DAILY GK: 17, 18 FEB 2022

  DAILY GK: 17, 18 FEB 2022

1.       UDHAMPUR-SRINAGAR-BARAMULLA RAIL LINK PROJECT: LONGEST TUNNEL T-49 CONNECTED

·         The main tunnel T-49 between Sumber and Arpinchala station of the Katra-Banihal Section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link(USBRL) Project, the longest tunnel of the Indian Railway has been connected. 

·         T49 is a tunnel of length 12.758 kilometres (km) long has become the longest tunnel surpassing the Peer Panjal Tunnel of 11.2 km length constructed by USBRL on the Banihal-Qazigund section.

·         Jammu-Udhampur-Katra-Quazigund-Baramulla Railway line is the biggest project in the construction of a mountain railway since independence.

·         The USBRL Project planned for 345 km aims to provide an alternative and a reliable transportation system to Jammu & Kashmir.

·         The project is divided into 3 sections Udhampur -Katra; Katra- Qazigund; and Qazigund -Baramulla

 

2.       DELOITTE’S 2022 CXO SUSTAINABILITY REPORT: INDIAN BUSINESSES RANK 5TH

·         As per the ‘Deloitte’s 2022 CxO Sustainability Report: The Disconnect Between Ambition and Impact’ Indian businesses acknowledge the risks of climate inaction and ranks 5th amongst 21 countries in their concern for climate change.

·         The report is based on a survey of 2,083 C-level executives.

 

3.       NAVARS EDUTECH LAUNCHES 100 SATELLITE CONSTELLATIONS IN COLLABORATION WITH SKYROOT AEROSPACE

·         Navars Edutech Pvt Ltd, a hyderabad-based space startup in collaboration with Skyroot Aerospace will launch 100 student-developed satellites constellations in the next 5 years.

·         After the partnership, Navars Edutech will be India’s first Space Education startup for K12 students to design and launch satellites to space, using an indigenously developed private launch vehicle of Skyroot Aerospace.

·         The students will develop the intended satellite constellations for astronomical observations.
Navars will lead this exciting EdTech transformation for the first time in the country at the school level.

·         Navars Edutech is a leading Astronomy & Space education company with a primary focus to drive awareness and education through engagement and innovation by offering real-life experience through live content, software tools, hardware kits, and experiences among K12 students.

 

4.       SCHEME KUNSNYOMS FOR THE WELFARE OF DIFFERENTLY-ABLED PERSONS

·         The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, a society in transition, has launched the Kunsnyoms scheme.

·         This scheme aims to provide assistive devices and technologies for differently-abled persons at a 90% subsidised rate.

·         Kunsnyoms, meant Equal for All, Fair for All, aims inclusive and accessible Ladakh.

·         To work efficiently towards empowering left out sections of the society by providing the required technologies and modern-day devices

·         The LAHDC has provided 28 tri scooters,  battery-run wheelchair, walking aids and hearing aids which are required for special needs of the individuals.

 

5.       MINISTRY OF EDUCATION APPROVED  “NILP” A NEW SCHEME OF ADULT EDUCATION 

·         The Ministry of Education (MoE) approved a new scheme “New India Literacy Programme (NILP) which is also known as Nav Bharat Literacy Program” for upcoming 5 years of (FY 2022-27) to cover all the aspects of adult education to align with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. 

·         The total estimation of NILP is Rs.1037.90 crore, in which the Central government and State government share Rs 700 crore and Rs 337.90 crore respectively.

·         MoE replaced the term “Adult Education” with “Education for All” 

·         Objective of scheme

1.       Critical life skills

2.       Vocational skills development

3.       Basic education

4.       Continuing education

·         The scheme is implemented to registered volunteers and accessed through online mode.

·         The physical and financial progress of States/UT’s viewed through the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) portal.

 

6.       PHONEPE AND NITI AAYOG PARTNERS TO LAUNCH FINTECH OPEN HACKATHON

·         PhonePe partnered with National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, to host the first-ever open-to-all hackathon that aims to showcase path-breaking solutions for the fintech ecosystem.

·         The Hackathon will provide an opportunity for innovators, digital creators and developers from all over India to think, ideate and code.

 

7.       MOA&FW ESTIMATES FOODGRAINS PRODUCTION OF OVER 316.06 MT FOR 2021-22 

·         In the Second Advance Estimates of production of major crops for the year 2021-22 released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAF&W), India’s estimated foodgrains production is 316.06 million tonnes.

·         It is higher by 5.32 million tonnes than the production of foodgrains during 2020-21.

·         The production during 2021-22 is also higher by 25.35 million tonnes than the previous five years (2016-17 to 2020-21) average production of foodgrains.

·         The estimates show the foodgrains output in 2021-22 is expected to be 6 million tonnes (MT) which is nearly 2% more than the overall production of 310 MT in previous year. 

·         Rice- the total production of Rice during 2021-22 is estimated at record 127.93 million tonnes. Wheat- 111.32 million tonnes.Nutri / Coarse Cereals–49.86 million tonnes .Pulses- 26.96 million tonnes .Oilseeds- 37.15 million tonnes .Sugarcane- 414.04 million tonnes.Cotton- 34.06 million bales (each of 170 kg) .Jute- 9.57 million bales (each of 180 kg).

 

8.       RBI EMERGES 2ND LARGEST BUYER OF GOLD IN 2021

·         According to Goldhub, an official website of the World Gold Council that maintains all the data regarding precious metal, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has emerged as the 2nd largest buyer of Gold among the world’s Central Banks in 2021.RBI bought 77.5 metric tonnes in 2021.

·         As per Goldhub, India’s official gold reserves is the 9th largest in the world. 

·         At the end of December 2021, RBI gold reserves stood at 754.1 tonnes, which amounts to 6.22 per cent of India’s forex reserves. As per RBI data, India’s total reserves at the end of December 31, 2021 stood at $633.61 billion, including gold reserves worth $39.405 billion.

·         Among the world banks, the Central Bank of Thailand is the largest buyer in 2021 that bought 90 metric tonnes of gold, Hungary bought 63 tonnes, tripling its gold reserves.

·         Goldhub is the official website of World Gold Council that maintains all the data regarding precious metal(Gold).

 

9.       IBA’S 17TH ANNUAL BANKING TECHNOLOGY AWARDS 2021

·         The South Indian Bank (SIB), headquartered in Thrissur, Kerala, has won 6 awards at the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA)’s 17th Annual Banking Technology Awards 2021. The 6 awards for South Indian banks include the ‘Best Technology Bank of the Year 2021’ under the “small bank” segment. 

·         The IBA Awards 2021 celebrate “Next-Gen Banking” and recognise the technologies and practices in the banking industry that have demonstrated a high degree of innovation over 2021. 

 

10.    G ASHOK KUMAR APPOINTED AS INDIA’S 1ST NATIONAL MARITIME SECURITY COORDINATOR

·         The government of India has appointed Vice Admiral (retd) G Ashok Kumar, the former Navy vice chief, as India’s first National Maritime Security Coordinator (NMSC) in the National Security Council Secretariat. The proposal for the creation of this post was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security in 2021. 

·         This is a part of India’s efforts to enhance maritime security following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack (2008). 

·         The NMSC is mandated to ensure cohesion among the key stakeholders with the objective of strengthening India’s maritime security. 

·         The NMSC will work in coordination with the National Security Council Secretariat and report to National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Kumar Doval

·         The NMSC will coordinate among the Indian Navy, the Coast Guard, security agencies involved in coastal and maritime security and 13 coastal states and Union Territories(UTs). 

·         The coastline of India stretches around 7500 kilometres(km) covering 9 states, 2 UTs and 2 island territories.

·         National Security Council(NSC):NSC is an executive government agency tasked with advising the Prime Minister’s Office(PMO) on matters of national security and strategic interest.

·         National Security Advisor– Ajit Kumar Doval