Daily Current Affairs February 09 2022

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya launches Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 4.0:

• India is implementing the largest immunisation programme globally where we annually cover more than 3 crore pregnant women and 2.6 crore children through the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).
• Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare stated while launching Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 4.0 virtually in presence of health officials of States and Union Territories.
• Intensified Mission Indradhanush 4.0 will have three rounds and will be conducted in 416 districts (including 75 districts identified for Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav) across 33 States/UTs in the country.
• In the first round (Feb-April 2022), 11 states will conduct IMI 4.0.
• These are Assam, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura and Chhattisgarh. The others (22 states) will conduct the rounds from April to May 2022.

NITI Aayog and USAID Collaborate to Accelerate Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship in India:

• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced a new partnership under the Sustainable Access to Markets and Resources for Innovative Delivery of Healthcare (SAMRIDH) initiative.
• It will improve access to affordable and quality healthcare for vulnerable populations in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, and rural and tribal regions.
• This new partnership announced will enhance SAMRIDH’s efforts to reach vulnerable populations, leveraging AIM’s expertise in innovation and entrepreneurship.
• AIM and SAMRIDH will leverage philanthropic capital, and public sector resources to offset barriers for commercial investments in small and medium health enterprises to invest in and scale healthcare solutions.

Ministry of Youth Affairs &Sports has released a total of Rs 87.65 Crore till date for development of National Sports University in Manipur:

• The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has released a total fund of Rs.87.65 crore till date including 5.49 crore during current Financial Year 2021-22 for establishing/construction of main campus and for functioning of temporary campus in Manipur.
• However, as per the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2005 Health and Physical Education is a compulsory subject upto Xth Class, and an optional subject at Higher Secondary Stage.
• 90 Extension Centres of STC (Sports Authority of India Training Centre), including 60 Khelo India Centres, and 10 Regular Schools which are part of the National Sports Talent Contest (NSTC), are operational under Sports Authority of India.
• Further, under the “State Level Khelo India Centre” vertical of the Khelo India scheme, 04 Kendriya Vidyalayas with residential facilities are operational as Sports Schools since October 2019.
• Under this vertical, funds @ Rs. 1,50,000 per athlete per annum are provided towards expenses on boarding, lodging, education, training, competition exposure, medical by the Government of India.

One Khelo India State Centre of Excellence sanctioned to the State of Maharashtra during last three years:

• The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has sanctioned 36 proposals for establishment of Khelo India Centres, 1 proposal for establishment of Khelo India State Centre of Excellence and 11 sports infrastructure projects, to the State of Maharashtra during the last three years.
• The Khelo India Scheme is a demand driven scheme and the proposals are considered based on the technical feasibility of the proposals, their adherence to the prescribed parameters, as well as the availability of funds.

Ministry of Culture to organize first of its kind Global Summit on ‘Reimagining Museums in India’:

• Ministry of Culture, Government of India will organize a first of its kind, 2-Day Global Summit on ‘Reimagining Museums in India’, on 15-16 February 2022.
• The summit is being organized under the aegis of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the flagship program to mark 75th anniversary of India’s independence and celebrate the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements.
• The Global Summit will bring together leading luminaries, domain experts and practitioners in the field of museum development and management from India and around the world to discuss best practices and strategies.
• The Summit is being organised in partnership with Bloomberg.

Rs. 3.22 lakh crore sanctioned under PMMY against target of Rs. 3.50 lakh crore in FY 2020-21:

• Under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), the Government allocates annual targets for the amount to be sanctioned by more than 150 Member Lending Institutions (MLIs).
• In FY 2020-21, an amount of 3.22 lakh crore was sanctioned under PMMY against the target of Rs. 3.50 lakh crore.
• Under the Scheme, institutional credit up to Rs. 10 lakh is provided by MLIs to micro/small business units for income generating activities in manufacturing, trading, services sectors and also for activities allied to agriculture.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & ECONOMY

ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company partners Airtel Payments Bank to offer Cyber Insurance

• Airtel Payments Bank has partnered ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company to offer insurance solutions against cyber crimes and financial frauds to its
• The cyber insurance solution from ICICI Lombard provides financial protection to customers against potential financial fraud relating to banking, credit or debit card, identity theft, phishing or email spoofing and more.
• Customers of Airtel Payments Bank can purchase this insurance policy within minutes using the Airtel Thanks app.
• This comes with a ZERO wait period and allows users to make multiple claims during the policy tenure, within the limits of the insured amount opted for.
• The policy will provide a 90-day discovery period followed by a seven-day reporting period.

Note :

• In 2021, Airtel Payments Bank had launched Airtel Safe Pay, the safest way to pay online.

About ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company :

• CEO: Bhargav Dasgupta
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Founded: 2001
• ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited is a general insurance company in India.
• It is engaged in general insurance, reinsurance, insurance claims management and investment management

About Airtel Payments Bank :

• CEO: Anubrata Biswas
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi
• Founded: January 2017

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Akshay Kumar appointed as the brand ambassador of Uttarakhand

• The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami announced , Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has been named as the brand ambassador of Uttarakhand ahead of Assembly elections 2022.

About Akshay Kumar :

• Akshay Kumar is an Indian-born naturalised Canadian actor, film producer, martial artist.

Awards & Honors :

• In 2009, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India.
• In 2011, The Asian Awards honored Kumar for his outstanding achievement in Cinema.
• He won the National Film Award for Best Actor and two Filmfare Awards.

Note :

• Earlier in 2021, the brand ambassador of Uttarakhand was cricketer Rishabh Pant from Roorkee of Haridwar district.
• In 2017, Akshay Kumar was appointed as the state’s brand ambassador for ‘Swachhata Abhiyan’.

About Uttarakhand :

• Governor: Gurmit Singh
• Chief minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami

Govt appoints Dinesh Prasad Saklani, as new Director of NCERT

• According to the Ministry of Education, History professor Dinesh Prasad Saklani has been appointed as the new Director of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for five years or till he attains the age of 65 years, whichever is the earliest.
• Saklani succeeds Hrushikesh Senapaty, whose five year term ends in November 2020.

About Dinesh Prasad Saklani :

• Saklani is a professor with the department of history, ancient Indian history, culture and archeology at HNB Garhwal University, Uttarakhand.
• Previously he taught for eight years in the tourism department and IAS (pre) coaching Center of HNB Garhwal University as a guest faculty and was a visiting fellow in the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla.
• He was selected as a Lecturer at HNB Garhwal University in May 1992.
• He had earlier worked on a project of NCERT to develop a historical atlas for the CBSE.
• He is working on a major research project on Ramayana Tradition in Garhwal Himalaya funded by the Indian Council of Historical Research.
• He has also published several papers on Ramayana tradition in performing arts and in the Garhwal region.
• He has been awarded the Distinguished Academy Award by Punjab Kala and Sahitya Academy, Jalandhar for Historical writing in 2005.

About NCERT :

• Founded: 1961
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
• President : Dharmendra Pradhan
• Director : Dr. Dinesh Prasad Saklani
• It is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Education (MoE).
• It is responsible for advising the Union government on school curriculum and drafting school textbooks.

About Ministry of Education :

• Cabinet Minister : Dharmedra Pradhan
• Minister of State : Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Annapurna Devi Yadav, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh

Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit appointed as first woman vice-chancellor of JNU                   

• The Ministry of Education appointed professor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit as the first woman vice-chancellor of the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University.
• She succeeds M. Jagadesh Kumar, who was appointed chairperson of the University Grants Commission.
• Before this appointment, Pandit was serving as the Vice-Chancellor of Savitribai Phule University in Maharashtra.

About Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit :

• She is a professor of political science at the Department of Politics and Public Administration at Savitribai Phule University in Maharashtra.
• She began teaching at Goa University in 1988 and moved to Pune University in 1993.
• Also, she had served as a member of the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Indian Council of Social Science Research, and as a nominee for Visitor positions at central universities.

Bata India appoints Disha Patani as brand ambassador                       

• Footwear maker Bata India Limited has on-boarded Bollywood actor Disha Patani as the new brand ambassador.
• The move comes as Bata aims to appeal to younger shoppers and position itself as a “fashion forward” brand.
• Earlier, Bata has associated with celebrities including Kriti Sanon, Sushant Singh Rajput, and cricket player Smriti Mandhana for various labels under Bata.

About Disha Patani :

• Disha Patani is an Indian actress who works primarily in Hindi films.
• Known for her exceptional fashion sense and fitness, she is widely regarded as a trendsetter.
• She was the first runner up of Pond’s Femina Miss India Indore 2013.

About Bata India Limited :

• Founded: 1931
• CEO: Gunjan Shah
• Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana
• Bata India is among the top footwear retailers in India, offering footwear, accessories and bags across brands such as Bata, Hush Puppies, Naturalizer, Power, Marie Claire, Weinbrenner, North Star, Scholl, Bata Comfit, Bubble Gummers among other brands.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : AWARDS & HONORS

Karnataka Bank wins digital transformation award, ‘DX 2021 Awards’ of CII

• Karnataka Bank is awarded with the prestigious Digital Transformation Award, ‘DX 2021 Awards’ in recognition of the “Innovative” Best Practice ‘KBL VIKAAS’, conferred by Confederation of Indian Industry [CII] for Best Practice in Digital Transformation.
• KBL VIKAAS, a wholistic transformation journey, launched by the bank in 2017.
• It has enabled the bank in implementation of digital capabilities, namely, digital journeys for assets and liability products, enhancement in customer experience under ADC products and bringing in a strong culture of sales and marketing.
• The bank recently launched the digital transformation journey ‘KBL NxT’ as part of wave 2.0 of ‘KBL VIKAAS’, with an objective of taking the digital initiatives to the next level and eventually emerge as ‘the digital bank of future’”.

About Karnataka Bank :

• MD & CEO: Mahabaleshwara M. S
• Part-Time Non-Executive Chairman : P. Pradeep Kumar
• Headquarters: Mangaluru, Karnataka
• Founded: 18 February 1924

About CII :

• President: T. V. Narendran
• Director General: Chandrajit Banerjee
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
• Founded: 1895
• Motto: Charting Change Enabling Development

CURRENT AFFAIRS : MOU & AGREEMENTS

Amazon India signs MoU to turn rural women into entrepreneurs in Karnataka

• Amazon India has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Karnataka State Rural Livelihood Promotion Society (KSRLPS) to support the growth of women entrepreneurs.
• The MoU was signed and exchanged in the presence of Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Minister of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood CN Ashwath Narayan.
• Amazon India would launch Sanjeevini-KSRLPS in its marketplace and extend benefits of the ‘Saheli’ programme to train and empower thousands of women entrepreneurs to come online and access a wider market for their products.
• It would help bring in regional selection and unique products from categories like grocery, home and fashion accessories made by over 30,000 women entrepreneurs and self-help groups (SHGs) associated with Sanjeevini-KSRLPS online and make them available to millions of Amazon customers across the country.
• The Saheli offers extensive training and skill development workshops for its partners to help women entrepreneurs associated with them understand the nuances of online selling and develop skills and capabilities necessary to grow their business on Amazon.in.
• These training workshops comprise sessions on the listing of products, imaging and cataloging, packaging and shipping, inventory and account management, and customer servicing, offer other attractive benefits to sellers in the Saheli programme including assisted onboarding and mentorship at no additional cost.

About Amazon :

• CEO: Andy Jassy
• Founder: Jeff Bezos
• Founded: 5 July 1994, Bellevue, Washington, United States
• Headquarters: Seattle, Washington, United States

About Karnataka :

• Chief minister: Basavaraj Bommai
• Governor: Thawar Chand Gehlot
• Capital: Bengaluru
• National Parks: Bandipur National Park, Bannerghatta National Park, Kudremukh National Park, Anshi National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Brahmagiri wildlife sanctuary, Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary

Kerala Govt & Social Alpha signs MoU for developing startup ecosystem

• The Kerala government signed an MoU with Social Alpha, a joint initiative of Tata Trust and the Indian government, through its Clean Energy International Incubation Centre (CEIIC).
• The Energy Management Centre (EMC) and Kerala Development and Innovation Strategy Council (KDISC) are part of the project.
• They will work together to support innovative and clean energy technology programmes and initiatives in kerala.

Aim :

• Establishing a clean energy incubation center is expected to boost green energy development and energy conservation activities in the
• It will Hand Hold startups and guide research and development in the field aside, the collaboration will also allow developers in the State to test their products in the CEIIC labs.
• It will also aid the activities of the Startup Mission and the proposed Green Energy Mission, the government said. Additionally, it will help to improve services in the State’s power sector.
• In this collaboration, the Energy Management centre, Kerala (EMC), represents the Power Department agencies including the Kerala State Electricity Board, Electrical Inspectorate and ANERT.
• The incubation centre will be jointly established by agencies under the State Power Department, the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC) and CEIIC.

About CEIIC :

• CEIIC is an initiative of the Government of India and Tata Trust with backing from the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd.

About Kerala:

• Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan
• Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
• Chief minister: Pinarayi Vijayan

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO demonstrates hack-proof quantum communication

• Scientists from Ahmedabad’s Space Applications Center and Physical Research Laboratory have successfully demonstrated Quantum Entanglement.
• Using real-time Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), they conducted hack-proof communication between two places separated by 300 meters.
• During the demonstration, scientists managed to create an atmospheric channel on the ground to enable sharing of quantum-secure text, image transmission and quantum-assisted two-way video calling.
• The scientists developed various key technologies like robust & high brightness entangled photon source (EPS), BBM92 protocol implementation, NavIC enabled synchronization, polarization compensation techniques.
• A cryptographic application software suite with integrated quantum security has also been developed and demonstrated for text, image, video encryption/decryption.
• China already has a satellite dedicated to quantum information science, Micius, and demonstrated quantum communication in a laboratory over a coiled optical fibre up to 404 kilometres long.

About Quantum communication :

• Quantum communication is one of the safest ways of connecting two places with high levels of code and quantum cryptography that cannot be decrypted or broken by an external entity.

About ISRO :

• Formed : 15 August 1969
• Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka
• Chairman : S. Somanath

CURRENT AFFAIRS : RANKING & INDEX

J&K, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura topped in attacks on journalists in 2021 – India Press Freedom Report 2021

• According to an India Press Freedom Report 2021 released by the Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG), Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Tripura topped the list of States and Union Territories where journalists and media houses were targeted in 2021.
• At least six journalists were killed, 108 attacked and 13 media houses or newspapers targeted across the country.
• The highest number of journalists or media organizations targeted was in J&K (25), followed by Uttar Pradesh (23), Madhya Pradesh (16), Tripura (15), Delhi (8), Bihar (6), Assam (5), Haryana and Maharashtra (4 each), Goa and Manipur (3 each), Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal (2 each), and Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Kerala (1 each).
• While J&K recorded the maximum attacks by State actors, Tripura had the most cases of attacks by non-State actors.
• Eight women journalists faced arrest, summons and registration of First Information Reports.“The widespread attacks on the press freedom from J&K to Tripura are an indicator of the continuing deterioration of civic space in the country.
• The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, is an affirmation of the government’s intent to crack down on media freedom.

In Spotlight on J&K :

• The spotlight on attacks against media freedom during 2021 remained on J&K. Out of the 17 journalists arrested or detained in the country, five were from J&K, followed by Delhi (3), Maharashtra, Manipur and Tripura (2 each), and Assam, Chhattisgarh and Haryana (1 each).
• In 2021, at least 24 journalists were allegedly physically attacked, threatened, harassed and obstructed from doing their professional works by public officials, including police, across the country.
• The police assaulted 17 of them. The year saw FIRs registered against 44 journalists, 21 of them under Section 153 of the IPC relating to promoting enmity.

About RRAG :

• Director : Suhas Chakma

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

Sri Lankan fast bowler Suranga Lakmal announces retirement:

• Sri Lanka fast bowler Suranga Lakmal has announced to retire from international cricket after their upcoming tour of India, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC)
• The 34-year-old right-arm fast bowler and right-handed batsman aim to join the English county club Derbyshire after retirement.
• The Derbyshire County Cricket Club has signed up Lakmal on a two-year contract. Lakmal made his debut in an ODI against India in December 2009.
• He has taken 168 wickets in 68 Test matches and 109 in 86 ODIs.
• Lakmal has represented Sri Lanka in 165 international matches across formats, in his international career spanning over 12 years.

China wins AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 Football Tournament:

• China wins AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 Football Tournament – China PR has won the AFC Women`s Asian Cup India 2022 final title and defeated South Korea (Korea Republic), 3-2.
• The AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 final was held at the Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on February 06, 2022.
• China won the record-extending 9th AFC Women’s Asian Cup title.
• India is hosting the 20th edition of the football AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 from January 20, 2022, to February 6, 2022.
• China is now qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
• For the primary time within the competition, the ultimate tournament was expanded from eight teams to 12.
• It is the ultimate stage of Asian qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, during which Australia already qualified automatically as a co-host.

Awards:

• Most Valuable Player: Wang Shanshan (China)
• Top Scorer: Sam Kerr (7 goals) (Australia)
• Best goalkeeper: Zhu Yu (China)
• Fairplay Award: South Korea

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

‘Kabir of Karnataka’ Ibrahim Sutar dies at 82:

• Padma Shri awardee and social worker Ibrahim Sutar passed away in Karnataka following a cardiac arrest.
• He was 82.
• Fondly referred to as the “Kabir of Kannada”, Sutar was known for his work towards spreading social and communal harmony.
• Ibrahim is popular among the public, especially in north Karnataka, for his spiritual discourses.
• He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2018.

Daily CA On February 9^th:

• India is implementing the largest immunisation programme globally where we annually cover more than 3 crore pregnant women and 2.6 crore children through the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).
• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced a new partnership under the Sustainable Access to Markets and Resources for Innovative Delivery of Healthcare (SAMRIDH) initiative.
• The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has released a total fund of Rs.87.65 crore till date including 5.49 crore during current Financial Year 2021-22 for establishing/construction of main campus and for functioning of temporary campus in Manipur.
• The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has sanctioned 36 proposals for establishment of Khelo India Centres, 1 proposal for establishment of Khelo India State Centre of Excellence and 11 sports infrastructure projects, to the State of Maharashtra during the last three years.
• Ministry of Culture, Government of India will organize a first of its kind, 2-Day Global Summit on ‘Reimagining Museums in India’, on 15-16 February 2022.
• Under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), the Government allocates annual targets for the amount to be sanctioned by more than 150 Member Lending Institutions (MLIs).
• Airtel Payments Bank has partnered ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company to offer insurance solutions against cyber crimes and financial frauds to its
• The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami announced , Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has been named as the brand ambassador of Uttarakhand ahead of Assembly elections 2022.
• According to the Ministry of Education, History professor Dinesh Prasad Saklani has been appointed as the new Director of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for five years or till he attains the age of 65 years, whichever is the earliest.
• The Ministry of Education appointed professor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit as the first woman vice-chancellor of the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University & she succeeded M. Jagadesh Kumar, who was appointed chairperson of the University Grants Commission.
• Footwear maker Bata India Limited has on-boarded Bollywood actor Disha Patani as the new brand ambassador.
• Karnataka Bank is awarded with the prestigious Digital Transformation Award, ‘DX 2021 Awards’ in recognition of the “Innovative” Best Practice ‘KBL VIKAAS’, conferred by Confederation of Indian Industry [CII] for Best Practice in Digital Transformation.
• Amazon India has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Karnataka State Rural Livelihood Promotion Society (KSRLPS) to support the growth of women entrepreneurs.
• The Kerala government signed an MoU with Social Alpha, a joint initiative of Tata Trust and the Indian government, through its Clean Energy International Incubation Centre (CEIIC).
• Scientists from Ahmedabad’s Space Applications Center and Physical Research Laboratory have successfully demonstrated Quantum Entanglement.
• According to an India Press Freedom Report 2021 released by the Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG), Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Tripura topped the list of States and Union Territories where journalists and media houses were targeted in 2021.
• Sri Lanka fast bowler Suranga Lakmal has announced to retire from international cricket after their upcoming tour of India, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC)
• China wins AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 Football Tournament – China PR has won the AFC Women`s Asian Cup India 2022 final title and defeated South Korea (Korea Republic), 3-2.
• Padma Shri awardee and social worker Ibrahim Sutar passed away in Karnataka following a cardiac arrest.