Current Affairs 28 January 2022

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 28 January 2022, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2021 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Indian Navy conducts Joint Maritime Exercise Paschim Lehar 2022 at Arabian Sea

The Indian Navy (IN) conducted a 20-day joint intra-theatre maritime exercise Paschim Lehar 2022 aka XPL-22 at the Arabian Sea under the aegis of FOC-in-C (Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief), Western Naval Command (WNC) Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh.

• It was held to validate operational plans of WNC and enhance inter-service synergy among the IN, Indian Air Force (IAF), Indian Army and Coast Guard.

Participation:
i.It saw the participation of over 40 ships and submarines of IN along with maritime reconnaissance aircraft P8i, Dorniers, IL-38SD, unmanned aerial systems and MiG-29K strike aircraft
ii.IAF deployed Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Jaguar maritime strike aircraft, flight refuelling aircraft and airborne warning and control system (AWAC), and unmanned aerial systems and MiG-29K strike aircraft
iii.Various elements of the Indian Army including air defence batteries were also mobilized for the exercise.
iv.Many OPVs (offshore patrol vessels), FPVs (fast patrol vessels) and air cushion vessels of the Coast Guard also participated in the exercise.
The exercise creates an opportunity for all participating forces to operate together under realistic conditions to solve contemporary maritime challenges.

CSIR & Institut Pasteur Signs MoU towards Advancement in Human HealthOn 25th January 2022, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) (India) and Institut Pasteur (France) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) towards advancement in Global Human Health.

• Aim – To develop scientific & technological (S&T) cooperation and networking in advanced and emerging areas of Human Health between scientists and institutes/laboratories of CSIR and Institut Pasteur and its international network.

About the MoU:
i.CSIR and Institut Pasteur will jointly focus on research in emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, inherited disorders and enable delivery of effective and affordable healthcare solutions for India, France and also for other countries.
ii.Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, Director General, CSIR India and Professor Stewart Cole, President Institut Pasteur, France signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations.
iii.H.E. Mr Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India stated about the importance and impact in the overall India-France S&T relations.
iv.Participants – The senior leadership in the health care domain from CSIR and Pasteur, 14-member delegation from CSIR and Department of Science & Technology (DST) and 15-member delegation from Institut Pasteur and over 10 representatives from the Indian and French Missions and Indian External Affairs ministry.
Background:
i.The collaboration between India & France for Global human health was initiated in 2019 and the interactions were followed up in the joint workshop in 2020.
ii.The young scientists were appreciated to work towards identifying and developing new mechanisms and models, in Cell Biology, Virology, Vaccine development, Infectious diseases, and working on Computational Biology and Human Evolutionary Genetics studies.
About Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR):
According to the Scimago Institutions Ranking World Report 2021 CSIR is ranked 37th among 1587 government institutions worldwide and is the only Indian organisation among the top 100 global government institutions. CSIR has been ranked 7th in Asia and 1^st in India.
President – Narendra Modi (Prime Minister)
Director- General (CSIR) – Shekhar C. Mande (He is also the Secretary of Department of Scientific & Industrial Research)

Decommissioned INS Khukri Handed Over to Diu Administration; to be Developed as Museum

Indian Naval Ship (INS) Khukri, the lead ship of Khukri class corvettes and an indigenous surface-to-surface missile fitted vessel of the Indian Navy which has been decommissioned on 23rd December 2021, has been handed over to the Diu Administration on 26 January 2022, 73rd Republic Day in a ceremonial event held at the INS Khukri Memorial, Diu.

• INS Khukri is set to be developed as a full-scale museum in memory of the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War Heroes.
• The ship commissioned on 23rd August 1989 in Mumbai was built by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders.

BANKING & FINANCE

Government Approves PMC Bank Amalgamation Plan with USFBL

On January 25, 2022, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced the Government of India’s approval for the amalgamation of the Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank (PMC Bank) with Unity Small Finance Bank limited (USFBL), the 12th SFB of India.

• The amalgamation came into force from 25th January 2022 and on the same day all the branches of the PMC Bank were allowed to function as the branches of USFBL.
• RBI has also notified a Scheme for the amalgamation, which envisages takeover of the assets and liabilities of PMC Bank, including deposits, by the USFBL.

Under the Final Amalgamation Scheme:
i.USFBL must transfer the amount received from the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) to all eligible depositors of PMC Bank as an amount equal to the balance in their deposit accounts up to Rs 5 lakh, within a 90-days
ii.For depositors more than Rs 5 lakh in deposits, the payout for the additional amount will be divided,
iii.No interest shall be payable after March 31, 2021 for the interest-bearing deposits of PMC Bank for a period of 5 years.
About Unity Small Finance Bank Limited (USFBL):
USFBL, a joint venture between Centrum Group and Bharatpe has been set up with capital of about Rs 1,100 crore as against regulatory requirement of Rs 200 crore for setting up a Small Finance Bank (SFB).
Commenced operations – 1^st November 2021
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Chairman – Vinod Rai (Ex-Comptroller & Auditor General)
>> Read Full News

Max Life, Policybazaar Partners to Offer Insurance Cover for Homemakers

Max Life Insurance Company Limited (Max Life) has partnered with Policybazaar.com to offer its ‘Max Life Smart Secure Plus Plan’ on Policybazaar platform as an independent Insurance cover to homemakers.
About the insurance cover:
i.At present homemakers in India are allowed for term insurance cover only as an add-on to their earning spouse’s cover.
ii.Under the current insurance cover, the homemakers of the household with an annual income of over Rs. 5 lakh between 18 and 50 years are eligible to buy the independent insurance cover from Rs. 25 lakhs to Rs. 49 lakhs (irrespective of the fact whether the husband had a policy or not)
ii.Husband’s eligibility for term insurance cover is no longer necessary to avail independent term insurance cover for homemakers.
About Max Life Insurance Company Limited:
Headquarters –Gurugram, Haryana
Managing Director (MD) & CEO – Prashant Tripathy
About Policybazaar.com:
Headquarters – Gurugram, Haryana
CEO – Sarbvir Singh
Head (Term Life Insurance) – Sajja Praveen Chowdary

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

IMF cuts India’s GDP forecast to 9% in FY22; grow at 7.1% in FY23

i.The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) of January 2022 has downgraded India’s economic growth forecast to 9% for FY22 (ending on March 31, 2022) from 9.5% projected in October 2021.
ii.This cut is triggered by spread of COVID-19’s omicron variant affecting business activity and mobility, higher energy prices, increasing inflation and a deteriorating outlook for the world’s two biggest economies i.e. the United States (US) and China.
iii.IMF also projected a GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth of India at 7.1% for FY23 (April 2022 to March 2023).
iv.The Global Growth is expected to moderate from 5.9% in 2021 to 4.4% in 2022.
About International Monetary Fund (IMF):
Establishment– 1944
Headquarters– Washington, D.C, United States (US)
Managing Director– Kristalina Georgieva
Members– 190 Countries (Including India)
>> Read Full News

India  & UAE sets up $150-million worth Venture Capital to boost Start-up Ecosystem

On 25th January, Chairman of Startup Committee of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry) & HCL founder,  Dr Ajai Chowdhry  launched the India-United Arab Emirates (UAE)  Venture Capital (VC) Fund of worth $150 million from the India Pavilion at EXPO2020 Dubai, UAE.

• The VC aims  to promote growth and investment on startups in India & UAE.
• It will be funded by investors across UAE, India and members of GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries.
• It targets to invest in a minimum of 50 demonstrated and validated start-ups based in India and the UAE over a period of 5 years, and turn 10 of them to Unicorn status by 2025.

Key points:
i.The Indian Angel Network Fund (IAN) will provide knowledge and experience in fields such as technology, EVs, FinTech, Agriculture, Communication etc to UAE investors.
Note- India with 90 unicorns is the third-largest Unicorn hub behind the US (487) and China (301), and ahead of the UK (39).
i.The VC fund will work as a catalyst and provide support to early-stage start-ups in India &  the UAE to reach the unicorn level.
ii.It will offer opportunities to the    startups to grow and help them to contribute to economic growth and employment opportunities.
About United Arab Emirates:
Capital-Abu Dhabi
Currency- Dirham
President-Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS        

MHA Announced Padma Awards 2022; Gen Bipin Rawat, Vaccine Makers, Google’s Sundar Pichai Named for Padma Awards

On January 25, 2022, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced the Padma Awards 2022. The Padma Awards, one of the highest civilian Awards of India are conferred under 3 categories namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri.

• On the occasion of 73rd Republic Day (on January 26, 2022), the President (Ram Nath Kovind) has approved conferment of 128 Padma Awards including 2 duo case (in a duo case, the award is counted as one).
• The list includes 4 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri Awards.

Key Personalities:
i.Padma Vibhushan: Kalyan Singh (the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister) and General Bipin Rawat, India’s 1st Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of Indian Armed Force, who died in a helicopter crash in December 2021, were conferred with Padma Vibhushan.
ii.Padma Bhushan:

• Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Chairperson of Tata Group Natarajan Chandrasekaran.
• Covid-19 Vaccine makers: Cyrus Poonawalla of the Serum Institute of India, which manufactured COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, and Krishna Ella and Suchitra Ella of Bharat Biotech, which produced India’s indigenous coronavirus vaccine Covaxin.

iii.Padma Shri:

• Olympians Neeraj Chopra, who won India’s first-ever track-and-field gold in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Pramod Bhagat, and Vandana Kataria, and singer Sonu Nigam were named for the award Padma Shri.
• Prominent athlete Sumit Antil, who won the gold medal with a world record throw of 68.55m in the javelin F64 event at the 2020 Summer Paralympics also comes under the list.

About Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA):
Union Minister – Amit Shah (Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat)
Minister of State – Nityanand Rai (Ujiarpur, Bihar); Ajay Kumar Mishra (Kheri, Uttar Pradesh); Nisith Pramanik (Coochbehar, West Bengal)
>> Read Full News

ENVIRONMENT

New lizard species ‘Protoblepharus Apatani’ discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

A team of researchers discovered a new gecko species named Protoblepharus Apatani, at Talle Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh.

• The new species is named after the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh’s Ziro valley.
• Notably, this is the 5th new species discovered by the research team from their month long herpetological investigations in Arunachal Pradesh.

Key points:
i.The new genus and species of geckos are nocturnal and are found usually around rocky areas or under culverts.

• These lizards are small and active, with a dark brown body with two faint stripes with iridescent sheen scales.

ii.It was discovered by the team of researchers, headed by Zeeshan Mirza of the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bengaluru.
iii.The other species discovered by the team- Trimeresurus Salazar (pit viper),Cyrtodactylus arunachalensis (Lizard) etc.
About Arunachal Pradesh:
Wildlife sanctuary:Kane Wildlife Sanctuary, Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary
Stadium- Arunachal Pradesh Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Lopon Stadium

SPORTS

Tennis: Russia’s Aslan Karatsev Won the 2022 Sydney Tennis Classic

Aslan Karatsev(World Rank: 15), the Russian professional Tennis player, has defeated Andy Murray(runner) and won the Men’s Single in the 2022 Sydney Tennis Classic(2022 Sydney International)  held in Sydney, Australia, held from 10th to 15th January 2022.
The event was held at the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Center in Sydney Olympic Park.

• This marks Aslan Karatsev’s first singles title of the year and the 3rd title of his career.
• Aslan Karatsev has won the silver medal with Elena Vesnina in mixed doubles at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
• It is his 47th ATP career title

About Sydney Tennis Classic:
i.The Sydney Tennis Classic started in 1885, is one of the oldest tennis tournaments in the world.
2022 Sydney Tennis Classic was a tennis tournament on the 2022 ATP Tour and 2022 WTA Tour.
ii.It was a combined ATP Tour 250 organized by the Association of Tennis Professionals(ATP) and WTA 500 tournament played organized by Women’s Tennis Association(WTA) on outdoor hard courts in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Other 2022 Winners:

OBITUARY

Veteran Kathakali dancer & Padma awardee Milena Salvini passed away

On 25 January 2022, veteran Kathakali artist and Padma Shri awardee Milena Salvini passed away in Paris at the age of 84 years.
i.She was born in 1938 at Milan in Italy. Later, in 1965 she reached India to learn Classical dance and got trained in Kathakali at Kerala Kalamandalam. She later became an ambassador of Indian dance forms in Europe.
ii.Milena later established the Centre Mandapa, a school for learning Indian dance forms, in Paris, France.
iii.In 1980, she arranged for the Kalamandalam’s Kutiyattam (or Koodiyattam) troupe from Kerala to travel to Europe with funding from UNESCO.

• In 2001, UNESCO recognised ‘koodiyattam’ as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Award- Padma Shri in 2019 in the field of performing arts.

Legendary Hockey Player, Padma Shri Charanjit Singh Passed Away Padma Shri Charanjit Singh, who was the Captain of India’s Hockey team that won the gold medal in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics has passed away at his residence in the Una District of Himachal Pradesh. He was born on 20th November 1929 in Una, Himachal Pradesh.
About Charanjit Singh:
i.He was also a part of the Indian hockey team that won the silver medal in the 1960 Olympics held in Rome and part of the team that won the silver medal in the 1962 Asian Games held in Jakarta.
ii.After retiring from the Indian hockey team, he worked as the Director of the Physical Education department at Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla.
iii.The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 1964 in Sports and Arjuna Award in 1963 for hockey.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Ruskin Bond authors new book titled ‘A Little Book of India: Celebrating 75 years of Independence’A new book titled “A Little Book of India: Celebrating 75 years of Independence” authored by Ruskin Bond and published by  Penguin Random House India (PRHI) was released on 26th January 2022, marking 75 years of India’s Independence.

• The book is the blend of “physical and spiritual” attributes of India and also highlights the last 75 years of India’s progress as a nation.

About Ruskin Bond:
i.Ruskin Bond, India’s famous Children’s book author, was born in Kasauli (Himachal Pradesh) and grew up in Jamnagar, Dehradun, New Delhi and Shimla.
Awards – Sahitya Akademi Award, Sahitya Akademi’s Bal Sahitya Puraskar, Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan in Literature, Delhi government’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.
Famous Books-

• The Blue Umbrella
• Delhi is not far
• A Flight of Pigeons,
• The night train at Deoli

Ruskin Bond’s First Book – The Room on the Roof

New Book Titled ‘Liberty After Freedom’ authored by Rohan J. AlvaRohan J. Alva, a counsel practising in the Supreme Court of India, has authored a new book titled “Liberty After Freedom: A History of Article 21, Due Process and the Constitution of India”. The book features the origin of Article 21: Protection of Life and Personal Liberty, one of the important fundamental rights in the Indian Constitution.

• The book is published by HarperCollins India. 

About Rohan J. Alva:
i.His writings have been published in various internationally respected journals such as Statute Law Review (Oxford University Press), and Hong Kong Law Journal.
ii.He served as the professor at the Jindal Global Law School, where he was awarded the Excellence in Research Award.

IMPORTANT DAYS

India’s 73rd Republic Day – 26th January 2022India celebrated the 73rd Republic Day on 26th January 2022. The celebration of Republic Day 2022 is observed during the 75th year of Independence, celebrated as Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
On the occasion of Republic Day, President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, the first citizen of India unfurls the National flag on Rajpath before presiding over a parade that showcases the military strength and cultural diversity.
Highlights:
i.Squadron Leader Suraj Nair has been honoured with the Vayu Sena Medal to recognise his courage and disregard to personal safety in a hostile combat zone. He took part in the Casualty Evacuation Mission to the ambush site in Naxalite infested area.
ii.President also awarded the President’s Tatrakshak Medals (PTM)/ Tatrakshak Medal (TM)  to the Indian Coast Guard Personnel for their act of “conspicuous gallantry, exceptional devotion to duty” and distinguished or meritorious service.
iii.The President has also approved awards for 384 Gallantry and other Defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel and others.
>> Read Full News

International Customs Day 2022 : 26th January

International Customs Day (ICD) is annually celebrated across the globe on 26th January to recognize the contributions and roles of the customs officials and agencies in maintaining border security.

• Objective – To boost leadership, guidance and also increase support in working conditions and challenges that customs officers face in their jobs.
• Theme – Scaling up Customs Digital Transformation by Embracing a Data Culture and Building a Data Ecosystem’. The theme for 2022 was chosen by WCO.

About World Customs Organisation (WCO):
WCO is the only International body exclusively dedicated to International Customs and Border Control with its members responsible for managing around 98 % of world trade.
Headquarters – Brussels, Belgium
Secretary -General – Kunio Mikuriya
Members – 183 Members
>> Read Full News

International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust 2022 – January 27

The United Nations(UN)’s International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust is annually observed across the globe on 27th January as a tribute to the victims of the holocaust, also known as the Shoah, which was the genocide of European Jews during World War II.
The day also marks the 77th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau, Nazi German concentration and extermination camp.
The theme of International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust 2022 is “Memory, Dignity and Justice”.
>> Read Full News

STATE NEWS

CM Basavaraj Bommai launches Grama One in 12 districts of KarnatakaOn the occasion of 73rd Republic Day i.e. January 26, 2022, the Chief Minister (CM) of Karnataka, Basavaraj Somappa  Bommai, virtually launched ‘Grama One’ from Bengaluru (Karnataka) in 12 districts of Karnataka.

• It seeks to provide government services under one roof in rural areas. 100 government services are being offered under this.
• This service will be extended to all Gram Panchayats across all districts in Karnataka by the end of March 2022.

Key Points:
i.Grama One is a technology-based service offering which enables access to services offered by the departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Revenue, Women and Children Development.
ii.A special cell will be set up with equipment and technical personnel in the offices of tahsildars to improve efficiency.
iii.This program will be reviewed by E-governance department.
iv.It will ensure convenience to people who now have to spend time and money to reach taluk office to get services.
v.It will also remove the middleman.
About Karnataka:
Governor– Thawar Chand Gehlot
Airports– Hubballi domestic Airport , Bellary domestic Airport , Mysore Airport
WildLife Sanctuary – Ranebennur Blackbuck Sanctuary, Rangayyandurga Four Horned Antelope wildlife Sanctuary, Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary

Andhra Pradesh Cabinet clears creation of 13 more Districts; takes total to 26The State Government of Andhra Pradesh (AP) has given its approval to increase the number of districts in the state to 26 from the existing 13. The process for the creation of 13 new districts will be completed by Telugu New Year in April 2022.

• The 13 new Districts with its Headquarters are-Manyam Dist – Parvathipuram, Alluri Sitharama Raju District – Paderu, Anakapalli – Anakapalli, Kakinada – Kakinada, Kona Seema – Amalapuram, Eluru – Eluru, NTR District – Vijayawada, Bapatla – Bapatla, Palnadu – Narsaraopeta, Nandyal – Nandyal, Sri Satyasai District – Puttaparthy, Annamayya District – Rayachoty, Sri Balaji Dist. – Tirupati.

Key Points:
i.The last new district created in undivided AP was Vizianagram district in 1979.
ii.Notably, 24 Lok Sabha constituencies are also being converted into districts, including the Araku Lok Sabha constituency in Visakhapatnam which will be divided into two districts.
About Andhra Pradesh (AP):
It is the only state with three proposed capitals.Visakhapatnam is the executive capital while Amaravati and Kurnool are legislative and judicial capitals, respectively.
Governor – Biswabhusan Harichandan
National Parks– Sri Venkateswara National Park, Rajiv Gandhi Park, Papikonda National Park

Telangana Cabinet Approved ‘Mana Ooru-Mana Badi’ Programme to Strengthen Government Schools

The Telangana government will launch ‘Mana Ooru-Mana Badi’ programme soon across Telangana with focus on improving the existing infrastructure and the quality of education in government schools.

• The State Cabinet approved the programme during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister (CM) K Chandrashekhar Rao at Pragathi Bhavan with ~Rs 7,289 crore budget allocation which benefits 19.84 lakh children of 26065 schools.
• The budget amount will be spent on setting up digital classrooms, construction of additional classrooms and pairing the schools.

Implementation:
i.The programme will be implemented in 3 years and as the first phase in the current academic year, the programme will be implemented in 9,123 government and local body schools with a high rate of enrolment of children.
ii.The District Collectors will be responsible for the administrative sanction for all works undertaken in schools and the execution of work will be handled by school management committees.
Other Approval:
i.The Cabinet will create a new legislation for regulation of fees in private schools, junior and degree colleges and will also introduce English medium in government schools from next academic year.
ii.A Cabinet sub-committee chaired by Education Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy has been formed to study and prepare modalities for the new Act.

• Members – Ministers KT Rama Rao, T Harish Rao, G Jagadish Reddy, Talasani Srinivas Yadav, S Niranjan Reddy, Vemula Prashanth Reddy, V Srinivas Goud, Koppula Eeshwar, Puvvada Ajay Kumar and Errabelli Dayakar Rao.

Note – The Cabinet also approved the proposals for establishment of a Women’s University and a Forest University in the State.
About Telangana:
Governor – Tamilisai Soundararajan
Folk Dances – Gusadi dance, Tribal Dhimsa Dance, Lambadi Dance, Perini Sivatandavam (dance of warriors)
Capital – Hyderabad

Karnataka Launches ‘Brain Health Initiative’ 1st of its kind in India to Train Doctors in Mental Healthcare

K Sudhakar, Minister of Medical Education and Health of Karnataka, virtually launched Brain Health Initiative a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, undertaken by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in association with the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog). The initiative aims to help people to cope with mental health issues

• Under this initiative, doctors will be trained in screening and treating mental health patients
• On a pilot basis, the initiative was launched in Bengaluru, Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts.

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