Current Affairs PDF - January 16 31 2022

Current Affairs [PDF] - January 16-31, 2022
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Current Affairs [PDF] - January 16-31, 2022
Contents
......................... ....... ... ....... ......... .. . ...............................................
News Headlines ..................................................................................................................................................... 3
January 16, 2022 ........................................................................................................................................... 3
January 17, 2022 ........................................................................................................................................... 3
January 18, 2022 ........................................................................................................................................... 4
January 19, 2022 ........................................................................................................................................... 4
January 20, 2022 .......................................................................................................................................... 4
January 21, 2022 ............................................................................................................................................ 5
January 22, 2022 ........................................................................................................................................... 5
January 23, 2022 ........................................................................................................................................... 6
January 24, 2022 .......................................................................................................................................... 7
January 25, 2022 ........................................................................................................................................... 7
January 26, 2022 .......................................................................................................................................... 8
January 27, 2022 .......................................................................................................................................... 8
January 28, 2022 .......................................................................................................................................... 9
January 29, 2022 .......................................................................................................................................... 9
January 30, 2022 ......................................................................................................................................... 10
January 31, 2022 .......................................................................................................................................... 10
January 16, 2022 .................................................................................................................................................. 11
National Startup Day ................................................................................................................................... 11
Thiruvalluvar Day ........................................................................................................................................ 12
Discovery of New Strange Metal ............................................................................................................. 12
Kala Kumbh Art ........................................................................................................................................... 13
Digital Agristack .......................................................................................................................................... 14
India Edtech Consortium ........................................................................................................................... 15
The Citizen Constitution Literacy campaign ......................................................................................... 16
January 17, 2022 ................................................................................................................................................. 16
China's Artificial Moon .............................................................................................................................. 16
Volcanic Eruption in Tonga ...................................................................................................................... 17
WEF Davos Agenda .................................................................................................................................... 18
Draft Notification on Six mandatory Airbags ....................................................................................... 19
Indian Army’s New Combat Uniform .................................................................................................... 20
China's Record-low Birth rate .................................................................................................................. 21
Delhi’s first DTC Electric Bus .................................................................................................................. 22
Oxfam India's 'Inequality Kills' Report ................................................................................................... 23
National Award For E-Governance ........................................................................................................ 24
Chips to Start-up (C2S) Programme ..................................................................................................... 24
China-Iran strategic agreement ............................................................................................................... 25
India’s Retail Inflation in December 2021 ............................................................................................. 26
Badminton: India Open Title Winners ................................................................................................... 27
National Start-up Awards 2021 ............................................................................................................... 28
Chhattisgarh Rojgar Mission .................................................................................................................... 29
US Bill on Rare Earth supplies ................................................................................................................. 29
India-China Trade in 2021 ....................................................................................................................... 30
Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Act .......................................................................... 31
Lipulekh boundary Issue-Recent Developments .................................................................................. 32
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January 18, 2022 ................................................................................................................................................. 32
State Tableaux for Republic Day Parade ............................................................................................... 32
Standards for Charging Infrastructure for EV ...................................................................................... 34
Commemorative Postal Stamp on COVID-19 vaccine ....................................................................... 35
Guru Ravidas Jayanti and Punjab Elections ........................................................................................... 35
National Technical Textiles Mission- New Projects ............................................................................ 36
Abu Dhabi Airport Explosion ................................................................................................................... 37
‘The Enigma’: 555.55-carat black diamond .......................................................................................... 38
UV-C Disinfection Technology ................................................................................................................ 39
Cycles4Change and Streets for People challenge- Season 2 ............................................................ 39
PM's ‘State of the World’ Address at Davos- Highlights ................................................................... 40
World Employment and Social Outlook Report ................................................................................... 41
What is 'Great Resignation'? .................................................................................................................... 42
Awareness drive on Aromatic plant cultivation in J-K ....................................................................... 43
Collarwali tigress ......................................................................................................................................... 43
Mana Ooru Mana Badi programme ...................................................................................................... 44
Open Data Week ........................................................................................................................................ 45
Hybrid Terrorists ........................................................................................................................................ 45
January 19, 2022 ................................................................................................................................................ 46
Climate Hazards and Vulnerability Atlas of India ................................................................................ 46
Deportation of Novak Djokovic .............................................................................................................. 47
DoT: Machine-to-Machine Guide .......................................................................................................... 48
Flipkart: New Startup Programmes ....................................................................................................... 48
Davos: Millionaires group calls for Wealth Tax ................................................................................... 49
Antarctica Icefish Breeding Colony ........................................................................................................ 50
Asteroid 1994 PC1 ...................................................................................................................................... 51
The Best FIFA Football Awards 2021 ..................................................................................................... 51
Nusantara-Indonesia New Capital ........................................................................................................... 52
January 20, 2022 ................................................................................................................................................ 53
Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2022 ....................................................................................................... 53
BSF: Operation Sard Hawa ...................................................................................................................... 54
SEBI’s Saa₹thi mobile app .......................................................................................................................... 55
Azadi Ke Amrit Mahotsav se Swarnim Bharat Ke Ore ...................................................................... 56
Streets for People Challenge .................................................................................................................... 57
KCR Kit Scheme ......................................................................................................................................... 57
Census in Kaziranga National Park ........................................................................................................ 58
India-Central Asia Summit ....................................................................................................................... 59
RBI’s Digital Payment Index ..................................................................................................................... 60
TOI-2180: New Jupiter-like Exoplanet ................................................................................................... 61
January 21, 2022 .................................................................................................................................................. 61
Proposed Changes in IAS (Cadre) rules ................................................................................................ 61
Desh Ke Mentor Programme-New measures ...................................................................................... 62
Omo I - Oldest Human Fossils ................................................................................................................ 63
Environment Ministry Star Rating System ............................................................................................ 64
India-Denmark R&D on Green Fuels ..................................................................................................... 65
Education Ministry survey on Learning Loss ........................................................................................ 66
Recent Study on Antimicrobial resistance ............................................................................................. 67
BRICS 2022-An Overview ....................................................................................................................... 68
UNCTAD 'Investment Trends Monitor' Report ................................................................................. 68
Extension of National Commission for Safai Karamcharis ................................................................ 69
IEA's Electricity Market Report ............................................................................................................... 70
MY2022: Security Concerns in Chinese Olympics App ..................................................................... 71
RBI Special Repo Auction ......................................................................................................................... 72
NEET Reservation: Supreme Court's Detailed Order ......................................................................... 73
Digital Government Mission .................................................................................................................... 73
India-Israel Industrial R&D & Technological Innovation Fund (I4F) .............................................. 74
India's first UNDP Youth Climate Champion ....................................................................................... 75
'Climate of India during 2021' report .................................................................................................... 76
January 22, 2022 ................................................................................................................................................ 77
Russia's Ban on Cryptocurrencies ........................................................................................................... 77
AIIB: Investment in Asia's Data Infrastructure .................................................................................... 78
Merger of Amar Jawan Jyoti .................................................................................................................... 78
India assisted projects in Mauritius ......................................................................................................... 79
Delhi’s One Stop E-Vehicle website ....................................................................................................... 80
Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura Statehood Day ...................................................................................... 81
Rural Area Development Plan Formulation and Implementation (RADFI) ................................... 82
Chinese bridge at Pangong Tso .............................................................................................................. 83
Delhi: Survey on Pandemic impact on students .................................................................................. 84
What is 'Operation Sajag'? ....................................................................................................................... 84
UNSC 3-D Virtual Diplomacy ................................................................................................................. 85
Arunachal Pradesh Infrastructure Financing Authority ..................................................................... 86
Hologram Statue of Netaji ....................................................................................................................... 87
January 23, 2022 ................................................................................................................................................ 88
COVID: AIIMS Study on Children ......................................................................................................... 88
Delhi Streetscraping Project ..................................................................................................................... 88
What is Five-alarm global fire? ................................................................................................................ 89
Mangaluru Plastic Park ............................................................................................................................. 90
January 24, 2022 ................................................................................................................................................. 91
NASSCOM Study on Start-ups ................................................................................................................ 91
Meghalaya Living Root Bridges ............................................................................................................... 92
Airstrikes in Yemen .................................................................................................................................... 92
Adi Badri Dam ............................................................................................................................................ 93
Indian Environment Service ..................................................................................................................... 94
Earth's sixth mass extinction ..................................................................................................................... 95
SC Judgement on Inheritance of Daughters ........................................................................................ 96
Shortage of Lithium for EV batteries ..................................................................................................... 96
Twitter: NFT Profile Picture feature ...................................................................................................... 97
South Bengal Elephant Corridors ........................................................................................................... 98
Japan's Renkoji Temple offer ................................................................................................................... 99
Kirbati Island: Maiden COVID Cases ................................................................................................... 100
Ramisyllis kingghidorahi: New Species of Branching Worm .......................................................... 100
Banking on electric Vehicles in India Report ....................................................................................... 101
Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar ....................................................................... 102
Community Transmission of Omicron ................................................................................................ 103
Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar ............................................................................................... 104
Australia Online Safety Bill ..................................................................................................................... 104
Parakram Diwas: Netaji's 125th birth anniversary ............................................................................. 105
ICE 360 Survey-Highlights .................................................................................................................... 106
What is “Abide with Me” Hymn? ......................................................................................................... 107
January 25, 2022 .............................................................................................................................................. 108
Peru Environmental Emergency ............................................................................................................ 108
Koyla Darpan Portal ................................................................................................................................. 108
India: Largest exporter of Cucumber and Gherkins ......................................................................... 109
G20 People’s Climate Vote 2021 report ............................................................................................... 110
Online Storage Management (OSM) System ....................................................................................... 111
Australian Aboriginal flag ......................................................................................................................... 112
National Girl Child Day ............................................................................................................................ 113
Syed Modi International Tournament-Highlights ............................................................................... 113
Spice Xchange India Portal ...................................................................................................................... 114
CSC Yogyata Mobile Application ........................................................................................................... 115
Assam Baibhav Award .............................................................................................................................. 116
District Good Governance Index ........................................................................................................... 116
Spending Norms for Contingency Fund .............................................................................................. 117
India: Promotion of Drone Use in Agriculture .................................................................................... 118
World Bank Loan to West Bengal .......................................................................................................... 119
International Education Day ................................................................................................................... 120
World's fastest AI supercomputer .......................................................................................................... 121
Najafgarh jheel restoration plan .............................................................................................................. 121
India-Israel: 30th anniversary of Diplomatic Relations ..................................................................... 122
January 26, 2022 ............................................................................................................................................... 123
What is 'Artificial womb'? ....................................................................................................................... 123
Gallantry Awards on Republic Day ....................................................................................................... 124
IMF World Economic Outlook- Update ............................................................................................... 125
Blockchain technology in Rashtriya Bal Puraskar .............................................................................. 125
AK 203 deal: Delivery of Initial batch of rifles ................................................................................... 126
India: Restrictions on Export of Human Hair ..................................................................................... 127
Serbia: Protests over Lithium Mining ................................................................................................... 128
Two Personalities who refused Padma Awards ................................................................................. 129
PMC Bank amalgamation scheme ........................................................................................................ 130
MeitY: Electronics Manufacturing Vision Document ........................................................................ 130
National Tourism Day .............................................................................................................................. 131
Sudan Anti-coup protests ........................................................................................................................ 132
CHIRU 2Q22 Naval Drills ....................................................................................................................... 133
Indigenous Maya Achi women .............................................................................................................. 134
Data Privacy Day 2022 ............................................................................................................................ 135
National Voters Day ................................................................................................................................. 136
January 27, 2022 .............................................................................................................................................. 136
Smriti Mandhana: ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year 2021 ........................................................ 136
What is a Deccahorn? .............................................................................................................................. 137
Study: Impact of Humid Heat on Labour ............................................................................................ 138
Padma Awards 2022 ................................................................................................................................ 139
Supreme Court Notice on Irrational Freebies .................................................................................... 139
2021 Corruption Perceptions Index ...................................................................................................... 140
Rise in India's Bilateral Trade with China ............................................................................................ 141
Veteran archaeologist R. Nagaswamy .................................................................................................. 142
Om: CSIR-CDRI RT-PCR kit for Omicron Variant .......................................................................... 143
ASER Survey on Chhattisgarh (Rural) ................................................................................................. 144
Kerala: Ordinance to dilute Lokayukta Powers .................................................................................. 144
Drone Certification Scheme ................................................................................................................... 145
Russia Military drills near Ukraine ........................................................................................................ 146
IMF on El-Salvador Bitcoin legal tender .............................................................................................. 147
J&K Next-Gen Administrative Reforms ............................................................................................... 148
New Districts of Andhra Pradesh ......................................................................................................... 148
India’s First Woman Rafale Pilot ............................................................................................................ 149
Pakistan Islamic Bond .............................................................................................................................. 150
Nordic "clinker boats" in UNESCO Heritage List .............................................................................. 150
January 28, 2022 ............................................................................................................................................... 151
Param Vishisht Seva Medal ...................................................................................................................... 151
Stand-alone Energy Storage System ..................................................................................................... 152
India’s Women Unsung Heroes’ Book .................................................................................................. 153
Digital Sansad App ................................................................................................................................... 154
Transfer of Air India -Time Line ........................................................................................................... 155
India’s exports of Electronic Goods- Recent Trends ......................................................................... 155
January 27: International Holocaust Remembrance Day ................................................................. 156
India’s first Graphene Innovation Centre ............................................................................................. 157
America Competes Act of 2022 ............................................................................................................ 158
New Technology to detect Oral Cancer .............................................................................................. 159
James Webb Space Telescope-Key Facts ............................................................................................. 159
Nepal's Record Low Population Growth ............................................................................................. 160
Pal Dadhvav Martyrs ................................................................................................................................. 161
India-France MoU on Health research ................................................................................................. 162
January 29, 2022 .............................................................................................................................................. 163
Committee on RRB Exam Concerns ..................................................................................................... 163
Highlights of 12 State/UT tableaux ...................................................................................................... 164
Who was Sangoli Rayanna? .................................................................................................................... 165
First Molecular Electronics Chip ............................................................................................................ 165
Coal Directory of India 2020-21 ........................................................................................................... 166
A.P: Mass mortality of spot-billed pelicans ......................................................................................... 167
Exercise Paschim Lehar ........................................................................................................................... 168
NeoCov Coronavirus ............................................................................................................................... 169
Swachhata Start-Up Challenge .............................................................................................................. 169
Conditional market approval for Covaxin, Covishield ...................................................................... 170
National Conference on Agriculture for Summer Campaign .......................................................... 171
Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation .......................................................................................................... 172
Australia's new Plan to protect Great Barrier Reef ........................................................................... 173
U.S., EU cooperation on Energy Security ............................................................................................ 173
Snowfall in the Sahara Desert ................................................................................................................ 174
Ultra-long-period Magnetar ................................................................................................................... 175
International Customs Day, 2022 ......................................................................................................... 176
Artificial Snow in Beijing Winter Olympics ......................................................................................... 177
January 30, 2022 .............................................................................................................................................. 177
AP Seva Portal 2.0 .................................................................................................................................... 177
China's Lithuania Blockade ..................................................................................................................... 178
What are 'Volatile organic compounds'? ............................................................................................. 179
EU Declaration on Digital rights and principles ................................................................................. 180
India-UAE Venture Capital Fund ............................................................................................................ 181
NIPER Research Portal ............................................................................................................................. 181
Anantha Nageswaran-New Chief Economic Advisor ....................................................................... 182
January 31, 2022 ............................................................................................................................................... 183
Rafael Nadal Record of 21 Grandslam titles ........................................................................................ 183
Federated Digital Identities ..................................................................................................................... 184
Bharat Biotech Nasal Booster Trials ..................................................................................................... 184
“The $10 Trillion Dream” Book ........................................................................................................... 185
India-Israel: ‘Villages of Excellence’ ....................................................................................................... 186
North Korea Hwasong-12 missile ......................................................................................................... 187
First Woman President of Honduras .................................................................................................... 188
T.N. Draft Policy for Senior Citizens ................................................................................................... 188
Delhi Ex Gratia Relief to Farmers ......................................................................................................... 189
What is Green Climate Fund for adaptation? ..................................................................................... 190
Conversion or Switch operations ........................................................................................................... 191
Privilege Motion over Pegasus ................................................................................................................ 191
NASA Ocean Melting Greenland Mission ........................................................................................... 192
Reservation in Promotion ........................................................................................................................ 193
Death Penalty in India Report ................................................................................................................ 194
Manipur Freight Train connectivity ...................................................................................................... 195
Ireland: 50 years of bloody Sunday ...................................................................................................... 195
India's First Geo Park .............................................................................................................................. 196
Fly Ash Management and Utilisation Mission .................................................................................... 197
Aditya-L1 mission - Key Facts ................................................................................................................ 197
COVID: IIT-J AI-based Chest X-Ray ................................................................................................... 198
Mock Test ......................................................................................................................................................... 200
Answer Key ....................................................................................................................................................... 207
Note: ................................................................................................................................................................... 208
News Headlines
January 16, 2022
Here are Today’s News Headlines by GK Today for January 16, 2022
INDIA
– Army Day celebrated on January 15
– Thiruvalluvar Day celebrated on Jan 15 in honour of Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Minimum 6 airbags to be made mandatory in vehicles carrying up to 8 passengers from October:
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)
– 46 Startups announced winners of the National Startup Awards 2021 along with 1 incubator and 1
accelerator
– January 16 to be celebrated as ‘National Start-up Day’: PM
– Chhattisgarh government to set up Chhattisgarh Rojgar Mission headed by CM Bhupesh Baghel to
create around 15 lakh job opportunities in the state in the next five years
– Power ministry revises norms for pro-actively setting up EV charging infra
– Govt inaugurates India’s first coal to methanol plant built by BHEL in Hyderabad
– CRISIL Ratings to start disclosing ESG (environmental, social and governance) impact on credit
profiles
WORLD
– Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano erupts in Pacific Island nation Tonga
January 17, 2022
INDIA
– Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya releases commemorative Postal
Stamp on COVID-19 Vaccine to mark the 1st anniversary of India’s National COVID Vaccination
program
– Navies of India and Russia conduct passing exercise in Arabian Sea
– Bollywood lyricist Ibrahim Ashk, known for penning songs for films like “Kaho Na Pyaar Hai” and
“Koi… Mil Gaya”, dies at 70 in Mumbai
– T.N. will install statue of Col. Pennycuick in UK for constructing Mullaperiyar reservoir in 1895:
CM M. K. Stalin
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Applications invited under the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme from domestic semiconductor
chip design firms
– MeitY invites applications under the Chips to Startup (C2S) Programme from academia, R&D
organisations, startups and MSMEs
– PSU Oil India Ltd (OIL) exits from US shale oil venture, selling its 20% stake to its venture partner
for $25 million
– MEIL (Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Limited) completes 5-km-long tunnelling work as part
of the 18-km-long all-weather Zojila Tunnel that is envisaged to ensure connectivity between
Srinagar and Ladakh throughout the year
– ATF (aviation turbine fuel) price hiked by 4.2 per cent; no change in petrol and diesel prices
– Wealth of 98 richest Indians same as bottom 552 million, says Oxfam India report titled ‘Inequality
Kills’
WORLD
– Mali’s former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita dies at 76
SPORTS
– Yonex-Sunrise India Open Badminton in New Delhi: India’s Lakshya Sen (men’s), Thailand’s
Busanan Ongbamrunghphan (women’s) win singles titles
January 18, 2022

INDIA
– Kathak dancer Pandit Birju Maharaj dies aged 83 in Delhi; won Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
(1964) and Padma Vibhushan (1986)
– Social worker and Padma Shri awardee Shanti Devi dies in Odisha at 88
– Theatre personality Shaoli Mitra dies in Kolkata at 74; awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2003 &
Padma Shri in 2009
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs conducting Open Data Week from January 17 to 21; aims to
show the benefits of open data such as increased efficiency & transparency
– MeitY organises 26th CISO Deep Dive Training program under Cyber Surakshit Bharat initiative
– Narendra Goenka takes over as new Chairman of AEPC (Apparel Export Promotion Council)
WORLD
– PM Modi delivers State of the World special address at World Economic Forum’s Davos Agenda
– 2 Indians among 3 killed in drone attack on oil storage facility in Abu Dhabi (UAE); Yemen’s Houthi
rebels claim responsibility
– Credit Suisse Chairman resigns for having violated COVID-19 quarantine rules
– Greek painter Alekos Fassianos dies in Athens at the age of 86
January 19, 2022
INDIA
– World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Davos Agenda 2022: PM Modi introduces ‘P3 (Pro-Planet People)
movement’ for climate change commitments
– Padma Shri awardee Bengali cartoonist Narayan Debnath dies at 97 in Kolkata; created comic
characters ‘Bantul The Great’, ‘Handa Bhonda’, ‘Bahadur Beral’ and ‘Nonte Phonte’
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Indian Army signs contract worth Rs 96 crore with Anadron Systems Pvt Ltd under Make-II for
Maneuverable Expendable Aerial Target
– Bureaucrat Vikram Dev Dutt appointed new CMD of Air India
WORLD
– Microsoft to buy video game company Activision Blizzard in $68.7-bn deal
SPORTS
– Football: Robert Lewandowski of Poland & Bayern Munich wins Best FIFA Men’s Player Award
January 20, 2022
INDIA
– PM Modi to host first India-Central Asia Summit virtually on January 27
– Three Navy personnel killed in explosion onboard INS Ranvir in Mumbai
– Rajasthan: BSF to conduct ‘Operation Sard Hawa’ along Pak border from Jan 23 to 28
– Eleven cities selected as the winners of the Streets for People Challenge by the Union Ministry of
Housing & Urban Affairs
– Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry announces winners of Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge
– Cabinet approves extension of tenure of National Commission for Safai Karamcharis for three
years
– Internet panel on languages ropes in Vijay Shekhar Sharma as ambassador
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Cabinet approves Scheme for grant of ex-gratia payment of difference between compound interest
and simple interest for six months to borrowers in specified loan accounts
– Cabinet approves infusion of Rs.1,500 crore in Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency
Limited (IREDA)
– SEBI launches mobile App — Saa?thi– to create awareness among investors about basic concepts
of securities market.
– HAL signs contract with Mauritius for export of advanced light helicopter (ALH)
– Experts deliberate on widening scope of India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation
Fund
– Dileep Sanghani elected as Chairman of IFFCO (Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative)
– DGCA extends ban on international flights till February 28
WORLD
– Indonesia passes law to relocate capital to remote Borneo
– French senators vote to ban headscarves in sports competitions
– Pfizer chief Albert Bourla wins $1 mn Genesis Prize for vaccine development
– Roberta Metsola of Malta becomes EU Parliament’s new president
– Saturnino de la Fuente of Spain, said to be world’s oldest man, dies at 112
SPORTS
– Pakistan’s Babar Azam named as the captain of ICC Men’s T20I team of the year
January 21, 2022
INDIA
– PM Modi and PM of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth jointly inaugurate the Social Housing Units
Project in Mauritius and virtually lay the foundation stone for the Civil Service College and 8 MW
Solar PV Farm project in Mauritius
– PM inaugurates launch of ‘Azadi Ke Amrit Mahotsav se Swarnim Bharat Ki Ore’
– Amar Jawan Jyoti to be merged with flame at National War Memorial in New Delhi on Jan 21
– PM to unveil 216-foot statue of Ramanujacharya in Hyderabad on Feb 5
– Union Minister Jitendra Singh launches Mobile COVID testing facility for Northeast, beginning
with Mizoram
– Bihar: 3 drowned after boat capsizes in Gandak river in West Champaran district
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– FDI flows in India decline 26% in 2021: UNCTAD Investment Trends Monitor report
– Giriraj Singh releases revised RADPFI (Rural Area Development Plan Formulation and
Implementation) Guidelines prepared by Ministry of Panchayati Raj
– Sweden’s Saab wins contract for AT4 anti-armour weapon from Indian Army
– Toyota Kirloskar Motor launches SUV model Hilux
WORLD
– Global unemployment to reach 207 million in 2022, says ILO report
– Booster gives antibody protection against Omicron variant: Lancet
– Israel signs $3.4 billion submarines deal with Germany’s Thyssenkrupp
SPORTS
– ICC Test Team of the Year – NZ’s Kane Williamson captain; 3 Indians included: Rohit Sharma,
Rishabh Pant & Ravichandran Ashwin
– ICC’s ODI Team of the Year – Pakistan’s Babar Azam captain; no Indians
January 22, 2022
INDIA
– Daughters of a male Hindu, dying intestate entitled to inherit fathers’ properties, get preference:
SC
– Amar Jawan Jyoti merged with eternal flame at National War Memorial in New Delhi
– Indian Navy participates in multinational Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Exercise Sea Dragon-22
at Guam (US): Jan 5-20
– Statehood Day of Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura celebrated on Jan 21; were formed in 1972 with the
enactment of North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971
– India-Sri Lanka extend science and technology cooperation for 3 more years
– PM Modi inaugurates new Circuit House near Somnath Temple in Gujarat
– Actress, singer Prajakta Koli becomes UNDP India’s first youth climate champion
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– NITI Aayog, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and RMI India release ‘Banking on Electric Vehicles in
India’ report
– India’s foreign exchange reserves grew by USD 2.229 billion to USD 634.965 billion in the week
ended January 14
– Railway Ministry approves Board Member Rahul Jain’s voluntary retirement
WORLD
– Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav delivers India’s
statement at the Fourth Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation
– Coal Ministry launches Koyla Darpan Portal to share sector’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
– Russia and China block new UN sanctions on 5 North Koreans
– UN General Assembly approves resolution condemning Holocaust denial
– EU Parliament agrees on proposal to take on U.S. tech giants
– Austrian Parliament votes to introduce mandatory vaccination from February
– Ayesha Malik becomes first woman judge of Supreme Court of Pakistan
– Barbados: PM Mia Mottley sworn in for 2nd term after election win
– Jon Stewart to be honoured with Mark Twain lifetime achievement award in comedy
– US: ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ singer Meat Loaf dies at 74
SPORTS
– South Africa (288/3) defeat India (287/6) by 7 wickets in the second ODI played at Boland Park,
Paarl to win the 3-match series 2-0.
January 23, 2022
INDIA
– Home Minister Amit Shah virtually releases country’s 1st District Good Governance Index in
Jammu
– Experts from India and US discuss challenges, opportunities to combat climate change through
technology-led Carbon Capture and Utilisation solutions (CCUS)
– Six people can register on one number on CoWIN portal for COVID-19 vaccination
– Haryana and Himachal Pradesh governments plan to revive Saraswati River
– PM Modi asks districts to set time-bound targets for govt. programmes to increase ease of living
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Govt. to promote Drone use in Agriculture for precision farming in country
WORLD
– Canada: University of British Columbia researchers unveil world’s first molecular-level analysis of
Omicron
– Thich Nhat Hanh, influential Zen Buddhist monk, dies at 95 in Vietnam
– IMF, ECB leaders voice concern over global economic outlook at WEF “Davos Agenda 2022”
virtual event
– World Economic Forum’s annual meeting rescheduled to May 22-26 in Davos-Klosters,
Switzerland; theme: ‘Working Together, Restoring Trust’
– Energy major Shell sheds ‘Royal Dutch’ from name amid major overhaul plans
SPORTS
– Former India footballer and coach Subhas Bhowmick dies in Kolkata at 72; won bronze medal in
1970 Asian Games
January 24, 2022
INDIA
– Govt. announces winners of Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar; Gujarat Institute
of Disaster Management (GIDM) won in Institutional category & Vinod Sharma, Vice Chairman of
Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority, won in Individual category
– Former PM of Japan Shinzo Abe honoured with Netaji Award 2022 by Netaji Research Bureau
– PM unveils Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate in New Delhi on his 125th birth anniversary
– Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav: Culture Ministry to organize Rangoli Utsav ‘Umang’ on National Girl
Child Day on Jan 24
– Covid: Omicron in community transmission stage in India, says INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2
Consortium on Genomics)
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Vinodanand Jha appointed new Chairperson to PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act)
Adjudicating Authority
– India emerges as largest exporters of cucumber and gherkins in the world
WORLD
– German Navy Chief Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schoenbach resigns after making comments on
Ukraine, Russia
– Peru declares ‘environmental emergency’ on coastal area hit by oil spill
– New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern cancels her wedding due to Omicron surge
BADMINTON
– Syed Modi International Badminton tournament held in Lucknow
– India’s P.V. Sindhu won Women’s Singles title
– Men’s Singles final not held after one finalist tested Covid positive
– India’s Ishan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto clinched Mixed Doubles title
– Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun of Malaysia won the Men’s Doubles title
– Malaysian pair Anna Ching Yik Cheong and Teoh Mei Xing won the Women’s Doubles title
SPORTS
– Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan named ICC men’s T20 Player of the Year
– Football: Covid-hit India withdraws from match against Chinese Taipei in AFC Women’s Asian Cup
January 25, 2022
INDIA
– 12th National Voters’ Day to be celebrated on Jan 25; theme: ‘Making Elections Inclusive,
Accessible and Participative’
– Centre launches revamped Central Government Health Scheme website; mobile app called
“MyCGHS”
– India, Israel launch commemorative logo to mark 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties
– Piyush Goyal interacts with eight Girl Innovators on National Girl Child Day.
– Ministry of Culture organizes Rangoli Utsav ‘Umang’ to celebrate National Girl Child Day under
Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
– Gujarat: Under-bridge in Rajkot named after General Bipin Rawat
– Archaeologist & epigraphist R. Nagaswamy passes away at 92 in Chennai
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Electronics & IT Ministry releases 5-year roadmap and Vision Document for Electronics sector
– Engineering exports up 54% to $82 bn in Apr-Dec: Commerce ministry
WORLD
– Tamil film Koozhangal (Pebbles) gets Best Film award at Dhaka International Film Festival
– Armenia: President Serzh Sargsyan resigns
– Thierry Mugler, French fashion icon known for sculpted designs, dies at 73
– Burkina Faso: President Roch Marc Christian Kabore held by mutinous soldiers
– UAE shoots down 2 ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels over Abu Dhabi
– International Day of Education observed on Jan 24; theme: “Changing Course, Transforming
Education”
SPORTS
– South Africa defeat India by 4 runs in 3rd ODI at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town to
complete 3-0 whitewash
– Pakistan skipper Babar Azam named ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year for 2021
– England captain Root named ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year for 2021
– Smriti Mandhana named ICC women’s Cricketer of the Year for 2021
– Lucknow IPL team to be called Lucknow Super Giants
January 26, 2022
INDIA
– President approves 384 Gallantry Awards and other defence decorations to Armed Forces
personnel on Republic Day
– President approves conferment of Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards-2021
– 29 officers and staff of Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs get Presidential Awards on
eve of Republic Day
– Tokyo Olympics men’s javelin throw gold medalist Neeraj Chopra awarded Param Vishisht Seva
Medal by 4 Rajputana Rifles
– Decommissioned INS Khukri to be handed over to Diu administration; will be developed as
museum
– Assam and Nagaland opt for out-of-court settlement in decades-old border dispute
– National Tourism Day celebrated on Jan 25; theme: ‘Rural and Community Centric Tourism’
– 12th National Voters’ Day celebrated on Jan 25; theme: ‘Making Elections Inclusive, Accessible and
Participative’
– Himachal Pradesh celebrates Statehood Day on January 25
– Dr S. Somanath, new Chairman, ISRO calls on Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh and discusses
status of “Gaganyaan” and other future Space missions
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– IMF cuts India’s economic growth forecast to 9% from 9.5% for 2021-22 in its latest update of
World Economic Outlook
– Reserve Bank of India conducts variable repo rate auction of Rs 75,000 cr
– AK 203 deal: Initial batch of 70,000 rifles delivered to armed forces by Russia
– Govt imposes curbs on export of human hair
WORLD
– India 85th most corrupt country in the world: 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) of Berlin,
Germany-based non-governmental organisation Transparency International
– India pays $29.9 million in UN regular budget assessments for 2022
– Iran, Guinea and Vanuatu regain UN assembly voting rights after paying pending dues
– James Webb telescope reaches final stable position 1 mn miles from Earth
January 27, 2022
INDIA
– 2022 Padma Awards announced; 4 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri
– 4 Padma Vibhushan awardees: Prabha Atre (Art, Maharashtra), Radheyshyam Khemka
(Posthumous; Literature & Education, UP), General Bipin Rawat (Posthumous; Civil Service,
Uttarakhand and Kalyan Singh (Posthumous; Public Affairs, UP)
– Nation celebrates 73rd Republic Day
– Former West Bengal CM & CPI(M) leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee refuses Padma Bhushan
award
– Maritime exercise Paschim Lehar conducted by Indian Navy off the West Coast
– Noted Kathakali dancer Milena Salvini dies; awarded Padma Shri in 2019
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Govt notifies drone certification scheme to boost indigenous manufacturing
– Pushp Kumar Joshi to be new chairman and managing director of HPCL
WORLD
– Kurdish-led forces say they have retaken Syrian prison seized by IS
– Saudi Arabia and Thailand end 30-year row over a scandal involving stolen jewels; restore
diplomatic ties
January 28, 2022
INDIA
– First India-Central Asia Summit hosted by PM Modi in virtual format; attended by five presidents
— Kazakhstan’s Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbekistan’s Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Tajikistan’s Emomali
Rahmon, Turkmenistan’s Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow and Kyrgyz Republic’s Sadyr Japarov
– MoS Culture Meenakshi Lekhi releases pictorial comic book ‘India’s Women Unsung Heroes’
– Parliament launches Digital Sansad App to make live proceedings accessible to citizens
– Covid curbs extended till February 28 as positivity rate in 407 districts still above 10%, says MHA
– Renowned writer-physician, de-addiction activist Anil Awachat dies in Pune at 78
– China hands over missing Arunachal Pradesh teenager Miram Taron
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Air India transferred to Tata Group
– India’s electronic goods exports grew 49% in April-December 2021 at $11 billion
– Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) grants regular market approval for Covishield, Covaxin
for use in adult population
WORLD
– Bangladesh: Rural hospital wins prestigious RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) prize for
most transformative building of the world
– International Customs Day celebrated on Jan 26; theme: “Scaling up Customs Digital
Transformation by Embracing a Data Culture and Building a Data Ecosystem’’
– International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust observed on Jan
27
SPORTS
– 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China to include cricket in T20 format
– Captain of India’s 1964 Tokyo Olympics gold medal-winning hockey team, Charanjit Singh, dies at
90
January 29, 2022
INDIA
– PM launches Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation virtually
– Assam: 250 Tiwa, Gurkha extremists lay down arms
– Mansukh Mandaviya launches research portal of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education &
Research
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Foreign exchange reserves decline to USD 634.287 billion in the week ended Jan 21
– SBI lists maiden issue of $300-mn Formosa bonds on India INX
– Dr Venkatraman Anantha Nageswaran appointed as Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) to the
Government of India
– Former finance secretary Subhash Chandra Garg authors book “The $10 Trillion Dream”
– Cochin Shipyard delivers three Floating Border Out-Post vessels to BSF
– BrahMos signs $374.96-million contract with Philippines for export of Shore Based Anti-Ship
Missile System
– India to convert 150 villages into ‘Villages of Excellence’ with technical help from Israel: Union
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar
WORLD
– Africa: 70 dead from Tropical Storm Ana in Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi
SPORTS
– Australian Open tennis in Melbourne: Kristina Mladenovic of France & Ivan Dodig of Croatia wins
mixed doubles title
January 30, 2022
INDIA
– Suspension of 12 Maharashtra MLAs beyond the remainder period of ongoing session
undemocratic, says Supreme Court
– Beating Retreat ceremony: 1000 ‘Made in India’ drones illuminate the sky at Vijay Chowk
– Telugu short film ‘Street Student’ by Akula Sandeep wins first prize in the Short Film Award
Competition organised by NHRC (National Human Rights Commission)
– India delivers 3 tonnes of medical assistance to Afghanistan
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– RBI imposes restrictions on Indian Mercantile Cooperative Bank Ltd, Lucknow; withdrawals
capped at Rs 1 lakh
– SBI suspends circular on recruitment of pregnant women
– India, United Kingdom conclude round 1 of free trade agreement talks
– India-ASEAN Digital Work Plan 2022 approved at 2nd ASEAN Digital Ministers (ADGMIN) meeting
WORLD
– International Monetary Fund urges El Salvador to scale back Bitcoin push
– Kazakhstan: Ruling Nur Otan party elects President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as its Chairman
SPORTS
– Australian Open tennis in Melbourne: Australia’s Ashleigh Barty wins women’s singles title
– Women’s Asia Cup hockey in Muscat (Oman): Japan win gold by beating South Korea 4-2 in final;
India gets bronze
January 31, 2022
INDIA
– Israel and India celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations
– Founder of Akal Academies and Padma Shri awardee Baba Iqbal Singh dies at 96
– Anti-Leprosy Day observed in India on Jan 30
– Manipur gets freight train connectivity for the first time in 75 years
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– India (100.3 MT) is world’s 2nd largest steel producing nation in 2021 behind China (1064.7 MT)
– Exports of marine products jump 35% to $6.1 bn during Apr-Dec 2021
WORLD
– Italy: Sergio Mattarella (80) re-elected as President with wide majority
SPORTS
– Australian Open tennis in Melbourne: Spain’s Rafael Nadal wins Men’s Singles title
– Australian Open tennis in Melbourne: Czech Republic’s Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova
clinch women’s doubles title
January 16, 2022
National Startup Day
Every year the National Startup Day is celebrated on January 16. PM Modi has announced
that Startups are the backbone of India. This is why it is essential to celebrate the day. Also
India is celebrating Startup India Innovation Week between January 10, 2022 and January
16, 2022. The week celebrations are organized by Department of Promotion Industry and
Industrial Trade. This is the first time, India is celebrating the day.
National Startup Day, 2022
In 2022, the National Startup Day is celebrated on six themes. They are sustainable
development, technology of future, from local to global, building champions in
manufacturing, nudging the DNA and growing from roots.
Special Features
The National Startup Day, 2022 focused on data collection mechanism in agriculture,
healthcare through use of technology, creating agricultural business hubs, tackling issues
related to mental health, improving health care related technologies, space sector and job
identification.
Growth in Startup
In 2013, only four thousand patents were approved. However, in 2020-21, more than
28,000 patents have been registered. In 2013-14, 70,000 trademarks were registered.
However, in 2020-21 more than 2.5 lakh trademarks were registered.
India reached 46th spot in Global Innovation Index from 81st rank.
Areas where Startups play major role in the country
Defence manufacturing, EV charging, infrastructure, chip manufacturing and drone
sector. The new drone policy of Indian Government focuses on defence startups. The
Indian Army, Navy and Air Force have placed five hundred crore rupees worth order to the
drone startups.
Role of Government of India
The Government of India had introduced Standup India, Startup India and Make in India
to encourage the young and new entrepreneurs. The Government of India solved the
issues around Angel Tax. Also, the tax procedures have been simplified. GoI now allows
self-certification and has removed more than 25,000 compliances.
Challenges faced by Startups in India
Lack of availability of financial resources. Lack of access to supporting infrastructure.
Regulations related to intellectual property rights, labour laws and dispute resolution.
Thiruvalluvar Day
The Thiruvalluvar Day is celebrated on January 15 or January 16. It is celebrated as a part
of Pongal (or Sankranti) celebrations in Tamil Nadu. The day is celebrated to honour the
contribution of the Tamil poet Thhiruvalluvar to tamil literature. Thruvalluvar wrote
Thirukkural.
About Thiruvalluvar
Except from his literary works, nothing else is known about Thiruvalluvar. There is no
information about his family, birthplace and religious affiliation. However, a few people
believe that Thiruvalluvar lived in Mylapore, Chennai. In 16 th century, Ekambareshwar
(Lord Shiva) temple was built in Mylapore. Thiruvalluvar is believed to have born under a
tree in the temple complex. Some others believe that he was born in 8th century. Also, the
Tamil Nadu Government built Valluvar Kottam in 1976 for the poet. A 133-foot statue was
built in kanniyakumari for Thiruvalluvar.
Thirukkural
Thirukkural has 1330 couplets. They are divided into 133 sections. Each section has ten
couplets. The entire text is divided into three parts. They are dharma, artha and kama.
Dharma means virtue. Artha means wealth. Kama means love. The couplets define moral
living, ideal characteristics of every relationship in the world, moral responsibilities of
every human born in the earth.
Valluvar year
The Valluvar year is a type of calendar system. It has additional 31 years. For instance, the
Valluvar year of 2022 (Gregorian year) is 2053. It was the former Chief Minister of Tamil
Nadu M Karunanidhi who initiated the idea of Valluvar Day. M Karunanidhi is the father of
current Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin.
Why is the day celebrated on January 16 or January 17?
The resolution to celebrate Thiruvalluvar Day was passed on January 17, 1935. Kali
Sivakannuswami Pillai and Padmashri Suppayya passed the resolution. The first
Thiruvalluvar Day was celebrated in May 1935. Later the thiruvalluvar day celebrations
began to fade away. In 1954, an Elam scholar of Sri Lanka took efforts to celebrate the day.
Today the day is celebrated widely in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
Discovery of New Strange Metal
Scientists have recently discovered a new group of metals. The newly discovered metal
group is called as “New Strange group of metals”. The characteristics of metals like
copper or iron are predictable. That is, their melting point, reaction nature, malleability,
ductility are known to human. The characteristics of this new group of metals are yet to be
deciphered. They still remain a puzzle. Thus, these metals have been classified as strange
metals.
Key Facts
The strange metals are also called non – Fermi liquids. They do not follow the traditional
rules of metals. Their behavior was first discovered in cuprates, that is, copper oxides.
These cuprates are high temperature super conductors.
Superconductivity in new strange group of metal
These metals do not follow the electrical conductance as that of the metals. It is expected
that these metals might help scientists understand the phenomena such as high –
temperature super conductivity.
Electrical conductance in strange metals
The strange metals do not conduct electricity as that of metals. In metals, the electrical
charge is carried by electrons. In strange metals, the electrical charge is carried by
“Cooper pairs”. These cooper pairs take the charge in wave like pattern. Electrons belong
to fermion. The cooper pairs act as bosons.
Fermions and Bosons
Unlike Fermions, the bosons share the same quantum state.
Discovery
The strange metals were discovered before 30 years. They belong to a class of materials
called Cuprates. They are copper oxide materials. They act as high temperature
superconductors, that is, they conduct electricity with zero resistance. In metals, the
resistance increases with increase in temperature. After the metals are heated to a certain
point, the resistance becomes constant.
Zero resistance in strange metals
Scientists are yet to find why the resistances of strange metals become zero after a certain
temperature. However, they have found out that this phenomenon is related to energy
produced in thermal motion and Planck’s constant. The Planck’s constant relates mass
and frequency
Kala Kumbh Art
The Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Culture have joined together to organize Kala
Kumbh Art during the 2022 republic day celebrations.
About Kala Kumbh
The Kala Kumbh paintings are drawn on gigantic scrolls. These scrolls are to be displayed
on Raj Path during republic day celebrations. Each scroll is 750 metres in length
approximately. They will display the courageous stories of unsung independence struggle
heroes of India.
Organised under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav
The Kala Kumbh is organized under azadi ka amrit mahotsav. It will reflect unity in
diversity in the country. More than 600 artists will participate in creating the scrolls. The
artists are predominantly from Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat
The scrolls will also carry message of Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat. It aims to interact and
promote the mutual understanding between different states and people. It includes
language, traditions, culture, music, cuisine, best practices, etc.
Role of National Gallery of Modern Art
The National Gallery of Modern Art located in Delhi has organized the workshops for the
artists. The workshops amalgamated different art forms in the country. Also, it unified
contemporary and indigenous arts of the country.

Significance
The gigantic scroll embodies the progressing socio – cultural identity in the country. It
includes the indigenous art forms and disappearing traditions in India. Nandalal Bose and
his team are to focus on indigenous art forms. It is to signify the Constitution of India by
making illustration about it. It will showcase rich heritage of the country.
Unity in Diversity
The Unit in Diversity is to form the major theme of Kala Kumbh. Religious tolerance is a
special feature of the country. This is why multiple religions co – exist here. Article 301 of
the constitution provides economic integration. It secures the freedom of trade and
commerce within the Indian land. Such constitutional features are to be highlighted.
Digital Agristack
The Government of India is working on creating a digital stack of agricultural data. That is
storing data related to farmers. Apart from farmer details, the digital agristack also holds
all information about which seeds to buy, weather updates, what manures and fertilizers
to use, insurance, best agricultural practices to maximize the yield.
What is agristack?
Agristack has unique number for every farmer in the country. This numbered file will hold
personal information of the farmer. This includes his financial data as well. Apart from
farmer details, agri stack will also hold information about weather, agricultural commodity
prices in the country and abroad, new science and research techniques, agricultural
regulation and permissions.
How will it work?
First agristack will create farmer database. Next, the database is linked with the data
with the programmes and schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Crop Insurance Scheme,
Pradhan Mantri Sinchayee Yojana, Soil Health Card, Fasal Bhima yojana, etc.
Every farmer will hold an ID in the system. This ID will be linked to his or her
Aadhaar. The land holdings of the farmers are to be incorporated to this ID.
So far, the agristack scheme has collected details of five crore farmers.
Concerns
Several people including experts and farmers believe that the centralized stack will hold
farmer personal information. Holding such vital information without proper data
protection law is dangerous. Also, the land details are not yet updated completely.
Therefore, the system will use old inaccurate land records. So what is the use of creating
the database, when the base data is itself wrong.
Benefits
The agristack will help farmers take informed decisions on which seeds to buy, what to
grow, when to grow, how to maximize the yield. Apart from farmers, the other
stakeholders such as suppliers and transporters can learn about new technology.
According to NABARD, Digital Agristack is a game changer. NABARD is National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development.
IDEA in Agristack
The agristack is to be finalized by the India Digital Ecosystem of Agriculture, called IDEA.
IDEA will lay down the architecture of Agristack. It will create a foundation to develop
agriculture focused technologies. This will eventually improve the efficiency of agriculture
sector.
Role of Microsoft in Agristack
Around five companies have signed MoUs with government of India to implement
agristack. Microsoft will create a Unified Farmer Interface.
India Edtech Consortium
The private companies in India have joined together to form India EdTech Consortium. It
was formed under the guidance of Internet Mobile Association of India. It was launched
after Government of India announced that it is to launch as policy to regulate the edtech
sector, that is education and technology sector.
What is Edtech?
EdTech is Education and Technology. Before COVID-19, the education and technology
sector were performing normally. They were growing steadily. The COVID induced lock
down shut schools and colleges. Suddenly modern choice, that is, remote learning
became the only alternative. Four out of every six edtech startup have succeeded in their
respective field during this phase. And these startups are valued at 1 billion USD!
Who are forming the Consortium?
It is mostly formed by the 1 billion USD companies. This includes Unacademy, BYJU’s,
upGrad, Lead School and Vedantu. These 1 billion USD companies are generally referred
to as Unicorns. Technically unicorns are defined as those companies whose annual
turnover is more than one billion USD.
What are the complaints against edtech companies?
People are enrolling in courses without studying about the courses completely. The
edtech companies are not providing clear details about the courses. This includes subjects
included, fee structure, certificate, etc. Some have even signed up for loans. Some of the
edtech companies are forcing parents to sign for the auto debit feature.
Need for the consortium
Basically, the consortium is framing self-regulation. This is being done to reduce the
interference of the government in the sector’s operating principles or rules and
regulations. The parliament of India recently debated about the malpractices in edtech
companies. These practices are undertaken to attract consumers. In December 2021, the
Government of India issued an advisory of dos and donts to guardians and students who
are signing up online courses offered by the edtech companies.
What is the plan of the consortium?
The consortium has launched a three page code. It stresses on transparency, warnings of
misleading ads. The educational institutions can use their students’ success as promotion
tool only with proper proof of performance. The industrial players should compulsorily
adopt codes issued by Advertising Standards Council of India. FAQs related to loans
should be mentioned clearly.

The Citizen Constitution Literacy campaign
The campaign was launched in Kollam district of Kerala. The campaign is first of its kind.
The campaign will educate the residents of the district about the basics of constitution.
The campaign aims to make Kollam district a constitutionally literate district.
About the campaign
The campaign aims to educate seven lakh Kollam residents. It is organized by the Kerala
Institute of Local Administration and District Planning Committee. The campaign will brief
the preamble of the Indian Constitution, fundamental rights, history of Indian constitution
and legal remedies. All the citizens above the age of ten are to be briefed about the
constitution. This includes socio – cultural organizations, private establishments,
government institutions, educational institutions.
Significance of the campaign
The Indian Constitution defines the rights and responsibilities of the citizens of the
country. Unfortunately, the people of the country are not aware of their constitutional
rights. With this, the people will uphold constitutional values in their family life, personal
life and socio – political, cultural and economic life.
How will the campaign be implemented?
Ten to fifteen individuals from a gram panchayat will be selected. Twenty to Twenty five
persons from each municipality will be selected. These selected personnel will be provided
proper training. They are to be called as “Senators”. A squad of the senators will be
created. They will provide two to three sessions of classes to each family. The campaign
will also take help from interested socio – cultural organizations. Special handbooks will be
distributed to students.
Equality forum in the campaign
During the second phase of the campaign, an equality forum is to be created. The equality
forum consists of families. To them, constitution will be taught in simple terms. Also, they
will be provided with small handout of the preamble of the constitution in Malayalam. This
handout was prepared by the Kerala Institute of Local Administration.
January 17, 2022
China's Artificial Moon
After China’s artificial Sun reached temperatures five times hotter than the Sun, China is
ready with its first artificial moon. Scientists have built an “artificial moon” research
facility. The facility will help them in conducting low-gravity environments using
magnetism.
Artificial moon research facility
The artificial moon research facility is scheduled for official launch in the year 2022. It will
use powerful magnetic fields inside a vacuum chamber of 2-foot-diameter, for making
gravity disappear. To develop this research facility, scientists were inspired by a previous
experiment, in which magnets were used to levitate a frog.
How will this facility mimic moon’s surface?
The research facility will be filled with rocks and dust to resemble it with the lunar surface.
Features of the research facility
It is first of its kind research facility in the world. It is capable of maintaining low-gravity
conditions for as long as scientists want.
What is the use of this facility?
Scientists have planned to use this facility to test technology in prolonged low-gravity
environments, before sending it to the moon, where gravity is one-sixth of Earth’s gravity.
This experiment will help scientists to resolve technical issues and test whether some
structures will survive on the moon’s surface. It will also help in assess viability of human
settlement on the moon.
Impact and creep tests
Scientists will conduct impact and creep tests in the research facility. Impact test will
require few seconds in simulator while creep test will take some time. Creep test is
conducted to measure how a material will deform under constant temperature and stress.
How Chinese scientists got inspired to develop this facility?
Chinese scientists got inspired to develop this facility from “Andre Geim”, who is a
physicist at University of Manchester in U.K. He won “satirical Ig Nobel Prize in 2000” for
conducting an experiment in which a frog was made to float with a magnet. The levitation
trick used in his experiment comes from an effect dubbed as “diamagnetic levitation”.
Same trick is being used in “Artificial Moon research facility”.
What is diamagnetic levitation?
Atoms consists of atomic nuclei and electrons orbiting around them in loops of current.
These moving currents induce magnetic fields. Usually, randomly oriented magnetic fields
of all the atoms of an object cancel out, and no material-wide magnetism is evident. With
the application of external magnetic field to these atoms, electrons modify their motion
and produces their own magnetic field to oppose the external magnetic field. If the
applied external field is strong, magnetic force of repulsion & field of the atoms becomes
powerful to overcome gravity and levitate the object into the air. This phenomenon is
called as diamagnetic levitation.
Volcanic Eruption in Tonga
An underwater volcano erupted in Tonga (a country in the Pacific Ocean) recently. It is
called the “Hunga Tonga Hunga Haapai” volcano. The eruption was huge and loud.
Though the volcano was located under water and 2,383 km away, it was heard in Tonga.
Also, the eruption created tsunami waves.
About the volcano
The volcano had been erupting for some days now. This was identified through the smell
of ammonia and sulphur in some areas. The volcano is located in a seismically active area.
Meteo-tsunami waves
The volcanic eruption created tsunami waves in the nearby beaches and also in the
regions around the Pacific. The tsunami waves caused by this type of volcano are called
meteo tsunami waves. It is caused due to collapse of a part of the volcano. The meteo –
tsunami waves are caused by instant changes in pressure that leads to displacement of
large amount of water.
Hunga tonga
It is a volcanic island. It is located in Tonga. Tonga is a Polynesian country. It is an
archipelago. It consists of 169 islands. It is surrounded by New Caledonia and Vanuatu in
the west, Fiji, Futuna and Wallis in the north west, Niue in the east and Kermadec (New
Zealand) in the south west.
Hunga Tonga Hunga Haapai
Hunga Tonga and Hunga Haapai were two separate islands. A volcanic eruption merged
the two islands. The recent eruption has occurred in this underwater volcano that merges
the two islands. The volcano in the island is a part of Kermadec Islands Volcanic arc.
Kermadec Islands Volcanic arc
It is a sub – tropical island arc. It is located in the South Pacific Ocean. It is located to the
south west of Tonga and north east of New Zealand. It is located in subduction zone.
Subduction zones occur when one heavier and larger tectonic plate dives beneath the
other less heavier tectonic plate. Volcanic arc is chain of volcanoes. These volcanoes are
formed above the subducting plate. The volcanic arc usually parallel volcanic trench.
The Hunga Tonga Hunga Haapai was formed as the Pacific plate subducts the Indo –
Australian plate
WEF Davos Agenda
On January 17, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to deliver a special address at
the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Davos Agenda.
Highlights
WEF Davos Agenda event is being held in virtual mode, amid the covid-19 pandemic,
from January 17 to 21.
Event will he addressed by several heads of state, including Japanese Prime Minister
Kishida Fumio, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indonesian President Joko Widodo,
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, and
EU Commission’s chief Ursua von der Leyen.
It will also be participated by top industry leaders, international organisations and
civil society. They will deliberate on critical challenges that the world is facing today
and also discuss ways to address them.
Objective of the annual meeting
WEF virtual meeting will be aligned with the objective of “orienting global leaders on the
imperatives of the year ahead”.
Davos Agenda Summit Venue
The WEF has been holding its annual meeting “Davos Agenda Summit” in Swiss ski resort
of Davos every year. However, it has been deferred this year, and will be held in virtual
mode, amid covid-19 pandemic.
Davos Agenda 2022
Two virtual summits are expected in the online summit:
1. On Covid-19 and
2. On technology cooperation in the fourth industrial revolution.
Online summit will also witness sessions on energy transition, Latin America outlook
and scaling up climate innovation.
It is the starting point for the dialogue required for global cooperation in 2022. It will
provide crucial insights into several critical challenges, through special addresses.
It will also mobilize government and business leaders, civil society, and international
organizations to share their outlook, insights and plans related to global issues like
social contracts, vaccine equality and climate change.
During the summit, several WEF initiatives will be launched to accelerate the race
towards net-zero emissions, cyber resilience and economic opportunity of nature-
positive solutions.
World Economic Forum (WEF)
WEF is an international non-governmental and lobbying organisation. It is based in
Geneva, Switzerland. The organisation was founded on January 24, 1971 by Klaus Schwab.
WEF is mostly funded by its 1,000 member companies.
Draft Notification on Six mandatory Airbags
Union government has started the process of making six airbags mandatory from October
1, 2022. Airbags will be made mandatory for all cars being sold in India.
Highlights
Government issued a draft notification and asked for public comments and
stakeholders’ comments on the proposed rule.
This notification is a follow-up to appeal made by Union transport minister Nitin
Gadkari on August 3, 2021, to car manufacturers for providing 2 airbags across all
variants of vehicles, one for the driver and other for co-passenger in front seat.
Rule for airbags for driver’s seat was made mandatory from July 1, 2019. Rule for one
airbag for co-passenger came into effect from January 1, 2022.
GSR notification
Though, many Indian cars have six airbags in their top variants already. Now, government
have approved a draft GSR notification for making minimum of 6 airbags compulsory. This
decision was taken for minimising the impact of frontal and lateral collisions to the
occupants seated in front as well as rear compartments. 4 additional airbags be
mandated in M1 vehicle category.
M1 vehicle category refers
M1 vehicle category refers to passenger cars having a maximum of eight seats in addition
to driver’s seat. It includes sedans, hatchbacks, MUVs and SUVs.
What is an airbag?
Airbag is a vehicle occupant-restraint system using a bag. It is designed to quickly inflate
and deflate during a collision. It comprises of airbag cushion, an inflation module, a
flexible fabric bag, and an impact sensor. Airbags are fitted in cars for providing the
vehicle occupant with a soft cushioning and restraint during a collision. It can help in
reduce injuries between flailing occupant and interior of the vehicle. It provides an
energy-absorbing surface between occupants and steering wheel, body pillar, headliner,
instrument panel and windshield.
Number of airbags in vehicles
Modern vehicles comprise up to 10 airbag modules in various configurations, including:
driver, passenger, seat-mounted, side-curtain, door-mounted, knee bolster, inflatable seat
belt, B & C-pillar mounted side-impact, and pedestrian airbag modules.
Road accidents in India
According to Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari, 23,483 pedestrians lost their lives in
road crashes in 2020. As per NCRB data, 17,538 car occupants died in road crashes in 2020.
Indian Army’s New Combat Uniform
The Indian Army is to provide new uniform to more than 12 lakh military personnel. Unlike
the old uniform, the new uniform has a combat T – shirt underneath.
About the new uniform
The previous uniform has been in use since 2008. The new uniform has the same colour of
the older one. That is, earthen shades and olive green colour. The pattern is digital. The
new uniform is made of light, sturdy and more breathable fabric. The fabric was chosen
considering the different terrains the army men have to cross and serve. The cotton to
polyester ratio of the fabric is 70:30. This makes it more comfortable to wear in hot and
humid conditions. As compared to the old uniform, the new uniform is 15% lighter and
23% stronger.
Components of style
The army men will not tuck in the new uniform as that of the older uniforms. The shirt to
be worn over the T-shirt is called jacket. The jacket has top angular pockets. It also has
lower pockets with vertical opening. There is one another pocket on the left sleeve. The
knife pleats are located in the back. The jacket also has improved quality buttons and a
pen holder on the left fore arm. The trousers of the uniform are double layered at the
groin. They are adjustable at the waist with buttons and elasticity. The girth of the caps is
adjustable. The army logo printed on the caps is of better quality as compared to the
previous uniform.
Women uniforms
No separate uniform for the women officers. However, the uniform has been designed
considering the requirements and comfort of the lady personnel. This is the first time such
considerations are being made in designing and developing army uniform.
Who designed?
It was designed by a team of twelve designers from National Institute of Fashion
Technology. It included seven professors and three students and also two alumni.
4Cs adopted in the design
While designing and developing the uniform, the designers adopted a 4C approach. The
approach is Comfort, Climate, camouflage and confidentiality.

Uniform comes with QR code
The major drawback of the older uniform is that its material was common and easily
available in the market. Therefore, the army men can easily buy from outside the market.
This introduced security breaches. Any common man can easily forge like an army man.
The new uniform carries a QR code and also a barcode. This maintains the uniqueness of
the uniform.
Not all uniforms are changed
The other army uniforms such as ceremonial uniforms, peace area uniforms are not being
changed.
Unveiled during Army Day
The new uniform was unveiled by the Chief of Indian Army General F R Roy bucher. It was
unveiled during the army day celebrations. Every year, the Indian Army Day is celebrated
on January 15. On January 15, 1949, General KM Cariappa took over as the first Indian
Commander – in – chief of Indian Army. The Army Day is celebrated in the country to
honour this event. Also, it is celebrated to honour the courageous army men like Cariappa
serving the country.
Importance of Army Uniform
It is a unique identifying feature. It differentiates them from the civilians very easily. It
brings togetherness, discipline and conformity among the personnels.
China's Record-low Birth rate
As per official data, birth rate in China declined to a record low in 2021, as analysts are
warning over faster-than-expected ageing in the country.
Key Points
According to analysts, faster-than-expected ageing would deepen economic growth
concerns.
China has already been grappling with a threatening demographic crisis with rapidly
ageing workforce, weakest population growth in decades and slowing economy.
Birth rate in China
The birth rate in China in 2021 declined to 7.52 births per 1,000 people. In 2020, it was 8.52.
It marks the lowest figure in China’s annual Statistical Yearbook data since 1978. It is also
the lowest data, since Communist China was founded in 1949.
Changing child policy
In 2016, China relaxed the nation’s “one-child policy”. It allowed couples to two children.
Even after easing one of the strictest family planning regulations worldwide, it has failed
to bring a baby boom. In 2021, China extended the policy to allow couples to have three
children.
Births in 2021
China registered 10.62 million births in 2021. The natural population growth rate
decreased to 0.34 per 1000 people, as compared to 1.45 figure earlier.
China’s family planning policies
Family planning policies in China have included specific birth quotas, including three-child
policy, two-child policy and one-child policy. China has harshly enforced such quotas.
One Child Policy
One-child policy was a population planning initiative in China. It was implemented in
between 1980 and 2015 for curbing country’s growth by restricting families to a single
child. This policy had a wide-ranging social, cultural, and economic effects. Its efficacy in
reducing birth rates and defensibility from human rights perspective have raised several
controversies.
Two Child Policy
Law on two child policy in China was passed on December 27, 2015. The policy remained in
effect from 2016 to 2021. Under it, government-imposed limit to have two children per
family.
Three-child policy
Under this policy, couple can have three children. This policy was announced on May 31,
2021 in China. This policy was implemented because, in 2020, the number of births in
China was only 12 million, lowest since 1960.
Delhi’s first DTC Electric Bus
On January 17, 2022, the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal flagged off the first electric
bus of the Delhi Transport Corporation. The E – buses are to run on 27 – km long route.
These buses were manufactured by the JBM Auto Limited.
About the buses
These electric buses are low floor buses. They are fully air conditioned. These buses were
acquired under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and electric Vehicles in
India, that is, FAME – II. The first fleet of 300 buses is ready. First a few electric buses are to
run from Pragati Maidan to IP Depot. It is a 27 – km long route. It will cover places like ITO,
Safdarjung and Ashram on its way. This is a prototype. This is being flagged off to check
how long the batteries in the bus last. It will also check for technical problems. After this
test run, the rest of the buses in the fleet will be added.
Target
The Delhi Government has planned to release fifty more electric buses by February 2022.
The target is to add fifty electric buses per month. In the pipeline set earlier, the Delhi
Government will launch 2,300 electric buses. Of these, 1,300 are to be procured by the
DTC. The rest of the thousand is to operate under the cluster scheme.
Charging stations
The Delhi Government is to install charging stations in the bus depots. The charging
stations are to be built in phased manner.
Hybrid Depots
Apart from the charging stations, the Delhi Transport Corporation will also build hybrid
bus depots. These depots are a combination of CNG (compressed natural gas) buses and
electric buses. They are to be established in Bawana, Hasanpur, Rajghat depot and
Subhash Place depot.
Current Scenario
There are 6,793 buses in Delhi. Of this 3,760 are run by the Delhi Transport Corporation
and 3,033 are run by the DIMTS. DIMTS is Delhi Integrated Multi – Modal Transit System.
Way forward
The Delhi Government decided to run electric buses in the region in 2018. In future, the
Kejriwal Government has decided to convert all the government run buses into electric
buses.
Oxfam India's 'Inequality Kills' Report
According to Oxfam India “Inequality Kills” report, wealth of India’s richest families
reached to a record high in 2021.
Key findings of report
Report states that, 84 per cent of Indian households witnessed an income decline
amid covid-19 pandemic.
Richest 98 Indians own the same wealth as bottom 552 million people.
Number of Indian billionaires increased from 102 to 142, during 2021.
Wealth of the top 100 families is Rs 57.3 trillion.
How inequality can be reduced?
According to report, inequality in India can be reduced by taxing higher on richest 10
per cent of the Indian population, to help in funding measures of reducing
inequality. This fund could cover schemes for health care, education, and social
security.
Oxfam further recommends to conduct at least two surveys every 10 years for
measuring inequality and better social security for informal workers.
As per Oxfam, 4 per cent tax on wealth of 98 billionaires can fund the mid-day meal
programme for 17 years.
1 per cent wealth tax of them will be enough to take care of total expenditure for
school education a7 literacy, or fund Ayushman Bharat scheme for more than seven
years.
India- a very unequal country
In the report, India was described as ‘very unequal,’ country, as top 10 people in India
holds 57 per cent of the wealth. On the other hand, share of bottom half is 13 per cent.
What is the reason of higher inequality?
Oxfam report highlights that, government tax revenues disproportionately depend upon
indirect taxes, such as goods and services tax. This makes all people buying a product or
using a service to pay tax at same rate. Thus, tax rate of poorer sections of society is
similar to that of wealthiest, despite lower income. This has resulted into higher inequality
in India.
Oxfam India
Oxfam India is a movement of people, who are working to end discrimination and seeks to
create a free & just society. They work to ensure that Adivasis, Muslims, Dalits, women and
girls have a safe-violence free lives with freedom to speak their mind, discrimination free
future and equal opportunities to realize their rights.

National Award For E-Governance
National Award for e-Governance 2020-21 (Silver) was recently conferred to Mon District
Administration of Nagaland.
Key Facts
Award was presented at 24th National Conference on e-Governance at Hyderabad.
Award was handed over to Deputy Commissioner of Mon district, Thavasselan K, by
union Minister of State (MoS) Dr. Jitendra Singh.
Objective of the award
The National Award for e-Governance was presented under the category 6 of “Use of ICT
in the Management of Covid-19” to Mon district. It was aimed at recognizing the initiatives
undertaken by district administration.
Which project was selected for the award?
Project titled “Technology in Aid to Administration” was initiated in Mon district, for
mitigating the hardships caused to public while enforcing Covid-19 Appropriate Behaviour
(CAB) to restrict the spread of infections. This project is helping in reducing hardship of
people, keeping people safe from Covid and increasing effectiveness of administration.
Other entries for the award
A total of 231 entries were received from India in this category. But only two districts were
awarded. There were 1377 entries, with top 26 initiatives awarded across six different
categories.
National Award for e-Governance
National Award for e-Governance is presented to recognise and promote excellence in
implementation of e-Governance initiatives. It is presented during the National conference
on e-Governance. It is presented by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public
Grievances (DARPG). The National Award for e-Governance was announced in December
2021. It comprises of a trophy, certificate, and cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh
Objectives of the award
The National Award for e-Governance is presented with following objectives:
1. To recognize achievements in e-Governance area.
2. To raise knowledge on effective methods to design and implement sustainable e-
Governance initiatives.
3. To encourage incremental innovations in e-Governance solutions
4. To promote and exchange experiences in solving problems, mitigating risks and
planning for success.
Chips to Start-up (C2S) Programme
Under “Chip to Start-up (C2S) Programme”, central government is seeking application
from 100 start-ups, MSMEs, R&D organisations and academia to train 85,000 engineers in
very-large-scale integration (VLSI) and embedded system design areas.
Chip to Start-up (C2S) Programme
The C2S programme will result in development of 175 ASICs (application-specific
integrated circuits), IP core repository and working prototypes of 20 systems on

chips (SoC), for a period of five years.
It will be a step towards leapfrogging in Electronics System Design & Manufacturing
(ESDM) space by infusing the culture of SoC/System Level Design at Bachelors,
Masters and Research level.
It will also help in the growth of Start-ups involved in fabless design.
The programme also addresses each entity of value chain in electronics namely,
quality manpower training, research & development, System design, hardware IPs
design, Prototype design, application-oriented R&D, and deployment.
Three categories of the proposals
Under C2S programme, three proposals are invited in three categories, on the basis of
institutions’ expertise, technology readiness level (TRL) and design experience:
1. Design and development of SoCs/systems/ASICs/Reusable IP Core(s)
2. Development of application-oriented working prototype of IPs/SoCs/ASICs.
3. Proof of concept-oriented R&D of ASICs/FPGAs.
Which is the nodal agency to implement C2S programme?
The nodal agency for implementation of C2S programme is C-DAC (Centre for
Development of Advanced Computing). C-DAC is a scientific society operating under
MeitY.
Application for the programme
Online applications for this programme are open at Chips to Startup (C2S) website. It will
remain open until January 31, 2022. Application and proposals have to be submitted at the
portal in prescribed format.
Background
In December 2021, Union government had approved a Rs 76,000-crore scheme for
boosting semiconductor and displaying manufacturing in India, with the objective of
placing India as a global hub for hi-tech production, and attracting large chip makers.
Under this scheme, India will set up around 20 semiconductor design, components
manufacturing and display fabrication (fab) in next six years.
China-Iran strategic agreement
China is all set to implement a strategic agreement with Iran, in a bid to strengthen
economic and political cooperation between both the countries.
Highlights
In a meeting, China also reaffirmed its opposition to USA’s sanctions on Iran.
Announcement for implementing “China-Iran Strategic agreement” was made at a
meeting in east China’s Wuxi on January 14, 2022.
China-Iran Strategic agreement
During the meeting, foreign ministers agreed to step up cooperation in energy,
production capacity, infrastructure, science & technology, and medical & health care.
Bilateral relations will also be expanded to sectors like agriculture, fisheries, third
party market, cybersecurity, people-to-people as well as cultural exchanges in film,
education, and personnel training.

They have also agreed to make “adequate arrangements” for setting agreement in
motion.
$400 billion agreement
China and Iran signed a $400 billion agreement on March 27, 2021 by then Iranian Foreign
Minister Javad Zarif and Wang. The agreement includes Economic & Cultural interaction
between both the countries. It also opens up ways for Iran’s participation in Belt and Road
initiative which is an infrastructure project running from East Asia to Europe. The project
was launched with the aim of expanding China’s economic and political influence.
Background
The agreement was signed in 2016 when Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Iran, after a
nuclear deal was signed between Iran and world powers. However, when US withdrew
from the deal in May 2019 and put sanctions on Iran, Iran-China agreement was also put
on hold.
China–Iran relations
Official relations between China and Iran were started in 1937. Both the civilizations have
had a history of cultural, economic and political exchanges along the Silk Road since 200
BC. Presently, China and Iran have developed a friendly strategic and economic
partnership. Both the countries singed a 25-year cooperation agreement in March 2021,
for strengthening the relations. The relation also includes “political, strategic and
economic” components.
Economic relations
China considers Iran as permanent partner for its exports and a source of its growing
energy demand. Chinese state-run company, Zhuhai Zhenrong Corporation, signed a 25-
year contract for importing 110 million metric tons of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from
Iran, in March 2004. China has been crude oil sink of Iran, since the JCPOA was signed. 64%
of an export total of $16.9 billion with China was crude oil, in 2017.
India’s Retail Inflation in December 2021
The retail inflation in India increased to 5.59% in December 2021. This is the highest in the
last five months. The inflation data was released by the Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation.
About the increase in retail inflation
The inflation rate is measured by Consumer Price Index. In December 2020, the retail
inflation in India was 4.59%. Later in July 2021, the inflation increased to 5.59%. In October
2021, it was 4.49%. In November 2021, the retail inflation increased to 5.8%. With the
December inflation at 5.59%, the Consumer Price Index has remained within the tolerance
level set by the RBI. According to the target set by RBI, the inflation level is to remain
between 2% and 6%.The target is being maintained for more than two years now.
Current Scenario
The food inflation has increased to 13.35% in November 2021. It was 14.35% in October
2021. In December 2020, the food inflation was 3.41%. The clothing and footwear inflation
were at 8.3%. Housing inflation was at 3.61%. Fuel and light inflation was at 10.95%.
Reason for increase: Base effect
The inflation increased because of unfavourable base effect. Base effect happens when
the choice of reference or base level impacts the comparison results between data. Say
price index is 100, 150 and 200 in the period A, B and C respectively. Assume the increase
is 50 in the period A to B. This gives 50% increase. Now the increase in period B to C is
same. However, here the increase will be 33.33%. This is due to the large difference in
bases, 100 Vs 150. Price Index is the average of prices of goods and services in a region.
Inference
As long as the inflations stays between 2% and 6%, the RBI and its monetary policy
committee will focus on prioritizing the growth, maintaining policy support and provide
sustainability to recovery.
Badminton: India Open Title Winners
India’s Lakshya Sen secured his maiden Super 500 title by winning “Yonex-Sunrise India
Open”, on January 16, 2022.
Key Facts
He secured the title with a stunning straight-game victory over reigning world
champion from Singapore, Loh Kean Yew in the men’s singles final.
20-year-old Lakshya had earlier claimed his maiden world championships medal with
a bronze in Spain in December 2021.
He produced a fine performance of 24-22 21-17 in the summit clash. The clash lasted
for 54 minutes.
Doubles’ final
In the doubles’ final, top doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won
against three-time world champions Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan from
Indonesia. The pair become India’s first men’s team to win the Yonex-Sunrise India Open.
The world no 10 Indian pair had won its first Super 500 tournament in 2019 in Thailand.
India Open
India Open is an annual badminton event. It has been held in India since 2008. It is a BWF
World Tour Super 500 Grade international badminton tournament. The event was
inaugurated in 2007 in Hyderabad, however the it was cancelled amid Hyderabad
bombings. The first three editions of the India Open were designated as Grand Prix Gold
events. It was upgraded to BWF superseries tournament in 2011. In between 2011-2019,
the event was held annually at the Siri Fort Sports Complex in New Delhi. India open is
categorised as one among seven BWF World Tour Super 500 events by BWF since 2018.
Badminton World Federation (BWF)
BWF is the international governing body, recognised by International Olympic Committee,
for the sport of badminton. It was founded in 1934 as International Badminton Federation
(IBF), comprising of nine member nations namely, Canada, England, Denmark, Ireland,
France, New Zealand, Netherlands, Wales and Scotland. In 1981, IBF was merged with
World Badminton Federation and its name was changed to Badminton World Federation
in September 2006.
National Start-up Awards 2021
Government of India announced the winners of “National Start-up Awards 2021” and
felicitated 46 start-ups for their contribution in their respective sectors.
Key Facts
Government also conferred an incubator and an accelerator with the award during
this ceremony.
This marked the second edition of National Start-up Awards.
Applications were invited from 15 sectors and 49 sub-sectors, ranging from
agriculture to animal husbandry and from enterprise technology to fintech.
National Start-up Awards 2021
National Start-up awards seek to recognise start-ups contributing towards economic
dynamism by encouraging innovation and injecting competition. It focuses on following
start-ups:
1. That build innovative products or solutions
2. That are scalable enterprises, with high potential of wealth creation or employment
generation
3. That demonstrates measurable social impact.
Number of applications
Ministry received 2,177 applications from start-ups across 49 sub-sectors. There were
applications from 53 incubators and 6 accelerators as well, for the ecosystem enablers
categories. Out of these, 863 were women-led start-ups and 253 were start-ups, which
were working in rural areas of India.
What parameters were used to decide winners?
Six parameters were used to decide the winners:
1. Innovation
2. Scalability
3. Economic impact
4. Social impact
5. Environmental impact, and
6. inclusiveness and diversity.
Who are the winners?
In fintech category’s financial inclusion sub-sector, Bengaluru-based Naffa
Innovations Private Limited was declared the winner. The start-up, also called
ToneTag, was founded in 2013. It provides for mobile payments using sound and
near-field communication (NFC), without using internet.
Another winner in fintech category’s insurance sub-sector, Umbo Idtech Private
Limited won the award. This start-up was founded in 2018. It has built a full-stack
platform, enabling omnichannel insurance distribution for its clients.
In Robotics sub-sector, Sagar Defence was declared the winner. It was founded in
2015 by Mridul Babbar and Nikunj Parashar. The start-up builds autonomous
navigation systems, aerial vehicles and unmanned marine.

In the women-led start-up category, Jaipur-headquartered Frontier Markets was
honoured. It was founded in 2011 by Ajaita Singh. It is a social commerce platform
that focuses on rural India.
Chhattisgarh Rojgar Mission
The Chhattisgarh Government is to launch an employment mission called the Rojgar
Mission. The mission aims to create 15 lakh job opportunities in the state in the next five
years.
Key Features
The mission will leverage experts from IITs, IIITs, IIMs. It is to be headed by the Chief
Minister of the state. The others taking active roles in the mission are chief secretary and
principal secretary of the state.
Implementing committee
The chief minister is the chairman. The Chief Secretary of the state is the vice chairman
and the principal secretary will act as Chief Executive Officer. The committee will also
include the managing director of minor forest produce federation of the state.
Outcomes
The mission is expected to create 12 to 15 lakhs of job opportunities in the next five years.
The state has already excelled in minor forest produce. In 2021, Chhattisgarh secured ten
national awards for good procurement, processing and performance. It has also excelled
in implementing Van Dhan Yojana. The committee is to focus more on this area. This will
help boost the employment around minor forest produces and will help the tribals largely.
Unemployment in Chhattisgarh
According to report released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) in 2022,
the unemployment rate in Chhattisgarh is 2.1%. The state ranks fourth among the states
with lowest unemployment rate.
Key Findings of CMIE on Chhattisgarh
The recent economic recession caused by COVID did not affect the state as much as it did
to the other states. The unemployment rate in the country was 6.52% in January 2021.
US Bill on Rare Earth supplies
The United States Government has recently proposed a bill to end China’s “chokehold” on
rare – earth metal supplies.
Why the bill?
The rare earth metals are used almost in every latest technology starting from electric
batteries to fighter jets. China has a strong chokehold on all these metals. In 2019, 80% of
the US rare – earth metals was from China.
Aim of the bill
The bill aims to reduce the Chinese dependence on rare – earth metals. This is essential to
protect US from threat of rare – earth metal supply disruption. It will encourage the
residents to increase domestic production of the rare – earth metals. Ultimately it will
reduce the US reliance on China.
Features of the bill
The bill urges to create a strategic reserve for the rare earth metals. The reserve shall
be maintained by the Department of Defence and Interiors. The reserve shall serve
the needs of the tech sector, US army and other essential infrastructural needs.
The capacity of the reserve should suffice American rare – earth metal needs for a
period of one year.
It has requested the Commerce department to conduct an investigation on unfair
trade practices of China.
The bill aims to provide higher transparency on the origin of the components.
It also restricts the use of Chinese rare – earth metals in sophisticated defence
equipment.
Rare Earth Metals
The rare earth metals are the 17 metals in the periodic table. They are the 15 lanthanides
and scandium and yttrium. They are mainly used in high tech devices such as mobile
phones, flat screen monitors and televisions, electric and hybrid vehicles. They are also
essential in defence applications such as radar, lasers, sonar systems and electronic
displays.
Current Scenario
In 1993, US accounted to 38% of world rare earth production and China contributed to
33%. Now China contributes to 97% of rare earth metal production in the world.
India-China Trade in 2021
The trade between India and China was around 125 billion USD in 2021. India’s imports
from China stood at 100 billion USD. Most of the import demands were in machinery.
India – China Trade in 2021
India faced a trade deficit of 69.4 billion USD with China in 2021. This was 22% higher than
the trade deficit faced in 2019. In 2021 alone, the total imported goods from China
exceeded the total trade between the countries.
Imports and Exports
The Indian imports from China were 20% greater than those in 2019. On the other hand,
the Indian exports to China increased by 56% between 2019 and 2021. The Indian exports
to China in 2021 were 28.1 billion USD. But still, India’s import from China stands at 100
billion USD. Though the exports have increased largely, it appears meager.
India’s Major Exports to China
In 2021, the major Indian exports to China were cotton, iron ore, and raw material based
goods.
India’s Major Imports from China
Electrical machinery, mechanical machinery, medical supplies such as oxygen
concentrators, active pharmaceutical ingredients, semiconductor devices, electrical
batteries
Data
The data about the trade between India and China was released by the China General
Administration of Customs (GAC).

Chinese trade with ASEAN and EU
In 2021, the Chinese trades increased considerably with three other partners. They are
ASEAN, European Union and United States. Today, these three are the leading trading
partners of China. The Chinese trade with ASEAN increased by 28.1%. It was around 878.2
billion USD. The Chinese trade with European Union was 828 billion USD and increased by
27.5%. The trade with US increased by 28.7% and it was around 755.6 billion USD.
Disruption risks
The Chinese officials have warned about disruptions in Global supply chain. This might
happen due to Omicron.
Trade achievements of China during COVID period!
Chinese medical exports doubled in 2021
Exports of Chinese laptops and home appliances increased 13%. They mainly
targeted on exporting “Stay at Home” appliances
Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Act
The act was passed in 2020. The act reserves 75% of jobs to the local residents of the state.
Key Features of the act
The act applies to all the partnership firms, companies, trusts, societies and any
person employing 10 or more persons. The act is not applicable to state and central
government. The act is to be in force for ten years, that is, till 2030.
The employers in the state should provide 75% of jobs to the local candidates. These
jobs are those that offer salary up to Rs 50,000.
The employers should register all their employees on a designated portal.
The employers can claim for exemption if there are no adequate local candidates of
required skills. This exemption is evaluated by the Deputy Commissioner. The DC can
accept or reject the claim. He can also direct the employer to provide formal training
to the candidate.
Issues
The constitution provides fundamental rights to all the citizens. This includes right to
equality, right to practice any occupation and right to reside in any state or part of the
country. Also, the fundamental rights prohibit discrimination against place of birth, caste,
sex, etc. But the states of the country can provide concessions for improving the
vulnerable and economically backward sections. The act brings in mandatory provisions to
the private institutions. This violates the right to do business in any part of the country.
The act has created based on domicile. This is again a violation of the fundamental right,
Article 16(2). Article 16 (2) prohibits discrimination against place of birth.
Need for the act
The in – migration of Haryana has been increasing lately. These migrants are mainly
competing for low – paid jobs. According to 2011 census, the net – in – migration of
Haryana between 2002 and 2011 was eight lakhs. Haryana had the fourth largest in –
migration. The first three were Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi.
Lipulekh boundary Issue-Recent Developments

India is currently widening the road to the Lipulekh pass. The Nepalese ruling party
recently issued a statement objecting this. Also, Nepal has demanded India to withdraw its
troops in the region. Nepal also claimed the Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura regions.
What is the recent issue?
The Prime Minster Narendra Modi recently said that India is working to expand the road
to Lipulekh pass. He made these remarks during his visit to Haldwani in December 2021.
The border issue has resurfaced since then.
The map issue
In 2020, Nepal published as revised political map. The map incorporated the Limpiyadhura
territories, especially the source of Kali river.
Sugauli treaty issue
In 1816, British India and Nepal signed a treaty. It was signed after Nepal lost the Anglo –
Nepalese war. According to the treaty, the entire lowlands between rivers rapti and kali
will belong to British India. However, the treaty did not speak about the ridgeline. The
subsequent surveys conducted by the Britishers showed the source of river kali in
different regions. The issue between the countries is around demarcating this region.
Significance of Kalapani
The Lipulekh pass in the kalapani region is strategically important for the Kailash –
Manasarovar pilgrimage.
What is the root of the issue?
Currently, all the three regions Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura are controlled by
India. Nepal claims that it belongs to it.
Nepal’s stand
According to Nepal, the source of Kali river is at the high altitudes of the mountain ridges
near Limpiyadhura. Thus, the entire slope and the stretch of Limpiyadhura belongs to
Nepal.
India’s stand
Border begins at Kalapani, that is, where exactly the river begins. According to India, the
river originates in the springs of lipulekh pass. The 19th century administrative records of
India show that the Kalapani was located in the Indian side.
Susta Region dispute
India and Nepal also have border dispute in the susta region. This dispute is due to the
change of course of the Gandak river.
January 18, 2022
State Tableaux for Republic Day Parade
On January 17, 2022, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister
Narendra Modi as West Bengal’s tableau for the Republic Day parade was rejected
without providing reasons or justifications.
Highlights
West Bengal Tableau was set to commemorate contributions of Netaji Subhas
Chandra Bose and his INA marking his 125th birth anniversary year.
Union government has not yet announced the final selected tableaux for the parade,
publicly.
However, there will be 21 tableaux, with 12 from states & Union Territories and 9
from departments under the Central Government or independent institutions.
Apart from West Bengal, Kerala’s proposed tableau featuring Sree Narayan Guru
was also not selected.
Who is responsible for the Republic Day Parade?
Ministry of Defence is responsible for the Republic Day Parade and its celebrations.
Who invite states and UTs to participate in Parade?
Defence ministry invites all the states, Union Territories, Central Government
departments, and some constitutional authorities to participate in Republic Day parade
through tableaux. They are invited in September month, every year. The process of
shortlisting the Tableau proposals starts in second week of October.
What can be depicted through tableaux?
Participants depicts elements relevant to their state or UT or department, within the
overarching theme. This year, participants have been given the theme around 75 years of
India’s Independence. The theme, “India@75 – Freedom struggle, Ideas @ 75,
Achievements @ 75, Actions @ 75 and Resolve @ 75”.
Basic Guidelines over the Tableaux
Defence Ministry also share basic guidelines on what all the tableaux can or should
include.
Participating entities are mandated to engage “young qualified designers from
renowned institutions”.
They are also asked to engage moving elements using robotics or mechatronics,
electronic display walls for bright display of images or content 3D printing for certain
elements, special effects to improve optics & visual effects of the tableau and use of
augmented or virtual reality.
Tableaux of two different states or UTs cannot be similar, in a bid to showcase the
diversity of India.
Tableaux cannot have any writing or use of logos, except for the name of state, UT or
department.
Selection Process
To select tableaux, the Defence Ministry set up an expert committee of distinguished
persons from fields including art, culture, sculpture, painting, architecture, music,
choreography, etc. Committee helps in shortlisting the tableaux from proposals.
In the first place, submitted sketches or designs of the proposals are scrutinised.
Committee can suggest for any modifications in the sketch or design.
Once the design is approved, participants are asked to show three-dimensional
models for their proposals. There are again examined by the expert committee for
final selection.
While making the final selection, the committee looks at several factors, including-
looking at the visual appeal, idea or theme of tableaux, impact on the masses,
degree of detail involved, accompanying music, etc.
Only shortlisted participants are informed about the next round.
Size of the Tableau
Defence Ministry provides one tractor and one trailer to each participant and the tableau
should fit on that. Ministry prohibits use of any additional tractor or trailer, or any other
vehicle to be part of it. However, participants are free to replace ministry-provided tractor
or trailer with other vehicles. Total number of vehicles should not be more than two.
Tractor has to be camouflaged in harmony with tableau’s theme. Trailer’s dimension, on
which the tableau is placed, is 24 feet, 8 inches long, 8 feet wide and 4 feet 2 inches high. It
has a load bearing capacity of 10 tonnes. Tableaux should be 45 feet long, 14 feet wide
and 16 feet high from the ground level.
Standards for Charging Infrastructure for EV
The Ministry of Power recently released revised guidelines for electric vehicle charging
infrastructure. The ministry has released these guidelines to increase the adoption of EVs
and also to fasten the adoption.
About the Guidelines
It allows the entities or individuals to create charging stations without the need for
license. However, they should meet certain technical and safety standards.
The guidelines allow users to charge their electric vehicles in their respective offices
and homes.
The guidelines have clauses for public charging stations and individual owners.
The guidelines are technology agnostic (that believes that nothing is known).
The guidelines provide Indian and international standards.
The guidelines have introduced a revenue sharing model for using land. Government
lands will be provided to entities interested in installing charging infrastructure. And
Re 1 per unit of charging will be collected.
Single part tariff will be collected from the battery charging stations. The tariff
collected shall not exceed the average cost of supply till March 2025. And the tariff
being collected for domestic consumption will be collected for domestic charging as
well.
The Bureau of energy Efficiency, BEE will create an online database of public
charging stations. It will also create software, a web portal and mobile application to
maintain the database of the stations.
Action Plan
The guidelines include action plan for nine major cities. They are Chennai, Pune,
Surat, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi.
The starting target set is 3,263 chargers. These chargers are to be created under
Business As Usual scenario. The business as usual scenario assumes that there will
be no change in people attitude in the future. And 46,397 chargers are to be created
under aggressive scenario. Aggressive scenario focuses only on the need. Around
23,524 chargers are to be developed under moderate scenario.
Significance
This will boost the 100% FDI in the EV vehicles sector. The Government of India has
currently set a target of achieving 30% EV sales for private cars, 80% for two and three
wheelers and 70% for commercial vehicles.
Commemorative Postal Stamp on COVID-19 vaccine
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently released commemorative postal stamp
on COVID-19 vaccine. The stamp was launched to mark the first anniversary of the
National COVID Vaccination Programme or the COVID vaccination drive.
Design of the stamp
The stamp has a health care worker vaccinating a senior citizen. The stamp also shows the
image of COVAXIN vial. The stamp was launched to signify the works done by the
community workers and frontline health care workers, especially during the COVID-19
times.
COVID Vaccination drive
The COVID vaccination drive was launched in January 2021. It is the largest vaccination
drive in the world. It aimed to vaccinate 1.3 billion people. Unlike other countries, the drive
did not force the vaccines on people. The drive first focused on the frontline health care
workers. India had made records of vaccinating 25 million people in a day. Apart from
inoculating its own people, India has also exported 66 million COVID-19 doses under
Vaccine Maitri programme. India has been supportive while the developed countries shied
away from taking responsibilities. According to United Nations, the G-7 countries have
procured one billion vaccines. Of this, 10% expired by December 2021. Apart from this,
India had also launched COVID Suraksha to accelerate the vaccine development process.
It offers grants to the COVID vaccines researches. It is implemented by the BIRAC-
Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council.
Guru Ravidas Jayanti and Punjab Elections
The Guru Ravidas Jayanti is celebrated on Magh Poornima, that is, on the new moon day
of the Magh month. It is celebrated all over India.
About Ravidas
Ravidas was a social reformer and a spiritual man. He is popular mainly for his work
against castism. Ravidas was a contemporary saint to Saint Kabir. It is believed that
Ravidas was a Brahmin in his previous birth. He was attracted to a woman while he was
dying and wished her to be his mother. Thus, in his next birth he was born the very same
woman. He is a 15th century poet.
Celebrations
During Ravidas Jayanti, people take dip in the holy rivers. They then remember the great
miracles and events that happened in his life.
Ravidas Contributions
He contributed largely to the Bhakti movement. He played a significant role in eradicating
caste system. His works were highly commendable. A group of people even today follow
Ravidassa religion.
What happened in Punjab elections?
The Election Commission of India recently postponed the assembly elections in the state
of Punjab due to Ravi Das Jayanti. The decision was made after the request made by few
political parties. According to the new schedule, the elections are to be held in February
20. The last date for filing nominations is February 1. Date of scrutiny of nominations is
February 2. Counting date is March 10.
Why the postponement?
This year, in 2022, the Ravidas Jayanti falls on Febriary 16. Between February 10 and
February 16, his followers travel from Punjab to Varanasi. With this a large number of
voters will leave the state and might probably miss the polls that were to be held on
February 14.
Role of Dalits
Most of the Ravidas followers also called Ravidasias are dalits. They contribute 32% of the
scheduled caste population in the state. The push by the political parties for the
postponement of the elections shows the importance of the dalit vaotes for them.
SCs in Punjab
There are 39 schedules castes in the state of Punjab. The castes differ in numerical
strength, political affiliations, geographical spread, economic conditions, social mobility,
cultural outlook and status. Of these SCs, the Rai Sikhs, Mazhabis, Sansis and Ramdasias
follow Sikh religion. Ad – Dharmis and Ravidassias have founded a recent religion called
the Ravidassia dharm.
National Technical Textiles Mission- New Projects
On January 17, 2022, Ministry of textiles cleared 20 strategic research projects, worth Rs 30
crores, in the areas of specialty fibres and geotextiles.
Key Points
These projects fall under government’s flagship programme ‘National Technical
Textiles Mission.’
Out of 20 Research projects, 16 projects of specialty fibres were cleared. It includes:
1. 5 projects in healthcare
2. 4 projects in industrial and protective
3. 3 projects in energy storage
4. 3 projects in textile waste recycling, and
5. 1 in agriculture
4 projects in geotextiles (infrastructure) were also cleared.
Several leading Indian Institutes, Centres of Excellence and Government
Organizations including IITs, BTRA, DRDO, etc participated in the session that cleared
projects strategic for the development of Indian economy.
These projects are step in the direction of Atmanirbhar Bharat, especially in
Healthcare, Energy Storage, Agriculture, Industrial and Protective, Textile Waste
Recycling, and Infrastructure.

National Technical Textiles Mission
The National Technical Textiles Mission was launched with the aim of positioning India as
a global leader in technical textiles and increasing the use of technical textiles in domestic
market. It aims to take domestic market size to $40 billion – $50 billion by 2024. The
mission will be implemented for four years, starting from 2020-2021. A Mission Directorate
has been made operational in Ministry of Textiles.
Components of the mission
The National Technical Textiles Mission comprises of four components-
1. First component– It focuses on research, development and innovation with an
allocation of Rs 1,000 crores. Research is conducted on fibre level as well as
application-based in geo, medical, agro, sports, mobile textiles and development of
bio-degradable technical textiles. Research activities also focuses on development of
indigenous machinery and process equipment.
2. Second component: This component is for the promotion and development of
market for technical textiles.
3. Third component: It focuses on export promotion in order to take technical textile
exports from India to Rs 20000 crores by 2021-2022, from the Rs 14,000 crores. It will
ensure 10% average growth every year till the Mission ends. Under this component,
an export promotion council for technical textiles will also be set up.
4. Fourth component: It focuses on education, training and skill development.
Abu Dhabi Airport Explosion
A possible drone attack sparked an explosion and struct three oil tankers in Abu Dhabi
while another fire at the Abu Dhabi International Airport killed three people and injured
six, on January 17, 2022.
Highlights
Two dead people were identified as Indian nationals while one was from Pakistan.
Though, Abu Dhabi police did not offer any suspects, Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed
responsibility for the.
In past, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have claimed several attacks but UAE officials
later denied it.
Background
The incident took place in the backdrop of Yemen’s yearslong war and Emirati-flagged
vessel found itself captured by the Houthis, recently.
What caused the explosion?
According to Abu Dhabi police, small flying objects were detected, possibly belonging to
drones. They fell in two areas which may have caused the explosion and fire. The other
blast, struck three petroleum transport tankers near a storage facility of Abu Dhabi
National Oil Co. in Musaffah area.
UAE-Yemen War
The UAE has been at war in Yemen since 2015. UAE was also a key member of a Saudi-led
coalition which launched attacks against Iranian-backed Houthis and ousted

internationally-backed government from power. Though UAE has reduced the number of
troops it has on ground, but it continues to engage actively in war and support key militia
against Houthis.
Houthi movement
Houthi movement is an Islamist political and armed movement. It emerged in 1990a from
Saada in north Yemen. This movement is a predominately Zaidi Shia force, and its
leadership is drawn from the Houthi tribe. Houthis have a complex relationship with
Yemen’s Sunni Muslims but movement has discriminated against Sunnis. The group
emerged as an opposition to former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, under the
leadership of Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi.
UAE-Iran Relations
Relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iran are deeply historic. It dates
back to centuries prior to the establishment of modern-day United Arab Emirates.
However, in modern day, the relation has been witnessing up-and-down. They maintain
diplomatic relations and have established embassies in each other’s capitals.
‘The Enigma’: 555.55-carat black diamond
A 555.55-carat black diamond called “The Enigma” was unveiled in Dubai on January 17,
2022.
Key Facts
It is believed to have come from outer space.
It was unveiled by auction house Sotheby’s.
After a tour in Dubai, diamond will also be taken to Los Angeles before it will go
under auction in London in February 2022.
Number five has an importance significance to the diamond because, it has 55
facets.
Cost of diamond
Diamond is likely to get sold for at least 5 million British pounds (USD 6.8 million). Sotheby
has also planned to accept cryptocurrency as a possible way of payment.
About the Enigma diamond
Shape of the diamond is inspired from Middle-Eastern palm symbol of Khamsa, that
stands for strength and it stands for protection. In Arabic, Khamsa means five. Thus, there
is a theme of number five running throughout the diamond.
How this diamond was created?
This diamond is believed to have been created when an asteroid or a meteorite hit the
Earth more than 2.6 billion years ago.
Key 10138 diamond
In 2021, the Key 10138 diamond sold for 12.3 million dollars in Hong Kong. It was paid in
cryptocurrency.
Black Diamond
Carbonado is commonly known as black diamond. It is one of the toughest forms of
natural diamond. It is an impure, micro-porous, high-density form of polycrystalline

diamond, comprising of diamond, graphite, and amorphous carbon. It has minor
crystalline precipitates filling pores as well as occasional reduced metal inclusions. The
diamond is found primarily in alluvial deposits. It is most prominent in mid-elevation
equatorial regions like Central African Republic and in Brazil. Its natural colour is black or
dark grey. The diamond is more porous than other diamonds. The first black diamonds
were discovered in 1800s in Brazil.
UV-C Disinfection Technology
The Government of India had put Ultra Violet – C Disinfection Technology for testing in
Parliament, AC buses and trains. The technology is a huge success. It is now to be rolled
out for the public. Also, the technology is to be used during ECI (Election Commission of
India) poll meetings.
Who developed the technology?
It was developed by the CSIR-Council of Scientific Instruments Organization under the
Ministry of Science and Technology.
About UV – C Disinfection Technology
Ultra Violet C technology uses wavelength between 100 nm and 280 nm. UV lights
namely UV – A and UV – B are transmitted through the atmosphere. The UV – B is
capable of penetrating the outer layer of skin. It causes skin cancer.
The UV – C light is filtered by ozone layer. On the other hand, the other two
The UV – C radiation has been used in hospitals for decades to disinfect the air. It is a
conventional germicidal treatment.
UV – C in COVID-19
The UV – C destroys the outer protein coating of COVID – 19. Especially, the far – UVC light
is highly efficient in killing COVID-19 viruses. Scientists proved that alpha and beta
mutants are killed by far UVC. For this, they use 222 nm far UVC radiations. This 222 nm
UVC was selected mainly because it does not harm mammalian skin, that is, human skin.
Because, the cells of virus and bacteria are much smaller than human cells.
What can UVC radiation do?
It disinfects air, porous surface and water. It kills the virus only when the virus is exposed
to UVC directly. Therefore, UVC cannot be used to disinfect dusty surfaces and other
surfaces that has bodily fluids.
Can UVA and UVB kill COVID virus?
Yes, but partially. Not as effective as UVC. Also, UVB causes DNA damages unlike UVC. UVA
is less effective than UVB and UVC.
Potential hazards of UVC
UVC disinfection technology cannot be used on surfaces made of plastic, dyed textile and
polymers. UVC creates ozone. Ozone inhalation causes irritation in the airway.
Cycles4Change and Streets for People challenge- Season 2
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) organised an online event called
“Cycles4Change challenge and Streets for People Challenge-Season 2”.
Highlights
During the event, ministry also launched a book titled “Nurturing Neighburhoods
Challenge: Stories from the Field”.
Event was chaired by Manoj Joshi, Secretary of MoHUA.
Event was participated by global and Indian officials from partner organisations,
representatives of winning cities, officials from Central and State Governments, as
well as CEOs of 100 Smart Cities.
Winning cities
During the event, MoHUA announced 11 winning cities for Streets for People
Challenge, and 10 winning cities for Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge.
These cities will now enter to scale up stage of the challenge. At this stage, projects
undertaken will now be scaled up in a sustainable manner.
Inter-state challenge
The Smart Cities Mission has been organising inter-city challenges since 2020, for making
public spaces more people-friendly. These challenges are organised in line with “2006
National Urban Transport Policy”. The policy of 2006 had called for a paradigm shift from
car-centric roads to people-centric streets. In pat 18 months, these challenges namely
Cycles4Change and Streets for People, have transformed into a nationwide movement
beyond 100 Smart Cities.
Streets for people challenge
Under this challenge, 38 cites piloted re-imaginations of important streets by prioritizing
them for pedestrians. Jury has selected 11 cities for the next phase of scale up. They will be
awarded Rs. 50 lakhs each by MoHUA. 4 cities were given a special mention for their
efforts during this challenge.
Who conducted the Streets for people challenge?
This challenge was conducted by MoHUA, with technical support from Institute for
Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP India).
Second season of challenges
Ministry also launched the second season of Cycles4Change and Streets4People
challenges. Any city which is not already in the top 11 winners, any smart city, city with
more than 5 lakhs population, or, capital of state or UT, can apply for the challenge.
PM's ‘State of the World’ Address at Davos- Highlights
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, virtually delivered his ‘State of the World’ special address
at World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Davos Agenda on January 17, 2022.
Highlights of the address
In his address, Prime Minister underlined the role played by India in handling
Covid-19 led crisis and managing vaccination drive.
He highlighted the need to reshape and restructure international organisations, like
United Nations.
With data, figure and facts on Covid-19 pandemic, he presented India a future
technology as well as an economic powerhouse of the world.
He also showcased India as an indispensable member of world community.

India’s record on Covid-19 vaccination
According to Prime Minister, India has set a record of administering 1.6 billion Covid
vaccine shots. Country has also stood with other countries which were in need amid the
pandemic. India follows the vision of ‘One Earth, One Health’. It has supplied Covid
vaccines and life-saving drugs to about 150 nations.
Future tech and economic powerhouse
Prime Minister Modi presenting India as one the world’s future tech and economic
powerhouse. He explained the economic and tech reforms taking place in India. According
to this, those days are gone when India’s business space was badly disrupted by
government control. Presently, government has removed around 25,000 such hurdles to
start a business in country.
Way to deal with climate change
Prime Minister suggested a for the world to deal with challenges like climate change. He
underlined the need for the world to start thinking about life-style, which is damaging our
environment. According to him, Indian culture still banks on its age-old traditions of
preserving environment.
World Employment and Social Outlook Report
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) released its report titled “World Employment
and Social Outlook”. In the report, ILO has projected global unemployment of 207 million
in 2022.
Key findings of the report
Global unemployment will reach to 207 million in 2022. It is almost 21 million more
than 2019.
Total hours worked in 2022 will be about 2% below than the pre-pandemic level.
There will be deficiency of 52 million full-time equivalent jobs in 2022.
Comparison with 2021 outlook
The 2022 outlook represents a substantial deterioration as compared to outlook in June
2021. In June 2021, shortfall in working hours relative to fourth quarter of 2019 was
projected to decrease to less than 1% in 2022.
Impact of new outbreak
According to ILO, every new covid-19 outbreak brings setbacks. Many gains in decent
work prior to pandemic have been significantly impacted upon. Pre-existing decent work
deficits are decreasing the prospects of sustainable recovery across several regions.
Employment Growth Trend
As per ILO report, since the onset of recovery, employment growth trends in low-
income and middle-income countries have remained below to trends in richer
economies because of lower vaccination rates and tighter fiscal space in developing
countries.
Developing nations experienced a higher level of inequality, weaker social protection
systems and more divergent working conditions.
Projections to 2023
Projections to 2023, for all regions, suggests that a full recovery will remain elusive. All
regions are likely to face severe downside risks in their labour market recovery because of
ongoing impact of the pandemic.
International Labour Organization (ILO)
ILO is a United Nations agency, that advances social and economic justice by setting
international labour standards. It was established in October 1919, under the League of
Nations. ILO is the first and oldest specialised agency of the UN. It has 187 member states.
186 are among 193 UN member states and the Cook Islands. Its headquartered is in
Geneva, Switzerland as well as 40 field offices worldwide.
What is 'Great Resignation'?
In 2020, resignation rates in United States increased amid the fear and uncertainty caused
by the covid-19 pandemic. One year later, the workforce experienced a collective burnout,
as a result they left their jobs at unprecedented rates. This phenomenon of mass
resignation is being described as Great Resignation.
Number of workers who left jobs
According to US labour department, In November 2021, 4.5 million workers left their
jobs.
The data matched record numbers observed in September.
It accounted for 3 per cent of the workforce quitting their jobs every month.
As per estimate, 75.5 million people in USA resigned in 2021.
As per ResumeBuilder.com poll, about 23 per cent of the workforce will require new
jobs in 2022.
Low-wage workers
Low-wage workers were more likely to resign the job as against the higher-paid
workers. The most affected sectors include hospitality, healthcare, social assistance,
transportation, warehousing, and utilities.
4 per cent of all positions in education are open, more than 6 per cent in retail, while
8 per cent in healthcare. Together, amounting to almost a million and a half vacant
positions.
Condition in India
In India, this situation is not that serious but still a cause for concern.
Following the Great Resignation, IT and technology sector is hiring at unprecedented
rates. The top five IT companies hired 1.7 lakh people in 2021.
as per a September 2021 survey by Amazon India, around 51 per cent of job seekers
are looking for opportunities in industries where they no or little experience.
What are the causes of Great Resignation?
The Great Resignation was largely fuelled by burnout. Other factors also include:
1. Shift to working from home.
2. Desire to move into a more stable profession.
3. Lack of new challenges.
4. Lack of new opportunities.

What are the ways ahead?
As per MIT study, there are several ways that companies can retain top talent.
1. By providing opportunities for lateral job moves.
2. By creating a healthy work culture. It can be done by hosting more cooperate social
events, organising more excursions outside the office and providing employees with
benefits like happy hours.
Awareness drive on Aromatic plant cultivation in J-K
The government has started a special awareness drive in Jammu and Kashmir, with the
goal of enhancing employment opportunities for the youths of the union territory.
Highlights
Awareness drive has been started for growers on the cultivation, processing of
aromatic plants in Kashmir.
By climate point of view, Kashmir Valley is suitable for producing a variety of
vegetable crops, fruit, and good quantity of plant material that can be utilized in
medicinal and aromatic activities.
Growers participated in the programme, which is aimed at creating awareness
among youth to involve them in cultivation of aromatic plants.
Significance of the drive
With the help of these plants, growers and young entrepreneurs can establish their own
units. They would also engage other people to generate employment. Through this
programme, they would get knowledge on cultivation and processing. Under the
programme, scientists and scholars share their knowledge in order to help the growers to
apply the right approach and avoid loss in production. Awareness programme is being
organised with the aim of providing proper information to growers about cultivation and
processing of aromatic plants. This drive was started under CSR flagship programmes, in
order to help growers to cultivate aromatic plants properly at large scale.
Who have started this awareness programme?
Awareness programme was started by department of the Indian Institute of integrative
medicine (IIIM) and department of agriculture started special awareness programmes.
What are aromatic plants?
Aromatic plants are those that comprises of aromatic compounds, basically essential oils.
These essential oils are volatile at room temperature and are odorous, hydrophobic and
highly concentrated compounds. They can be obtained from flowers, seeds, buds, leaves,
bark, twigs, fruits, wood and roots.
Collarwali tigress
The Collarwali tigress in Pench Tiger Reserve of India recently died. It died because of age.
The last rites were conducted by the Forest Department of the state of Madhya Pradesh.
The tigress died at the age of 16.
About the Collarwali tigress
The Collarwali tigress was born in 2005. She played an important role to increase the
tiger population in the Pench Tiger Reserve. She gave birth to 29 cubs in her life time.
It is a world record! Of these 29 pubs, 25 survived.
In 2005, Collarwali tigress gave birth to three pubs. They did not survive.
In 2018, she gave birth to four cubs. This was the last time she delivered pubs.
In 2010, she gave birth to five pubs. Tigresses giving birth to more than three or four
pubs are very rare. For this reason, she was called “Supermum”. She was also called
“mataram” or respected mother.
Name reason
The tigress wore a collar. The collars are worn to tigers to monitor their movement in the
jungle. She is the first tigress to receive a collar in the Pench Tiger Reserve. Usually, the
collars are worn when the tigers are brought from different habitat and introduced in a
new forest area. However, the collarwali tigress belonged to the Pench Tiger Reserve and
was not brought from other habitats.
Spy in the Jungle
The tigress earned popularity after its was featured in a BBC documentary called “Spy in
the jungle”. After this documentary, she became one of the best known tigers of India.
The documentary tracked the life of four of her cubs for two years. The visitors to the tiger
reserve increased mainly because of her popularity.
Significance
The tiger reserves were started to conserve the national animal of the country. However,
today these tiger reserves are attracting tourists and improving tourism in the country.
According to the latest report of Government of India, 70% of the world tigers are in the
country. The numbers are around three thousand. Thousands of tourists are swarming
these tiger reserves every year to get a glimpse of the big cat.
Mana Ooru Mana Badi programme
The Mana Ooru Mana Badi programme was launched by the Telangana Government. The
programme will create school infrastructure in the state. It is to be implemented at a cost
of Rs 7,289 crores. More than 19.84 lakh children are to benefit from the programme.
About the programme
In the first phase, the programme is to be launched in 9,123 local body schools and
government. The permissions to build infrastructure under the programme will be
provided by the respective district collectors. The programme will be executed by the
management committees formed at the respective schools.
Other recent cabinet decision
The programme is one of the most important decisions taken during the recent
cabinet meet.
The cabinet decided to create a new law to regulate the fees structure of the schools
in the states. This includes private schools as well.
English medium will be introduced in government schools.
A women university and forest university is to be established.
Job recruitment reservations to students who completed degrees from Forest
College of Research and Institute located in siddipet district. These students will get
25% reservation in the recruitment of Assistant Conservator of Forests, 50% in the
post of Forest Range Officer. In order to implement this, the Telangana State Forest
Subordinate Service rules and the Telangana State Forest Service rules 1997 were
amended.
English medium
The Government of Telangana is launching English medium in government schools as the
parents in the rural areas are ready to send their children only to English medium schools.
The government will create infrastructure under the Mana Ooru Mana Badi scheme
including all these expectations of the rural people.
Open Data Week
The Open Data Week was launched by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The week is
celebrated between January 17, 2022 and January 21, 2022. It encourages promoting
innovation in the urban ecosystem of the country.
About Open Data Week
During the celebration of the week, the ministry of housing and urban affairs will publish
high quality blogs and data sets about smart cities. The data are to be published in an
open data portal. The portal already has success stories of more than sixty cities. This is
currently being tested and is available for access only to experts.
What is the plan?
The Open data Week will show the benefits of open data such as innovation, transparency
and efficiency. The week is divided into segments. During the first segment, the ministry
will upload APIs, dataset visualization and data blogs on the smart city open data portal.
This is to be done between 17th January and 20th January. During the second phase, Data
Day is to be celebrated.
Data day
The Data Day celebration is a part of the Open Data Week celebration. It is to be
celebrated on 21st January 2022. The Data Day celebrations will include seminars, talks,
hackathons and trainings on different data tracks.
Significance
The main purpose to celebrate the week is to promote the significance of data in the
current digital world. It will create a platform to create opportunities that promote data
use. The event will spread the awareness of data. It will create new combinations of data
leading to new insights and knowledge.
Benefits
It improves the policy strategies. It helps the Government to create new plans. One city
can learn from the experience of the other. It allows better public accountability. It
provides better insight about the implementation of ongoing programmes.
Hybrid Terrorists
Hybrid terrorists are those people brought in by the terrorist groups only to carry out one
or two missions. They basically assist the terrorist groups. For instance, shopkeepers
allowing terrorists to store their arms, passing information, etc are hybrid terrorists. They
are like temporary or contract labours. They are not a part of the terrorist group.
However, are trained to execute a specific work.
Hybrid terrorists in India
Hybrid terrorists are increasing in Jammu and Kashmir. The terrorist groups are targeting
political workers, civilians and people from minority communities to convert them into
hybrid terrorist. These hybrid terrorists are radicalised by the terrorist groups. They are
then kept on standby mode. They are launched during the right time to carry out the
terror incident. Also, the targets are selected very carefully. The selection is not random
but planned. Mostly the weak and the needy are targeted. The hybrid terrorists are also
trained to kill or paid to kill a target.
Challenges
The first and foremost challenge faced by the security forces is identification. It is highly
difficult to trace the location or whereabouts of the hybrid terrorists. Also, it is difficult to
stop them or arrest them or neutralise them through encounters. Cyber patrol and
technical gadgets are the only two ways to identify hybrid terrorists.
Narco Terror and hybrid terrorists
The narco terror is the narcotics terrorism. That is, money earned from narcotics is used
for unlawful activities. Narco terror uses this money to buy arms and ammunitions
through drug trafficking. Also, the terrorists use the money earned from drug trafficking
to pay the hybrid terrorists.
Future threats
Around three hundred trained hybrid terrorists are awaiting the launch pads to infiltrate
into the Kashmir valley. They are tasked with different terror activities. According to
military officials, they are planning to enter through Kupwara and Gurez sector.
January 19, 2022
Climate Hazards and Vulnerability Atlas of India
The scientists of CRS have created a climate hazards and vulnerability atlas of India. CRS is
Climate Research and Services and it operates under India Meteorological Department
(IMD).
About the map
The scientists created the map based on 14 extreme weather events. They also considered
the risks and threats imposed by these 14 weather events on the local population and
their economy. Here ‘local’ is pertained to district and not state or village.
Launched on Foundation Day of IMD
Every year, the Indian Meteorological Department celebrates its foundation day on
January 14. The map was launched during this year’s celebrations. It was launched by the
Union Minister of Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh. The IMD was established in 1875. It
operates under Minister of Earth Science. It is responsible for meteorological
observations, seismology and weather events. It is one of the six regional meterological
centres of the World Meteorological Organization.
Features of the atlas
It provides information about heat waves, cold waves, extreme rainfall,
thunderstorm, lightning, and snowfall, cyclones, winds, and fog and hail storm.
It provides vulnerability values and hazards values. These values were calculated
using the historical climate data of the meteorological department.
It provides month – wise hazard levels of each district.
It has 640 maps. They all have categories ranging from moderate, low, high and very
high.
The map provides Normalised Vulnerability Index for each district.
Lightning causes highest casualties in India. It is followed by floods, cyclones and fog.
They also cause high economic and livelihood losses.
Climate Research and Services
The headquarters of CRS is located in Pune. It provides weather forecast, AWS data,
gridded data, radiation data, agro met data, and meteorological data.
Significance
The atlas helps to take precautionary measures. It uses disaster data, hourly autographic
data, cyclone track data, daily rainfall data, population density data, storm surge data, etc.
Deportation of Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic has not taken the COVID vaccine. Therefore, the Australian Government
considers the Serbian player as a threat to the country. This is why the top ranked tennis
player was deported from Australia.
What happened?
Australian Open is one of the four important tournaments of the Grand Slam. It was to
start on January 17, 2022. And Novak was to play on Day 1. Unfortunately a day before the
game, the Australian court deported Novak for not taking COVID vaccine. The 34 – year old
player is one of the most high – profile COVID vaccine sceptics in the world. Sceptics are
persons who are doubtful about a thing or situation.
Why did Australian Government deport Novak?
According to Australian Government, Novak has huge fan followers. On one side, he poses
threat to the country as he is not vaccinated. On the other hand, his attitude towards
vaccine will foster anti – vaccination sentiment among his huge fans not only in Australia
but also in the other parts of the world.
How did Novak enter Australian soil despite strict regulations?
The Australian Government allows only vaccinated people to enter into the country. Novak
is from Serbia. He entered Australia by seeking medical exemption from Victorian state.
Later, he was detained for not taking vaccine. The visa of the unvaccinated player was
cancelled on health and good order grounds.
How will this affect Novak?
Australia Open is one of the most important Grand slam tournaments. The other three
Grand Slam tournaments are US Open, French Open, and Wimbledon. Not everyone can
participate in these tournaments. It is conducted among the top rank holders in the world.
The ranks are assigned based on the winning ratio of these players. If a player wins more
number of Grand Slam matches, his rank moves up. Right now Novak is in the top most
position. Not playing the Australian Open will affect his ranking.
DoT: Machine-to-Machine Guide
The Department of Telecom, DoT has recently amended the telecom licenses. Through
these amendments, the service providers will now roll out machine-to-machine
communication. This communication is the major part of 5G technology.
About the recent amendments
The entry fee for the telecom operators willing to provide the machine to machine
services is 30 lakh rupees. Their financial bank guarantee is fixed at two lakh rupees
and performance bank guarantee at forty lakh rupees.
For the circle level category, the entry fees is two lakh rupees, financial bank
guarantee is Rs 20,000 and performance bank guarantee is forty lakh rupees.
For the circle level category, the entry fees is Rs 20,000. The Financial bank guarantee
is Rs 2,000 and the performance bank guarantee is Rs 10,000.
Interactive Voice Response Service, IVRS has been added as an extra clause for
telecom license.
Why the amendment?
To allow 5 – G enabled services. Machine to machine communication is the key driver of
5G. The machine to machine guidelines were issued in 2018. However, it did not include
the provisioning of the licensing process. Now the amendment has provisioned the
licenses by incorporating the machine to machine communication at national level permit
including district and circle level.
About the Machine to Machine communication Guidelines
Machine to machine communication means communication between two or more
electronic devices. It does not need human interaction.
The license should verify every customer before enrolling him as a subscriber.
Outgoing or incoming calls are allowed only to predefined numbers. Data
communication is allowed only to two IP addresses.
Tele – verification is mandatory before SIM activation.
E – SIM, embedded SIM shall be used.
What is performance bank guarantee?
Here the compensation is paid by the bank of a non – financial entity if a delay occurs in
delivering the performance. It is usually provided by the seller to the buyer. The guarantee
kicks in if the seller fails to deliver the goods and services to the buyer.
What is financial bank guarantee?
Here the money is repaid if an entity or a party did not complete a project. When there is a
delay in execution of the project, the bank will make the payment.
Flipkart: New Startup Programmes
LEAP is the new start up programme of Flipkart. It is also called Leap Ahead. It aims to
help the start ups in India. Under this LEAP programme, Flipkart is to implement two
programmes. They are FLIN and FLA. FLIN is Flipkart Leap Innovation Network. FLA is
Flipkart Leap Ahead.
About LEAP
It will invest in start ups focusing on cutting edge technologies. Also, it will invest in
startups that are working on innovative technologies that are of priority to the company.
The selected start ups will work with the tech and product teams of Flipkart.
The programme will identify start ups in fintech, logistics, supply chain, alternate
commerce, agritech, social health tech, B2B and edtech.
Part of 100 million USD plan
The LEAP programme is a part of the seed – stage investment of Flipkart. In 2021, Flipkart
announced 100 million USD as seed fund for the Indian start ups. LEAP is a part of this
investment plan of Flipkart.
Work Done so far
In July 2021, Flipkart selected 8 startups under the programme. These start ups
participated in a 16 – week training like programme conducted by Flipkart. They attended
workshops, one – to – one mentor sessions and classes from industrial experts to speed
up the development of startups in the country.
Features of the programme
Equity based investment up to 500,000 USD
Customised curriculum created by experts from industries
Mentorship from senior Flipkart experts who are well versed in subject matters
Better connect with Flipkart ecosystem
Develop core product solution
Aim of the programme
To help the startups navigate through different challenges faced by the entrepreneurs.
The startups in following areas shall apply for the programme:
Redefining customer experience
Building for the retail ecosystem
Future of Fashion
Rethinking supply chain
Accelerating Digital Commerce
Davos: Millionaires group calls for Wealth Tax
A group of hundred billionaires have submitted a plea to the World Economic Forum. The
title of the plea is “Make us Pay more tax”
What did the millionaires do?
A group of millionaires and billionaires have issued a plea. The group calls themselves as
“Patriotic Millionaires”. They are of the view that the ultra wealthy are not contributing
their share towards the global recovery from the pandemic. This is because of unfair tax
system. According to them, they have witnessed wealth gain while the rest of the world
suffered in different angles. And so they want to pay a fair share of their earnings to the
global recovery.
What is the plea about?
The “Make us pay more tax” plea suggests to make a deal with the big companies. These
companies will have to pay a minimum tax of 15% of their annual turnover. In most of the
countries the rich need not pay annual taxes on assets such as stocks, artworks or real
estates. This is because; these assets are taxed only when they are sold.
Why the plea?
The world went into one of its worst recession since World War II. And on the other hand,
the millionaires became billionaires and the billionaires accumulated more and more
wealth. The fortune of the top ten billionaires increased at the rate of 15,000 USD per
second! Also, their wealth increased to 1.5 trillion USD.
What is the plan?
Taxing the millionaires earning 5 million USD per year at 2% and taxing billionaires at 5%
will bring in 2.52 trillion USD. This is enough to lift 2.3 billion people out of poverty. Also,
this amount is sufficient to guarantee social protection and health care.
Current Scenario
No wealth tax is collected in most of South American countries except Columbia and
Argentina. In 2021, the World Bank urged the countries to consider wealth tax.
Significance
The billionaires are pushing for wealth tax because it helps to replenish the state through
COVID-19 relief schemes, reduce inequality and also regain social trust.
Antarctica Icefish Breeding Colony
The deep sea scientists have found an icefish breeding colony in the Weddell sea of
Antarctica. The scientific name of the icefish is Neopagrtopsis ionah.
About the discovery
The species was discovered in February 2021. However, their breeding nests were
discovered recently.
About the Ice Fish
The blood of the ice fish is transparent in colour. They do not have red blood cells. They do
not have haemoglobin to transport oxygen. It is an evolutionary adaptation. It is not a
happy evolution. They absorb oxygen through their skin. They have huge hearts. They
were found at a depth of 90 metres to 200 metres.
About the ice fish nests
The nests were a foot wide. Each nest had more than thousand eggs. The males
guard the nests from the predators such as starfish until the eggs hatch. The males
also clean the nests now and then. They use their elongated jaw to clean the nests.
Each nest is guarded by a single male ice fish.
Currently there are 60 million active nests. They are spread over 92 sqaure miles in
the Antarctic sea.
This is the largest fish breeding colony discovered in the world.
These nests held a fish biomass of 60,000 tonnes.
The size of the nests is more than three – quarters a metre.
Unique Warm waters
The ice fish nests were found in a warm patch of water. This was unique and strange to
the scientists. The temperature of the water here was 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
Abandoned nests
Around 31 miles from the current breeding spot, the scientists discovered another patch
of nests. Those nests were abandoned. They are now occupied by corals and sponges.
Weddell sea
It is located in the southern ocean. More than 10,000 square kilometres of ice in the
Weddell sea disappeared in 2002. The sea has the clearest water.
Asteroid 1994 PC1
The asteroid 1994 PC1 is to pass by earth on January 18, 2022. It will pass by at a distance
of 1.2 million miles. This is five times the distance between moon and the earth. Therefore,
the asteroid will not cause any harm to the earth. It is also known by the name “7482”. Its
length is more than one kilometer. That is, 3,450 feet. Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in
the world is 2,722 feet.
About the asteroid
Travelling speed of the asteroid is 45,000 miles per hour. It is a stony asteroid. It is put
under the category of potentially hazardous asteroid and also under the near – earth
object category.
Orbit
It orbits around the sun at 0.9 to 1.8 AU. It takes an ecliptic orbit. According to light curve
analysis, the rotation period of the asteroid is 2.599 hours. Light curve is tracking the light
intensity of a celestial body.
First Observation
It was first discovered by Goldstone radar in 1997. The Goldstone observatory is located in
Mojave desert. It belongs to NASA. It mainly tracks the space missions of NASA.
Characteristics
It is a S – type asteroid. These asteroids are made of siliceous minerals, that is, mainly
silica. Around 17% of the asteroids in the solar system are S – type asteroids. The most
common are the C – type, that is, the carbonaceous.
Unnamed Minor planet
The Asteroid 1994 PC1 is an unnamed minor planet. Minor planets are those celestial
bodies that orbit directly around the sun. Unlike the moons that orbit around a planet, the
minor planets orbit around the sun. They are neither a planet nor a comet. It includes
asteroids, main – belt asteroids, near earth objects, distant minor planets such as trans –
Neptunian object and centaurs. Also, most of the celestial bodies that are in the Kupier
belt are minor planets. Ceres was the first minor planet. It was discovered in 1801.
The Best FIFA Football Awards 2021
The Best FIFA Football Awards are presented by the FIFA (Federation Internationale de
Football Association). It was first awarded in 2017. It revived the FIFA World Player of the
year, which was presented by FIFA till 2015.
Best FIFA Football Awards 2021
Best Player in the world (men): Robert Lewandowski
Best Player in the world (women): Alexia Putellas
Special best Men award: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Goal keeper (men): Edouard Mendy
FIFA Puskas Award: Erik Lamela
Best Coach (men): Thomas Tuchel
FIFA World Player of the year
It is a predecessor to the Best FIFA Football Awards. It was presented between 1991 and
2015. It was also presented by FIFA. The best player nominees were selected by the
captains, coaches and media representatives. Marta was the youngest player to receive
the award. She is a Brazilian player and has won the award five times. Ronaldo was yet
another player to receive the award at the youngest age. He received it when he was 20
years old.
About the awards
Most of the FIFA awards, be it the recently launched Best FIFA Football Awards or the FIFA
World Player awards were mostly won by the Brazilian players. The other player who
frequently win FIFA awards are from France, Portugal and Italy.
FIFA
It is a non – profit organization. It is an international governing body of futsal, football and
beach soccer. Futsal is played on hard court. It is a mini football game. It is closely related
to five – a – side football and indoor soccer.
Nusantara-Indonesia New Capital
The Indonesians are moving to a new capital. It is East Kalimantan. It is now called
‘Nusantara’. Earlier, Jakarta was the capital of Indonesia.
Nusantara
East Kalimantan or Jakarta is located in the Borneo island. The plan to shift the capital here
was announced in 2019. It was announced by President Joko Widodo.
Reasons for moving out of Jakarta
Jakarta has been the capital of Indonesia since 1949. Jakarta is facing environmental and
financial issues. Pollution is increasing in Jakarta. It has been consistently ranked as one of
the most polluted cities in the world. Jakarta is in Java island. And Nusantara is in Borneo
island. The size of Borneo island is larger than Java island. Currently, Jakarta is densely
populated. This is adding to the burden borne by the Indonesian Government. Also,
Jakarta is sinking. By 2050, most of the Jakarta is expected to go under water. This is
mainly because Jakarta is surrounded by several rivers. These rivers are prone to frequent
floods. Between 2019 and 2020 many cities in Jakarta sank up to 10.7 cm.
What is the plan?
All the government institutions, presidential palace, international organization buildings
and foreign embassy buildings are to be moved to Nusantara. It is to cost 33 billion USD to
execute the plan. Around 2,56,142 hectares of land has been allocated to build the capital
city.
Nusantara: Name reason
Nusantara means archipelago. It represents philosophical, sociological and historical
aspects.
Concerns
Nusantara is rich in biodiversity. According to the environmentalists, moving the capital to
Nusantara will lead to massive deforestation. Also, it will put the trees and animals in the
region at danger.
Other countries
The other countries that recently changed its capital are as follows:
Brazil changed from Rio De Janeiro to Brasilia. Brasilia is more centrally located. The
country changed in 1960.
In 1991, Nigeria changed its capital from Lagos to Abuja.
Kazakhstan changed its capital from Alamty to Nur – sultan.
In 2005, Myanmar changed its capital from Rangoon to Naypyidaw.
January 20, 2022
Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2022
The World Economic Forum recently published the Global Cyber security Outlook 2022.
Key Findings
In 2021, the ransom ware attacks have increased by 151%. Each organization faced
270 cyber-attacks on an average.
A successful organization that breached cyber-attacks spent 3.6 million USD.
59% of the cyber leaders believe that there is not difference between cyber resilience
and cyber security. It is not so. Cyber security is providing protection to the
computers, data storages and internet. Cyber resilience is anticipating and adapting
to cyber-attacks. There is no anticipation component in cyber security. It is an overall
protection. Cyber resilience knows its enemy. And cyber security doesn’t.
Influence
According to the report, the following two factors have the highest influence on cyber
security
Automation and machine learning: 48%
Remote and hybrid work environment: 28%
Reasons
The increase in cyber-crimes was mainly because of increase in global digital economy.
Data created in one minute
Youtube upload: 500 hours
Emails sent: 197 million
Tinder swipes: 2 million
Amount spent online: 1.6 million USD
Twitch views: 2 million
Netflix subscribers: 28,000
Instagram stories shared: 695,000

Linkedin connections made: 9,132
Whatsapp messages sent: 69 million
TikTok Downloads: 5,000
Concerns
42% infrastructure is broken down by cyber-attacks. 24% cyber-attacks are identity
thefts. 20% cyber-attacks are ransom ware attacks. 10% of personal assets are lost.
55% of the organizations in the world were affected by cyber-attacks in 2021.
Cyber security solutions
The following factors should be considered while creating cyber security solutions:
Percentage of digital transformation made by an organization. A considerable
amount greater than the transformation should be spent on cyber security.
Third-party software attacks
Malicious attacks
Regulatory requirements
Board direction
Media attention
Shift towards remote working
Lagging areas
The organizations are lagging in the following areas:
Prioritizing cyber security in business decisions
Acquiring leadership support for cyber security
Recruiting and retaining cyber security talents
BSF: Operation Sard Hawa
The Border Security Force, BSF launches Operation Sard Hawa. Under the operation, the
BSF increases the surveillance in the Pakistan border. It is usually launched in the
Rajasthan border, especially in the Jaisalmer region. It is a regular annual exercise. It is
launched in the month of January.
About the operation
The Operation Sard Hawa is conducted during winters and Operation Garam Hawa is
conducted during summers. These operations are held to control the infiltration in
the borders. During winters thick fog blocks the vision in the border area. This
scenario is highly advantageous for the terrorists to cross the border. It is essential
for the security forces to stay alert during this season. The BSF conducts Operation
Sard Hawa during winter for this reason. This year, the Operation Sard Hawa is to be
conducted between January 23 and January 28.
The Operation is also launched to keep a hawk’s eye and enhance the security before
republic day celebrations.
How is Operation Sard Hawa conducted?
The officers and personnel stay close the border. Frequent patrolling are conducted. The
intelligence wing is kept on active mode during the operation. The number of soldiers
deployed in the border is increased. The soldiers patrol the areas near police stations with
advanced weapons. Also, the Jawans monitor the border areas in camels, foot point
trekking. They also check on pedestrian intruders.
Significance
The cease fire violations have dipped in the borders recently. During such times, the
Pakistan army uses proxy wars to attack India. Therefore, it is essential for the border
security force to stay on high alert. This is why Operation Sard Hawa is important.
Operation Garam Hawa
This is held during summers. This is also held in Rajasthan. The infiltration chances are
high during heat wave conditions. This operation like the Operation Sard Hawa is
conducted by the Border Security Force. It is usually held in the month of May or June
when the heat waves are extreme. It reinforces and strengthens the Border Security Force
and its activities in the border.
SEBI’s Saa₹thi mobile app
The Securities and Exchange Board of India, SEBI launched the Saarthi mobile application.
The application provides information about security markets. It is highly useful for
investors.
About the application
The application provides explanation about mutual funds, its working, trading and
settlement, KYC (Know Your Customer) processes, developments in the market, etc.
Also, the application includes grievance redressal mechanism.
The application uses both Hindi and English. It is available for both iOS and android
users. In future, the app will be made available in local languages as well.
Why was the application launched?
Recently, the number of individual investors entering the market is increasing. The app
was launched to help these individual investors. Also, the new investors are using smart
phones to do trading. Thus, they are being assisted through mobile apps.
Security Markets
The Security markets are those markets where the securities are bought and sold.
Securities are nothing but guarantees. The securities are forfeited when the concerned
person fails to repay the money. In simple terms, the securities are the tradable financial
instruments that raise capital in public and private markets.
Individual investors are increasing
In India, the individual investors have been increasing. Their share was 39% in 2020. In
2021, it has increased to 45% according to NSE (National Stock Exchange) data.
Why are individual investors increasing in India?
The interest rates in the banks are reducing. The Fixed Deposit rates are varying
between 2.9% and 5.4%.Thus, the returns from such investments is very low. There is
increase in global liquidity. Also, people are spending more time at home because of
the pandemic.
The market capitalization at BSE (Bombay stock Exchange) increased by 1.8 times. It
increased by 1.6 times in Russia. The other countries with significant increase are
China, France and South Africa.
It is evident that market capitalization is higher in India as compared to other countries.
Azadi Ke Amrit Mahotsav se Swarnim Bharat Ke Ore
Azadi Ke Amrit Mahotsav means Festival of Independence. Swarnim Bharat ke Ore means
towards Golden India. The programme is “Azadi ke Amrit to Golden India”. The
programme began on January 20, 2022. It was started by PM Modi.
About the programme
It marks the yearlong celebrations of azadi ke amrit dedicated by the Brahma
kumaris. Under the initiative, 15000 events and 30 campaigns are to be held. During
the event, Ricky rez, the Grammy award winner is to dedicate a song to the event.
The programmes are to be held in hospitals and medical colleges. It will focus on
wellbeing, spirituality and nutrition.
It will also include conferences for doctors, cancer screening and medical camps.
Seven Initiatives
The Prime Minister launched the following seven initiatives during the programme:
Green initiaitves under Mera Bharat Swasth Bharat
Self-reliant farmer initiatives under Atma Nirbhar Bharat
Women: Flag bearers of India
A cycle rally on “Undiscovered India”
Motor bike campaign on “Unite India”
Initiatives under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
Brahmakumaris
It is a spiritual organization headquartered at Mount Abu. It is dedicated to world renewal
and personal transformation. It was established in 1937. The organization has now spread
to more than 130 countries.
Self-Reliant Farmer initiatives
75 farmer empowerment campaigns, 75 sustainable yogic farmer training programmes,
75 farmer conferences.
Peace Bus campaign
It will cover 75 cities. It will exhibit the positive transformation of the youth.
Cycle Rally
It is to be held in different heritage sites. It will focus on the connection between the
environment and heritage.
Motor bike Campaign
It is to be held between Mt Abu and Delhi. It will cover multiple cities
Swachh Bharat
It includes awareness campaign, cleanliness drive and community cleaning programmes.
Importance
In Indian context, immortality is not confined to bodily existence. It is embodied
experience of oneness with the cosmos. All the initiatives will ultimately focus on this
principle.
Streets for People Challenge
The Streets for People Challenge is an online event organized by the Ministry of Housing
and Urban Affairs. The results of the event were announced recently. The Streets for
People challenge along with the India Cycles4 challenge brought in changes to make the
roads cycle friendly, walking friendly and child friendly. The streets for people challenge
focuses on making the streets walking friendly.
Results
Around eleven cities have won the “Streets for People Challenge Award”. They are
Aurangabad, Bengaluru, Gurugram, Kochi, Nagpur, Pimri chinchwad, Pune, Udaipur,
Kohima, Ujjain, and Vijayawada. Ten cities have won the “Nurturing Neighbourhood
challenge” award. They are Bengaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Indore, Jabalpur, Kakinada,
Kochi, Kohima, Rourkela, Vadodara, Warangal.
Nurturing Neighbourhood challenge
The Nurturing neighbourhood challenge focuses on creating a childhood friendly
neighbourhood. These cities will now enter into the next level. In the next level, the
projects under taken by the cities will be scaled up. Around 60 city agencies participated in
the challenge. It aims at improving physical and psychological health of the infants. It
created public places such as parks, public toilets, improved the outdoor waiting spaces,
amenities for caregivers, nursing cabins, play areas, gardens, etc.
Second season
While announcing the results, the ministry also launched the second season of streets for
people challenge and India cycles4change. Also a book titled “Nurturing Neighbourhoods
Challenge: Stories from the field” was launched. The book consists of case studies. In the
second season, cities that are not in the top eleven winner list can participate. Cities with
more than five lakh population shall alone apply. In season 2, the cities will work and
adopt parking policies, healthy streets, on-street parking management.
Smart City Mission
The challenges were anchored by the Smart City Mission. They are in line with the National
Urban Transport Policy 2006. It focuses on shifting the trends of city roads from car –
centric to people – centric.
What is Streets for People Challenge?
New innovative plans were created by the participating cities. The plans focused on
prioritizing pedestrians. More than 1800 designers participated in the challenge. The
winning cities received fifty lakh rupees. The Institute for Transportation and Development
provided technical support to the participating cities.
Way forward
The states shall bring in Healthy Streets Department. They will also bring in institutional
resilience.
KCR Kit Scheme
The scheme was launched by the Telangana Government. It is a welfare scheme launched
for mother and child.

About the Scheme
After deliver, the mother is provided with the KCR kit. The kit consists of 16 items that are
essential to keep the new born clean and hygienic. The kit supplies would suffice the
needs of the baby for three months. The kit has diapers, napkins, toys, mosquito nets,
baby powder, baby oil, baby soaps, and clothes. It was launched in 2017 by the Chief
Minister K Chandrasekar Rao. In 2017, the State Government of Telangana allocated Rs
605 crores for the scheme.
Corruption
The scheme has been facing accusation of corruption lately. The implementing officers
have fraudulently included private hospital births under the scheme. The scheme is only
for babies born in government hospitals and has not been extended to private hospitals.
Why was the scheme launched?
The scheme aims to reduce the Infant Mortality Rate in the state. The current IMR of
Telangana is 28 deaths per 1000 live births. The state uses Aadhar based Mother and Child
Tracking System to track the health of mother and child. They are tracked at every stage of
pregnancy.
Who are not eligible?
Mother with more than two children are not eligible to receive the kit. Also, the kit is not
provided to mothers from other states. The mothers should have an Aadhar card
belonging to the Telangana state. It is also nor provided to mothers delivering babies at
private hospitals.
Money provided under the scheme
Along with the kit, the Telangana government also provides Rs 13,000 for girl baby and Rs
12,000 for boy baby. Rs 3,000 is provided after the mother completes two NC checkups.
This is within five and a half months. Four thousand rupees is added after baby delivery. If
baby boy, then Rs 4,000. IF baby girl, then Rs 5,000. After completing first month
immunizations, two thousand rupees is provided. Three thousand rupees is provided after
completing second month immunization.
Census in Kaziranga National Park
The Kaziranga National Park is a Tiger Reserve and a World Heritage site. The park
recently conducted its water fowl census.
About the census
The census is conducted in the 52 wetlands in the parks. In 2021, the bird count
increased to 93,491. It was 34,284 in 2020. The bird count has increased by 175% in
one year.
Around 126 species were spotted during the census. The census used point count
method.
The census reported 868 deers. This includes 173 males, 557 females and 138
yearlings. Unfortunately, the deer population has decreased. Earlier it was 907. The
population of deers in the park decreased mainly because of floods.
66,776 wetlands birds were reported. Of this 42,205 were counted in the national
park area. 24,571 were counted in Burhachapori Wildlife sanctuary and Laokhowa.
Of all the animals, the bar headed geese were in greatest numbers. There were
16,552 bar headed geese. Also, the census reported 5,631 common teal, 9,493
northern pintail and 2,236 ferruginous ducks.
40,000 hog deers were reported. They are the main food for the tigers in the park.
35 elephants were spotted.
First census
The first Kaziranga National Park census was held in 2019. Around 11,500 aquatic birds
were counted in this census.
Swamp Deer
The census found that the swamp deer population was very low. Therefore, the few
swamp deers were translocated to Manas National Park. There is no threat of floods in the
Manas National Park. The Swamp Deers are endemic to the Indian sub continent. They
have faced a steep decline. The swamp deers were distributed throughout the Himalayan
region starting from Uttarakhand to upper parts of Assam including plains of Ganges,
Godavari and Indo – Gangetic.
Suggestions
The census reported that the equal importance has to be given for the rhinos, tigers and
lions as that of the swamp deers.
India-Central Asia Summit
On January 27, PM Modi will host India – Central Asia Summit. The five central Asian
presidents will attend the summit. They are Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan,
Tajikistan, Kyrgyz republic.
About the summit
This is first India – Central Asia Summit. The summit is to be held virtually. India has
been planning to hold the summit since Modi’s visit to these central Asian countries
in 2015.
During the summit, the leaders re expected to exchange their views on international
and regional issues. They are expected to mainly focus on security issues.
Significance of the Summit
The countries share their boundaries with Afghanistan. Afghanistan was taken over
by Taliban after the US left Afghan soil in August 2021. This left Indian developmental
works in Afghanistan incomplete. Also, the Indian investments made towards the
development of Afghanistan went in vain.
Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyz republic share their boundaries with China. India is
now involved in 21 – month standoff with China.
Inference
The summit reflects the growing engagement of India with the central Asian countries.
They are extended neighbourhood of India.
India – Central Asia Dialogue
India – Central Asia Dialogue is held annually. The dialogue is held among the ministers.
The first dialogue was held in 2019. India and Central Asian countries signed High Impact
Community Development Projects in 2020. The Central Asian countries are negotiating
with India about the latter’s line of credit of 1 billion USD. The third dialogue was held in
December 2021. During the dialogue, the countries pledged to increase their cooperation
based on 4Cs, which is, commerce, connectivity, capacity building and contact.
India – Central Asia Business Council
It promotes business linkages, mutual investments and understanding of business
regulations. The last and the second council meet was held in 2020. The next and the third
council meet is to be hosted by Uzbekistan in 2022.
India – Central Asia Trade
The trade between India and Central Asia is around 2 billion USD. On the other hand, the
trade between China and central asia is around 100 billion USD.
RBI’s Digital Payment Index
The Reserve Bank of India recently released the Digital Payment Index. According to the
index, the digital payments in the country have increased by 40% in September 2021 as
compared to March 2021.
Key findings
The index measure of online transactions was 304.06 in September 2021. It was 270.59 in
March 2021. In September 2020, the online transaction measure was 217.74. The index is
released in the months of March and September.
Base of the index
The base year of the RBI Digital Payment Index is 2018. This means the score of the index
for the March period was set to 100. The index value has increased by 2.7 times within
three years.
Formulation of the index
The index is formulated based on five parameters. They are payment enablers (25%),
consumer centricity (5%), payment performance (45%), supply side factors (15%), and
demand side factors (10%). The index is published in semi – annual basis. It was first
released in March 2021.
Inference
The payments through digital payments have increased by 39.64%. The Unified Payment
Interface in the second quarter has increased by 82%. In Q2 around 19 banks joined the
UPI system. The number of Point of Sale terminals increased by 13% in Q2 as compared to
the previous quarter.
Other publications by RBI
Report on Foreign Exchange Reserves: Published twice a year
Monetary Policy Report: Published twice a year
Financial Stability Report: Published twice a year
Inflation Expectation Survey of Households: Published four times a year
Consumer Confidence Survey: Published four times a year

How did the digital payments increase?
The payments increased mainly because of key measures made by the National
Payment Corporation of India (NPCI). The NPCI had given approval for the WhatsApp
to go live with UPI. As soon this was done, the user base increased to two crores.
Payment Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) was created. It was created to
encourage Point of Sale deployments.
TOI-2180: New Jupiter-like Exoplanet
A group of scientists recently discovered a new planet. The planet is of the size of Jupiter.
The new planet is 379 light years away from the earth. It is 105 times denser than the
earth. The planet is named TOI-2180 b.
About the planet
It takes 261 days for the planet to orbit its star. Its surface temperature is 76 degrees
Celsius. It is not only denser than the earth, but also denser than the Jupiter. The planet is
made of helium and hydrogen. The planet has rings and moons. It dims by half a percent
in 24 hour period.
Gas giant exoplanet
The new planet discovered is a gas giant exoplanet. In our solar system, the Jupiter,
Neptune, Uranus and Saturn are the gas giants. Now, Uranus and Neptune are classified
as ice giants for their heavily volatile materials. The gas giant planets are made of
hydrogen and helium. The gas giants do not have any solid matter. It is full of swirling
gases.
Why is the new planet unique?
The new planet takes 261 days to revolve around its star. This long period of revolution is
not usually found in exoplanets. Also, the revolutionary period is shorted for its size. The
planet is three times the size of the Jupiter. Jupiter takes twelve earth years to complete
one revolution around the sun! And Saturn takes 29 earth years to complete one
revolution. Also, the new planet is warmer than the outer planets in our solar system.
However, as compared to the other exoplanets discovered so far, it is abnormally chill.
Who discovered TOI-2180?
Tom Jacobs. He discovered the exoplanet with the help of NASA telescope. Tom also used
the help of TESS to discover the planet. TESS is Transitioning Exoplanet Survey Satellite. It
is an explorer programme of NASA.
January 21, 2022
Proposed Changes in IAS (Cadre) rules
The Government of India recently proposed to change the rules of appointing IAS officers.
What are the changes? How are the officers appointed currently? Why were the rules
changed?
Why were the changes proposed?
The changes were proposed by the Ministry of Personnel and Training on behalf of the
Government of India. The ministry has stated that the states are not providing enough
number of officers to be appointed centrally. It is mandatory for the states to contribute to

the central deputation reserve. Because of this reason, there is shortage of officers at the
centre.
How are the officers appointed currently?
The IAS officers are appointed based on the IAS Rules – 1954. The Rule (6) states that an
IAS officer shall be appointed by the central government or state government or any other
association or body of individuals or company. The body or association shall be
substantially or wholly owned by the central government or state government.
What are the changes proposed?
The GoI has proposed to amend Rule (6). The central government wants to appoint
officers proportionally. Proportional to centre and the respective state. The number of IAS
officers to work at the centre from the state will be decided by the central government.
The decisions are to be taken after consulting the state governments.
What are the concerns in the proposed changes?
The proposed changes may affect the administration of the state government. What if the
officer is shifted to the centre while he is implementing or administrating programmes of
the states? Currently, the Central Government asks the officers willing to go on deputation
from the state government to central government.
Officers Consent is highly important
In either case the consent of the specific officer is important. Rule (6) also states that no
officer shall be appointed to an organization without his consent.
Desh Ke Mentor Programme-New measures
The Desh Ke Mentor Programme was launched by the Delhi Government in October 2021.
The programme creates links between the class 9, class 10, class 11 and class 12 students
with mentors.
What happened?
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights recommended the Delhi
Government to suspend the Desh Ke Mentor Programme. Following this, the Delhi
Government added new features. The concerns raised were against the safety and
security of the children participating in the programme. Therefore, respective suggested
changes were made.
Concerns raised by the Commission
The children and people unknown to them are brought together. This creates safety and
security risks to the children. There is not police verification to provide the authenticity of
the mentor. There are chances for child related crimes. A psychometric test is not enough
to assess a person and his character.
Legality of the concerns
The concerns were raised under Section 13 and Section 15 of the Commission for
Protection of Child Rights act.
Newly added features
The police officers will verify the mentors. The conversation between the mentors and
children are recorded. The mentors and the children are not allowed to meet offline. Only
online meetings are allowed. The contact details of the mentors and the children will be
hidden. Both the participants will not know about the whereabouts of each other.
About the programme
Under the programme, volunteers of age 18 years to 35 years, willing to participate shall
sign in as mentors. They enter the programme through mobile application. This app was
created by the Delhi Technological University. The mentors are connected with the
students based on mutual interest. The mentorship includes regular calls for two months
or shall be extended to four months.
Aim of the programme
To help the young students get guidance in selecting their career options. It also helps the
students to prepare for higher education, entrance exams. Since the launch of the
programme, 44,000 people have signed up for the programme and are helping 1.76 lakh
children.
Omo I - Oldest Human Fossils
As per a recent study, one of the oldest known Homo sapiens fossils, Omo Kibish I, may be
around 35,000 years older than it was previously thought.
Highlights
The study used volcanic ash to date the fossils and thus there were 22,000-year
margin of error.
Omo Kibish I was first unearthed in Ethiopia in 1967.
It was difficult to date directly because, it contained only bone and skull fragments.
As a result, experts remained divided over their age for long.
Previous age
In 2005, Geologists had analysed the layer of rock just underneath the findings. They came
to conclude that, Omo I was at least 195,000 years old. That made the fossil at least that
old as well as, oldest ever discovered at the time. However, there was a lot of uncertainty.
How was the date calculated?
Date was calculated by analysing the layers of ash deposited on the fossils. A more precise
date means, to analyse the thick layers of ash. Earlier, it was nearly impossible as ash was
so fine. However, availability of more refined methods made the team to link ash layer to
an eruption of Shala volcano.
Significance of the new age
New minimum age for Omo I is consistent with most recent theories of human
evolution.
Study also brings it closer to the age given to oldest Homo sapiens remains, which
were discovered in 2017 in Morocco. Remains in Morocco were dated to 300,000
years ago.
Omo I is the only fossil, with all the morphological characteristics of modern man.
Anatomically modern humans
As of 2017, the oldest known evidence for anatomically modern humans are fossils found
at Jebel Irhoud, Morocco. They dated around 360,000 years old. Early modern human
(EMH) or anatomically modern human (AMH) terms are used to distinguish Homo sapiens
from extinct archaic human species. This distinction is important for times and regions
where anatomically modern and archaic humans co-existed. Remains of Homo sapiens
found at the Omo-Kibish I archaeological site in Ethiopia is among the oldest known fossil.
Omo-Kibish I remains
Omo remains are a collection of hominin bones. They were discovered between 1967 and
1974 at Omo Kibish sites near Omo River, flowing across Omo National Park in south-
western part of Ethiopia. Remains from Kamoya’s Hominid Site (KHS) were dubbed Omo I
while from Paul I. Abell’s Hominid Site (PHS) were dubbed as Omo II.
Environment Ministry Star Rating System
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recently launched “Star Rating
System”. The system provides environmental clearance in short duration.
About the Star Rating System
The Environment Ministry is to rank and incentivize the states with this new system. The
ministry will find out states that provide environmental clearances efficiently in short
duration of time. It will then incentivize such states. For this, the star rating system
provides marks to the states on a scale of seven. The states receive two marks for clearing
a project in less than 80 days. One mark for clearing in 105 days. Zero for clearing more
than this duration. If the state has less than 10% of projects for scrutiny, then one mark is
provided and so on.
Features
It introduces conditions for State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAA).
These conditions are based on the following:
Proposals waiting for more than thirty days
Terms of Reference proposals waiting for more than thirty days
Percentage of disposal of fresh terms of reference
Environmental Clearances waiting for more than 105 days
Complaints reassessed
The system will provide star rating to the SEIAA. The rating is provided based on the
performance of the authority in the past six months. The ratings are updated in the month
end.
The average time taken to grant the clearance has been decreased to 75 days. Earlier it
was 105 days. The 105 days is in accordance to the Environmental Impact Assessment
Notification, 2006.
Division of Powers: between centre and state
The system says that the infrastructure projects should be approved first by the
SEIAA. For this the SEIAA shall constitute committees with environmental experts and
state officers. The Category A projects, that is, those that involve forest land should
be cleared by the committee constituted by the centre.
The projects that will be cleared by SEIAA will mostly be Category B projects.
However, they form the major portion. This includes small mining, building and
construction, small industry project. It includes those projects that are ‘less
polluting’.
Why the new system?
To increase ease of doing business in India. In 2021, the cabinet secretaries held a
meeting on improving the ease of doing business in India. They then decided to ease the
environmental clearance processes through star rating system. The clearances are to be
provided based on timelines and efficiency.
Concerns raised
The proposed system is in violation of Envrionment (Protection) Act. The aim and the
focus is on clearing the project in short duration of time. While the environmental
clearances should focus on the health of the environment, how will the project affect the
environment and what can be done to reduce the environmental losses induced by the
project.
India-Denmark R&D on Green Fuels
India and Denmark recently agreed to initiate joint research and development on green
fuels, including green hydrogen, at a virtual meeting.
Key Facts
The agreement was signed as a part of already adopted “Green Strategic Partnership
– Action Plan 2020-2025”, at a virtual meeting on January
Apart from the agreement, India-Denmark Joint Committee discussed national
strategic priorities and developments in Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) in
both the countries.
Special focus was given on green solutions of future-strategy for investments in
green research, technology, and innovation.
India-Denmark Joint Committee meeting agenda
The committee emphasised on developing bilateral collaboration on mission-driven
research, innovation, and technology development.
They also emphasised on climate and green transition, water, energy, waste, food,
etc, in accordance with the “Green Strategic Partnership – Action Plan 2020-2025”.
They further agreed to organise 3-4 webinars for partnership development.
They also stressed on promoting call for proposals in green fuels like green
hydrogen.
Committee reviewed the progress of ongoing projects being implemented across
several areas including water, energy research, cyber-physical systems, and
bioresources & secondary agriculture.
Who co-chaired the meeting?
India-Denmark Joint Committee meeting was co-chaired by:
1. K. Varshney- Adviser & Head of International Cooperation, Department of Science &
Technology.
2. Stine Jorgensen- Deputy Director of Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science.
India-Denmark Relations
Foundation for India-Denmark relations was laid in 1957 when Indian Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehru visited Denmark. The relation has endured since then. The countries
share a cordial and friendly relation, on the basis of cooperation in economic, political,
academic and research fields. Denmark has an embassy in New Delhi, while India has an
embassy in Copenhagen. Denmark has been ranked 26th among foreign investors in
India.
Green Strategic Partnership
Both the countries launched the Green Strategic Partnership to deliver sustainable
solutions to India. It will focus on expanding economic ties, green growth, and
cooperation on challenges like climate change. It will build on an existing Joint
Commission for Cooperation as well as existing joint working groups.
Green growth
Green growth term is used to describe a path of economic growth, which uses natural
resources in sustainable manner.
Education Ministry survey on Learning Loss
The Ministry of Education conducted a survey to learn about the education losses during
COVID times. The survey was conducted in November 2021. Three districts of Andhra
Pradesh and 16 districts of Tamil Nadu couldn’t participate because of heavy rains. All the
other districts participated in the survey.
About the survey
The survey is called the “National achievement survey”. It was conducted with the help of
district level coordinators. Before this, the survey was conducted in 2017. The results of
the survey are released as report cards for individual districts. And all the district data are
compiled at national level. The survey was conducted in 1.23 lakh schools. The
Government intends to identify the learning interruptions created by the pandemic and
take remedial measures. The schools were closed in February 2020. They then adopted
online classes. The digital divide in the country brought in huge impacts on the
educational outcomes of the children.
The framework of the survey was created by NCERT.
Key Findings of the Survey
In class III, around 6,37,867 students were expected to come to school or take online
classes. However, only 5,40,325 attended the classes. Approximately, 84.71% turned
up in Class III.
In Class V, 6,29,870 students were expected to attend classes. But only 5,45,910
students attended the classes. Approximately 86.67% turned up in Class V.
In Class VIII, 11,74,609 were expected to attend classes. Only 10,54,437 students
attended the classes. Around 77% attended the classes.
In Class X, 13,44,539 were expected. Only 12,59,758 attended. This is 93.69%. The rate
of participation in class X was the highest as compared to the other classes.
The education losses were more among the lower grade students. This affected their
reading and counting skills.

The primary classes were suspended when the survey was held.
Overall participation
In Class III, Class V, Class VIII and Class X, total of 37,86,885 students were expected to
attend the classes. However, only 34,00,430 attended. This is 89.79%.
Recent Study on Antimicrobial resistance
A recent Lancet study says that Antimicrobial resistance is now the leading cause of death.
It has surpassed HIV and malaria. The study says that in 2019 antimicrobial resistance
killed more than 1.27 million people all over the world. This is higher than those died of
malaria and HIV.
What is anti – microbial resistance?
It is a condition where in the disease causing microbes such as bacteria, virus becomes
resistant to drugs. The drugs and antibiotics taken are no longer killing them. The
microbial resistances are life threatening. As the microbes are gaining resistance, doctors
increase the dosage. Powerful doses do kill the microbes. But they also affect the human
body cells. And organs begin to defunct. Human bodies cannot take antibiotics after a
certain level.
What is the study saying?
Low and middle income countries are the most affected by anti microbial resistance.
Out of 4.95 million deaths that occurred in the world in 2019, 1.27 deaths were due to
antimicrobial resistance. Deaths due to malaria were 640,000. Deaths due to AIDS
were 860,000.
The researchers studied 23 different types of disease causing bacteria. Of these only
six caused 3.57 million deaths
First line of defence
70% of the deaths occurred due to the failure of antibiotics that are treated as the first line
of defence. This included fluoroquinolones. Beta – lactams, etc. These antibiotics are
usually prescribed for infections in bone infections, respiratory infection and urinary tract
infections.
Reasons for the increasing antimicrobial resistance
People fail to complete the antibiotic course. They stop taking the tablets in one or two
days as they feel better. Say a person gets cold and fever. He begins an antibiotic course,
that is, he has to take antibiotics for five days. After 2 days, he feels better. Within 2 days,
only few bacteria get killed. This is why he feels better. There are more bacteria in his body
that die slowly. In order to flush out all the bacteria he has to complete his course. If he
discontinues, the slow dying bacteria comes to life after two days. And they come back
gaining resistance to the drugs that tried killing him.
Way Forward
The study says that the antimicrobial resistance is capable of killing more than ten million
people per year by 2050. Bacteria are quick evolving. They get stronger as the humans get
stronger. They mutate to survive the antibiotics.
BRICS 2022-An Overview

The first BRICS 2022 Sherpa meeting was held recently. The two day meeting was chaired
by China. China thanked India for its hosting in 2021. During the meeting the countries
discussed about the agenda of 2022. Also, they created the BRICS Calendar for the year
2022.
BRICS 2022 theme
Foster High Quality BRICS Partnership Usher in a New Era for Global Development
What happened in the meeting?
The countries decided to conduct 25 events in 2022. Of this, five are to be hosted by
India.
China is to host BRICS Young Scientist Conclave. It is focus on modern agriculture,
material science, artificial intelligence, bio – medicine, carbon peak neutralization.
China will also host the tenth BRICS Science and Technology ministerial – level meet.
During the meet, China will showcase the achievements of BRICS Framework
Programme. The programme was implemented between 2015 and 2022.
What are India’s roles and responsibilities in BRICS 2022?
In 2022, India is to host five international events. These events are to be conducted under
BRICS STI forum. The five events are as follows:
Bio – technology and bio – medicine
BRICS startups working group meeting. This group is to focus on Energy this year.
ICT and high performance computing
Science, Technology, Innovation and entrepreneurship partnership (STEIP) Working
group meeting
Launch of Knowledge Hub. The hub focuses on innovation.
Role of DPIIT in BRICS 2022
The Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade is to hold the BRICS Startup
Forum meeting. Also, the DPIIT is responsible for creating the innovation knowledge hub.
What is Sherpa meeting?
It is a meeting held by the representatives of the government. The Sherpa represents the
country at international summits. The current BRICS Sherpa of India is Sanjay
Bhattacharya.
BRICS STI
BRICS STI was proposed by India. It is a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2015. It
focuses on food security, sustainable agriculture, energy efficiency, renewable energy,
space research, life sciences, new materials, and lots more.
UNCTAD 'Investment Trends Monitor' Report
The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Investment Trends Monitor was
published on January 19, 2022.
As per report, in 2021 the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows to India were 26 per
cent lower as compared to 2020, because large M&A deals recorded in 2020 were not
repeated.
Global FDI flows showed a strong rebound in 2021. It grew to 77 per cent to an
estimated USD 1.65 trillion. In 2020, the FDI flow was USD 929 billion.
Recovery of investment flows towards developing countries is encouraging.
However, stagnation of new investment, in least developed countries across
industries important for productive capacities and key Sustainable Development
Goals (SDG) sectors like food, health and electricity, is a major cause for concern.
As per report, developed economies witnessed biggest rise by far. FDI reached to an
estimated USD 777 billion in 2021, which is three times than in 2020.
FDI flows across different countries
FDI flows across developing economies increased by 30 per cent. It reached to
around USD 870 billion. In East and South-East Asia, growth accelerated by 20 per
cent. This recovery is close to pre-pandemic levels in Latin America and the
Caribbean.
FDI flows to South Asia decreased by 24 per cent. In 2021, it reached to USD 54 billion
as compared to USD 71 billion in 2020.
FDI flows to South Asia decreased by 24 per cent. In 2021, it was measured at USD 54
billion as against USD 71 billion in 2020.
In United States, FDI increased by 114 per cent to USD 323 billion. Also, the cross-
border M&As almost tripled to USD 285 billion.
Out of total increase in global FDI flows in 2021, around three quarters or USD 500
billion was recorded in developed economies.
FDI flow in India and China
FDI Flows to India decreased by 26 per cent because large M&A deals recorded in 2020
were not repeated. While in China, FDI increased by 20 percent to USD 179 billion. It was
driven by strong services FDI.
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
UNCTAD was established in 1964 as an intergovernmental organization. It seeks to
promote the interests of developing states in international trade. It was established by
United Nations General Assembly. It presents its reports to the UN General Assembly as
well as to the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
Extension of National Commission for Safai Karamcharis
The Union Cabinet recently extended the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis for
three more years. The current tenure of the commission ends in March 2022. The
commission has been extended for three years after this. The extension is being made at
a cost of Rs 43.68 crores. Safai karamcharis are the manual scavengers. They clean
drainages and sewer with direct hands, without any protection or equipment.
Background
The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis were created as an advisory body. It
provided recommendations to the Government of India on welfare of the safai
karamcharis. Also, the commission evaluated the execution of special programmes for
safai karamcharis.
Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013
The commission monitors the implementation of the act. It checks if the central and state
governments take appropriate actions towards the complaints against under the purview
of the act. Kindly note that the commission only monitors the act and does not work as
governed by the act. The commission is not governed by any law.
Commission is a non – Statutory body
The commission was established in 1993. It was established under the National
Commission for Safai Karamcharis act, 1993. The validity of the act was till 1997. Later it
was extended till 2002 and then till 2004. Later it was made a non – statutory body.
Meaning, it is not governed by laws or acts. Till date National Commission for Karamcharis
functions as a non – statutory body.
Need for the extension
In spite of strict and wide measures, manual scavenging still prevails in India. Sporadic
instances exist in interior rural areas. They are deprived of education and socio –
economic benefits. For these reasons, the Government of India is extending the tenure of
the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis. With this, the government aims to achieve
complete mechanization of septic tank and sewer cleaning.
IEA's Electricity Market Report
The International Energy Agency (IEA) released its early 2022 edition of the bi-annual
Electricity Market Report.
Key facts of the report
As per report, countries are largely turning to fossil fuels for meeting the increase in
electricity demand, as Covid-19 lockdown restrictions are lowering down.
Global electricity demand increased by 6% year-on-year in 2021. It was the steepest
year-on-year increase recorded by the IEA since 2008 financial crash.
Global energy intensity decreased by 1.9% year-on-year. This drop was only half as
compared to the level required to lay foundation for net-zero by 2050.
In 2021, the electricity generation from renewables increased by 6% year-on-year.
Generation from coal was increased by 9%. This increase was led by markets like
China and India, where coal served as greater than half of the increase in demand.
There was an increase of 2% in gas-fired generation. This increase resulted into a 7%
year-on-year increase in emissions from power sector.
What are IEA’s concerns?
The IEA is concerned because, despite the growing net-zero movement, countries
are failing to decouple increased electricity demands from increased emissions.
According to IEA, power sector emissions will remain around the same level, for next
three years.
Net-zero by 2050 scenario of IEA, call for a 55% decrease in sectoral emissions by
2030, as opposed to 2019 baseline.
About International Energy Agency (IEA)
IEA was established in 1974 in accordance with the framework of the OECD. It is an
autonomous intergovernmental organisation. The mission of IEA is guided by four main
areas of focus, namely energy security, environmental awareness, economic development
and engagement worldwide. It is headquartered in Paris, France. India became an
associate member of IEA in March 2017.
Why was IEA established?
IEA was established in the backdrop of 1973-1974 oil crisis in a bid to help its members
respond to major oil supply disruptions.
Members of IEA
IEA has 30 members, currently. IEA family also comprise of eight association countries. To
be a member of IEA, the candidate country must be a member the OECD. However, all
OECD members are not IEA members.
MY2022: Security Concerns in Chinese Olympics App
Amid the cybersecurity concerns in Chinese Olympics App, National Olympic Committees
(NOC) are advising athletes from some western countries to leave personal devices at
home or use temporary phones, at the Winter Games in Beijing.
Highlights
NOCs will provide their athletes and staff with temporary devices to do away the
security risks and combat any surveillance during Games.
The Games are scheduled to take place from February 4 to February 20 in Beijing,
China.
United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Advisory
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee advisory states that, it should
be assumed that every text, online visit, email and application access can be
compromised or monitored.
The advisory suggests to use rental or disposable laptops and phones while in
Beijing or delete all data from personal devices before and after travelling.
It also recommends the members to install virtual private networks (VPNs) on
devices before leaving United States.
It further notes that, though there are safeguards in place for protecting their
systems and data, there should be “no expectation of privacy or data security or
privacy while they operate in China.
Advisory from other countries
Canadian Olympic Committee has also advised members to consider leaving
personal devices at home and be extra careful, since Olympics presented a unique
opportunity for cybercrime.
Swiss and Swedish committees will also provide new devices to their team and have
briefed them to take measures against cybersecurity.
British Olympic Association had also given athletes and staff practical advice with
respect to take their personal devices to Beijing. They would provide temporary
devices to athletes who wanted them.

MY2020 app
The MY2022 app will be used by all attendees for monitoring their health, specially to
monitor covid-19 daily. However, it contains security flaws. App fails to provide encryption
on its files, and has security weaknesses leaving users exposed to data breaches.
RBI Special Repo Auction
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) conducted a variable rate repo operation on January 20, 2022
for infusing liquidity, instead of using variable rate reverse repo operations (VRRR) to suck
out cash.
Highlights
This measure was taken because larger goods and services tax (GST) collection
tightened liquidity recently.
RBI has proposed to lend the banking system Rs 50,000 crore in a day, while it
received bids for Rs 65,700 crore.
Cut-off rate was 4.06 per cent and weighted average rate 4.10 per cent. Both are
higher than repo rate of 4 per cent.
Weighted average call money rate reached to 4.3587 per cent on January 20, showing
liquidity stress in banking system. This rate is used by banks for the purpose of
interbank lending.
Call Money Rate
The lowest call money rate was 2.80 per cent while highest rate was 4.65 per cent. This
reflected liquidity asymmetry where one set of banks was having a low liquidity while
money concentrated with the lender banks (usually public sector banks), because of their
high deposit base.
Total system liquidity
Total system liquidity is at a surplus of Rs 6 trillion. This money is enough for money
market rates to remain soft. However, overnight interbank rates have increased above the
repo rate, along with the increase in money market rates and 10-year bond yields.
VRRR auction
RBI has been continuously conducting the VRRR auctions. It aims to remove progressively
higher amounts from banking system because its liquidity measures have flooded the
banking system with funds. Till December 31, 2021, RBI had planned to remove Rs 7.5
trillion of liquidity by means of 14-day VRRR auction. But in auctions, banks parked only Rs
2.67 trillion.
Rebalancing liquidity management
RBI started rebalancing its liquidity management in February 2020, when it shifted its
liquidity absorption tool from “fixed-rate overnight reverse repo window” to VRRR
auctions of longer maturity. To absorb the additional liquidity in system, RBI announced to
conduct VRRR programme, because it has higher yield prospects as against fixed rate
overnight reverse repo.
NEET Reservation: Supreme Court's Detailed Order

On January 20, 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that, Reservation should not be seen as
being at odds with merit.
Key Points
Supreme Court ruled in favour of reservation for other backward classes (OBCs) in all
India quota of (AIQ) NEET-PG seats.
Reservation for OBCs was introduced by the Central government on July 29, 2021.
Background
The detailed order over reservation came after SC’s decision on January 7, 2022 to include
27% reservation for OBCs and 10% for economically weaker section in counselling for
NEET-PG courses, among the AIQ seats in medical or dental seats.
Court’s definition of merit
Court also provided a broad definition of merit. As per court, the merit should not be
limited to individual agency or ability, however, it is envisioned as a social good which
advances equality because Constitution espouses this value.
What was the issue?
General category doctors, who appeared for NEET-PG 2021, were opposing the
reservation for OBCs and EWS. They argued that AIQ seats are for the meritorious so,
providing any reservation in this category would be detrimental in national interest.
Court’s view
Responding to the argument of general category doctors, court said, an open competitive
exam may ensure formal equality so that everyone get an equal opportunity to
participate. However, inequalities in the availability of and access to educational facilities
will led to deprivation of certain classes of people as they would be unable to effectively
compete in such a system. Special provisions such as reservation enable the
disadvantaged classes to do away with the barriers, they face in effectively competing with
forward classes. This, special provisions ensure substantive equality.
Court’s view on merit
On the matter of merit, SC was of the view that, accepting merit as an individual’s
performance in an open competitive examination will fail to recognize the dignity and
worth of every individual. Such definition also hinders the realization of substantive
equality. Court noted that, high scores in examination are not a proxy for merit.
Digital Government Mission
The Digital Government Mission was launched by the Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology. The mission will deliver government services to the citizens. It
will use machine learning and artificial intelligence to deliver the services.
How will the mission work?
It imbibes automatic processes. For instance, a student applying for scholarship will get an
alert from the concerned department directly. He or she need not enquire. It also provides
easy access to food grains under the public distribution system. It includes renewal of
driver licenses, reminders for renewal of government issued documents.
Aim of the mission
The mission aims to reach the benefits to the citizens before even they start enquiring
about a scheme or subsidiary. This is the next phase of e – governance.
Background
The Government of India launched e-governance 15 years ago. Since then it has digitised
income tax, certificates, passports, land records, etc. Also, the Government of India
launched NODE in 2020. NODE is National Open Digital Ecosystem. It aims to replicate the
success of UPI, GST, Aadhaar.
Push for the mission
The mission will be aided by the well-built platforms Digital India, Aadhaar, National
Mission on Education using ICT, Digitdhan Abhiyan, BPO Scheme and UPI. These well-
established systems will act as a foundation.
Benefits
In the past, the Government of India and several other state governments have launched
initiatives to digitise the government services. However, there is no common interface to
combine all the services under one platform. The Digital Government Mission will solve
this problem by bringing all the digital initiatives under one roof.
India-Israel Industrial R&D & Technological Innovation Fund (I4F)
India and Israel recently widened the I4F during their eighth governing body meet. I4F is
India – Israel Industrial research and development technological Innovation fund. The
fund has now been widened to 5.5 million USD.
Projects
The fund has been widened to implement three research and development project. They
are as follows:
Centrally monitored Internet of Things Nanosensors for Molecular diagnostic in
health care
Internet of Things enabled satellite communication for real – time agriculture and
environmental data collection
NoMoreMos: It is a mosquito control biological solution
Basically, the fund is to be used for projects in the field of agriculture, health care and
mosquito control.
I4F 2.0
During the governing body meet, the countries agreed on the new I4F strategy. The
countries will broaden the scope of the fund in the new strategy. They will focus on
market acceptability and technical feasibility. They are to develop new commercial
products and technologies.
About I4F
It was created under the collaboration of Department of Science and Technology of
India and Israeli Innovation Authority.
The fund promotes and supports joint research and development in the agreed
“focus sectors”.
The main aim of I4F is to commercialize the innovative technologies.

The I4F is controlled, managed and implemented by the Global Innovation and
Technology Alliance. In Israel, the fund is implemented by the Israeli Innovation
Authority.
Significance
The increase in funding comes at the right time. India is now planning to focus more on
Innovation, technologies and startups. Recently India decided to celebrate Innovation
Startup Day on Janaury 16. The Department of Science and Technology is also coming up
with new measures to make its 50th year special.
What are focus sectors of the countries?
Telecom, agriculture, IT, pharmaceuticals, homeland security. Of all the sectors, their
relation is deep in agriculture. The Indo – Israeli Agriculture Project is being implemented
for more than ten years now. Some of the highly successful outcomes of the project are
rejuvenation of Mango orchards in Maharashtra and growing cherry tomatoes in Haryana.
India's first UNDP Youth Climate Champion
Content creator and actress Prajakta Koli become India’s first UN Development
Programme (UNDP) Youth Climate Champion.
Key Facts
She won the title under her partnership with the UNDP.
Title has been conferred to her because of her contribution towards mental health,
girl child education and women’s rights through various global social campaigns.
What does this title mean to Prajakta?
As a part of her responsibilities, Prajakta will now be entrusted with interacting with young
minds for raising awareness on issues like global warming, climate crisis, biodiversity loss
and their impacts, because tremors of these issues are being felt by all sections of the
society, including poor and marginalized communities.
Who is Prajakta Koli?
Prajakta Koli is an Indian YouTuber and actress, known by her YouTube Channel
“Mostlysane”. She makes comedy videos, focusing mostly on observational comedy
related to daily life situations.
Achievements of Prajakta Koli
Prajakta Koli has spoken up on issues such body shaming and online bullying with
‘Shameless’ under her campaign #iPledgeToBeMe, in the past. The campaign came
into force on World Mental Health Day in 2016.
She is a global ambassador for YouTube’s ‘Creators For Change’ initiative. She is
known to draw attention of people to trolling, homophobia through “No Offence
Campaign” and female subjugation.
Her “No Offence Campaign” was showcased at the UN headquarters in New York on
International Tolerance Day.
In 2018, she was a part of three initiatives and social cause partnerships:
1. First with YouTube for Social Impact Girl’s Education campaign,
2. Second with Instagram on their Safer Internet Week campaign and

3. Third with One.org for their Girl Education campaign.
In 2019 she received an invitation from “Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation” for
“annual Goalkeepers Summit”.
In 2021, she joined Google’s Impact Challenge to provide grants to non-profits who
are addressing economic inequities faced by girls and women.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
UNDP is a United Nations organization, established in 1965. It is headquartered in New
York City. The body help countries in eliminating poverty and achieving sustainable
economic growth as well as human development. It is the largest UN development aid
agency, having offices across 170 countries.
'Climate of India during 2021' report
Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) published its “Climate of India during 2021”
report on January 21, 2022.
As per report, year 2021 was the fifth warmest year in India since country-wide
records started in India in 1901.
India reported a loss of 1,750 lives because of extreme weather events in 2021.
Maharashtra was the most adversely affected state, with 350 deaths.
Among extreme weather events, lightning & thunderstorms was responsible for
highest 787 lives followed by floods, heavy rains, and landslides, causing deaths of
759 people.
Cyclones was responsible for 172 deaths in different states in 2021.
Findings on warming phenomena
On warming phenomena, report finds that, 11 out of 15 warmest years in the India were
during last fifteen years that is, 2007 to 2021. Highest warming was observed during 2016.
The year reported warming of 0.71 degree Celsius above “long period average (LPA)”
based on 1981-2010 period.
Mean temperature
In India, the annual mean land surface air temperature during 2021 was 0.44 degree C
above the LPA. Winter (January to February) with mean temperature anomalies of +0.78
degree C and post-monsoon (October to December) with mean temperature anomalies of
+0.42 degree C mainly contributed to this warming. The all-India mean temperatures
during other seasons like pre-monsoon (March to May) and monsoon (June to September)
were also reported “above normal” with mean temperature anomalies of +0.35 degree C
and +0.34 degree C, respectively.
Mean Temperature during 1901-2021
The annual mean temperature in India during 1901-2021 witnessed an increasing trend of
0.63 degree C per 100 years. India’s mean surface temperature seems to be in sync with
increase in the global mean surface temperature.
Annual rainfall
2021 annual rainfall over India as a whole was 105% of its LPA, based on 1961-2010 period.
The southwest monsoon season rainfall over India as a whole was ‘normal’ at 99% of its
LPA while northeast or post monsoon season (October-December) rainfall was ‘above
normal’ at 144% of LPA.
Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI)
The IMD also compiled the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) in its annual report. SPI
is used to monitor drought conditions based on precipitation. The index is negative for dry
while positive for wet conditions. The cumulative SPI values in past twelve months of 2021
highlights “extremely wet – severely wet conditions” in parts of A & N Islands, West
Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, East Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh,
Delhi etc. “Extremely dry – severely dry” conditions were observed across Arunachal
Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur etc.
January 22, 2022
Russia's Ban on Cryptocurrencies
On January 20, 2022, the Russian central bank proposed to crack down the
cryptocurrencies.
Highlights
If this move is adopted, it could disrupt the burgeoning virtual money sector because
Russia is one of the largest crypto-mining nations worldwide.
This proposal was made as Russian authorities have been criticising the
cryptocurrencies for years, as these can be used for illegal activities. Authorities also
called for regulation.
The Bank of Russia called to reinforce the ban on cryptocurrency payments, put ban
on cryptocurrency mining, as well as to tight laws on trading virtual money.
Legal status to cryptocurrencies in Russia
In Russia, authorities granted legal status to cryptocurrencies in 2020. However, their use
in payments was never authorised.
What are the concerns over cryptocurrencies in Russia?
Using cryptocurrencies creates significant threats to well-being of Russian citizens as
well to the stability of financial system.
Swift growth of cryptocurrencies is driven by “speculative demand”, which ultimately
leads to formation of “bubble”.
Cryptos resemble financial “pyramid schemes”, since their value increases with
emergence of new players in market.
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency is a collection of binary data, working as a medium of exchange. Records
of individual coin ownership are stored in a digital ledger. Digital ledger is a computerized
database using strong cryptography for securing transaction records. In general,
cryptocurrencies are fiat currencies, because they are not backed by or convertible into
commodities.
Increasing regulations on cryptocurrencies
Increasing popularity of cryptocurrencies and their adoption by financial institutions has
forced some governments to assess whether regulation is required to protect users. As
per Financial Action Task Force (FATF), cryptocurrency-related services are defined as
“virtual asset service providers” (VASPs) and it recommends to regulate them with money
laundering and know your customer (KYC) requirements. In 2021, 17 states in United
States passed laws and resolutions related to cryptocurrency. China declared all
cryptocurrency transactions of any kind illegal in September 2021 and cracked down on
cryptocurrency.
AIIB: Investment in Asia's Data Infrastructure
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is set to invest $150 million in the
development of data centers to mostly serve emerging Asia.
Highlights
AIIB will channelise funds through the Keppel Data Centre Fund II (KDCF II), which is
a private equity vehicle. It is managed by Alpha Investment Partners Limited (Alpha).
It is going to be AIIB’s first data center project.
AIIB’s investment of USD100 million by means of a parallel fund structure and USD
50 million through co-investments is the final close of KDCF II.
The fund focuses on strategic investments in fast-growing data center sector, by
focusing on Asia Pacific.
What is the need of this project?
Multilateral development banks have been investing in digital infrastructure in the past. In
present time, such investments are becoming more essential with the acceleration of 5G
technology and other high-speed or supercomputing digital infrastructure amid covid-19
pandemic.
Significance of the project
Several low-income and middle-income countries lack their own domestic data
infrastructure. There is also a wide disparity in data center penetration among countries
with different income levels. Thus, it reflects shortcomings in investment climate where
major global investors are avoiding investing in emerging and frontier economies. Hence,
launch of this project is significant because it will enhance capital mobilisation for
developing data centers serving emerging Asia.
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
AIIB is a multilateral development bank, established with the aim of improving economic
and social outcomes in Asia. Currently, there are 105 members, including 16 prospective
members. AIIB was established on January 16, 2016.
Merger of Amar Jawan Jyoti
Recently, Central government rejected the contention that Amar Jawan Jyoti has been
extinguished.
Key Points
Government further asserted that Amar Jawan Jyoti has been merged with the flame
at “National War Memorial” in the vicinity.

They are of the view that, this merger will mark a tribute to the fallen soldiers
befitting their sacrifice.
India Gate is a memorial, honouring the fallen heroes of the First World War. Amar
Jawan Jyoti was added to it in 1972 because India did not have another memorial.
Why flames were merged?
The Amar Jawan Jyoti was merged with the National War memorial, because it did not
have the names of the martyrs. At India Gate, only those names have been inscribed who
fought for the British in World War-I and Anglo-Afghan War. Thus, it was a symbol of
colonial past.
When was the flame merged?
The older Amar Jawan Jyoti was merged with new Amar Jawan Jyoti at National War
Memorial on January 21, 2022.
Amar Jawan Jyoti
Amar Jawan Jyoti is an Indian memorial, which was constructed after the Indo-Pakistani
War of 1971 in the honour of the martyred and unknown soldiers of Indian Armed Forces
who died during this war. The flame consists of a marble pedestal on which a cenotaph is
situated. “Amar Jawan” has been is scripted in gold on all four sides of the cenotaph as
well as on top. A L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle also stands on its barrel with a helmet of an
Unknown Soldier on top. The pedestal is bound by four urns. On of the urns holds a
continuously burning flame.
Where is it located?
The Amar Jawan Jyoti was located at two places:
1. First one was constructed in December 1971. It was inaugurated by Indira Gandhi in
1972 under India Gate at Rajpath.
2. Second one was installed under the National War Memorial, in the honour of all
known martyrs (post-independence) of Indian Armed Forces. On it, the names of
martyrs have been written in ‘Golden letters’. It was completed in February 2019 and
inaugurated by Narendra Modi on February 25, 2019 by igniting the eternal flame of
Jawans “Amar Jawan Jyoti”.
India assisted projects in Mauritius
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently launched series of projects in Mauritius. India is to
assist the neighbour in implementing these projects. The projects were launched virtually
by PM Modi and his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth.
About the Projects
Civil Service College
8 MW Solar Photo Voltaic Farm. This was launched on the side lines of the COP26
meet held in Glasgow in 2021. Through this project India is to show the world how
cooperation in solar energy between the countries is beneficial. The project will
reduce carbon foot prints and energy costs. The base of international cooperation in
solar energy lies with the International Solar Alliance launched in 2018.
The countries signed a Memorandum of understanding to implement Small

Development Projects
Metro Express Project
India is to assist Mauritius in implementing the Metro Express Project. For this India has
extended a line of credit of 190 million USD. In order to honour India for its financial
assistance in implementing the project, Mauritius Government is to name one of the
stations after “Mahatma Gandhi”.
The metro project was inaugurated by India along with Supreme Court building and ENT
hospital. Today the metro transits 5.6 million passengers on daily basis. The line of credit
will be used to extend the metro line.
Background
India and Mauritius are united together in culture, maritime, ancestry, language.
Mauritius was one of the first countries to receive vaccine from India under the Maitri
programme. Today more than three – fourths of the population of Mauritius is vaccinated.
Social Housing Project
India assisted Mauritius in constructing affordable housing. The project has now been
completed successfully. The project is a proof that Indian projects in the foreign countries
are increasing and improving radically.
Way Forward
India and Mauritius are to implement the following projects in the future:
Mauritius Police Academy
National Library and Archives
Forensic Science Laboratory
Renal Transplant Unit
Delhi’s One Stop E-Vehicle website
The Delhi Government recently launched the one-stop website to promote electric
vehicles. The website is ev.delhi.gov.in. The website is open for manufacturers, buyers,
charging station explorers. The main features of the website are EV search, EV calculator
and EV dashboard.
About the website
The website provides information about increasing charging infrastructure and the
potential EV consumers.
The website is responsive. It acts as a major information resource for the electric
vehicle buyers and manufacturers.
The website also provides information about the public charging stations in the
capital. So far, Delhi has installed 377 charging points. They are spread across 170
locations.
Also, the website provides information about the location of the charger, charging
points and also type of charger used.
The website also lists the circulars and notifications issued by the Delhi Government.
EV calculator
It calculates the fuel saved by the electric vehicle as compared to a conventional vehicle.
With this, the consumers can calculate money saved. Also, the calculator provides
maintenance cost and operation cost of electric vehicles.
Grievance
The consumers can place complaints and grievances in the website. As the grievances are
placed, a copy is sent to the email address of the consumer and to the transport
department of Delhi Government.
Aim of the website
To provide all information about Electric Vehicles to the users
To give a user – friendly experience in purchasing an electric vehicle
To encourage the public in buying electric vehicles
To provide current updated data on electric vehicles and charging points in Delhi
Way Forward
The Delhi Government is widening the use of electric vehicles rapidly. It had signed
agreements with CESL to build battery swapping stations and charging stations. These
stations are to be used to charge three, two and four wheelers. The battery swapping
facilities are to be installed in 14 locations. Each location will have six charging points.
Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura Statehood Day
Every year, the states of Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura celebrate their statehood day on
January 21. These states were formed under the North Eastern Region (Reorganization)
Act, 1971.
History
The princely states of Manipur and Tripura were joined with India in 1949. They were then
granted the union territory status. In 1972, Meghalaya and Tripura were granted complete
statehood. The states were formed under the North Eastern Region (Re-organization) Act,
1971.
Formation
In 1947, the north eastern region of India comprised of Assam plains, North Eastern
Frontier Tracts and hill districts. Later in 1949, the princely states of merged with
India. They were made as union territories. The state of Nagaland was formed in
1963.
In 1969, the Assam Reorganization (Meghalaya) Act was enacted. Under the act,
Meghalaya was carved out of Assam and was made an autonomous state. This was
done under the sixth schedule of Indian constitution.
In 1972, the North Eastern Reorganization act was enacted. It granted full statehood
to Meghalaya and Tripura. Also, under the act, the NEFA and Mizo hills of Assam
were made the union territories.
The Mizo Accord was signed in 1986. The state of Mizoram was created in 1987.
In 1987, NEFA, that is, Arunachal Pradesh was granted full statehood.
Tripura
The Hindu Bengali people are the major ethno – linguistic people in Tripura. 30% of the
Tripura population is made of scheduled tribes. Kokborok is the major ethnic language of
Tripura. Around 19 tribes speak the language. Climate of Tripura is tropical savannah.
Manipur
The other names of Manipur are Sanaleibak and Kangleipak. Manipur holds three
million populations. This includes Kuki, Meetei, Pangal and Naga.
In 1949, the Maharaja of Manipur Budhachandra signed the Treaty of Accession and
merged Manipur with India.
The main language of Manipur is Meetelion. It is also called Manipuri. They also
speak Sino – Tibetan languages.
Meghalaya
Meghalaya means “Abode of Clouds”. The districts of Assam namely Garo, Khasi and
Jaintia hills joined together to form Meghalaya. 70% of the state is covered by forest. The
state is the wettest region in India.
Rural Area Development Plan Formulation and Implementation (RADFI)
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj recently revised the Rural Area Development Plan
Formulation and Implementation. The plan has been revised to increase rural prosperity.
Need for the plan
The town areas are increasing. The spatial development in gram panchayats is not
planned well. The census towns are increasing. It is essential to link the agro – climatic
regions with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Aim of the Plan
The plan aims to improve spatial rural planning. It intends to transform the villages and
provide better quality of life. Also, it aims to implement effective land planning. The RADFI
includes the Village Planning Scheme, which is currently operating under the Town
Planning Schemes. The Village Planning Scheme is implemented in urban villages.
Objectives
The plan aims to increase ease of living in rural areas. Its main intention is to reduce their
migration towards the cities. The plan believes that the villagers will not move towards the
urban areas if the same facilities and infrastructure, opportunities for livelihood and
resources are available in villages.
Focus of the plan
The plan mainly focuses on the typology of villages. This includes disaster occurrence, hill
areas, urban – peri – urban areas, etc. It includes the land use patterns followed in the
village. It will focus on improving e – governance in villages through spatial management.
Significance
The scheme will increase the economy of the villages. This in turn will improve the socio –
economic development in rural areas. The scheme will supplement other schemes such as
RURBAN Mission and SVAMITVA scheme. The SVAMITVA Scheme is also implemented by
the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. The RURBAN Mission is implemented by the Ministry of
Rural Development.
What is the plan?
The leading institutions in the country will participate in implementing the plan. The
institutions will be supported by NIC and NRSC. Mostly architectural institutions have been
selected. These institutions will select two rural villages. They will then discuss with the
respective state governments.
Chinese bridge at Pangong Tso
Amid the ongoing standoff between India and China in eastern Ladakh, China is building
another bridge on the Pangong Tso. Construction of new bridge was spotted in satellite
images.
Location of the bridge
China is building the bridge near to friction points on north bank of Pangong Tso and
Chushul sub-sector on south bank. The bridge is around 400 m long and 8 m wide.
This bridge is being constructed at around 20 km east of Finger 8 on the north bank.
What is the issue?
In India’s perception, the Line of Actual Control lies at Finger 8.
Site of the bridge is within India’s claim line. However, this area has been under
Chinese control since 1958.
Pangong Tso is a 135-km-long landlocked lake. Around two-thirds part of the lake are
under Chinese control. This bridge is near the halfway mark.
Significance of the bridge and area
Finger 4 was one among the first friction areas in current standoff. It has seen frequent
clashes. Furthermore, banks of Pangong Tso lake were among most sensitive friction
points in May 2020. Troops and tanks faced each other a few hundred meter closer in
some places, until their disengagement in February 2021.
Why is this bridge important for China?
This bridge will help China in quick mobilisation of PLA troops between the two banks at
one of the narrowest points of the lake. The Kailash range is at about 35 km west of the
bridge site. As per sources, when India carried out this operation, Chinese troops were not
able to mobilise quickly. Now, this bridge will enable Chinese troops to simply cross over,
and reduce travel time to the Kailash range to 4 hours, from 12 hours.
India’s response
India has been monitoring the bridge construction activity closely. Since, this bride is
being constructed in areas that China has occupied illegally for 60 years now, government
has been taking necessary steps to ensure India’s security interests. India is also
upgrading and developing infrastructure along the northern border, including tunnels,
roads, all weather connectivity, additional bridges, strategic railway lines and storage
facilities for supplies. India has also been inducting additional troops. Infrastructure and
billeting facilities have been constructed for 25,000 additional troops in this area.
India-China Standoff
Though, several friction points have been resolved with disengagement of Indian as well
as Chinese troops from Patrolling Point (PP) 14 in Galwan Valley, PP17A near Gogra Post
and north & south banks of Pangong Tso. Currently, there is a platoon-sized strength of
troops from both side at PP15 in Hot Springs. China has been blocking Indian troops to
access its five traditional patrolling points in Depsang Plains namely, PP10, PP11, PP11A,
PP12 and PP13. In Demchok, civilians have pitched tents on Indian side of the LAC and are
refusing to vacate.
Delhi: Survey on Pandemic impact on students
Delhi government took a decision to conduct a large-scale survey in a bid to understand
the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the psychological and emotional behaviour of school
children.
Key Points
This study will be the fourth survey in the past two years, conducted by Delhi
government.
It will also focus on analysing the changes in parenting style, as well as psychological
& emotional state of parents, since children have spent most of their time with them,
during lockdown.
Apart from students and parents, survey will also analyse teacher’s aspect. Because,
they have also witnessed many changes in their routines and teaching styles.
How will this study help the Happiness Curriculum?
Happiness Curriculum was launched by Delhi government. Such classes have played a
significant role in maintaining mental and emotional wellbeing of students across
government schools. This study will further help in modifying the Happiness curriculum by
introducing new chapters, activities and stories. With some modification, students will be
able to learn how to be stress-free in challenging situations like covid-19 pandemic.
Happiness Curriculum
Happiness Curriculum was launched in July 2018. It was launched with the objective of
strengthening the foundations of happiness and well-being for all students. Under this
curriculum, a 35-minute class conducted every day. Classes are conducted for all students
in kindergarten to class 8 in 1,030 government schools of Delhi. The curriculum seeks to
promote development in cognition, literacy, language, arts, and numeracy besides
addressing the wellbeing and happiness of students.
Objective of Happiness Curriculum
The happiness Curriculum was launched with following objectives:
1. To develop self-awareness and mindfulness
2. To inculcate skills of critical thinking and inquire
3. To enable learners to communicate effectively and
4. To help learners in applying life skills to tackle stressful and conflicting situations
around them.
What is 'Operation Sajag'?
According to northwest district Delhi Police, number of police control room calls have
decreased by 24 per cent, after the launch of ‘Operation Sajag’.
Key Facts
As per police, since the launch of operation, 8006 criminals and anti-social elements,
including robbers and snatchers have been arrested.
Operation Sajag and other such effective policing methods implemented by police,
have led to sharp decline in PCR calls by 24 per cent.
Preventive action has surged by 47 per cent.
Street crime has declined by 33 per cent.
Operation Sajag
The Operation Sajag was launched on October 4, 2021, with the objective of curbing the
incidents of street crime. It was launched by northwest district Delhi Police The initiative
involves area domination exercises, intensive checking at pickets and special combings.
Under this operation, patrolling was also enhanced by adding more patrol bikes in the
area to control street crimes and apprehending criminals. The operation mainly focuses
on detection of source of fire-arms, illicit liquor, drugs, and stolen property.
Focus areas under the operation
The operation sajag focuses on dark and vulnerable stretches and highways namely, Ring
Road, Inner Ring Road and GT Karnal Road. It also focuses on slum and cluster areas,
along the railway lines, parks, market places, malls etc.
Strategies adopted under the operation
The strategies adopted under this operation include:
1. Comprehensive highway patrolling with special focus on night patrolling
2. Foot and group patrolling
3. Dynamic deployment with focus on specific areas
4. GPS-monitored vehicle patrolling
5. Installation of area domination booths
6. Permanent and surprise picketing
7. Outcome-oriented tasking of picket and
8. Patrolling staff.
UNSC 3-D Virtual Diplomacy
On January 20, 2022, members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) went on a
virtual field trip to Columbia, with the help of Virtual Reality (VR) technology.
3-D Virtual Diplomacy
On the virtual trip, they listen, watched and got insights into the peace process and
what it looks like in Columbia.
For the first time, UNSC in New York used VR technology in its security council
session.
This innovative solution will help in understanding conflicts, peacekeeping and
peace-building, in a better manner.
Digital diplomacy
Digital diplomacy is also dubbed as Digiplomacy and eDiplomacy. It is defined as use of
new information communication technologies and Internet to achieve diplomatic
objectives. It focuses on interplay between internet and diplomacy.

Virtual reality (VR)
Virtual reality is a simulated experience, which can be similar to or completely different
from the real world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment, education and
business-like virtual meetings. Other types of VR-style technology include- augmented
reality and mixed reality. It is an artificial and computer-generated simulation or
recreation of real-life situation or environment. VR is usually achieved by wearing a
headset such as Facebook’s Oculus equipped with the technology.
Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML)
VRML was first introduced in 1994. It was intended to develop “virtual worlds” without
dependency on headsets. Subsequently in 1997, Web3D consortium was founded, to
develop the industry standards for web-based 3D graphics.
United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
UNSC is among six principal organs of the United Nations (UN). It is charged with
ensuring international peace and security. It recommends the admission of new UN
members to the General Assembly as well as approve any changes to UN Charter.
Members of UNSC
UNSC comprises of fifteen members. Out of them, five are permanent members namely,
China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and United States of America. Permanent members
have veto power over any substantive resolution. Remaining ten members are elected on
a regional basis and serve for a term of two years. UNSC presidency also rotates monthly
among its members.
Arunachal Pradesh Infrastructure Financing Authority
The Arunachal Pradesh Government is to establish Arunachal Pradesh Infrastructure
Financing Authority. The decision was taken by the cabinet during the golden Jubilee
celebrations.
What celebrations?
The state of Arunachal Pradesh was created in 1972. And in 2022, it has been 50 years.
Thus, the state is celebrating its 50th anniversary. On the first day of the month long
celebrations, the cabinet made several decisions.
Cabinet decisions
To confer “Arunachal Ratna” award to Late K A A Raja. The award is one of the
highest state awards of Arunachal Pradesh. He was a former governor.
Financial assistance to 500 self help groups. They are to be provided with one lakh
rupees each.
Three hundred primary level federations will receive two lakh rupees each
District Level Good Governance Index is to be formulated
Selecting fifty schools to develop as the “Golden Jubilee Model Schools”. Rs 12 crores
of financial assistance per school has been estimated for this project. In all the model
school project will receive 500 crores of rupees.
365 infrastructure projects are to be inaugurated and completed between 2022 and
2023.
Golden Jubilee Merit Award for students competing in class 12 and entering premier
institutions such as IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, etc.
Additional 5000 rupees over the existing 20,000 rupees for the “Dulhari Kanya
Scheme”.
About the Financing Authority
The authority will look after the development needs of the state. It will work towards all
round development of the state and also will focus on improving the ease of living of the
locals.
Arunachal Pradesh Statehood Day
The previous North East Frontier Agency was named Arunachal Pradesh on January 20,
1972. It was made a union territory. It was made a state in 1987. Three options were
considered while naming the state. They are Brahma Mandal, Udayanchal and Arunachal.
Arunachal was chosen. Arunachal Pradesh means “Land of rising sun”. It is bounded by
China, Myanmar, Bhutan, Assam and Nagaland. It shares its borders with three countries.
Hologram Statue of Netaji
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to unveil a hologram statue of Netaji Subhash
Chandra Bose near India Gate in Delhi. The statue is to be unveiled on Netaji’s 125th birth
anniversary. His birth anniversary falls on January 23rd.
About the statue
The statue is powered by 4k projectors, capable of delivering 30,000 lumens of brightness
value. The cost of these projectors is around 15 lakh rupees. Their projection capacity is 13
by 13 feet. The statue is 6 feet wide and 28 feet tall. Apart from projector, the technology
also demands a screen. The screen is invisible to the visitors.
What is hologram?
The hologram technology projects an image. The image is projected is such a way that, it
looks so realistic. Also, the image appears 3D.
Applications of Hologram
To make telecommunication calls using 5G
In the field of education, depicting the working of a machine or a human organ
In musical shows
To save victims trapped under collapsed buildings
In marketing and sales
Netaji’s statue at England’s King place
The hologram statue is to be placed at the spot where once the statue of King George V of
England stood. The statue was removed in 1968.
Parakram Divas
The birth anniversary of Netaji is celebrated as Parakram Divas. It is celebrated on January
23. It was celebrated for the first time in 2021. Netaji birthday is an official holiday in
Tripura, Assam, Jharkhand, West Bengal.
Ahead of Republic Day
The entire Rajpath is decorated with Kala Kumbh art. The eternal flame called the Amar
Jawan Jyoti is being put out. It is merged with the torch at the National War Memorial. This
memorial was created in 2019. Amar Jawan Jyoti was built after Indo – Pakistani War, 1971.
It was built to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in the war.
January 23, 2022
COVID: AIIMS Study on Children
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, AIIMS recently conducted a study on children
suffering from COVID-19. According to the study, adolescents suffered from lower
mortality and lesser symptoms as compared to the adults.
Key findings
1% of the adolescents suffer from moderate COVID-19 disease. 84.6% suffered from
mild COVID-19. 11.5% suffered from body aches. 14.9% of the children suffered from
fever and cough. 6.3% suffered from severe COVID-19 disease. 6.2% of the children
faced breathing difficulties.
The study also said that 50.7% of the adults suffered from breathlessness during the
second wave. 7.3% of the children were in need of oxygen support. 2.3% required
invasive ventilation. 2.8% wanted non – invasive ventilation. Invasive ventilation is
pressure delivered through endotracheal tube. Non – Invasive ventilation is the
oxygen support provided by face mask.
1% of the children were medicated with steroids. 16.9% of the children were given
with Remdesivir.
Currently, the in – hospital death rates of children in the age of 15 years to 17 years is
3.1%. During the second wave, it was 19.1%. This shows that the in – hospital
mortality rates in children has decreased as compared to that of second wave.
Why was the study conducted?
Children of the age group 15 years to 17 years are being vaccinated since January 3, 2022.
And doctors wanted to study the COVID profile of these children before the vaccination
programme begins.
MIS – C
MIS – C is a multisystem inflammatory syndrome. It is condition, where antibodies turn
violent and attack human body. MIS – C has been observed in children. 12 out of 10,000
COVID-19 infected children suffered from MIS – C. The MIS – C condition develops in four
to six weeks after the children recover from COVID-19.
Other observations
The children suffering from organ cancers are likely to develop moderate to severe
disease.
Way forward
India should focus more on creating paediatric infrastructure.
Delhi Streetscraping Project
The Delhi Government is to begin a redeveloping, streetscaping and beautification project.
Around 540 km of roads in the national capital are to be beautified.

About the project
Under the project, the roads in the country capital will be redeveloped to European
standards, that is, 30 metres or above. Also, the project will make the roads safe for
the pedestrians.
The project will make the roads balanced for the transit vehicles, cyclists and
pedestrians.
The project is to be implemented in Hybrid Annuity Mode. It is to be implemented by
the Public Welfare Department of Delhi.
The government will pay 60% of the project cost to the agencies implementing the
project. The rest is to be paid in thirty bi – annual instalments in hybrid annual mode.
Also, the agencies will look after the maintenance of these roads.
What is the plan?
The Public Welfare Department of Delhi has appointed nine consultants. These
consultants will advise the government on streetscaping. Also, the consultants will analyse
the data, study the traffic patterns and will frame solutions. Also, they will make sure the
roads are sustainable and lay within equitable spaces.
Why is the project launched?
According to the Centre for Science and Environment, the national capital faces highest
number of fatal accidents. On an average, five deaths occur in Delhi due to road accidents
in a day. This is mainly because the road width is irregular all over the city. Also, in some
places the extra spaces along the road sides are not utilised properly.
Significance
Each road in the capital is unique and different. The project will realign the roads. It will
provide equal space for pedestrians. All the Delhi roads will have special lanes for cycles
under the project. Also the project will allocate spaces for toilets, water coolers, green
spaces, rainwater harvesting systems, libraries, street furniture, e – rickshaw and last mile
connectivity.
What is Five-alarm global fire?
The United Nations recently announced that the world is to face five major risks in 2022.
These risks are referred to five – alarm global fire. The five alarms are COVID-19,
lawlessness in cyberspace, climate crisis, bankrupt global financial system and diminished
peace and security.
What is the solution?
The UN has suggested that in order to prevent or reduce these risks, the countries
should go into emergency mode. Also, they should go into emergency mode.
“Avalanche action” is the need of the moment to tackle climate crisis. The global
emissions should be reduced by 45% by the end of the decade.
Current Scenario
According to the United Nations, the pandemic favours the rich and is punishing the
poor. The global financial system is bankrupt. Actually, a good reliable and strong
financial system should support countries through their financial shocks.

Unfortunately, this is not happening now. Lopsided investments are being made.
This is leading to lopsided recovery. Lopsided means one side is bigger and the other
is smaller.
There is a need to expand internet access. More than three billion people are still
offline, that is, do not have the access to internet.
The world governments should take immediate actions to data misuse, cybercrime
and misinformation.
The middle income countries are denied of debt relief. The poorer countries are
facing slowest growths or no growth at all.
The women and the girls form the major part of the poor in the world.
The poor and middle income countries are facing forced migration.
The personal information is being misused and manipulated all over the world.
There is huge violation of human rights and undermining of democratic institutions.
Climate Crisis
The world is completely off track in limiting the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Paris agreement signed in 2015 aimed to reduce the global temperature rise to 1.5
degrees Celsius as compared to the pre – industrial levels.
Mangaluru Plastic Park
The Central Government recently approved to build a plastic park at Ganjimutt,
Managaluru, Karnataka. The park will be created at Rs 62.77 crores. It is to be built by the
Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) land.
Fund allocation
Of the total estimated cost of 62.77 crores of rupees, the union government will share
50%, that is, 31.38 crores of rupees. The rest of the 50% is to be borne by the KIADB.
What is the plan?
The KIADB will be create a special purpose vehicle under its purview to implement the
project. Also, KIADB is the major promoter.
Ifs and Buts in the project
The Central Government, that is, the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has set a criteria
in the project implementation. If the project is not completed within three months, the
resources allocated will be re – allocate to other deserving projects.
About the Plastic park
The park is to generate hundreds of employment for the local youths.
A poly propylene unit is to be set up in the park. This unit will provide raw materials
to the polymer and plastic units inside the park. Polypropylene is a thermoplastic
polymer. It is mainly used in plastic packaging.
Also, the park will help reduce transport costs. This is because, 32 companies are to
be established within the park. This includes entrepreneurs from other districts as
well.
The park will include admin building, export building, warehouse facility, etc.
Plastic Park Scheme
The plastic parks are industrial zones. They play a key role in the growth of machinery
supplies and plastic manufacturing, plastic recycling and plastic processing companies.
The plastic parks have so far been created in Tamont village in Madhya Pradesh, Billaua
village in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Pradeep village near Jagatsinghpur in Odisha,
Gellapukhuri in Assam, Devipur in Jharkhand, Voyallur in Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu.
Need for plastic parks
India’s share in global plastic exports I just 1%. The Indian plastic industry is big. However,
it is highly fragmented. The plastic parks will help to consolidate the industry.
January 24, 2022
NASSCOM Study on Start-ups
NASSCOM is National Association of Software and Service Companies. It is a non –
governmental organization and it works to expand IT sector of India. According to a
recent study of NASSCOM, the startup ecosystem in India has increased twice. Between
2020 and 2021, the startup industry of the country has grown to 330 billion USD.
What does the study say?
2021 was a breakthrough year for the startups. Around 65,000 startups created 6.6
lakh direct jobs and 34.1 lakh indirect jobs between 2020 and 2021. Most of the new
jobs were brought in by the industries in the field of retail, EdTech, BFSI, Retail Tech,
SCM and Logistics, Food Tech and mobility.
The number of value deals increased by three times. The increase in number was
highly evident in deals that were greater than 100 million USD.
There is readiness to take risks among the startups. The investor confidence has
increased.
50% of the deals signed had investors from India.
In terms of deals, the numbers increased by three times.
Inference
The performance of the startups proves that the dedication put in. The number of
unicorns has increased. Unicorns are startups whose value is greater than one billion USD.
The future of Indian startups is bright in 2022.
Study about the Unicorns
Around 42 unicorns have evolved in 18 sectors in 2021 alone. This is the third highest in
the world after USA and China. The unicorns alone added 90 billion USD. Between 2015
and 2021, the unicorns have increased by six times.
Big Corporates
More than 260 corporates participated in the development of Startups. The corporates are
building open innovation programmes.
International
The Indian startup growth in US, UK, China and Israel has been the highest in terms of
seed, deals, number of startups and late – stage funding.
Title of the study: “Indian Tech Startups Ecosystem: Year of the Titans”
NASSCOM
It is a non – governmental trade group. It was established in 1988.
Meghalaya Living Root Bridges
A living root bridge is suspension bridge across small streams. They are built using living
plant roots. These root bridges are common in Meghalaya. They are hand made. They are
built using rubber of fig trees. They are built by the local Jaintia and Khasi people.
Recently, the India has sought UNESCO World Heritage Tag for these bridges.
Key Facts about Living Root Bridges
The bridges are locally called jingjieng jri. These bridges are 50 metres to 1150 metres
above the sea level. Their maximum length is around 50 metres. Their width is around 1.5
metres. They are strong to stand for 500 years! The bridges are healthy as long as the
trees from which the bridges are made are healthy.
Root Bridges in other regions
Root bridges are also built by the Nagaland people. Also, the root bridges are built by
Baduy people of Java.
How is the living root bridges built?
These bridges are formed by guiding the roots of Ficus elastic across a stream or
creek. These roots then grow and strengthen over time.
The young roots are twisted and tied together to form these bridges. The people use
the process of inosculation to bind the roots together. Inosculation is growing the
trunks and roots of two or more trees together.
Ficus elatica
This is the most common tree that is used in the living root bridge building. It is nothing
but Indian rubber tree. It is common in US, Sri Lanka and west Indies.
Double decker
The double decker living root village is found near the Rangthylliang village. The living
root bridge of Nongriat is also a double decker bridge. The Nongriat bridge is for its wide
span and two lanes.
Areca palm trunks
The trunks of areca nut palms are first hollowed. Then the roots are allowed to pass
through these trunks. Beetle tree trunks are also used for this purpose. The trunks are
used to guide the roots. They also provide them nutrients.
Airstrikes in Yemen
The Saudi – led coalition recently conducted airstrikes in Yemen. More than hundred
people were killed during the attack.
About the airstrikes
The airstrikes were conducted in Saada of Yemen. The Saada region has a strong hold of
Houthis. The attack was a response to the Houthis attack on UAE.
What is the issue?
The Yemen crisis traces back to 2011. An uprising in Yemen forced the then President Ali
Abdullah Saleh to resign in 2011. Also, he was forced to hand over his powers to
Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. Hadi couldn’t handle the infiltration of terrorists, separatist
movement and attacks by the jihadists. Eventually unemployment, corruption and food
insecurity in the country increased.
The Houthi Movement took advantage of the political instability. The Houthi movement is
led by the Shia Muslims. They are minorities in the country. They captured Saada province
and slowly started moving southwards. Even the Sunnis and other ordinary Yemenis
started supporting Shias. The Houthis slowly took over Sanaa, the capital of Yemen.
Saudi – led coalition
Saudi Arabia and the eight other Arab states are Sunni regions. The US, UK and France
supported Saudi. These countries are fighting against the Houthis and are referred to as
Saudi led coalition. Iran is a Shia country and therefore supports the Houthis.
What is the recent issue?
In January 2022, the Houthi rebels attacked UAE with a drone. This caused multiple
explosions in UAE. The Saudi – led coalition has conducted airstrikes in response to this
attack.
Zaydis
The Houthis are actually Zaydis Shias. The Zaydis follow the oldest Islamic principle. The
Zaydis were highly powerful in Yemen for decades. However, their dominance ended in
1962 when Egypt overthrew their monarchy.
Concern of Saudi Arabia
The Houthis are backed by Iran. Iran supplies arms and weapons to Houthis. Saudi Arabia
seed Houthis as Iranian proxies.
Adi Badri Dam
On January 21, 2022, governments of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh signed an
agreement to build a dam at Adi Badri in Yamunanagar district.
About Adi Badri Dam
The Dam will rejuvenate the mythical Saraswati River.
It is situated in Haryana near Himachal Pradesh border.
The place is considered as river’s origin point.
With the rejuvenation of Saraswati River, religious beliefs will also be revived.
The area will also be developed as a pilgrimage site.
The Dam will be built on 31.66 hectares of land in Himachal Pradesh. It has a width of
101.06 metres and height 20.5 metres.
Total cost of the project is Rs 215.33 crore.
Dam at Adi Badri will also get water from the Somb river, which falls in Yamuna River
near Adi Badri in Yamunanagar.
Water Share
The dam will have the capacity of 224.58-hectare metres of water every year. Out of it,
Himachal Pradesh and Haryana will get 61.88-hectare metres of water while remaining will
flow into the Saraswati River.
Objective of the project
The Adi Badti Dam will be built with the objective of reviving the Saraswati River and to
increase ground water level. Dam will also help in dealing with the flood situation arising
out of excessive rainfall. A lake is also being built near the dam, which in turn will promote
tourism.
Background
Research on revival of Saraswati River had started in 1986-87. Research started from Adi
Badri in Yamunanagar and reached till Kutch.
Who is conducting the research?
Research on the Saraswati River is being conducted by Kurukshetra University and
Haryana Saraswati Heritage Development Board.
Sarasvati River
Sarasvati is a deified river mentioned in the Rig Veda as well as in later Vedic and post-
Vedic texts. The river played a significant role in Vedic religion. It is considered as a great
and holy river in north-western India. It originated from Kapal Tirith in the Himalayas,
flowed towards Mansarovar and then turned towards the west. It used to flow through
Haryana, Rajasthan and North Gujarat. It also flowed through Pakistan and finally met the
Western Sea through the Rann of Kutch. The river was approximately 4,000 km in length.
Indian Environment Service
On January 21, 2021, the Supreme Court asked the Centre whether it was planning a
dedicated Indian Environment Service in India’s bureaucratic set-up.
Highlights
In 2014, a committee headed by former Cabinet secretary TSR Subramanian had
recommended to set up Indian Environment Service.
Petition was filed by a lawyer Samar Vijay Singh, for the creation of an independent
Indian Environment Services at all-India level.
However, prima facie it is doubtful if a mandamus can be issued. Though, an enquiry
can be made on whether the government proposes to follow the recommendation of
TSR Subramanian committee.
TSR Subramanian committee
The TSR Subramanian committee was constituted in August 2014, under the chairmanship
of Subramanian. It was constituted by the ministry of environment, forests and climate
change for reviewing environmental laws in India as well as for bringing them in line with
the current requirements. Committee had submitted report on November 18, 2014.
Committee recorded that, India had a strong environmental policy and legislative
framework however, it has been weakly implemented. Weak implementation has resulted
in criticism of environmental governance by conservation experts and the judiciary.
Indian Environment Service
Committee had recommended to set up an Indian Environment Service, as an all-India
Service. It can be created on the basis of qualifications and other details prescribed by
MoEF&CC or DoPT or UPSC. The committee also proposed for creation of necessary
institutional framework for this purpose.

Who deals with environment clearances?
Currently, officers from all India civil services, conducted by UPSC, deals with environment
clearances and policies.
What is the issue with present approval systems?
As per report, present approval systems and monitoring mechanism led to sub-optimal
management of environmental issues. Thus, committee proposed to create an All-India
Service, which will act as an expert group for man positions in this field across public and
quasi-governmental sectors.
Earth's sixth mass extinction
As per a report published in Biological Reviews, Sixth Mass Extinction crisis is underway on
the Planet Earth. It could have already lost around 13 percent of its total species.
Mass extinction on Earth
In the past Earth has witnessed five mass extinctions. The last mass extinction was about
65 million years, that wiped out the dinosaurs.
Highlights
Earth is witnessing a drastic increased rates of species extinctions and declined
abundances of many animal and plant populations. Despite that, experts deny that
these phenomena amount to mass extinction.
They deny on the basis of a highly biased assessment of the crisis, focusing on
mammals and birds. However, the assessment ignores invertebrates, which
constitute the majority of biodiversity.
Study findings
The team studied molluscs viz., land snails and slugs, which is the second-largest
phylum among known species.
As per IUCN Red List data, molluscs have suffered a higher rate of extinction as
compared to birds and mammals.
Invertebrates comprise of around 95 per cent of known animal species. Thus, it is
essential to include them in biodiversity extinction estimate.
But among the 1.5 million described species of invertebrates, only around 2 per cent
have been fully evaluated.
According to the team, since 1500 around 1,50,000 to 2,60,000 of all the known
species have gone extinct. But in IUCN list, only 882 species are listed as extinct.
Views on Human
The paper is of the view that, “humans are the only species that are able to manipulate
Planet Earth on a grand scale. Humans have allowed the current crisis to happen.”
Earth’s sixth mass extinction
The Holocene extinction is referred to as “sixth mass extinction” or Anthropocene
extinction. It is an ongoing extinction event of species during present Holocene epoch
because of human activity. The included extinctions span several families of fungi,
bacteria, plants and animals, including mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, amphibians, and
invertebrates. Current rate of extinction is estimated at 100 to 1,000 times higher as

compared to natural background extinction rates.
SC Judgement on Inheritance of Daughters
In a significant verdict Supreme Court recently declared that; daughters will be entitled to
inherit the properties of the father.
Key Facts
The apex court pronounced that, daughters of a male Hindu, dying intestate, will be
entitled to inherit the self-acquired and other properties obtained in partition by the
father.
Daughters will also get preference over other collateral members in the family.
As per court, if a property of a male Hindu dying intestate (without a will) is a self-
acquired property or it has been obtained in the partition of a coparcenary or a
family property, it would devolve by inheritance and not by survivorship. The
daughter would be entitled to inherit such property.
Right of a widow or daughter to inherit the self-acquired property or share received
in partition of a coparcenary property of a Hindu male dying intestate is well
recognized under old customary Hindu Law as well as by several judicial
pronouncements.
Background
This Judgement came on a petition filed appeal against the Madras High Court verdict,
which dealt with the property rights of Hindu women and widows in accordance with the
Hindu Succession Act. Court was dealing with the legal issue related to right of the
daughter to inherit self-acquired property of her father, in the absence of any other legal
heir.
Act dealing with this provision
Section 14 (I) of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 converted all limited estates owned by
women into absolute estates. The succession of these properties would take place, in the
absence of a will or testament in line with Section 15 of the Act. The main aim of the
legislature in enacting section 15(2) of the act is to ensure that, inherited property of a
female Hindu dying intestate and issueless goes to the source.
Hindu Succession Act, 1956
The Act was enacted to amend and codify law related to intestate or unwilled succession,
among Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs. The Act put forward a uniform and
comprehensive system of inheritance and succession into one Act. The act abolished the
limited estate of Hindu woman.
Shortage of Lithium for EV batteries
Recently, the Serbian Government cancelled licenses for a major lithium project, which is
owned by Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto Plc.
Highlights
Lithium is in hot demand because of rapidly growing production of electric vehicles,
which use lithium-ion batteries.
However, there is a global supply shortage of lithium, with western countries are
fighting to bring on new mines in a bid to compete with China.
How is lithium Produced?
Currently, Lithium is produced from hard rock or brine mines. Australia is the world’s
biggest supplier, producing from hard rock mines. On the other hand, countries like
Argentina, Chile, and China mainly produce lithium from salt lakes. In December 2021,
total global production was forecast at 485,000 tonnes, increasing to 615000 tonnes in
2022 and 821000 tonnes in 2023.
Prices of Lithium
Lithium carbonate prices have reached to record highs in past year because of strong
demand from Chinese battery makers. According to global top 10 producer Allkem, price
is expected to jump to around Rs. 15 lakh per tonne by June 2022, around 80% more than
half-year to December 2021.
Which is the World’s biggest mine?
Talison Lithium, which is a joint venture of IGO, Tianqi Lithium, and Albemarle is
world’s biggest mine. Present production capacity of this mine is 1.34 million tonnes
per year of chemical-grade and technical-grade lithium concentrate.
Pilgangoora in Western Australia, which is owned by Pilbara Minerals, is expected to
produced 400,000-450,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate in June 2022.
Mt Cattlin in Western Australia, produced 230,065 tonnes of spodumene concentrate
in 2021.
Mibra in Brazil, is producing 90,000 tonnes per year of spodumene.
Lithium
Lithium is a chemical element, having symbol Li and atomic number 3. It is a soft and
silvery-white alkali metal. It is the least dense metal and least dense solid element. It is
highly reactive and flammable. It must be stored in vacuum, inert atmosphere or inert
liquid like purified kerosene or mineral oil. It also exhibits a metallic lustre.
Twitter: NFT Profile Picture feature
On January 21, 2022. Twitter announced a new way for users to authenticate their profile
pictures, which is fuelled by non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Key Points
It is significant for NFT owners who have been uploading their digital assets as
profile pictures in jpeg format.
Twitter will now enable users to link any NFT they own to their Twitter account.
It will show authentic NFT profile pictures, with a new hexagon-shaped mask, as a
proof of authenticity.
What are NFTs?
NFTs are digital assets, which can be in the form of art, music, GIF, short videos, and even
profile picture can be turned into an NFT. NFT is stored on a blockchain, which is a digital
database and is publicly accessible.
Background
Twitter had first released its plan to announce NFT profile images in September 2021.
How is the announcement significant?
Though, this is not the first-time that crypto enthusiasts will use NFT as profile pictures on
Twitter. Recently, popular rap artist Eminem changed his profile picture to a BAYC NFT,
owned by him. However, there has been concerns about the durability of ownership of
these digital assets. But recent decision by Twitter is significant because, Twitter is
changing this forever. Users owning an NFT will get a new hexagonal border on their
profile pictures. Thus, if any right-clicker tries to use someone’s NFT as their profile picture
without buying the NFT first, they will still be able to use the image. But they will be stuck
with classic circle frame.
How once can get an NFT profile pic?
First condition to get an NFT profile picture is a crypto wallet. Crypto wallets allow to hold
and transact with tokens owned by public wallet address. It includes NFTs which are a type
of token. To set up an NFT profile picture, person will need to connect his Twitter account
to a crypto wallet holding the NFT. When person will connect with the supported crypto
wallet to Twitter, Twitter will generate a verification request message for person’s wallet
address. In message, person will be asked to complete a signing request that will include
person’s Twitter handle.
Wallets supported by twitter
Presently, Twitter supports Argent, Ledger Live, Coinbase Wallet, Rainbow, MetaMask, and
Trust Wallet only.
South Bengal Elephant Corridors
The fragmented and patchy forests in south Bengal have become one of the hotspots of
human-elephant conflict in India. It has resulted in loss of lives of humans as well as
pachyderms.
Highlights
Conflict often led to law-and-order problems.
In November 2021, around 50 elephants came within 5 km of east Burdwan town.
This incident prompted the district administration to impose prohibit orders across
some gram panchayats in the region.
Death Toll
In between 2014 and 2019, around 2,381 human deaths were recorded in elephant attacks
across India. Out of these, 403 were reported from West Bengal, accounting for 16 per
cent of the total death. West Bengal is home to less than 3% of the elephant population. It
has recorded a high death count of pachyderms in conflicts.
Restoration of elephant corridors
Minimising elephant-human conflict is pressing need of this region. So, wildlife experts
and organisations have now taken up task to undertake ecological restoration of elephant
corridors in the south Bengal region. Degradation of forest has not started because of
increased agricultural activities in this region but also because of participatory joint forest
management like community forestry. Thus, an ecologist from Uttarayan Wildlife, Diya
Banerjee, has been leading the five-year restoration project. The project aims to create a
balanced ecosystem, so that humans and animals can coexist in line with the United
Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
What is Elephant Corridor?
Elephant corridor is a narrow strip of land, which connects two large habitats of elephants.
It is significant for reducing animal fatalities because of accidents and other reasons. Thus,
fragmentation of forests makes the corridor more significant to preserve migratory
corridors.
What is the need of protecting elephant corridors?
There is a need of protecting elephant corridors, because movement of elephants is
essential for ensuring that their populations are genetically viable. It also helps in
regenerating forests on which other species depend. As per data, around 40% of elephant
reserves are vulnerable, because they are not within protected parks and sanctuaries.
Japan's Renkoji Temple offer
A new translation of a letter to the Indian Government in 2005, written by chief priest of
Tokyo’s Renkoji temple in Japanese language, reveals that Justice MK Mukherjee was given
permission to conduct DNA test of ashes and bone fragments, which is believed to be of
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Key Points
In the past, the letter was not translated and a bland edited English version was
attached to the Mukherjee Commission’s report, for inexplicable reasons.
Mukherjee Commission was appointed on the disappearance of Bose as evidence.
Commission could not proceed further because of the issue of DNA tests.
Commission later concluded that, ashes were not of Bose, giving acceptance to
speculations that he may have survived to become an prisoner or ascetic in a Russian
prison.
Fresh Translation
According to Madhuri Bose, grand-daughter of his brother Sarat Bose, a fresh translation
was done, after inconsistencies were found in the Mukherjee Commission report. With
fresh translation, it was found that several paragraphs in the letter written in Japanese are
missing from official English version in Justice Mukherjee Inquiry Report.
Report of Mukherjee Commission
Mukherjee Commission had tabled its report in Parliament in 2006. Report had concluded
that Bose did not die in the plane crash, as alleged by eye-witnesses. Furthermore, ashes
in the Japanese temple were not of Netaji. As per Eye-witnesses, including Col Habib-Ur-
Rahman of the INA, Bose died in August 1945, in a plane crash in Taipei.
Renko-ji
It is a Buddhist temple in Tokyo city of Japan. It is believed to be the purported location of
ashes of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, who was an Indian freedom-fighter. The ashes have
been preserved since September 18, 1945. The small, well-preserved temple was
constructed in 1594. It was inspired by the God of Wealth and Happiness. The temple
belongs to the Nichiren sect of Buddhism, which believe that human salvation lies only in
Lotus Sutra.
Kirbati Island: Maiden COVID Cases
Kirbati is one of the most isolated islands in the world. It is located in Pacific Ocean, at
4,800 kimlometres from North America. So far Kirbati had recorded only two COVID-19
cases. Recently, Kirbati is facing community transmission.
What happened?
The island has been following strict travel measures. The first international flight to the
island in ten months had COVID-19 infected travellers. Around 36 people in the flight have
been tested positive. The flight came from Fiji. Kirbati entered into lock down with fresh
guidelines after the detections.
Kirbati
It is an independent island country. Half of the population lives in Tarawa atoll. There are
32 atolls in the country. South Tarawa is the capital of Kirbati.
International Date Line and Kirbati
The International Date Line goes around Kirbati. This places the islands in the most
advanced time zones of the earth, which is UTC+14.
Independence
Kirbati was a colony of the Britishers. It gained independence from the UK in 1979. Before
independence Kibarti was exporting phosphates. However, the current government has
stopped this. Kirbati is one of the least developed countries in the world.
Member of international bodies
Kirbati is a member of IMF, Pacific community, common wealth of nations, World Bank.
Kirbati is highly vulnerable to climate change. And therefore, it is a member of Alliance of
Small Island States.
Kiritimati in Kirbati
The Kiritimati is the world largest atoll and is located in Kirbati.
Environmental issues
The Tarawa, Tebua and abanuea islets of Kirbati disappeared under water in 1999. This
was mainly due to increasing sea level. The further increase in sea level will lead to soil
salination. The La Nina and El Nino climate phenomenon have huge impact on Kirbati
islands. It submerges the low lying lands of the country. The Cyclones damage the coastal
infrastructure and also destroy the sea walls.
Ramisyllis kingghidorahi: New Species of Branching Worm
The marine biologists recently described the third species of syllid worm. It was named as
Ramisyllis kingghidorahi. The species was found in shallow waters of Sado island in Japan.
It was found inside the sponges.
About the new species
The newly discovered species is type of branching worm.
With this, three branching worms are known to humans. The other two are Ramisyllis
multicaudata and Syllis ramosa. The R. multicaudata was identified in 2012.

Name reason
The speices has been named after King Ghidorah, a fictitious character. Ghidorah is a two
tailed and three headed monster enemy of Godzilla.
Features of the new species
The new species has regenerative capacity. The worms live inside the sponges. And
the relation between the sponges and these worms is still a mystery to the scientists.
The worm is capable of budding terminally, laterally and wherever the broken
surface occurs.
The worm has an asymmetrical body.
It is not visible to naked eye.
The body is fragile and breaks easily.
Just like R multicudata, this species also has two pairs of eyes, three antennae, two
pairs of tentacular cirri and a pair of palps.
The head of all the three species is hidden deep inside the sponge.
Ramisyllis multicudata
It was first discovered in 2006 and was described in 2012. The worm is still a wonder to the
scientists. The scientists are not able to decipher how the worm gets enough
nourishment.
Annelid
These branching worms belong to the class of annelids. They are segmented. Each
segment has a set of organs.
Banking on electric Vehicles in India Report
The NITI Aayog has suggested including electric vehicles in the priority sector of lending
guidelines of RBI. This will give a push to retail lending of electric vehicles. According to
the report released by NITI Aayog, the financing market size of electric vehicles is to
increase to Rs 40,000 crores by 2025. And it is to increase to Rs 3.7 lakh crores by 2030.
What does the NITI Aayog report say?
RBI shall consider electric vehicle segments and use cases based on five parameters.
They are stakeholder acceptability, techno – economic viability, scalability, generation
potential, livelihood and socio – economic potential.
The report suggests to focus on electric two wheelers, commercial four wheelers and
electric three wheelers.
It suggests the Ministry of Finance to consider the electric vehicle sector as an
infrastructure sub sector.
The other ministries should be pulled into the Electric Vehicle sector in the future.
Current Issues
The buyers are not able to access low – interest rates because of long loan tenures. This is
mainly because the bankers are worried about the resale value of these products and
product quality.
Significance
Adding the EVs to priority sector, will fast track India’s transition towards electric vehicles.
This in turn will help India will achieve its 2070 climate goals.
What is priority sector lending?
The sectors that are considered important for the development of country are listed as
priority sector lending. They are usually referred by the RBI and the Government of India.
Such sectors receive higher priority in terms of fund allocation, scheme implementation
and in other administrative works as well.
How will the suggestion help to boost electric vehicles?
By listing electric vehicles in priority sector lending, they will receive better credit
penetration. Also, it will increase lending to small and medium scale industries working
around the sector. Also, it will increase employment opportunities in the country.
Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar
The Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management (GIDM) as well as Sikkim State Disaster
Management Authority’s Vice Chairman Vinod Sharma received the “Subhas Chandra
Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2022”.
Key Points
Both were presented award for their excellent work in disaster management.
GIDM was selected in the Institutional category while, Vinod Sharma was named in
individual category.
They received the award, along with the awardees of 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Who will present the award?
Award was presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the investiture ceremony,
which was held on January 23, 2022 to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji
Subhas Chandra Bose.
Subhas Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar
This is an annual award, instituted by central government. The award recognises and
honour the invaluable contribution and selfless service rendered by organisations and
individuals in India in the field of disaster management. Award is announced on January
23, every year, on the occasion of birth anniversary of freedom fighter Netaji Subhas
Chandra Bose. In case of an institution, the award comprises of a cash prize of Rs 51 lakh
as well a certificate while in case of an individual, it contains Rs 5 lakh and a certificate.
Nomination for the award
For the award in 2022, the nominations were started from July 1, 2021 onwards. 243 valid
nominations were received this year, from institutions and individuals.
Why was GIDM selected?
The GIDM was established in 2012. Since its establishment, the institution has been
working to enhance the disaster risk reduction (DRR) capacity in Gujarat. Under
strategically designed capacity building programs, GIDM has trained about 12,000
professionals on diverse issues related to multi-hazard risk management and reduction
during the pandemic. Some recent initiatives by GIDM include- development of a “user-
friendly Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal” and “Mobile App Technology based
Advanced Covid-19 Syndromic Surveillance (ACSyS) system”. ACSyS system was developed
to complement Covid-19 surveillance efforts.
Why was Vinay Sharma selected?
Vinay Sharma is a senior professor at Indian Institute of Public Administration and vice-
chairman of Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority. He was the founder coordinator
of the National Centre of Disaster Management, which is now known as National Institute
of Disaster Management. He worked for bringing disaster risk reduction (DRR) to the
forefront of national agenda, which gave him international recognition. He is a resource
person to Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) as well as all
Administrative Training Institutes (ATIs) for disaster management.
Community Transmission of Omicron
The Genome Consortium INSACOG recently announced that Omicron is at the
“Community Transmission” stage in India. The ICT admissions and hospitalisation of
patients are increasing. The Omicron has become dominant in metros though the
infections are asymptomatic and mild.
Community Transmission
According to the World Health Organization, the community transmission occurs when
larger outbreaks of local transmission occur. The community transmission cannot be
linked to increasing positive tests in a region, transmission chains or large number of
cases in sentinel labs surveillance. Sentinel labs are those labs that are testing respiratory
samples as a standard routine.
Community Transmission in simple terms
Usually, the infection of a COVID-19 patient is traceable. His or her infection is either
linked to the travel history of the person. When the source of infection of large number of
people in a particular region is not traceable, it is called community transmission.
Community Transmission in other parts of the world
It has confirmed that UK, USA, Indonesia and Australia had faced community
transmission. The bird flu and influenza has spread through community transmission in
the past. In 2009, the H1N1, commonly known as Swine flu spread through community
transmission.
History
So far, the Health Ministry has not used the term community transmission. During the
second wave that was fuelled by the Delta variant, there had been local outbreaks.
However, the outbreak pattern was different in different regions. With the third wave
being powered by Omicron, the spread is violent. IIT Madras study says that Omicron can
peak in a fortnight.
Positive findings: R – naught value of the virus
Some researchers believe that the R – naught value of the virus is falling. It denotes the
virus reproduction. The R – naught is the reproduction value of the virus. Its number has
reduced to 1.57.
S – Gene drop out
The S – gene drop out based screening of Omicron is giving false results. The S gene is not
present in Omicron. The S – gene is the surface protein found in spike protein of COVID-19
virus.
Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar
Ahead of Republic Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually interacted with the
awardees of Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) on January 24, 2022, amid
covid-19 pandemic.
Highlights
Prime Minister also awarded them certificates digitally using block chain technology.
The technology was used for the first time to give certificates to awardees.
He called these children inspiration for whole society and asked them to work by
keeping in mind how their work can help the country.
How many awardee’s received the certificate?
29 children, including 14 girls, were awarded with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal
Puraskar (PMRBP). They were awarded in six fields namely, innovation, sports, scholastic
achievements, social service, arts & culture, and bravery.
Prize Money
Each awardee of PMRBP were given a medal, a cash prize of Rs. 1 Lakh besides a
certificate. The cash prize will be transferred to respective accounts of the winners of
PMRBP 2022.
Selection criteria
The students for this award are selected on the basis of their achievements in six
categories namely, Innovation, Scholastic, Social Service, Sports, Art & Culture and
Bravery.
About Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar
The Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, also dubbed as Prime Minister’s National
Award for Children, is a civilian honour in India. It is presented in two categories:
1. Bal Shakti Puraskar– It is awarded to Indian citizens aged under 18 for outstanding
achievement in stated six categories. It was instituted in 1996, by NGO Indian Council
for Child Welfare. It was previously known as “National Child Award”.
2. Bal Kalyan Puraskar– It is presented to individuals or organisations who have made
outstanding contributions in child protection, child development, or child welfare. It
was previously called as National Child Welfare Awards. The award was instituted by
Ministry of Women and Child Development in 1979.
Both the awards were renamed and combined to form “Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal
Puraskar”, in 2018. It is administered by Ministry of Women and Child Development. The
award is conferred by President of India in the week preceding India’s Republic Day.
Prime Minister of India also meets the awardees at his residence.
Australia Online Safety Bill
Australia’s Online Safety Act has come into effect from January 23, 2022. The act was
passed in July 2021.

Highlights
The act allows adults to report cases of online bullying in Australia, to the eSafety
Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant.
With this act, the eSafety commissioner is empowered to order social media websites
to take down content related to bullying against Australian adults.
Content shall be removed within 24 hours. In case, they failed to do so, they will face
fines up to USD 555,000.
Definition of bullying
The law defines what counts as bullying. It is more detailed than current cyber laws in
Australia. It has decreased the time frame to remove bullying content from present 48
hours to 24 hours. It addresses bullying against adults and children.
Who will implement the law?
With the new law, it will be the responsibility of “e-Safety Commissioner” to ensure the
implementation of this act. The act seeks to promote the online safety of Australians. Act
will make the e-Safety Commissioner responsible for supervising complaints and
objections related to sharing intimate images without consent, manage online content as
well as coordinate “activities of Commonwealth Departments, agencies and authorities
related to online safety for Australians”.
How will commissioner take action?
Following a complaint against provider of a social media service, or a relevant electronic
service or a designated internet service, they would be given a removal notice. Removal
notice will also be sent to hosting service provider or to the person who had posted cyber-
bullying or abuse material. The person or provider will be asked to “refrain from posting
cyber‑bullying material or apologise for posting it”.
e–Safety commissioner
Julie Inman Grant is the current e-Safety commissioner. He has spent two decades
working in public policy and safety roles at organisations such as Twitter, Adobe,
and Microsoft. He also used to work with the US Congress in Washington.
Parakram Diwas: Netaji's 125th birth anniversary
On January 23, 2022, India celebrated 125th Birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra
Bose. His birth anniversary is also marked as “Parakram Diwas or Courage Day. This day
was announced in 2021.
About Parakram Divas
The government of India decided to celebrate the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas
Chandra Bose as Parakram Divas. Thus, to honour and remember his indomitable spirit
and selfless service to the nation, January 23 is celebrated as Parakram Divas every year.
Aim of the celebration
The day seeks to inspire people of India, especially the youth, to act with fortitude in the
face of adversity. It further aims to infuse a spirit of patriotic favour in youth.
Desh Nayak Divas
Trinamool Congress had announced to celebrate the birth anniversary of Netaji as ‘Desh
Nayak Diwas’.
About Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was born in Cuttack (Odisha) on January 23. He was born to
Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Dutt. He was affectionately called as Netaji and he was
one among the prominent leaders of Indian freedom struggle. Indian National Army
(Azad Hind Fauj) was founded by him to overthrow British Empire from India. He was also
an active part of the youth wing of Indian National Congress (INC). In between 1938 to
1939, he was also the President of the INC.
Netaji’s demise
Demise of Netaji is still a mystery. As per government records, he died due to third-degree
burns that he sustained during a plane crash in Taiwan. Thus, it is widely believed that
Bose died on August 18, 1945 in an air crash in Taiwan. However, some section of people
believe that he survived that crash and went into hiding to escape the British.
ICE 360 Survey-Highlights
Ice 360 survey is conducted by PRICE. PRICE is People’s Research on India’s Consumer
Economy. The survey collects house hold income, financial details, expenditures,
occupation, quality of living, etc.
Key findings
The house hold income of the rich people increased by 39% in the last five years.
The house hold income of the people in the country has been increasing since 1995.
However, it has decreased by 53% in the last five years.
The COVID induced lock down halted the economic activities completely for two
quarters in 2020-21. Because of this, the GDP of the country decreased by 7.3% in
2020-21.
According to the survey, the urban poor are the most affected of all people.
During the pandemic, the middle class people and the poor faced disasters. And the
rich increased their income.
The house hold income of the middle class people decreased by 2%. The household
income of the lower middle class decreased by 32%.
During the COVID times, the income of the upper middle class increased by 7%.
Unemployment
The job losses in small and medium companies were higher than the large
companies and corporates. The casual labours were affected the most.
During the first lock down, the urban people suffered a lot. Especially, the small
traders, daily wage workers and domestic workers suffered more.
The percentage of poor in the cities has increased. In 2016, 90% of the poor lived in
rural India. In 2021, this decreased to 70%. On the other hand, the share of the
poorest in urban areas increased from 10% in 2015 to 30% in 2021.
PRICE
PRICE collects details about macro consumer economy of the country and the
environment of the citizens. It focuses on how Indians are earning, spending, saving,
thinking and accessing public goods and amenities. It is highly helpful in formulating
government policies and creating business strategies.
What is “Abide with Me” Hymn?
Abide with Me is a Christian hymn. It was created by Henry Francis Lyte. It is a prayer
where the speaker asks the god to stay with him throughout his life and also after death.
About the hymn
Lyte wrote the hymn because he was dying of tuberculosis. It is sung to the tune Eventide.
Lyte wrote the hymn in 1820. He visited a dying friend. His friend continuously said these
words, “Abide with me”. This created a deep impact in his heart. And the impact came out
as the hymn. While writing the hymn, Lyte himself was dying. He kept the hymn to
himself. The hymn was first sung at his funeral.
How is it connected with 2022 Republic Day celebrations?
The “Abide with me” hymn is usually sung during the Republic Day parade. It is the last
song to be sung before the troops finish their parade. It is sung just before Saare Jahan se
achha. The Government of India has decided to drop out this hymn. The hymn is being
replaced by “Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon” by Kavi Pradeep. It was sung by Lata
Mangeshkar and was composed by C Ramachandra in 1963. It was created in the wake of
Sino – Indian war.
Why was it dropped out?
The Modi government wanted to replace the hymn in 2020. But, the hymn was played due
to increasing criticisms. The Modi Government wants to drop out the hymn because it
creates a sobre moment.
Abide with me Hymn in England
The hymn was played during the wedding ceremony of Queen Elizabeth. Also, it was
played by the musicians when Titanic was sinking. During first world war, the British nurse
Edith Cavell sang the hymn to the wounded soldiers. She was shot by the German squads
for helping the British soldiers to escape from Belgium. Apart from England, the hymn is
sung during official ceremonies of Australia and New Zealand.
Abide with me Hymn in India
It is one of the favourite hymn of Mahatma Gandhi. It was sung in Sabarmati Ashram. It
was the only cross religion hymn to be sung in the Ashram.
Other significant hymns included
The Channa Billauri tone has been included. It is a folk piece. It was sung by Beena Tiwari.
It is about a girl asking her father not to marry her in a village Channa Billauri. Also, the
Kumaoni tune of Uttarakhand has been included.
What is Beating Retreat?
It is being followed in England since 17th century. During the ceremony, the patrolling
units are recalled to the castle.
January 25, 2022

Peru Environmental Emergency
Peru is a South American country. The Government of Peru recently declared an
environmental emergency due to oil spill. The emergency is to last for 90 – days!
What happened?
Around six thousand barrels of oil were spilled into the Pacific Ocean. A tanker of Repsol, a
Spanish Energy firm, was transporting oil to Vantinalla refinery in Peru. The name of the
tanker is “Mare Doricum”. It is an Italian tanker. The oil spill occurred due to the explosion
of undersea volcano Tonga. According to NASA, the Tonga volcano eruption is more
powerful than an atom bomb. The tsunami waves from the explosion caused the oil spill.
Damages caused
The oil spill killed huge number of marine wildlife. It has left a huge impact on the
local fishermen. Also, it is to affect the tourism sector largely.
Around 2,384 cubic metres of sand is affected by the oil spill.
The total economic losses are estimated to be more than 50 million USD.
Around 713 hectares of sea has been affected.
Impact on Biodiversity
The oil spill has threatened the survival of Humboldt penguins. These penguins are
listed as “vulnerable” species by the IUCN.
The fish in the region is carrying oil smell. The crustaceans that feed on the fish are
badly affected.
Humboldt Penguins
The Humboldt Penguins were added to the Mumbai Byculla Zoo in September 2021. They
have large bare skin patches around their eyes. This adaptation of the penguin helps to
keep them cool. They are endemic to the coasts of Peru and Chile. They are named after
the Humboldt Current. CITES has listed the Humboldt penguins under Appendix I. The
appendix I has the list of extinct species.
Peru is rich in biodiversity
The Humboldt is a cold current. It is a low salinity current. It flows along the coast of Peru
and Chile towards the north. The ocean water in the region is filled with planktons
because of the current.
Guano: It is an organic fertilizer. As the coastal area is rich in biodiversity, the excrement
of birds, dolphins and other animals are used as organic fertilizers called Guano.
Koyla Darpan Portal
On January 21, 2022, government launched a portal called “Koyla Darpan” for sharing Key
Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to the Coal Sector.
Key Facts
Koyla Darpan portal was inaugurated by Coal Secretary Dr Anil Kumar Jain.
Portal has been following KPIs, as an initial step:
1. Coal or Lignite Production
2. Coal or Lignite Offtake
3. Central Sector Schemes

4. Exploration Data
5. Status of Coal Stock in Thermal Power Plants
6. Allocation of Blocks (CMSP/MMDR)
7. Infrastructure Projects
8. Monitoring of Major Coal Mines (CIL)
9. Coal Price.
The portal can be accessed through the website of Ministry of Coal, for maximum
public outreach.
Which ministry launched this portal?
Ministry of coal, launched the Koyla Darpan portal.
Ministry of Coal
The Indian ministry of coal is headquartered in New Delhi. It is held by Cabinet Minister
Pralhad Joshi. Ministry is charged with exploration of coal and lignite reserves in India,
supply, production, distribution and price of coal through government-owned
corporations Coal India Limited & its subsidiaries, and Neyveli Lignite Corporation.
Ministry also manages 49 percent equity participation in Singareni Collieries Company of
Union Government, in which 51% equity is held by State Government of Telangana.
Coal India Limited (CIL)
CIL is a coal mining and refining corporation, owned by Indian government. It works
under the ownership of Ministry of Coal. It is headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal. CIL is
dubbed as the largest coal-producing company worldwide and a Maharatna public sector
undertaking. It is also the fifth largest employer in India. CIL has been ranked at 8th
position, among top 20 firms which are responsible for a third of all global carbon
emissions.
India: Largest exporter of Cucumber and Gherkins
India emerged as the ‘Pickle King of The World’, in a recent development.
Highlights
India crossed the exports if worth USD 200 million of agricultural processed product,
pickling gherkins, cucumber or cornichons, in the financial year 2020-2021.
With this, India became the largest exporter of cucumbers and gherkins worldwide.
India exported 1,23,846 metric tonnes (MT) of cucumber and gherkins, with a value
of USD 114 million during April-October 2021.
In 2020-21, India shipped 2,23,515MT of cucumber and gherkins with value worth
USD 223 million.
India meeting Global Demand
51 companies in India produce and export gherkins. Gherkins are exported in two forms
viz., packed in drums and in ready-to-eat packs. India meets 15 percent of total global
requirement or demand of gherkins. Indian plants are of international standards and have
been made to cater to the requirements of foreign countries.
Export of pickled cucumber
Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh process and
export the pickled cucumber across the world. Pickled cucumbers are imported by more
than 20 countries, namely, USA, France, South Korea, Japan, Israel, Canada, Germany etc.
Contract Farming for Gherkins
As per reports, gherkins are cultivated under contract farming by 90,000 small and
marginal farmers across India. These farmers have an annual production area of 65,000
acres. A gherkin farmer earns Rs 80,000 on an average, with a net income of Rs 40,000.
Crop cycle of gherkins
Farmers can take two crops of gherkins annually, since it is a 90-day crop.
Steps by APEDA
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has also
undertaken several initiatives in infrastructure development, product promotion in
international market and food safety management systems across processing units. The
gherkin manufacturing and exporting companies are ISO, IFS, BRC, FSSC 22000 or HACCP
certified or they possess all the certifications.
What is Gherkin?
Gherkin is also known as pickled cucumber. It is a cucumber that has been pickled in
vinegar, brine, or other solution and left to ferment for some time.
G20 People’s Climate Vote 2021 report
As per G20 People’s Climate Vote 2021 Report, around 67% of the youth in India consider
climate crisis as a global emergency. They are also vocal regarding the pressing need for
urgent policy change or creation.
Report notes that, youth are ‘walking the talk’ by going with climate conscious
choices in their lifestyles. For instance,
1. By buying sustainably sourced products
2. By opting eco-friendly transportation
3. By devoting their skills to harness innovative ideas, in a bid to aid action towards
climate crisis.
Youth across the globe are more aware of the severity of climate change. They are
seeking urgent policy-action on the climate strongly.
In India, 67% of the young population aged under 18 years consider climate change a
global emergency as against 58% of adults.
Youth across the world, including in India, are likely to play a crucial role in climate-
action space.
Impact on political decision
Report highlights that, in next few years, youth will be influencing political decisions. Thus,
governments should consider their voices while making decisions which will affect them
more.
UNDP India Youth Climate Champion
United Nations Development Programme India recently announced their partnership with
content creator Prajakta Koli, as first UNDP India Youth Climate Champion.
UNDP in India
UNDP has been working in India, since 1951 across all the aspects of human development,
ranging from systems & institutional strengthening to inclusive growth and sustainable
livelihoods, besides sustainable energy, environment and resilience. Programmes of
UNDP completely integrate a global vision for catalytic change with India’s national
priorities. UNDP India is running more than 30 projects on ground in ever state. With
these programmes, UNDP seeks to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by
transforming traditional models.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
UNDP helps countries in eliminating poverty and achieving sustainable economic growth
& human development. It is headquartered in New York City. It is the largest UN
development aid agency, having offices in 170 countries.
Online Storage Management (OSM) System
Central government is set to roll out a digital system called “Online Storage Management
(OSM)” from April 1, 2022 in a bid to bring in operational efficiency in storage, movement
and distribution of food grains under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
Online Storage Management System
The online storage management system would provide real time data on the volume
and quality of rice and wheat stocks with Food Corporation of India (FCI) and other
government agencies.
It will provide information on food grains stocks, which are held in the godowns of
FCI, Central Warehousing Corporation and state warehousing corporations.
The system will track each stack of grain stocks, starting from procurement points to
PDS distribution outlets.
Who is developing the system?
The OSM system is being developed by state governments in collaboration with the
Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD).
Significance of OSM system
OSM system will prevent any possibility of manipulation between godowns and fair
price shops, by transport contractors.
It is expected to help route optimisation for distribution of grains.
It will also help in reducing the cost of food grain storage by reducing leakages in the
system.
Implementing states
16 states namely, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Haryana,
Karnataka, Odisha, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Telangana, Tamil
Nadu, West Bengal and Uttarakhand have agreed to implement this system by March 15,
2022. Other states will come on board soon.
Background
The initiative of digitalisation of food grain storage follows the DFPD move to make
procurement of wheat and rice from farmers by developing an online system where
information regarding land-holding of the farmers are put in digital format in order to
ensure that genuine farmers get benefits of Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations.
Land-record based procurement of food grains is being implemented from current Kharif
paddy procurement (2021-22), that started from October 1, 2021.
Development of online payment system
The food ministry is also developing an online payment system, as a reform to PDS. It will
be developed for farmers covered under MSP operations across states. The system will
help in tracking the payments to farmers in real time basis.
Other reforms to improve TPDS
To reform TPDS, government has initiated following measures:
1. Digitisation of ration cards– As of now, all the 23.5 ration cards catering to 80 crore
beneficiaries under National Food Security Act have been digitised.
2. Aadhaar seeding of ration cards– As of now, 93% of the ration cards have been
seeded.
3. Installation of electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) machines at Fair Price Shops (FPSs).
Around 95% of 5.33 FPSes across India have ePoS machines.
Australian Aboriginal flag
Government of Australia has bought copyright of Aboriginal flag, in order to free the
identity symbol from fights over who can use it.
Highlights
The Aboriginal flag was created by indigenous artist Harold Thomas in 1971 as a
protest image. However, it is now an official national flag and the dominant
Aboriginal emblem.
Despite this, several Aboriginal people are of the view that, flag has been “held
hostage” by copyright deals which limit its display.
This flag can now be reproduced by anyone without following any legal threats.
Government paid more than USD 20m, for securing the copyright and for
terminating lease agreements.
Australian Aboriginal Flag
Australian Aboriginal Flag represents Aboriginal Australians. It is an officially proclaimed
flags of Australia. It has special legal and political status along with the national flag and
Torres Strait Islander Flag. This flag was designed by Harold Thomas in 1971. He was an
Aboriginal artist, descending from Luritja people of Central Australia. He held the
intellectual property rights to the design of flag, until January 2022. He has now
transferred the copyright to the Commonwealth government. He designed the flag for
land rights movement and it became a symbol of Aboriginal people of Australia.
Who are Aboriginal Australians?
Aboriginal Australians are Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and its islands
like Fraser Island, Tasmania, Tiwi Islands, Hinchinbrook Island and Groote Eylandt. The
term Indigenous Australians refers collectively to Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait
Islanders. Most Aboriginal people speak English.
National Girl Child Day
Every year the National Girl Child Day is celebrated on January 24. The day is celebrated to
promote the rights of girl child in the country. Also the day aims to spread the importance
of education, health and nutrition of the girl child.
Theme
The Government of India did not announce any theme in 2022.
History
The first national girl child day was celebrated in 2008. It is an initiative of Ministry of
Women and Child Development.
What is special about 2022 national girl child day?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar
awardees. For the first time the award winners are to be presented with digital certificates
using blockchain Technology. This award is presented to girls in the age group of 5 years
to 18 years. The awards are presented every year. These awards are presented in the
categories of social service, art and culture, sports, scholastic and bravery. These awards
are presented by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhawan. The award winners are
presented with a medal, cash price of one lakh rupees and a certificate.
International girl child day
The International Girl Child Day is celebrated on October 11. It is celebrated by the United
Nations and several other international organisations. The United Nations celebrated the
first International Day of Girl Child in 2012.
Objectives of National Girl Child Day
The National Girl Child Day is celebrated to spread about the importance of inequalities
faced by the girl children in the country. The day also promotes the educational rights of
girl children. It also spreads the importance of health and nutrition of girl children.
Need for the day
36.8 percentage of girls are married before the age of 18 years. The under five mortality
rate of girl children is 40 per 1000 livebirths. This is 11% higher than that of the under five
mortality rate of boy child.
Syed Modi International Tournament-Highlights
P V Sindhu won the 2022 Syed Modi India International Badminton. The men’s final match
was cancelled as the players tested COVID positive. Arnaud Merkle and Lucas Claerbout
were to play the finals.
Results of the tournament
In the men category, no match was conducted.In the men’s doubles category Man Wei
Chong & Kai Wun Tee won the title. The runners in the category were Krishna Prasad &
Vishnuvardhan Goud.
In women’s single, P. V. Sindhu won the title. Malvika Bansod was the runner. In women’s
doubles, Anna Ching Yik Cheong & Teoh Mei Xing won the title. The runners were Treesa
Jolly & P. Gayatri. In the Mixed doubles category, Ishan Bhatnagar & Tanisha Crasto won
the title. The runners were Nagendra Babu & G. Srivedya.
Syed Modi International Badminton
This international tournament is held in India annually. In 2009, it was converted into a
BWF tournament. BWF is Badminton World Federation. The tournament was inaugurated
by the Uttar Pradesh Badminton Association.
History of the tournament
The tournament was inaugurated in 2003 as a national tournament. In 2004, it was
conducted as an international tournament. Later the tournament was cancelled between
2005 and 2008 due to the frictions between state and central governments.
Why is the tournament called Syed Modi?
It has been named after Syed Modi. Syed Modi is an Indian Badminton player. He has won
the National Badminton championship eight times. He has also won the Australian
international tournament, European International tournament and the USSR international
tournament. He was born in Uttar Pradesh.
BWF
Currently the Syed Modi international tournament is organised by BWF. It was founded in
1934. The founding members were Ireland, Denmark, England, Canada, France, Scotland,
New Zealand, Netherlands, Wales. It was founded as the International Badminton
Federation, IBF. In 1981, the IBF merged with the World Badminton Federation to form the
Badminton World Federation.
Spice Xchange India Portal
The Spice Board of India recently launched the Spice Exchange Portal. The portal will act
as a meeting point between the Indian spice exporters and the buyers all over the world.
This platform is first of its kind in the country. The platform was launched by the Union
Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The portal uses Artificial Intelligence to connect the
buyers and sellers. It will add value to government efforts of increasing spice exports. It
will increase the ease of doing business in the country.
Spices trade in India
Spices contribute 41 percentage of total horticultural exports. Spices rank fourth in Indian
agricultural commodities. The first three ranks are held by marine products, non basmati
rice and basmati rice.
Spice production in India
India is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of spices in the world. All the states
in India grow one to two spices. This is mainly because of India’s diverse climatic
conditions. Certain spices have highest value in national and international market. For
example, Kashmiri Saffron. It received GI tag recently.
Spices Board
The spice board was established under the Spices Board Act, 1986. The board operates
under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Spices grown in India
The Indian spices are used for varied purposes such as medicines, dyes, seasoning and
food preservatives. The spices are obtained from roots, barks, leaves, seeds and also from
other parts of the plants. The exports of Indian spices such as turmeric, cumin, ginger
have been growing recently for their medicinal values, especially after COVID. Their values
are mainly increasing in European and American countries. For instance, the Indian
“Rasam” recipe gained popularity for its medicinal value during COVID times. Indian
spices have been leading the world markets since ancient times.
Why was the portal launched?
India is called the Spice Bowl of the World. India has a major share in the world spice
Market. India currently exports more than 225 spices to 180 different countries. The
platform will aid in increasing the spice business of the country. It will create new
opportunities for the spice exporters.
CSC Yogyata Mobile Application
The Common Service Centre operating under the Ministry of Electronics and IT recently
launched the Yogyata Mobile Application. The main objective of the application is to
provide skill development opportunities to the youths in the rural areas.
About the app
The app will offer courses in 3D printing, CAD, cybersecurity and several other IT tools. The
app will provide industrial based training and make the learners job ready. The courses
offered are in accordance to the current market needs of the country.
Need for the app
According to the International Labour Organization, the rural youths are to suffer 40
percent more than the urban youths. The vocational training provided in the country
mismatches the needs of casual workers. These casual workers contribute 90 percent of
the total work force in the country.
CSC
The CSCs are statutory bodies. They were established under the Companies Act. The CSCs
connect the local population with government enterprises, banks, insurance companies,
private establishments and educational establishments.
Concerns
Today majority of the construction workers are from rural parts of the country. The
construction sector creates six times the jobs of the IT sector. But still the government
prioritises IT sector over construction sector when it comes to skill development.
Other challenges in skill development
Skill gap in the country is increasing. According to National Skill Development Corporation
of India, more than 12 crore skilled man power is required in India.
Perception towards vocational training should be changed. Students and parents are of
the mind set that only engineering and medicine are prestigious courses with high value.
The quality of trainers in the country is bad. There is lack of industrial initiatives. The
complexity and multiplicity of labour laws is inhibiting skill development. The quality of
course is bad and also there is lack of infrastructure.

Assam Baibhav Award
Government of Assam conferred its highest civilian award ‘Assam Baibhav’ on Ratan Tata,
on January 24, 2022.
Highlights
However, Ratan Tata did not attend the event personally because of Covid-19
situation. Award was received by his representative during a programme held in
Guwahati.
Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on January 23 to confer
Assam Baibhav, Assam Saurav and Assam Gaurav Awards, for the year 2021.
Assam Saurav award was conferred on Professor Dipak Chand Jain, Lovlina
Borgohain, Professor Kamalendu Deb Krori, Dr Lakshmanan S, and Neel Pawan
Baruah.
Assam Gaurav award was conferred on Manoj Kumar Basumatary, Munindra Nath
Ngatey, Dharanidhar Boro, Hemoprabha Chutia, Dr Basanta Hazarika, Kaushik
Baruah, Khorsing Terang, Akash Jyoti Gogoi, Namita Kalita, Dr Asif Iqbal, Kalpana
Boro, Boby Hazarika, and Bormita Momin.
Assam Baibhav
It is the highest civilian award in State of Assam. This award was officially declared by chief
minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on December 2, 2021. It was declared on the occasion of
“Asom diwas” (Assam Day). The Award carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh. Furthermore, the
recipient can avail medical treatment at government expense, throughout his life. Obverse
of the award has an image of Jaapi and words “Assam Baibhav” has been inscribed in
Assamese script, on the leaf of Hollong tree.
Ratan Naval Tata
He is a philanthropist, Indian industrialist, and former chairman of Tata Sons. From 1990
to 2012, he was also the chairman of Tata Group as well as an interim chairman, from
October 2016 to February 2017. He has received Padma Vibhushan in 2008 and Padma
Bhushan in 2000.
District Good Governance Index
The District Good Governance Index was released by the Home Minister Amit Shah. The
index was released for the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The index was prepared by the
Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.
About the Index
The top five districts in the index were Jammu, Doda, Samba, Pulwama and Srinagar. The
index was formulated using 58 indicators and 116 data points.
What are the indicators used in the index?
The indicators were used from the following sectors:
Agriculture and allied activities: 11
Commerce and Industry: 5
Human Resource Development: 9
Public Health: 9
Public infrastructure and utilities: 6
Social Welfare and Development: 6
Financial Inclusion: 3
Judiciary and Public Safety: 4
Environment: 2
Citizen centric governance: 3
Top Performers
The Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kahsmir topped the index in agriculture sector.
The Jammu district topped the index in two sectors namely citizen centric
governance and commerce and industries.
Pulwama topped in the index in Human and Resource Development
Reasi topped the index in public health
Srinagar topped in public infrastructure
Ramban topped the index in social welfare
Ganderbal topped the index in financial inclusion
Shopian topped in Environment
Doda topped the index in Judicial and Public safety
Overall Ranking
The Ganderbal district stood at sixth place. Ganderbal was followed by Anantnag,
Baramulla, Kathua and Kupwara at seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth places respectively.
The last ten districts in the ranking were Kishtwar at 11 th spot, Budgam at 12 th spot,
Udhampur at 13th spot, Reasi at the 14th, Bandipora at the 15th spot, Ramban was at 16th
rank, Kulgam at 17th spot, Shopian at 18th spot, Poonch at 19th and Rajouri at 20th spot.
Significance
The ranking will bring healthy competition among the states. The index provides useful
information and enables the district administration to create appropriate strategies to
improve services and ease of living.
Spending Norms for Contingency Fund
Union government has changed spending norms for Contingency Fund of India. It has
allowed 40 per cent of total corpus to be placed at disposal of expenditure secretary.
Highlights
Budget 2021-22 had proposed to enhance the Contingency Fund of India to Rs 30,000
crore from Rs 500 crore, through Finance Bill.
As per new norm, an amount equivalent to 40 per cent of the Fund corpus has to be
placed at the disposal of the secretary, ministry of finance, to meet the unforeseen
expenditure.
Beyond this limit, all other Contingency Fund releases has to be made with approval
of secretary, department of economic affairs, after the approval of secretary,
department of expenditure.
Contingency Fund of India
The contingency fund of India is held by the department of economic affairs on behalf of
President of India. It can be operated by executive action. The fund is used in case of
disasters and related unforeseen expenditures. Fund can be increased through a Finance
Bill, during session of the Parliament. It can also be increased through Ordinance, if the
House is not in session and situation warrants. Funds can be withdrawn, after approval of
the secretary of department of economic affairs, in accordance with Contingency Fund of
India Act, 1950.
About Finance Bill
Finance Bill is a Money Bill. Through this bill, government seeks to levy new taxes, make
proposals for continuance of present tax structure beyond original approval period or
make alterations in the current tax structure. This bill is approved by Parliament for one
fiscal year. After getting approval, Finance Bill becomes the Finance Act.
Features of the Finance Bill
Finance Bills are classified into three classes:
1. Finance Bill Category I
2. Finance Bill Category II, and
3. Money Bill.
Money Bills comprise of provisions related to regulation or borrowing, withdrawal of
money from a contingency or consolidated fund, and amendments to tax laws at the
Union or state level.
A Finance Bill is always be a Money Bill. But a Money Bill is not necessarily a Finance
Bill.
Finance Bill can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha. Rajya Sabha can make
recommendations on it. Rajya Sabha must return the bill within 14 days of receiving
it, otherwise, it will be deemed as passed.
India: Promotion of Drone Use in Agriculture
The Government of India is to promote the use of drones in agriculture. For this, the
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare has amended the SMAM guidelines. SMAM
means Sub – Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation. Also, the ministry has issued funding
guidelines.
About funding guidelines
The Government of India will provide grants of ten lakh rupees or 100% cost of
agricultural drones, whichever is less. The grant shall be used in purchasing drones
from State Agriculture Universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Indian Council of
Agricultural Research institutes and Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institutes.
The Farmer Producer Organization will receive grants up to 75% of the drone cost for
demonstration purposes.
Rs 6000 per hectare is to be provided to the agencies that hire drones for
demonstrations. These agencies do not buy the drones.
Rs 3,000 per hectare is to be offered to the agencies that are buying drones for
demonstration purposes.
40% of the grant or 4 lakhs, whichever is less will be allocated to custom hiring
centres set up by Farmer Producer Organization, Cooperative Society Farmers and
Rural entrepreneurs.
Five lakh rupees or 50% of the grant is to be provided to the graduates willing to
establish Custom Hiring Centres.
The proposals are to purchase or hire the drones for demonstration are to be
submitted to the state government.
The financial assistance is to be made available by the end of March 2023.
Applications
The drones are to be used to apply pesticides for crop protection. The pesticides shall be
applied in agricultural field, non – cropped areas and forestry. Also, the drones shall be
used for sparying crop nutrients and soil nutrients.
Significance
The use of standard agriculture drone model is highly expensive. It costs between eight
lakhs to ten lakhs. However, this model is less expensive. Most of the stakeholders are
receiving the drones for free.
World Bank Loan to West Bengal
The World Bank recently approved a loan of thousand crores of rupees for the West
Bengal government. The loan amount is to be used in implementing 400 programmes run
by the state government.
Programmes
The loan is to be used to help the vulnerable and poor groups of the society. The loan is to
be used in the following:
To promote digital payments and increase financial inclusion
Disbursement of funds in government schemes
Support the disabled people
To provide medical help through telemedicine
Loan to be used in social protection operation
The State Government is to use the loan amount in the “West Bengal Building State
Capability for Inclusive Social Protection” operation. The operation aims to support the
poor, serve the vulnerable, and expand the coverage.
Boost Duare Sarkar
The financial assistance will help to boost the Duare Sarkar programme. The Duare Sarkar
programme was launched by the West Bengal government to deliver the government
services and food grains at the door steps. The beneficiaries need not approach the
government under this social protection scheme. The programme identifies the
beneficiaries.
Need for the loan
The State Government of West Bengal has been facing heavy financial burdens lately. It is
implementing more than 400 welfare programmes. There is shortage of funding for the
recently launched social protection programmes. This includes the pension programmes
as well.
Loan will benefit Joy Bangla
The “Joy Bangla” is an umbrella platform of the West Bengal Government. It is a unified
delivery system of the government. It provides jobs, social assistance and focuses on
scheduled caste, tribals, vulnerable like women, disaster prone coastal region. This
platform is now partially operating due to funding shortages.
International Education Day
The International Day of Education is observed on January 24, annually.
Key Points
Year 2022 marked the fourth year of celebration.
The day was observed with the theme– ‘Changing Course, Transforming Education’.
Celebration took place at the UN Headquarters in New York, Expo 2022 in Dubai,
Global Minnesota and Harvard University Graduate School of Education.
History of the day
The International Education Day was proclaimed by “United Nations General Assembly
(UNGA)” in December 2018. It was proclaimed to mark the significance of education in
ensuring peace and development.
UNGA resolution
The resolution to observe ‘International Day of Education’ was authored by 59 member
states. It demonstrated the unwavering political will for supporting transformative actions
for equitable, inclusive, and quality education for all.
Significance of Education
Education is a tool, which can be employed to ensure progress and growth. However,
access to this tool is deeply unequal. Covid-19 pandemic has increased this divide.
Education has suffered a huge gap amid the pandemic because of closure of universities,
schools, and other educational institutions and it required a shift towards online mode.
National Education Day
India celebrates National Education Day on November 11, every year. The day mark the
birth anniversary of first Education Minister of India, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)
UNGA is one among the six principal organs of United Nations (UN), serving as the main
policymaking, and representative organ of the UN. The powers, composition, procedures
and functions of UNGA are set out in Chapter IV of the United Nations Charter. It is
responsible for the UN budget. UNGA is the only UN organ, where all the member states
have equal representation.
Members of UNGA
All the 193 members of UN are members of UNGA, besides Holy See and Palestine as
observer states. UNGA may grant observer status to an entity or international
organization. Observer status entitles them to participate in work of UNGA, though with
limitations.
World's fastest AI supercomputer

According to Facebook parent company Meta, its new “artificial intelligence
supercomputer” will be the fastest across the world, by the middle of year 2022.
Highlights
Meta introduced the AI Research Super Cluster (RSC) on January 24, 2022. It is
believed to be among fastest AI supercomputers running today.
Currently, AI can perform tasks such as translating text between languages and help
in identifying potentially harmful content.
However, development of next generation of AI will require powerful
supercomputers, which are capable of quintillions of operations per second.
Significance of RCS
RCS will help in building new and improved AI models. It will also allow to work
across hundreds of different languages.
RCS will also help in building technologies for next major computing platform called
“the metaverse”, where AI-driven applications and products will play a significant
role.
What is Metaverse?
Metaverse is a network of 3D virtual worlds. It is focused on social connection. This term is
described as a hypothetical iteration of internet and universal virtual world, in futurism
and science fiction. Metaverse term was originated in 1992 science fiction novel Snow
Crash.
Meta Platforms
Meta Platforms is formerly known as Facebook. It is an American multinational technology
conglomerate. It is headquartered in Menlo Park, California. Meta is the parent
organization of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Meta is among world’s most
valuable companies and is among Big Tech companies in U.S. information technology
along with Amazon, Google, Apple, and Microsoft.
Supercomputer
Supercomputer has high level of performance as compared to general-purpose computer.
Its performance is commonly measured in floating-point operations per second (FLOPS),
rather than “million instructions per second (MIPS)”.
Najafgarh jheel restoration plan
Najafgarh Jheel is a transboundary wetland. It is located along the borders of Delhi and
Haryana. The Najafgarh lake is under the control of Delhi. The National Green Tribunal
recently directed the Haryana and Delhi governments to implement the environment
management plans prepared by them. The plan aims to rejuvenate Najafgarh Jheel.
Background
The Najafgarh water body was once spread over 226 square kilometer. Today it has
shrinked to seven square kilometres. In December 2021, the central government made the
Najafgarh as a transboundary wetland. This was done to ease the rejuvenation process.
What is the issue?
The lake is largely filled with sewage from Gurugram. The lake is fed by the Sahibi river. It
was a huge in size and was connected with river Yamuna through the Najafgarh drain. The
Flood Control Department of Delhi was continuously widening the drain after 1960s to
save the capital from floods. This almost drained the lake completely.
What is the management plan?
The plan will first notify the Najafgarh lake and its wetland under the Wetlands
(Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017. These conservation rules regulate the
activities in the wetland.
The plan prohibits constructions within fifty metres from the mean high flood level.
The Zone of Influence covers 4,740 hectares, that is, 2,140 hectares in Haryana and
2,600 hectares in Delhi. The Zone of Influence is the buffer zone. It holds the
seasonal floods. Water from these zones are used for agriculture. No construction is
allowed in this zone. The zone is hazardous to buildings due to high soil liquefaction.
Removal of water hyacinth and other invasive species in the lake.
Why is the lake important?
The lake supports 281 bird species. This includes Sarus crane, Egyptian vulture, greater
spotted eagle, steppe eagle, imperial eagle. The migrating birds using the Central Asian
flyway used to rest in the lake earlier. The lake was once a habitat to the Siberian Cranes.
India-Israel: 30th anniversary of Diplomatic Relations
India and Israel recently launched a commemorative logo to mark the 30 years of
diplomatic relations. The logo has Ashoka Chakra and Star of David. It also has the
numeral 30, featuring 30th anniversary of the countries.
Key Points of India – Israel 30 years of Relations
India officially recognized Israel in 1950. However, the diplomatic ties between the
countries were established only in 1992. As of 2020, India is one of the 164 countries
to have diplomatic ties with Israel.
India’s embassy is located in Tel Aviv and Israel’s embassy is located in Delhi. The US
embassy is located in Jerusalem. US recognized Jerusalem in 2017 and shifted its
embassy there.
In 2000, Lal Krishna Advani became the first Indian minister to visit Israel and
Jashwanth Singh was the first Indian foreign minister to visit Israel. Ariel Sharon was
the first Israeli Prime Minister to visit India in 2003.
India is the largest buyer of Israeli military equipment. India is also the tenth largest
trade partner of Israel. India is the second largest defence supplier of Israel. Russia is
the first largest defence supplier.
Agriculture Cooperation
India and Israel started the Indo – Israeli Agricultural Cooperation Project. It focused on
micro – irrigation, farming technologies and dairy. The programme created ten centres of
excellence by 2014. The centres conducted training sessions to farmers.
Indo – Israel Villages of Excellence
This programme aimed to create model agricultural ecosystem. It also worked to
transform the traditional farms to modern farms. It also focused on market linkages,
capacity buildings and modern agriculture infrastructure.
Historical ties
Israel is one of the few countries in the world that chose not to condemn Pokhran
nuclear tests of India.
Israel supplied the M – 58 mortar ammunition to India during the latter’s war against
Pakistan in 1965.
Defence Cooperation
India has inducted several Israeli arms and weapons into its military. The top most are
Phalcom AWACS, the air borne warning and control system; Heron, Harop and Searcher
drones; Spyder anti – aircraft missile system.
January 26, 2022
What is 'Artificial womb'?
Recently, in a Twitter exchange, CEO of Tesla Elon Musk, co-founder of Ethereum Vitalik
Buterin and founder of e-commerce platform Gumroad Sahil Lavingia talked about
population collapse and use of ‘artificial wombs’ to tackle this crisis.
Highlights
Their talk was focused on possible world population collapse as well as the options of
creating synthetic or artificial wombs as a solution.
According to Elon Musk, if there isn’t enough population on Earth, then there won’t
be enough for Mars.
Use of synthetic wombs would further remove the high burden of pregnancy. Thus, it
will reduce the inequality.
What is ‘synthetic wombs’?
A synthetic womb is also called as “artificial uterus” or “artificial womb”. This device allows
for extracorporeal pregnancy. In this process, foetus is grown outside the body of an
organism, normally carrying the foetus to term.
Application of artificial womb
Artificial womb is a replacement organ, that have many applications:
1. Artificial womb can assist male or female couples in the development of a foetus.
2. This can be performed as a switch from natural uterus to artificial uterus, thus
moving foetal viability threshold to a much earlier stage of pregnancy.
3. The device can be compared to neonatal incubator with extended functions.
4. It could be used for initiation of foetal development.
5. It could also help in making foetal surgery procedures at early stage an option,
rather than to postpone them until the pregnancy term.
Significance of artificial womb
Development of an artificial womb could help in saving lives of premature babies.
When was artificial womb reported?
In 2017, a device closest to an ‘artificial womb’ was reported, when a research team from
Philadelphia revealed that, prototype biobag successfully supported lamb foetuses. All
emerged from the biobag healthy and evaded complications associated with preterm
birth.
Gallantry Awards on Republic Day
On January 25, 2022, President Ram Nath Kovind approved 384 gallantry awards and other
military decorations for security forces personnel.
Key Points
He also approved 12 Shaurya Chakras for soldiers who demonstrated exceptional
courage during operations.
First Indian to win gold in track and field event at Tokyo Olympics 2020, Subedar
Neeraj Chopra of 4 Rajputana Rifles will also be awarded the Param Vishisht Seva
Medal (PVSM). PVSM is a decoration usually given to three-star officers for their
distinguished service.
Ashok Chakra to Sub Inspector Babu Ram
The President will posthumously award Ashok Chakra to Assistant Sub Inspector Babu
Ram of Jammu and Kashmir Police at the Republic Day parade on January 26, 2022. Ashok
Chakra is India’s highest peace-time gallantry award. Babu Ram had killed three terrorists
in Srinagar, during an operation on August 29, 2020.
Shaurya Chakra to nine personnel
Shaurya Chakra is the third highest peacetime gallantry award of India. The award will be
posthumously conferred to nine personnel as well as to 3 other personnel. The awardees
include:
1. Naib Subedar Sreejith M (posthumous)
2. Havildar Anil Kumar Tomar (posthumous)
3. Havildar Kashiray Bammanalli (posthumous)
4. Havildar Pinku Kumar (posthumous)
5. Sepoy Maruprolu Jaswanth Kumar Reddy (posthumous)
6. CRPF Head Constable Ajeet Singh (posthumous)
7. CRPF Constable Vikas Kumar (posthumous)
8. CRPF Constable Purnanand (posthumous) and
9. CRPF Head Constable Kuldeep Kumar Urawan (posthumous)
10. Rifleman Rakesh Sharma
11. CRPF Deputy Commandant Dilip Malik
12. CRPF Assistant Commandant Anirudh Pratap Singh.
384 awards
The President approved 384 Gallantry awards, on the eve of 73rd Republic Day. It includes-
29 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, 53 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 4 Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 3
Bar to Vishisht Seva Medals, 13 Yudh Seva Medals, 122 Vishisht Seva Medals, 3 Bar to Sena
Medals (Gallantry), 2 Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry), 81 Sena Medals (Gallantry), 8 Nao Sena
Medals (Devotion to Duty), 40 Sena Medals (Devotion to Duty), and 14 Vayu Sena Medals
(Devotion to Duty).
IMF World Economic Outlook- Update
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its World Economic Outlook on January
25, 2022.
Key Findings of the report
As per report, Global economic growth will decrease by half a percentage point less
than it was forecasted earlier.
The growth will decrease from 5.9% in 2021 to 4.4% in 2022. It will further reduce to
3.8% in 2023.
India’s growth
According to IMF forecast, India will grow at 9% in 2021-2022. In October 2021
estimate, IMF had estimated India’s growth prospects at 9.5% for the year. IMF now
projects 9% growth for India’s economy in 2022-23. In October assessment, growth
was forecasted at 8.5% in 2022-23 and 7.1% in 2023-24.
India’s prospects for 2023 is estimated based on expected improvements to credit
growth. Furthermore, investment and consumption are building on better
performance of the financial sector.
Impact of Omicron variant
As per IMF, amid emergence of Omicron Covid-19 variant, countries have reimposed
mobility restrictions. Increasing energy prices and supply disruptions have resulted in
higher and more broad-based inflation than it was expected, in United States and other
developing economies & emerging market. Ongoing retrenchment of real estate sector in
China and slower recovery of private consumption have also limited growth prospects.
World Bank on global growth
Recently, the World Bank also had predicted a slowdown in a global growth, keeping it at
4.1% in 2022.
What are the causes of dip in projections?
As per IMF, the decrease in projections for global growth are largely driven by the
IMF’s assessment of economic prospects in China and the US.
In US, removal of Build Back Better policy of Joe Biden from the baseline, earlier
withdrawal of monetary accommodation, and supply shortages resulted into
downward revision of 1.2 percentage points for growth in 2022.
In China, disruptions related to zero-tolerance Covid policy and protracted financial
stress among property developers induced a downward revision of 0.8 percentage
point.
Blockchain technology in Rashtriya Bal Puraskar
Recently, 61 winners of the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) 2021 and 2022
got digital certificates, that use blockchain-driven technology.
Highlights
The blockchain-driven technology has been developed under the “National
Blockchain Project”, by Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur).

On the occasion, Director of IIT Kanpur Abhay Karandikar noted that, this technology
can also be used to grant all certificates and degrees in the future.
Digital certificates
The digital certificates, provided using blockchain technology, will be stored on digital
wallets installed on mobile devices of the recipients. Certificates cannot be forged and are
verifiable worldwide, selectively disclosable as well as sensitive to user content.
Background
On December 28, 2021, PM Modi had launched the blockchain-based digital degrees at IIT
Kanpur, during a convocation ceremony.
Who is implementing this technology?
The digital technology is being implemented by CRUBN. CRUBN is a firm that offers
blockchain solutions. It was founded by 4 IITians namely,
1. Nilesh Vasita, IIT Kanpur
2. Ras Dwivedi, IIT Kanpur,
3. Tanmay Yadav, IIT Kanpur and
4. Mukul Verma, IIT Bombay.
The technology was developed under the mentorship of Padma Shri Prof. Manindra
Agrawal and Prof. Sandeep K Shukla, who are the joint coordinators of National
Blockchain Project under National Security Council Secretariat.
National Blockchain Project
The National Blockchain Project is being funded by National Security Council Secretariat
for developing e-governance solutions using blockchain technology. The project involves a
three-month feasibility study to decide on use of blockchain technology and outline its
research & validation as well as incubation plan. Under the first phase, two e-governance
applications were identified, to demonstrate the utility of blockchain.
National Blockchain Strategy
It was proposed by Ministry of Electronics and IT in December 2021. It has adopted multi –
institutional approach. The strategy involves National Informatics Centre (NIC), Centre for
Development of Advanced Computing (C – DAC) and National Informatics Centre services
Inc (NICSI) to offer blockchain as service. It seeks to provide trusted digital platform for
providing e – governance services by means of blockchain technology.
AK 203 deal: Delivery of Initial batch of rifles
As a part of larger contract to manufacture AK 203 assault rifles in India, the armed forces
received first batch of 70,000 rifles from Russia.
Highlights
The first batch has been delivered at a fast pace, on request by India, amid Covid-19
pandemic.
First batch is likely to be used by the air force.
Rifles to be manufactured at Amethi factory will be delivered to the army. Indian
army is the main customer for rifles, with a requirement of more than 600,000 AK
203s.
Technology Transfer
The AK rifles are being manufactured under a complete technology transfer clause. This
clause will also enable the exports of rifles to friendly foreign nations in future. Rifles will
be manufactured by the Indo Russian Rifles Private Limited Joint Venture between Russian
Rosboronexport and Advanced Weapons & Equipment India Ltd (erstwhile OFB).
Biggest defence deal
The deal for AK 203 rifles was signed in December 2021. The deal of worth Rs 5,124-crore is
the biggest defence deal between both the countries in recent years. Under the deal,
Russian side gave an assurance to manufacture with technology transfer within two to
three years. Furthermore, Russia has been sending technical teams to assist Indian
partners.
Korwa Rifle Factory
Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) is a rifle-manufacturing facility, established at
Korwa in Amethi district of Uttar Pradesh. It will manufacture the AK-200 variant of
Kalashnikov family of rifles. The factory is a joint-venture of Ordnance Factory Board of
India and Kalashnikov Concern of Russia. In it, Rosoboronexport holds a minority stake.
The factory will produce 750,000 AK-203. The factory is also being upgraded with modern
production line, in a bid to manufacture latest version of the Kalashnikov rifles. A small
arms range has also been set up at the factory, to conduct acceptance trials by the armed
forces before taking delivery.
AK-203 Rifles
AK-203 rifles are a magazine-fed, gas-operated, select fire assault rifle. It has been
designed to chamber 7.62×39mm cartridge. It is one of the latest iterations of AK series of
assault rifles. It was originally designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov.
India: Restrictions on Export of Human Hair
On January 25, 2022, the Government imposed restriction on export of human hair. This
ban was imposed with the aim of curbing alleged smuggling of products from India.
Key Facts
With this decision, exporters would now require permission or licence from
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) to send shipments of hair outside India.
Export policy of human hair has put the ‘unworked, whether washed or not or
scoured, waste of human hair or other form of raw human hair’ under restricted
category.
Views of hair exporters
Hair exporters welcomed this decision. It was a long pending demand. This labour-
intensive industry was facing a challenge of smuggling of raw human hair to countries like
China and Myanmar, which in turn is hurting local industries and exports. With the
implementation of new norms, only genuine exporters will be able to export the product.
Raw hair industry
West Bengal is the major hub of raw hair industry in India. Apart from West Bengal,
industries are there in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Major competitors of
India include Cambodia, China, Vietnam and Myanmar.
Collection of Raw Human Hair
In India, raw human hair is mainly collected from households and temples across the
mentioned states. collection of hair primarily caters to the beauty market globally. In
India, two types of hair are collected:
1. Remy Hair– Remy hair is the best grade. It is collected from temples since pilgrims
donate their hair as part of a religious vow. This quality of hair is mainly used to
make wigs and hairpieces.
2. Non-Remy hair– non-Remy hair is a household waste. It is collected by small groups
of people in cities and villages and cities. The hair is then segregate and are sold to
dealers.
Hair Export
During April-November in Fiscal year 2021-2022, hair exports stood at USD 144.26 million.
In 2020-21, the export was USD 15.28 million.
Serbia: Protests over Lithium Mining
Government of Serbia revoked the licenses for lithium mining to Rio Tinto, after protests
for around two months. Rio Tinto is an Anglo-Australian multinational mining
organisation.
Highlights
Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic have fulfilled all the demands from
environmental protests and have put an end to Rio Tinto in the country.
All the licences linked to lithium project had been declared invalid and it was an end
for the project.
What were the reasons for protests?
Serbians have been protesting against the Rio Tinto’s plan to mine lithium, in Jadar Valley
near Lozinca town in Serbia. People are taking to the streets, blocking main roads and
bridges and halting traffic.
Rio Tinto Plan
Rio Tinto had discovered lithium deposits in 2006, in Serbia and had bought land in
Lozinca area. The company had been planning to invest USD 2.4 billion in the project. If
completed, the project would be one of the biggest investment projects in the country.
Significance of the project
The mine would have produced enough lithium, for operating one million electric vehicles
along with sodium sulphate and boric acid. Once it is fully functional, mine would have
created 58,000 tonnes of refined battery-grade lithium carbonate, annually. This would
have made the mine, Europe’s most lithium-producing mine.
What are the concerns of protestors?
Though, Rio Tinto said to be fulfilling all Serbia’s and European Union’s environmental
standards. But protestors have been highlighting that, lithium mining in USD 2.4-billion
mine project would irrevocably pollute the drinking water. They are also protesting
against President Aleksandar Vucic, who called China to be a “saviour” for its copper
mining projects in Serbia.
Pollution in Serbia
Serbia has been ranked as Europe’s fifth and world’s 32nd most polluted country among
98 countries. As per 2019 report of Global Alliance on Health and Pollution, Serbia is one
among top ten countries with most deaths due to pollution, accounting for 175 deaths per
100,000.
Two Personalities who refused Padma Awards
Former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and former General
Secretary late EMS Namboodirpad are among the two personalities who refused the
Padma Awards, from state.
Key Points
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is not the first Marxist leader to refuse the national
honour.
Former General Secretary late EMS Namboodirpad was the first among CPI(M)
leaders to refuse the Padma Award.
As a policy, both the CPI(M) leaders, do not accept awards from the State.
CPI(M) policy has been consistent in declining such awards from West Bengal.
Padma Vibhushan to different personalities
EMS was selected for Padma Vibhushan award in 1992, along with BJP’s Atal Bihari
Vajpayee by the then Congress government, headed by PV Narasimha Rao.
While Vajpayee received the award, Marxist veteran refused to accept it.
EMS was not alone while refusing to accept the Padma Vibhushan. There were at
least two more people who refused to accept it. Bureaucrat PN Haksar also felt that
“accepting an award for work done causes an inexplicable discomfort”. Swami
Ranganathananda also refused to accept it, as it was conferred to him as an
individual.
In 2020, former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal also returned the Padma
Vibhushan, to extend his support to farmers’ protests.
Family of politician Lakshmi Chand Jain also refused to accept the posthumous
honour, because he was against accepting state honours.
Padma Awards
Padma Awards were instituted in 1954. It is awarded to citizens of India, to recognise their
distinguished contribution in several spheres of activity including education, arts,
literature, industry, acting, science, social service, medicine, and public affairs. It has also
been awarded to some distinguished individuals who were not citizens but contributed in
multiple ways to India.
Selection criteria
The selection criteria for the award have been criticised in some quarters, claiming that
highly deserving artists have been left out to favour certain individuals. Following the
criticism, India has created an online nomination platform for common citizens for
recommending nomination for the awards.

PMC Bank amalgamation scheme
On January 25, 2022, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that, government has
notified a draft scheme for amalgamation of Punjab & Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC)
Bank with Unity Small Finance Bank (SFB).
Highlights
Final scheme envisages to start pay-outs for depositors with around Rs 5 lakh in
balance within one year, as opposed to two years in the draft scheme.
Furthermore, final scheme says Unity SFB must use recoveries made from loans
given to Housing Development & Infrastructure (HDIL) Group, above & over the
principal amount for buying back perpetual non-cumulative preference shares
(PNCPS), that are issued to institutional depositors.
When will amalgamation come into force?
The amalgamation came into force with effect from date of the notification of the scheme,
that is January 25, 2022. All the branches of PMC Bank will function as branches of Unity
SFB, from this date.
Unity SFB
Unity SFB is promoted by Centrum Financial Services, in which BharatPe owner
Resilient Innovation is a joint investor.
Unity SFB is required to transfer the amount received from Deposit Insurance and
Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) to all eligible depositors of PMC Bank, within
90-day period. Amount will be equal to the balance in their deposit accounts, up to Rs
5 lakh.
For Unity SFB with more than Rs 5 lakh in deposits, payout will be made in a
staggered manner.
For every other liability of PMC Bank, Unity SFB will pay only principal amounts within
a period of five years.
What are SFBs?
SFBs are a specific segment of banking, created by RBI, to undertake basic banking
activities to underserved and un-served sections. Draft guidelines to license small banks in
private sector were formulated and released in 2014, by RBI. SFBs were set up with the
objectives of increasing financial inclusion.
Punjab & Maharashtra Co-operative Bank Limited (PMC)
PMC is a multi-state co-operative bank, starting operating in 1983. It has 137 branches,
with 100 branches in Maharashtra. It is regulated by Reserve Bank of India. PMC has been
registered under Cooperative Societies Act.
MeitY: Electronics Manufacturing Vision Document
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology recently released a five year road
map for the electronics sector. The ministry also released a vision document called “300
billion USD Sustainable Electronics Manufacturing and Exports by 2026”.
About the vision document
This the second part of the document. The first part was released in November 2021. It
was called “Increasing India’s Electronics Exports and Share in GVCs”.
What does the second vision document say?
This vision document gives predictions about the products that will transform Indian
manufacturing sector into a 300 billion USD. The current trade value of the
manufacturing sector is 75 billion USD.
The product lists certain products that will lead the growth of electronics
manufacturing sector. They are consumer electronics, IT hardware, mobile phones,
auto electronics, telecom equipment, hearable electronic accessories, wearable
electronic accessories, LED lighting, industrial electronics.
According to the document, the mobile sector is to contribute 40% of the growth of
the sector.
The ministry aims to increase the annual production of the sector to 100 billion USD.
Currently, the production is 30 billion USD.
Mission of the second document
The second document focuses on new customers and new markets. The electronics
manufacturing sector is to play a major role in the Global Value Chain.
The growth in the electronics manufacturing is to be governed by two factors namely
growth and diversification of global value chains and growth of digital consumption.
Significance of the vision document
The domestic electronics market in the country is to increase to 180 billion USD in the
next five years. Currently it is at 65 billion USD. With this, the electronics
manufacturing sector is to rank second or third in terms of exports by 2026.
The current electronics exports are 15 billion USD. Of the 300 billion USD, the exports
alone are expected to increase to 120 billion by 2026.
National Tourism Day
Every year the National Tourism Day is celebrated on January 25. The day is celebrated to
create awareness about the growth aspects of tourism sector. Also, the day aims to
spread the impact of tourism sector on the economic development of the country.
Theme of National Tourism Day, 2022
Rural and Community centric tourism
History
The tourism sector was first introduced in India in 1948. A tourism committee was formed
in 1948. Later in 1958, a separate tourism department was created under the Ministry of
Tourism and Communication.
What is National Tourism?
It includes activities of domestic tourism and outbound tourism. Domestic tourism
includes activities of the residents of the country and the also the activities of the foreign
tourists within India. Outbound tourism includes activities of residents of the country in
foreign soil.
Who is Father of Tourism?
Thomas Cook. He was an English innovator who founded Thomas Cook and Son, a world
famous travel agency. He is the inventor of modern tourism.
State – wise Tourism in India
Maharashtra has the highest number of tourists visiting the state. More than five lakh
tourists visit the state annually. After Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu ranks second in tourism
with more than four lakh tourists visiting the state. After these two states, Uttar Pradesh
and Delhi are at third and fourth places respectively. UP has more than three lakh tourists
visiting the state and Delhi has more than two lakh visitors.
Tourism in India
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the tourism sector in India generated
220 billion USD of revenue annually. Also, the tourism sector contributes to 9.2% of the
total GDP of the country. The sector contributes 8.1% of employment. The medical tourism
of India is 3 billion USD and is expected to grow more.
Interesting Facts about tourist spots in India
There are 40 UNESCO Heritage sites in India. The last UNESCO heritage site added
was the Dholavira. Dholavira is a Harappan city.
Sikkim is the organic state of India. The state has 47.3% of its land area under forest
cover. It has banned pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, single use plastics and packaged
drinking water bottles.
Highest Rail Bridge: Chenab bridge. It is 1,315 metres and is 35 metres higher than
the Eiffel tower.
The Sentinelese people have isolated themselves from the rest of the world. They live
in Sentinel island.
Kangra fort in Himachal Pradesh is the oldest fort in the country.
Sudan Anti-coup protests
The Sudan security forces recently killed three protestors. This has re-kindled the Sudan
unrest. In the early January 2022, the Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned. This led to
civilian unrest in the country.
What happened?
In October 2021, the Prime Minister of Sudan Abdalla Hamdok was sacked by the
Sudanese military. He then resigned from power as a part of a deal. Hamdok had signed a
deal to share the power with the military. He then stepped down because the anti –
military protests increased in the country following the deal. The deal signed by Hamdok
was opposed by the pro – democratic supporters. They wanted the military generals to
hand over the power to the civilians.
Background
Sudan was governed by an Arab elite in Sudan with occasional breaks. The wealth of the
country was largely looted under the Arab’s rule.
Kleptocracy in Sudan
Kleptocracy is a Greek word. It is a government run by the corrupt leaders. In Kleptocracy,
the corrupt leaders use political power to loot the wealth of the country. It is basically
misappropriation of government funds.
Roots of the crisis
Basically, the issue is all around OIL. South Sudan is rich in oil and holds 75% of Sudan’s
oil. General Omar al – Bashir ruled Sudan for more than thirty years. In 2011, South Sudan
gained independence from Sudan. This was a part of the referendum signed between
General Omar al – Bashir and the South Sudanese rebels. The rebels were fighting for
independence for more than 21 years.
Role of US in the Sudan crisis
In 1993, the US government added the Bashir’s government in Sudan to its list of
terrorism sponsors. Also, US imposed sanctions on Sudan in 2018. Following the sanctions,
Sudan faced economic collapse. In 2019, Bashir was overthrown by a military coup. There
were country wide protests due to increasing food costs and other essentials.
What happened after Bashir? When did Hamdok come to power?
After overthrowing Bashir, a sovereignty council was formed. The council was made of
eleven members. It included civilian and military leaders. The council appointed Hamdok
as the Prime Minister.
CHIRU 2Q22 Naval Drills
CHIRU is a naval drill recently conducted by China, Russia and Iran in Gulf of Oman. China
sent Urumqi, missile destroyer to take part in the exercise. The countries are now looking
for opportunities to deepen their military cooperation. Russia sent its Pacific Fleet task
force to participate in the exercise. This included the anti – submarine warfare ship
Admiral Tributs and Nakhimov missile cruiser.
About the Drill
The countries conducted military artillery fire against the sea targets. Also, they took part
in tactical maneuvering. The countries also conducted anti – piracy drills during the
exercise.
Russia on the drills
The Russian government had earlier announced that it would conduct drills in different
parts of the world including all areas of its responsibility. Russia had also announced that
it will conduct military exercise in the Mediterranean waters, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean
and Okhotsk seas. More than 60 aircrafts and 140 warships are kept ready to take part in
such exercises.
Russia and Belarus
Russia had already conducted naval drills with Belarus amidst the Ukraine tensions. Russia
is also holding talks with the US over the Ukraine issues. The latest naval drills are
increasing the tensions.
China in the drills
Uruqmi is a Chinese missile destroyer. She was commissioned in 2018. Uruqmi is Type
052D destroyer. It uses canister type vertical launching system. It uses combined diesel or
gas propulsion. It is designed to carry helicopters. It has AESA, Active Electronically
Scanned Array radar. It is a contemporary to the US Aegis Combat System. Apart from
Uruqmi, China also sent its supply ship Taihu, forty marines and ship borne helicopters.
Russia in the drills
Varyag of Russia participated in the drills. Varyag is a missile cruiser. It is a Slava class of
guided missile cruiser. It was designed and built by the Soviet Union. It is a anti – ship
rocket cruiser. Russia also sent its Boris Butoma.
Indigenous Maya Achi women
On January 24, 2022, Guatemala Court ruled that, five former paramilitary patrolmen were
guilty of sexually abusing and raping the Indigenous women during the war. This ruling
has been welcomed by survivors of Guatemala’s decades-long armed conflict.
Key Facts
Judges Gelvi Sical and Yassmin Barrios ruled that 36 Indigenous Maya Achi women
were subjected to rape, sexual violence and domestic slavery, during 36-year conflict,
which pitted military of Guatemala against leftist forces from 1960 to 1996.
Court pronounced 30 years imprisonment to five former members of “Civil Self-
Defence Patrols” paramilitary group, for crimes that took place in 1980s.
What was the issue?
The issue is related to Indigenous Mayan Achi women plaintiffs from villages in
Rabinal municipality in Baja Verapaz department. It is located around 176 km from
capital Guatemala City.
These women were demanding justice for crimes committed during the conflict, in
which Guatemalan government and military mobilised paramilitaries in fight against
leftist fighters in rural communities.
The Achi
In Guatemala, the Achi are a Maya people. Their indigenous language is also called Achi. It
is closely related to K’iche.
The Maya
The Maya are an indigenous people of Central America and Mexico. They have
continuously inhabited the lands comprising if modern-day Yucatan, Campeche, Quintana
Roo, Tabasco, & Chiapas in Mexico as well as Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, and
Honduras.
The Maya Civilisation
Maya civilization originated in Yucatan Peninsula. It is known for its monumental
architecture as well as advanced understanding of astronomy & mathematics. Rise of the
Maya started around 250 CE and lasted until 900 CE.
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America. It is bordered by Mexico, Belize, Caribbean,
Honduras, El Salvador and Pacific Ocean. The country has an estimated population of
around 17.2 million. It is the most populous country in Central America. Guatemala is a
representative democracy. Guatemala City is the largest as well as capital city of
Guatemala.
Data Privacy Day 2022

Data Privacy Day is celebrated on January 28, every year, with the objective of spreading
awareness on Privacy. Observance of the day is “an international effort of creating
awareness on importance of respecting privacy, enabling trust and safeguarding data”.
Key Facts
Privacy is a means of ensuring online safety for all individuals.
It has become an important topic of discussion in digitally connected world,
specifically at the time of covid-19 pandemic as more people are forced to spend
time in virtual world.
Failure in safeguarding one’s privacy could result in exploitation as well as criminal
offences against internet users.
Why people are more concern about data?
People are more concern about protecting their data, with the proliferation of instant
messaging mobile applications like WhatsApp and Telegram.
Security features launched by applications
To ensure data privacy, companies have rolled out many security features on mobile
application, such as “end-to-end encryption”. This feature ensure that exchange of
information is not visible to anyone and it remain restricted to two people involved in
particular conversation. WhatsApp and Telegram are providing this feature.
Government’s pressure on companies
Governments from different companies have been putting pressure on these companies
to allow them to access these conversations. They want tech companies to create “back
doors” for law enforcement in a bid to access encrypted platforms. As per government,
this will create a safe space for citizens because government will clamp down on bad
actors and mischief-makers, by preventing the spread of viral misinformation.
Available security measures on applications like WhatsApp
1. Two-Step verification:It provides an extra layer of security to their end-to-end
encrypted messaging account.
2. Touch ID or Face ID lock:This feature is available in a wide variety of phone
manufactured by Apple, Samsung, Google etc. Some phones even offer under screen
fingerprint sensors, that use ultrasound to build image of fingers.
3. Forward limits: Applications like WhatsApp have set a limit on forwarding messages
to five chats at once. Thus, it restricts the sharing of information and checking the
spread misinformation.
4. Additional limits for viral messages:WhatsApp have set additional limits on
messages, that have been sent many times. Such messages are labelled as
“Forwarded many times”
5. Disappearing messages:This feature was launched on WhatsApp. Once this feature
is enabled, new messages sent in individual or group chat will disappear after seven
days. WhatsApp also launched ‘view once’ feature. It makes photos and videos
disappear after they’ve been opened.
6. Admin controls:Admins can decide who can send messages within groups. Similarly,
in Telegram, secret chats are not part of its cloud. It can only be accessed on devices
of origin.
National Voters Day
Every year, the National Voters Day is celebrated on January 25. The day is celebrated to
increase the enrolment of new voters in the country.
Theme of National Voters Day 2022
Making elections Inclusive, Accessible and Participative
Awards
Every year, the National Awards for the Best Electoral Practices are conferred at state and
district level on the National Voters Day. The awards are presented for election
management, security management, IT initiatives and accessible elections. Also, the
awards are presented for Election Commission of India icons, media groups and other
important stakeholders. The awards are presented by the Election Commission of India.
2022 National Voters Day Programmes
“My Voter is my Future – power of one vote” programme was launched. It is an awareness
contest on social media. The contest reiterated the importance of voting. The contest is
conducted in terms of quiz, video making, song composition and poster designs.
History
The National Voters Day is being celebrated in the country since 2011. The then
broadcasting minister Ambika Soni (during Manmohan Singh government) announced
that the participation of youths reaching the eligible age of 18 years were showing less
interest towards electoral rolls. The day was launched to increase their interest. Thus, the
day targets the young population.
Why is National Voters Day celebrated on January 25?
The Election Commission of India (ECI) was established on January 25, 1950. The National
Voters Day is observed on this day to mark the creation of ECI.
Purpose of National Voters Day
The main purpose of celebrating the day is to create new voters, maximize enrolment of
voters and to encourage voting. The day is used to promote voter participation in electoral
process.
EPIC
The Election Commission of India recently decided that the new voters will be provided
with the EPIC. EPIC is Elector Photo Identity Card. The EPIC will be delivered along with a
voter guidebook and personalized letter of the voters.
Book published
On National Voters Day, 2022, a book called “Pledging to Vote – A Decadal Journey of the
National Voters Day in India” was published.
January 27, 2022
Smriti Mandhana: ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year 2021
Smriti Manadhana of India has won the ICC Women Cricketer of the year 2021. She is the
second woman player to win the award in the world. Ellyse Perry of Australia was the first
woman player to win the award.
About the award
The ICC Women Cricketer of the year is presented as a part of the ICC Awards ceremony.
The award was renamed as the Rachael Heyhoe Flint in 2017. Rachael Heyhoe Flint is a
woman cricketer. She was the captain of the British cricket team between 1966 and 1978.
The award was introduced in 2006. It adjudges the best international cricketer based on
their twelve month period performances. Between 2006 and 2011, the award was
presented in a single category called “Women’s Player of the Year”. In 2017, separate
categories were introduced for One Day and T20 cricket.
Smriti Mandhana
Smriti plays for the Indian cricket team. In 2018, she won the Rachael Heyhoe award for
the best female cricketer. She was born in 1996 in a Marwari family. Her father and
brother played cricket. She picked up her interest towards cricket from them. Mandhana
entered the national team in 2017. She played for the world cup in 2017. In 2019, Smriti
became the captain of the team. In 2019, she won the CEAT International Woman
Cricketer award. She was the third fastest cricketer to score 2000 runs in WODI.
ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the year
Lizelle Lee of South Africa was named as the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the year, 2021.
Lee’s average is 90.28. She had scored 632 runs in eleven matches. In March 2021, Lee
played a crucial role in South Africa’s win against India. During the test series, Lee hit 288
runs that led the team to win against India. Lee was named as the Player of the series.
What is a Deccahorn?
Deccahorns are private firms whose value exceeded over ten billion USD. Recently Swiggy
has become the fourth Indian company to earn the tag. The other three companies that
hold the tag already are Paytm, a FinTech, Oyo (a hotel aggregator) and Byjus (an Edtech).
Facebook was the first Deccahorn. It earned the tag in 2007. Facebook became a
Deccahorn after Microsoft invested 240 million USD in Facebook. Alibaba of China was the
second Deccahorn. It achieved the status in 2009.
What are Deccahorns?
The Deccahorns are startup companies. They are valued for their potential growth and not
for their financial perormances. A company that is acquired by other company cannot be
called as Deccahorn. For instance, the value of Flipkart is more than 10 billion USD.
However, Walmart has acquired Flipkart. So Flipkart cannot be called as Deccahorn. Also, a
government company cannot be called as Deccahorn. After Facebook, more than 84
deccahorns were created. Of these 33 lost their tags. This leaves around 51 deccahorns in
the world currently.
About Deccahorns
In 2021, many companies earned the tag. The numbers were double in 2021 as compared
to 2020. Most of these deccahorns are startup companies. Their numbers increased with
the increase in rise of consumer technologies.
Popular Deccahorn sectors
Mostly Deccahorns operate in the following industries:
On – Demand, Artificial Intelligence, FinTech, transportation, e – commerce, marketplace,
big data, consumer electronics, social, gaming, blockchain, hardware, internet software,
hardware, computer hardware, biotechnology
Unicorn, Deccahorn and Hectocorn
Unicorn: Company value is more than 1 billion USD
Deccahorn: Company value is greater than 10 billion USD
Hectocorn: Company value is more than 100 billion USD
Are there any hectocorns?
Bytedance was the first company to become a hectocorn. Bytedance is the parent
company of Tik Tok. It gained 100 billion USD value in May 2020. After Bytedance, SpaceX
gained the tag becoming the second hectocorn. These companies are private companies.
They are not listed in stock market.
Study: Impact of Humid Heat on Labour
A Duke University study says that the increase in global temperature will affect labour
productivity. The increase in temperature will lead to global economic losses of 1.6 trillion
USD.
Key Findings of the study
In the twelve hour work day, around 670 billion USD is being lost currently. The world
is already warmer by a degree Celsius as compared to that of the previous century.
Every additional increase will affect people productivity. Between 1979 and 2020, the
labour productivity was lost at the rate of 101 billion hours per year.
Today, the world is losing 259 billion hours annually due to heat.
Three –quarters of the world population are living in a location where the climate
conditions are associated with work hours.
The labour productivity is the highest in the tropics. It is expected that the tropics
might lost labour productivity of 500 to 600 hours per year.
The heat related labour losses have increased four times in the last four decades.
Labour Productivity loss in India
The study says that India is currently losing labour productivity at 259 billion hours per
year. In the past twenty years, India lost 25 billion working hours. China is losing 72 billion
hours per year. Bangladesh is losing 32 billion hours per year.
Why increase in temperature affects labour productivity?
According to the study, there are three reasons for the decreased labour productivity. The
work of the people slows down as temperature increases in the morning. They continue
doing their work tirelessly. By noon, the same work feels intensive. As temperature
increases further, by two or three in the noon, they stop working as the heat makes them
uncomfortable. As days pass by the same way, they begin to face health consequences.
Other Studies
Lancet says that that the poor countries have lost 4% to 8% of their National Gross
Domestic Product. The National Climate Change says that climate change kills more than
100,000 people every year.
Padma Awards 2022
The Padma Awards 2022 is to be conferred to vaccine makers to semiconductor market
rulers. This time, the Padma awards are being presented to a diversified list of recipients.
Around 128 people are to receive the award in 2022. The awards will be presented by
President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Padma Vibhushan
The late CDS, Bipin Rawat and Kalyan Singh are to be presented with Padma Vibhushan
posthumously.
Padma Bhushan
The former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is presented with
Padma Bhushan. But Buddhadeb is to decline the award. He is a CPI (M) leader. The
congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad, alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya
Nadella will also receive the award. Gurmeet Bawa, the late folk singer of Punjab, Rajiv
Mehrishi, the union home secretary are to be presented with Padma Bhushan.
Padma shri
Sonu Nigam, the play back singer of Bollywood will receive Padma Shri.
Sports persons
A total of six sports persons are to receive the Padma awards 2022. Paralympian Devendra
Jhajharia is to receive Padma Bhushan. Hockey player Vandana Katariya and Paralympians
Pramod Bhagat, Avani Lekhara, Sumit Antil are to receive Padma Shri. Neeraj Chopra, the
Tokyo Olympics gold medalist will also receive Padma Shri.
Vaccine makers
Cyrus Poonawala, the founder of SII (Serum Institute of India) will receive Padma
Bhushan. He is the man behind the popular “COVISHIELD”. The chairman of Bharat
Biotech Krishna Ellla and the co-founder of Bharat Biotech Suchitra Ella will also receive
Padma Bhushan.
About Padma Awards 2022
In 2022, the President Ram Nath Kovind approved 107 padma shri awards, 17 padma
bhushan and 4 padma vibhushan awards. In all 128 padma awards. Of this one Padma
award is a duo case. In duo cases, the award is considered as one. This time 34 recipients
are women. Also, there are ten foreigners or NRI or OCI in the list. 13 are posthumous
awardees.
Supreme Court Notice on Irrational Freebies
The Supreme Court of India recently issued a notice to the union government, a few state
governments and also to the Election Commission of India. The ECI has stated lack of
power as the reason in response.
What is the notice about?
The SC has directed the ECI to frame guidelines to stop the political parties from
distributing “irrational freebies from public fund”. According to the Supreme Court, the
states are already under huge debt. The freebies being announced will increase the stress
on the people. Ultimately, the money comes from people tax.
The Supreme court has also asked the central government to frame a separate law to
govern the freebies being offered during election campaigns.
Legality in the issue
According to Indian law, the election manifesto cannot be treated as a corrupt practice.
Section 123 of Representation of People Act lists the corrupt practices. And election
manifesto is not a corrupt practice according to the act. Currently, there is no Indian law
to govern the freebies being announced by the state governments.
Earlier judgments
In 2013, in the case of Subramanium Balaji Vs Tamil government, the court pronounced
that the freebies impact the voting choices of people largely. The court ruled that the fact
that the freebies announced during election campaigns influences people voting largely
cannot be ruled out.
Inference
The freebies are being announced based on the government funds. And the political
parties cannot make such promises before learning about the financial condition of the
government. Some parties even announce schemes under which free cash is to be
delivered before coming to power.
ECI’s stand
According to ECI, the commission has already incorporated the guidelines governing
election manifesto in part VII of the Model Code of Conduct. Also, the commission has
issued instructions about implementing the ongoing government schemes while the code
of conduct is in operation.
2021 Corruption Perceptions Index
The Transparency International recently released the Corruption Perception Index.
According to the index, India ranked 85 among the world countries. The report said that
the score of corruption has been stagnant for India over a decade. Also, the report said,
the fundamental freedoms in the country are decaying and concerns over democratic
status are increasing.
About the scores used in the index
The TI included 180 countries in the ranking. The rankings were created based on the
corruption in the public sector of the countries. Based on this, the Corruption Perception
Index is calculated. Here zero means highly corrupt, a score of 100 means the country is
clean. India scored 40.
India in the ranking
India scored 86th in the ranking in 2020. In 2019, India was ranked 80th. According to
the report, the journalists in India are facing severe risks. Also, the activists are
becoming victims of police attacks, corrupt local officials, criminal gangs, political
militants.
The report also says that the organizations that are talking against the government
are targeted with sedition, defamation, security, regulation of foreign funding,

contempt of court charges and hate speeches.
Report about Pakistan
Pakistan ranked 140 in the index scoring 28. Pakistan is performing bad in the index
mainly because of absence of rule of law and also state capture. In 2020, Pakistan was
ranked 124. The score of Pakistan in 2020 was 31. The report comes while Imran Khan is
trying to keep up his promises of making the government clean. To the contrary, Pakistan
was ranking 117 during the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh scored 26 and was ranked at 147th position.
Relative performance of India
Around 86% of the countries showed little or no improvement since 2012. India was
one among them. India was in 94th position in 2012.
Denmark topped the index followed by Denmark, New Zealand. Their scores were
around 88.
Asia Pacific
Around 70% of the countries in the region were ranked below 50. However, the dominant
players China and India scored badly. Sri Lanka was the only country whose performance
did not improve as compared to 2012.
Report about the world countries
Seychelles and Armenia made biggest improvement in increasing their scores.
Italy, UK, Argentina, Austria, China have improved their scores.
Transparency International
It is a non – governmental organization. It was founded in 1993. Its headquarters is
located tin Berlin, Germany. It works to take actions against corruption measures, prevent
criminal activities. The most popular measures of Transparency International are the
Corruption Perception Index and Global Corruption Barometer.
Rise in India's Bilateral Trade with China
As per Chinese government data, India’s bilateral trade with China has increased to 43.3
percent in 2021, despite India’s measures to reduce dependence on imports from China
and increased emphasis on self-reliance.
Key Points
India’s imports from China increased to USD 97.5 billion in year 2021. In 2020, the
import was USD 66.7 billion, which increased by 46.1 per cent in 2021.
Imports in 2021 increased by 30.3 per cent, as compared to 2019.
India’s exports to China also increased to record high of USD 28.1 billion in 2021. It
increased by 34.9 per cent, against 20.9 billion in 2020.
India’s Exports to China in 2021 were 56.5 per cent higher, as compared to 2019.
India’s total trade with China was USD 125.7 billion, in 2021.
Widening Trade Deficit
The widening trade deficit between both the countries is a cause of concern. India’s
imports from China are around four times its exports in value terms. India’s export basket
comprises of primary goods. On the other hand, imports from China are dominated by
value added items.
India’s dependence on China
The bilateral trade has increased despite moves taken by Government to reduce India’s
dependence on Chinese imports, following border clashes between both the country.
After a violent clash in June 2020, India’s Union Power Ministry imposed a ban on import
of power equipment from China. State-owned telecommunication companies, BSNL and
MTNL, were also asked to exclude Chinese telecom equipment firms. Government also
blocked social media app TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps in India. In 2021, government
converted the blocks into permanent bans. Foreign direct investment (FDI) rules were also
modified, in a bid to prevent opportunistic takeovers of domestic firms by Chinese
companies.
India’s largest trading partner
As per India’s Union Commerce Ministry, China was India’s second largest trading partner
during April-November 2021, after the US. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Iraq
were other top trading partners for India during this period.
Key Imports from China
Some of India’s imports from China include- smartphones, telecom equipment,
components for smartphones & automobiles, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs),
plastic & metallic goods and other chemicals.
Veteran archaeologist R. Nagaswamy
Renowned archaeologist and first director of Tamil Nadu archaeology department, Padma
Bhushan R. Nagaswamy, passed away on January 23, 2022 in Chennai.
Highlights
He is survived by two sons and two daughters.
His wife, Parvathi, predeceased him.
Nagaswamy is known for his epigraphy research on sculptures in Mahabalipuram.
He is known for several books on Tamil literature.
Padma Bhushan
Nagaswamy was honoured with the Padma Bhushan award, for his research work in
archaeology, in 2018. He was also the recipient of Kalaimamani award, which is the
highest civilian award from Tamil Nadu government.
Ramachandran Nagaswamy
He was an Indian historian, epigraphist and archaeologist, known for his work on temple
inscriptions and art history of Tamil Nadu. He was the first director of Tamil Nadu
Archaeology Department, from 1966 to 1988. He also played an instrumental role in
starting the annual Chidambaram Natyanjali festival in 1980. He was an authority in Chola
Bronzes.
Natyanjali Festival
It is an annual dance festival, celebrated to commemorate Hindu deity Shiva. It started off
as a relatively obscure event, originated in 1981. It is organized jointly by Department of

Tourism of Tamil Nadu and Natyanjali Trust. These celebrations are most prominent at its
original venue. They occur in a wider spectrum across Murugan and Tamil Nadu temples.
Mumbai also organizes their own versions of this festival under the same banner. Current
version of the festival lasts for around 13 days. Several classical dance forms of all styles
offer their art up to God Nataraja.
Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department
It is archaeology department of Government of Tamil Nadu. This department was founded
in 1961. It is headed by an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, who works with the
designation of “Commissioner for Archaeology”.
Om: CSIR-CDRI RT-PCR kit for Omicron Variant
The scientists from ‘CSIR – Central Drug Research Institute’ have developed an indigenous
RT-PCR kit called ‘Om’. This kit will be used to test the omicron variant.
Highlights
Om kit is the first kit developed by any government institution for the omicron
variant.
It will make India self-reliant in RT-PCR diagnostics.
The team comprises Dr. Atul Goel, Dr. Niti Kumar and Dr. Ashish Arora, at CSIR-CDRI.
The indigenous RT-PCR kit ‘INDICoV-OmTM’ is among few specific kits to detect
Omicron worldwide.
About “INDICoV-OmTM”
Om test kit will help in detecting omicron variant quickly and cost-effective manner, over
genome sequencing for a large population. The kit was made within two months. It will
cost around Rs 150. Further, it will provide the test results in two hours. The kit can also be
aligned to detect other emerging variants of Covid infection and respiratory infections.
Approval of the kit
The kit will be launched by mid-February, once it gets approval from the Indian Council of
Medical Research (ICMR). Kit has been referred to ICMR-National Institute of Virology
(NIV) for validated.
Significance of the kit
The Om diagnostic kit will be used to specifically detect the omicron variant. Its detection
will help in proper diagnosis and treatment of the patient. Most RT-PCR-based diagnostic
kits do not confirm the covid variant causing the infection. Detection of omicron variant
currently depends on tests like S-gene dropout or by Nextgen sequencing of whole viral
genome.
Concerns associated with S-gene drop-out method
The S-gene drop-out method is not specific. It does not pinpoint the type of variant. The
Nextgen sequencing method too, has certain limitations like expense, turnaround, and
number of centres providing such service.
Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
RT-PCR is a laboratory technique, that combines reverse transcription of RNA into DNA.
Amplification of DNA targets using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). It is used to measure
the amount of specific RNA.
ASER Survey on Chhattisgarh (Rural)
Report on “Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) Chhattisgarh (Rural) 2021” was
released recently. The report highlights the learning crisis created by covid-19 pandemic
induced lockdowns, since March 2020.
Highlights
Report highlights that, proportion of primary school children who cannot recognize letters
of the alphabet have increased double fold since 2018. Furthermore, fewer students can
now do basic division or subtraction.
Parameters for assessment
Trained surveyors were on field to assess if children were acquiring foundational reading
and arithmetic skills. Surveyed children were given reading tasks in local languages for
evaluating familiarity with set of commonly used letters, words and set of four simple
linked sentences in class 1 & 2 textbooks. They were also evaluated on recognising
numbers 1 to 99, 2-digits subtraction problems and 3-digit division problems.
Two-Stage Survey
The two-stage survey was conducted in October-November 2021 across 28 districts
of Chhattisgarh. These districts lag behind in multiple social indicators. Survey
covered 46,021 children from 33,432 households of 1,677 villages.
In the first stage, 60 villages across each district were sampled, based on census
2011.
In the next stage, 20 households were sampled randomly in each of the villages
selected in first round.
The sampling strategy provides a sample of 1,200 households from each district and
generates a representative picture.
Reading and numerical abilities have taken a severe beating.
Number of children who were unable to recognise even letters in classes 2, 3, and 6
has increased double fold, since 2018. In class 2, it increased from 19.5% to 37.6%; in
class 3, it increased from 10.4% to 22.5% while in class 6, it increased from 2.5% to
4.8%.
In class 3, only 12.3% students were able to read class 2-level text.
Number of children who were unable to recognise single-digit numbers has
increased from 11.4% to 24.3% in class 2, since 2018.
Findings on enrolment in the state are among very few positive aspects, captured by
the survey. Enrolment in government school has increased from 76.4% in 2018 to
82.9% in 2021, in 6-14 years of age group.
Kerala: Ordinance to dilute Lokayukta Powers
Kerala government has decided to bring an ordinance for amending the “Kerala
Lokayukta Act”, so that it would have the powers of rejecting report of anti-corruption
body.
Highlights
State cabinet recently recommended to the governor to issue ordinance for
amending Kerala Lokayukta Act, 1999.
The amendment seeks to give powers to the government for either accepting or
rejecting the verdict of Lokayukta, after providing an opportunity of being heard.
According to proposed amendment, Lokayukta would have only the powers of
making recommendations or sending reports to the government.
The Lokayukta
Lokayukta is the Indian Parliamentary Ombudsman. He is executed into power for each of
the State Governments in India. It is brought into effect through the Lokayukta Act. A
person of reputable background is nominated for the post, which is created to address
grievances quickly, against working efficiency and integrity of the government or its
administration. Lokayukta cannot be dismissed or transferred by the government, once he
is appointed. He can only be removed by passing an impeachment motion by state
assembly.
First State to introduce Lokayukta
Maharashtra became the first state to introduce the institution of Lokayukta through
“Lokayukta and Upa-Lokayuktas Act” in 1971. Maharashtra was followed by similar acts
enacted by states of Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka,
Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Delhi. Powers of Lokayukta in each state
are different.
Who appoints the Lokayukta?
The Lokayukta is appointed by Governor of the State. He is appointed through nomination
by its Chief Minister, in consensus with Chief justice of State High Court, Leaders of
Opposition in Legislative Assembly & Legislative Council, Chairman of Legislative Council
and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
Who is eligible for appointment?
Retired Chief Justice, or Judge, or a retired judge of the High Court is eligible for the post
of Lokayukta.
Drone Certification Scheme
On January 26, 2022, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) notified a drone certification scheme
for ensuring minimum safety and quality requirements, because it will boost indigenous
manufacturing.
Drone Certification Scheme
The drone certification scheme was notified under Rule 7 of the liberalized Drone
Rules, 2021. The scheme will help in simpler, faster and transparent type-certification
of drones.
It will help in growth of drone manufacturing industry in India, along with the
liberalised drone rules, production-linked incentive scheme, airspace map, and single
window Digital Sky Platform.
It is another step in making India a drone hub of the world by 2030.

PLI Scheme for drones
The Ministry of Civil Aviation had approved the PLI scheme for drones in September
2021. It also approved the drone components with an allocation of Rs 120 crore, for
three financial years.
The PLI scheme was launched as a follow-through of the liberalised Drone Rules,
2021, which was released by ministry on August 25, 2021.
Certification Criteria in certification scheme
The certification criteria mentioned in drone certification scheme (DCS) will be applicable
to indigenous drone manufacturers, importers as well as assemblers.
Objective of Drone Certification Scheme
The Drone Certification Scheme was launched with the objective of providing minimum
requirements for airworthiness, safety and security requirements for drones. The scheme
also seeks to enable their evaluation for certification.
Who will oversee the scheme?
A multi-stakeholder steering committee (MSC) chaired by a known professional, will
oversee the certification scheme, in association with the Quality Control of India (QCI). The
MSC will also be supported by a certification committee and a technical committee,
constituted by the QCI.
Quality Council of India (QCI)
QCI was set up as an autonomous body in 1997. It was setup jointly by government of
India and Indian Industry represented by three industry associations, namely Associated
Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), Federation of Indian
Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). It
was set up with the aim of establishing and operating national accreditation structure and
promoting quality through National Quality Campaign.
Russia Military drills near Ukraine
Russia recently held military drills in the annexed Crimean region. More than six thousand
troops participated in the drills. Russia had already stationed 100,000 soldiers in the
Ukraine border.
Why did Russia conduct the drill?
The drill was conducted in response to US actions. According to Russia, the US is keeping
its troops in alert. The US President held recently held a meeting with the European
leaders. After the meeting, Biden announced that there was “total unanimity” on dealing
with Russia. Also, the US has put 8,500 troops on standby. Also, the US is sending ships to
strengthen the eastern European countries’ defence. The drill is seen as a counter to
these actions. The tensions are increasing to levels not seen since cold war. The US
About the drill
The drill involved bombers, fighter jets, anti – aircraft systems, ships from the Caspian Sea
fleets and Black sea fleets.
Ukraine
Ukraine was with the Soviet Union before the latter’s disintegration in 1991. The US and
several other European countries have been supporting Ukraine since the disintegration.
US is of the view that Russia is to capture Ukraine. Russia is rejecting the accusation.
NATO
NATO wants Russia to withdraw its army from the Ukraine borders. NATO has warned
Russia that the latter will have to face severe economic sanction if it attacks Ukraine. NATO
is North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It is an inter governmental organization formed by
the US, 27 other European countries.
Four way Paris talks
The drill comes during four way Paris talks on Ukraine. It is also called “Normandy Talks”.
This is increasing the tensions further. The talks were conducted among Russia, Germany,
Ukraine and France. The talks were conducted to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The
talks aimed to put an end to the long running conflict between the pro – Russian
separatists and Ukrainian Government forces.
IMF on El-Salvador Bitcoin legal tender
The International Monetary Fund recently asked El Salvador to remove the legal status of
bitcoin.
What happened?
In September 2021, El Salvador became the first country to allow its consumers to use
cypto currencies. Fear arose all over the country that bitcoin might bring inflation and
instability to the country.
What is IMF Saying?
IMF has warned El Salvador that it will be difficult for the Latin American country to get
loan from the international organization if the latter is not removing the legal status of
bitcoin. According to IMF, El Salvador might face large consumer protection risks, financial
instability by legalising Bitcoin. Also, IMF is of the view that Bitcoin is a controversial
currency and it can fluctuate largely.
Why did El Salvador legalise bitcoin?
Bitcoin was legalised to boost economic development in the country. The country installed
200 new cash machines. El Savador has plans to build a new bitcoin city at the base of a
volcano. And Bitcoin is to be used to fund the project.
What happened in El Salvador after legalising Bitcoin?
The Bitcoin has lost half of its value now in the country. Bitcoin was trading at 67,734 USD
in November 2021. In January 2022, it is trading at 37,000 USD. El Salvador stays divided
with the move. Half the population are against the move. The country provided 30 USD in
bitcoins for free as a start. Many citizens are unaware of bitcoin and its uses.
What is World Bank saying?
World Bank is also opposing the legal status given to Bitcoin in El Savador. The World Bank
warned the country before the legalisation began. According to World Bank, this was an
attention seeking move of the current authoritative regime in the country.
What are the El Salvadorians staying abroad saying?
Remittances make up 20% of the country’s GDP. So according to the El Salvadorians
working abroad, sending money through bitcoin will be cheaper to for them.
J&K Next-Gen Administrative Reforms
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) is to
collaborate with the Jammu and Kashmir Government for administrative reforms.
What is the plan?
A roadmap is to be created on the following three initiatives:
The DARPG and the J&K government will together monitor the progress in 58 District
Good Governance Index indicators. An online portal is to be created to monitor the
indicators.
Online monitoring of satisfaction of the citizens in 150 e – services.
The e-HRMS is to be adopted in Jammu and Kashmir.
Also, the National Informatics Centre is to create an online dashboard monitoring tool to
collect data. 150 e – services are provided through digital platforms. The quality of the
services is to be bench marked. This will improve the ease of life of the Kashmiris.
Reforms so far
The Srinagar Secretariat and the Jammu secretariat were converted into paperless
secretariat. They have adopted the e-office version 7.0. Also, Jammu and Kashmir has
witnessed considerable changes in terms of ease of doing business.
What is e-HRMS?
Electronic Human Resource Management System. The system will digitise the employee
service records, GPF, pension benefits and gratuity.
DARPG
DARPG operates under Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
District Good Governance Index
It was launched by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The index weighed the
performances of the districts of Jammu and Kashmir based on 58 indicators.
New Districts of Andhra Pradesh
The Jagan Mohan Reddy Government of Andhra Pradesh recently created 13 new districts.
The districts were created based on Parliamentary constituencies. With this the total
number of districts in Andhra Pradesh has increased to 26.
About the new districts
The Araku Lok Sabha constituency in Visakhapatnam was divided into two districts.
The 26 districts are Srikulam. Vizianagaram, Manyam, allure Sitharama Raju district,
Visakhapatnam, Sri Balaji district, Chittor, Annamayya, YSR Kadappa, Sri Satyasai district,
Ananthapuram, Nandyal, Kurnool, SPS Nellore, Prakasam, Palnadu, Bapatla, Guntur, NTR
district, Krishna, Eluru, West Godavari, East Godavari, Kona Seema, Kakinada, Anakapalli.
Before this, a new district was created in 1979 in an undivided Andhra Pradesh. It was
Vizianagaram district.
How are new districts created in India?
The power to create a new district is in the hands of the state government. This is either
done by passing a law in the state assembly or through an executive order. The State
Governments can also pass a notification in the office gazette.
Why are new districts created?
According to the state governments, it is easy to administrate if the districts are smaller.
Small and more districts mean more officers for less population. The grievances of the
people shall be redressed easily. Scheme implementation and fund transfer becomes
easy.
What is the role of central government in creating districts?
The Central Governments have no role in creating new districts. The Ministry of Home
Affairs is included only when the state government wishes to change the name of the
railway station.
What is the current scenario of Indian districts?
According to 2011 census, there were 593 districts in India. Between 2001 and 2011, 46
districts were created. According to Know India (a GoI website), there are 718 districts in
the country. The number increased mainly because of division of Andhra Pradesh in 2014.
The number had not added the newly created AP districts.
India’s First Woman Rafale Pilot
Pilot Shivangi Singh is India’s first Woman Rafale pilot. She was a part of the Indian Air
Force Tableau at the Republic Day celebrations. She joined the Indian Air Force in 2017.
She is the only second woman pilot to participate in the Indian Air Force Tableau. Fighter
Jet pilot Bhawna Kanth was the first woman pilot to participate in the IAF tableau.
About Shivangi Singh
Shivangi Singh was commissioned in the second batch of women fighter pilots. She was
flying MiG-21 before Rafale. She is a part of the Golden Arrows squadron. Shivangi Singh
was born in Bihar. She did her bachelor of technology in Sikkim Manipal Institute of
Technology. Later she did her further studies in Malaviya National Institute of Technology
in Jaipur.
IAF Tableau
The theme of 2022 IAF Tableau was “Indian Air Force Transforming for the future”. The
Aslesha radar and the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopters participated in
the tableau. The IAF also show cased the Gnat aircraft.
Golden Arrows Squadron
It is based in Ambala, Punjab. The squadron was resurrected in 2016 with Dassault Rafale
jets. It was moved to Delhi during the 1965 India – Pakistan war to protect the capital. The
squadron received the President’s Standard Award in 1988. In 1951, the Harvard II B
aircrafts participated in the squadron. In 1955, de Havilland Vampire participated in the
squadron. In 1957, Hawker Hunter participated in the squadron. In 1975, it was MiG-21.
Since 2019, it is Rafale.
Aslesha radar
It is multifaceted low weight radar. It can be deployed in varied terrains like deserts,
plains, high altitudes and mountain tops.
Gnat
Gnat was designed by the British. It is a subsonic fighter aircraft. It is used for combat and
training purposes. Gnat is operated by different squadrons in India. They are 2, 9, 15, 18,
21, 22, 23 and 24. Gnat aircrafts are also operated by Finland, Yugoslavia. In 1956, India
signed an agreement to produce the aircraft within the country. Then HAL slowly took
over the technology.
Pakistan Islamic Bond
Pakistan raised USD 1 billion loan through Sukuk bond, at a record 7.95% interest rate.
Key Points
It is the cost that Pakistan has agreed to pay on an Islamic bond.
Country has also agreed to pledge a portion of Lahore-Islamabad Motorway in
return for highly-needed loan.
It has also raised the loan for keeping official foreign exchange reserves at their
levels ahead of some major foreign loans’ repayments.
Prime Minister Imran Khan also went to international capital markets after
consuming around USD 2 billion out of USD 3 billion, borrowed from Saudi Arabia.
This consumption has brought down the gross official foreign exchange reserves to
USD 17 billion, as of now.
Issuance of Sukuk bond in Pakistan
Pakistan issued 7-year tenor asset-backed Sukuk bond to raise USD 1 billion at the
interest rate of 7.95%.
This rate is almost half percent higher than 10-year Eurobond, which was floated in
April 2021.
Difference between Sukuk bond and Eurobond
The key difference between Islamic Sukuk and traditional Eurobond is that, Sukuk bond is
backed by an asset which attracts less interest rate. However, government paid the
interest rate on the asset-backed bond, which is higher than traditional tenor bond.
What is Sukuk bond?
Sukuk is the Arabic name for financial certificates. It is also referred to as “sharia
compliant” bonds. Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions
(AAOIFI) define Sukuk as “securities of equal denomination, which represents individual
ownership interests in portfolio of eligible existing or future assets.” The Fiqh academy of
OIC had legitimized the use of sukuk in 1988. Sukuk were developed as an alternative to
conventional bonds, because conventional bonds are not considered permissible by many
Muslims due to interest on it. Sukuk securities are structured in accordance with Sharia by
paying profit, not interest.
Nordic "clinker boats" in UNESCO Heritage List
United Nations’ culture agency, UNESCO, added the Nordic “clinker boats” to its Heritage
List, in December 2021.

Highlights
The wooden sailboats have allowed peoples of northern Europe to spread influence,
trade and sometime war across continents and seas, for thousands of years.
Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway jointly sought the UNESCO
designation.
The term “clinker” is believed to refer to the way its wooden boards were fastened
together.
Viking Ship Museum
Viking Ship Museum is located in Roskilde, west of Copenhagen. It not only exhibits the
remains of wooden vessels which were built 1,000 years ago but also works towards
rebuilding and reconstructing other Viking boats. The process of construction involves use
of experimental archaeological methods to gain a deeper, and practical understanding of
Viking Age.
Characteristics of Wooden Clinker Boats
Wooden clinker boats are characterized by use of overlapping longitudinal wooden hull
planks. These planks are sewn or riveted together. Boats are strengthened internally by
additional wooden components, specifically tall oak trees. Gaps are stuffed with tar or
tallow mixed with animal hair, moss and wool.
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site is an area or landmark, which is legally protected by an international
convention administered by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO). These Sites are designated by UNESCO for having historical,
cultural, scientific or other form of significance. The sites are judged for comprising
“cultural and natural heritage worldwide, considered to be important to humanity”.
Number of World Heritage Site
As of July 2021, there are 1,154 World Heritage Sites, across 167 countries. Out of them,
897 are cultural, 218 natural, and 39 mixed properties. Italy, with 58 selected areas, is the
country with the greatest number of sites on UNESCO List.
January 28, 2022
Param Vishisht Seva Medal
The Olympic Gold medal winner Neeraj Chopra was honoured with the Prama Vishisht
Seva Medal. Neeraj Chopra brought fame to India by winning the country’s first athletic
gold medal. In Tokyo Olympics, Chopra won the medal throwing javelin to 87.58 metres.
Along with Neeraj Chopra, 18 other are being honoured with the award.
Achievements of Chopra
Chopra was honoured with the Arjuna award in 2018. In 2020, he was awarded the
Vishisht Seva Medal. In 2016, Chopra was enrolled in Rajputana Rifles as Naib Subedar. He
was a part of the Mission Olympics Wing that operated at the Army Sports Institute
located in Pune. The Mission Olympics Wing was an initiative of the Indian Army. Under
the initiative, the army identified qualified sports person from the army and trained them
in different disciplines. They participated in national and international competitions.

Naib Subedar
It Is a rank in the Indian army. The Naib Subedars are Junior Commissioned officers. Their
ranks are lower than lieutenants and higher than havidars.
Param Vishisht Seva Medal
The award was constituted in 1960. It is awarded to peace time services. The award shall
be presented posthumously. The lawfully constituted armed forces, Territorial Army,
reserve forces; auxiliary and nursing officers are eligible for the award. It is equivalent to
Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal. It is lower to Padma Bhushan and higher to Maha Vir Chakra.
About the Medal
The medal is round in shape. It is 35 mm in diameter. It is made of gold gilt. A five pointed
star is embossed over the medal. On the other side, the medal has Indian state emblem. It
is a military award.
Military Awards in India
Peacetime: Param Vishisht Seva medal, Ati Vishishi Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva
Medal
Wartime: Yudh Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal
Wartime or Peacetime service awards: Vayu Sena Medal (Air Force), Sena Medal
(Army) and Nau Sena Medal (Navy)
Stand-alone Energy Storage System
Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy R K Singh announced
government’s plan to de-license “stand-alone Energy Storage System”.
Key Facts
Now, people may be free to set up standalone energy storage systems (ESS).
Elements of draft policy on energy storage system was discussed with renewable
energy developers, industry and government representatives.
About the draft policy
The draft policy on the energy storage system seeks to promote large scale creation
of storage systems in India.
Policy further aims to create technology-agnostic storage system in the value chain
of electricity sector at generation, transmission and distribution levels.
As per proposed policy, ESS developer will be granted inter-state transmission
system connectivity under general network access (GNA). Thus, it will allow to sell or
purchase power from any part of India.
Significance of the energy storage system
Energy storage system (ESS) will be an integral part of power system under Electricity Act.
This system will benefit electricity generating companies, distribution companies, grid
operators and other players in electricity value chain. It will facilitate peak shifting, ramp-
up or ramp down, peak shaving and frequency control in system. It will also enhance the
utilisation of transmission system. This system is essential for a smooth energy transition
from coal-based to renewable sources towards a cleaner environment. Storage will be
part of the renewable purchase obligation (RPO).

Renewable purchase obligation (RPO)
For storage purpose, ESS Quantum will be included with round-the-clock (RTC) renewable
energy will be counted as RPO. Renewable energy certificates (RECs) will also be issued to
ESS.
Sale of electricity
Sale of electricity from storage and sale or lease of storage space can be made through
open competitive bidding or power exchange or tariff fixed under Section 62 of Electricity
Act. As per policy, transmission cost for RE will be waived both at the time of charging the
storage and selling the stored RE.
India’s energy transition
India has prepared for energy transition from fossil fuel to non-fossil fuel-based energy
systems. It aims to reduce GHG or CO2 emission by one billion tonnes by 2030. To achieve
this, India will install a total of 500 gigawatts (GW) of non-fossil fuel capacity.
India’s Women Unsung Heroes’ Book
As a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Culture is set to release three pictorial
books on 75 unsung heroes of the freedom struggle.
Key Points
The pictorial books will be released in partnership with “Amar Chitra Katha”.
These books will highlight the contributions of women namely, Rani Abbakka, Parbati
Giri, Matangini Hazra, Chakali Ilamma, et al.
Book celebrates the lives of these women who led the charge and lit the flame of
protest and rebellion across the country.
It comprises of stories of queens who battled against British powers. These women
dedicated and laid down their lives for the cause of the motherland.
First series launched
Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi launched the first of the series in Delhi on January 28,
2022. First part is dedicated to 20 women, whose contributions is largely unrecognised.
Among 20 women include:
1. Rani Abbakka– she was the first Tuluva Queen of Ullal. She fought the Portuguese in
latter half of 16th century.
2. Matangini Hazra– She was Bengali revolutionary. In September 1942, she was shot
dead by the British Indian police.
3. Chakali Ilamma– Her act of defiance against the local zamindar inspired many
during the rebellion in Telangana region.
4. Parbati Giri– She is nicknamed as Mother Teresa of western Odisha. She was a
prominent female freedom fighter from Odisha.
5. Gulab Kaur– She was a freedom fighter, who abandoned her dreams of a life abroad
for mobilising Indians against the British Raj.
6. Padmaja Naidu– She was the daughter of Sarojini Naidu and a freedom fighter. She
later became Governor of West Bengal.
7. Bishni Devi Shah– She inspired a large number of people in Uttarakhand for joining
the freedom movement.
Second Edition of the series
Second edition of the series is in process. It will comprise of stories of 25 unsung tribal
freedom fighters.
Third Edition
Third and final edition of the series will contain stories of 30 unsung heroes.
How one can access these books?
These books will be available free of cost, in digital format, on Amar Chitra Katha app.
Digital Sansad App
The Lok Sabha secretariat launched a new app titled “Digital Sansad” on January 27, 2022.
About Digital Sansad App
The digital sandad app was launched to make it easier for people to follow
proceedings in Parliament and their lawmakers.
The app is available in both android and IOS platform.
It carries all the major content of interlinked portal of Indian Parliament.
Uses of the app
The app offers a 360-degree view of legislative activities and services for members. Apart
from proceedings in the current House, app will help people in accessing archival data
related to all Lok Sabhas. People would also be able to access speeches, debates, etc. The
app contains information on budget speeches since 1947 as well as House discussions
from 12th Lok Sabha to 17th Lok Sabha. It will also contain live telecast of Sansad
proceedings. 2022 Budget session can also be watched live on this App.
How will this app help MPs?
The app will also help members of parliament to access services like checking
personal updates viz., House bulletins, status of their notices, etc.
MPs are barred from using laptops inside the house. Thus, this app will become
handy for MPs to get parliamentary information during any debate in the House.
In future, this app will help MPs to log in for attendance, give questions for the
Question Hour as well as submit notices for debates or adjournment motions.
Why this app was launched?
Legislature is required to keep its constituents apprised of its routine proceedings. This
objective needs Parliament to keep its communication channels up-to-date with evolving
technological landscape. Thus, parliament started expanding its digital footprint. Launch
of ’Digital Sansad App’ is an initiative in that direction.
Who provided idea for the app?
Digital Sansad App is the brainchild of Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla. With this app, he
sought to make parliamentary proceedings more accessible to people.
App users
The app has seen more than 8000 users from India and countries like the US and Saudi
Arabia, as of now.
Transfer of Air India -Time Line

On January 27, 2022, the Union government transferred its shares in Air India to Tata Sons
subsidiary, Talace.
Key Facts
Apart from Shares, its control and management were also transferred to Talace.
With this, disinvestment process ended which started five years ago.
Air India has been a public sector undertaking from 1953.
The transaction covers Air India Express, Air India, entire 50% stake of government in
a joint-venture ground handling company named AI SATS.
Government’s disinvestment target
Government has set a total disinvestment target of Rs 1.75 lakh crore for financial year
2021-2022.
Amount paid by Tata Sons
Tata Sons have paid Rs 2,700 crore in cash for Air India, along with taking on a debt of Rs
15,300 crore. Balance debt of Rs 62,057 crore has been absorbed by government. Some
non-core assets of the airline, with value of Rs 14,718 crore will also remain with the
government.
What will Tata get?
Tata will get Air India’s fleet of 141 planes. It will also get ownership of iconic Brands such
as Indian Airlines, Air India, and the Maharajah. Around 13,500 permanent and contractual
employees will also move to Tata and they will remain there at least for one year.
Airlines owned by Tata
Tata Group owns three airlines. In Vistara, tata has 51% stake while in AirAsia India, it has
84% stake. These three airlines together account for 24% of the market share in aviation
sector.
History of disinvestment of Air India
Union Cabinet gave in principle nod for disinvestment of Air India, in June 2017. In 2018,
government invited bids for a 76% stake in the airline. However, it failed to attract any
buyers. In January 2020, government launched a fresh effort to offer sell of its 100% stake
in Air India. In 2000-2001, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government also attempted to sell 40%
stake in Air India, but the attempt had failed.
About Air India
Air India was founded in 1932. The inaugural flight was piloted by JRD Tata, between
Karachi and Bombay. It was then known as Tata Airlines. In the year 1948, government
acquired a 49% stake in it. The airline was nationalised in 1953.
India’s exports of Electronic Goods- Recent Trends
India’s exports of electronic goods reached to USD 1.67 Billion in December 2021. It
registered a growth of 33.99%, as compared to export of USD 1.25 Bn in December 2020.
Key Points
During April-December 2021, electronic sector registered a exports growth of 49%,
reaching to USD 11.0 Billion against USD 7.4 Billion during in year 2020.
Against USD 8.8 billion export in April-December 2019 and USD 4.8 Billion in April-
December 2014, exports of Electronic Goods witnessed a growth of 26% and 131%
respectively.
Top 5 export destinations
In April-November 2021, top 5 export destination with their there are:
1. USA (18%)
2. UAE (16.6%)
3. China (7.6%)
4. Netherland (4.5%) and
5. Germany (4.2%).
Major chunk of electronics export
Mobile phones hold a major chunk of India’s Electronics Goods sector exports. The sector
includes IT Hardware like laptops & tablets; Industrial electronics, Consumer electronics
like TV & audio, LED Lighting, Strategic electronics, Auto electronics, electronic
components, Telecom equipment, wearables, and audio devices.
Overall exports in 2020-21
Overall exports of electronics goods in financial year 2020-21 were USD 11.11 Billion. In
first three quarter, exports of USD 11.0 Billion achieved.
Government’s steps to increase manufacturing and export
Government has taken several steps, which are expected to increase domestic
manufacturing and export of Electronics Goods like mobile phones:
1. Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing,
2. PLI for IT hardware
3. Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components and
Semiconductors (SPECS)
4. Modified Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC 2.0), in line with National Policy on
Electronics, 2019. This move seeks to position India as a global hub in Electronics,
System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM).
5. FDI of up to 100% under automatic route is permitted for electronics manufacturing.
6. Phased Manufacturing Programme (PMP)- It has been notified to promote domestic
value addition in mobile phones and their parts or sub-assemblies manufacturing.
January 27: International Holocaust Remembrance Day
The United Nations marked “International Holocaust Remembrance Day” on January 27,
2022 to honour six million Jews killed in the Holocaust.
Key Points
The day also honour millions of other victims of Nazism.
During the observance, UN urges every member state to develop educational
programs in a bid to prevent future genocides.
Theme of the day
The theme of “International Holocaust Remembrance Day” 2022 is “Memory, Dignity and
Justice”. The theme provides for safeguarding historical record, remembering victims, and
challenging distortion of history, which is often expressed in contemporary antisemitism.

It also encourages action to challenge hatred, champion compassion and strengthen
solidarity.
Activities by UN
The UN organises Holocaust commemorative and educational activities in a bid to
draw attention towards actions taken by survivors for reclaiming their rights, cultural
heritage & traditions, history, and their dignity.
UN Chamber Music Society also perform a virtual concert in memory of the victims.
The concert includes a classical music programme featuring Jewish composers and
special performances of musicians from West–Eastern Divan Orchestra.
A virtual seminar “Legacy of Medicine During the Holocaust and its Contemporary
Relevance” was also presented for catalysing critical thinking on relevance of the
Holocaust for contemporary medicine.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
The International Holocaust Remembrance Day is an international Memorial Day,
observed on January 27 every year. The day commemorates the victims of Holocaust. The
Holocaust had resulted in murder of one third of Jewish people and countless members of
other minorities during 1933-1945 by Nazi Germany. January 27 was chosen to
commemorate the day, as on this date, Red Army had liberated the Auschwitz
concentration camp in 1945.
What is Holocaust?
Holocaust is also known as the Shoah. It was the genocide of European Jews during World
War II. During 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany murdered around six million Jews in German-
occupied Europe. Murders were carried out in pogroms and mass shootings.
India’s first Graphene Innovation Centre
The first Graphene innovation centre of the country is set up in Kerala. This is the first
research and development centre being established for graphene.
About Graphene
Graphene is the strongest material in the world. Also, it is the thinnest material.
Graphene has good electrical conductivity and chemical stability. It is transparent,
light in weight and has a large surface area.
Graphene has the ability to replace indium. It brings down the cost of Organic Light
Emitting Diode. Graphene is an isotope of carbon. It has a two – dimensional
honeycomb nanostructure.
Graphene is addressed to as “Wonder material” for its electronic and electrical
properties.
Graphene is a zero gap semiconductor. This means the conduction band and the
valence band are at the same energy level. For an element to conduct electricity, it
should have free electrons in conduction band.
About the Centre
The central government has allocated Rs 86.41 crores of funds for the project. The centre
is to be built along with the support of Kerala Government. Tata steel is the industrial
partner. Also, the state government run Digital University Kerala and the Centre for
Materials for Electronics will join hands along with the state and central governments in
implementing the project.
Applications of Graphene
It is used to make tennis racquets. Also, graphene is used in making composite
materials, biological engineering, energy storage and filtration. It is also used in
lubricants, paints, functional fluids, batteries, coatings, oils, capacitors, display
materials, solar cells.
Graphene is also used to add strength to other materials. Adding a very little amount
of graphene to metals, plastics or any other materials makes it highly stronger.
As Graphene has high surface area to volume ratio, it is ideal to be used in making
super capacitors.
Graphene has anti – corrosion coatings. It is used in drug delivery, sensors, paints
and solar panels.
America Competes Act of 2022
The recently legislated America Competes Act of 2022 to open new doors for the talented
experts from all over the world. COMPETES means Creating Opportunities for
Manufacturing, Pre – Eminence in technology and Economic strength Act. The main aim of
the act is to make the supply chains stronger.
Key Features of the Act
The US government has made the following fund allocations under the act:
52 million USD: To encourage semiconductor production in the US.
45 million USD: To provide grants and loans and improve manufacturing and supply
chain resilience
Also, fund has been allocated to address climate change, social and economic
inequality and immigration
The act creates new green card for entrepreneurs and also offers exemption for
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) experts
The act creates a new “W” classification. They are the non – immigrant entrepreneurs.
Importance of the act
The act means that US is increasing its opportunities for Indian skilled and talented
workers. The Indians use H1-B work permit predominantly. They have a major share in
H1-B. the act further widens the opportunities for Indian professionals.
Background
The US Government provides specific number of VISAs every year to fill in the job
vacancies. This is done to allow the low – cost highly skilled IT professionals to fill in the
vacancies. Through these VISAs the companies in foreign soil send their employees to the
US. The companies gain knowledge as asset and US gains cheap workers. The following
VISAs are offered:
H1-B visa: They are issued for people in Specialty operations. The people should have
higher educational qualification to obtain this visa. It is popular among Indians

H2-B Visa: They are for seasonal workers in hospitality industries
L-1 Visa: The VISA allows the American companies to transfer workers to American
soil for a period of seven years
H-4 Visa: It is used by the dependents of H-1B Visa holders
J-1 Visa: It is used by students entering American soil for study purposes
New Technology to detect Oral Cancer
The researchers from the Guru Nanak Institute of Dental Sciences in West Bengal have
created a new method to detect oral cancers.
About the new technology
It differentiates the cancerous stages and precancerous stages. The differentiation is
done through high – standard biopsy reports.
The team has created a new imaging device. The device screens the cancerous stage
by measuring the blood flow rate in the tissues.
The device is a blood perfusion imager. It uses a humidity sensor, infrared camera
and a software engine. The software engine is controlled electronically.
Need for the technology
Around a fifth of the women population suffers from cancer. Also, oral cancer is the most
common type among men in India. More than 11.28% of cancers are oral cancers. Oral
cancers are one of the common cause of morbidity in socially challenged communities. If
detected earlier, there are chances of five year survival. In more advanced stages, the
survival rate drops to 65%.
Benefits of the technology
Advanced stages of oral cancer can be detected easily. The cost of the device is 500 USD.
This it can be made available in community health centres in rural areas. India has high
numbers of oral cancers mainly because of tobacco. The tobacco chewing is the cause of
80% of oral cancers in India. In the last decade, the incidence of oral cancer has increased
among the young adults and women.
Working
The device has sensors and controllers. The biological data collected by these elements
are fed into a computer simulated software engine. The engine classifies pre cancer and
cancer cases.
Efforts by Indian Government
Around 60% of the oral cancers in India are curable, provided they are detected earlier.
The Government of India has set up National Cancer Control Programme. The programme
has launched regional cancer centres. NPCDCS is National Programme for Prevention and
Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease and Stroke. The programme aims to
screen, diagnose and address the risk factors involved and also focuses on community
level follow up.
James Webb Space Telescope-Key Facts
The James Webb Space Telescope succeeded the Hubble Space Telescope. It was jointly
built by NASA, European Space Agency and Canadian Space Agency. It uses infrared light
to make observations.
About James Webb Space Telescope
It was at first called the “Next Generation Space Telescope”. It was renamed in 2002.
James Webb was a former NASA administrator. He played a major role in the Apollo
programme of NASA. It has a large sized 6.5 metre mirror.
Objectives
The telescope is to be used to look deep into the cosmos. It will capture light from the very
first star population. That is, the telescope will study stars that were formed 13.5 billion
years ago.
Key Facts
Location: 1.5 million kilometres away from the earth
No of mirror segments: 18
Mirror material: Gold plated beryllium
Rocket used: Ariane 5
Power: 2 KW
Mass: Around 6,000 kg
Mission duration: 20 years
Physical Features
The main telescope used is Korsch telescope. The transponders in the James Webb
Telescope use S – band for tracking. S – band is a part of the microwave band. It covers
frequencies between 2 GHz and 4 GHz. Usually the S – band is used for communication
between NASA and International Space Station. Also, S – band is used for airport
surveillance, for weather monitoring, air traffic control.
Orbit of the telescope
Halo Orbit. The halo orbit is an orbit near one of the Lagrange points. The Halo orbits exist
only in three body system. For instance, in sun, earth and moon.
Ground Station of the Telescope
The Space Telescope Science Institute located in Baltimore, Maryland operates as the
Science and Operation Centre of the James Webb Space Telescope.
Observations
The James Webb Telescope will observe redshift of the oldest and the most distant
objects. It will also hunt for potentially habitable exoplanets.
Nepal's Record Low Population Growth
According to Nepal’s Central Bureau of Statistics, its population has increased by 10.18
percent, reaching to 29,192,480 in last 10 years.
Key Points
Total data also include population of the Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura areas,
for the first time in 60 years through informal census.
According to bureau, there are around 750 people in these areas.
National Census was conducted from November 11 to November 25 in 2021.
Increase in Population
As per agency, Nepal’s population increased by 0.93 percent annually on an average.
It was lowest in last 80 years history of Nepal, since it started conducting population
census in 1911.
The average population growth rate recorded in last census in 2011 was 1.35
percent.
During 2011 census, Nepal’s population was 26,494,504.
In 2021, the average size of a family stood at 4.32 members. In the earlier census, it
was 4.88 members.
World Bank Statistics
As per World Bank Statistics, annual population growth rate in Nepal is less than global
average of 1.01 percent in 2020.
Declining growth rate
The population growth rate has declining since 2011. However, Nepal witnessed a
decrease in overall population in census 1920 and census 1930.
What is the reason of low growth rate?
Decreasing birth rate and out-migration are the reasons behind slowest growth rate in
Nepal, in eight decades. Fertility rate of women in Nepal has also been declining, over
years.
Declining fertility rate
As per Nepal Demographic Health Survey 2016, Nepal’s fertility rate was 2.3 per woman. It
has decreased from 2.6 per woman in 2011. The fertility rate in Nepal has been decreasing
since 1996, when per woman fertility rate was 4.6.
Geography-wise population
The Terai regions of Nepal accounts for more than half of the population. 53.66 percent of
the population are living in Tarai region. Population has increased by 50.27 percent,
compared to population 10 years ago. 40.27 percent of the population lives in hilly region.
Pal Dadhvav Martyrs
rd
On the 73 Republic Day Parade, the Gujarat Tableau showcased the massacre that
happened in the villages of Pal and Dadhvav. The massacre happened in 1922. Around
1,200 tribals were brutally killed by the Britishers during the massacre.
What happened?
On March 7, 1922, a tribal leader Motilal Tejawat was addressing 10,000 Bhil tribals. These
tribal were a part of the Eki movement and were from the Dadhvav village (now
Sabarkantha district in Gujarat). The gathering protested against the laws related to
Jagirdar, land revenue system and the Rajwada introduced by the British government.
Major H.G.Sutton issued the firing order. Following the order, the police martyred more
than 1,200 innocent people. This incident is called Pal Dadhvav Martyrs. The wells in the
region were filled with dead bodies of the tribal people. The name of the wells was
Dudhiya Kuva and Dhekhadiya Kuva.
Motilal Tejawat
Tejawat escaped the massacre. He got shot in his thighs twice. On the request of Gandhiji,
Tejawat stayed underground. He was jailed for seven years. After independence, he
named the place “Virubhumi”. The massacre still has its place in folk songs of Gujarat.
About the Tableau
The front of the tableau represented the tribal and their fighting spirit. The back part
depicted the massacre. The artists performed “Ger” dance.
Cover up for the massacre
The massacre killed thrice the number of people that died during Jallianwala Bagh
Massacre. However, the British had no official record. The incident was forgotten because
those died in the incident were poor and illiterate. The British took utmost care to
suppress the incident after Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Bhil tribals
The Bhil tribals are ethnic group in western India. As of 2013, the Bhils were the largest
tribal group in the country. They are spread in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat,
Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
India-France MoU on Health research
India and France recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding on inherited disorders
and emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. The MoU was signed between France
Institut Pasteur and CSIR of India. It was signed under the purview of Ministry of Science
and Technology.
About the MoU
Under the agreement, the countries signed to work together, identify and develop new
mechanisms in cell biology, vaccine development, virology, infectious diseases, human
evolutionary genetics studies and computational biology.
Significance
Through the agreement, the countries will provide affordable health care solutions not
only for their people but also for the global good. The agreement calls for scientific and
technological networking.
Background
In October 2021, on the sidelines of G20 summit, PM Modi and the French President
agreed that the countries shared common ambitions in health, environment and
innovation. The MoU was signed based on the interaction between the leaders.
Recent developments
In 2021, India and France launched the Indo – French Year of Environment. The main
objective was to increase the strength of cooperation between the countries in
making the planet green. This increased the actions towards world environmental
protection and also provided greater visibility.
In 2019, the countries signed four agreements on cyber security and digital
technologies.
In 2018, India and France signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of
energy conservation. It included cooperation in technical assistance.

India – France
India considers France as its “Goodwill partner”. There are more than one lakh NRIs in
France. France was one of the first countries with which India signed the nuclear deal. The
cooperation between the countries are growing largely in areas such as science and
technology, culture, trade and investment, education. The diplomatic relations was
established in 1988. Since then the high level heads have made regular exchanges mainly
in the field of nuclear energy, defence and space.
January 29, 2022
Committee on RRB Exam Concerns
The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) has created a committee to look into the concerns
raised by students.
What is the issue?
The RRB released an employment notification for the Non – Technical category in 2019.
The exam got postponed because of COVID. The exam was recently held on January 14 –
15, 2022. The candidates are not satisfied with the results and are raising concerns.
According to them, the results are inaccurate.
What will the committee do?
The committee is to scrutinize the results of the Computer Based Test (CBT). Also, it
will examine the results of the second stage of the test. The students having
concerns over the results can file complaints to the committee by mailing to
rrbcommittee@railnet.gov.in. The aspirants shall submit their complaints till
February 16, 2022. And the committee will submit its recommendations by March 4,
2022.
Also, the committee is to set up camps in the major protest areas, that is, in the
North Central Railway and Allahabad.
The regional RRBs will compile the complaints submitted by students and will send
them to the committee.
What are the concerns raised by the students?
The students are now protesting on the following issues:
The recruitment process allows candidates with high qualification to compete with
candidates of average or mediocre qualification.
Also, some students argued that while one candidate can qualify from one region the
results say that the same person has been qualified from two or more regions.
What next?
The RRB has put the exams on hold. The second stage of the RRB – CBT that was to be
held on February 15 to February 19, 2022 has been postponed.
RRB Exams
The RRB conducts several exams namely RRB Junior Engineer, Railway Protection Force
Sub Inspector, RRB – Non Technical Popular Category (NTPC), RRB – assistance Loco Pilot,
Technicians, etc. More than 21 exams are conducted by the board. The age limit to appear
in the exam is between 18 years and 33 years.

Highlights of 12 State/UT tableaux
A total of 21 tableaux from twelve states and union territories participated in the republic
day parade.
Meghalaya
The state showcased fifty years of its statehood. This included the women led self-help
groups and women cooperative societies. The tableau also showcased cane handicrafts
and bamboo handicrafts.
Gujarat
The state showcased tribal revolutionaries. This included the Pal Dadhvav Martyrs, where
more than 1,200 innocent people were killed by the British.
Goa
The state showcased its tableau based on the theme, “Symbols of Gone Heritage”. It also
showcased different natural and historical attractions.
Haryana
The theme of the state’s tableau was “Haryana Number One on Sports”. Haryana had
brought maximum number of medals in national and international sports, especially
Olympics.
Uttarakhand
The theme of the Uttarakhand’s tableau is “Pragati Ki or Badhta Uttarakhand”. It
showcased the recent developments in connectivity and religious sites.
Arunachal Pradesh
The theme of the Tableau was “Anglo Abor Adiverse”. It depicted the struggle of the
ethnic groups against the Britishers. 16 dancers performed the Tapu dance. The Abor are
the Galo people. They are the descendants of Abotani. They speak Tani Galo language.
They are listed under the Scheduled Tribe list since 1950.
Karnataka
Theme: Credo of Traditional Handicrafts. The theme is based on the Godhan Nayay
Yojana.
Uttar Pradesh
Theme: Achievements through skill development and employment through One District
One Product Programme
Punjab
Theme: Contribution of the state to the country’s independence
Maharashtra
Bio symbols and biodiversity of the state
Limited time and space
Only 21 tableaux took part in the parade due to less time and space. The states of Kerala,
Tamil Nadu and West Bengal did not participate in the state and had raised concerns over
this.
Overall theme
The central theme was “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”. It aims to celebrate 75 years of Indian
independence.
Who was Sangoli Rayanna?
Sangoli Rayanna was a warrior from Kittur princely state. Kittur is the current Karnataka.
He ruled during the time of Rani Channamma. The State Government of Karnataka is
building a military school in the name of Sangoli Rayanna at a cost of Rs 180 crores. The
school will be administrated by the defence ministry.
About Sangoli Rayanna
Sangoli Rayanna was the Shetsanadi of the Kittur kingdom. He fought against the Doctrine
of Lapse along side Rani Chennamma till his death. The Britishers killed the king and
prince of Kittur kingdom. As there was no legal heir to the throne, they wanted to take
control over Kittur kingdom under Doctrine of Lapse. Rani Chennamme adopted
Shivalingappa as the ruler of Kittur kingdom. Sangoli Rayanna wanted to make
Shivalingappa as the next ruler.
Fight against the British
Rayanna played a major role in the 1824 rebellion. Most of the land in Kittur kingdom was
confiscated. And the left over land was heavily taxed. He created a guerrilla army. He and
his army moved from place to place, burnt government offices, plundered treasuries. He
trained and built army from the common people. He was caught in 1830 and imprisoned
by the Britishers.
Death
Rayanna was hanged to death in a Banyan tree in Belagavi district in 1831.
In Rayanna’s memories
Siddi was a close associate of Rayanna. He planted a Banyan tree in his grave. To this date,
the tree stands majestic. A temple has been built for Rayanna under the tree. Also, Ashoka
Stambha was installed near the tree.
The temple has a statue of Rayanna with two wooden weights. The weights were used by
Rayanna himself for body building.
Culture
Gee Gee songs are sung on Rayanna. In 2015, the main railway station was renamed as
Sangoli Rayanna railway station.
First Molecular Electronics Chip
Realizing a 50-year-old goal of integrating single molecules into circuit for achieving
scaling limits of Moore’s law, Roswell Biotechnologies has developed first molecular
electronics chip.
Molecular Electronic Chip
Molecular electronic chip uses single molecules as universal sensor elements in the
circuit for creating a programmable biosensor with real-time, unlimited scalability in
sensor pixel density and single-molecule sensitivity.
The chip will power advances in diverse fields, which are fundamentally based on
observing molecular interactions, including diagnostics, drug discovery, proteomics
and DNA
It integrates single-molecules into standard semiconductor chip technology for

delivering a programmable biosensor, which converges a broad range of omics
measurements and biosensing applications onto one platform.
Component of the platforms
The molecular electronics platform comprises of a programmable semiconductor chip
with scalable sensor array architecture. Each array element comprises of an electrical
current meter, which monitors the current flowing through precision-engineered
molecular wire. The wire is assembled to span nanoelectrodes, coupling it directly into the
circuit. The sensor is programmed by attaching desired probe molecule to molecular wire.
The observed current provides a real-time, direct electronic readout of molecular
interactions of the probe.
Objective of the development
The molecular electronic chip has been developed with the goal of putting biosensing on
an ideal technology foundation for future of precision medicine and personal wellness.
Application of molecular electronic platform
It detects multi-omic molecular interactions at single-molecule scale, in real-time.
The PNAS paper also presents a wide array of probe molecules, including aptamers,
DNA, antigens and antibodies.
It also illustrates a wide range of applications for probe molecules, including
potential for rapid COVID testing, proteomics and drug discovery.
About Roswell Biotechnologies
Roswell Biotechnologies is digitizing biology with molecular electronics for predicting,
preventing, and curing disease. It has developed world’s first molecular electronics chip
called “Roswell ME Chip™”. The company was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in
San Diego, California.
Coal Directory of India 2020-21
Coal Controller’s Organization released its flagship publications “Coal Directory of India
2020-21”, recently.
Highlights
Coal Controller’s Organisation is a subordinate office under Ministry of Coal.
The publication was released by the Secretary of Ministry of Coal, Dr. Anil Kumar Jain
in Delhi.
What is ‘Coal Directory of India 2020-21’?
The Coal Directory of India 2020-201 comprises of information on performance of Coal
and Lignite sectors during financial year 2020-21. It contains grade-wise data of
production, dispatch and reserves of coal. It further provides information on pit head
closing stock, prices of coal for last few years and its import-export. The publication also
provides a comprehensive and valuable reference of data to all policymakers,
stakeholders, researchers, institutions and industry.
Coal Controller Organisation (CCO)
The Coal Controller Organisation (CCO) was established in 1916. It is one of the oldest
offices in Indian Coal sector. CCO is responsible to ensure fair production and commercial
transaction. It collects and maintains coal production data of all public as well as private
sector coal mines in India. It collects information on a monthly basis. CCO is a subordinate
office under the Ministry of Coal.
Responsibilities of CCO
1. It inspects collieries, for ensuring the correctness of class, grade, or size of coal.
2. It issues directives for declaration and maintenance of coal grades of a seam mined
in a colliery.
3. It acts as the appellate authority, to resolve dispute between consumers and owner
over declaration of grade and size of coal.
4. It also regulates the disposal of stock of coal or expected output of coal in colliery.
5. It grants opening or re-opening permission of coal mine, seam, or a section of the
seam.
A.P: Mass mortality of spot-billed pelicans
Andhra Pradesh State Forest Department has approached experts from Wildlife Institute
of India (WII-Deharadun), Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and Zoological Survey
of India (ZSI-Kolkata), for preventing mass mortality of spot-billed pelicans in Naupada
swamp at Telineelapuram, Srikakulam district.
Key points
Telineelapuram is a designated Important Bird Area (IBA), where pelicans have been
succumbing to ‘Nematode infestation’ since December 2021.
It is also home to painted stork. However, Stork has not been infected with
Nematode infestation so far.
What is the issue?
At least five spot-billed pelicans are dying every day, on an average, at
Telineelapuram.
Total death toll has crossed 160.
180 more adult species are surviving along with their chicks. They are expected to be
homebound by mid-Summer.
Spot-billed Pelicans
The spot-billed pelicans or grey pelican are scientifically called as Pelecanus philippensis.
They are a member of pelican family. The species breed in South Asia from southern Iran
to east India to Indonesia. The bird lives in coastal waters and large inland, especially large
lakes. Breeding population of these species is limited to India, Cambodia and Sri Lanka. In
non-breeding season they are recorded in Myanmar, Nepal, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
IUCN status
IUCN red list has listed the species in Near Threatened list. While in Wildlife (Protection)
Act, 1972, it is a Schedule IV species. Thus, it hunting is prohibited but penalty for any
violation is less.
About Pelicans
Pelicans are a genus of large water birds. They make up the family Pelecanidae. The birds
are characterized by a long beak and large throat pouch, which they use to catch prey and
drain water from scooped-up contents before swallowing. There are eight living pelican
species across the globe. They are distributed latitudinally from tropics to the temperate
zone.
About Naupada
Naupada is a village in Santha Bommali mandal of Srikakulam district. It is located near
palasa town in Andhra Pradesh. The village is famous for salt fields and is known as “Salt
Bowl of Andhra Pradesh”. It is also known for its railway junction station.
Exercise Paschim Lehar
The Exercise Paschim Lehar is conducted to enhance the cooperation among the different
naval commands in the Indian Navy. It involves Indian Army and Indian Air Force as well.
Recently, the exercise was conducted in the west coast.
About the exercise
The exercise was held for twenty days. It was conducted to enhance the operational
cooperation among Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Coast Guard. The western
command of Indian Navy participated in the exercise. The headquarters of the western
command is situated in Mumbai. The headquarters of eastern naval command is located
in Vishakhapatnam. The headquarters of southern naval command is located in Kochi.
Paschim Lehar 2022
More than 40 ships and submarines participated in the exercise. Also, the Indian Air
Force deployed SU 30 MKI, flight refuelling aircraft and Jaguar maritime strike
aircraft. The IAF also deployed unmanned aerial system, dornier aircrafts, P8i, MiG
29K and IL 38 SD.
After a long time, the air cushion vehicles of Indian Navy participated in the exercise.
Also, the air defence batteries were mobilised.
During the exercise, the forces operated in realistic condition. Also, weapon firings
were conducted under different scenarios.
Significance
Many of the Indian Navy ships and submarines participated in the exercise after a long
gap. This included the Fast Patrol Vessels and the Offshore Patrol Vessels. All the
participating forces learnt to cooperate under realistic conditions. This is important to
keep the force operation ready. The exercise mainly focused on the operational plans of
the Western Naval Command.
Western Naval Command
The Western Naval command is the senior most of all the three naval commands. It is
responsible for the forces deployed in the western parts of Indian Ocean and Arabian sea.
The command is led by a three star flag officer of the rank Admiral. The title of the leading
officer is FOC – in – C, that is, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Western Command. Vice
Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh is the current FOC – in – C. He took charge in November
2021.
NeoCov Coronavirus
According to Chinese researchers, a type of coronavirus called NeoCov, which spreads
among bats in South Africa is likely to pose threat to humans if it mutates further, in
future.
Highlights
Study was posted on the preprint repository BioRxiv. However, it is yet to be
reviewed.
Study shows that, NeoCov is closely associated to Middle East respiratory syndrome
(MERS), which is a viral disease first identified in 2012, in Saudi Arabia.
About NeoCov
NeoCov is found in South Africa, among population of Coronaviruses. As of date, it
spreads exclusively among these animals. In current form, NeoCov does not infect
humans, however, further mutations may make it harmful.
Study Findings
As per study, NeoCoV and its close relative PDF-2180-CoV were found to use some
types of bat Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and, human ACE2 for entry.
ACE2 is a receptor protein on cells, providing entry point for coronavirus to infect and
hook into a wide range of cells.
As per study, first case of ACE2 usage in MERS-related viruses, sheds light on
potential bio-safety threat of human emergence of an ACE2 using “MERS-CoV-2”.
Study also highlights that, infection with NeoCov could not be cross-neutralised by
antibodies to target SARS-CoV-2 or MERS-CoV.
Coronaviruses
Coronavirus are a group of related RNA viruses, causing diseases in birds and mammals.
Among humans and birds, these viruses cause mild to lethal respiratory tract infections.
Mild illnesses among humans include some cases of common cold. More lethal varieties
can cause Covid-19, SARS and MERS. In pigs and cows, these viruses cause diarrhea. In
mice, they cause hepatitis and encephalomyelitis.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
SARS is a viral respiratory disease. It is having zoonotic origin and caused by severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). First known case of the disease occurred in
2002.
Swachhata Start-Up Challenge
Swachhata Start-Up challenge was launched to increase innovation in waste management.
It was launched by the Agence Francaise de Developpment, AFD and the Department of
Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, DPIIT. The AFD is a French public financial
institution. It implements the policies of the French Government. The top ten winner of
the challenge will receive prize money of 25 lakh rupees. The challenge is to be conducted
under the supervision of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
About the challenge
The challenge is mainly to bring the light on startups working in the field of waste
management and sanitation. The challenge will encourage startups to bring in

transformation in the field. Both Indian and French startups can participate in the
challenge.
The participants have to find solutions in four areas. They are zero dump (solid waste
management), social inclusion, plastic waste management and transparency
through digital enablement.
Vilgro is an implementing partner of the challenge. The winners are to get 50 lakh
rupees of follow – on investment from Vilgro.
Also, the winners will receive 100,000 USD worth technology support from
technology partner Amazon web services.
Significance
The challenge is a step towards smart governance under the Swachh Bharat Mission –
Urban 2.0. It aims to incentivise the startups to realise the dream of garbage free cities.
The SBM – Urban 2.0 aims to achieve Garbage Free Cities in next five years.
Background
The challenge has come up during the time, when France and European Union are
working with India to negotiate global treaty on plastic pollution. The treaty aims to make
a shift towards circular economy.
Need for the challenge
The startups are evolving rapidly. India is leading the startup world with more than 70
unicorns. Unicorns are startups whose value is more than one billion USD. The startups
hold huge potential in the waste management sector of India. The challenge will capitalise
the startups in the field of waste management. It will create opportunities for young
innovators.
Conditional market approval for Covaxin, Covishield
The Drug regulator in India has granted conditional market approval for the COVISHIELD
and COVAXIN vaccines. This means that the private hospitals shall administer the vaccines.
However, the vaccines will not be available in retail medical stores.
What is conditional market authorisation?
The Serum Institute vaccine COVISHELD and Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN were administered
in the country under Emergency Use Authorisation. The EUA means restricted use of the
medicine. The outcome of the medicine is not yet proved. But the medicine shall still be
used during unavoidable situations like that of the pandemic. The two vaccines have now
met high standards of safety and quality as listed under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act,
1940. Thus they are now being given the conditional market authorization. This is not full
market authorization. The culture of conditional market authorization merged during the
pandemic.
What do the international regulators say about this?
The European Union Medical Agency grants conditional marketing authorization under
certain conditions. They are as follows:
Benefit – Risk balance of the medicine should be positive
The applicant of the medicine should provide enough sate after authorisation
The medicine should be available immediately
The approval of these medicines is valid only for a year. The conditional market
authorization to be provided by India is to be the same as that provided by USFDA and the
EU. USFDA has provided CUA to mRNA vaccine of Pfizer. The UK has granted the CUA to
the vaccine of Astrazeneca.
Is CUA open to booster doses?
No. The GoI has launched programme setting to implement the CUA. This means only that
government decided eligible will receive the third dose. This includes health care workers,
frontline workers, and elderly population.
How is CUA different from EUA?
Under the EUA, the manufacturers had to submit the efficacy and safety data of the
vaccine once in 15 days. Under CUA, they have to submit this once in six months.
National Conference on Agriculture for Summer Campaign
The Union Agricultural Minister recently addressed the fourth National Conference on
Agriculture for Summer Campaign. The conference is also called the Zaid conference. The
conference focuses on summer crops.
About the conference
The conference reviewed the crop performances. Also, it fixed the crop – wise
targets. The targets were fixed after consulting the state governments.
During the conference, decisions were made about using technologies to boost
agricultural production.
The conference mainly focused on increasing the production of pulses and oilseeds.
The states were suggested to use better and new quality of seeds for better
production of summer crops.
The representatives of the farmer unions and the self help groups also attended the
conference. They were asked to provide the estimates of fertilizer utilization. Also,
they were suggested to reduce the use of DAP fertilizers and reduce the use of NPK
fertilizers.
The ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency) and the Krishi Vigyan
Kendra were asked to work jointly and provide required training to the small and
marginal farmers.
The State Governments were asked to provide certification to the entire area or block
for organic farming. This way the farmers need not apply individually for organic
farming certificates.
Announcements made during the conference
During the conference the Department of Fertilizers made the following announcements:
Total availability of urea: 255.28 LMT
DAP: 81.24 LMT
MOP: 18.5 LMT
NPKS: 76.87 LMT
Other decisions made in the conference
The pulses and oil seeds are to be promoted through Targeted Rice Fallow Area sub –
component of NFSM. Also, they are to be promoted as inter – crop in oil palm and
sugarcane.
Targets set during the conference
The crop area of pulses were set as 21.05 lakh hectares. The oil seeds are to be brought
under 13.78 lakh hectares of land. Nutri – cereals are to be planted in 17.89 lakh hectares
of land.
Current Scenario
According the 4th Advanced Estimates, in 2020 – 21, India produced 3086.47 tonnes of food
grains. During the same year, 257 lakh tonnes of pulses and 361 lakh tonnes of oil seeds
were produced. Around 353.84 lakh bales of cotton were produced. The horticulture
sector had outperformed the agricultural sector.
Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation
On January 28, 2022, Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation was launched marking the occasion
of 92nd birth anniversary of late Indian classical vocalist, Pandit Jasraj.
Highlights
During the launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at the online event and
remembered him.
PM urged people to take Indian music to the world and asked people to set up start-
ups based on music.
PM also requested the cultural foundation to focus on globalisation of Indian music.
Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation
Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation has been founded by Pandit Jasraj’s son, Shaarang Dev
Pandit and his daughter, Durga Jasraj. Foundation was launched with the objective of
protecting, preserving, developing and promoting the National Heritage, Art & Culture of
India.
Who was Pandit Jasraj?
Pandit Jasraj was an Indian classical vocalist. He belonged the Mewati gharana. His
musical career spanned for 75 years, giving him fame, respect and major awards
nationally and internationally. Legacy of Pandit Jasraj includes memorable performances
of classical and semi-classical vocal music, devotional & classical music, albums and film
soundtracks. He is also known for innovations in various genres such as Haveli Sangeeth
and popularizing Mewati Gharana. Pandit Jasraj taught music to professionals and
amateur and students across India, Canada, United States and Europe. He passed away on
August 17, 2020 in New Jersey.
The Mewati gharana
Mewati Gharana is also known as Jodhpur gharana, Jaipur-Mewati gharana, and Miyan
Bande Ali Khan Beenkar gharana). It is a musical apprenticeship tribe of Indian classical
music. It is known for being Pandit Jasraj’s musical lineage. This gharana was founded by
Utd. Wahid Khan (beenkar) and Utd. Ghagge Nazir Khan of Indore.
Australia's new Plan to protect Great Barrier Reef

On January 28, 2022, Australia launched a new plan to protect the climate-ravaged Great
Barrier Reef.
Key Facts
Government launched a USD 700 million package for protecting the Great Barrier
Reef, in a hope of preventing vast network of corals from being removed from World
Heritage list of UNESCOS’.
The Plan will help in avoid the reef from being placed on UNESCO’s “in danger” list.
Reef 2050 plan
When the United Nations had earlier threatened to downgrade World Heritage listing of
reef in 2015, Australia had created a “Reef 2050” plan and invested billions of dollars into
protection. The measures are believed to have stopped the pace of decline. however,
much of reef system has already been damaged.
Bleaching of coral reefs
According to a recent study, bleaching had affected 98 percent of the reef since 1998. Only
a fraction of the reef is left untouched. Bleaching occurs when healthy corals become
stressed due to increasing ocean temperatures. High temperature causes them to expel
algae living in their tissues. The algae drain them of their vibrant colours. Australian reef
has undergone three mass bleaching events during heatwaves in 2016, 2017 as well as
2020. Bleaching events have left corals on struggle for survival.
The Great Barrier Reef
It is the world’s largest coral reef system, comprising of more than 2,900 individual reefs
and 900 islands. The system stretches for over 2,300 kilometres, on an area of 344,400
square kilometres. It is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland in Australia. It
is separated from the coast through a channel 100 miles wide and around 200 feet deep.
The Reef system can be seen from outer space. It is the world’s biggest single structure
made by living organisms. The reef system supports a wide diversity of life and was
designated as a World Heritage Site in 1981.
Coral Polyps
The Great Barrier Reef is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms. These
organisms are known as coral polyps.
U.S., EU cooperation on Energy Security
On January 28, 2022, the United States (US) and European Union (EU) announced that they
are working together on guaranteeing energy security in Europe and Ukraine.
Highlights
This announcement was made amid the standoff triggered by Russia by amassing
troops at Ukraine’s border.
US And EU are jointly working towards continued, timely and sufficient supply of
natural gas to the EU from diverse sources worldwide, in a bid to avoid supply
shocks.
What is the standoff triggered by Russia?
Russia has amassed about 100,000 troops within reach of Ukraine’s border. Thus, it has
surrounded Ukraine from the north, east and south. This move has raised alarm in the
West that Russia is preparing for a new military assault, after Crimean invasion in 2014.
However, Russian government is denying any invasion plan.
Gas supply from Russia to EU
The EU depends on Russia for a third of its gas supplies. Any interruptions to gas supply
from Russia to Europe would exacerbate the existing energy crisis due to shortage.
The Russia-Ukrainian War
It is an ongoing and protracted conflict, since February 2014. The conflict primarily
involves Russia & pro-Russian forces and Ukraine. It is also supported by NATO and
European Union. War is centered around the status of Crimea and parts of Donbas, which
is recognized as part of Ukraine, internationally.
Russia’s fight against Ukraine
Russia recently carried out one of the largest military deployments in Europe after the
Second World War. It has deployed over 1,00,000 soldiers around Ukraine and has been
threatening the use of conventional force. The War is a continuation of politics by other
means. Russia’s objectives are:
1. To prevent an eastward expansion of NATO
2. To capture chip away at the legitimacy of current Ukrainian president Volodymyr
Zelensky and
3. To capture territory for a post-conflict negotiated settlement with Ukraine.
About Ukraine
Ukraine is the second-largest country by area, in Europe. It shares border with Russia,
Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova. The country has a coastline
along the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. It is the eighth-most populous country in Europe.
Ukraine’s largest city, Kyiv, is its capital.
Snowfall in the Sahara Desert
World’s largest desert, The Sahara Desert, witnessed snowfall recently.
Highlights
Snowfall in Sahara Desert was a rare event.
Snow settled on the sand and ice covered the sand dunes, after temperatures
dropped below freezing point.
Temperatures as high as 58 degrees Celsius, have been recorded there.
Snowfall in Ain-Sefra
The town of Ain-Sefra is located in Naama province of north-western Algeria. It is known
as “The Gateway to the Sahara”. It is surrounded by Atlas Mountains and is located at
around 3,000 feet above sea level. Sand dunes in this area can be as high as 180 metres. It
also witnesses water scarcity. Recently, temperatures reached to -2 degrees Celsius in the
town, resulting into snowfall.
Previous instances of snowfall
This is not the first time it snowed in the Sahara Desert. In last 42 years, snowfall occurred
for the fifth time. Earlier, the region witnessed snowfall 1979, 2016, 2018, and 2021. Each
year, the amount of snowfall was different. In 1979, there was a snowstorm. On the other
hand, in 2018, it received 40 cm of snowfall.
What are the reasons of snowfall in Sahara Desert?
In the month of January, temperatures are much milder in Ain-Sefra region. Temperatures
can be around 14 degrees Celsius. Climate crisis and Arctic warming could be responsible
for this rare event.
The Sahara Desert
The Sahara Desert is located in African continent. It covers an area of 9,200,000 square
kilometres. It is the largest hot desert of the world and third largest desert overall, after
deserts of Antarctica and northern Arctic. It comprises much of North Africa, excluding
fertile region on the Mediterranean Sea coast, Nile Valley and Atlas Mountains of the
Maghreb.
History of Sahara Desert
For many years, the Sahara has alternated between Savanna grassland and desert, in a
20,000-year cycle. This is due to precession of Earth’s axis as it rotates across the Sun.
Rotation across the Sun changes the location of North African monsoon.
Geographical extent
The Sahara covers parts of Algeria, Egypt, Chad, Mali, Libya, Niger, Mauritania, Sudan,
Morocco, Western Sahara, and Tunisia. It covers an area of 9 million square kilometres,
accounting for 31% of Africa.
Ultra-long-period Magnetar
Recently, astronomers with Curtin University note of International Centre for Radio
Astronomy Research came across an object, called “Ultra-long-period Magnetar”.
Highlights
The object was appearing and disappearing over a few hours during their
observations.
It was kind of spooky for astronomers, because there’s nothing known in the sky
doing so.
It is located at about 4,000 light-years away, in the Galactic backyard.
The discovered object is incredibly bright and smaller than the Sun. It was emitting
highly-polarized radio waves, which suggests that object had an extremely strong
magnetic field.
It is a type of slow spinning neutron star, predicted to exist theoretically.
Transients
Objects turning on and off in the Universe aren’t new to astronomers. Astronomers call
such objects as “transients”. There are two kinds of transients:
1. Slow transients– For instance, supernovae. They appear over a few days and
disappear after a few months.
2. Fast transients– Fast transients are like a type of neutron star called pulsar. They
flash on and off within seconds or even milliseconds.
What is magnetar?
Magnetar is a type of neutron star, having an extremely powerful magnetic field.
Magnetic-field decay powers the emission of high-energy electromagnetic radiation,
specifically gamma rays and X-rays. The theory on these objects was proposed in 1992 by
Christopher Thompson and Robert Duncan. The theory was later developed by Bohdan
Paczynski. The theory explained a burst of gamma rays from Large Magellanic Cloud. A
fast radio burst (FRB) was detected from a magnetar in 2020.
What is neutron star?
A neutron star is the collapsed core of massive supergiant star with total mass of 10 to 25
solar masses. These stars are the smallest and densest known class of stellar objects.
International Customs Day, 2022
Every year the International Customs Day is celebrated on January 26. The day is
celebrated by the United Nations and several other international organizations. The day is
celebrated to acknowledge the role of custom officials in the flow of goods.
Theme of International Customs Day, 2022
Scaling up Customs Digital Transformation by embracing a data culture and building a
data ecosystem
Inception
The celebration of International Customs Day dates back to 1953. The day was announced
by Custom Cooperation Council. It was announced in Brussels, Belgium. The customs
council was attended by more than 17 European countries. The council was renamed to
World Customs Organization in 1994. Today more than 182 countries are part of the
organization.
Objective
The main objective of celebrating the day is to boost guidance, leadership and support to
customs administrations. Customs play major role in connecting countries when they are
divided by geographical borders. Also, customs collect taxes and monitor the flow of
hazardous materials in and out of the country. In India, this role is played by the Central
Boards of Excise and Customs.
Role of WCO in the day
The WCO exhibits its activities involved in customs during this day. The WCO maintains the
HS system. HS is International Harmonised System of goods. It provides unique numbers
to traded products. India also follows this system. WCO plays a major role in determining
the international custom practices. It mainly works to enhance the efficiency of its
member countries.
Customs in India
The customs duty in India is governed by the Customs Tariff Act of 1975 and Customs Act
1962. India imposes basic customs duty, additional duty, special additional duty, education
cess and other state level taxes. Customs duty is levied under customs act, 1962 on all the
imported items. These items are included in Section 12 of the act. The additional custom
duty goods are included in Section 3 of the act.
Artificial Snow in Beijing Winter Olympics
China is the first country to host both summer and winter Olympic games. China is
creating artificial snow flakes for the winter Olympics to be held in 2022.
Why artificial snow?
China is to create artificial snow flakes at snow boarding, ski jumping venues of Olympic
games. The cross country, biathlon, Nordic, freestyle and snow boarding games are to be
held in Zhangjiakou. It is 100 miles away from the host city and is a ski destination. Here
the temperature drops below zero degrees Celsius. However, snowfall is less. Earlier
snowfall here was abundant. Now it has reduced to milli metres. The Olympics cannot rely
on miniscule snowfall. Thus, artificial snow flakes are to be created. The artificial snow is
important for gliding games. Good amount of snow means good winter Olympics.
Who created the snow flakes?
An Italian snowmaking supplier called Techno Alpin is to supply the artificial snow flakes.
The company is to use huge fan powered guns and stick lances. Using these equipment,
the water is to be sprayed round the clock from near by reservoir. The air is to be
pressurised using multiple pump stations. While falling, the water mist particles chills
down and crystallises into snow. This gives a natural snow like feel. China is to use 49
million gallons of water from its natural resources for this arrangement.
History
At first snow making at Olympics was used in 1980 over Lake Placid. In 2014, Sochi (Russia)
used artificial snow. However, this is the first time, a single company is supplying all the
snow required at the games.
Concerns
With the announcement of artificial snow, countries are raising questions about green and
clean Olympics. Earlier China had promised to make the Olympics green and clean.
According to environmentalists, the water to be used to create the snow is inevitable for
the fruit plantations in the region. China’s glaciers are melting and its natural water
resources are depleting. China has lost one-fifth of ice cover since 1950. Also, according to
environmentalists the artificial snow cannot be restored to fresh water. This is because
chemicals are added to retain the water in the snowy state for longer duration.
January 30, 2022
AP Seva Portal 2.0
The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy recently launched the AP Seva
Portal 2.0. The portal will offer better services to the citizens. The portal is also called
Citizen Service portal.
What is the portal?
The portal will offer digital services to citizens in a transparent manner. The portal
will help the public track their application without any hassle. The updates of the
applications are provided through SMS as well.
The portal offers thirty services. This include six services of civil supplies, 25 services
of municipal administration, 30 services of revenue and land administration, three
services of rural development and other 53 services of energy departments.
The 2.0 version allows online approval of applications. Also, the portal allows officials
to provide certificates and documents online. The portal allows the use of digital
signature.
About 90% of the government services offered have been brought under the portal.
Gateways have been included to access paid services.
Significance
The portal will help people get government services easily. They can avail the services
sitting in their homes and need not run from pole to post. Also, the portal will help the
secretaries to learn about the progress of the applications.
Application
Currently more than four lakh people are a part of this mechanism. They offer 540 services
to the people directly. As of January 2020, 3.46 crores government services were offered to
the public.
Similar online portals by other state governments
E – Sevanam: Government of Kerala
Seva Sindhu: Karnataka
Aaple Sarkar: Maharashtra
Jan Seva Portal: Madhya Pradesh
Benefits
The portal will help to increase transparency in administration. It reduces corruption. It
increases the government management efficiency. It empowers the citizens through
access to information. It increases government interaction with industry and business. It
makes the services simple, moral, accountable, responsive and transparent. It increases all
four kinds of interactions namely government to citizens, government to citizens,
government to business and government to employees.
China's Lithuania Blockade
The Chinese Government recently launched import sanction on Lithuania. This means the
Chinese companies should not import goods or raw materials from Lithuania. Earlier in
2021, Lithuania had recognised Taiwan as an independent state and had opened a Taiwan
office in its soil. According to China, Taiwan is its integral part. The Chinese are doing this
to block the global supply chain and also as a counter move to Lithuanian actions. To this,
the European Union has filed a case against China in the World Trade Organization.
Chinese actions
Earlier China had blocked wine imports from Australia and also Salmon fish imports from
Norway. These actions say that China will not take criticisms. When India provided shelter
to Dalai Lama, China brought war against India.
How will this affect global supply chains?
The total Lithuania imports in China is only 350 million USD. China is leading the trade with
coountry. The German and French companies are sending their exports to China through
Lithuania. These companies are now hit largely. In a wider angle this partly affects the
whole of European Union. Thus, by blocking Lithuania China is creating impact on
European Union trade.
Why is European Union entering the issue?
Chinese have only blocked Lithuania. However, this is affecting Germany and France. The
German automotive suppliers are largely hit. They send their exports through Lithuania.
Also, Lithuania is a member of European Union. The EU handles the trade issues of all its
27 members and takes lead.
US stand on the issue
The US is supporting the EU on the issue. Earlier the US had imposed sanctions on China
over goods produced in the region of Uyghur Muslims. This minority Muslim population
are forced to work as cheap labours in China. Thus US imposed sanctions.
What did Lithuania do to anger China?
Lithuania renamed a Taiwanese office in the language of Taiwan. Earlier the name was in
Chinese language Taipei.
What are 'Volatile organic compounds'?
The Volatile organic compounds are chemicals that are lighter than air at room
temperature. They are used as paint thinners. Also they are used in perfumes. They are
naturally found in petroleum products. They are also produced by plants, animals and
micro organisms. Frequent exposure to volatile organic compounds leads to cancer and
respiratory irritation.
Physical Characteristics
The water solubility of volatile organic compounds are very low.
They are highly unstable at room temperature.
Role of VOC in the atmosphere
90% of the VOC in the atmosphere is produced by the plants. The VOCs play a major role
in chemical processes that occur in the atmosphere. The VOCs keep the atmosphere
above it clean. Also, they react with harmful pollutants and neutralise their effects on the
environment. VOCs are highly important for animal – plant communication.
VOC in homes
The concentration of VOCs in homes is five times higher than its atmospheric
concentration. Also, the VOCs can remain in homes for longer duration of time. Inhaling
VOCs for longer duration leads to cancer.
Benzene
Benzene is most harmful of all the VOCs. It is called a carcinogen. It is commonly found in
fuels, cigarette smoke, cars, paints.
Perchloroethylene
It is used for dry cleaning. It is also a VOC. The dry cleaned clothes carry these VOCs.
Impact of VOC on human health
Irritation in eye, nose and throat, Headaches, asthma like symptoms, dizziness. Also, it
leads to high levels of cancer, kidney damage and liver.

Standards
The world countries including USA, UK have not set any standards for the industrial limits
of VOC. Increase home ventilation to reduce the exposure to VOCs.
VOC in India
India sees no difference between VOC and other air pollutants.
China
China defines VOC as those compounds that are emitted from industrial pollution,
automobiles, burning fuels, transportation, coating of furniture, etc.
United States
They are named as hazardous materials.
European Union
It defines VOC as those organic compounds whose boiling point is less than or equal to
250 degrees Celsius.
EU Declaration on Digital rights and principles
The European Union is first in the world to propose digital rights. The rights aim to
support democracy and support people’s rights. It ensures a safe online environment.
About the EU Digital Rights
EU digital rights cover digital devices as well. It ensures the sustainability and green
transition goals of the bloc.
It defines illegal offline and illegal online activities.
It will act as a good guide for policy makers to decide on technological solutions.
It places people at the centre.
Six principles
The draft Digital Rights and Principles puts forward the following six principles:
To promote the sustainability of digital future
To increase safety, empowerment and security of individuals
To foster participation in digital public space
To ensure freedom of choice online
To support solidarity and inclusion
To put people and their rights in the centre of digital transformation
Objective of the digital rights
The rights aim to provide affordable digital connectivity to all its member countries. Also,
it aims to increase the speed of the internet. The rights will make the class rooms well
equipped and will hire digitally skilled teachers. Also, the digital rights will provide
seamless access to public services. It will provide safe environment to children. The digital
rights will control how the personal data are used and with whom the personal data is
shared. It will gather easy – to – understand information on digital products.
Key Digital Rights
Right to use digital content. Right to access electronic devices like computers. Right to
privacy. Right to create digital content. Right to express ideas digitally. Right to report
what seems inappropriate.
What are digital rights?
These rights allow people to create, use, access and publish digital media and also use
computers and other communication networks. Digital rights are related to freedom of
privacy and expression.
Digital Responsibilities of world countries
To respect other’s opinions. To abide by the Intellectual Property Laws. To follow codes of
conduct and rules. To respect others ideas.
India-UAE Venture Capital Fund
India and UAE have together created 150 million USD fund to support the startups. The
fund will help to create ten unicorns within 2025. Unicorns are startups whose value is
more than 1 billion USD. The fund was launched at the EXPO 2020 held in Dubai.
About the fund
The fund will act as a catalyst in developing the startups. It will be of great help to
startups that are in their early stages of development.
The fund will support at least fifty startups in both countries.
NASSCOM is the Indian representative of the fund.
India and UAE signed a MoU to raise the fund.
How will the fund help the youth in the countries?
The startup ecosystem has huge employment opportunities for the youths. They pave way
for the youths to bring out their entrepreneurship potential. However, lack of capital is the
main hindrance in realising their potential. The fund will help the startups to beat this
obstacle.
Startups in India
There are more than 60,000 startups in India. The startups have grown largely during the
pandemic in India. In 2020, the Indian startups raised 11.5 billion USD. It increased to 42
billion USD in 2021. In 2021 alone, the number of startups that acquired the unicorn tag
were 46. This has increased the overall number to 90. The new unicorns are Mamaearth,
Acko, Global Bees, Cred, Share Chat, Spinny, Meesho and others. Today India is the third
largest in terms of Unicorns. China has more than 301 unicorns. US has more than 487
unicorns.
Startups in UAE
UAE is just emerging in startups. The UAE government is creating ways to increase startup
business in the country. Import and export duties are exempted. UAE is a good start to
connect with the middle east. UAE allows easy entry to employees and their families. Thus,
now UAE is seen as a promising option for the startups.
NIPER Research Portal
NIPER is National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER). The
Ministry of Chemicals has recently launched NIPER Portal to facilitate innovation and
research in the pharmaceutical sector.
About the Portal
The NIPER Research portal will provide the information about the research activities of
NIPER. The portal will also list out the patents and publication information of NIPER. It will
hold the research details of all the NIPERs in one place. This makes the access to
information easier.
Significance
The portal will assist the researchers in contacting appropriate organizations. It will
allow the researchers to collaborate with the right institution and make their
research activity more meaningful.
The portal will help in the growth of pharmaceutical industries.
It will help in industry – academia collaboration. This collaboration is essential to
channelize the human resources and young talent.
Also, the portal will benefit the MSMEs largely.
NIPER
NIPERs is a group of national level pharmaceutical industries. These institutes operate as
autonomous bodies. They operate under Department of Pharmaceuticals. Currently, they
are located in seven cities of India. They are Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Hajipur (Bihar),
Guwahati (Assam), Hyderabad (Telangana), Kolkata (West Bengal), Raebareli (Uttar
Pradesh), SAS Nagar (Mohali, Punjab).
Proposed NIPERs
Several state governments such as Tamil Nadu and Odisha have requested to open a
NIPER in their state. In 2011, the eighth finance commission had recommended to
establish a NIPER in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The TN government also allocated lands of 116
acres. However, the plan was later dropped. In 2015, the then Finance minister Arun Jaitley
announced that three new NIPERs are to be opened in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and
Rajasthan. Unfortunately, all these plans were dropped in 2019. In 2019, Sadananda
Gowda, the then Union Minister of Chemicals announced that the GoI has no plans of
setting up new NIPERs for now.
Way forward
The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers have requested the other leading research
institutes to join the portal. This includes DRDO, ICMR, Ministry of AYUSH, Department of
Scientific and Industrial Research.
Anantha Nageswaran-New Chief Economic Advisor
The Government of India has appointed Anantha Nageswaran as the new Chief Economic
Advisor. He is a former member of Prime Minister Economic Advisory Council.
About Nageswaran
Nageswaran has taught in B – schools in India and Singapore. He is a visiting
professor at Kre University. Krea University is one of the top private universities of
the country. It is sponsored by IFMR. IFMR is Institute for Financial Management and
Research.
He has completed post – graduation from Indian Institute of Management,
Ahmedabad. Also he has a doctoral degree from the Massachusetts institute.
Nageswaran worked as a senior advisor to the International Financial Services
Authority of India (IFSCA) between 2019 and 2021.

Between 1994 and 2011, he worked as a currency economist at the Union Bank of
Switzerland.
He had also worked as an independent director at the TVS Tyres and Delphi – TVS.
Chief Economic Advisor
The post of CEA was lying vacant after Dr Krishnamurthy Subramanian left office in
December 2021. He succeeded Arvind Subramanian in 2018.
The CEA reports to the Finance Minister of India.
The post is equivalent to Secretary in India.
The CEA is the head of the Department of Economic Affairs that operates under
Ministry of Finance.
Dr Manmohan Singh was the CEA to Indira Gandhi between 1972 and 1976
PM Economic Advisory Council
It is an independent body. Nageswaran had led the council for PM Modi. Currently Dr
Bibek Debroy is the Chairman of the council. The council advises the PM on national and
international economic issues.
IFSCA
IFSCA aims to bring a strong global connect between India and rest of the world. It was
created in 2020 at the GIFT city, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. IFSCA develops and regulates
financial services and financial products. It is governed by nine members. Each member
from IRDAI, SEBI, RBI, PFRDA. Two members from Ministry Finance and two members as
recommended by the selection committee. It is led by a chair person.
January 31, 2022
Rafael Nadal Record of 21 Grandslam titles
Rafael Nadal won his 21st Grand Slam title. He beat Daniil Medvedev at the Australian
Open Final to grab his Grand Slam. With this Nadal has become the first player to win 21
grand slam titles. Roger Federer of Switzerland and Novak Djokovic of Serbia have won 20
Grand slams. Novak was not allowed to play Australian Open. The Government of
Australia deported him as he has not yet taken COVID-19 vaccine. Australia considered
him as a threat to the country.
Asteroid named after Nadal
In 2003, the 128036 astroid in the main asteroid belt was named after him. The asteroid is
now called the Rafale Nadal asteroid. The asteroid was named by the International
Astronomical Union.
Toni Nadal
He is the coach of Rafael Nadal. Rafael won 16 grand slams under his training. He is also
the player’s uncle.Toni taught tennis to Rafael when he was three years old. Rafael is from
Spain. Currently, Rafael Nadal is trained by Marc Lopez.
Achievements
Nadal is ranked at fifth place by the ATP ranking. He was ranked number one for 209
weeks. Nadal has won 62 ATP singles titles. This includes 13 French open titles. Also, he
has won Olympic gold medal, five Davis Cup titles. Davis Cup tournament is organized by
the International Tennis Federation. He has continuously won 81 matches on clay. This is
the world longest single surface win. He was the first person to win on all the three
different surfaces such as clay, grass and hard surface. He is the youngest to win Grand
Slam. He won his first grand slam when he was 24 years old.
One of the Big three
Usually, the top level tennis players Roger Federer, Noval Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are
addressed to as the Big three. Nadal is the only left – handed player of the big three.
Federated Digital Identities
The Ministry of Electronics and IT has introduced the “Federated Digital Identities”. It aims
to inter link the multiple identities of Indian citizens. For instance, the digital IDs like
Aadhaar, Passport and PAN are inter linked and stored under a new unique ID.
About the Federated Digital Identities
The state and central identities of the citizens will now be stored under this new federal
digital identity. The citizens can avail their third party services through this ID. This will
eliminate the need for repeated verification process.
Need for Federal Digital Identities
Aadhaar has answered the question, “Who I am?” However, it is essential to figure out the
other identities of the citizens. This includes students, farmers, entrepreneurs, teachers,
pharmacists, doctors, pensioner, vehicle owners and others. This identity is of utmost
importance to frame policies and weigh the capacities. The main aims of the Federal
Digital Identities is to minimise the number of identities, a citizen has.
How does Federal Digital Identities work?
It links the electronic registries and allows easy paperless data verification. When an
individual is registered under the Public Distribution Scheme, he is identified through his
Aadhaar. When the person gets PAN then Aadhaar is the linking ID. When the same
person opens mutual fund, then PAN is the linking ID. By this, the person is linked to PDS,
Aadhaar, PAN and mutual fund. Now a new number is created in common for all the four.
Part of IndEA 2.0
The proposal of Federated Digital Identities is a part of the ministry’s India Enterprise
Architecture 2.0. The IndEA was launched in 2017. It aims to establish Unity in Diversity in
E – Governance. It aims to deliver governance with optimal use of ICT infrastructure. The
2.0 version enables the public and private companies to build and design IT architecture
beyond boundaries. This version focuses on domain architecture pattern and state
architecture pattern.
Bharat Biotech Nasal Booster Trials
The Drug controller General of India has approved the COVAXIN booster trials. These
boosters were produced by Bharat Biotech, the same company that produces COVAXIN.
The boosters are being introduced for the vulnerable population. The booster doses will
provide the strength to fight against the third wave that is violently spreading the
Omicron.
About the trials
The trials are to be conducted on 900 volunteers. Apart from this, the trials are to be
conducted on another 5000 healthy individuals. Of this, 2,500 are those who have received
COVISHIELD and another 2,500 are those who have received COVAXIN. A gap of six
months is to be provided between the second dose and the booster dose. After the trials,
the booster dose is to be launched in March 2022. The booster dose is an intra nasal
vaccine. That is, it is sprayed into the nostrils.
Why intra nasal vaccine?
The intra nasal vaccine provides the advantage of self administration. It comes in
both liquid and dry powder.
The intra nasal vaccines are mucosal. That is, they are given where the mucosal
membrane is present. This includes respiratory, digestive and genitourinary tracts.
The intra nasal vaccines provide protection at the site of infection.
The other type of vaccine is intra muscular vaccine. These vaccines are injected in
hand or hip. They induce the entire immune system to generate antibodies all over
the body.
The intra nasal vaccines induces systemic immune response. They induce the
creation of mucosal antibody secretion. This works better against different strains
and mutants.
Why booster doses?
Booster doses are provided to improve the strength of the immune system against the
virus. It is the same vaccine. However, its aim is to increase the level of protection. Also,
the booster shots give protection against the new variants. They are highly helpful for the
elderly and the vulnerable.
“The $10 Trillion Dream” Book
Former finance secretary, Subhash Chandra Garg, is all set to make his debut as an author
with upcoming book titled “The $10 Trillion Dream”.
Key Points
The book claims to explore the critical policy issues faced by India, today.
It also suggests reforms to solve those issues and become a USD 10 trillion economy
by mid-2030s.
When will the book be released?
The book is scheduled to release in February 2022 end. Currently, it is available for pre-
order online.
Who has published the book?
Book is published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI).
Significance of Economic Policy
Economic policy is an important building block of any economy, similar to human
resources and capital. The right policies open path of high growth, fair redistribution and
adequate delivery of public goods & services. According to the author, India requires to
adopt a bold and robust economic policy agenda to bring in chance of building a USD 5
trillion economy by 2026-27 and USD 10 trillion economy by 2035.

Contents of the book
The book comprises of plan for India to become a USD 10 trillion economy. It analyses
macroeconomy of India, in the light of its evolution since Independence. It also elaborates
on performance of the economy on macro parameters of inflation, credit management,
fiscal management, growth, inflation, monetary management, foreign capital inflows and
other fundamentals. The book also discusses policies in deep to direct significant private
sector investment in building digital, environmental, infrastructure and social economy of
India.
Who is Subhash Chandra Garg?
Subhash Chandra Garg is a member of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). He is into
services for over 36 years. He has served in various key positions of Union government
and government of Rajasthan. In March 2019, he was designated finance secretary.
India-Israel: ‘Villages of Excellence’
On January 28, 2022, central government announced its decision to convert around 150
villages into ‘Villages of Excellence’ across 12 States.
Key Facts
These villages will be converted into Villages of Excellence, with technical assistance
from Israel government.
Government of Israel has already established 29 Centre of Excellence (CoEs) across
12 States.
Already established CoEs are producing more than 25 million vegetable plants and
more than 3,87,000 quality fruit plants.
These CoEs can give training to more than 1.2 lakh farmers per year.
Villages of Excellence
150 villages which are located around CoEs will be converted into ‘Villages of Excellence.
Out of these, 75 villages will be converted in first year to commemorate 75th year of
India’s independence, in collaboration with Israeli government.
India-Israel Relation
India had recognized the Jewish State of Israel in 1950. But the diplomatic relations
between both were established in 1992. Since then, there has been an upswing in the
relations in light of common concerns regarding global terrorism and religious
extremism. Both the countries have strengthened their cooperation in intelligence sharing
and counter-insurgency operations. India has become a major buyer of armaments from
Israel. Countries are also cooperating in field of science and technology, specifically in
areas like dryland farming.
Defence Collaborations
India has brought radar and surveillance equipment for military application from Israel.
Israel also provides counter-insurgency training to India’s anti-terror forces.
Collaborations between both the countries have increased since 2014.
Cooperation in Agriculture
India and Israel started an agricultural fund worth USD 50 million, in 2008. It focused on
dairy, micro-irrigation and farming technology. This led to constitution of Indo-Israel
Agricultural Project.
Economic Relations
India is the third-largest trading partner of Israel, in Asia after China and Hong Kong.
Trade of diamond accounts for more than 53% of total bilateral trade. Trade has further
diversified to include several sectors such as agriculture, IT, pharmaceuticals, and telecom
& homeland security. India exports precious stones, metals, textiles, textile articles and
chemical products etc to Israel.
North Korea Hwasong-12 missile
North Korea launched its Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile on January 30,
2022.
Highlights
Month of January was one of the busiest months of missile tests for North Korea.
With the launch of Hwasong-12, the country highlights efforts of ensuring its reliable
systems for delivery of nuclear warheads.
Testing schedule started with the launch of new “hypersonic missile,” and later
included long-range cruise missiles, short-range ballistic missiles which were
launched from railcars & airports and underscoring its rapidly expanding and
advancing arsenal in the midst of stalled denuclearisation talks.
Background
North Korea hasn’t tested its nuclear weapon or longest-range intercontinental ballistic
missiles (ICBMs) since 2017. However, launch of Hwasong-12 signalled it could soon start
such testing.
Weapons tested in January 2022
1. Hypersonic Missile– North Korea tested new type of “hypersonic missile” on January
5. The second launch was conducted on January 11. Hypersonic weapons fly towards
targets at lower altitudes as compared to ballistic missiles. They can achieve more
than five times the speed of sound. The main feature of hypersonic weapons is their
manoeuvrability, which can help them in evading missile defence systems.
2. KN-23 SRBM– North Korea launched a pair of Short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM)
on January 14. It was launched from a train near its northern border with China.
Despite limited and unreliable rail network in North Korea, rail mobile missiles are
efficient and relatively cheap option for improving survivability of their nuclear
forces.
3. KN-24 SRBM– On January 17, it launched two SRBMs in a rare test from an airport in
Pyongyang. Missiles precisely hit an island target, off the east coast. The KN-24 is
similar to U.S. MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). It is designed to
evade missile defences by flying on a flatter trajectory.
4. Long-Range Cruise Missile- Country test-fired two long-range cruise missiles on
January 25, which travelled for 1,800 km before hitting a target island.
Hwasong-12
Israel had first launched the Hwasong-12 IRBM in April 2017. It launched two more
Hwasong-12s in 2017, after the success of first launch. In the recent test, missile was test-
fired on an elevated trajectory. Missile reached an altitude of about 2,000 km and flew for
a distance of 800 km. It has an estimated range of 4,500 kms.
First Woman President of Honduras
Xiomara Castro was sworn in as the first woman president of Honduras. Honduras is a
Central American country. Its capital is Tegucigalpa. It is located along the coast of
Caribbean Sea.
About Xiomara Castro
She is a leftist. That is, she is a socialist leader. She has promised to tackle the drug
trafficking in the country. Also, she is to liberalize the strict abortion laws.
Manuel Zelaya is Xiomara’s husband. He ruled Honduras between 2006 and 2009. In
2009, he left office following the military coup. After his removal, Xiomara ran for
elections and has earned great public support.hernandez. He was jailed in the US for
drug trafficking.
Xiomara replaces President Orlando
Elections
Xiomara won 51% of the votes. She gained more than 1.7 million votes. This is the first
time a leader has won such good number of votes.
US Expectations
The US Vice President Kamala Harris attended the swearing in ceremony. The US wants
Xiomara to handle poverty, corruption and violence in the country. This has led to illegal
immigration of people from Honduras to the US soil.
About Honduras
Honduras gained independence from Mexico in 1838. It is known for its
Mesoamerican culture. Before Mexicans, Honduras was under Spain. And for this
reason, Spanish is the most spoken language in the country.
The country is predominantly dependent on agriculture. It is prone to natural
disasters, especially hurricanes.
Honduras is famous for its sugar cane and coffee.
Maya Civilization
The world famous Maya civilization developed in Honduras region. It was a Meso
American civilization. It thrived in the time period of 500 BC. It is one of the oldest
civilizations in the world. The art forms of Maya included perishable and non – perishable
items such as ceramics, wood, obsidian and jade. There are several contradictions around
the collapse of Mayan civilization. Recently, study proved that the civilization did not
collapse due to drought.
T.N. Draft Policy for Senior Citizens
The Tamil Nadu Government has created a draft policy for senior citizens. Under the
policy, the government plans to work with academic institutions, field experts and civil
society organizations. The policy has been created based on Article 41 of the constitution.
Key Features of the policy
The policy will focus on social security schemes, health and nutrition, income security,
safety, livelihood, safety housing and environment, education, disaster management and
research and documentation. It aims to create Directorate for the welfare of the senior
citizens.
The policy also speaks about providing livelihood training, formation of elderly self – help
groups, capacity building for senior citizens. Also, it will address the security issues of the
old age people. It is to create a banking assistance programmes and create a system of
rescue centre for victims.
Need for the policy
The life expectancy of the state has increased. And the problem of abandonment in the
state is increasing. This is mainly due to the improved health care in the state. According
to the report released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme implementation,
“Elderly in India, 2021”, 13.6% of the population in Tamil Nadu is senior citizens. Tamil
Nadu has the second largest number of senior citizens in India next to Kerala. Also, it is
predicted that the senior citizen population is to increase to 18.2% by 2031.
Background
The state of Tamil Nadu believes that the senior citizen should be allowed to lead. It is
essential to facilitate inter – generational transfer of knowledge. With this the young
people can learn from the experience of their seniors.
Article 41
It speaks about right to work, right to public assistance and right to education. The article
also says that the state government shall make the required provisions to secure right to
work, public assistance and right to education in cases of old age, unemployment,
sickness, disablement and in other cases as in favour of the under privileged. However,
the actions should be within the economic capacity of the state.
Delhi Ex Gratia Relief to Farmers
The Delhi Government recently approved Rs 20,000 per acre to farmers. These farmers
incurred losses due to unseasonal rainfall. Rainwater logged in their fields and damaged
the crops that were to be harvested. The state government allocated Rs 53 crores in all for
around 29,000 acres.
About the relief
The farmers around the capital faced severed losses due to unseasonal rains in
September – October 2021. Due to these rains, water from nearby drains over flowed
to the farms owing to severe damages.
To address the issue, the Delhi Government has allocated compensation funds. The
State government had sent a team to assess the damages. The funds have been
allocated based on the report submitted by the team.
If the loss incurred is 70% or less, then the compensation is to be paid at the rate of
70%. If the loss incurred is more than 70% then 100% compensation is to be paid.
Background
The Delhi Government recently conducted a study to assess the crop area of the region.
According to the study, the region has 29,000 acres of land under cultivation. Also, the
region has 21,000 farmers. The study had also reported the major concerns of the farmers
in the region. They are crop loss, input costs, minimum support price, etc. The findings of
the study are yet to be published.
Political scenario in the region
The Aam Aadmi Party is the current ruling party of Delhi. The party aims to extend its
power to the state of Punjab as well. It is now the main opposition in the Punjab assembly.
The party is contesting in the upcoming elections. The party has promised that it will
provide compensation and also increase the compensation in proportion to the
production cost.
Unseasonal rains
The unseasonal rains seldom affect crops such as potato, gram, wheat and mustard in this
region. Prolonged rains during the harvesting stages of the crops damage the crop,
impact the oil content of the seeds. Excessive water logging in potatoes leads to diseases
such as late blight.
What is Green Climate Fund for adaptation?
The Green Climate Fund is invested in developing countries. It helps the countries to fight
against climate change.
What are the issues around GCF?
The countries are not receiving Green Climate Fund, especially those in Africa. This is
due to the lengthy and complicated process of accessing the fund.
The issue of GCF has been in the forefront in almost every international climate
meet. During the COP26 held in Glasgow in 2021, the developing countries roared
their concerns around the issue. The developing countries called out that the
developed nations failed to deliver the promise of 100 billion USD goal.
Key Facts about Green Climate Fund
It is based in Incheon, South Korea. The main aim of the fund is to support
programmes, policies and other climate activities in developing countries. It was
established within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC).
US and European Union contribute to the fund largely. 54% of the climate mitigation
cost comes from these countries.
The World Bank was chosen as a temporary trustee in the initial stages of the fund.
Controversies
In 2015 board meet, the GCF failed to cut the fund allocated for the fossil fuel projects.
This included the projects in China, Japan and Saudi Arabia.
Current Scenario
Around 154 countries are eligible to receive the fund. Between 2015 and 2019, countries
received 2.5 billion USD. Of this 54% went to the Small Island Developing States, African
countries and Least Developing Countries. But still 16 out of 37 eligible countries did not
receive the funding.
Why are some countries not receiving GCF?
Poor institutional capacity. Some countries suffer from poor governance and human
capacities in their administrations. For instance, Somalia, Eritrea and Yemen. Some others
like Afghanistan are facing violent conflicts. Such countries did not receive GCF. The GCF
board is of the view that the allocated funds in these countries are not reaching the
people.
Conversion or Switch operations
The Government of India recently held conversion operation. It is also called Switch
operation. Under the operation, the government bought back securities from the Reserve
Bank of India. These government securities were maturing in 2022-23, 2023-24 and
2024-25. These securities were bought for Rs 1,19,701 crores. And fresh securities are to be
issued to make the transaction cash neutral.
About Switch operation
The transactions were made using Financial Benchmarks India Private Limited. These
transactions were made with the objective of smoothening the liability profile. The
liabilities are the amount of money owed to the individual or an organization.
Financial Benchmark India Private Limited
It was established during the sixth bi – monthly policy of the year 2017-18. With this, the
financial benchmark India private limited took over certain responsibilities of RBI. They are
dissemination of exchange rate of currencies, settlement of financial contracts. It basically
fixes the financial benchmarks. The financial benchmarks are a standard against which the
performance of mutual fund, security or investment manager is measured.
Government securities
They are the debt instruments. They are issued by GoI. The two categories of government
securities are short term instruments that mature in 91 days, 182 days or 364 days and
long term instrument that matures within 5 years to 40 years. The securities are cleared by
the clearing Corporation of India Limited. These securities are issued through auctions
conducted by RBI.
Privilege Motion over Pegasus
On January 30, 2022, Congress gave a notice in Lok Sabha to move a privilege motion
against Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, alleging
that he misled the House on Pegasus spyware issue. A similar notice will be issued in Rajya
Sabha as well.
Highlights
Privilege motion was moved citing a report that, India bought Israeli spyware in 2017
as part of USD 2-billion package for weapons.
Opposition has alleged government of using Israeli spyware Pegasus to snoop on
political leaders, judges, journalists, and civil society activists.
Government’s view
The Government is of the view that, it has never bought Pegasus spyware from the NSO
Group.
What was the issue?
A global consortium of media groups had reported in July 2021 that Pegasus spyware had
been used by several governments worldwide, to snoop on businessmen, journalists and
opponents etc. In India, The Wire had report that, government used Spyware to target
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, then Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, political
strategist Prashant Kishor and other prominent names. The list also mentioned around 40
journalists.
What is Pegasus?
Pegasus is a type of malicious malware or software, classified as a spyware. It is designed
for gaining access to devices. It gathers personal information of uses, without their
knowledge and relay it back to people who are using the spyware to spy.
Who has developed it?
Pegasus has been developed by Israeli firm NSO Group. NSO Group was set in 2010.
Earliest version of Pegasus had infected phones through spear-phishing, emails or text
messages. It was captured by researchers in 2016.
Case Study
In 2019, WhatsApp filed a case in the United States court against Israel’s NSO Group and
alleged that the firm was incorporating cyber-attacks on application by infecting mobile
devices.
Steps taken by Indian government against cyberattacks
1. Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative: This initiative was launched in 2018, with the aim
of spreading awareness on cybercrime and building capacity for safety measures.
2. National Cyber security Coordination Centre (NCCC): NCCC was developed in
2017, to scan internet traffic and communication metadata in India, to detect real-
time cyber threats.
3. Cyber Swachhta Kendra: It was launched in 2017, for internet users for cleaning
their devices by wiping out malware and viruses.
4. Computer Emergency Response Team – India (CERT-IN): CERT-IN is the nodal
agency, dealing with cybersecurity threats like phishing and hacking.
NASA Ocean Melting Greenland Mission
The ocean waters are melting the glaciers in Greenland as much as the warm air is
melting them from the above. The Ocean Melting Greenland mission, generally referred
to as OMG mission was launched by NASA. It was a five year mission. It ended on
December 31, 2021. The mission mainly measured the ice loss in Green land.
Key Findings of the Mission
The study conducted by the mission says that if all the Greenland ice melts, then the
global ocean level will increase by 7.4 metres.
The ice in Greenland is melting five times faster than they were 25 years ago.
There are more than 220 glaciers in Greenland. The ocean waters are melting them
at faster rate.
The top layer of the oceans in Greenland is extremely cold. Also, it is not salty. More
of the top layer water are from the Arctic. On the other hand, the bottom layers are
warmer. These waters in the bottom are melting the glaciers four to five times faster.
Greater the depth greater and faster is the melting. Also, water in greater depths are
more saltier.
What did the mission do?
The mission conducted a complete survey of the sea floor in the coasts of Greenland.
It measured the ocean temperature year to year, place to place and top to bottom.
A complete map of the ocean was created. The mission measured the salinity of the
water at different depths.
It also studied how the salty Atlantic water impacted the ice melting in Greenland.
Why was the mission launched?
Satellites could only provide the sea surface temperature. Based on this data, the entire
impact of global warming in Greenland could not be studied. The researchers wanted to
know how much ice is being lost. They wanted to measure the quantity. For this they had
to dive into the sea.
Reservation in Promotion
Recently, the Supreme Court of India refused to lay down any yardstick to grant
reservation in promotion in government jobs to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled
Tribes (STs).
Key Facts
A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Nageswara Rao, was hearing the case.
As per bench, states are obligated for collecting data on inadequacy of
representation of SCs and STs.
Court also maintained that, collection of information on inadequacy of
representation of SCs or STs cannot be with reference to entire class or service. But it
should be relatable to category or grade of posts to which promotion is sought.
Court’s view of Cadre
As per court, Cadre would be meaningless if data related to representation of SCs or STs is
with reference to entire service. Cadre should be the unit for collecting quantifiable data
in relation to promotional posts.
Court’s view on proportional representation
As of now, court has not gone into the issue of proportionate representation and test of
adequacy. Court has left this issue to the states for assessing inadequacy of
representation of SCs or STs in promotion of post by considering relevant factors.
Supreme court had reserved its verdict on October 26, 2021.
Centre’s take
Central government had asked the apex court to lay down grounds for India and states to
implement reservation in promotions for SCs and STs in government jobs. Attorney
General K K Venugopal submitted that SCs or STs have been side-lined from the
mainstream for years. Thus, reservation to them will act as equaliser, giving them an equal
chance. He referred to SC’s judgements right from Indra Sawhney verdict of 1992 or
Mandal Commission case.
Mandal Commission
The Mandal Commission, also known as ‘Socially & Educationally Backward Classes
Commission (SEBC)’ was set in 1979. It was chaired by an MP, B P Mandal. It was set up for
identifying socially or educationally backward classes of India as well as to consider
reservations for addressing caste inequality and discrimination. Commission developed 11
criteria for identifying backward classes who were called “Other Backward Classes
(OBCs)”. The criteria are classified as educational, social and economic.
Death Penalty in India Report
According to Death Penalty in India report, the number of prisoners on death row at the
end of 2021 was 488. This number was highest in 17 years.
Key Points
Year 2021 witnessed highest number of prisoners on death row, since 2016.
There was an increase of around 21% from 2020.
In comparison with data from Prison Statistics of India report by National Crime
Records Bureau (NCRB), this is the highest death row population since 2004, when it
was 563.
Findings of Death Penalty in India report
As per report, limited functioning of courts amid covid-19 pandemic has impacted
the priority given to death penalty related cases.
Appellate courts were functioning in limit in 2020 and 2021. It thus meant lesser
appeals of prisoners sentenced to death being decided, and larger number of
prisoners remaining on death row by year’s end.
As per report, trial courts imposed 144 death sentences in 2021 while, high courts
decided only 39 cases during same period.
In 2020, high courts decided on 31 matters related to death penalty, as compared to
76 in 2019.
The Supreme Court could only decide on 6 cases in 2021, as compared to 11 in 2020
and 28 in 2019, even though SC listed death penalty cases on priority in September
2021.
Out of 39 cases in high courts, involving death penalty, only 4 resulted in
confirmation of death sentences. 15 cases were in acquittal of all charges, 18 were
commuted to life imprisonment, while 2 cases were remitted back to the trial court.
Annual statistics on death penalty
Project 39A release the “report on annual statistics on death penalty” in January 2022.
Project 39A is a criminal law reforms advocacy group, working at National Law University,
Delhi. The Death Penalty India Report (DPIR) was first launched on May 6, 2016.
Manipur Freight Train connectivity

On January 27, 2022, the first goods train reached the Rani Gaidinliu station of Manipur.
This is the first freight train to enter Manipur after 75 years. This shows the rapid
transformation happening in the state of Manipur.
New Railway Line in Manipur
Manipur is a hilly state. Because of this reason it was difficult to build railway lines in this
region. The new railway line built in the state is 111 km long. It runs from Jiribam to
Imphal. The Jiribam railway station is 17 km from the Assam – Manipur border. The
Railway department is to construct 46 tunnels along the new rail line. Also, it includes 153
bridges. The world tallest bridge is in this line. It is in Noney district. The bridge is 141
metres high. The Railways has spent Rs 14,000 crores in constructing the railway line so
far. The construction started in 2013. The line was to be constructed up to Imphal. Now,
there are plans to extend up to Moreh. Moreh is a trading centre located in Manipur –
Myanmar border.
Significance
By extending rail connectivity to North East, GoI is trying to increase its trade with the
south east Asian countries. India’s plan is to use the north eastern states as a gateway to
increase the trade with the ASEAN countries. Also, GoI is increasing the connectivity to the
region to reduce the insurgency here. If connectivity increases, the trade increases and
the economic growth of the region increases. This boosts employment opportunity for the
youth. they become less vulnerable to the terror groups.
Trans Asian Railway
The plan of extending the rail line till Moreh is a part of the Trans Asian railway. The Trans
Asian Railway is under construction. The Trans Asian Railway aims to create a rail route
between Asia and Europe. It is a project of United Nations Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific. The main objective of the project is to provide a
continuous rail link between Singapore, Istanbul and Turkey.
Ireland: 50 years of bloody Sunday
On 30 January 1972, the British soldiers killed a group of unarmed civilians. These civilians
were protesting in the Bogside area of Derry. This incident is referred to as bloody
Sunday. In 2022, the people of Northern Ireland marked fifty years of Bloody Sunday.
What happened on Bloody Sunday?
A group of innocent civilians protested against the internment without trial. Internment
means jailing someone without any court trials. The prisoners did not have an option to
justify their actions. The protest was organised by the Northern Ireland Civil Rights
Association. The protestors were shot. Some were injured by rubber bullets and others
were run down by Army vehicles. The soldiers involved in this massacre were from the
first battalion of the Parachute Regiment. The same battalion was involved in the
Ballymurphy massacre as well. The protests were mainly against Operation Demetrius. It
occurred during the TROUBLES.
Operation Demetrius
It was a British army operation and was held in 1971. During the operation, the British
soldiers arrested suspects and they were imprisoned without trials. The suspects were
mainly the members of Irish Republican Army. The IRA was fighting for a united Ireland.
The Troubles
The Troubles was an ethno – nationalist conflict. The conflict occurred in Northern Ireland.
It lasted for more than 30 years. The Troubles is also referred to as Northern Ireland
conflict. The fight was between Protestants and Catholics. However, it was not religious.
The Protestants wanted Northern Ireland to stay united with UK. The catholics and the
Irish nationalists wanted Northern Ireland to leave UK and join Ireland. The Bloody
Sunday occurred mainly for this reason.
What is the impact in current day situation?
Both UK and Northern Ireland have left EU. Ireland is still a part of EU. The Northern
Ireland remains an entry point. The EU and UK have locked horns over entry and exit in
Irish sea. They had created the Northern Ireland Protocol to fix the issue. However, they
have still not come to a conclusion over the issue. Marking the Bloody Sunday amidst the
issue is increasing the tensions.
India's First Geo Park
The first geological park of India will be built in Lamheta, Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.
Key Points
Approval for the park was given by Geological Survey of India, under ministry of
mining.
Park will be constructed with an investment of Rs 35 crores, over five-acre land.
Why will park be built in Lamheta?
The geological park will be built in Lamheta, because this place is among significant places
in world, from geological point of view. In 1928, William Henry Sleeman had discovered
Dinosaur fossil from this area. UNESCO has also recognised Lamheta as geo heritage site.
What is geopark?
Geopark is a unified area, which advances the protection and use of geological heritage in
sustainable manner. It also promotes the economic well-being of the people living there.
The Lameta Formation
Lameta Formation is also called as Infratrappean Beds. It is a sedimentary geological
formation found in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. It is associated with the
Deccan Traps. It is of Maastrichtian age and is known for dinosaur fossils.
Geological Survey of India (GSI)
GSI was founded in 1851. It is a scientific agency of India, working under ministry of Mines
organisation. It is one of the oldest organisations worldwide and the second oldest survey
organisation in India, following Survey of India. The Survey of India was founded in 1767.
It was set to conduct geological surveys and studies of India. It also acts as prime
provider of basic earth science information to general public, industry and government
besides official participant in coal, steel, cement, metals, power industries and
international geoscientific forums.

Fly Ash Management and Utilisation Mission
National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently directed to constitute a ‘Fly Ash Management and
Utilisation Mission’
Highlights
NGT passed this order by taking note of ‘unscientific handling and storage’ of fly ash
by coal thermal power stations.
For instance, it took note of draining of industrial effluents and fly ash in the Rihand
Reservoir.
Fly Ash Management and Utilisation Mission
Fly Ash Management and Utilisation Mission seeks to monitor the disposal of annual stock
of unutilised fly ash. It will also look after how 1,670 million tonnes of legacy
(accumulated) fly ash could be utilized in least hazardous manner. Mission will further see,
how all safety measures could be taken by power plants.
First meeting
The Fly Ash Management Mission will hold its first meeting within one month for
assessing fly ash management situation in coal power plants. It will also prepare action
plans for building road maps for ash utilisation by individual plants. Under the mission,
meetings will be conducted each month, for a year.
Aim of the mission
The Fly Ash Management Mission will be launched with the objective of coordinating and
monitoring issues related to handling and disposal of fly ash and other associated issues.
Who will head the mission?
The Mission will be jointly headed by secretaries of Union Ministry of Environment, Forest
& Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and Union Ministry of Coal and Power. They will also keep
on board the chief secretaries of respective states where this mission is being
implemented. Secretary of MoEF&CC will act as the nodal agency for compliance and
coordination.
How is this different from Fly Ash Notification 2021?
Government had issued the ‘Fly Ash Notification 2021’ under the Environment (Protection)
Act 1986. The notification stops dumping and disposal of fly ash discharged from coal
based thermal power plants into water bodies or land. Government had made it
mandatory for plants to ensure 100% utilization of ash in an eco-friendly manner. Under
new rules, non-compliant power plants will be penalised with environmental
compensation of Rs 1,000 per tonne on unutilised ash at the end of each financial year.
Aditya-L1 mission - Key Facts
ISRO is likely to launch “Aditya-L1 mission” to study the sun, in year 2022.
Key Points
The Aditya-L1 mission will be placed into a point called L1 Lagrange point.
This mission will be ISRO’s 2nd space-based astronomy mission after AstroSat.
AstroSat was launched in 2015.
Aditya-L1 was earlier named as Aditya 1 and was meant to observe only the solar
corona.
Launch Vehicle
Solar probe, Aditya L1 will be launched on Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) XL,
carrying 7 payloads or instruments on board.
Objective of the mission
Aditya L1 mission will be launched to study Sun’s corona (Visible and Near infrared rays),
chromosphere (Ultra Violet), Sun’s photosphere (soft and hard X-ray), solar winds & flares,
solar emissions, and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). It will also carry out round-the-clock
imaging of the Sun.
What are the Challenges?
The biggest challenge associated with Aditya L1 mission is distance of Sun from
Earth, which is approximately 15 crore kms.
Because of several risks, payloads in previous ISRO missions have largely remained
stationary in space. But Aditya L1 comprise of some moving components which
increases the risks of collision.
Other issues include super-hot temperatures and radiation coming from solar
atmosphere. Though, Aditya L1 will stay much farther away.
Significance of the mission
This mission is significant because, it is important to study the Sun in light that,
evolution of planets and exoplanets beyond the Solar System is governed by the Sun.
Solar weather and environment affect the weather of entire system.
It will help in studying the Effects of Variation in Solar Weather System. Variations in
this weather can change orbits of satellites or even shorten their lives.
It will help in learning about and tracking Earth-directed storms.
Lagrange Point 1
Lagrange Points has been named after Italian-French mathematician Josephy-Louis
Lagrange. These points are positioned in space, where gravitational forces of a two-body
system produce enhanced regions of repulsion and attraction.
COVID: IIT-J AI-based Chest X-Ray
An Artificial Intelligence (AI) based chest X-Ray technique was recently developed by
researchers from Indian Institutes of Technology Jodhpur (IIT-J). This chest X-Ray
technique will be used for Covid-19A screening.
Key Points
Team of researchers have proposed a deep learning-based algorithm called COMiT-
Net.
This algorithm will learn the abnormalities present in chest X-Ray images for
differentiating non-covid affected lung from Covid affected lung.
Experiment for developing the technology was performed with more than 2,500
chest X-Ray images. It achieved about 96.80 per cent sensitivity.
AI solution used in this research is explainable from both medical as well as
algorithmic points of view.

Significance of the development
Countries have faced challenges with limited availability of processing centres in remote
areas and testing kits, amid increasing number of Covid-19 cases across multiple waves
worldwide. Limited availability motivated the researchers to develop alternative, reliable,
faster and easily accessible methods of testing.
AI-Based X-Ray technique
Scottish researchers also developed an AI-based X-Ray technique, recently. This technique
can replace the currently used PCR tests to detect Covid infections. This technology was
found to be capable of accurately diagnosing Covid-19 in just few minutes. It was far
quicker than a PCR test, which usually takes around 2 hours and having 98 per cent
accuracy.
Will this technology completely replace PCR test?
AI-based X-Ray technique cannot completely replace PCR tests because, Covid-19
symptoms are not visible in X-rays at early stages of infection. However, it will play a
significant role in curtailing the spread of viruses spread.
Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
RT-PCR is a laboratory technique, that combines reverse transcription of RNA into DNA. It
also amplifies specific DNA targets using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This technique
is primarily used for measuring the amount of specific RNA. It is achieved by monitoring
amplification reaction using fluorescence.
Mock Test
The questions in this Mock Test are sourced from GKToday’s Current Affairs 2022 Daily 20 MCQ Series in
GKToday Academy Android Application.
1. PARAKH, which was seen in the news recently, is a portal associated with which field?
[A] Student Learning Assessment [B] Defence Acquisition
[C] Investment Advice [D] Customs Clearance
2. Gulabo, which recently passed away at the Van Vihar National Park and Zoo, Bhopal is a ………..
[A] One-horned Rhino [B] Sloth Bear
[C] Bengal Tiger [D] Giant Tortoise
3. Which country’s researchers have discovered a vast Roman trading settlement named ‘Black-grounds’?
[A] USA [B] UK
[C] Germany [D] Russia
4. India signed an agreement with which country for implementing “2 Vs 2” Agri market access issues?
[A] Israel [B] USA
[C] Russia [D] Australia
5. Which chemical compound causes tears when an onion is sliced?
[A] Sulphuric Acid [B] Syn-Propanethial-S-oxide
[C] Diallyl Disulphide [D] Formic Acid
6. “The Citizen” is the constitution literacy campaign held in which District?
[A] Chennai [B] Raipur
[C] Varanasi [D] Kollam
7. S Somanath is appointed as the Chairman of which organization?
[A] ONGC [B] IOCL
[C] ISRO [D] DRDO
8. Which zone received maximum share of complaints under Ombudsman schemes, as per recent RBI Report?
[A] South Zone [B] East Zone
[C] North Zone [D] West Zone
9. Which country recently launched formal Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with India?
[A] USA [B] UK
[C] Russia [D] Japan
10. What is the Crew capacity of the Gaganyaan programme?
[A] Two [B] Three
[C] Four [D] Five
11. Which institution recently released report on ‘Pandemic Billionaires’?
[A] Pratham Foundation [B] Oxfam
[C] Amnesty International [D] UNICEF
12. ‘Sotrovimab and Baricitinib’, which are seen in the news, are ..........
[A] Drugs [B] Plants
[C] Bit-coins [D] Robots
13. Which country has built an ‘Artificial Moon’ project?
[A] USA [B] China
[C] Russia [D] Israel
14. Which institution organised ‘Kala Kumbh’ artist workshops for painting the tales of India’s freedom movement?
[A] National Gallery of Modern Art [B] Salar Jung Museum
[C] Central Institute of Himalayan Cultural Studies [D] Asiatic Society
15. When is the ‘National Start-up Day’ celebrated?
[A] January 1 [B] January 14
[C] January 16 [D] January 20
16. Which Indian state constituted the Justice Hema Commission ?
[A] Tamil Nadu [B] Kerala
[C] West Bengal [D] Gujarat
17. ‘Xylophaga nandani’, which was recently identified, is a species of .............
[A] Mollusc [B] Fish
[C] Turtle [D] Snake
18. Hydrophis gracilis, a rare sea snake, has been spotted in which state/UT?
[A] Kerala [B] Maharashtra
[C] Goa [D] Andhra Pradesh
19. ‘Khoisan’ is an indigenous community inhabiting which country?
[A] USA [B] Russia
[C] South Africa [D] Peru
20. ‘WASP-103b’ Exo-planet, which was recently discovered is also known as ......
[A] Hot Mars [B] Hot Jupiter
[C] Hot Saturn [D] Hot Venus
21. The world’s largest fish breeding area has been discovered near which Sea?
[A] Antarctic Weddell Sea [B] Caspian Sea
[C] Black Sea [D] Mediterranean Sea
22. Tonga, which was seen in the news recently, is an island nation in which continent?
[A] Antarctica [B] Oceania
[C] North America [D] Asia
23. Which state passed law to provide 75 % reservation in private sector to candidates from the state?
[A] Haryana [B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] Gujarat [D] Karnataka
24. ‘Lipulekh’, which was seen in the news, is located along the border of which neighbouring country of India?
[A] Bangladesh [B] China
[C] Nepal [D] Bhutan
25. As per Standards for Charging Infrastructure for Electric Vehicles (EV), who can set up a Public Charging Station
(PCS)?
[A] DISCOMs [B] Individuals
[C] Ministry of Power [D] State Governments
26. India’s Commemorative postal stamp on Covid-19 vaccination features which vaccine?
[A] Covishield [B] Covaxin
[C] COVOVAX [D] ZyCoV-D
27. ‘Gyanodaya Godda’, is a school education initiative of which state?
[A] Assam [B] West Bengal
[C] Jharkhand [D] Bihar
28. 'BiodiverCities by 2030 Initiative' is associated with which organisation?
[A] World Bank [B] World Economic Forum
[C] International Monetary Fund [D] NITI Aayog
29. Repos, one of the winners of the National Startup Award 2021, is associated with which field?
[A] Energy Distribution [B] Health Innovation
[C] Fin-Tech [D] Skill Development
30. Who is the first Indian to win an Indian Open men's singles title on debut?
[A] K Srikanth [B] Lakshya Sen
[C] P Kashyap [D] Sai Praneeth
31. ‘World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP)’ is the flagship publication of which institution?
[A] World Bank [B] Asian Development Bank
[C] United Nations [D] Reserve Bank of India
32. Which institution developed the ‘UV-C technology’ for disinfection?
[A] IIT- Madras [B] CSIR
[C] BARC [D] DRDO
33. Pench Tiger Reserve is located in which state?
[A] Maharashtra [B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Karnataka [D] Kerala
34. ‘National Technical Textiles Mission’ was launched in which year?
[A] 2010 [B] 2015
[C] 2018 [D] 2020
35. Which country proposed ‘P3 (Pro-Planet People) movement’ during the WEF Davos Agenda 2022?
[A] USA [B] Russia
[C] India [D] UK
36. Which Tennis star was deported from Australia, after his unvaccinated status?
[A] Rafael Nadal [B] Novak Djokovic
[C] Roger Federer [D] Daniil Medvedev
37. 'Grama One' programme- is an initiative of which state/UT?
[A] Andhra Pradesh [B] Karnataka
[C] Tamil Nadu [D] Odisha
38. Robert Lewandowski is associated with which sports?
[A] Tennis [B] Football
[C] Cricket [D] Hockey
39. ‘Nusantara’ is the new capital city of which country?
[A] Kazakhstan [B] Malaysia
[C] Indonesia [D] Turkmenistan
40. Which institution released the ‘Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2022’ Report?
[A] World Bank [B] World Economic Forum
[C] World Trade Organisation [D] International Telecom Union
41. Professor M K Prasad, who passed away recently, was associated with which profession?
[A] Scientist [B] Environmentalist
[C] Businessperson [D] Writer
42. Which Indian has been roped in as the Ambassador for ICANN-supported Universal Acceptance Steering Group?
[A] Vijay Shekhar Sharma [B] Sachin Bansal
[C] Bhavish Aggarwal [D] Deepinder Goyal
43. Dimitar Kovacevski is the new Prime Minister of which country?
[A] Greece [B] North Macedonia
[C] Egypt [D] Argentina
44. Which country initiated the ‘Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure’?
[A] USA [B] UK
[C] India [D] China
45. ‘National Commission for Safai Karamcharis’ is a body under which Union Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Law and Justice [B] Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
[C] Ministry of Home Affairs [D] Ministry of Rural Development
46. Who are the beneficiaries of the ‘KCR Kit Scheme’ of Telangana?
[A] Pregnant women [B] Farmers
[C] MSMEs [D] Doctors
47. Which institution releases the ‘Digital Payment Index’?
[A] Niti Aayog [B] Reserve Bank of India
[C] Ministry of Finance [D] National Payments Corporation India
48. Omo I, is the name of the fossils of oldest Homo sapiens in which continent?
[A] Asia [B] Africa
[C] Oceania [D] Europe
49. Which country conducted a successful test of ‘Arrow 3’ anti-ballistic missile system?
[A] USA [B] Russia
[C] Israel [D] China
50. Which country is the Chair of BRICS in 2022?
[A] India [B] China
[C] Russia [D] Brazil
51. Who is the only Indian cricketer to feature in the ICC T20I Team of the Year for 2021?
[A] Virat Kohli [B] Smriti Mandana
[C] Rohit Sharma [D] Shafali Verma
52. Which Indian state has launched the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the state and decided to set up ‘Infrastructure
Financing Authority’?
[A] Goa [B] Assam
[C] Arunachal Pradesh [D] Chhattisgarh
53. As per the UNCTAD Investment Trends Monitor, FDI flows to India ................. in 2021, than that of 2020.
[A] Increased [B] Decreased
[C] Remained Same [D] Not Known
54. ‘P8I’ is the long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft of which Navy?
[A] USA [B] China
[C] India [D] Russia
55. Saturnino de la Fuente García, the world's oldest man who recently passed away, was from which country?
[A] Japan [B] Spain
[C] Germany [D] USA
56. Which country’s head topped the global rating survey as the most popular leader in January 2022?
[A] China [B] India
[C] Russia [D] USA
57. How many states were formed in 1972 by the enactment of North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971?
[A] One [B] Three
[C] Five [D] Six
58. Vinod Rai, former CAG has been appointed as the Independent Chairman of which bank?
[A] ICICI Bank [B] IDBI Bank
[C] State Bank of India [D] Unity Small Finance Bank
59. Which Union Ministry launched the "Koyla Darpan" portal?
[A] Ministry of Steel [B] Ministry of Coal
[C] Ministry of Power [D] Ministry of Rural Development
60. The UN General Assembly approves the resolution sponsored by which country, condemning Holocaust denial?
[A] USA [B] Russia
[C] Israel [D] India
61. ‘Living root bridges’ is an iconic structure, found in which Indian state?
[A] West Bengal [B] Meghalaya
[C] Himachal Pradesh [D] Madhya Pradesh
62. Kiribati, which was seen in the news recently, is a country located in which continent?
[A] Asia [B] Oceania
[C] Europe [D] Africa
63. ‘Operation Sajag', is associated with which state/UT Government?
[A] Madhya Pradesh [B] Delhi
[C] Uttar Pradesh [D] Bihar
64. IES, which was recommended by TSR Subramanian Committee, stands for ………
[A] Indian Environment Service [B] Indian Education Service
[C] Indian Ecological Service [D] Indian Energy Service
65. Which technology company has launched the Non-fungible token (NFTs) profile picture feature?
[A] Facebook [B] Twitter
[C] Instagram [D] Tik Tok
66. "Yogyata" mobile phone application was launched by ..........
[A] Common Services Centers (CSC) [B] National Green Tribunal
[C] Election Commission of India [D] Supreme Court of India
67. The World Bank has approved a loan of around Rs 1,000 crore for which Indian state Government?
[A] Odisha [B] West Bengal
[C] Andhra Pradesh [D] Karnataka
68. ‘Spices Board’ is a regulatory and export promotion agency under which Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare [B] Ministry of Commerce and Industry
[C] Ministry of MSME [D] Ministry of Tribal Affairs
69. ‘ICE360 Survey 2021’ was conducted recently by which institution?
[A] NITI Aayog [B] State Bank of India
[C] ‘PRICE’ Think Tank [D] Pratham Foundation
70. When is the “National Girl Child Day” celebrated in India?
71. Which Indian badminton player won the women`s singles title at the Syed Modi International tournament?
[A] P V Sindhu [B] Saina Nehwal
[C] Ashmita Chaliha [D] Malvika Bansod
72. ‘Online Safety Act’ and ‘eSafety Commissioner’ are associated with which country?
[A] Australia [B] USA
[C] China [D] Russia
73. Which state launched the ‘Apna Kangra’ app to boost sale of handicrafts?
[A] Himachal Pradesh [B] Assam
[C] Odisha [D] Jharkhand
74. India’s first ‘Para-Badminton’ academy has been set up in which city?
[A] Mumbai [B] Delhi
[C] Lucknow [D] Hyderabad
75. Which department manages the ‘Contingency Fund of India’ on behalf of the President?
[A] Department of Economic Affairs [B] Department of Expenditure
[C] Department of Financial Services [D] Department of Revenue
76. Which technology company unveiled ‘AI Research Super-Cluster (RSC)’?
[A] Microsoft [B] Meta
[C] Google [D] Foxconn
77. ‘Gallantry Awards’, ‘Jeevan Raksha Padak’, ‘The President’s Police Medals’ are usually conferred on which
occasion?
[A] Independence Day [B] Republic Day
[C] Parakram Diwas [D] Ekta Diwas
78. What is the theme of the ‘National Tourism Day’ 2022?
[A] Sustainable Tourism [B] Rural and Community Centric Tourism
[C] Gender- Neutral Tourism [D] Child Friendly Tourism
79. ‘Making Elections Inclusive, Accessible and Participative’ is the theme of which special day celebrated on January
25?
[A] National Elections Day [B] National Voters Day
[C] National New Voters Day [D] National Adult Suffrage Day
80. Which Union Ministry launched ‘MyCGHS’ Mobile Application?
[A] Ministry of Education [B] Ministry of Health
[C] Ministry of Tourism [D] Ministry of Culture
81. Padma Bhushan awardee ‘R Nagaswamy’, who recently passed away, was associated with which field?
[A] Archaeology [B] Business
[C] Sports [D] Literature
82. Who is the only second player to win ‘ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year’ award?
[A] Mithali Raj [B] Smriti Mandhana
[C] Harmanpreet Gaur [D] Shafali Verma
83. ‘INS Khukri Memorial’ is located in which state/UT?
[A] Punjab [B] Diu
[C] Puducherry [D] Goa
84. As per IMF World Economic Outlook January assessment, what is the estimated growth of India in 2021-22?
[A] 8.5 % [B] 9 %
[C] 9.5 % [D] 10 %
85. ‘AK 203 Deal’ was signed by India with which country?
[A] USA [B] Russia
[C] France [D] Israel
86. ‘Jadar Lithium Project’ is associated with which country?
[A] Chile [B] Australia
[C] Serbia [D] USA
87. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who refused the Padma Bhushan award, was the Chief Minister of which state?
[A] Odisha [B] West Bengal
[C] Uttar Pradesh [D] Bihar
88. The Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank (PMC Bank) was amalgamated with which bank?
[A] Unity Small Finance Bank [B] Jana Small Finance Bank
[C] Equitas Small Finance Bank [D] Kerala Bank
89. Global heads of tech giants- Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai, have been named for which civilian award of India?
[A] Padma Shri [B] Padma Vibushan
[C] Padma Bhushan [D] Vishisht Seva Medal
90. “Manyam and Alluri Sitarama Raju” are the newly formed tribal districts of which state
[A] Karnataka [B] Andhra Pradesh
[C] Telangana [D] Madhya Pradesh
91. Saudi Arabia has restored ties with which country after 30 years of dispute over stolen Gems?
[A] China [B] Thailand
[C] North Korea [D] Israel
92. Which country launched the ‘COMPETES Act of 2022’?
[A] Russia [B] USA
[C] UK [D] Australia
93. Scientists from IIT Kharagpur have developed a portable device for detecting which disease?
[A] Oral Cancer [B] Breast Cancer
[C] Prostate Cancer [D] Lung Cancer
94. Motilal Tejawat, was a tribal freedom fighter of which state?
[A] Karnataka [B] Gujarat
[C] Rajasthan [D] Madhya Pradesh
95. India recently signed an MoU with which country, on scientific cooperation for advancement in Human Health?
[A] Israel [B] Sri Lanka
[C] France [D] Germany
96. ‘Clinker Boats’ which were added to UNESCO Heritage List, belongs to which region?
[A] Nordic Countries [B] Baltic Countries
[C] Balkan states [D] East African Countries
97. Which state/UT has released India’s first citizen-driven state-level Bird Atlas?
[A] Kerala [B] Karnataka
[C] Tamil Nadu [D] Odisha
98. What is the type of authorisation granted to Covishield and Covaxin vaccines, as of January 2022?
[A] Emergency Use Authorisation [B] Conditional Market Authorisation
[C] Essential Market Authorisation [D] Full Market Authorisation
99. When is the ‘International Customs Day’ observed every year?
100. Which country is the host of the 2022 Winter Olympics?
[A] Japan [B] China
[C] Russia [D] USA
101. Which global association proposed the world’s first set of ‘Digital rights and principles’?
[A] European Commission [B] G-20
[C] G-7 [D] BRICS
102. India has set up a USD 150-million venture capital fund in which country?
[A] Singapore [B] UAE
[C] Nepal [D] Bangladesh
103. Which Ministry released the pictorial book titled ‘India’s Women Unsung Heroes of Freedom Struggle’?
[A] Ministry of Culture [B] Ministry of External Affairs
[C] Ministry of Tourism [D] Ministry of Defence
104. Which country is the top export destination of India’s electronic goods in 2021?
[A] USA [B] China
[C] Netherland [D] Germany
105. When is the ‘International Holocaust Remembrance Day’ observed?
106. Which neighbouring country of India witnessed a record low growth of 0.93 per cent in the last decade?
[A] Sri Lanka [B] Nepal
[C] Bangladesh [D] Myanmar
107. ‘Coal Directory of India 2020-21’ is a flagship publication released by which office/PSU of Coal Ministry?
[A] Coal India Limited (CIL) [B] Coal Controller’s Organization (CCO)
[C] Singareni Collieries Limited (SCCL) [D] NLC India Limited (NLCIL)
108. Which Indian state has launched the Brain Health Initiative, for the first time in India?
[A] Gujarat [B] Karnataka
[C] Odisha [D] Telangana
109. Telineelapuram International Bird Sanctuary is located in which state?
[A] Karnataka [B] Andhra Pradesh
[C] Odisha [D] West Bengal
110. Pandit Jasraj was associated with which field?
[A] Literature [B] Vocal Music
[C] Kathak [D] Painting
111. ‘Great Barrier Reef’, the world's largest coral reef system, is located in which country?
[A] Australia [B] Russia
[C] Japan [D] USA
112. Ain Sefra, also called as the ‘Gateway to the Sahara’, is located in which country?
[A] Algeria [B] Morocco
[C] Mali [D] Niger
113. The ‘Partygate’ scandal, which was seen in the news, is associated with which country?
[A] USA [B] UK
[C] Brazil [D] Australia
114. ‘LockBit 2.0’ Group launched a cyber-attack on the Justice Ministry of which country?
[A] USA [B] France
[C] Russia [D] China
115. ‘National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)’ is research institution under which
Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Health and Family Welfare [B] Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
[C] Ministry of Education [D] Ministry of Science and Technology
116. Xiomara Castro has been sworn in as the first female president of which country?
[A] Bahamas [B] Honduras
[C] Morocco [D] Tunisia
117. Which State/UT has approved Ex-gratia relief of Rs 20,000 per acre to farmers?
[A] West Bengal [B] Delhi
[C] Punjab [D] Uttar Pradesh
118. French Polynesia is an overseas collectivity of France, located in which continent?
[A] Asia [B] Oceania
[C] South America [D] Africa
119. India adopted the ‘Digital Work Plan 2022’ along with which bloc?
[A] SAARC [B] ASEAN
[C] G-20 [D] European Commission
120. What is the name of the Tropical Storm which made landfall on three southern African countries?
[A] Rina [B] Ana
[C] Boss [D] Sue
Answer Key
1. A 2. B 3. B 4. B 5. B 6. D 7. C 8. C 9. B 10. B 11. B 12. A 13. B 14. A 15. C 16.
B 17. A 18. A 19. C 20. B 21. A 22. B 23. A 24. C 25. B 26. B 27. C 28. B 29. A 30.
B 31. C 32. B 33. B 34. D 35. C 36. B 37. B 38. B 39. C 40. B 41. B 42. A 43. B 44.
C 45. B 46. A 47. B 48. B 49. C 50. B 51. B 52. C 53. B 54. C 55. B 56. B 57. B 58.
D 59. B 60. C 61. B 62. B 63. B 64. A 65. B 66. A 67. B 68. B 69. C 70. B 71. A 72.
A 73. A 74. C 75. A 76. B 77. B 78. B 79. B 80. B 81. A 82. B 83. B 84. B 85. B 86.
C 87. B 88. A 89. C 90. B 91. B 92. B 93. A 94. B 95. C 96. A 97. A 98. B 99. B 100.
B 101. A 102. B 103. A 104. A 105. B 106. B 107. B 108. B 109. B 110. B 111. A 112.
A 113. B 114. B 115. B 116. B 117. B 118. B 119. B 120. B
Note:
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January 18, 2022

contemporary and indigenous arts of the country.

should be mentioned clearly.

approach is Comfort, Climate, camouflage and confidentiality.

future and equal opportunities to realize their rights.

integrated circuits), IP core repository and working prototypes of 20 systems on

education, and personnel training.

navigation systems, aerial vehicles and unmanned marine.

Administration of Customs (GAC).

Lipulekh boundary Issue-Recent Developments

Recycling, and Infrastructure.

coalition which launched attacks against Iranian-backed Houthis and ousted

natural diamond. It is an impure, micro-porous, high-density form of polycrystalline

He also showcased India as an indispensable member of world community.

4. Lack of new opportunities.

Instagram stories shared: 695,000

for mother and child.

Consumer Confidence Survey: Published four times a year

number of officers to be appointed centrally. It is mandatory for the states to contribute to

reading and counting skills.

BRICS 2022-An Overview

devices to athletes who wanted them.

NEET Reservation: Supreme Court's Detailed Order

The main aim of I4F is to commercialize the innovative technologies.

2. Second with Instagram on their Safer Internet Week campaign and

at “National War Memorial” in the vicinity.

The countries signed a Memorandum of understanding to implement Small

objectives. It focuses on interplay between internet and diplomacy.

Around 540 km of roads in the national capital are to be beautified.

financial system should support countries through their financial shocks.

institutional framework for this purpose.

invertebrates. Current rate of extinction is estimated at 100 to 1,000 times higher as

multicaudata and Syllis ramosa. The R. multicaudata was identified in 2012.

passed in July 2021.

January 25, 2022

3. Central Sector Schemes

course is bad and also there is lack of infrastructure.

World's fastest AI supercomputer

Blockchain Project”, by Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur).

recommending nomination for the awards.

Data Privacy Day 2022

are targeted with sedition, defamation, security, regulation of foreign funding,

as a relatively obscure event, originated in 1981. It is organized jointly by Department of

It is another step in making India a drone hub of the world by 2030.

List, in December 2021.

in different disciplines. They participated in national and international competitions.

part of the renewable purchase obligation (RPO).

Transfer of Air India -Time Line

challenging distortion of history, which is often expressed in contemporary antisemitism.

higher educational qualification to obtain this visa. It is popular among Indians

energy conservation. It included cooperation in technical assistance.

in the exam is between 18 years and 33 years.

It integrates single-molecules into standard semiconductor chip technology for

management and sanitation. The challenge will encourage startups to bring in

Australia's new Plan to protect Great Barrier Reef

leads to high levels of cancer, kidney damage and liver.

Authority of India (IFSCA) between 2019 and 2021.

trillion economy by 2026-27 and USD 10 trillion economy by 2035.

Manipur Freight Train connectivity

international geoscientific forums.

algorithmic points of view.