Daily Current Affairs February 22 2022

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

International Mother Language Day: 21 Feb

• International Mother Language Day is observed worldwide on 21st February every year to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and to promote multilingualism.
• Every year a unique theme is chosen by UNESCO to celebrate this special day.
• The theme of 2022 is: “Using technology for multilingual learning: Challenges and opportunities”, it focuses on potential role of technology to advance multilingual education and support the development of quality teaching and learning for all.
• The Day is part of a broader initiative to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by people of the world.
• The idea to celebrate International Mother Language Day first came from Bangladesh.
• The general conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decided to celebrate February 21 as International Mother Language Day in
  

7th Soil Health Card Day – 19 Feb

• Every year India observes the Soil Health Card Day on 19 February to commemorate the launch of the Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme on 19th February 2015 at Suratgarh in Rajasthan.
• Purpose of the scheme is to issue soil health cards to farmers every two years so as to provide a basis to address nutritional deficiencies in soil.
• The scheme ensures additional income to farmers by an increase in yields and it also promotes sustainable farming.
• The scheme has been introduced to assist State Governments to issue Soil Health Cards to all farmers in the country.
• It provides information to farmers on the nutrient status of their soil along with recommendations on the appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Meri Policy Mere Hath Door-step Campaign:

• Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare will launch ‘Meri Policy Mere Hath’ which is a doorstep distribution drive to deliver crop insurance policies to farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
• The campaign aims to ensure all farmers are aware with all information on their policies, land records, the process of claim and grievance redressal under PMFBY.
• In the upcoming Kharif season which will be beginning in June, the doorstep campaign will be launched in all implementing states.
• In the month of February 2016, PMFBY was launched with the aim of providing financial assistance to all the farmers who have suffered crop damage or loss from natural disasters.
• As of February 4, 2022, over 36 million farmer applications have been insured under this scheme with over Rs 1,07,059 crores in claims paid.

Govt plans ‘Heal by India’ for positioning India as global source for health sector:

• The government of India is looking to promote ‘Heal by India’ for strengthening the country’s educational institutions in the health sector and enhancing education to churn out quality human resources.
• The Union Health Ministry recently organised a Chintan Shivir — ‘Heal by India’ for two days.
• ‘Heal by India’ initiative is meant to generate job opportunities abroad for India’s trained professionals in the health sector and enhance education to churn out quality human resources in health, thus helping them become eligible to work anywhere in the world.
• It includes almost 50-60 streams like dieticians, nurses, lab technicians, paramedics, OT (operation theatre) attendants, physiotherapists, OT technicians, medical attendants for old age patients care etc.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

France announces military withdrawal from Mali after 9 years             

• France and its European partners are to begin a military withdrawal from Mali after more than nine years fighting a jihadist insurgency.
• France first deployed troops against jihadists in Mali in 2013 under the Socialist president François Hollande.
• The heart of this military operation will no longer be in Mali but in Niger.
• The decision to leave followed a breakdown in diplomatic relations, amid growing hostility from Mali’s governing military junta.

About France :

• President: Emmanuel Macron
• Capital: Paris
• Currencies : Euro, CFP franc

About Mali :

• President : Assimi Goïta
• PM : Choguel Kokalla Maïga
• Capital: Bamako
• Currency: West African CFA franc

About Niger :

• President: Mohamed Bazoum
• Capital: Niamey
• Currency: West African CFA franc

CURRENT AFFAIRS : STATE NEWS

Telangana Governor flags off first ever all-women officers offshore sailing expedition of Indian Army   

• Telangana Governor and Lt.Governor Tamilisai Sounderarajan flagged off the historic first-ever all-women officers offshore sailing expedition of the Indian Army between Chennai Vizag Chennai at Chennai Port Trust.
• The other members of the expedition are Majors Priya Semwal, Priya Das,Rashmil Sangwan, Arpita Dwivedi and Sanjana Mittal and Captains Jyoti Singh, Malvika Rawat, Shubham Solanki and Sonal Goyal.
• The All Women Officers Offshore Sailing Expedition was organized under the aegis of Army Adventure Wing Southern Command Sailing Node and EME Sailing Association (MCEME).
• The expedition would demonstrate the strength and vigour of women officers in the Indian Army and give an impetus to sailing as a sport, apart from inspiring and motivating young girls to don the olive green uniform and serve the nation.
• The nine-member contingent is led by Major Mukta S Gautam and it embarked on the Chennai-Vizag-Chennai expedition.

About Telangana:

• Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan
• Capital: Hyderabad
• Chief minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao
• National Parks: Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park, KBR National Park, Nehru Zoological Park, Mrugavani National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary, Shivaram Wildlife Sanctuary, Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary, Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary

Tribal Affairs Ministry allocates Budget of ₹2.26 Cr for Medaram Jathara Festival 2022                                   

• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has approved a budget of 2.26 crores for India’s second-largest fair Medaram Jathara 2022 Festivals.
• Under the AzadiKa Amrit Mahotsav, the Government of India has announced that tribal culture and heritage will be the cynosure of 2022.
• The festival will be commemorated from the 16th to the 19th of February 2022.
• The festival is biennially celebrated and organized by the Koyas in collaboration with the Tribal Welfare Department, Government of Telangana.

About Medaram Jathara 2022 Festivals :

• Medaram Jathara is conducted in honor of the Goddesses Sammakka and Saralamma.
• It is celebrated once in two years in the month of “Magha” (February) on the full moon day.
• Various Scheduled Tribes of different villages assemble during the festival, and lakhs of pilgrims visit the Mulugu District to worship the goddesses.
• The Jathara was designated as a State Festival in 1996, owing to the festival’s popularity and auspicious importance.

Fund allocation :

• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs granted 2.00 crore per year for the Jatharas held in 2018 and 2020.
• Furthermore, under Article 271(1), the Ministry has also sanctioned 7.00 crore in 2019-20 and Rs. 5.00 crore in 2021-22 for the construction of infrastructure such as multi-purpose buildings in and around Medaram for use as community shelters during the Jathara period and as agriculture godowns during other seasons by surrounding local Tribals.

About Ministry of Tribal Affairs :

• Cabinet Minister : Arjun Munda
• Minister of State : Renuka Singh Saruta, Bishweswar Tudu

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

SEBI reconstitutes advisory panel for alternative investment policy                  

• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has reconstituted its alternative investment policy advisory committee, which advises the capital markets regulator on a range of issues that impact further development of the AIF space.
• As per an update by the SEBI, now the committee has 20 members.
• The panel, constituted by Sebi in March 2015, earlier had 22 members.

Members of the committee :

• The committee is chaired by Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy.
• Apart from Murthy, the committee includes members from Sebi, Ministry of Finance, AIF players and industry associations.
• According to Sebi, Gopal Srinivasan, Chairman and CEO of TVS Capital Funds; Gopal Jain, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Gaja Capital; Vipul Roongta, Managing Director and CEO of HDFC Capital Advisors; and Renuka Ramnath, president of the Indian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (IVCA) are among the members of the panel.
• The panel is mandated to advise Sebi on any hurdles that might hinder the development of the alternative investment industry.
• Any other item relevant to the segment as well as development of the startup ecosystem in India.
• The committee has been entrusted with the task of advising Sebi on any issues which need to be taken up with other regulators for development of the alternative investment industry.

About SEBI :

• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chairperson : Ajay Tyagi
• It was established on 12 April 1988 and given Statutory Powers on 30 January 1992 through the SEBI Act, 1992.

Govt. of India, World Bank sign loan agreement of $115 million for implementation of REWARD Project

• The Government of India, the State Governments of Karnataka and Odisha and the World Bank have signed a $115 million (INR 869 crore) Programme (Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development Programme).

Aim :

• To help national and state institutions adopt improved watershed management practices to help increase farmers’ resilience to climate change, promote higher productivity and better incomes.
• The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) financing will support
• Karnataka with $60 million (INR 453.5 crore),
• Odisha with $49 million (INR 370 crore),
• $6 million (INR 45.5 crore) will be for the central government’s Department of Land Resources.
• The $115 million (INR 869 crore) loan has a maturity of 15 years, including a grace period of 4.5 years.
• The Government of India has committed to restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 and doubling farmers’ income by 2023.

About REWARD Project :

• REWARD is being implemented in three to four Indian States & It is proposed as a 6 years Project from 2021 to 2026.

Objective :

• The outcomes are prevention of soil run-off, regeneration of natural vegetation, rainwater harvesting and recharging of the groundwater table.
• This enables multi-cropping and the introduction of diverse agro-based activities, which help to provide sustainable livelihoods to the people residing in the watershed area.

About World Bank :

• Founded: July 1944
• Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
• President: David Malpass
• MD & CFO : Anshula Kant
• Motto: Working for a World Free of Poverty
• Founders: John Maynard Keynes, Harry Dexter White

About Ministry of Finance :

• Union Minister : Nirmala Sitharaman
• Minister of State : Bhagwat Karad, Pankaj Choudhary

JPMorgan becomes first major bank in the metaverse

• The largest bank in the United States, JPMorgan, has become the first bank to enter the metaverse by opening a lounge in Decentraland, a virtual world based on blockchain technology.
• Users can create their virtual avatars, build virtual spaces and roam in the lounge christened ‘Onyx Lounge’ after its suite of ethereum-based services.
• The lounge has been named as Onyx lounge and has an image of CEO of JPMorgan, Jamie Dimon.

About metaverse :

• Metaverse is a virtual universe where users can do multiple activities like socialising, shopping or even attending events through their avatar.
• Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) headsets are becoming more pocket-friendly, and both technologies have together contributed to a significantly enhanced user experience.

About JPMorgan :

• Founded: 1 December 2000
• Headquarters: New York, United States
• Chairman & CEO: Jamie Dimon
• Presidents: Gordon A. Smith, Daniel E. Pinto

Equitas Small Finance Bank raises Rs 550 crore from government of Singapore, others

• Equitas Small Finance Financial institution has raised Rs 550 crore from the federal government of Singapore, Singapore’s central financial institution and a number of native mutual funds within the certified institutional placement of equities.

According to reports,

• The government of Singapore – about Rs 155 crore
• The Monetary Authority of Singapore – Rs 36 crore in the QIP
• Mutual funds (Nippon Life India Trustee, SBI Mutual Fund, ICICI Prudential, HDFC Mutual Fund and HDFC Trustee Firm) – Rs 359 crore in the QIP.
• The financial institution bought the shares at Rs 53.59 apiece, which is at a low 5 per cent low cost to the ground worth of Rs 56.40.
• The value features a premium of Rs 43.59 over the face worth of Rs 10 per share.
• The inventory was at Rs 53.45 on BSE .
• The share sale by way of certified institutional placement (QIP) will scale back the promoters holding to 75 per cent and lift public shareholding to a minimum of 25 per cent, as stipulated by the market regulator Securities & Change Board of India.

About Equitas Small Finance Bank :

• Founded: 2016
• Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
• MD & CEO : Vasudevan P N
• Part-time Chairman : Arun Ramanathan

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Chetan Ghate appointed as Director of Institute of Economic Growth

• The Institute of Economic Growth has appointed Chetan Ghate as the new director.
• He replaces Ajit Mishra.

About Chetan Ghate :

• Chetan Ghate has a D in economics from Claremont Graduate University, California in 1999.
• He has been a professor of economics at the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Delhi for over 18 years.
• He is also a member of the advisory committee of the national accounts system (ACNAS) in the ministry of statistics and programme implementation.
• His research areas include macroeconomics, monetary economics, economic growth and the Indian macro-economy.
• Ghate, who was a member of the Reserve Bank of India’s first monetary policy committee between 2016-2020.
• He is the winner of the 2014 Mahalanobis Memorial gold medal for the best research economist in the country under the age of 45.
• In May 2011, he was a recipient of a Rockefeller Foundation academic residency in Bellagio, Italy.
• From February 2013 to September 2016, he was a member of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for monetary policy at the Reserve Bank of India.
• Currently, he is an external affiliate of the Center for Research in Macroeconomics and Macro-Finance at Swansea University (Wales, UK).

About IEG :

• Founded: 1952
• Chairperson: Tarun Das
• President : N. K. Singh
• Located at : new Delhi, Delhi,India
• The Institute of Economic Growth is an autonomous body and civil service training institute under the Government of India.

IOC Athletes Commission re-elect Terho as chair, Walker elected as second vice-chair

• South Korean International Olympic Committee member Ryu Seung-min & ice hockey player Emma Terho of Finland has been reelected as vice chair & chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.
• Sarah Walker, an Olympic cycling medalist from New Zealand, was elected to the newly-created position of second vice chair.
• The chair and vice chairs are selected at every Summer and Winter Games for a two-year term.

About Emma Terho :

• Terho is a five-time Olympian and former captain of the Finland women’s ice hockey team, winning a bronze medal at both the Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998 and Vancouver 2010.
• She will head the Commission until the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

About Seung Min Ryu :

• Seung Min Ryu is a Korean table tennis player who won gold in the men’s singles at Athens 2004, a team silver medal at London 2012 and a team bronze medal at Beijing 2008.

About Sarah Walker :

• Sarah Walker is a three-time world champion in BMX from New Zealand.
• She competed in the inaugural Olympic women’s BMX competition at Beijing 2008, and won a silver medal four years later at London 2012.

About IOC :

• Founded: 23 June 1894, Paris, France
• President: Thomas Bach
• Director General : Christophe De Kepper
• Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland

CURRENT AFFAIRS : AWARDS & HONORS

Bill Gates conferred Hilal-e-Pakistan

• Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has been awarded the second-highest civilian award the Hilal-e-Imtiaz – by Pakistan for his efforts to help eradicate polio.
• The award was conferred by President Dr. Arif Alvi at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad, Pakistan.
• Federal ministers, senior officials and members of the diplomatic corps were present on the occasion.
• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been a major contributor in worldwide polio eradication through Gavi, the vaccine alliance.

About Hilal-e-Pakistan award :

• Hilal-e-Pakistan is the second-highest civil award of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
• The award is given to recognize those people who have made “meritorious contribution to the national interests of Pakistan, or cultural, social contribution, or other significant public or private endeavors”.
• The award is not limited to Pakistani citizens and, while it is a civilian award, it can also be conferred upon foreign nationals.
• It is bestowed by the president of Pakistan once a year.

About Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation :

• Founded: 2000
• Headquarters: Seattle, Washington, United States
• CEO : Mark Suzman
• Founders: Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates

CURRENT AFFAIRS : MOU & AGREEMENTS

BSE signs MoUs with four regional associations to promote EGRs

• BSE, India’s leading and most diverse exchange, signed MoU’s with the four regional associations from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

The associations include

• Thirunelveli Gold Silver Diamond Jewellery Traders Association,
• Nanded Sarafa Association
• Saraf Suvarnkar Sangthna Pusad
• Ghadchiroli Zila Sarafa Association.
• Together these associations represent over 1,000 members involved in jewelry and bullion trade.

Aim of the MoU :

• To provide impetus for the growth and development of commodities segment in general with an impetus for the proposed EGR market.
• It will be able to capitalize on the synergies, knowledge and expertise to support innovations and development in spot trading for gold.
• The EGR segment will benefit as it will lead to greater assurance in the quality of gold supplied, efficient price discovery and transparency in transacting.”
• The MoU will help over 140 members mitigate price risks of gold and procure gold of the highest quality.
• It helps standardize EGRs for Indian markets at the regional level and enhance transparency in pricing.
• It will also explore potential business and facilitate growth by sharing knowledge and expertise to promote the launch of the India International Bullion Exchange at GIFT city IFSC.

About BSE :

• Founded: 9 July 1875
• Chairman : Vikramajit Sen
• MD & CEO : Ashish Chauhan
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra
• BSE Limited, also known as the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), is an Indian stock exchange.

India & UAE sign first free trade agreement                                                           

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a India & UAE Virtual Summit.
• Both leaders expressed deep satisfaction at the continuous growth in bilateral relations in all sectors.

Objective :

• To promote new trade, investment and innovation dynamic in diverse sectors, including economy, energy, climate action, emerging technologies, skills and education, food security, healthcare and defence and security.

Highlights of the Virtual Summit :

• The signing and exchange of the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal and Minister of Economy of UAE, H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri.
• The Agreement will provide significant benefits to Indian and UAE businesses, including enhanced market access and reduced tariffs.
• It is expected that the CEPA will lead to an increase in bilateral trade from the current USD 60 bn to USD 100 bn in the next 5 years.
• This CEPA is India’s first bilateral trade agreement in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region.
• The Prime Minister and the Crown Prince issued a Joint Vision Statement “Advancing the India and UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: New Frontiers, New Milestone”.
• The Statement establishes a roadmap for a future-oriented partnership between India and UAE and identifies focus areas and outcomes.
• The two Leaders also released the Joint Commemorative Stamp on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of India’s independence and 50th year of UAE’s foundation.

Other MoU :

• MOU between APEDA and DP World & Al Dahra – Food Security Corridor Initiative
• MOU between India’s Gift City and Abu Dhabi Global Market – cooperation in financial projects and services
• Cooperation in Climate Action
• Cooperation in Education – Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) to be opened in the UAE

About UAE :

• President: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
• Capital: Abu Dhabi
• Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITION AND MERGERS

SBI, PNB, BoB, UBI, Canara Bank and BoM acquires stake in IDRCL:

• State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of Baroda (BoB), Punjab National Bank (PNB), Union Bank of India (UBI), Canara Bank, and Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has announced subscription to the shares of India Debt Resolution Company Ltd (IDRCL).
• As per the Union Budget 2022 announcement, a National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL) and an Asset Management Company (IDRCL) have been set up by lenders to consolidate and take over the existing stressed debt in the banking/ financial system and then manage and dispose the assets to Alternate Investment Funds and other potential investors for eventual value realisation.
• PSBs and public Financial Institutions (FIs) will hold a maximum of 49 per cent stake in IDRCL and the rest will be with private sector lenders.
• PSBs will maintain 51 per cent ownership in NARCL and and the rest will be with private sector lenders.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

India wins bid to host 2023 International Olympic Committee session in Mumbai:

• India won the right to host the 2023 IOC session in Mumbai during the 139th IOC session that was held in Beijing, China, on the sidelines of the Winter Olympics.
• This will be the second time India hosts an IOC session, having done so in 1983 in New Delhi.
• India won the bid unopposed.
• Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, IOC member Nita Ambani, IOA president Narinder Batra and sports minister Anurag Thakur presented India’s proposal for the hosting rights at this year’s IOC Session.
• India won the bid after 75 members voted in favour of Mumbai while one voted against it.
• The general meeting of the Members of the International Olympic Committee is held at least once every year.

Bihar’s Sakibul Gani became 1st player to hit triple ton on first-class debut:

• Sakibul Gani became the first player to score a triple hundred on first-class debut.
• Gani, who made his debut for Bihar in the Ranji Trophy, slammed a triple-ton against Mizoram in the Plate Group match in Kolkata.
• Gani scored 341 runs in 405 balls, slamming 56 fours and two sixes en route his knock.
• Interestingly, the previous record was also held by an Indian – Madhya Pradesh’s Ajay Rothera had scored 267 runs in the same tournament against Hyderabad in December 2018.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHOR

A book titled ‘A Nation to Protect’ authored by Priyam Gandhi Mody:

• Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has launched the book titled “A Nation To Protect” authored by Priyam Gandhi Mody.
• It Highlighting India’s fight against the COVID pandemic, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the government had denied accepting objectionable negotiation terms raised by the top vaccine manufacturers of the world for vaccine supply to the country.
• During the launch, Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya has believed that ‘A Nation to Protect’ describes the reality as it unfolded during the last two years.

A book on Rabindranath Tagore authored by Uma Das Gupta has released:

• A new book explores Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s work for rural reconstruction by setting up ‘Sriniketan’, a wing of his Visva Bharati International University at Santiniketan in 1922.
• The book, “A History of Sriniketan: Rabindranath Tagore’s Pioneering Work in Rural Construction“, is written by historian and Tagore biographer Uma Das Gupta.
• It is published under Niyogi Book’s ‘Paper Missile’ imprint.”
• The book highlights the efforts of Rabindranath Tagore in improving the condition of the peasantry by using scientific methods of cultivation through laboratory experiments where the expert and the peasant collectively participated.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

Senior journalist, retired IIS officer Pratap Bordoloi passes away at 72:

• Senior journalist and retired IIS officer Pratap Bordoloi passed away at his residence in
• He was 72.
• Bordoli who retired in 2009, worked in various capacities in AIR News and Doordarshan News.
• His last rites were performed at Navagraha in Guwahati today. Senior minister Ranjit Kumar Dass, MP Dilip Saikia, legislator Jayanta Malla Baruah among others paid tributes at Navagraha.

Senior journalist Ravish Tiwari passes away:

• Senior journalist and Indian Express national bureau chief Ravish Tiwari passed away following a two-year-long battle with cancer.
• He was 40.
• Tiwari was also the national political editor of The Indian Express.
• He had previously worked at India Today and The Economic Times.
• He had done his schooling from the government-run Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya and thereafter completed his BTech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay.

Daily CA On Feb 22 :

• International Mother Language Day is observed worldwide on 21st February every year to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and to promote multilingualism.
• Every year India observes the Soil Health Card Day on 19 February to commemorate the launch of the Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme.
• Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare will launch ‘Meri Policy Mere Hath’ which is a doorstep distribution drive to deliver crop insurance policies to farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
• The government of India is looking to promote ‘Heal by India’ for strengthening the country’s educational institutions in the health sector and enhancing education to churn out quality human resources.
• France and its European partners are to begin a military withdrawal from Mali after more than nine years fighting a jihadist insurgency.
• Telangana Governor and Governor Tamilisai Sounderarajan flagged off the historic first-ever all-women officers offshore sailing expedition of the Indian Army between Chennai Vizag Chennai at Chennai Port Trust.
• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has approved a budget of 2.26 crores for India’s second-largest fair Medaram Jathara 2022 Festivals.
• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has reconstituted its alternative investment policy advisory committee, which advises the capital markets regulator on a range of issues that impact further development of the AIF space.
• The Government of India, the State Governments of Karnataka and Odisha and the World Bank have signed a $115 million (INR 869 crore) Programme (Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development Programme).
• The largest bank in the United States, JPMorgan, has become the first bank to enter the metaverse by opening a lounge in Decentraland, a virtual world based on blockchain technology.
• Equitas Small Finance Financial institution has raised Rs 550 crore from the federal government of Singapore, Singapore’s central financial institution and a number of native mutual funds within the certified institutional placement of equities.
• The Institute of Economic Growth has appointed Chetan Ghate as the new director & he replaces Ajit Mishra.
• South Korean International Olympic Committee member Ryu Seung-min & ice hockey player Emma Terho of Finland has been reelected as vice chair & chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.
• Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has been awarded the second-highest civilian award the Hilal-e-Imtiaz – by Pakistan for his efforts to help eradicate polio & the award was conferred by President Dr. Arif Alvi at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad, Pakistan.
• BSE, India’s leading and most diverse exchange, signed MoU’s with the four regional associations from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a India & UAE Virtual Summit.
• State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of Baroda (BoB), Punjab National Bank (PNB), Union Bank of India (UBI), Canara Bank, and Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has announced subscription to the shares of India Debt Resolution Company Ltd (IDRCL).
• India won the right to host the 2023 IOC session in Mumbai during the 139th IOC session that was held in Beijing, China, on the sidelines of the Winter Olympics.
• Sakibul Gani became the first player to score a triple hundred on first-class debut.
• Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has launched the book titled “A Nation To Protect” authored by Priyam Gandhi Mody.
• A new book explores Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s work for rural reconstruction by setting up ‘Sriniketan’, a wing of his Visva Bharati International University at Santiniketan in 1922.
• Senior journalist and retired IIS officer Pratap Bordoloi passed away at his residence in
• Senior journalist and Indian Express national bureau chief Ravish Tiwari passed away following a two-year-long battle with cancer.