top 25 positions of the Global Innovation Index, owing to the combined efforts of the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the Intellectual Property (IP) Office.
Highlights:
i.Government of India’s initiatives that boosted IP regime in India: Fee concessions of 10% rebate on online filing; 80% fee concession for start-ups, small entities, and educational institutions & provisions for expedited examination for startups and MSMEs, among other categories.
ii.The framework set by National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) policy, as well as the government’s initiatives, have led to the following achievements for India:

• Patent filings have increased by more than 50% in the last 7 years, rising from 42,763 in 2014-15 to 66,440 in 2021-22.
• A nearly five-fold increase in the grant of patents from 30,074 in 2021-22 as compared to 5,978 in 2014-15.
• Depending on the technological area, patent examination time has been reduced from 72 months in December 2016 to 5–23 months.
• India’s position in the Global Innovation Index has risen from Rank-81 in 2015-16 to Rank-46 in 2021, climbing 35 places.

About Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT):
It is the nodal department in India for the administration of various laws related to IPRs such as Patents, Trade Marks, Industrial Designs, Geographical Indications of Goods, Copyrights, and Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Layout Designs.

• The DPIIT is administered by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and it also deals with international organizations pertaining to IPR, such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

NCW Launched Anti Human Trafficking Cell to Tackle Human Trafficking Cases

National Commission for Women(NCW) has launched Anti-Human Trafficking Cell to improve effectiveness in tackling human trafficking cases. The cell aims to raise awareness among women and girls and to facilitate capacity building and training of anti-trafficking units. The cell also aims to increase the responsiveness of law enforcement agencies. 

The complaints related to human trafficking received by the NCW will be addressed by this cell. 

• This cell will improve monitoring mechanism and encourage government agencies on measures adopted for prevention of trafficking and rehabilitation of victims.
• The cell will support the survivors of trafficking in rebuilding their lives by providing need-based training and by organising capacity building programmes to prevent re-traumatisation of victims.

NHA Launched Unified Health Interface Under ABDM

The National Health Authority launched the Unified Health Interface (UHI) under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). UHI is an open network designed to enable interoperable digital health service delivery like tele-consultations. At present there are no open protocols defined for delivery of digital health services. The UHI is powered and versioned by Decentralised Health Protocols (DHP) built by an open community of developers and deployed on a gateway built by NHA.

• Currently NHA develops digital health solutions for hospitals, doctors, labs or consumers can create new solutions using DHP and become a part of UHI network.
• A version of the open protocols is available on Github platform at https://github.com/dhp-project and may be used to build health service applications.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Global Wind Energy Sector Needs Four-Fold Higher Growth to Meet 2050 Net Zero Goal: GWEC ReportAccording to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) report titled “Global Wind Report 2022 (GWEC – Global Wind Report 2022) ,” wind energy installations worldwide must quadruple from the 94 GigaWatts(GW) installed in 2021 within this decade if the world is to stay on track for a 1.5C pathway and net zero by 2050.

• The report warns to amplify wind energy in order to sustain global warming over pre-industrial levels to 1.5 degrees Celsius—a target set by the Paris Agreement—and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
• In 2021, the global wind industry had its second-best year, with almost 94 GW (93.6 GW) of capacity added, only 1.8% below the record growth of 2020. 93.6 GW of new installations in 2021 brings global cumulative wind power capacity to 837 GW, showing year-over-year (YoY) growth of 12%. 
• Report also highlights that 557 GW of new capacity will be added in the next five years which is more than 110 GW of new installations each year until 2026.

Onshore Wind Market:-
The onshore wind market added 72.5 GW worldwide.Though new onshore wind installations in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East all experienced record years, total onshore wind installations in 2021 were still 18% lower than the 2020.

• • The main cause of the decline was the slowdown of onshore wind growth in the world’s two major wind power markets, China and the United States.

Note: Onshore wind energy refers to turbines that are located on land and generate power using the wind.
Offshore Wind Market:-
In 2021, 21.1 GW of offshore wind capacity was installed, three times higher than in 2020, making it the best year in the offshore wind history and bringing the total global offshore wind capacity to 57.2 GW by the end of 2021.

• In 2021, China contributed for 80% of new offshore wind power added globally, bringing its cumulative offshore wind capacity to 27.7 GW.
• Carbon dioxide emissions can reduce by 0.3-1.61 gigatonnes every year by 2050 if offshore wind energy generation is scaled up.  

• Offshore wind energy is the energy generated from the wind at sea.

Scope in India:
i.In India, more than 1.4 GW of wind power was installed in 2021, compared to 1.1 GW in the year 2020.
ii.The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has set a target of installing 5 GW of offshore capacity by 2022 and 30 GW by 2030. India is yet to develop its offshore wind energy facility.

• It has also stated that having 7,600 km of coastline, India can generate 127 GW of offshore wind energy.

About 99% World’s Population Is Now Breathing Polluted Air: WHO

According to the latest update from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN) health agency, about 99% of the world’s population breathes air that does not meet WHO’s air quality standards. The air is polluted and often contains particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs, enter the veins and arteries, and cause ailments.
For the first time, the WHO Air Quality Database introduced ground measurements of annual mean concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a common urban pollutant and precursor of particulate matter and ozone.

• It also includes measurements of Particulate Matter (PM) with diameters of equal or smaller than 10 μm (PM10) or 2.5 μm (PM2.5).  Both groups of pollutants originate mainly from human activities related to fossil fuel combustion.

Note: The last version of the database was issued in 2018.
Key Points:
i.The update was released ahead of World Health Day on April 7, 2022, which was celebrated with the theme “Our planet, Our health.”
ii.The WHO updated its air quality database six months after strengthening its guidelines, which now includes data from over 6,000 cities, towns, and villages around the world.

• Air quality is the worst in the WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asia regions, followed by Africa.
• According to the database, the developing world was worst affected, and PM10 levels were high in India, whereas PM2.5 levels were high in China.

iii. The Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a New Delhi-based think tank, found in a study that more than 60% of India’s PM2.5 loads are from households and industries.

• In order to minimize air pollution, India and the rest of the world have to adapt to key changes like electric vehicles, a shift away from fossil fuels, a big scaling-up of green energy, and homes sorting their waste accordingly.

The Major Pollutants:
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2): It is mostly produced by human-generated fuel combustion, often through automobile traffic, and is particularly prevalent in urban areas. It can induce respiratory sickness.
Particulate Matter (PM): It comes from a variety of places, including transportation, power plants, agriculture, garbage burning, industry, and natural sources like desert dust.

• It has the ability to penetrate deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream, resulting in cardiovascular, cerebrovascular (stroke), and respiratory effects.

BANKING & FINANCE

Mashreq NEO, Federal Bank tied up to enable NR Accounts Opening for Indians in UAE 

Mashreq Neo has tied up with Federal Bank to enable its United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Indian customers to open Non-Resident (NR) accounts with the Federal Bank in India instantly through the Neo app.

• Mashreq Neo is a full-service digital bank from Mashreq Bank in Dubai, UAE.
• Federal Bank has representative offices at Dubai and Abu Dhabi. 

Key Points:
i.Customers ar able to view the balance in their NR accounts with Federal Bank on the Mashreq Neo App.
ii.They can also make instant remittances to India via its Quick Remit facility.
About Federal Bank:
Managing Director & CEO– Shyam Srinivasan
Headquarters– Aluva, Kochi (Kerala)
Tagline– Your Perfect Banking Partner

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS        

Veteran Bengali writer & Sahitya Akademi awardee Amar Mitra wins coveted O. Henry Award 2022 

Bengali writer Amar Mitra received the O.Henry Prize for Short Fiction 2022,the oldest major prize for short fiction in America. He received the prize for the English fiction  of his 45 years old novel “Gaonburo” in Bengali, which has been translated into English as The Old Man of Kusumpur in 1990.The english one was translated by Anish Gupta.
About “The Old Man of Kusumpur”:
i.The story was about a man’s journey to a remote village to meet a seer like figure who is supposed to have answers to all of life’s problems. 
ii.Gaonburo was published in Amrita Patrika, a magazine that was edited by writer Shyamal Gangopadhyay.
ii.In 2020, the story was sent to ‘The Common’, an American literary journal, and it was published in March 2021. 
About Amar Mitra:
i.Amar Mitra was born 1951 in Basirhat in West Bengal.
ii.He has authored 30 novels, 4 books for children, and 10 collections of short stories.
iii.He won the Sahitya Akademi Award (India’s top literary award) for his novel Dhurbaputra in 2006.
iv.He also won the Bankim Puraskar Award (Government of West Bengal) for his novel, Aswacharit in 2001 and the Katha award for his short story Swadeshyatra in 1998.
About Anish Gupta:
Anish Gupta, a senior journalist who has worked with Amrita Bazar Patrika, Sunday, Hindustan Times and The Bengal Post, is now associated as a translator with bangla.boomlive.in.
About O Henry Awards:
i.The O. Henry Award is the only yearly award given to short stories of exceptional merit.
ii.The award was first presented in 1919 and funded by the Society of Arts and Sciences.
iii.The award is named after the American short-story writer, Willian Sydney Porter better known by his pen name, O. Henry. 
Click here for the complete list of 2022 winners of O. Henry Prize for Short Fiction
Note: The Best Short Stories 2022: The O. Henry Prize Winners, featuring the 20 prizewinning stories, edited by Valeria Luiselli; series edited by Jenny Minton Quigley, will be published in September 2022 by Anchor Books.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

India’s Ambassador to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra Appointed as New Foreign Secretary
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Vinay Mohan Kwatra, 1988 batch Indian Foreign Service(IFS) officer, as the new Foreign Secretary of India replacing the current foreign secretary, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who will superannuate on 30th April 2022.

• At present, Kwatra is serving as India’s Ambassador to Nepal in Kathmandu, since March 2020. He will take charge as foreign secretary on 30th April 2022

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Anti-Tank Guided Missile Helina successfully Flight Tested at Pokhran, Rajasthan

On April 11, 2022, an Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) ‘Helina (Helicopter based NAG)’ was successfully flight tested from an indigenously-developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) at high-altitude ranges in Pokhran, Rajasthan. Guided by an Infrared Imaging Seeker (IIR) operating in the Lock on Before Launch mode, it successfully engaged a simulated tank target.  

• The test was jointly conducted by the scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF).
• It was a part of user validation trials of the third generation ‘fire and forget’ class missiles developed by DRDO.
• Helina is Launched from the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).

About Helina:

The Helina (the Army version) is the helicopter-launched versions of third-generation anti-tank guided missiles (the Nag missile system).A Helina missile weighs around 45 kg, is 6 feet in length and 7.9 inches in diameter.

i.It is developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad (Telangana) under the Missiles and Strategic Systems (MSS) cluster of the DRDO, it is one of the most advanced ATGM in the world with maximum range of 7Kms. 

• The Air Force variant of Helina is named Dhruvastra.

ii.It has been designed and developed for integration on weaponized version of the ALH in both the Army and the Air Force.

• Successful user trials of the missile have been conducted since 2018.

iii.Helina missile system has all-weather, day and night capability and can defeat battle tanks with conventional armour as well as explosive reactive armour. It can engage targets both in direct hit mode as well as top attack mode.
Point to be noted:
i.DRDO has designed and developed a range of anti-tank missile technologies including the Nag, MPATGM (Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile), SANT (Stand-off Anti-Tank Missile), and Laser Guided ATGM for MBT (Main Battle Tank)Arjun.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Human Space Flight 2022 – April 12

The United Nations(UN)’s International Day of Human Space Flight is annually observed across the globe on 12th April to mark the beginning of the space era for mankind. 

• The day also marks the anniversary of the first human space flight was carried out by Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet citizen who made the first human space flight when he orbited the Earth in a Vostok 1 spacecraft.
• In 1957, the Soviet Union launched the world’s first manmade satellite “Sputnik I” into orbit. 
• The day also highlights the important contribution of space science and technology in achieving the sustainable development goals. 

Background: 
i.The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/65/271 on 7th April 2011 and proclaimed the 12th April of every year as International Day of Human Space Flight. 
ii.The resolution also highlighted the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first human space flight on 12th April 2011. 
iii.The first-ever International Day of Human Space Flight was observed on 12th April 2011.
About United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA):
Acting Director– Niklas Hedman
Headquarters– Vienna, Austria
>> Read Full News

International Day of Street Children 2022 – April 12

International Day of Street Children(IDSC) is annually observed across the globe on 12th April to acknowledge the strength and resilience of millions of street children across the world.
The day also recognise the humanity, dignity and defiance of street children in the face of unimaginable hardships.
The IDSC 2022 theme is the 4th Step in Consortium for Street Children (CSC)’s 4 Steps to Equality campaign. 

• The theme of 2022 IDSC calls for them to enjoy proper recognition and support.

Background:
i.The Consortium for Street Children (CSC), an international children’s charity fighting for the rights of street children worldwide, launched the first International Day for Street Children on 12th April 2011. 
ii.International Day for Street Children (IDSC) has been celebrated globally since 2012
>> Read Full News

STATE NEWS

 Assam cabinet approved Rs 3,800 crore to upgrade the Health Infrastructure Project

The Assam cabinet headed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, has approved Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)’s aid of Rs 3,800 crore for ‘Assam Health System Strengthening Project’.

• The aim of the project is to strengthen Tertiary Medical service in the State. 

About Assam Health System Strengthening Project:-
i.The Project includes establishing new Super Speciality Blocks in six existing medical colleges at Silchar, Tezpur, Jorhat, Barpeta, Diphu and Lakhimpur of Assam.
ii.In addition to that, six district hospitals in Silchar, Udalguri, Hojai, Hailakandi, Darrang and Dima Hasao get Infrastructure facility upgrades.
iii.Also the state cabinet decided to construct a ‘Swasthya Bhawan’ (Administrative Centre) for dedicated training-cum-monitoring and a hospital management information system. 
Other Approvals:-
i.The state cabinet also decided to sanction the escalated cost of Rs 530.41 crore for construction of three medical colleges Kokrajhar, Tinsukia and Nagaon in Assam (earlier approved cost of Rs 1,191.59 crore was escalated by Rs 530.41 crore to 1,722 crore). 
About Assam:-
Capital – Dispur
Governor – Jagadish Mukhi

J&K LG Manoj Sinha launched AVSAR portal and 850 MW Ratle hydel power project

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on April 11, 2022 has launched two projects in the Union Territory of J&K helps Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) and achieving Self Sufficiency in power sector respectively –

• AVSAR portal under ‘Connect to Opportunities Initiative’ by Mission Youth, aimed at providing real-time information on pre-placement activities and job opportunities available for the J&K youths.
• The Ratle Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (RHPCL) and Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) has signed a contract for the turnkey execution of 850-Megawatt (MW) Ratle Hydel Power Project on the Chenab River in Kishtwar district of Union Territory of J&K.

>> Read Full News

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