Current Affairs – 18 Apr 2022

PM Narendra Modi Inaugurates 108 ft tall statue of Lord Hanuman ji in Gujarat

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has unveiled a 108 ft statue of Lord Hanuman ji in Morbi, Gujarat, at the Ashram of Bapu Keshvanand ji, via video conferencing, on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. This statue is the second among the four statues being built in the four directions across the country, as part of the ‘Hanumanji Char Dham’ project.

The first such grand statue of Hanuman Ji was inaugurated in the North in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh in 2010. The statue at Morbi has been set up in the West. The third statue will be set up in the South at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. Similarly, the final statue will be established in East in West Bengal.

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World Heritage Day 2022: 18th April

Every year on April 18, the United Nations commemorates World Heritage Day. The Day is observed to preserve the human heritage and recognize the efforts of the organizations working for it. Monuments and ancient buildings are an asset to the world. They make for the rich heritage of the nation.

World Heritage Day Theme

Since 1983, the International Council on Monuments and Sites has set a theme around which events are centred on the day. The theme for World Heritage Day 2022 is “Heritage and Climate”.

History of the day:

The International Day for Monuments and Sites was proposed by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) on 18 April 1982 and approved by the General Assembly of UNESCO in 1983. The aim is to promote awareness about the diversity of cultural heritage of humanity, their vulnerability and the efforts required for their protection and conservation. Later in 1983, UNESCO adopted the idea during the 22nd General Conference. In order to restore and conserve historical cities, and dying ancient tribes, World Heritage Day is being observed. The day also sheds light on history.

World Heritage Sites in India

India is home to a total of 3691 monuments and sites. Of these 40 are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including places like the Taj Mahal, Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves. World Heritage Sites also include natural sites like the Kaziranga National Park in Assam.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• UNESCO formation: 4 November 1946;
• UNESCO Headquarters: Paris, France;
• UNESCO Director-General: Audrey Azoulay;
• Headquarters of International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS): Paris, France;
• International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Founded: 1965;
• President of International Council on Monuments and Sites: Toshiyuki Kono.

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India gets elected in 4 UN ECOSOC Bodies 2022

India has been elected to the United Nations Economic and Social Council’s (ECOSOC) four major bodies, including the Commission on Science and Technology for Development. To the Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Ambassador Preeti Saran has been re-elected. In 2018, she was first elected to the Asia Pacific seat on the UN’s Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. On 1st January 2019, her first four-year term began.

The 4 bodies to which India has been elected

• The Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights
• The Commission for Social Development
• The Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations
• The Commission on Science and Technology for Development

Commission of Social Development (CSocD)

Since the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen, the Commission for Social Development (CSocD) has become the key body of the United Nations which is in charge of the follow-up and the implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme for Action.

The purpose of CSocD is to advise ECOSOC on social policies of a general character, and in particular on all the matters in the social field that are not covered by specialized inter-governmental agencies.

Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations

It is a standing Committee of the Economic and Social Council which was established in 1946. The main tasks of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations are the consideration of applications for consultative status and requests for reclassification submitted by the non-governmental organisations.

UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development

CSTD is a subsidiary body of the Economic and Social Council which holds an annual intergovernmental forum for the discussion on timely and pertinent issues affecting technology, science, and development.

Outcomes of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development include providing the UNGA and ECOSOC with high-level advice on the relevant science and technology issues.

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

CESCR is a body of 18 independent experts that monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights by its State Parties. Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights enshrines the rights to adequate food, adequate education, health, housing, water and sanitation, and work.

About the Economic and Social Council:

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the six principal organs of the UN System established by the UN Charter in 1945. It consists of 54 members of the United Nations elected by the General Assembly.

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New Zealand pacer Hamish Bennett announced retirement from all forms of cricket

The 35-year-old, New Zealand pacer (fast bowler) Hamish Bennett, has announced his retirement from his 17-year-old cricket career with the 2021/22 season as the last one. Before retiring, Bennett represented New Zealand in T20I against Bangladesh in Mirpur, Pakistan in September 2021.

Hamish Bennett made his international debut in October 2010 and represented New Zealand in one Test, 19 One Day International (ODIs) and 11 Twenty-20 Internationals (T20Is). Overall, he picked up 33 wickets in ODIs and 10 wickets in T20Is.

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Veteran television producer & actor Manju Singh passes away

Veteran Hindi television presenter and actor, Manju Singh has passed away due to cardiac arrest. She was one of the pioneers in the Indian television industry and was fondly remembered as didi. She was the anchor of the children’s program, Khel Khilone for 7 years. She started her career as a television producer in 1983 with the Show theme, 1st sponsored show on Indian Television. From 1984 onwards, Ek Kahani, prime a time series based on literary shorts.

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Manipur to host the highest Indian national flag at INA complex

Manipur chief minister, N Biren Singh announced that a 165-foot-high Indian national flag, the tallest in the Northeast, would be hoisted at the Indian National Army (INA) headquarters complex in Moirang in Manipur’s Bishnupur district, for which a pole had already been erected.

Key Points:

• According to Singh, as part of the 100-day action plan, union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit the state and unfurl the Indian national flag.
• He was speaking at the INA Martyr’s Memorial Complex in Moirang, 45 kilometres south of Imphal, where the 78th Anniversary of Flag Hoisting Day was observed.
• The state government had already purchased land for the construction of the new INA memorial hall and construction work had begun.
• Various performers presented cultural programmes such as Dhol-Dholok Cholom and Thang Ta during the observation.

INA Headquarter:

• The existing area of the INA headquarter complex is 0.46 acres, including the home that served as the INA headquarters, and that the government is in the process of acquiring 2.12 acres of surrounding land to transform it into a world-class INA memorial park.
• In early April 1944, the INA’s Subash Brigade and the Japanese army’s 33 Division crossed the Indo-Burmese border to form the Imphal front.
• After taking Moirang, the joint force went to the mansion of Hemam Nilamani of Moirang Konjengbam Leikai on April 14 and established the first INA headquarters in India.
• He recalled that 96 Manipuris assisted INA in the capturing of Moirang from the British forces and the raising of the tricolour flag.
• On April 14, 1944, Lieutenant Colonel Shaukat Ali of the Indian National Army flew the tricolour flag of liberated India for the first time on Indian soil in Moirang.

Important Takeaways for all Competitive Exams:

• Manipur Chief Minister: N Biren Singh
• Capital of Manipur: Imphal
• Manipur Dance: Manipuri Raas Leela
• Imphal: Imphal is the capital of Manipur and one of India’s oldest cities.
• Imphal, at 786 metres above sea level, is recognised for its stunning surroundings and lush vegetation.
• Manipur is a land of various tribes, with Imphal serving as the state’s cultural hub.

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United Nations report suggested COVID plunged 77 million into poverty prior Ukraine war

According to a United Nations report released, the pandemic pushed 77 million additional people into severe poverty last year, and many developing nations are unable to recover due to the heavy cost of loan repayments — and that was before the extra burden of the crisis in Ukraine.

Key Points:

• According to the research, rich countries might use historic amounts of money borrowed at ultra-low interest rates to help them recover from epidemic slumps.
• The poorest countries, on the other hand, spent billions of dollars servicing their debts and faced considerably higher borrowing costs, prohibiting them from investing in education and health care, environmental protection, and inequality reduction.

UN Report:

• According to the United Nations, 812 million people lived in severe poverty on $1.90 per day or less in 2019, and by 2021, the figure had climbed to 889 million due to the pandemic.
• The report focuses on funding to accomplish the United Nations’ 2030 development goals, which include eradicating poverty, providing high-quality education to all young people, and attaining gender equality.

Ukraine-Russia War Global Impact:

• The war in Ukraine has had a global impact. According to a United Nations report, the war in Ukraine has put 1.7 billion people at risk of rising food, energy, and fertiliser costs.
• Even after absorbing the impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the analysis projects that GDP per capita in 20% of developing countries will not return to pre-2019 levels by the end of 2023.
• According to the report, the poorest developing countries pay 14 percent of their revenue in debt interest, with many being compelled to cut budgets for education, infrastructure, and capital spending as a result of the pandemic.
• It claims that rich developed countries pay merely 3.5 percent.
• According to the research, the war in Ukraine will worsen these issues, as well as bring higher energy and commodity prices, additional supply chain disruptions, greater inflation, poorer growth, and heightened financial market volatility.
• The report makes several recommendations, including accelerating debt relief and expanding eligibility to highly indebted middle-income countries, aligning the international tax system to address issues like inequity in the availability of coronavirus vaccines and access to medical products, increasing investment in sustainable energy, and improving information sharing.
• The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs collaborated on the report with over 60 international organisations, including the United Nations system and international financial institutions.

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Paytm is the official digital payments partner for Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya

Paytm has become an official digital payments partner for the prime ministers’ museum. It is offering its payment gateway, EDC (Electronic Data Capture) machines and QR code payment options to make way for superfast, convenient and secure transactions. The museum, which is a tribute to former Prime Ministers of India, will be opened to the public on April 21, 2022. PM Modi also purchased the first ticket of the museum before its inauguration.

The museum is built at a cost of Rs. 271 crores. It is constructed on the site of Teen Murti Estate, which served as the home of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, for 16 years until being converted into the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) following his death.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Paytm Founded: August 2010;
• Paytm Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India;
• Paytm CEO: Vijay Shekhar Sharma.

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UDAN scheme selected for PM Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2020

The Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN (UdeDeshkaAamNagrik), the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has been selected for Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2020 under the category “Innovation (General) – Central”.

About the UDAN Scheme:

UDAN scheme emphasizes on Good Governance, Qualitative achievements, and last mile connectivity rather than only on achievement of quantitative targets. In a short span of five years, 415 UDAN routes have connected 66 underserved and unserved airports, including heliports and over 92 lakh people have benefited from it.

About the award:

• The award was launched by the Government of India in 2006 to acknowledge, recognize and reward the extraordinary and innovative work done by Districts/ Organizations of the Central and State Governments.
• The award comes with a trophy, scroll and an incentive of Rs 10 lakhs.
• The Ministry of Civil Aviation will receive the award on April 21, 2022, on the occasion of Civil Service Day.

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Agricultural imports from India suspended by Indonesia

Indonesia has stopped imports of agricultural products from India, citing a failure by New Delhi officials to register laboratories that evaluate food safety and issue certificates of analysis (COA), causing worry among cereal exporters.

KEY POINTS:

• In an order to the head of its Agricultural Quarantine Centre, the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture stated that its authority to accredited laboratories for testing the safety of fresh food from India and issuing the COA has been revoked.
• COAs issued by laboratories indicating that clear exports of fresh food of plant origin were certified in 2019 would not be recognised, according to the Ministry, although certificates issued on or before March 24 will be legitimate.
• Indonesian exporters have been notified of the order. The news came after Indonesia issued a notice to exporters requiring them to give extra information to the COA.
• The notification was sent three to four months ago by Indonesia.
• While countries like Vietnam and Thailand were able to register their laboratories providing COAs well ahead of time, Indian authorities were unable to meet the deadline.
• The registration application should be submitted through diplomatic channels. However, the embassy in Jakarta failed to register on time.

As a result, many goods bound for Indonesian ports are now at risk of being halted or delayed. He added, “Even our consignments are on their way.” The Indian authorities finally submitted the application on March 31, but it has been stuck in limbo since then.

Official sources have told Reporters that the issue of Indian laboratories’ registration being extended as well as the clearance of cargo that had been tested by them before the deadline had been raised with the Indonesian authorities through the Indian embassy.

Indonesia’s contribution to Indian exports:

• Because Indonesia imports sugar, wheat, rice, maize, chilli, groundnut, and onion from India, exporters are concerned about the current situation. Last season, Indonesia contributed for roughly 30% of India’s sugar exports, which ended on September 30, 2021.
• The trend is expected to continue this year, as Indian costs have remained competitive, despite the logistical advantage.
• Indonesia accounted for roughly half of all groundnut exports in the fiscal year 2021-22, from April to January.
• During the April-January fiscal year 2021-22, Indonesia accounted for over half of India’s groundnut exports. According to data from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Jakarta imported 2.20 lakh tonnes (lt) of groundnut shipped out by New Delhi in the first ten months of the previous fiscal year, compared to total shipments of 4.41 lt.

During the April-January fiscal year 2021-22, Indonesia accounted for 6% of India’s wheat exports. It bought 3.64 litres out of the 60.2 litres shipped out over the time period. In terms of rice, Jakarta purchased 2.07 lt from India, accounting for 2% of the total 13.9 million tonnes shipped by New Delhi from April 2021 to January 2nd, 2022.

#Frequently Asked Question

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NITI Aayog to launch National Data and Analytics Platform

In May, the NITI Aayog plans to launch the National Data and Analytics Platform (NDAP), which would give government data in a user-friendly manner and encourage data-driven decision-making and research. The platform, which was conceived in 2020, aims to standardise data across government sources and provide flexible analytics that allow users to easily analyse data using numerous datasets.

Key Points:

• The platform, according to an AIR correspondent quoting a Senior Adviser at NITI Aayog, will allow policymakers, scholars, and researchers to easily analyse data without having to process it.
• At the time of debut, the portal will feature 200 datasets from over 46 ministries.
• In the future, new datasets will be uploaded up to the village level. Many government agencies now offer public dashboards with various possibilities.
• Many government departments now have public dashboards with data download options; some are provided as image files, while others are in PDF format, making data compilation problematic.

Specific goal behind NDAP:

• Policymakers, bureaucrats, researchers, innovators, data scientists, journalists, and people all benefit from data access that is user-friendly and interesting.
• Using common geographical and temporal identifiers, many data sets are presented using a uniform format.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are in place to guarantee that data is updated on a regular basis.

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India’s 1st Internet Radio “Radio Aksh” For Visually Challenged Launched In Nagpur

India’s first-ever radio channel for the visually impaired, named ‘Radio Aksh’ has been launched in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Nagpur’s 96-year-old institution, The Blind Relief Association Nagpur (TBRAN) and Samdrushti Kshamata Vikas Avam Anusandhan Mandal (Saksham) are the organisations behind this idea. The channel will be available on various internet radio platforms for free.

A dedicated team of trained volunteers, mostly women, help in the creation of content for the radio channel, which can be streamed to the visually impaired across India and the world. The complex, carefully-performed processes of going through large amounts of content, recording, sound editing and making corrections do not dampen the productivity and the sense of servitude guides the entire team.

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Thomas Cup: Thomas cup related to which sports?

Thomas cup is associated with Badminton. The trophy signifies world supremacy in the sport of badminton. The cup was donated in 1939 by Sir George Thomas for a series of men’s international team competitions to be managed by the International Badminton Federation (IBF), of which Thomas was then president. The first tournament was held in 1948–49 and won by Malaya. Tournaments are held every two years.

The final phase of the tournament involves twelve teams competing at venues within a host nation and is played concurrently with the final phase of the world women’s team championships, the Uber Cup (first held in 1956-1957). Since 1984 the two competitions have been held jointly at the various stages of play.

Thomas Cup winners List 1949 – 2021:

• 1949 – Malaya beat Denmark 8-1
• 1952 – Malaya beat USA 7-2
• 1955 – Malaya beat Denmark 8-1
• 1958 – Indonesia  beat Malaya 6-3
• 1961 – Indonesia  beat Thailand 6-3
• 1964 – Indonesia  beat Denmark 5-4
• 1967 – Malaysia beat Indonesia 6-3
• 1970 – Indonesia  beat Malaysia 7-2
• 1973 – Indonesia  beat Denmark 8-1
• 1976 – Indonesia  beat Malaysia 9-0
• 1979 – Indonesia  beat Denmark 9-0
• 1982 – China   beat Indonesia 5-4
• 1984 – Indonesia beat China 3-2
• 1986 – China  beat Indonesia 3-2
• 1988 – China  beat Malaysia 4-1
• 1990 – China  beat Malaysia 4-1
• 1992 – Malaysia  beat Indonesia 3-2
• 1994 – Indonesia beat Denmark 5-0
• 1996 – Indonesia beat Malaysia 3-2
• 1998 – Indonesia  beat China 3-0
• 2000 – Indonesia beat China 3-0
• 2002 – Indonesia  beat Malaysia 3-2
• 2004 – China  beat Denmark 3-0
• 2006 – China  beat Denmark 3-0
• 2008 – China beat South Korea 3-1
• 2010 – China  beat Indonesia 3-0
• 2012 – China  beat Korea 3-0
• 2014 – Japan  beat Malaysia 3-2
• 2016 – Denmark  beat Indonesia 3-2
• 2018 – China defeated Japan 3-1
  
• 2020  —  Indonesia defeats China  3 – 0
• 2022 Thomas Cup will take place in Bangkok, Thailand
• 2024 Thomas Cup will take place in China

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Danish Open swimming: Sajan Prakash wins gold

Top Indian swimmer Sajan Prakash won the men’s 200m butterfly gold at the Danish Open swimming meet in Copenhagen, Denmark. Competing in his first international meet this year, Prakash stopped the clock at 1.59.27 to stand atop the podium. Earlier, the swimmer from Kerala had clocked 2.03.67 in the heats to qualify for the ‘A’ final.

16-year-old, Vedaant Madhavan bagged the silver medal in the men’s 1500m freestyle event, who is the son of actor R Madhavan clocked 15.57.86 to finish second in the 10-swimmer final. He had won a bronze medal at the Latvia Open in March 2021, and had also impressed at the Junior National Aquatic Championships last year, bagging seven medals — four silver and three bronzes.

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SVANidhi se Samriddhi’ phase II launched to shield 28 lakh street vendors

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has expanded the ‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’ programme to 126 cities in 14 states and union territories. The program’s implementing partner is the Quality Council of India (QCI).

Key Points:

• ‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’ is a PMSVANidhi add-on initiative that began on January 4, 2021 in 125 cities with the goal of mapping the socioeconomic profile of PMSVANidhi participants and their families.
• It determines whether or not beneficiaries are eligible for several Central welfare initiatives (8) and promotes links to these programmes.
• Pradhan Mantri is one of these programmes. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Shram Yojana, Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, PM Suraksha Bima Yojana Yogi Maandhan Yojana, Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act (BOCW), National Food Security Act (NFSA) portability benefit – One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC), Janani Suraksha Yojana, and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana are some of the schemes available (PMMVY).

‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’ Coverage: Approximately 35 lakh street vendors and their families were covered in Phase 1.

• With a total objective of 20 lakh scheme sanctions for FY 2022-23, Phase 2 aims to cover 28 lakh street vendors and their families. The remaining cities would be added to the programme over time.
• Achievements of ‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’:
• Despite the hurdles given by the Covid-19 pandemic, the initiative was effective in providing social security benefits to street vendor families, thereby shielding them from any dangers and vulnerabilities to their lives and livelihoods in the years 2020-21.

The programme has two major accomplishments:

• One is the creation of a central database of street vendors and their families based on numerous socioeconomic variables.
• Second, a first-of-its-kind inter-ministerial convergence platform has been built amongst multiple Central Ministries in order to expand the safety net of welfare schemes to households that work as street vendors.

What exactly is the PM SVANidhi Scheme?

• The Prime Minister’s Street Vendors AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) was announced as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’s Economic Stimulus-II.
• With a sanctioned budget of Rs. 700 crore, it has been in place since June 1, 2020, to provide cheap working capital loans to street vendors to help them continue their livelihoods that have been negatively impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns.

Aim of the PM SVANidhi Scheme:

• To assist over 50 lakh street sellers in metropolitan regions, including those from surrounding peri-urban/rural areas, who were vending on or before March 24, 2020.
• To encourage digital transactions by offering cash-back incentives of up to Rs. 1,200 per year.

Features  of PM SVANidhi Scheme:

• Vendors can take out a working capital loan of up to Rs 10,000, which they can return in monthly payments over a one-year period.
• On a quarterly basis, an interest subsidy of 7% per year will be credited to beneficiaries’ bank accounts via Direct Benefit Transfer if the loan is repaid on time or early.
• There will be no penalty for repaying the loan early. Vendors might benefit from a higher credit limit if they repay the loan on time or early.

Challenges faced by PM SVANidhi Scheme:

• Several banks are looking for stamp paper applications priced between Rs. 100 and Rs. 500.
• There have also been reports of banks requesting PAN cards and even examining applicants’ CIBIL or credit scores, as well as state governments requesting voter ID cards, which many migrant vendors do not have.
• The CIBIL score assesses a person’s credit history and determines their eligibility for loans.
• There have also been allegations of police and municipal authorities harassing people.
• States should be asked to ensure that street vendors are not persecuted by police because all they are asking for is the right to a living.
• The Centre has also opted to send the applications to bank branches that the applicant has designated as a preferred lender or where the vendor has a savings bank account.
• A software that can “push” over 3 lakh applications to banks has also been developed.

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Hunar Haat” 40th edition organised in Mumbai

Union minister Anurag Thakur will open the 40th edition of “Hunar Haat,” a forum to preserve, protect, and promote local artists and craftsmen.”Hunar Haat” is bolstering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for “voice for local” and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat”.

Key Points:

• The 40th edition of the project, which was inaugurated by Union Ministers for Information and Broadcasting, Youth Affairs and Sports, will bring together at least 1,000 artisans and craftsmen from across the country.
• “Hunar Haat” has offered employment to over 9 lakh artists and craftsmen in just six years, in addition to promoting ancestral arts and crafts even in distant corners of the country.
• More than half of these recipients are women.
• Women craftsmen make up more than half of the recipients.
• Every “Hunar Haat” has an average of 8 to 10 lakh visitors. According to the report, over 4 crore people attended 39 “Hunar Haats” across the country to buy indigenous products, support artisans and craftsmen, and enjoy various musical and cultural programmes.

Why should you go to Hunar Haat?

• In the current edition, almost 1,000 artisans and craftspeople from 31 states/UTs are showcasing a wide range of items and skills: At the Mumbai ‘Hunar Haat,’ indigenous products from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Goa, Punjab, Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu-Kashmir, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and other parts of the the event is free to attend.

Exquisite products made from used and discarded items, such as plastic, paper, ply, wood, glass, ceramic, jute, cotton, and wool, as well as banana stems, sugarcane pulp, paddy and wheat straw, husk, rubber, iron, and brass, will be showcased in accordance with the themes “Vocal for Local” and “Best from Waste.”

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AIMA honours Shoojit Sircar with Director Of The Year award

Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways, presented the 2021 AIMA Managing India Awards (AIMA) in multiple categories in Delhi. In the films category, Shoojit Sircar was honoured with the Director Of The Year award for Sardar Udham. This year, the 12th edition of the AIMA Managing India Awards is being organised physically, coinciding with the 7th National Leadership Conclave.

About the award:

Every year, AIMA presents the Director Of The Year award, which recognises an individual “who has exemplified the spirit of filmmaking and created a masterpiece out of it”. As per the description of the award, it is given to those directors “who have created a masterpiece that is pathbreaking and is worth watching over and over again”.

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Vikram Dev Dutt named as Air India Asset Holding CMD

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, approved Vikram Dev Dutt’s appointment as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Air India Asset Holding (AIAHL), with effect from 27th January 2022, in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary to the Government of India.

Prior to this, Dutt was in-charge of Air India as a CMD till the airline was handed over to the Tata Group. Air India Asset Holding (AIAHL) was set up in 2019 by the government for holding debt and non-core assets of the Air India group. The government had on October 8, 2021, announced that the Tata Group won the bid to acquire Air India for Rs 18,000 crore.

About the Vikram Dev Dutt:

Dutt, a 1993-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territory) cadre, had earlier served as principal secretary for Finance in the government of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the secretary of tourism in the government of Goa, the managing director of India Tourism Development Corporation, principal secretary for the Health and Family Welfare Department of the Delhi government in June 2020, and as principal secretary of the Services department in March 2021.

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