Current Affairs 9 April 2022

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana completes 7 years on April 8, 2022

i.A date of April 8, 2022 marked the 7th anniversary of Pradhan Mantri MUDRA (Micro Units Development & Refinance Agency) Yojana (PMMY) which was launched on April 8, 2015 by the Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi, for providing loans up to Rs 10 lakh to the non-corporate, non-farm small/micro-enterprises, along with creation of income generating activities. 
ii.It’s a Central Government Scheme to ‘fund the unfunded’.
iii.PMMY stands for social justice in action and embodies the true spirit of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’.
iv.More than 34.42 crore loan accounts amounting to Rs.18.60 lakh crore have been extended under PMMY till March 18, 2022 since its inception 2015.
About Micro Units Development & Refinance Agency Ltd (MUDRA) 
MD & CEO– Vinay Hedaoo
Headquartered– Mumbai, Maharashtra
>> Read Full News

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Releases Third Positive Indigenisation List

As a major move towards Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) in defence manufacturing, the Union Minister of Defence, Rajnath Singh, has released the third positive indigenisation list of 101 items, comprising major equipment and platforms, in New Delhi (Delhi) to develop India as a defence manufacturing hub.

• The list is notified by the Department of Military Affairs, Ministry of Defence (MoD) and emphasizes equipment and systems that are being developed and likely to be translated into firm orders, with more than Rs. 2,10,000 crores in orders expected to be placed on Indian industry in the next five years.

These weapons and platforms are planned to be indigenised progressively with effect from December 2022 to December 2027.
Third “Positive Indigenisation List”:
It is based on the first list of 101 items and the second list of 108 items that were promulgated on August 21, 2020, and May 31, 2021, respectively.
i.The third “positive indigenisation list” contains 101 key pieces of defence equipment, bringing the total number of items on the three lists to 310.
ii.The commodities on the list will no longer be imported by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Instead, in accordance with the terms of the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020, these 101 products will be incrementally procured from indigenous sources.
Key Points:
i.This third positive indigenisation list, which has items banned for import, has been prepared after in-depth consultations with all stakeholders, such as Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO), Department of Defence Production (DDP), Service Headquarters (SHQs) and the private industry.
>> Read Full News

India contributed  USD 72,124 to UNESCO Fund for Elimination of Doping in Sport in 2022

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports  contributed an amount of USD 72,124 towards UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Fund for Elimination of Doping in Sport in 2022. This is double the amount of the minimum agreed value.

• In 2021, India contributed USD 28172 towards the UNESCO Fund.
• This was the first step towards the preparation of the UNESCO International Convention against doping in sport.

UNESCO Anti-Doping Convention:
India is a signatory to the International Convention Against Doping in Sport, which is also known as the “UNESCO Anti-Doping Convention”.

• It  was ratified by India on 07th November 2007. 

Aim- To promote the prevention and the fight against doping in sports, with a view to its elimination.
Highlights of the News:
i.As per the resolution of  Seventh Conference of Parties (COP7) held at Paris, France between 29-31 September, 2019, the State Parties agreed for contributing 1% of the regular budget of respective nations to UNESCO towards the Fund for the Elimination of Doping in Sport.
ii.The contributed fund will be used to support the implementation of the Fund’s Operational Strategy 2020-2025.
India’s Anti-Doping agreements:
Copenhagen Declaration:
In 2003, India signed the Copenhagen Declaration on Anti-Doping in Sport  to formally recognize and implement the ‘World Anti-Doping Code’ brought out by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).  
About National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA):
It is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports established in 2005 and is responsible for adopting, implementing and enforcing anti-doping programmes in India. 

• It is affiliated to the Indian Olympic Association.

Headquarters-New Delhi
Motto-Play fair

Ministry of I&B Constitutes AVGC Promotion Task Force 

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) has constituted an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) Promotion Task Force headed by Apoorva Chandra IAS, Secretary I&B among other representatives form Union Government, State Government and key Industry players. 

• The Task Force has to submit its first action plan within 90 days and will also be responsible for framing a National AVGC policy.

i.Creation of AVGC Promotion Task Force was announced in the Union Budget 2022-23 by the Hon’ble Finance Minister to recommend the ways to realise and build domestic capacity for serving our markets and the global demand.
ii.The AVGC sector in India has the potential to become the torch bearer of “Create in India” and “Brand India”. 
iii.India has the potential to reach 5% (approx. USD 40 billion) of the global market share by the year 2025, with an annual growth of around 25-30% and creating over 1,60,000 new jobs annually. 
>> Read Full News

IFSCA & GVFL Limited signs MoU  for strengthening the FinTech ecosystem in GIFT IFSC

On 7th April 2022, the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) and GVFL Limited (formerly Gujarat Venture Finance Limited) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation and collaboration to support and facilitate the Financial Technologies (FinTech) ecosystem in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT), India’s first International Financial Services Centre(IFSC). 
The MoU was signed at IFSCA’s office in Gift City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. 
Features of the MoU:
i.The MoU focuses on the collaboration between IFSCA and GVFL Limited for the exchange of information and undertaking diverse initiatives as regards the FinTech industry, including holding seminars, webinars, conferences, etc., for the growth of FinTech in the GIFT IFSC.
ii.This also provides scope for guidance, mentorship and the other spectrum of support to the FinTechs working in the accelerator(s)/Cohorts operating in GIFT IFSC and the entities in the regulatory sandbox of IFSCA.
iii.This MoU will provide a boost to fostering and amplifying the investment ecosystem in GIFT IFSC.
Additional info:
i.IFSCA is a unified regulator responsible for the development and regulation of financial products, financial services, and financial institutions in IFSC. 
ii.IFSCA aims to encourage the promotion of FinTech initiatives in financial products and financial services across the spectrum of banking, insurance, securities, fund management, etc. in IFSC and to boost the establishment of a world-class FinTech Hub at GIFT IFSC. 
About GVFL Limited:
GVFL Limited, promoted by the World Bank and the Government of Gujarat, is a pioneer of Venture capital in India. 
Purpose: To support the venture capital ecosystem in multiple sectors
President– Mihir Joshi
Headquarters– Ahmedabad, Gujarat
About International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA):
Chairperson– Injeti Srinivas
Headquarters– GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat

Nature Festival Sarhul Celebrated Across Jharkhand
The natural festival Sarhul, which signifies the beginning of the New Year, was celebrated in the state of Jharkhand on April 4, 2022.
It is a three-day festival, which begins on the third day of ‘Chaitra’(first month of the Hindu Calendar). Sarhul marks the advent of the spring season or “Phaagun” and is celebrated till the month of June or “Jeth”.
About Sarhul Festival:
i.It is a tribal festival which is celebrated by the Oraon, the Munda, and the Ho tribes of the Jharkhand region.
ii.The verbal meaning of Sarhul is “worship of the Sal tree”. Sarhul can also be redefined as worship of nature in which local people worship Sita, the wife of Lord Rama as `Dhartimata`.
iii. The celebration includes rituals such as “pahans” (priests) forecasting rain based on traditional practices.
iv.Sarhul procession: In 1961, students and tribal leaders took the first Sarhul march from Ranchi’s Karam Toli. It became a tradition and an important feature of the festival over time.
v.The Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, stated that the government has decided to conserve all Sarna and Masna sthals in the state, and the Sarna Sthal at Siram Toli will be renovated and given a new identity.
About Jharkhand:
Chief Minister – Hemant Soren
Governor – Ramesh Bais
Festivals – Tusu Parab or Makar (harvest festival during the winter); Rohini (festival of sowing seeds in the field – The first festival of Jharkhand)

Gangaur Festival Celebrated Across Rajasthan 

The Gangaur festival is annually celebrated from the 1st day of the month of Chaitra, as per the Hindu calendar, (the day following Holi) which usually falls in March or April and continues for 18 days. The festival is consummated on the 3rd day of Shukla Paksha of the same month.

• The festival is celebrated to mark the worship and propitiation of Goddess Gauri. 
• The day is celebrated by women (mostly married women) from across various parts of Central and Western India, majorly Rajasthan.

The term “Gangaur” is comprised of “Gan” and “Gaur”, where Gan refers to Lord Shiva and Gaur refers to Gauri. 
Story of Gangaur:
The celebration of Gangaur revolves around the story of Parvati, who performed severe penance for days to persuade Lord Shiva, being escorted by Lord Shiva from her parental home.
Celebration of Gangaur:
i.The festival is celebrated with Clay idols of Shiva-Gauri made by the local craftsmen are decorated and worshipped during the festival.
ii.These figures are then placed within baskets along with wheatgrass and flowers. 
During the festival, the wheat plays a major role in the rituals as it signifies harvest.
Gangaur traditional procession:
i.The traditional royal procession of the goddess Gangur features camels, chariots, bullock carts and dancing folk artists.
ii.The 2022 royal procession started from the City Palace and concluded at Talkatora. 
Gangaur procession also takes place in different cities of Rajasthan. 
About Rajasthan:
Chief Minister– Ashok Gehlot
Airports– Jaisalmer Airport; Kishangarh Airport; Kota Airport
UNESCO Site– The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur; Hill Forts of Rajasthan

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

UNHRC suspends Russia from Human Rights Council; India abstains from vote

On April 7, 2022, Russia was suspended from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) after the 193 members of United Nation General Assembly (UNGA) voted to adopt a resolution moved by the United States of America (USA) due to the ongoing Russian- Ukraine conflict.
i.The resolution titled ‘Suspension of the rights of membership of the Russian Federation in the Human Rights Council’ was adopted with 93 votes in favour, 24 against and 58 abstentions, including India (abstains because of “substance and process”).
ii.With this, Russia became the second country and First P-5 country to have its membership rights stripped at the rights council, which was established in 2006 (Russia’s current membership on the Council expires in December 2023). 
iii.In 2011, Libya was the first country to get suspended by the assembly when the upheaval occured in the North African country which brought down the longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi.
About United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC):
i.UNHRC is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world.
ii.The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis.
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
President – Federico Villegas

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI imposes Restrictions on Shushruti Souharda Sahakara Bank Niyamita

On April 7, 2022, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed several restrictions on Bengaluru (Karnataka)-based Bank namely, ‘Shushruti Souharda Sahakara Bank Niyamita’ for a period of six months w.e.f. April 7, 2022, due to decline in the lender’s financial position.

• This decision by apex bank is taken after exercising its power conferred under sub section (1) of Section 35 A of the Banking Regulation (BR) Act, 1949, read with Section 56 of the BR Act, 1949.

Key Restrictions:
i.RBI imposes a withdrawal cap of Rs 5,000 of the total balance across all savings bank or current accounts or any other account of a depositor.
ii.The bank cannot, without prior approval from RBI, grant or renew any loans and advances, make any investment, incur any liability and accept fresh deposits.
iii.It will continue to undertake banking business with restrictions till its financial position improves.
Click  here for official Notification
About Shushruti Souharda Sahakara Bank Niyamita:
Establishment– 1998
Founder Chairman– Dr. N. Srinivasa Murthy
Headquarters- Bengaluru, Karnataka

RBI Issues Guidelines on Establishment of 24X7 Digital Banking Units by Banks

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued Guidelines on the establishment of 24X7 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) to offer products and services in both self-served and assisted mode w.e.f. April 7, 2022.

• These are on the lines of FY23 Union Budget announcement to set up at least 75 such units in 75 districts to commemorate 75 years of the country’s independence as ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

What is DBU?

It is a specialised fixed point business with certain minimum infrastructure for delivering digital banking products and services to ensure convenient and cost-effective banking for customers.

• The products and services at a DBU include, opening of accounts, cash withdrawal and deposit, KYC updation, loans and complaint registrations.

Key Points:
i.The establishment of DBUs will be a part of the digital banking strategy of the bank. 
ii.Based on the recommendations of the Committee, the above guidelines have been finalized. All Domestic Scheduled Commercial Banks (excluding Regional Rural Banks, Payments Banks and Local Area Banks) having experience in digital banking are allowed to open DBUs in Tier 1 to Tier 6 centres without taking permission from the RBI.

• These DBUs will be treated as Banking Outlets (BOs), separate from existing banking outlets with formats appropriate for digital banking users. Therefore, each DBU should have separate entry and exit provisions.

iii.Any product or service which a bank is not permitted to offer as per the provisions of Banking Regulation (BR) Act 1949, should not be offered by the DBU.
iv.Each DBU will be headed by a sufficiently senior and experienced executive of the bank, preferably Scale III or above for PSBs (Public Sector Banks) or equivalent grades for other banks who can be designated as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the DBU.
v.In addition to ensuring physical security of the infrastructure of the DBU, adequate safeguards for cyber security of the DBUs will have to be ensured by the banks.
Click Here for Full Official Notification by RBI 
Background:
Following the budget announcement, a ‘Committee for establishment of Digital Banking Units (DBUs)’ was set-up by RBI to outline a roadmap for establishment of DBUs. The Committee after necessary consultations gave its recommendations on different aspects of DBU. 

Axis Bank inks USD 150 mn Partial Guarantee Agreement with ADB to Support Supply Chain Financing

Axis Bank signed a Partial Guarantee Facility Agreement (PGFA) with the  Asian Development Bank (ADB) for a partial guarantee programme with initial outlay of USD 150 million. 

• This milestone project is ADB’s first supply chain finance transaction in India.
• To make it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in India to participate in trade through environmental and socially sustainable supply chains.
• The deal will assist Axis Bank in amplifying its support of SMEs, freeing up capital which will increase the amount of support it can lend to sectors identified by Axis Bank as the most important to sustainability.

Key points:
i.Under the PGFA , ADB will provide guarantees (variable) to the lending done by Axis Bank.

• The programme covers various supply chain financing product variants, including one-year working capital demand loans.

ii.The programme is sector agnostic and  will have special focus on ESG (environmental, social and governance) and other priority sectors.
iii.It will also complement the surge in demand and expansion of operations in relevant sectors, and enhance the  growth curves of the Indian economy.
About Axis Bank:
 MD & CEO-Amitabh Chaudhry
Headquarters-Mumbai, Maharashtra
Founded- 1993
Tagline- Badhti Ka Naam Zindagi

DBS Bank India partners with Social Alpha for Innovative Solutions to Tackle Food Loss & Wastage

On April 7, 2022, the DBS (formerly Development Bank of Singapore Limited) Bank India partnered with Social Alpha to address the global issue of food waste through sustainable solutions. 

• Social Alpha is Bengaluru, Karnataka headquartered not-for-profit Foundation for Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship (FISE) for tech start-ups.

What will be done under this partnership?
i.There will be Techtonic Innovations Towards Zero Food Waste (TZFW), a two-year program, supported by DBS and powered by Social Alpha to identify innovative solutions by entrepreneurs to help reduce quantitative and qualitative food loss and waste across food systems and agri-food value chains. 

• Under this, 5 high-impact, mission-driven start-ups will receive grant support to develop their product and marketing strategy along with branding support, access to grassroots partnerships, and pitch for seed capital. 
• Social enterprises willing to apply can visit Here

ii.DBS’ approach to the TZFW initiative aligns with DBS’ three sustainability pillars viz. Responsible Banking, Responsible Business Practices, and Creating Social Impact.
Points to be noted:
i.Nearly 40% of food produced in India is lost before it reaches the markets and further wasted at the retailer level, which decreases the nutritional security and causes income losses for farmers. 
ii.An estimated 50 kg per capita of household food waste is recorded, totalling 68M tonnes a year.
About DBS Bank India:
MD & CEO:Surojit Shome
Headquarter:Mumbai, Maharashtra

ICICI Bank & Kredx Partners to Offer Cashback Commercial Card for B2B Payments

KredX, a supply chain finance company has partnered with ICICI Bank to provide ‘ICICI Bank-KredX Commercial Card’, for B2B (business-to-business) payments.

• It’s a first-of-its-kind cashback card that allows businesses to get instant financial benefits for all B2B payments without incurring any additional cost.

KredX hopes to disburse upwards of Rs. 2,000 crores in B2B vendor payments every month as a result of this relationship, and to grow its customer base by 300% by the end of 2022.
Key Points:
i.The commercial card includes a management interface and a single-view dashboard for all payment transactions. 

• As a result, it enhances business efficiency and gives financial rewards through cashbacks that complements the efforts of businesses for B2B payments.

ii.Dynamic discounting: it is an embedded option in which customers can make early payments to their vendors and receive additional discounts on invoices payable.

• It helps the Treasury earn discounts while also helping the vendors get early and quick access to capital on demand, thus ensuring a financially healthy supply chain.

iii. Aside from the convenience of treasury income and cashback, the card and embedded technology platform will also provide add-on features like reconciliations, dispute management, three-way matching, and complete automation of the entire account payable function, making the offering holistic and extremely profitable for businesses.
About ICICI Bank Ltd:
MD & CEO – Sandeep Bakhshi
Establishment – 1994
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

IOCL, L&T and ReNew to form JV for green hydrogen business

Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Larsen & Toubro (L&T), and ReNew Power (“ReNew”) have signed a binding term sheet for the formation of a Green Hydrogen Joint Venture (JV) company to develop, execute & own green hydrogen assets in India
IOCL & L&T to also form JV to manufacture Electrolyzers. The 3 companies will hold equal stakes in the proposed Green Hydrogen JV. 

• Additionally, IOCL and L&T have signed a binding term sheet to form a JV with equity participation to manufacture and sell Electrolyzers used in the production of Green Hydrogen.

Under Aatmanirbhar Mission, both the JVs aim to enable India’s transition from a grey hydrogen economy to a greener one. 

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS        

IndusInd Bank’s ‘Indus Merchant Solutions’ App wins Digital CX Awards 2022 

The Indus Merchant Solutions, a mobile app for merchants of Indusland Bank received the ‘Outstanding Digital CX – SME Payments’ award at the Digital CX Awards 2022.
i.The Digital CX Awards is organized by Digital Banker, a globally trusted financial news service provider.
ii.Digital CX Awards 2022 is the 4th annual awards, which is the world’s only program dedicated to recognizing pioneering innovation in Digital Customer Experience across the Financial Services ecosystem.
About ‘Indus Merchant Solutions’ :
i.It was launched in November 2021. 
ii.It is a mobile application (app) to enable merchants, retailers, and professionals to various facilities such as –

• Accept  instant cashless payments through multiple digital modes,
• Track  inventory via in-built dashboards, 
• Apply  for an exclusive Point of Sale (POS) machine to facilitate card-based payments, 
• Avail  small ticket business loans from the Bank.

About IndusInd Bank:
Commenced  operations-1994
Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra
CEO & MD- Sumant Kathpalia    

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Tata Group Launches India’s first its Super App – ‘Tata Neu’

On 7th April 2022, Tata Group launched India’s first super app, Tata Neu, for the public. Tata Neu, developed by TATA Digital – a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, is a platform that combines all the Tata-owned brands like BigBasket, 1mg, Croma, AirAsia, IHCL, Qmin, Starbucks, Tata Cliq, Tata Play, and Westside into one application and offers exclusive privileges and benefits across categories. 

• This super-app combines Tata’s traditional consumer-first approach with the modern ethos of technology. 
• The app will seamlessly blend product commerce, service commerce, and financial services into a consumer-first, future-ready, integrated experience.

Click here to know more

Jal Shakti Minister Launches ‘Digital Dashboard for District Ganga Committee Performance Monitoring System’
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Union Minister for Jal Shakti, launched the ‘Digital Dashboard for District Ganga Committees (DGCs) Performance Monitoring System’ (GDPMS) to  help the DGCs in the motive of  people-river connect.
i.This move makes properly using the assets created, checking no untreated water/solid waste goes into Ganga river, monitoring afforestation to mitigate the effects of climate change, and protection of biodiversity and wetlands etc. 
ii.The Minister also emphasised on the DGC 4Ms (Monthly, Mandated, Monitored and Minuted) meetings to take place regularly (2nd Friday of every month) under the leadership of District Magistrates, based on the performance, DGCs will be analysed and one who does best work will be acknowledged to generate competitiveness.
iii.Union Minister for Jal Shakti proposed the 4P principle – political will, public spending, partnership and people’s participation to make a programme successful.
About Project Arth Ganga:
i.Project Arth Ganga envisages to re-engineer the Jal Marg Vikas Project by involving the local community with a focus Of developing a sustainable economic model around river Ganga.

Scientists of IIA Discovered A New Galaxy of Ghost Like Appearance

The scientists of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) along with researchers from France discovered a faint new star-forming galaxy. The galaxy has a ‘ghost-like’ appearance in the optical images because of its low disk density, but the inner disk shows star formation.
i.The new galaxy has been named as UVIT J202258.73-441623.8 or UVIT J2022 for short.
ii.It is expected around 136 million light-years away, and is undetected as it lies in front of a brighter galaxy.
iii.The study has been published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Instrumentation Used:
i.Ultraviolet (UV) and optical images is used to detect the inner disk star formation. 
ii.Accurate census is used to measure the total mass of all the objects made of normal atomic matter (stars and gas) in the Universe, it is essential to measure the faint galaxies.
iii.Optical telescopes are used to detect the galaxies that are extremely faint.
Faint Galaxies:

• The extremely faint galaxies are called low surface brightness galaxies or ultra-diffuse galaxies.
• These galaxies have a surface brightness of at least ten times fainter than the surrounding night sky.
• As it posses 15 % of the mass of the universe. 
• These galaxies are difficult to detect because of their inherent low luminosities.

Way For A New Galaxy:

The faint galaxy is discovered while studying interacting galaxy NGC 6902A noticed the colour image (Dark Energy Camera Legacy Survey (DECaLS) colour image) of the south-west outer region of the galaxy NGC 6902A in the shows diffuse blue emission.
Note
DECalS is a deep optical survey conducted on international telescopes that can be used to detect diffuse galaxies. 
Far Ultraviolet (FUV) image:
i.The south-western region shows prominent star-forming regions in the Far Ultraviolet (FUV) image. 
ii.Emission of the FUV in galaxies is due to young stars of types “O and B”.
iii.Type O and B has the most massive stars and also the most short-lived in the galaxies. 
iv.FUV emits light for 100 million years.
v.The excess FUV light prompted the researchers to investigate the cause of the interaction. 
Distance Of NGC6902A And Faint Galaxy:
i.The distance of the regions is measured using emission lines in the spectra. 
ii.Thestar-forming regions are at a distance of around 136 million light-years, 
iii.The distance of NGC 6902A is around 825 million light-years. 
iv.As the distance is in larger measurements, the diffused blue emission was from a foreground galaxy, it was discovered using FUV and Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE).

• The Ultra-Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) on AstroSat helped to discover the galaxy and determine its coordinates in the sky. The scientists also used MUSE instrument on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile and images from Infrared Survey Facility (IRSF) in South Africa.

About The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA)
Director – Annapurni Subramaniam
Headquarters – Bengaluru, Karnataka
Establishment – 1971

DRDO Successfully Flight Tested SFDR Booster At ITR Off The Coast Of Odisha
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) booster missile system at the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. The SFDR is a air-to-air missile.
i.The SFDR has been developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad in collaboration with DRDO laboratories such as Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Pune.
Objective:

• The SFDR propulsion enables the missile to intercept aerial threats at very long range at supersonic speeds.
• The SFDR demonstrated reliable functioning of all critical components involved in the complex missile system.
• It has the operational range of 350km and maximum speed of Mach 4.5
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) to use SFDR booster on its Rafale jets.

Systems Used To Capture The performance:
The performance of SFDR missile system is captured by range instruments like Telemetry, Radar and Electro Optical Tracking Systems (EOTS) by ITR.
About The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO):
Chairman – G Satheesh Reddy
Establishment – 1958
Headquarters – New Delhi

Karaikal ICG Unit Inducted Interceptor Boat ICGS C-436, Rebased From AP Station

In April 2022, The Indian Coast Guard(ICG) unit Karaikal inducted Interceptor Boat (IB) ‘ ICGS C-436’, into its fleet to improve surveillance along the coastline of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. C-436, rebased from Andhra Pradesh(AP) station, was formally inducted in a ceremony near Karaikal Port, Karaikal in the presence of A Arun Thamburaj Nagapattinam Collector. 

• The IB C-436, the 36th boat of its series was commissioned at its base port – Krishnapatnam Port in AP in 2018. 
• The indigenously built ship C-436(26.63 meters in length) was designed to carry a high-speed inflatable boat for boarding operations, search and rescue, law enforcement and maritime patrol.
• It is fitted with state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment. 
• The ship will be deployed in the Area of Responsibility (AoR) of Indian Coast Guard Station Karaikal.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

NASSCOM’s 1st Chairman Harish S. Mehta Authored a New Book “The Maverick Effect” 

Harish S. Mehta, the founding member and the first elected Chairman of the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), has authored a new book titled “The Maverick Effect: The Inside Story of India’s IT Revolution.”

• The book, published by HarperCollins Publishers India, brings out the story of NASSCOM and the life story of Harish Mehta. 

About the book:
i.The book is a definitive and authoritative biography of NASSCOM, the premier trade body and chamber of commerce for the tech industry in India. 
ii.The book is an inside account of how some competitors got together, created an industry body called NASSCOM, and transformed a nation. 
iii.The book shows how to implement change and become successful without the supposed advantages that others have.
iv.The book is also endorsed by top IT industry leaders, including Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy and Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran.
About Harish S. Mehta:
i.Harish S. Mehta is now the Convenor of the Chairman’s Council of NASSCOM.
ii.He was the Founder of Onward Group and served as the Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of Onward Novell Software (I) Ltd. from 1993 to 2005. 
iii.He also served as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Onward Technologies from 2005 to 2015. He has since been serving as the company’s Executive Chairman.
About NASSCOM:
NASSCOM, established in 1988, is the apex body Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry in India.
Chairperson– Rekha M Menon
President– Debjani Ghosh
Headquarters– Noida, Uttar Pradesh (UP)

IMPORTANT DAYS

247th Army Ordnance Corps Day Celebrations : 08 April 2022

On  08 April 2022, the Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) units of Southern Command celebrated their 247th Corps Day. 
About Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) :
i.The AOC came into existence with the establishment of ‘Board of Ordnance’ on 8th April 1775. 
ii.It was formed to ensure systematic distribution of weapons, ammunition and equipment to the British Army. 

• The AOC is responsible for ammunition, vehicles and stores support to the Indian Army.

iii.Over the years, the Board of Ordnance underwent a number of transformations and in 1922 it came to be known as the Indian Army Ordnance Corps. 
iv.In 1950 when  India became a Republic,  the prefix ‘Indian’ was dropped and the organization became the Army Ordnance Corps.

STATE NEWS

Maharashtra, NTPC to set up ultra-mega 2500-MW solar power park

On April 7, 2022, The Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (MAHAGENCO) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) will form a Joint Venture to set up an “ultra-mega solar park” in the state to generate 2,500 MegaWatt (MW) green power.
i.The Project was approved by the Maharashtra State Cabinet in 2020 with a proposed project cost of RS 1,727 crore.
ii.As per the agreement, the NTPC (or its subsidiary) and MAHAGENCO joint venture will have to invest a capital share of 50:50 for developing the ultra-mega solar power park, and the Maharashtra State Energy Department will be the state nodal agency.
iii.The Proposed Solar Park will be developed under Engineering, Procurement and Commission (EPC) model in 3 stages with the lands owned by the MAHAGENCO, and others belonging to the state, centre or privately owned properties for the mega-venture.
iv.The ultra-mega solar parks of different capacities shall come up in stages at identified locations in Latur, Washim, Yavatmal, Chandrapur, Nashik, Jalgaon, Pune, Beed, Ahmednagar, Solapur, Akola, Dhule, and Hingoli.
About Maharashtra:
Governor – Bhagat Singh Koshyari
Capital – Mumbai
About National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited:
i.NTPC Ltd is a statutory corporation incorporated under the Companies Act 1956, engaged in generation of electricity and allied activities.
Chief Managing Director – Gurdeep Singh

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