DAILY GK: 16 , 17 JAN 2022

 DAILY GK: 16 , 17 JAN 2022

1.     INDIA STATE OF FOREST REPORT 2021

·         Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav released the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021, the biennial report of the Forest Survey of India (FSI) which showed that the forest and tree cover in India has risen by 2,261 square Kilometers (sq km) in 2 years (compared to 2019).

·         The total rise of 2,261 square Kilometers (sq km) includes an increase of 1,540 sq km of forest cover and 721 sq km of tree cover compared to the 2019 report.

·         Andhra Pradesh has grown the maximum forest cover of 647 sq km.

·         India’s total forest and tree cover is now spread across 80.9 million hectares, which is 24.62 percent of India’s geographical area.

·         Total mangrove cover in the country is 4,992 sq km with an increase of 17 sq Km as compared to the previous 2019 report.

·         The total carbon stock in India’s forest is estimated to be 7,204 million tonnes with an increase of 79.4 million tonnes in the carbon stock of India as compared to the 2019.

 

2.     ‘ OPERATION MISSION AMANAT FOR RAILWAY PASSENGERS TO TRACK & GET BACK LOST LUGGAGE

·         The Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Western Railway will help in getting back the lost luggage. It will ensure more  safety and security of luggage and belongings of the passengers.

·         Under the Operation Mission Amanat, the details of lost luggage and belongings along with photos are posted on the official website of the western railway.

·         Western Railway headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

3.     GLOBAL RISKS REPORT 2022

·         World Economic Forum (WEF) released the report titled “The Global Risks Report 2022: 17th Edition”

·         The 2022 report draws on the views of the 12,000 country-level leaders who  identified critical short-term risks to their 124 countries gathered by the WEF’s Executive Opinion Survey(EOS), conducted between May and September 2021.

·         The report states that Widespread Youth disillusionment and digital inequality are among the top 5 risks for India.

·         Fracture of interstate relations; Debt crises in large economies; and Failure of technology governance are the other 3 risks for India.

·         WEF Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland.

 

4.     INDIA’S FIRST CRYPTO BACKED FUTURES ETF LAUNCHED

·         The Torus Kling Blockchain IFSC, an equal joint venture between Cosmea Financial Holdings and Kling Trading India signed a MoU with India INX to launch the first Bitcoin and Ethereum Futures exchange traded funds (ETFs) in India.

·         These funds will become India’s first crypto backed futures outside of the United States (US).

·         Under the agreement, Torus Kling Blockchain IFSC also launched  Metaverse US-listed large-cap discount certificates.

·         It will be the first Asian discount certificates tracking metaverse large-cap stocks in the US and Europe markets.

·         Torus Kling Blockchain will work as a liquidity provider to India INX. While India INX will work as a trading platform and Cosmea Financial Holdings will work as the distributor.

·         In India, the SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) banned crypto-based funds to be Introduced in the Indian market.

·         India INX is the international component of BSE Limited (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange). It started operating on 16 January 2017 and it is India’s first international exchange set up at GIFT city (Gandhinagar, Gujarat).

·         India International Exchange (IFSC) Limited (India INX)  is  India’s first international exchange in the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC).

 

5.     UN-DESA REPORT LOWERED GLOBAL ECONOMIC GROWTH

·         The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) released World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2022 report was released which has lowered the global economic growth projections to 4% in 2022 and 3.5% in 2023 due to new waves of coronavirus infections, persistent labor market challenges, lingering supply chain issues, and rising inflationary pressures.

·         Global trade in goods and services are forecasted at 5.7% in 2022 after an expansion of 11% in 2021.

·         The world economy grew at 5.5% due to consumer spending, some increase in investments and trade in goods which surpassed levels before the COVID-19 pandemic.

·         India’s Growth of world output and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is projected 6.7% in 2022 and 6.1% in 2023 as compared to 9% in 2021.

 

6.     UK LAUNCHES FREE TRADE AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS WITH INDIA

·         The government of the United Kingdom (UK) launched free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with India. This negotiation was described as a “golden opportunity” to put British businesses at the “front of the queue” of the Indian economy.

·         Under the negotiations,  the UK wants an agreement to remove barriers and to cut tariffs on exports of British-made cars and Scotch whisky.

·         The India-UK FTA  drafted in the UK will create benefits for both countries. It boosts bilateral trade by up to GBP 28 billion a year by 2035 and increases wages by up to GBP 3 billion across the UK.

 

7.     RAKESH ANAND APPOINTED CHEF DE MISSION FOR CWG & BHUPENDER SINGH BAJWA FOR ASIAN GAMES 2022

·         The CWG 2022 games will be organized in Birmingham, United Kingdom (UK) in 2022 and Asian Games 2022 will be organized in Hangzhou, China

·         The Chef de Mission leaders help in ensuring the responsibility  of athletes and the coaching staff so that they can perfume best.

 

8.     12TH BHARAT RATNA DR AMBEDKAR AWARD 2022

·         Hindi actress Harshaali Malhotra has been honoured with the 12th Bharat Ratna Dr Ambedkar Award 2022 for her performance as Munni, a mute girl from Pakistan, in the 2015 film Bajrangi Bhaijaan starring Salman Khan.

·         Managing Director of Kedia Securities Dr. Vijay Kedia also received the Bharat Ratna Dr Ambedkar Awards 2022.

 

9.     SOUTH AFRICA LAUNCHES FIRST SATELLITE INDIGENOUS CONSTELLATION MDASAT

·         South Africa launched the indigenously developed  first Maritime Domain Awareness Satellite (MDASat) constellation from Cape Canaveral in the United States (US) as part of SpaceXs Transporter-3 mission.

·         The Maritime Domain Awareness Satellite (MDASat) constellation consists of three nanosatellites and is funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) of the country.

·         The Transporter-3 mission is the third rideshare mission of SpaceXs. It  carries a total of 105 spacecraft for various organisations and countries such as CubeSats, microsats, Pocket Qubes and orbital transfer vehicles.

 

10.  6TH ARMED FORCES VETERANS DAY - JANUARY 14,

·         On January 14, 2022, the 6th Armed Forces Veterans Day was observed to recognize the sacrifice of our veterans in serving the nation.

·         It was called Armistice Day when initiated in 2017.

·         The day honors the services rendered by Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa OBE, the first Indian Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Indian Armed Forces.

·         In 2021, Swarnim Vijay Varsh was celebrated throughout the year to honor veterans who fought and won the 1971 Kargil war.