Current Affairs 16 April 2022

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

IAF & IIT-M inks MoU to accelerate indigenisation efforts of IAF for achieving Atma Nirbhar Bharat

On April 13, 2022, The Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aims for various developmental projects to support the IAF’s Indigenisation efforts for achieving ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’.
Signatories:-
i.The MoU was signed by Air Commodore Sanjay Bahuja, Command Engineering Officer (Systems), Headquarters Maintenance Command, IAF and Professor Haradanahalli S. N. Murthy, Head of the Department Aerospace Engineering IIT-M, at the Air Force Station, Tughlakabad, Delhi.
Key Points:- 
i.Under the MoU the IAF identifies areas of Technological development and indigenous solutions towards sustenance of various weapon systems.
ii.On the other hand, the IIT-M would provide consultancy by doing feasibility studies and prototype development.
iii.Also, The partnership would significantly contribute in indigenisation efforts of Base Repair Depots (BRDs) of Maintenance Command IAF, towards enhancing sustenance capability, obsolescence management and achieving ‘Self Reliance’.

PM Modi Inaugurates ‘Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya’: Paytm Becomes Its Official Digital Payments PartnerOn April 14, 2022, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, or Prime Ministers’ Museum, in New Delhi (Delhi), to honour the efforts of all 14 Indian Prime Ministers since independence, regardless of ideology or duration in office.

• Beginning with exhibits on the freedom struggle and the drafting of the Constitution, the Sangrahalaya moves on to tell the tale of how our Prime Ministers guided the country through numerous challenges and secured the country’s overall progress.

The inauguration took place as part of the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations and to commemorate Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar’s 131st birth anniversary.
About the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya/ Prime Ministers’ Museum:
i.The museum, which is a tribute to former Prime Ministers of India, will be opened to the public on April 21, 2022. PM Modi also purchased the first ticket of the museum before its inauguration

• The museum is built at a cost of Rs. 271 crores.

ii.It is constructed on the site of Teen Murti Estate, which served as the home of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, for 16 years until being converted into the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) following his death.

• The museum incorporates the former Teen Murti Bhavan, which is classified as Block I, and the newly constructed Block II. The two blocks have a combined area of more than 15,600 square metres. No trees were felled or transplanted during the course of work on the project.

iii. The logo of the Sangrahalaya depicts the hands of the people of India holding the Dharma Chakra symbolizing the nation and democracy.

• There are 43 galleries in the facility, as well as exhibits on the freedom struggle and the framing of the Indian Constitution.

iv.The Sangrahalaya has employed cutting-edge technology-based interfaces to provide diversity in content and frequent rotation of the display.

• Holograms, virtual reality, augmented reality, multi-touch, multimedia, interactive kiosks, computerised kinetic sculptures, smartphone applications, interactive screens, experiential installations, and other technologies make the exhibition content more dynamic and engaging.

v.Paytm has become an official digital payments partner for the prime ministers’ museum. 

• It is offering its payment gateway, EDC (Electronic Data Capture) machines and QR code payment options to make way for superfast, convenient and secure transactions.

CBIC Chairman Vivek Johri releases National Time Release Study 2022

Vivek Johri, Chairman of Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has released The National Time Release Study (NTRS) 2022, which is a performance measurement tool for assessing the cargo clearance process of International Trade.

• The NTRS is implemented as a part of World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and the World Customs Organisation (WCO).

About National Time Release Study (NTRS) 2022:-
i.The NTRS in order to access the cargo clearance process adopts cargo release time, i.e. the time taken from the arrival of the cargo at the customs station to its eventual release for imports and exports.
ii.It uses the sample time release study mechanism at 15 major customs formations, including four port categories –

• Seaports
• Air Cargo Complexes (ACCs)
• Inland Container Depot (ICDs) 
• Integrated Check Posts (ICPs)

iii.These four categories handle almost 80 percent of Bills of Entry (import documents) and 70 percent of the shipping bills (export documents) for the sample period 1 – 7 January 2022.
Key Findings:-
i.The NTRS 2022 study has reported an overall improvement in the average cargo release time compared to the previous year.

• Sea cargo cleared via Seaports and Inland Container Depot (ICDs)- improved by 12 percent.
• Air Cargo Complexes (ACCs) improved significantly to 16 percent.
• While Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) by 2 percent.

ii.With the above improvement, the ICPs have achieved the National Trade Facilitation Action Plan (NTFAP) target release time, and the other three ports have reached 75 percent of NTFAP target which needs to be achieved by 2023.
iii.The NTRS 2022 and the Custom House Level Time Release Studies, have found strong affirmation for the four-fold ‘path to promptness’, namely:

• advance filing of import documents enabling pre-arrival processing.
• risk based facilitation of cargo.
• benefits of trusted client programs – Authorised Economic Operators.
• Direct Port Delivery (DPD) facility.

iv.For Exports – the Documentary clearance of export consignments has also been significantly reduced ranging from 4:04 hours in case of ACCs to 47:41 hours in case of ICDs, which is within the differential NTFAP target for the four port categories.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Union Ministers S.Jaishankar & Rajnath Singh visited US to attend 4th India-U.S. 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue 2022

i.On April 11-15, 2022, Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Ministry of Defence (MoD), and on April 11-12, 2022, Union Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) paid a visit to the United States (US) to attend the 4th India-US 2+2 ministerial dialogue 2022 on April 11 in Washington DC, US.
ii.This 2+2 ministerial dialogue 2022 between India and US is the first under the President Joseph Biden administration. It was hosted by the US’ Secretary of State Antony John Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd James Austin III. It was a virtual meeting from the White House in Washington DC. India was led by Union Ministers of MoD and MEA.
iii.India-US announced the establish of a new Education and Skills Development Working Group  to further strengthen cooperation in the field of education and skill development.
Static Points:
i.India and the US have signed a troika of foundational pacts for deep military cooperation viz. 

• Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016
• Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) in 2018
• Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) in 2020

ii.India and the US conduct regular bilateral and multilateral exercises, including the MALABAR exercise with inclusion of Australia, the tri-service TIGER TRIUMPH exercise, the multilateral MILAN naval exercise, the bilateral YUDH ABHYAS and VAJRA PRAHAR Army exercises, the bilateral COPE India air exercise, and Indian participation in RED FLAG. 
>> Read Full News

ECOSOC Elected Experts for its 16 Subsidiary Bodies: India gets elected to four

United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), a one of the 6 principal organs of the United Nations System has elected experts for its 16 subsidiary bodies, both by secret ballot and acclamation during its 2022 session. India was elected to four bodies of ECOSOC, they are

• Ambassador Preeti Saran gets re-elected to Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR),
• Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs),
• Commission for Social Development, and
• Commission on Science and Technology for Development.

i.Ambassador Preeti Saran gets re-elected to CESCR
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) is the body of 18 independent experts that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by its State parties.

• Ambassador Preeti Saran of India gets re-elected to Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) along with other members such as Aslan Abashidze of the Russian Federation, Ludovic Hennebel of Belgium, Joo-Young Lee of the Republic of Korea, Santiago Manuel Fiorio Vaesken of Paraguay, Karla Vanessa Lemus de Vásquez of El Salvador, Julieta Rossi of Argentina.
• Preeti Saran, a senior Indian diplomat had been elected unopposed to the Asia Pacific seat in December 2018 on the U.N.’s CESCR.
• She had joined the Indian Foreign Service in August 1982. She has served in Indian missions at Moscow, Dhaka, Cairo, Geneva, Toronto and Vietnam and was the Consul General of India in Toronto and the Indian Ambassador to Vietnam.

ii.Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations
Council elected India along with Algeria, Bahrain, Cameroon, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Eritrea, Israel, Liberia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and Zimbabwe for a four-year term to this Committee.
iii.Commission for Social Development
Council elected India, Austria, Bangladesh, Burundi, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Haiti, India, Peru, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine to this committee for a four-year term of office beginning at the first meeting of the Commission’s sixty-second session in 2023.

• It also elected Luxembourg to the Commission for Social Development for a term of office beginning on the date of election and expiring at the close of the body’s sixty-third session in 2025.

iv.Commission on Science and Technology for Development
India, Algeria, Belize, Botswana, China, Colombia, Cuba, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Hungary, Latvia, Oman, Romania, Rwanda, Tajikistan, Turkey, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States and Uzbekistan were elected to this commission for a four-year term.
v.Russia loss in its four selected Committees – Russia contested elections to four UN committees such as Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations, UN Women Executive Board, UNICEF Executive Board and Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and loses in all the four.
vi.Ukraine was elected to the three committees such as Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues for a three-year term Commission for Social Development, Commission on the Status of Women. It defeated Russia on Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
Other few Notable Committees
i.Executive Board of the World Food Programme (WFP) – Council elected Australia, Ethiopia, Iran, Mauritania, Spain and Panama for a three-year term.
ii.Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission – Council elected Peru for a two-year term of office from 1 January 2023.
iii. Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting – Kyrgyzstan was elected
iv.Committee for the United Nations Population Award – Portugal was elected.
About United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Member – 54 Nations
Current President – Collen Vixen Kelapile
Established in – 1945
First President – Sir Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar (India)

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

WTO slashes Global Trade Growth forecast for 2022 to 3% from 4.7%The World Trade Organisation (WTO), in its annual report on trade statistics and outlook, declined its projection for global merchandise trade volume growth (in volume) for 2022 to 3% from 4.7% amid Ukraine-Russia War.

• In 2023, it expects merchandise trade volume growth of 3.4%.
• World GDP at market exchange rates is expected to grow by 2.8% in 2022, down 1.3 percentage points from the previous forecast of 4.1%. Growth should pick up to 3.2% in 2023.

Key Points:
i.The key reason behind this decline is war–driven rise in commodity prices, disrupted supplies and intensified geopolitical and economic uncertainty. 

• Russia and Ukraine are key suppliers of essential goods, including food, energy, and fertilizers.

ii.The Covid-19 related lockdown in China is another factor affecting growth prospects as it is hampering seaborne trade.
iii.Imports and GDP for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are expected to contract by 12.% and 7.9% respectively, while exports are projected to climb by 4.9%.

World Bank Lowers India’s GDP Forecast To 8% For FY23

The World Bank in its report titled ‘Reshaping norms: A new way forward – South Asia Economy Focus-Spring 2022, which primarily focuses on South Asian economy, has downgraded India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) prediction for the financial year 2022–23 (FY23), citing increased fuel and commodity costs, as well as supply-side interruptions owing to the Russia-Ukraine war, which are projected to damage domestic demand.

• Its growth forecast for India has been cut to 8% from 8.7% for FY23. The World Bank forecasted 8.7% growth for India’s economy in FY23 in its January growth projection.
• India’s GDP growth for 2021-22 has been forecast at 8.3% by the multinational institution, down from 8.9% by the National Statistical Office’s second advance estimate. The projected growth rate for 2023-24 is 7.1%.

In addition, the World Bank has lowered its growth forecast for South Asia, excluding Afghanistan, by 1% point to 6.6% in 2022 and estimated a 6.3% growth for 2023.
Key Points:
i.Household consumption in India will be hindered by an incomplete labour market recovery and inflationary pressures.
ii.According to the report, India’s recovery has been uneven across sectors.

• On the supply side, increased global commodity prices aided the mining sector, which expanded in both Q3 and Q4 of 2021.
• The manufacturing sector grew in the Q3 due to increased external demand, but stayed stable in the Q4 as the Omicron wave impacted worldwide demand and rising input costs cut profitability. Meanwhile, services expanded in both quarters but remained below pre-Covid levels.
• On the demand side, growth in private consumption was supported by a release of pent-up demand during the Delta wave, while investment was crowded in by increased government capital spending.

iii. In terms of other Asian economies, the World Bank cut the Maldives’ growth prediction for this year to 7.6% from 11%, citing high fossil fuel imports and a drop in tourism arrivals from Russia and Ukraine.
iv.It increased Sri Lanka’s growth prediction for 2022 from 2.1% to 2.4%, but warned that the island’s future was extremely unclear due to fiscal and external imbalances.
v.The World Bank raised Pakistan’s growth prediction for the current fiscal year, which ends in June, to 4.3% from 3.4%, while keeping next year’s forecast at 4%.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS  

Bhushan Kumar & Sahyog Kushtha Yagna Trust Received International Gandhi Award for Leprosy 2021  

On April 13, 2022, Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President of India conferred, The International Gandhi Award for Leprosy, 2021 to Dr. Bhushan Kumar of Chandigarh under the Indian nomination (individual) category and Sahyog Kushtha Yagna Trust, Gujarat, under the institutional category for their notable efforts towards spreading awareness about Leprosy and providing care to those who are afflicted by it, at Upa-Rashtrapati Niwas in New Delhi.

• The Annual Award was instituted by Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation.

Note:

• India has achieved a level of less than one case per thousand population in leprosy eradication.
• India accounts for 51% of the new cases detected globally (2020–2021).

About Sahyog Kushtha Yagna Trust:-
Sahyog Kushtha Yagna Trust means Grace of God. It was established in 1988 with 20 Leprosy Afflicted Persons and 06 Children.
Founder and Trustee – Suresh Soni
About Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation:
Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation (GMLF) established in 1951.The International Gandhi Award for Leprosy is presented once in two years and consists of Rs. 2 lakhs as cash reward, a Medallion and a Citation. Two awards are presented either to individuals or institutions.      

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Israel Successfully Test Fired Its New Laser Missile Defence System “Iron Beam”

Israel has successfully test fired a first of its kind laser missile defence system called as “Iron Beam”,the world’s first energy-based weapons system. The Iron Beam is developed by the Rafael Advanced Defence Systems. It uses a directed-energy weapon system and can travel a long way to provide aerial defence. The tests took place in the Negev Desert, Israel.
About Iron Beam:

• Iron Beam works on a fibre laser system to destroy any airborne object. It ranges up to 7 km, which is often considered too close for the Iron Dome system to intercept projectiles effectively. 
•  The Iron Beam is the world’s first energy-based weapons system that uses a laser to shoot down incoming aerial objects such as missiles, rockets, mortars, anti-tank missiles, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and drones.
• It cost around 3.50 United States Dollar (USD) or Rs.250 per laser shot.
• The Israel forces have planned to deploy Iron Beam on land, in the air and at sea.
• Iron Beam is executed in the defence of Israel as it is cost effective when compared to Iron Dome defence system. But still the Iron Dome defence system has the interception of 90% against incoming rocket fire. 
• The Iron Beam is Israel’s fifth element of the integrated air defence system, consisting of Arrow 2, Arrow 3, David’s Sling, and Iron Dome.

About Israel:
Prime Minister – Naftali Bennett
Currency – Israeli Shekel

SPORTS

Hamish Bennett, New Zealand pacer announced his retirement from all forms of cricket 

The 35 year old, New Zealand pacer (fast bowler) Hamish Bennett, has announced his retirement from his 17-year old cricket career with the 2021/22 season as the last one.
About Hamish Bennett:-
i.Hamish Bennett made his International debut in October 2010 and represented New Zealand in one Test, 19 One Day International (ODIs) and 11 Twenty-20 Internationals (T20Is). 
ii.Bennett was the leading wicket-taker in the 2018–19 Ford Trophy tournament, with 28 dismissals in twelve matches. Also he was the leading wicket-taker in the 2019–20 Super Smash tournament, with seventeen dismissals in eleven matches. 
iii.Overall, he picked up 33 wickets in ODIs and 10 wickets in T20Is.
iv.Before retiring, Bennett represented New Zealand in T20I against Bangladesh in Mirpur, Pakistan in September 2021.

India Bag 10 Medals At The 2022 Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament

Indian boxers bagged 10 medals at the 2022 Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament, which took place in Angsana Convention And Exhibition Space (ACES), Phuket, Thailand from 3 April 2022 to 9 April 2022. The Indian boxers secured 3 Gold, 4 Silver, 3 Bronze medals.

• The tournament witnessed high-voltage competition in presence of 130 top boxers, which included 74 males and 56 females, from Asia, Europe, Oceania and Africa.

Indian Gold Medal Winners:
i.Govind Sahani (men’s 48kg), Ananta Pralhad Chopde (men’s 54kg) and Sumit Kundu (men’s 75kg) were the three gold medal winners.

• Govind defeated Thailand’s Natthaphon Thaumcharoen in the men’s 48 Kilogram (Kg) finals.
• Ananta Pralhad Chopde defeated Thailand’s Ritthiamon Saengsawang in the men’s 54kg finals.
• Sumit Kundu defeated Thailand’s Peetapat Yeasungnoen in the men’s 75kg finals.

Prize Amount For The Medal Winners:
i.Gold medalists won 2000 United States Dollar (USD). 
ii.Silver medalists won USD 1000.
iii.And Bronze medalists won USD 500 respectively.
Indian Medal Winners Of 2022 – Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament:

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik Revealed Logo Of Men’s 2023 Hockey World Cup

The Chief Minister (CM) of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik revealed the logo of 15th edition of International Hockey Federation (FIH) Senior Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 at Kalinga Stadium. Odisha will organise the tournament both in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. The CM has unveiled the logo of the world cup for the second consecutive time. Odisha becomes the first State to host back-to-back hockey men’s world cups. The tournament is scheduled from 13 January 2023 to 29 January 2023. 

• The cup will be unveiled in India’s biggest hockey arena, the New Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium, in Rourkela, Odisha.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Chagas Disease Day – April 14 2022
World Chagas Disease Day is observed annually across the world on April 14 to raise public awareness about Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T.cruzi).

• The theme of World Chagas Disease Day 2022 is “Finding and reporting every case to defeat Chagas disease.”

Background:
The 72nd World Health Assembly decided in 2019 to establish World Chagas Disease Day, which will be observed annually on April 14th.

• It was on this date in 1909 that the first patient, a Brazilian girl named Berenice Soares de Moura, was diagnosed with this disease by Dr. Carlos Ribeiro Justiniano Chagas.

About Chagas Disease:
i.Chagas disease is largely found in endemic areas of 21 continental Latin American countries, where it is spread by people coming into touch with infected blood-sucking triatomine bugs’ faeces and/or urine (vector-borne transmission).

• It can also be spread through infected donor blood or blood products transfusions, congenital (mother-to-child) transmission during pregnancy or childbirth, infected donor organ transplants, and laboratory accidents.

>> Read Full News

World Art Day – April 15 2022World Art Day, an International Celebration of Art created by the International Association of Art (IAA/AIAP) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is celebrated to promote the development, diffusion, and enjoyment of art on April 15 annually.
Why April 15?
The city of Los Angeles has declared April 15, the birthday of Leonardo da Vinci, as World Art Day in Los Angeles.
World Art Day 2022:
In April 2022, the US chapter of the International Association of Art decided to host a month-long exhibition of five downtown Los Angeles artists at Gloria Delson Contemporary Arts (GDCA), Los Angeles, United States.
UNESCO & ART:
i.The ResiliArt initiative, launched by UNESCO, aims to strengthen the resilience of artists and cultural workers in the face of the great obstacles that face them during the pandemic time.
ii.The Government of Mexico will host the UNESCO-MONDIACULT 2022 World Conference from September 28 to 30, 2022.
>> Read Full News

Tamil Nadu: Birth Anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar to be celebrated as ‘Day of Equality’

Ambedkar Jayanti or Bhim Jayanti is celebrated across the country on April 14. In honour of this, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin declared that the birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar on April 14 will be celebrated as the ‘Day of Equality’ in the state. Tamil Nadu also observed Tamil New year also known as ‘Varsha Pirappu’ on April 14 every year.

• Also, the Tamilnadu government announced to set up a full-sized bronze statue of Ambedkar in the Ambedkar memorial in Chennai and certain selected books about Ambedkar will be published after being translated into Tamil.

Note :- The 125-feet tall statue of Dr B. R. Ambedkar will be unveiled in Hyderabad of Telengana by the end of the 2022 This will be the tallest statue of the Father of Indian Constitution anywhere in the world and it is coming up near Hussain Sagar lake.
About Babasaheb Ambedkar
i.Birth Detail  –14 April 1891 in the town and military cantonment of Mhow (now officially known as Dr Ambedkar Nagar, now in Madhya Pradesh).
ii.He belongs to Marathi Family background from the town of Ambadawe (Mandangad taluka) in Ratnagiri district of modern-day Maharashtra.
iii.He was an Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer who campaigned against social discrimination towards the untouchables and supported the rights of women and workers.He died on 6 December 1956.
vi.Award – In 1990, the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, was posthumously conferred on Ambedkar.
Tamil New Year
Tamil Nadu also observed Tamil New year also known as Varsha Pirappu on April 14 every year. Tamil year starts on April 14th in the Gregorian calendar. Tamil New Year’s Day is celebrated on the first day of Chithirai – the first month in the Tamil Calendar and is also known as Varusha Pirappu.

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