World Rotaract Day celebrates on 13th of March
World Rotaract Day is celebrated on the 13th of March every year to acknowledge the services provided by the rotaractors across the world. The theme of World Rotaract Day 2022 is “Rotary Making a Difference”. World Rotaract Week will be held from 11 March 2022 to 18 March 2022.
Rotary Club is the community service organization for young men and women. They take part in international service projects, in a global effort to bring peace and international understanding to the world.
What is Rotaract?
Rotaract means rotary in action. Rotary is an organization of business and professional people who unite worldwide to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world. World Rotaract Day is commemorated to honour the beginning of the first such club, Rotary International, in 1968 at North Carolina, USA. Now it has transformed into a major Rotary-sponsored organization with more than 9,539 clubs spread around the world.
Ex-student protest leader, Gabriel Boric font becomes youngest President of Chile
Gabriel Boric Font has been appointed as the new and 36th President of Chile. The 36-year-old leftist is the youngest leader to hold the office in Chile’s history. He succeeds Sebastián Piñera. Boric will hold the office for the period between 2022-2026.
As a student representative, Boric became one of the leading figures of the 2011–2013 Chilean student protests. Boric was twice elected to the Chamber of Deputies representing the Magallanes and Antarctic district, first as an independent candidate in 2013 and then in 2017 as part of the Broad Front, a left-wing coalition he created with several other parties.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Chile Capital: Santiago;
- Chile Currency: Chilean peso.
EPFO lowers the interest rate on PF deposits to 8.1% for 2021-22
The retirement fund body, Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has slashed the interest rate on provident fund deposits to 8.10% for 2021-22. This rate is 0.4% lower than the previous year. The interest rate on PF deposits was 8.5% in 2020-21 and 2019-20.
Key points:
- This is the lowest in more than four decades. EPFO had credited 8.0% as interest rate in 1977-78. Since then, it has been either 8.25% or more.
- The interest rate of 8.1% has been declared based on EPFO’s estimated income for the year at Rs 76,768 crore and this will leave the retirement fund body with a surplus of Rs 450 crore.
- The move is expected to hit the earnings of over sixty million EPFO subscribers.
Previous rates:
- EPFO had provided 8.65 % interest rate to its subscribers in 2016-17 and 8.55 % in 2017-18.
- The rate of interest was slightly higher at 8.8 % in 2015-16.
- It had given 8.75 % rate of interest in 2013-14 as well as 2014-15, higher than 8.5 % for 2012-13.
- The rate of interest was 8.25 % in 2011-12.
Morgan Stanely projects India’s GDP for FY23 at 7.9%
Rating Agency Morgan Stanely has projected India’s GDP growth forecast for 2022-23 (FY23) at 7.9%. This is 50 bps less than its earlier projection due to the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on oil prices. Furthermore, Stanley raised the country’s retail inflation estimate to 6%, meanwhile, current account deficits are seen to widen by 3% of GDP.
India is affected through three key channels — higher prices for oil and other commodities; trade, and tighter financial conditions, influencing business/investment sentiment. Analysts at the brokerage also raised their inflation forecast to 6 per cent – the upper end of the tolerance band for the RBI – and flagged stagflation risks because of the ongoing events.
Tamilnadu Petroproducts became world’s first LAB manufacturing company to get BIS certification
TPL (Tamilnadu Petroproducts Ltd.) is the world’s first linear alkylbenzene (LAB) manufacturing company to be certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). TPL’s ‘Superlab’ brand is one of the most well-known laboratory brands in the country. TPL’s position as the market leader and the only authorised seller of the chemical in India will be bolstered by the certification. LAB can be used to make biodegradable detergent, making it a more sustainable option than conventional detergent formulations.
KEY POINTS:
- In a notable step, Chennai-based petrochemicals manufacturer Tamilnadu Petroproducts Ltd (TPL) has been awarded IS12795:2020 certification by the Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers, Government of India for its product linear alkylbenzene (LAB).
- TPL is part of AM International’s petrochemicals sector, a diversified, international conglomerate with a federated operating architecture based in Singapore.
- The company is India’s leading LAB manufacturer and the only one in the state of Tamil Nadu. LAB is a key component in the production of synthetic detergents and industrial cleansers. TPL‘s products account for over 40% of all fabric detergents used in Indian homes. Its ‘Superlab‘ brand is one of the most well-known laboratory brands in the country.
- TPL is the only authorised seller of LAB in the Indian market, thanks to the respected Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification. The certificate complies with the Linear Alkyl Benzene (Quality Control) Order 2021’s standards.
- Only LAB manufacturers who have received IS 12795 certification are allowed to offer their products in Indian markets, according to the terms of this decree. TPL is now the chosen partner for industries with LAB applications as a result of this progress.
As an industry leader, product quality has been the primary priority at TPL. It will be our constant goal to provide the greatest quality LAB to our segment partners for many years to come, and to proudly contribute to India’s AtmaNirbhar Bharat mission.“
When making a surface tension-lowering chemical, LAB is created as an intermediate product. The petrochemical is used to make biodegradable detergent, making it a more environmentally friendly alternative to current detergent formulations. The substance was thoroughly assessed by the European Council Regulation (EC) and deemed to pose no significant environmental or health risks.
About Tamilnadu Petroproducts:
- Tamilnadu Petroproducts Ltd is a company based in Tamil Nadu, India.
- With its headquarters in Chennai, India, Tamilnadu Petroproducts Limited (TPL), a subsidiary of Singapore-based AM International, is a significant maker of industrial intermediate chemicals.
- The company was founded in 1984 with the goal of establishing a cutting-edge Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) manufacturing facility. TPL‘s product portfolio now includes caustic soda, propylene oxide, and chlorine.
About AM international:
- AM International is a company based in the United States.
- AM International is a federated operating architecture with a diversified worldwide collection of firms. It has been trusted by millions of clients for over six decades and is headquartered in Singapore.
- Many group companies are market leaders today, with operations in Southeast Asia, India, and the United Kingdom.
PM Narendra Modi dedicates Rashtriya Raksha University in Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dedicated to the nation a new campus building complex of the Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) at Lavad village near Gandhinagar, Gujarat. PM also addressed the first convocation of RRU Gandhinagar as a Chief Guest. The University, which is an Institution of National Importance, commenced its operations from 1st October 2020.
RRU offers academic programs from diploma to doctorate level in various areas of policing and internal security such as police science and management, criminal law and justice, cyberpsychology, information technology, artificial intelligence and cyber security, crime investigation, strategic languages, internal defence and strategies, physical education and sports, coastal and maritime security. Currently, 822 students from 18 States are enrolled in these programs.
Key points:
- PM Modi said, Rashtriya Raksha University, National Law University and National Forensic Science University in Gujarat should come together for periodic symposiums, which will help in creating a better security environment and criminal justice system. He said, Gujarat has National Forensic Science University and National Children University- two such universities first in the world.
- The Prime Minister highlighted the role of the first batch of any such institute in taking the vision of the institution forward. He noted the contribution of the old pharmacy college in Gujarat to turn the state into a leader in the pharmaceutical field. Similarly, IIM Ahmedabad led the creation of a robust MBA education system in the country.
About the University:
- Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) was set up to meet the need for high quality trained manpower in various wings of policing, criminal justice and correctional administration.
- The government set up a national police university named Rashtriya Raksha University by upgrading the Raksha Shakti University which was established by the Government of Gujarat in 2010.
- The University, which is an Institution of National Importance, commenced its operations from 1st October 2020. The University will develop synergies with the private sector by leveraging knowledge and resources from the industry and would also set up Centres of Excellence in various fields relating to police and security.
First Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal of Indian Railways commissioned
The Asansol Division of Indian Railways has successfully commissioned private siding of Maithan Power Limited at Thaparnagar, Jharkhand, in accordance with the Prime Minister’s vision Gati Shakti and the Ministry of Railways’ policy regarding the Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal or also known as GCT, informed the Ministry of Railways.
KEY POINTS:
- Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board, V K Tripathi, said at the GCT’s commissioning that the Maithan Power Project was commenced in the year 2009, and power generation began in the year 2011.
- The coal needed for the power plant was delivered via road, which is estimated to yield 120 inbound coal rakes every month.
- Somewhere between two to four outward rakes of Fly Ash are expected to be handled from the siding area.
- This will increase the railways’ monthly earnings by almost Rs. 11 crores.
India’s 1st ever GI-tagged Kashmir carpets flagged off to Germany
The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has launched quick response (QR) code for its GI-tagged Kashmiri carpet, to preserve the authenticity and genuineness of the hand-knotted carpets. The main objective of this QR Code attached to the GI tag is to help in reviving the sheen and glory of the Kashmiri carpet industry.
Key points:
- The QR code will contain relevant information of the artisans, manufacturer, weaver, district, raw material used etc.
- Since the QR code label cannot be copied or misused, it will discourage the counterfeit production of carpets.
- Meanwhile, the first-ever consignment of GI-tagged hand-knotted carpets were exported to Germany from New Delhi on March 11, 2022.
- It must be noted that the Kashmiri carpets were granted GI-tag in June 2016 by the Geographical Indication Registry of the Department of Industry Promotion and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, but the registered carpets were certified from 2022.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- J&K Lieutenant Governor: Manoj Sinha;
- J&K Formation (Union territory): 31 October 2019.
Ajay Bhushan Pandey appointed as chairman of the NFRA
Ajay Bhushan Pandey has been appointed as the chairman of the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) for a period of 3 years. Pandey, a 1984-batch Maharashtra cadre IAS officer, retired as revenue secretary in February last year.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of former revenue secretary ABP Pandey as the chairperson of NFRA for a period of three years from the date of assumption of charge or till the incumbent attains the age of 65 years.
About the NFRA:
The NFRA acts as an independent regulator for the auditing profession. The body has powers to review the financial statement of companies, can seek explanations and probe irregularities with respect to accounting and auditing issues. The setting up of the NFRA, envisaged under the Companies Act, 2013, was approved by the Cabinet in May 2018.
India’s first medical city ‘Indrayani Medicity’ to set up in Maharashtra
The state government of Maharashtra has announced to set up the country’s first medical city named as ‘Indrayani Medicity’ in Pune, to provide all kinds of specialised treatment under one roof. It will come up in 300-acre of land area in Khed taluka of Pune. The project is estimated to attract investment worth over Rs. 10,000 crore.
Indrayani Medicity will have hospitals, centres for medical research, pharmaceutical manufacturing, wellness and physiotherapy, and will be the first-of-its-kind city in the country to have all the treatments available at one place.
Key points:
- The Medicity will have about 24 separate hospital buildings, each housing one department. The Medicity will not only benefit Pune but will also be useful for people from neighbouring districts who come to the city for better treatment.
- There will be medical education and research institutes, and treatment will be provided at affordable rates to citizens.
- The proposed Medicity will have separate departments for trauma critical, heart disease, kidney, brain disease, dentistry, paediatrics, ophthalmology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, urology, haematology, organ transplantation, gynaecology, cardiology and psychiatry and separate super-speciality hospitals will be set up for all departments such as cancer, AYUSH etc.
- The Medicity will be set up by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA). The entire facility is likely to have over 10,000 to 15,000 beds.
‘India Water Pitch-Pilot-Scale Challenge’ launched by Minister Hardeep Singh
Under the Ministry’s Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Hardeep Singh Puri launched the ‘India WaterPitch-Pilot-Scale Start-up Challenge.’ This comes after the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s ceremonial launch of AMRUT 2.0 on October 1, 2021, stakeholder discussions in Lucknow (during MoHUA’s Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav festivities), and Cabinet approval of the Mission on October 12, 2021.
KEY POINTS:
- Technology Sub-mission to engage startups as ‘Technology Partners’ has been approved by Cabinet under AMRUT 2.0, in keeping with the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.
- The Mission’s goal is to help startups in the water/used-water sector thrive via innovation and design, resulting in long-term economic growth and job creation.
- The Ministry will select 100 start-ups to get Rs.20 lakhs in cash and mentorship as part of this project.
At India Habitat Centre, MoHUA hosted the ‘India Water Pitch-Pilot-Scale Start-up Conclave,‘ a first-of-its-kind networking platform for entrepreneurs, young innovators, industry partners, incubators, and states/cities. During the conclave, Union Minister HUA announced a startup challenge on the MyGov platform.
Geetanjali Shree’s translation ‘Tomb of Sand’ nominated for International Booker Prize
Author Geetanjali Shree’s translated Hindi novel “Tomb of Sand” is among 13 books long-listed for the International Booker Prize. It is the first Hindi language work of fiction to make it to the long list of the prestigious literary prize. The book was originally published as ‘Ret Samadhi’ and translated into English by Daisy Rockwell. It will compete for the GBP 50,000 prize, which is split evenly between the author and translator.
In Ahmedabad, PM inaugurates the 11th Khel Mahakumbh
The 11th edition of the Khel Mahakumbh was started on Saturday at Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi claimed that he appointed Khel Mahakumbh as Gujarat’s Chief Minister in 2010. Khel Mahakumbh, which began in Gujarat in 2010 with 16 sports and 13 lakh participants, now includes 36 general sports and 26 para-sports. The 11th Khel Mahakumbh has received over 45 lakh registrations.
Due to COVID-19, we were not able to organize Khel Mahakumbh. Started in 2010 with 16 sports & 13 lakh participants, Khel Mahakumbh increased to 36 general sports & 26 para-sports in 2019.”
ATTENDEES:
- Governor of Gujarat Acharya Devvrat
- Chief Minister of the State Bhupendra Patel
- Bharatiya Janata Party State President CR Patil
- Minister of State for Sports in Gujarat Government Shri Harsh Sanghvi
- Shri Hasmukh Bhai Patel
- Shri Narhari Amin
- Mayor of Ahmedabad Mr. Kirit Kumar Parmar ji
ISRO organized Young Scientist Programme “YUVIKA” for students
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is organizing a special programme for school children called “YUva VIgyani KAryakram” (YUVIKA) or “Young Scientist Programme”. Aimed at creating awareness about emerging trends in science and technology, this programme is expected to encourage more students to pursue research and a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Programme details:
- The ISRO Young Scientist Programme is a residential programme and will span over two weeks during the summer vacations from May 16, 2022, to May 28, 2022.
- This program includes invited talks, experience sharing by eminent scientists, experimental demonstrations, facility and lab visits, exclusive sessions for discussions with experts, practical and feedback sessions.
- A total of 150 class 9 students across the country will be selected for the programme.
- The programme is planned at five centres of ISRO i.e. Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, U.R. Rao Satellite Centre, Space Application Centre, National Remote Sensing Centre, Hyderabad and North-East Space Application Centre.
- Students will be taken to visit Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, towards the end of the project.
Selection criteria for ISRO Young Scientist Programme:
- Marks obtained in the Class ‘VIII’ examination.
- Participation in a science fair (school / district / state & above level organised by school / district / state / central government authority) in the last three years.
- Prize in Olympiad / Science competitions and equivalent (1 to 3 rank in last 3 years at school / district / state & above level) in last three years.
- Winner of sports competitions conducted by school / govt. / Institutions / Registered Sports federation (1 to 3 rank in last 3 years at school / district / state & above level) in last three years. Winners of online games will not be considered.
- Member of Scout and guides / NCC / NSS in the last three years.
- Performance in online quiz.
- A special weightage for students studying in schools located in the Panchayat area will be provided.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Chairman and Space Secretary of ISRO: Dr S Somanath;
- ISRO Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka;
- ISRO established: 15 August 1969.
Global Investment in Digital Shopping 2021: India ranked 2nd
According to the London & Partners analysis of Dealroom. co-investment data, India is the second-largest global venture capital investment hub for digital shopping companies, growing by a whopping 175% from $8 billion in 2020 to $22 billion in 2021. On a global scale, India came in second to the US last year, which attracted $51 billion in investment, followed by China at third with $14 billion and the UK at fourth with $7 billion.
Within India, Bengaluru comes out on top globally with $14 billion worth of Venture Capital (VC) investments in digital shopping in 2021, followed by Gurugram at No. 7 with $4 billion and Mumbai at No. 10 with $3 billion.
Ranking:
| Rank | Country | Investment |
| 1 | United States (US) | USD 51 billion |
| 2 | India | USD 22 billion |
| 3 | China | USD 14 billion |
| 4 | United Kingdom | USD 7 billion |
J&K Bank bagged National Award for SHG Bank Linkage 2022
Union Minister of Rural Development, Giriraj Singh honoured the Jammu and Kashmir Bank (J&K Bank) with the “National Award for Outstanding Performance for FY 2020-21” in recognition of its best performance in Self-Help Group Bank Linkage. Kirti Sharma, Zonal Head, Delhi, J & K Bank, accepted the award on the bank’s behalf from Union Minister Giriraj Singh.
The award was presented during the event organized as a part of International Women’s Day (8th March 2022) at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, Delhi. In line with the Bank’s commitment to extend banking facilities and financial services into the under-banked areas of Jammu and Kashmir, J&K Bank has commissioned 4 Business Units (BUs) in the region.
Unique kind of Digital School Health Platform launched in Puducherry
Under the National Digital Health Mission, Puducherry is creating a digital public health ecosystem. By the second week of August, four-building pieces of the digital ecosystem would have been established and implemented in the first phase. These include creating a health identity database for the entire population, similar to Aadhaar, the ‘digi doctor,’ a listing of health professionals from various medical systems, the National Health Infrastructure Registry, and a personal health record for each individual that maps past and present data.
KEY POINTS:
- According to the news release, the entire ecosystem is voluntary, and data privacy and security are integrated into the architecture.
- The programme, which is being implemented by the National Health Authority and led by the Union Health Ministry, aims to build a strong public health ecosystem that is citizen-centric and provides a continuum of care based on accessibility and affordability.
- It also has the advantages of being inclusive, portable, and wellness-focused, as it is accessible to the “right person at the right location.”
- The project is being launched following a visit by NHDM and NHA officials to the Union Territory recently for a presentation and discussion with health authorities, according to S. Mohan Kumar, Director of Health and Mission Director, Puducherry State Health Mission.
- Six Union Territories, including Puducherry, have joined the project. The Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Jipmer were also visited by a team led by Praveen Gedam, NHA’s additional CEO, to review existing software in various departments. According to a news release from the State Health Mission, the team also visited two Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana empanelled facilities.
- Tamilisai Soundararajan, the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, has launched a Digital School Health Platform for children in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
- The Department of Health, Puducherry, and Axis Bank collaborated on this platform. The UT has begun digitising the health records of pupils in grades I through XII, a total of 2.4 lakh children.
The Health Department will enter the personal information of all government school children onto a portal to keep track of their health records as part of this project. After visiting schools for medical screening, health care personnel will submit the children’ health information to the password-protected portal.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Chief Minister of Puducherry: N. Rangaswamy;
- Lt. Governors & Administrators: Tamilisai Soundararajan.
First Virtual Smart Grid Knowledge Centre inaugurated of India in Manesar, Haryana
The Union minister for power has inaugurated the Virtual Smart Grid Knowledge Center (Virtual SGKC) and Innovation Park in yet another digitisation effort aimed at advancing smart grid technologies and building capacity in the power distribution sector. The Minister requested that all distribution and transmission firms come to the SGKC, both physically and virtually, to take advantage of the technology. “The government will provide help to engineers and inventors with innovative smart system technology ideas,” Singh stated.
KEY POINTS:
- The Union government’s new Virtual Smart Grid Knowledge Centre, which is housed within the POWERGRID centre in Manesar, is the first of its type. This platform also hosts the solutions that are physically present at SGKC’s Manesar headquarters. This comprises advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), smart houses, microgrids, and the Outage Management System (OMS), among other things.
- The Virtual SGKC, which was established by Union Minister RK Singh, would provide a digital footprint of the SGKC’s physical setup, which was felt to be necessary during COVID-19.
- With backing from the Union Ministry of Power and technical aid from USAID, POWERGRID designed and created the Virtual SGKC.
- The platform, as it stands now, coexists with the physical infrastructure and offers remote access to all of SGKC’s current offerings, as well as others. Currently, the platform hosts more than 50 solutions from more than 30 technology partners across eight theme areas, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, and IoT.
- The SGKC was formed by POWERGRID with backing from the MOP and NSGM for demonstration and progress of frontier smart grid technologies, according to the Union ministry.
