Current Affairs – 14 Apr 2022

World Chagas Disease Day observed on 14 April

World Chagas Disease Day

World Chagas Disease Day is observed on 14 April to raise public awareness and visibility among people about Chagas Disease (also called American trypanosomiasis or silent or silenced disease) and the resources needed for the prevention, control or elimination of the disease. The theme for 2022 is finding and reporting every case to defeat chagas disease.

It is often termed a “silent and silenced disease” as the infected majority have no symptoms or extremely mild symptoms. There are approximately 6-7 million people infected with Chagas disease worldwide, with 10,000 deaths, every year. It is one of 11 official global public health campaigns marked by WHO.

History of the day:

The approved the designation of Chagas Disease Day on May 24, 2019, at the 72nd World Health Assembly. The first World Chagas Disease Day was observed on 14 April 2020. The day has been named after Carlos Ribeiro Justiniano Chagas, the Brazilian doctor who diagnosed the first case on 14 April 1909.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Headquarters of WHO: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Director general of WHO: Tedros Adhanom.
• WHO was founded:  7 April 1948.

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States and Capitals of India 2022, India Now Has 28 States and 8 UTs 2022

States and Capitals

According to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the appointed day for the two Union Territories J&K and Ladakh was October 31. This is for the first time that a state is converted into two Union Territories. The total number of states in the country will now be 28, with effect from 26th January 2020, India has 8 union territories. 

The Union Territories of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli have become a single union territory since January 26 through a Bill passed by the Parliament in the winter session. With the merger of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the number of UT’s have come down to eight. Out of all the states, three states i.e. Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttarakhand have different capitals for their summer and winter sessions of the legislature.

As students, you should know the complete list of Indian States and capitals so that you can answer general Knowledge questions. Here, we are providing the latest list of Indian States and Capitals in 2022.

India is a federal union made up of 28 states and 8 union territories, totalling 36 separate entities. Districts and smaller administrative units are subdivided further inside the states and union territories. Each state in India has its own administrative, legislative, and judicial capital. All three responsibilities, according to some accounts, are carried out in the same capital. Each state is led by a Chief Minister.

According to The States Reorganization Act 1956, the states of India were organized based on linguistic lines. There are 28 states and 8 Union Territories in India now. India consists of 400 cities altogether. India has eight metropolitan cities and they are Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Pune. The Prime Minister of India planned to develop 100 smart cities in India in the future. Indore bagged continuously 4 times the award of Smart city.

States and Capitals of India 2022

Here is the complete list of 28 :

Complete list of 8 Union Territories:

States and Capitals of India: Frequently Asked Questions

Q.1 Presently, how many States and UTs are present in our country?

Answer: There are 28 states and 8 Union territories in the country which was in effect from 26th January 2020.

Q2. Who is the head of the Union Territories of India?

Answer: Lt. Governors & Administrators are considered to be the head of a Union Territories of India.

Q3. Name the state which has been bifurcated to make union territory.

Answer: Jammu and Kashmir state was split into two new Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Q4. What are the latest updates on the Union Territories of India?

Answer: Daman & Diu got merged with Dadar & Nagar Haveli in 2020.

Q5. Which is the smallest Union Territory of India?

Answer: Lakshwadeep is the smallest Union Territory of India.

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Falguni Nayar Crowned EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2021

Falguni Nayar has been named as the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2021, at the 23rd edition of the EY Entrepreneur of The Year India awards. She is the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of beauty supply company Nykaa (FSN E-commerce). She will now represent India at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award (WEOY) on June 9, 2022, at Monaco. The Lifetime Achievement was given to A. M. Naik, Group Chairman of Larsen & Toubro.

The winners were announced over nine other Categories for the Entrepreneur Of The Year Program.

• Start-up: Vidit Aatrey, Co-founder & CEO and Sanjeev Barnwal, Co-founder & CTO, Fashnear Technology (Meesho)
• Business Transformation: Abhay Soi, Chairman and Managing Director, Max Healthcare
• Manufacturing: Sunil Vachani, Founder and Executive Chairman, Dixon Technologies
• Services: Sahil Barua, Co-founder and CEO, Delhivery
• Consumer Products & Retail: Shiv Kishan Agarwal, Chairman; and Manohar Lal Agarwal, Chairman and Managing Director respectively, Haldiram Group
• Life Sciences & Healthcare: Dr. Satyanarayana Chava, Founder and CEO, Laurus Labs
• Financial Services: Harshil Mathur, Co-founder and CEO; and Shashank Kumar, Co-founder and CTO, Razorpay
• Technology, Media and Telecom: Girish Mathrubootham, Co-founder and CEO, Freshworks
• Entrepreneurial CEO: Vivek Vikram Singh, Managing Director and Group CEO, Sona Comstar

About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year (EOY) Awards

The award recognizes the unstoppable entrepreneurs who, with their innovation, resilience and boldness are positively impacting lives of millions and carving out a different future from the present. It is the only global business award program in the world, celebrated across 60 countries.

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WTO cuts global trade growth forecast to 3% in 2022

World Trade Organisation

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has revised down its projection for global trade growth (in volume) for 2022 to 3 per cent. Earlier in October 2021, this was estimated at 4.7 per cent. The downward revision follows the that has impacted commodity prices, disrupted supplies and intensified geopolitical and economic uncertainty. For 2023, this merchandise trade volume growth is projected at 3.4%.

In the longer term, the WTO said the conflict could even trigger the disintegration of the global economy into separate blocs. India’s real GDP, in such a scenario, would falter by 9% (deviation from a baseline projection), China’s by 7% and Russia’s by as much as 10%, it added.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• World Trade Organization Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland;
• World Trade Organization Founded: 1 January 1995;
• Director-General of the World Trade Organization: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

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NMDC Wins Gold and Silver Awards at 80th SKOCH Summit 2022

In the 80th SKOCH Summit and SKOCH Awards, held recently in New Delhi, India’s largest iron ore producer, National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), under the Ministry of Steel, received one gold and one silver medal. The SKOCH Summit’s subject was ‘State of BFSI & PSUs.’

Key Points:

• The project ‘Promotion of Technical Education and Skill Development in Dantewada District through NMDC ITI Bhansi’ got the Gold Award in the category social responsibility, and the project ‘Project Kalpataru’ for ERP implementation earned the Silver Award in the category digital inclusion. Shri Amitava Mukherjee, Director (Finance), accepted the honours on behalf of Chairman and Managing Director, Shri Sumit Deb, via video conference.
• The winners of the SKOCH Awards were chosen based on an application submitted on their website, a jury presentation, three rounds of popular online vote, and a second round of jury evaluation.
• NMDC was also honoured with three SKOCH – Order of Merit Awards for its outstanding efforts in ensuring seamless digitalisation in Project Kalpataru, for its extensive CSR efforts in promoting technical education and skill development in Dantewada’s remote districts, and for “Project Safety First” in the category Response to COVID.

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103 years of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, also known as the Amritsar massacre, took place on 13 April 1919. This year we commemorate the 103rd anniversary of the terror that shook the entire country to a standstill. The Jallianwalabagh garden has been converted into a memorial. And thousands of people on this day come to pay their respects to the martyred men, and women, who were killed on that fateful day for the nation.

What Happened in Jallianwala Bagh in 1919?

On 13 April 1919, thousands of people were gathered at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, Punjab. This day marks the beginning of New Year for the Sikhs and is also celebrated as the Baisakhi festival all over Punjab. People travel days to reach Punjab on this auspicious day to celebrate Baisakhi with their family and loved ones.

On the morning of Baisakhi, Colonel Reginald Dyer had announced the implementation of a curfew throughout Amritsar and a ban on all processions that even prohibited a group of 4 or more people to meet publicly. At about 12:40 PM, Dyer received confidential information about the meeting taking place at Jallianwala Bagh that may result in riots and protests.

The main entrance was also guarded by the armed troops. There were armoured cars accompanying the troops that were supposedly carrying machine guns and explosives. On Dyer’s orders, there was ruthless firing done on the uninformed crowd. There were about 25,000 people present there at the time of the firing. Some tried to escape while some choose to jump in the solitude well built in the premises of Jallianwala Bagh. The troops were ordered to start shooting from the most densely crowded spot to harm the maximum number of people. This heinous act of violence resulted in extreme mass killing. The firing continued for about 10 minutes, and it only ceased when the ammunition supplies were almost exhausted.

How Many People Died in Jallianwala Bagh?

The number of deaths caused due to the firing had been a disputed issue till now. While the official enquiry by the British informed about 379 deaths, the death toll was quoted to be around 1,000 by Congress. There were about 120 dead bodies recovered from the well also.

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Netherlands Won FIH Junior Women’s Hockey World Cup 2022

The Netherlands has lifted their fourth title of FIH Junior Women’s Hockey World Cup 2022 after beating Germany at Potchefstroom, South Africa. The Netherlands is the most successful team. England claimed the bronze medal in the third-place match after defeating India by 3-0 in the shoot-out.

The FIH has banned Russia from the 2022 Women’s FIH Hockey Junior World Cup due to 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The 2023 Women’s FIH Hockey Junior World Cup will be the tenth edition and will be held in Santiago, Chile.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Netherlands Capital: Amsterdam;
• Netherlands Currency: Euro;
• Netherlands Prime minister: Mark Rutte.

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Microsoft and BPCL collaborated to step up digital transformation

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL), an Indian oil refinery, has teamed with Microsoft to improve its customer experience. It will also integrate cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) to help the oil and gas business adapt digitally. Microsoft will supply BPCL with infrastructure-as-a-service, platform-as-a-service, and cloud network and security services over the course of the seven-year partnership.

Key Points:

• BPCL plans to employ Microsoft’s secure cloud platform to accelerate its cloud transformation, create smarter supply chains, and improve customer engagement. BPCL will also make use of Microsoft Teams and other productivity tools to improve employee communication.
• The two companies will work together to create a digital experience for BPCL consumers, reaffirm BPCL’s brand promise of quality and trust, and develop Urja, a conversational AI platform that will provide 24/7 customer care.
• Microsoft has been an indisputable worldwide leader in technology.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

Microsoft:

• Founders: Bill Gates, Paul Allen
• CEO: Satya Nadella
• Founded: 4 April 1975, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
• Headquarters: Redmond, Washington, United States

BPCL: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited

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Australia’s Victoria to Host the 2026 Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth Games

In a deviation from the conventional single host city approach, the Commonwealth Games will be held in Victoria in 2026, with the majority of events being organised by the state’s regional centres. In March 2026, the Games will be held in numerous towns and regional centres around Australia, including Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, and Gippsland, each with its own athletes’ village.

Key Points:

• The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) confirmed that the opening ceremony will be held at the famous 100,000-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground.
• Following an exclusive consultation session between the CGF, Commonwealth Games Australia (CGAus), and Victoria, the announcement was made.
• A preliminary list of 16 sports has been proposed for the Games, including Twenty20 cricket, with further sports to be added later this year.
• However, sports like shooting and wrestling, which India has excelled in in earlier editions of the sporting spectacular, are not included on the original list.
• Archery is also absent from the list.

Roadmap for Commonwealth:

• According to the CGF’s new “strategic roadmap,” which was unveiled on October 11 at its 2021 General Assembly, athletics and swimming will be the only mandatory sports in the CWG starting in 2026, giving host cities more flexibility to include disciplines of their choice from a proposed core list of 22 sports.
• Shooting, wrestling, and archery are among the Commonwealth Games Federation’s suggested core list after a review.
• T20 cricket, beach volleyball, and 3×3 basketball, which were previously included as optional sports, have now been added to the planned core list of sports.
• The roadmap was accepted during the CGF’s General Assembly, which took place about a year ago.
• The Games in 2026 will be the 23rd edition of the major multi-sport event, which began in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada.

Tournaments in Australia:

• The Commonwealth Games have been held in Australia five times, with Victoria hosting the Melbourne 2006 Games, largely regarded as one of the most successful editions of the tournament in history.
• Australia has also hosted the Olympic Games in Sydney in 1938, Perth in 1962, Brisbane in 1982, and Gold Coast in 2018. In 2004, Victoria hosted the Commonwealth Youth Games in Bendigo.

About Victoria:

• Victoria is a world-class venue for major events and tourism. The Australian Open tennis grand slam, the Melbourne Formula 1 Grand Prix, and the Melbourne Cup are just a few of the high-profile athletic events that have taken place in the state.
• The state also holds premier cricket, golf, and Australian Rules Football tournaments on a regular basis.

Games included in Commonwealth:

• Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Tennis, Weight Lifting, Wrestling, Aquatics, Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Bowls, Cycling, Gymnastics, Hockey, Netball, Rugby 7s, Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Tennis, Weight Lifting, Wrestling Tennis has been introduced, archery and wrestling have been reinstated, and basketball and triathlon have been withdrawn.

History of Commonwealth Games:

• With the exception of 1942 and 1946, the tournament has been held every four years since 1930.
• The Commonwealth Games were known as the British Empire Games from 1930 to 1950, then the British Empire and Commonwealth Games from 1950 to 1966, and finally the British Commonwealth Games from 1966 to 1970.
• The Commonwealth Games were referred to as the British Commonwealth Games from 1970 to 1974.

Important Takeaways for All Competitive Exams:

• Birmingham, England will host 2022 Commonwealth Games.
• The Commonwealth Games will begin on Thursday, 28 July and ends on Monday, 8 August.

 

 

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UNDP Declares Grants of $2.2 Million in Climate Action for Innovators

The UNDP and partners of the Adaptation Innovation Marketplace (AIM) have announced $2.2 million in climate action funding for 22 local innovators from 19 countries, including India. The Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator (AFCIA) window’s first round of funding will improve local climate action and speed the achievement of the Paris Agreement’s and Sustainable Development Goals’ ambitions.

Key Points:

• The project enables local actors and contributes to UNDP’s and partners’ worldwide endorsement of the principles for locally driven adaptation action.
• The Adaptation Innovation Marketplace will provide technical support and know-how for new funding applications launched.
• AIM is a strategy platform that supports scaled-up adaptation at the local level, concentrating on civil society, non-governmental organisations, and women and youth innovators, and was launched by UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner at the Climate Adaptation Summit in January 2021.
• The marketplace brings together resources, know-how, and assistance to make local climate change financing more accessible.
• The Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator receives technical support from the AIM partners, which include the International Centre for Climate Change and Development, the Least Developed Countries Universities Consortium on Climate Change, the Global Resilience Partnership, the Climate-Knowledge Innovation Community, and the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).

In 2022, AIM’s partners will continue to work together on knowledge sharing and South-South coordination for the 22 local partners that received money in the first round of AFCIA grant granting. The winning suggestions ranged from advanced aquaculture in India to increasing the production of climate-resilient acai berries in Brazil, as well as the reintroduction of historic climate-resilient construction techniques in the Sahel and the establishment of “blue jobs” in Micronesia.

About the grants distribution:

• Grants were distributed to 19 nations, with seven from Africa, eleven from Asia, and four from Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Ten of the 22 participants were from LDCs or small island developing states.
• Resilient agriculture, technology, community-based adaptation, ecosystem-based payments and services, and entrepreneurship were among the topics covered by the funds.
• The money comes from the Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator, a multi-partner initiative that began in November 2020 with a $10 million grant from the Adaptation Fund.
• Local entrepreneurs in underdeveloped nations are helped to turn their creative resilience-building solutions into viable business models that can be funded commercially.
• The current IPCC report emphasises the importance of emphasising the role of social justice and varied forms of knowledge in climate adaptation processes, such as indigenous and local knowledge.
• Despite advances in adaptation efforts across all sectors and areas, human-caused climate change has resulted in widespread losses and damages to nature and people, with the most vulnerable people and systems being disproportionately impacted, according to the report.
• Africa and small islands, in particular, face significant problems in all facets of the report’s risk assessments.

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India’s Retail Inflation Rose to 6.95% in March

India’s Retail Inflation

India’s retail inflation surged to a 17-month high of 6.95% in March from 6.07% in the previous month due to a sharp increase in food prices, the National Statistical Office (NSO) data showed. Retail inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has remained above the upper limit of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) tolerance band for the third consecutive month. The retail inflation stood at 6.01 per cent in January 2022.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) based on inflation stood at 5.52% in March 2021. The price rise was sharper in rural India than in urban. CPI for rural India surged to 7.66% in March from 6.38% in the previous month. CPI-based inflation for urban India rose to 6.12% in March 2022 from 5.75% in the previous month.

Who Released this India’s Retail Inflation Data?

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation data is released monthly by the National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

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Ex-IPS officer Lalpura reappointed National Commission for Minorities chief

The central government has re-appointed retired Punjab-cadre IPS officer Iqbal Singh Lalpura as the chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities. Lalpura, who was first appointed as chairman in September last year, had to resign from the post in December to contest as the BJP candidate from the Ropar assembly constituency, which he lost.

A Sikh intellectual, who has written books on Sikh and Punjabi culture, Lalpura, was appointed BJP spokesperson in September last year. He had retired as deputy inspector general (DIG), Punjab Police, before joining the BJP in 2012. He served as the senior superintendent of police of Amritsar Rural, Kapurthala and Tarn Taran districts.

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R Praggnanandhaa wins prestigious Reykjavik Open chess tournament

16-year-old chess sensation R Pragganandhaa has won the prestigious Reykjavik Open chess tournament in Reykjavik, Iceland. In the final played between two Indian players, it was R Praggnanandhaa who won the contest beating compatriot GM D Gukesh in the final round. The Indian youngster scored 7½/9 and finished a half-point ahead. R Praggnanandhaa also posted four other wins, including the one over American Abhimanyu Mishra, who, last year, became the then youngest Grandmaster at the age of 12 years and four months.

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Indian Author Prem Rawat Launches His Book ‘Hear Yourself’

Hear Yourself

Indian author Prem Rawat has launched his book ‘Hear Yourself’ for the Indian subcontinent in Mumbai. This New York Times bestseller book is already available in 58 countries and five languages. This book is to help people understand their own potential. It will help them find peace in a noisy world. He also advised the audience that they have more wisdom in themselves than they perceive. This book is to help them develop better self-understanding.

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PM Modi Inauguartes Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya in New Delhi

Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya

Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya in New Delhi on April 14. The Sangrahalaya, located at the iconic Teen Murti complex, was inaugurated as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav — a 75-week celebration launched to mark 75 years of Independence.

The museum will become a source of inspiration for the youth who will be able to witness the hardships each PM faced and how they overcame them to lay the foundations of a new India. The museum will reflect the shared heritage of each government. The Congress alleged that the new museum was an attempt to dilute the legacy of India’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru, a charge rejected by the Centre.

Key Features of Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya:

• The project to build the new museum faced stiff opposition when the government announced its plan in 2018.
• The museum building integrates the Teen Murti Bhawan in New Delhi, designated as Block I, with the newly-constructed Block II. The total area of the two blocks is over 15,600 square metres. There are 43 galleries in the Sangrahalaya.
• The logo of the Sangrahalaya, meanwhile, shows hands holding the dharma chakra, symbolising the nation and democracy.

The Content Displayed at the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya:

• From the freedom struggle to the framing of the Constitution, the museum will have displays that showcase stories of how the respective Prime Ministers steered the nation.
• Personal items, gifts and memorabilia like medals, commemorative stamps, speeches of PMs and anecdotal representations of ideologies will be on display at the museum. The families of the former Prime Ministers were contacted for information about them.
• The Sangrahalaya will also include the Nehru Museum. Officials have said it has been upgraded with a technologically advanced display to showcase the life and contributions of the country’s first PM, Jawaharlal Nehru. Several gifts received by him from all over the world are on display for the first time.
• The Sangrahalaya will use holograms, virtual reality, augmented reality, multi-touch, multimedia, interactive kiosks, computerised kinetic sculptures, smartphone applications, interactive screens, experiential installations etc, to make the exhibition content interactive.

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