World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development 2022
The UN General Assembly, in its resolution, declared May 21 to be the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. The day aims to celebrate the richness of the world’s cultures and highlight the significance of its diversity as an agent of inclusion and positive change for achieving peace and sustainable development. Diversity Day, officially known as “The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development”, is an opportunity to help communities understand the value of cultural diversity and learn how to live together in harmony.
History of World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development:
In the year 2001, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adopted the ‘Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity’ as a result of the destruction of the Buddha statues of Bamiyan in Afghanistan in 2001. Then in December 2002, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in its resolution 57/249, declared 21 May to be World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.
Skyroot Aerospace successfully test fires its rocket engine
Private sector rocket maker Skyroot Aerospace Private Ltd successfully tested its Kalam-100 rocket that will power the Vikram-1 rocket’s third stage/engine. The company announced the completion of the milestone of full duration test-firing of its Vikram-1 rocket stage. The third stage, named Kalam-100 after former President APJ Abdul Kalam, was fired for a duration of 108 seconds.
About the test:
- During the test, the rocket produced a peak vacuum thrust of 100 kN (about10 tons) showing its structure built with a high-strength carbon-fibre structure, solid fuel, Ethylene-Propylene-Diene terpolymers (EPDM) thermal protection system, and carbon ablative nozzle.
- The rocket’s stage was tested at the facilities of Solar Industries India Ltd, one of the investors in Skyroot.
- This is the largest rocket stage ever designed, manufactured, and tested completely in the Indian private sector.
- This is best in class rocket stage of this size, with record propellant loading and firing duration, and using all-carbon composite structures for delivering the best performance
Ukraine and Russia Conflict Explained 2022
The attack on Ukraine by Russia is potentially the onset of war in Europe on top of Russia’s behest for an end to NATO’s eastward expansion. The launch of the major invasion by Russia on Ukraine, that started with air and missile assaults on Ukrainian military targets before sending troops and tanks across the country’s northern, eastern, and southern borders. On many fronts, the Ukrainian military fought back. In a video speech delivered early Friday, February 25, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 137 people had been killed, including troops and civilians, and that hundreds more had been injured.
Background:
Since the invasion of Crimea in 2014, Ukraine has been living in fear of war with Russia for nearly eight years. Russia and Ukraine have been at odds for a long time, with Russia claiming Ukraine as a part of its country and opposing Ukraine’s developing ties to the West. Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to recapture the former Soviet Union Republic.
He requested that the Ukrainian military put down their weapons. Prior to its cessation in 1991, Russia and Ukraine were both members of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), which consisted of 15 republics.
Genesis of the Conflict:
- The heat between Russia and Ukraine, a former Soviet republic, have existed for a decent amount of time, they began to escalate out of control in early 2021. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s President hinted the US President Joe Biden to allow Ukraine to join the NATO forces in January of last year.
- This Russia is highly infuriated , which began sending soldiers near the Ukrainian border for “training exercises” in the spring of last year and boosted the number in the fall. The US began to hype that there is a deployment of Russian troops, and Vice President Joe Biden had threatened Russia with heavy sanctions if Russia attacked Ukraine.
- Russia wants a legally enforceable promise from the US that NATO forces will not conduct any military operations in eastern Europe, especially in Ukraine. According to the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, Ukraine is merely a puppet of the US and was never a real sovereign country in the first place.
- This isn’t the first time that conflicts between Russia and Ukraine have erupted. Russia had previously invaded Ukraine in 2014, it happened when pro-Putin separatists captured major swaths of eastern Ukraine, and they have been fighting the Ukrainian army since the invasion. Russia also annexed Crimea at that time.
- Ukraine has extensive social and cultural ties with Russia, and Russian is widely spoken there, but those ties have deteriorated since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014.
- When Ukraine’s pro-Russian president lost in early 2014, Russia came to an offensive. It is estimated that more than 14,000 people have died as a result of the continuous war happening in the east.
- The Minsk peace agreement was signed by Russia and Ukraine to end the ongoing violent armed conflict which was going on in east Ukraine, including Donbas region. However, as the armed conflict continues, Russia said that it will be sending “peacekeepers” to the affected region. According to the , Moscow is using it as a cover to occupy sovereign Ukrainian country.
- The rising tension between Russia and Ukraine, which shares a border with the European Union, has ramifications for the European Union. This is why the European Union has joined the US in declaration of the penalties against Russian firms, the majority of which the NATO members.
- Just a few weeks back, French President Emmanuel Macron had travelled to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to calm down the ongoing tensions.
- India is also suggesting for a diplomatic solution, through talks to the present Russian-Ukraine violent conflict.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Ques: What is the conflict between Russia and Ukraine?
Ans: The conflict between Russia and Ukraine can be traced back to 2014 when the Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity started, which focused on Crimea and Donbas.
Ques: When did Ukraine split from Russia?
Ans: When in 1991, Soviet Union or USSR was dissolved, Ukraine was separated from it.
Ques: What parts of Ukraine does Russia control?
Ans: Russia control Crimea and parts of Donbas which are internationally recognized as the parts of Ukraine. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is since 2014 for these areas.
Ques: When did the war between start 2022?
Ans: On 24 February, 2022, Ukraine was attacked by Russia for a military invasion, and it is a consequence of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict which was started in 2014.
Ques: Is Ukraine part of NATO?
Ans: The relations of Ukraine with can be traced back to 1992, just one year after its separation from USSR. Ukraine also joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council which was later renamed as the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council.
RBL Bank and Amazon Pay ties up to offer UPI payment
RBL Bank, Amazon Pay, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have partnered together to deliver universal payments interface (UPI) payments, which will include peer-to-peer and peer-to-merchant transactions. Amazon Pay would grant RBL Bank a UPI ID with the handle @rapl from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), resulting in a simplified payments experience using RBL Bank’s cloud-based processing infrastructure. With its AWS-hosted payment processing technology, RBL strengthens its footprint in the UPI arena, allowing the bank to interact with Amazon Pay’s growing client base and transaction volumes.
Key Points:
- PayNearby, an Indian banking and digital payments network, teamed up with Visa and RBL Bank in August to launch SoftPoS and mPOS for its 1.5 million+ shops.
- India’s lack of digital infrastructure has hampered merchant acceptance of digital payments, and the country’s population density of over 350 people per POS terminal is unusually high when compared to China and Brazil, which have POS of 20 and 10, respectively.
- In order to limit the danger of viral transmission, the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the need for contactless payments.
Important Takeaways for All Competitive Exams:
- Amazon Founder: Jeff Bezos
- Amazon CEO: Andy Jassy
Anti Terrorism Day 2022 observed on 21st May
Anti-Terrorism Day is observed every year on 21 May, on the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He was assassinated on May 21, 1991, by the LTTE terrorists while campaigning for the Congress Party at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. Rajiv Gandhi became India’s youngest PM when he was sworn in at 40. He took over as the sixth PM of the country after Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984. He served from 1984 to 1989.
Significance of Anti-Terrorism Day 2022:
Anti-Terrorism Day is celebrated to promote peace and harmony. Terrorists feel the need to inflict disaster on innocent people either because they are brain-washed because they believe it is their religious purpose or simply because they don’t have a conscience. Whatever be their motivation, there’s no denying the fact that their activities are immoral.
The day also helps us remember the sacrifices made by thousands of soldiers and policemen who fought against terrorism to protect their country and their people.
History of this Anti-Terrorism Day:
Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, in a suicide bombing, by a woman from the Liberation of Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE), a terrorist group.
The woman had explosives under her clothes and approached Rajiv Gandhi and bent down as if to touch his feet when the bomb exploded leading to his death and approximately 25 others. This is the inland terrorism that created fear and caused us to lose our PM.
China Plans World’s First Habitable Planet Search With Space Telescope
Chinese scientists have proposed a space project to survey the sky through a space-borne telescope to hunt for habitable Earth-like planets outside the solar system, about 32 light-years from Earth. The project, named Closeby Habitable Exoplanet Survey (CHES) would be the first space mission specially designed to search for habitable terrestrial planets around nearby Sun-like stars.
The exploration of habitable planets outside the solar system is one of the key frontiers of fundamental research in astronomy. The discovery of the nearby habitable worlds will be a great breakthrough for humankind, and will also help humans visit those Earth twins and expand our living space in the future.
Key points:
- The CHES will observe about 100 Sun-like stars 32 light-years away on a long-term survey, and will hopefully discover roughly 50 Earth-like planets or super-Earths, planets that are up to about 10 times the mass of Earth.
- CHES will offer crucial clues to the issues such as other extra-terrestrial lives and the planets becoming the cradle of life.
- 5,000 exoplanets have been discovered and confirmed so far, including about 50 Earth-like planets in the habitable zone, but most of them are hundreds of light-years away from Earth.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- China Capital: Beijing;
- China Currency: Renminbi;
- China President: Xi Jinping.
IDBI Bank to sell quarter of its stock in Ageas Federal Life Insurance
IDBI Bank has barged into a share purchase agreement to sell its remaining 25% stake in private sector life insurer Ageas Federal Life Insurance for Rs 580 crore, making Ageas one of the few foreign insurers to increase its stake in its Indian insurance joint venture to 74 percent after the government raised the FDI cap in the insurance sector. The deal is scheduled to close in Q2FY23, pending regulatory approvals and the fulfilment of the share purchase agreement’s terms and conditions. Ageas, a European insurer, has already expanded its stake in the Indian insurer from 26% to 49% in December 2020.
Federal Bank’s shareholding in the company remained at 26%. The insurer’s name was changed from IDBI Federal Life Insurance to Ageas Federal Life Insurance as a result of this.
Key Points:
- Ageas Insurance International now owns 49 percent of the private sector life insurer Ageas Federal Life Insurance, while Federal Bank owns 26 percent.
- Ageas Insurance International will increase its investment in the insurance company to 74 percent after purchasing IDBI Bank’s 25% interest.
- Generali finalised the acquisition of a 25% investment in Future Generali India Insurance, bringing its total ownership in the company to 74 percent.
- After the Indian government agreed to boost the FDI quota in the industry to 74 percent in the 2021 Budget, Ageas Insurance International and Generali are among the few insurers looking to increase their interest in their Indian insurance joint venture to 74%.
Due to a high increase in Covid-related mortality claims, Ageas Federal generated a net profit of Rs 94 crore in FY22, compared to Rs 119 crore in FY21, a 21% decline.
IPL Time table 2022: Playoffs Format and Timetable
IPL Time table 2022
IPL 2022 started on 26 March. According to IPL timetable 2022, the first match was between Chennai super kings vs Kolkata knight riders. People are excited for IPL 2022, and the much-awaited playoffs will be played on 24th May 2022 and the final will be on 29th May 2022. Rank 1, 2, 3, and 4, teams are yet to be confirmed. Gujarat Titans as played 13 matches and won 10 out of 13 scorings 20 points. They have scored the highest points in IPL making them the first team to enter the playoff directly. Mumbai Indians have played 12 matches and won 3 out of 12. They have gained 6 points leading them towards elimination. There are still many matches left and the teams for playoffs are yet to be confirmed. We have discussed the format of the playoffs and the timetable for the IPL playoff 2022 in this article.
Updates on playoffs 2022:
After Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants also qualified for playoffs with a net run rate of +0.251 and 18 points in IPL 2022. Mumbai Indians were the first team to be eliminated from IPL 2022 with 6 points and now Kolkata knight riders, Punjab kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Chennai super kings have been eliminated from IPL 2022. Kolkata knight riders scored 12, Punjab kings scored 12, Sunrisers Hyderabad score 12, Chennai super kings scored 8 in IPL 2022 and all these teams are eliminated from playoff 2022. There are still three teams, from which Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore have high chances of getting qualified for the playoffs 2022.
Rajasthan Royals qualify for the playoffs for 2022
Rajasthan Royals have qualified for the IPL playoffs 2022. Rajasthan Royals becomes the third team to quality playoffs 2022, after Gujarat Titans and Lucknow super Giants. Rajasthan Royals wins the IPL Twenty20 playoffs by 5 wickets over Chennai super kings. Rajasthan Royals will face Gujarat Titans in the qualifier 1 for the finals. Rajasthan Royals have played 14 matches till now and won 9 out of 14 matches scoring 18 points in IPL 2022. The performance of Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants has been equally commendable.
IPL 2022: Playoffs Format
- Out of 10 teams playing in the IPL only four teams will qualify for the playoffs. Rank1, Rank2, Rank3, and Rank4
- Rank 1 and rank 2 teams will be directly qualified for the qualifier 1. The teams in ranks 1 and 2 are directly benefited from the playoffs.
Qualifier 1- Rank 1 vs Rank 2
- Rank 3 and 4th teams will qualify for eliminator in the playoffs.
Eliminator- Rank 3 vs Rank 4
- In the qualifier 1, rank 1and rank 2 teams will play and the winner will directly qualify for the finals and the loser will be given a chance to play the qualifier 2.
Qualifier 1: Winner- Finals, Loser- Eliminator
- In the eliminator round rank 3 and rank 4 will play and the winner will play in the qualifier 2 with the loser of qualifier 1 and the loser of the eliminator will be eliminated from the game.
Eliminator: Winner- Qualifier 2, Loser- Eliminated
- In Qualifier 2, the loser of qualifier 1 and the winner of the eliminator will play. The winner of the Qualifier 2 will play the finals with the winner of qualifier 1 and the loser will be eliminated.
Qualifier 2- Loser of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Eliminator; Winner- Finals, Loser- Eliminated
- The finals will be played between the winner of qualifier 1 and the winner of qualifier 2.
- Finals- Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2
IPL time table 2022: Playoffs
- Qualifier 1 will be played in Eden Gardens on 24th May 2022.
- Eliminator will be played in Eden Garden on 25th May 2022
- Qualifier 2 will be played in Ahmedabad on 27th May 2022.
- Final match of IPL will be played in Ahmedabad on 29th May 2022.
FAQs Related to IPL 2022
Q1. How many games are there in IPL?
Ans. In IPL 2022, BCCI has announced to schedule 70 league matches and 4 playoff games will be played in 65 days.
Q2. What are the IPL 2022 playoffs?
Ans. IPL 2022, the playoff will be played from the 24th to 27th of May 2022 and the final match will be on the 29th of May 2022. The playoff will start with qualifier 1 on the 24th of May 2022 in Eden gardens.
Q3. Will the net run rate play a role in the IPL player of 2022?
Ans. All the teams have played half of the IPL matches and there is an important role in the net run rate. The net run rates will decide the teams for playoffs 2022 in IPL.
Gandhi Peace Prize- About, Winners and Jury Members
Gandhi Peace Prize
Gandhi peace prize was named after Mahatma Gandhi and it is awarded annually by the government of India. The international Gandhi peace prize was launched in 1995 on the 125th birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi as a tribute. The Gandhi peace prize is awarded to groups, organizations, institutes, or individuals for their contribution to the society towards economic growth, social growth, and political transformation through non-violence and Gandhian methods. The word consists of 1 crore rupee cash which is convertible in any currency in the world, a plaque, and a citation. It is an international award therefore it is open to all regardless of gender race and nationality.
The first recipient of the international Gandhi peace prize was Julius Nyerere in the year 1995. He was a Tanzanian politician who served as the leader of Tanzania and Tanganyika from 1960 to 1985. In the most recent times, the discipline of the international Gandhi peace prize was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the year 2020. He belongs from Bangladesh and was awarded the international Gandhi peace prize for his contribution toward social, economic, and political transformation through nonviolence.
Gandhi Peace Prize: Winners
| Year | Awardees of Gandhi Peace Prize |
| 1995 | Dr.Julius K.Nyerere, former President of Tanzania |
| 1996 | Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne, Founder and President of
Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, Sri Lanka |
| 1997 | Dr. Gerhard Fischer of Germany |
| 1998 | Ramakrishna Mission (India) |
| 1999 | Baba Amte (Murlidhar Devidas Amte) (India) |
| 2000 | Dr. Nelson Mandela and Grameen Bank of
Bangladesh (Jointly) |
| 2001 | Dr. John Hume, Ireland |
| 2002 | Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan |
| 2003 | Mr. Vaclav Havel, former President of
Czechoslovakia |
| 2004 | Coretta Scott King |
| 2005 | Archbishop Desmond Tutu, South Africa |
| 2006-2012 | *Award withheld |
| 2013 | Chandi Prasad Bhatt |
| 2014 | ISRO |
| 2015 | Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari |
| 2016 | Akshaya Patra Foundation and Sulabh International [Jointly] |
| 2017 | EkalAbhiyan Trust |
| 2018 | Shri Yohei Sasakawa |
| 2019 | Qaboos bin Said Al Said |
| 2020 | Sheikh Mujibur Rahman |
Gandhi Peace Prize: Jury Members
The jury of the Gandhi peace prize comprises the prime minister of India, the chief justice of India, the leader of the single largest opposition party in Lok Sabha, and two eminent members who decide the awardee. The term of the jury is 3 years. The prime minister of India, the chief justice of India, and the leader of the single largest position party in Lok Sabha are the permanent members of the jury, while the eminent members retire and reappointment is also applicable. The Prime minister of India is the head of the jury of the Gandhi peace prize. If the PM is not available the remaining members of the jury decide on the preceding officer when needed. The majority of the jury is needed to decide the award for Gandhi peace. No protest can be made against the jury’s decision once the decision is final.
Gandhi peace prize award winner in 2020
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the winner of the Gandhi peace prize 2020. He was the President of Bangladesh and he was also the second prime minister of Bangladesh. He was considered to be The pioneer of Bangladesh’s independence. He was the father of the present prime minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina. He was famous for his 6 movements in favor of the disbandment of Pakistan province. The 6 plan was also titled ‘our charter of survival’. In 2020, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was declared the Gandhi peace prize awarded to celebrate his 100th birth anniversary. His contribution to Bangladesh is bringing stability to the nation inspiring, the liberation of Bangladesh, and laying the foundation for the close relations between India and Bangladesh.
FAQs on Gandhi Peace prize
1. Who won the Gandhi peace prize in 2020?
Ans. Mujibur Rahman was awarded the Gandhi peace prize in 2020 by the government of India. He was awarded for his contribution to the independence of Bangladesh.
2. What is the international Gandhi peace award?
Ans. The international Gandhi peace award is an annual prize given by the Government of India to individuals or institutes for their contribution to the society in economic, social, and political growth through nonviolence and Gandhian methods.
3. Why was the Gandhi peace prize launched in 1995?
Ans. Gandhi peace prize was launched in 1995 by the government of India to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
4. Who is the chairman of the jury of the Gandhi peace prize?
Ans. The chairman of the Gandhi peace prize is the prime minister of India Sh Narendra Modi. The jury of the Gandhi peace prize consists of the prime minister of India, the chief justice of India, and the leader of the single largest opposition party in Lok Sabha as the permanent members.
Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Investigation, Culprits and Order of SC
Rajiv Gandhi Assassination
On 21st May 1991, former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in Tamil Nadu at a poll rally by a woman suicide bomber identified as Dhanu. 14 others including Rajiv Gandhi were killed according to the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination investigation. Rajiv Gandhi was campaigning for the upcoming elections with G.K Moonpanar in India’s Southern states. On 21st may after the campaigning in Visakhapatnam he stopped in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. He planned to stop along by a few other election camps in Sriperumbudur in a white ambassador car. He reached the campaign rally in Sriperumbudur and left his car and walked towards the Dias where he was about to deliver a speech.
Many good wishes Indian National Congress, came to wish Rajiv Gandhi and facilitated him with garlands of flowers. Along with these good wishes the Assassin Dhanu, who was identified as Thenmozhi Rajaratnam as per the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination investigation, approached Rajiv Gandhi and greeted him. She touched his feet and bent down and planted an RDX explosive Laden belt tucked below her dress at 10:10 p.m. Along with Rajiv Gandhi, his Assassin Dhanu and 14 others were killed in the explosion, and 43 others were severely injured. The films and photographs of the assassination were caught on the camera of a local photographer Haribabu who was also found dead in the explosion.
Assassins of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination
- Murugan Alias Sriharan- A LTTE operative from Sri Lanka
- Nallini- Citizen of India and Wife of Murugan.
- Santhan Alias T. Suthenthiraja- A citizen of Sri Lanka
- Robert Pious- A citizen of Sri Lanka
- Jayakumar- The brother-in-law of Robert Pious
- Ravi Chandran- A citizen of Sri Lanka
- A.G. Perarivalan- A citizen of India, who was arrested for the supply of a 9-volt battery for the explosive device.
Why was Rajiv Gandhi assassinated?
According to the judgment of the supreme court of India, the assassination was committed due to the personal animosity of the LTTE chief Prabhakaran towards Rajiv Gandhi. The bitterness of Prabhakaran towards Rajiv Gandhi rose more from Rajiv Gandhi sending the Indian peacekeeping force to Sri Lanka and alleged Indian peacekeeping force atrocities against Sri Lankan Tamils. The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi has not been considered a terrorist act under the TADA act as the pieces of evidence and the assassinator’s plan suggested that they did not desire the death of any Indian citizens other than Rajiv Gandhi.
Supreme court orders to release A.G. Perarivalan
- The supreme court has ordered to release of A.G. Perarivalan with the use of article 142 of the constitution. A.G. Perarivalan is one of the assassinators of the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. A.G. Perarivalan was prisoned for 32 years and he spend 29 years of his 32 years in prison in solitary confinement. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014.
- In 2015 A.G. Perarivalan submitted a mercy petition to the Government of Tamilnadu seeking the release under article 161.
- In August 2017 the Tamilnadu Government granted parole to Perarivalan.
- In May 2021 perodieval was out on parole and the government kept extending the parole.
- In March 2022 the supreme court granted bail to Perarivalan and on May 11th, 2022 the supreme court concluded the hearing of the case.
FAQs on Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination
1. Who is behind Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination?
Ans. The chief of LTTE Prabhakaran was the main culprit in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. He planned the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi due to the rising bitterness between him and Rajiv Gandhi.
2. Why Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated?
Ans. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated because of the rising tension between LTTE chief Prabhakaran and Rajiv Gandhi. Rajiv Gandhi sent Indian peacekeeping forces to Sri Lanka and they were against Sri Lankan Tamil which became the start of bitterness between Prabhakaran and Rajiv Gandhi.
3. Who tried to hit Rajiv Gandhi?
Ans. Vijitha Rohana Wijemuni was jailed for attacking Rajiv Gandhi with a rifle butt.
World Metrology Day 2022: Annually observed 20th May
World Metrology Day(WMD) is annually observed across the globe on 20th May to create awareness about the Metrology, the science of measurement and its application. The day highlights the use of Metrology in scientific fields, innovation, industries, trading and other fields. The day is an annual celebration of the singing of the Metre Convention on 20th May 1875.
What is the theme of World Metrology Day 2022?
The theme for World Metrology Day 2022 is Metrology in the Digital Era. This theme was chosen because digital technology is revolutionizing our community, and is one of the most exciting trends in society today.
History of the day:
World Metrology Day is an annual celebration of the signature of the Metre Convention on 20 May 1875 by representatives of seventeen nations. The Convention set the framework for global collaboration in the science of measurement and in its industrial, commercial and societal applications. The original aim of the Metre Convention – the worldwide uniformity of measurement – remains as important today as it was in 1875.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- International Organization of Legal Metrology Headquarters: Paris, France.
- International Organization of Legal Metrology Founded: 1955.
A franchise in UAE based T20 League bought by Adani Group
Adani Sportsline, a division of the diverse Adani Group, has created history by gaining the rights to own and manage a franchise in the UAE’s top T20 competition. The UAE T20 League, which is licenced by the Emirates Cricket Board, is an annual event that will include six franchise teams participating in a 34-match tournament. The line-ups of various teams are likely to include top players from all cricket-playing countries. The league would provide future young cricketers a platform and exposure.
Key Points:
- It will be Adani Sportsline’s first significant international step, connecting and engaging with cricket fans from around the world.
- The Adani Group, which includes port management, electric power production and transmission, renewable energy, mining, airport operations, natural gas, food processing, and infrastructure, promotes Adani Sportsline.
- With operations in 70 sites in 50 countries and a market capitalization of over $222 billion, the company generates yearly revenues of over $20 billion.
Important Takeaways for All Competitive Exams:
- Adani Group Founder: Gautam Adani
UN projects India to grow 6.4% in 2022
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) in its ‘World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) Mid-year Update 2022’ report has declined India’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth projections from 6.7% to 6.4% for 2022-23. For 2023-24, 6% GDP growth is forecasted for India as against 6.1%. In 2021, India’s economy grew at 8.8%. The growth outlook for South Asia is also downgraded by 0.4 percentage points to 5.5% in 2022.
About the report:
- The report said that the outlook in South Asia has deteriorated in recent months, against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and higher commodity prices and potential negative spillover effects from monetary tightening in the United States.
- In its World Economic Situation and Prospects report as of mid-2022, the UN’s department of economic and social affairs said global inflation is projected to increase to 6.7% in 2022, twice the average of 2.9% during 2010–2020, with sharp rises in food and energy prices.
Statue of Unity- ‘Loha’ Campaign and Milestones
Statue of Unity
Statue of Unity is dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who was a role model of unity and statesmanship. The Statue of Unity is the tallest in the world and is located in Gujarat. The statue faces the Sardar Sarovar dam and stands on the Isle of Sadhu Bet in the river Narmada in district Rajpipla in Gujarat. The statue is naturally decorated by Vindhyachal and Satpura mountain ranges in the background. The statue aims to inspire a generation with Sardar vallabhbhai’s vision of unity, patriotism, and growth of good governance. The statue was inaugurated on 31st October 2018 by prime minister Narendra Modi. The Statue of Unity is a tribute to the iron man of India and it is 182 m high. The task of construction of the Statue of Unity was under Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust which was created by the chief minister of Gujarat.
Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta trust has executed the project and undertaken all the activities wish were related to the statue of Unity through Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited. SVPRET is a powerful governing body that is headed by the chief minister of Gujarat and executive committee members who take care of various project-related decisions. SVPRET appointed project management consulted with Turner project management India private limited, Meinhardt India private limited, and Michael Grace and association Inc. These project management consultants has been involved in developing some of the world’s tallest structures including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
The Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam limited has built one of the tallest concrete gravity dams in the world and an irrigation system that is one of the top irrigation systems in the world. The noted sculpture Ram V Sutar who is a Padma Bhushan awardee and had created over 40 monumental structures over the past 40 years was designated as the chief sculpture of the Statue of Unity.
Statue of Unity: ‘Loha’ Campaign
With this, the countrywide campaign of Loha campaign was conducted during the years 2013 and 2014. The Loha campaign covered several villages across the country where the farmers donated their tools and soil samples as a voluntary contribution to the iconic project of the statue of Unity. A total number of 1,69,078 used tools and soil samples were collected during the campaign. Loha campaign is one of the largest social mobilization drives in the world which collected 134.25 metric tons of irons from the villages across the nation. The soil collected from the various part of the country was used to make the “wall of Unity”. The iron was converted into bars weighing 109.17 metric tons and was used for the construction of the statue of Unity. The construction of the statue of Unity utilized approximately 70,000 metric tons of cement, 18,500 metric tons of reinforcement bars, and 6,000 metric tons of structural Steel. The surface area is about 2,200 square meters which are made of around 1,700 metric tonnes of bronze.
Milestones of the Statue of Unity
- 2012-13
- Potential bidders meeting in Delhi on 28 May 2013
- Governor of Gujarat launches the website by HE on 28 October 2013.
- On October 31st, 2013 the ground-breaking ceremony of the Statue of Unity was held.
- Foundation investigation of Sadhu bet on 1st November 2013.
- ‘Loha’ campaign started on 28 December 2013.
- On 21st August 2012 the contract with PMC Turner project management and JV was signed.
- 2014
- The insurance work order to LNT was held on 27 October 2014
- Ground-breaking ceremony of Shreshtha Bharat Bhavan on 31st October 2014.
- Feature consultation of the statue at karamsad on December 27, 2014.
- 2015
- The Statue of Unity was showcased at the vibrant Gujarat summit 2015 on 5th January 2015.
- Consultation workshop at Bardoli on 2nd May 2015.
- Consultation workshop at Ahmedabad on 26th May 2015.
- Photo consultation at Noida on 21st July 2015.
- A replica of the Statue of Unity was installed at Swarnim park, Gandhinagar on 31st October 2015.
- 2016
- Review of the statue of Unity project by prime minister Narendra Modi on 17th June 2016.
- Ground-breaking ceremony of memorial and visit a center on 29 September 2016.
- Oath of Unity at Swarnim Park, Gandhinagar on 31st October 2016.
- 2017
- Archival book launch on 4th January 2017
- Showcase in the statue of Unity at vibrant 2017
- Launch of coffee table book in May 2017
- Visit of prime minister Narendra Modi on 17 September 2017
- Construction stage of the statue of Unity continued on 31st December 2017.
- 2018
- The inauguration of the Statue of Unity on 31st October 2018.
- Prime minister met the project team and consultant and engineers on 31st October 2018
FAQs related to Statue of Unity
1. What are the timings of the Statue of Unity in India?
Ans. The Statue of Unity is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. To visit the statue of Unity you can book your tickets from the official website and buy them directly.
2. What is the meaning of the Statue of Unity?
Ans. The Statue of Unity is a statue of Indian statesman and independence activist Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who was the first deputy prime minister of independent India. The statue is located in Gujarat, India.
3. Why is the statue of Unity the world’s tallest monument?
Ans. The Statue of Unity is the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who was known as when the nucleus of India’s integration as a United country. It is the tallest monument in the world with a height of 182 meters.
4. Who is the Statue of Unity in India?
Ans. The Statue of Unity is the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who was the first deputy prime minister of independent India.
NatGeo installed World’s Highest Weather Station on Mt. Everest
National Geographic Society has installed the “world’s highest weather station” on Mount Everest at an altitude of 8,830 metres to automatically measure various meteorological phenomena. Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) said the automatic weather station was installed a few metres below the summit point last week as the snow and ice on the summit are not suitable for fixing equipment.
The weather monitoring system, powered by solar energy, is supposed to measure various meteorological phenomena like air temperature, wind speed and direction, air pressure, change in surface height of snow, and incoming and outgoing short and longwave radiation.
Key points:
- The NatGeo team, led by climate scientist Baker Perry from the Appalachian State University in the US, consisted of climbers and scientists, many of whom scaled the world’s highest peak while installing the weather station.
- The team spent a month near Everest and also carried out the maintenance of other stations, including a station at South Col, The Himalayan Times reported.
- The DHM and National Geographic signed a memorandum of understanding to operate all five automatic weather stations installed by NatGeo to provide near real-time information regarding mountain conditions.
- Under the MoU, the National Geographic team will fully operate the stations till 2025 before transferring the technology to the Nepal government in 2026, the report said.
- According to Chinese media reports, Beijing has eight stations set up from 5,200 metres to 8,800 metres on Mount Everest, with four stations exceeding 7,000 metres at 7,028 metres, 7,790 metres, 8,300 metres, and 8,800 metres.
In GIFT City, New Development Bank opened a regional office
The New Development Bank (NDB), the Brics countries’ multilateral bank based in Shanghai, will open its first regional office in India at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) to address the country’s infrastructural and sustainable development needs. The India office will concentrate on extending its presence in the country by developing, implementing, and monitoring new projects.
KEY POINTS:
- NDB’s existing regional offices will be supplemented by the new India office. Its Africa Regional Center (ARC) opened in Johannesburg in 2017, the Americas Regional Office (ARO) in So Paulo with a sub-office in Brasil in 2019, and the Eurasian Regional Centre (ERC) in Moscow in 2020.
- The NDB was founded in July 2015 by the Brics countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Since then, Bangladesh, the UAE, Egypt, and Uruguay have joined the bank.
- The NDB has authorised 21 Indian projects totaling $7.1 billion in investment.
- The bank is interested in projects in transportation, water and sanitation, sustainable energy, digital infrastructure, social infrastructure, and urban development.
- Sitharaman remarked during the meeting that India’s economic growth in the current fiscal year has been strong, with an estimate of 8.9%, the highest among the large economies.
Important Takeaways For All Competitive Exams:
- New Development Bank (NDB) President: Marcos Troyjo
SC allows companies to export iron ore in Karnataka Mining case
The Supreme Court of India allowed mining companies to export iron ore extracted from mines in the Karnataka districts of Ballari, Chitradurga, and Tumakuru. A bench consisting of Chief Justice N V Ramana, Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli took note of the Central government’s position and withdrew the export ban on iron ore, while instructing the companies to adhere to the authorities’ restrictions.
KEY POINTS:
- The highest court barred iron ore exports from Karnataka in 2012, with the goal of preventing environmental degradation and ensuring that the state’s mineral resources be maintained for future generations as part of the notion of inter-generational equality.
- The order was issued in response to mining companies’ requests to lift previous restrictions on the sale and export of iron ore, which had been imposed due to widespread violations.
- Taking into account all of the factors, the SC leaned toward favouring the applicants’ request and granting them permission to sell the already excavated iron ore stockpile at various mines and stockyards in the districts of Bellary, Tumkur, and Chitradurga in the state of Karnataka without resorting to the e-auction process.
Important Takeaways For All Competitive Exams:
- The Chief Justice Of India: Hon’ble Mr. Justice N.V. Ramana
Nikhat Zareen wins gold at Women’s World Boxing Championships
Nikhat Zareen gave a dazzling performance to beat Thai Olympian Jutamas Jitpong 5-0 and become the fifth Indian woman to win a World title at the Women’s World Championships, Istanbul. Nikhat thus becomes only the fifth Indian women’s boxer after Mary Kom, Sarita Devi, Jenny RL and Lekha KC to win a gold at the World Championships. The 25-year-old Zareen is a former junior youth world champion.
The 25-year-old Indian took full advantage of her long reach and maintained her dominance against the Thai boxer, whom she had beaten in the 2019 Thailand Open semi-final—the only meeting between the two, enroute her silver medal finish.
India receives highest-ever FDI inflow of $83.57 bn in FY22
The central government announced that India has recorded the highest ever annual FDI inflow of $83.57 billion during FY22. In 2020-21, the inflow stood at $81.97 billion. India is rapidly emerging as a preferred country for foreign investments in the manufacturing sector. FDI equity inflow in manufacturing sectors has increased by 76 per cent in 2021-22 ($21.34 billion) compared to 2020-21 ($12.09 billion).
Key points:
- In terms of top investor countries, Singapore is at the top with 27 per cent, followed by the US (18 per cent) and Mauritius (16 per cent) during the last fiscal. Among sectors, computer software and hardware attracted maximum inflows. The services sector and automobile industry followed it.
- To further liberalise and simplify FDI policy to provide ease of doing business and attract investments, reforms have been undertaken recently across sectors like coal mining, contract manufacturing, digital media, single-brand retail trading, civil aviation, defence, insurance and telecom.
Phonepe to buy wealth management platforms Wealthdesk
PhonePe, an Indian payments business backed by Walmart Inc., is acquiring two wealth management firms for $75 million in total. WealthDesk will cost roughly $50 million, while OpenQ will cost nearly $25 million, including debt, according to people familiar with the situation who asked not to be identified because the facts are confidential. Customers may invest in equities and exchange traded funds through WealthDesk, which was formed in 2016 and is based in Mumbai, India’s financial hub. OpenQ also provides trading baskets and investing analytics to consumers and institutional customers.
The acquisitions will help PhonePe, which is majority owned by Walmart-backed Flipkart, expand its offerings in a lucrative payments market where tech giants such as Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Amazon.com Inc., and SoftBank Group Corp.-backed SoftBank Group Corp.-backed SoftBank Group Corp.-backed SoftBank Group Corp.-backed SoftBank Group has backed the Paytm totally.
Key Points:
- Amazon made its first investment in India’s wealth management sector, investing $40 million in fintech company Smallcase Technologies Pvt. Google has teamed up with Indian banks to offer online consumer loans.
- PhonePe, managed by Sameer Nigam and started in 2015, was partially split out from Flipkart in 2020. Walmart directly owns around 10% of PhonePe, while the e-commerce behemoth owns roughly 87 percent.
- Mathew Cyriac, who was formerly one of Blackstone Inc.’s top dealmakers in India, has sold his shares in WealthDesk.
- Florintree Advisors’ founder, Cyriac, made a personal investment in the firm in June of last year.
Genius Energy wins Amazon Smbhav Entrepreneurship Challenge 2022
An innovator from Rajasthan who has developed the technology of saving energy in boilers by recycling steam, Subhash Ola has won the 1st prize for the Amazon Smbhav Entrepreneurship Challenge 2022 and his enterprise “Geniusenergy Critical Innovation Private Limited” has won the Start-up of the Year award.
The technology was first developed to make khoya and other milk products, and the portfolio of applications was later extended to textile, milk and food, pharma, plywood, paper mills, leather industry, chemical industry, hot water boiler generator, plastic recycle, laundry, hospitals and so on.
Geniusenergy Critical Innovation, a start-up recognized by Govt. of India, was incubated by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF), an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India. It serves clientele in a variety of industries for their energy needs, helps them reduce cost, and at the same time protects the environment.
Shri Ola was one amongst, close to 2000 entrepreneurs of our country contesting for this Start-up of the Year award, representing 240 cities across the length and breadth of the country and all major sectors be it Healthcare, Fintech, E-commerce, Blockchain, EdTech, Consumer Products, Emerging Tech (AI, ML, etc.) and others.
Five year plans of India: All you Need to Know
Five Year Plans of India
Five-Year Plans (FYPs) are national economic programmes that are controlled and integrated. In 1928, Joseph Stalin implemented the Soviet Union’s first Five-Year Plan. Most communist countries and a few capitalist ones have since adopted them. Under the socialist influence of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, India established its First FYP in 1951, shortly after independence.
The Indian economy was built on planning from 1947 to 2017. The Planning Commission, which lasted from 1951 to 2014 and the NITI Aayog from 2015 to 2017, established, implemented, and oversaw the Five-Year Plans. The commission has a nominated deputy chairman who holds the position of cabinet minister, with the prime minister serving as ex-officio chairman. The last deputy chairman of the commission is Montek Singh Ahluwalia. In March of 2017, the Twelfth Plan came to an end.
List of all Five Year Plans of India
No more formal economic plans are being prepared since the Planning Commission was disbanded, although Five-Year Defense Plans are still being developed. The most recent period would have been 2017–2022. There is no Thirteenth Five-Year Plan, though. Following is the list of all 12 five year plans of India:
First Five Year Plan [1951 – 1956]
Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, presented the First Five-Year Plan to the Indian Parliament, which required immediate attention. In 1951, the first five-year plan was developed, focusing primarily on the development of the primary sector. The Harrod–Domar model was modified slightly for the First Five-Year Plan.
Second Five Year Plan [1956 – 1961]
The Second Plan prioritised public sector development and “rapid industrialization.” The design was based on the Mahalanobis model, which was created in 1953 by Indian statistician Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis. In order to maximise long-run economic growth, the strategy aimed to find the optimal allocation of investment amongst productive sectors. It made use of cutting-edge operations research and optimization techniques, as well as unique applications of statistical models created by the Indian Statistical Institute.
Third Five Year Plan [1961 – 1966]
The Third Five-Year Plan emphasised agricultural and wheat production, but the brief Sino-Indian War of 1962 exposed economic deficiencies and transferred attention to the defence industry and the Indian Army. India and Pakistan fought a war in 1965–1966. In 1965, there was also a severe drought. Inflation arose as a result of the conflict, and the focus turned to price stability. Dam work was still going on. There were also numerous cement and fertiliser facilities erected. Punjab started generating a lot of wheat.
Fourth Five Year Plan [1969 – 1974]
The Fourth Five-Year Plan set the goal of reversing the previous trend of increasing wealth and economic power concentration. It was based on the Gadgil formula, which emphasised steady growth and progress toward self-sufficiency. Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister at the time.
Fifth Five Year Plan [1974 – 1978]
Employment, poverty reduction (Garibi Hatao), and justice were all highlighted in the Fifth Five-Year Plan. The plan also emphasised self-sufficiency in agriculture and defence. The concept was rejected by the newly elected Morarji Desai administration in 1978. In 1975, the Electricity Supply Act was changed, allowing the federal government to enter the electricity producing and transmission business.
Sixth Five Year Plan [1980 – 1985]
The start of economic liberalisation was highlighted by the Sixth Five-Year Plan. Ration shops were closed and price limits were removed. Food prices and the cost of living both increased as a result of this. Nehruvian socialism came to an end at this point. The Shivaraman Committee recommended that the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development be founded for rural development on July 12, 1982. In order to avoid overpopulation, family planning was also expanded.
Seventh Five Year Plan [1985 – 1990]
The Congress Party led the Seventh Five-Year Plan, with Rajiv Gandhi as Prime Minister. The plan emphasised increasing industry productivity through technological advancements. The Seventh Five-Year Plan’s key goals were to establish growth in areas such as boosting economic productivity, producing food grains, and creating jobs through social justice.
Eight Five Year Plan [1992 – 1997]
Because of the economic volatility in India in 1989–91, no Five-Year Plan was adopted. There were just Annual Plans between 1990 and 1992. In 1991, India’s foreign exchange (forex) reserves were depleted, leaving the country with only roughly $1 billion in reserves. As a result of the pressure, the country risked changing the socialist economy. P.V. Narasimha Rao was India’s ninth prime minister and the leader of the Congress Party. He oversaw one of the most important administrations in the country’s modern history, supervising a massive economic transition as well as several national security incidents. At the period, Dr. Manmohan Singh (later Prime Minister of India) began India’s free market reforms, which helped the country recover from near-bankruptcy. In India, it was the start of LPG (liberalisation, privatisation, and globalisation).
Ninth Five Year Plan [1997 – 2002]
After 50 years of independence, the Ninth Five-Year Plan was implemented. During the Ninth Plan, India’s Prime Minister was Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The Ninth Plan aimed to foster economic and social growth by utilising the country’s latent and untapped economic potential. It provided substantial support to the country’s social spheres in order to accomplish comprehensive poverty eradication. The states’ ability to move forward on the path of faster development was also assured by the successful implementation of the Eighth Five-Year Plan. The governmental and private sectors worked together in the Ninth Five-Year Plan to ensure the country’s economic progress.
Tenth Five Year Plan [2002 – 2007]
The Tenth Five-Year Plan’s key goals were: Attain annual GDP growth of 8%, a 5% reduction in poverty by 2007, and meaningful and high-quality employment for at least the additions to the labour force. By 2007, there will be a 50% reduction in gender disparities in literacy and salary rates. A 20-point programme was implemented. Growth target: 8.1 percent — growth achieved: 7.7%, To reduce regional inequities, the Tenth Plan was planned to use a regional rather than a sectoral strategy, For the tenth five years, the government will spend Rs 43,825 crore (US$5.8 billion), etc.
Eleven Five Year Plan [2007 – 2012]
During Manmohan Singh’s tenure as Prime Minister, the Eleventh Five-Year Plan’s key goals were achieved. Its goal was to increase the number of 18–23 year olds enrolled in higher education by 2011–12. It focused on distance education, the convergence of formal, non-formal, distant, and IT education institutions, rapid and inclusive growth (poverty reduction), emphasis on the social sector and service delivery therein, empowerment through education and skill development, gender inequality reduction, environmental sustainability, and increasing the growth rates in agriculture, industry, and services to 4%, 10%, and 9%, respectively.
Twelfth Five Year Plan [2012 – 2017]
The Government of India’s Twelfth Five-Year Plan was set to reach a growth rate of 9%, but the National Development Council (NDC) accepted an 8% growth rate for the Twelfth Plan on December 27, 2012. The Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, has stated that achieving an average growth rate of 9% in the next five years is not achievable due to the deteriorating global scenario. With the plan’s approval at the National Development Council meeting in New Delhi, the final growth target has been set at 8%.
Five year plans in India: Goals and Achievements
The smooth operation of an economy depends heavily on planning. The Planning Commission was established by the government in 1950 to draught, develop, and implement India’s five-year plans. Economic Growth, Economic Equity and Social Justice, Full Employment, Economic Self-Reliance, and Modernisation were the goals of these five-year programmes.
FAQs
Ques. Which five year plan is going on in 2022?
Ans. No more formal economic plans are being prepared since the Planning Commission was disbanded in 2014, although Five-Year Defense Plans are still being developed. The most recent period would have been 2017–2022. There is no Thirteenth Five-Year Plan, though.
Ques. What was the main focus of five year plan?
Ans. The Planning Commission was established by the government in 1950 to draught, develop, and implement India’s five-year plans. Economic Growth, Economic Equity and Social Justice, Full Employment, Economic Self-Reliance, and Modernisation were the goals of these five-year programmes.
Ques. What is the 13th Five Year Plan of India?
Ans. There is no thirteenth five year plan. Since the Planning Commission was disbanded in 2014, no formal economic plans have been established, while Five-Year Defense Plans are still being developed. The most current time frame would be 2017–2022. However, there is no Thirteenth Five-Year Plan.
Ques. How many 5 year plans were there?
Ans. India had 12 five-year programmes in total. The Narendra Modi-led NDA administration abolished the Five-Year Plans in 2015. As a result, India’s 12th five-year plan is regarded its final five-year plan.
Padhe Bharat Campaign- About the Campaign and Activities
Padhe Bharat Campaign
On 1st January 2022, Union Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launched a 100-day reading campaign called ‘Padhe Bharat’. It is aligned with the National Education Policy 2020 or NEP 2020. This program emphasizes and encourages reading culture for people of every age group. It encourages students to read books in local, regional, tribal, and mother tongue languages. It aims to improve the learning level of students and creativity, critical thinking, vocabulary, and the ability to express themselves both verbally and in writing.
The union Education minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan says that “Reading books is a healthy habit and a wonderful way to develop cognitive, language, and social skills. Inspired by PM Narendra Modi’s call to citizens to read books regularly, I am committed to cultivating a lifetime habit of book reading.”
About Padhe Bharat Campaign
- While launching the Padhe Bharat Campaign, the union Education minister has underlined the importance of reading children need to develop to ensure lifelong learning.
- According to the Union education minister the habit of reading in children must be inculcated at an early age to health them develop their brains and enhance imagination.
- Emphasis that reading is the foundation of learning and it will motivate the students to develop critical thinking, creativity, vocabulary, and the ability to express themselves.
- He said five books that he began to read and encouraged others to adopt the habit of reading books and share it with others.
- Padhe Bharat campaign will focus mostly on children studying in Bal Vatika to grade 8.
- The campaign is organized for 100 days which starts from 1st January 2022 to 10th April 2022.
- The campaign urges all the children, teachers, parents, community, and educational administrators, on national and state levels to participate in this campaign.
- The campaign has decided to organize one activity per week per group to focus on reading enjoyable.
- The campaign will focus on books that are in the mother tongue, local, and regional languages.
- 100 days reading campaign encourages and supports students along with the school, parents, teachers, and communities to enjoy reading and read to learn joyfully.
Activities organized under the Padhe Bharat campaign.
- One activity per group per week has been created by the officials of 100 days campaign. It aims to encourage people to read more enjoyable and create a lifelong habit of reading.
- The ministry has created comprehensive guidelines and an appropriate weekly calendar of activities. All the activities will be held at the state and national levels including in union territories.
- The reading campaign is aligned with the goal of “basic literacy and numerical mission”.
- The campaign encourages the students and the children to read books that are written in their mother tongue language or local language. This day will be celebrated as an activity named “Padho Kahani Apni Bhasha Mein”.
FAQs on the Padhe Bharat Campaign
1. What is ‘Padhe Bharat’?
Ans. Padhe Bharat campaign was launched by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Education Minister of India. It is a hundred days reading campaign organized by the government of India to encourage the citizens to make reading a habit and read enjoyable.
2. What is Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’s ‘Padhe Bharat bade Bharat’?
Ans. It is the nationwide sub-program to Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan ‘Padhe Bharat bade Bharat’. It is to improve language development by creating and enjoying interest in reading and writing comprehension and encourages the creation of a natural and positive interest in mathematics related to the physical and social world.
3. What is the significance of the Padhe Bharat campaign?
Ans. Padhe Bharat’s campaign encourages the students to read more enjoyable and to inculcate a habit of reading in children.
