Daily Current Affairs 21.04.2022
Important News: World
Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Hadi steps down under Saudi pressure
Why in News
- Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, President of Yemen stepped down under pressure from Saudi Arabia and is now under de-facto house arrest.
Key Points
- Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi stepped down after 7 years of war in the country and handed over his power to the newly created presidential council, which consists of 8 political leaders.
- The council's formation was announced following inter-Yemeni consultations in Saudi Arabia's capital of Riyadh, where the Saudi leadership called on the council to initiate talks with the Houthis to establish peace in Yemen, which had been torn by violent conflict for years.
Facts about Yemen:
- Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in Western Asia, on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula.
- Capital: Sana'a
- Currency: Yemeni rial
Source: Business Standard
Important News: India
PM Modi inaugurates Global AYUSH Investment & Innovation Summit in Gujarat
Why in News
- The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated the Global AYUSH Investment & Innovation Summit on 20th April, 2022 at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
- The Prime Minister of Mauritius Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO) were present on the occasion.
Key Points
- The Summit will help uncover investment potential, and give a fillip to innovation, research & development, start-up ecosystem, and the wellness industry.
- Prime Minister Modi also digitally launched Ayush Export Promotion Council on this occasion.
- He also launched IT initiatives like Ayush Information Hub, Ayush next, Ayusoft etc.
- He also announced to create a new category for Indian VISA- Ayush VISA, so that foreigners can avail the benefit of Indian expertise in Ayush sector.
- India is also going to make a special AYUSH Mark. This Mark will be applied to the highest quality AYUSH products made in India.
- FSSAI has also announced a new category named ‘AYUSH Aahar’ in its regulations last week.
Note:
- The AYUSH sector was less than $3 billion in 2014, which has now crossed $ 18 billion.
- Two MoUs have been also signed by Ministry of Defence with Ministry of AYUSH, one for starting Ayurveda Centres at 37 Cantonment Hospitals and another for starting Ayurveda Centres at 12 Military Hospitals of Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS).
Source: newsonair
Central Government amends Nidhi Rules, 2014
Why in News
- The Ministry of Company Affairs said that the Central Government has amended Nidhi Rules, 2014 to safeguard the interest of general public.
Key Points
- Under the Companies Act, 1956, a Nidhi or Mutual Benefit Society meant a company which the Central Government declared as Nidhi or Mutual Benefit Society by notification in the official gazette.
- Under the Companies Act, 2013, initially there was no need for a company to get declaration from Central Government to function as a Nidhi Company.
- Such companies were required to only incorporate as a Nidhi and meet requirements under sub-rule (1) of rule 5 of Nidhi Rules viz., minimum membership of 200, Net Owned Fund of Rs. 10 lakh, NOF to deposit ratio of 1:20 and keeping 10% unencumbered deposits in schedule commercial banks or post offices within one year of commencement of Nidhi Rules, 2014.
- After the amendment in the Companies Act, 2013 w.e.f. 15.08.2019 and resultant amendments in Nidhi Rules, 2014 w.e.f. 15.08.2019, companies incorporated as Nidhis were required to apply to the Central Government in Form NDH-4 for declaration within 14 months of incorporation, if they were incorporated after the commencement of the Nidhi (Amendment) Rules w.e.f. 15.08.2019 and within 09 months of commencement of the Nidhi (Amendment) Rules w.e.f. 15.08.2019, if they were incorporated as Nidhis after 2014 but prior to 15.08.2019.
Note:
- Under the Companies Act, 1956, about 390 companies were declared as Nidhi companies only.
- During 2014-2019, more than ten thousand companies get incorporated.
Source: PIB
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967
Why in News
- A commander and associate member of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, Sheikh Sajad has been notified as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967.
Key Points
- The Ministry of Home Affairs in a notification said, Sheikh Sajad has been actively radicalizing, motivating and recruiting youth of Jammu and Kashmir to support terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba and has been involved in terror funding.
About Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967:
- It is an Indian law aimed at prevention of unlawful activities associations in India.
- Its main objective was to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India.
- The most recent amendment of the law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 2019 (UAPA 2019) has made it possible for the Union Government to designate individuals as terrorists without a due process of law.
- UAPA is also known as the Anti-terror law.
Source: newsonair
Important News: Defence
Sixth scorpene submarine ‘INS Vagsheer’ launched in Mumbai
Why in News
- Yard 11880, the sixth and last submarine ‘INS Vagsheer’ of the Indian Navy’s Kalvari class submarines of Project 75 has been launched at the Kanhoji Angre Wet Basin of Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL).
Key Points
- The first of the Project - 75 submarines was commissioned into the Navy in December 2017 and presently four submarines (INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi and INS Karang, and INS Vela) of this Project are in commission in the Indian Navy.
- The fifth submarine ‘INS Vagir’ is progressing with the Sea Trials and is likely to be delivered this year.
- The sixth submarine will now commence setting to work of various equipment and their harbour trials.
- The submarines are being manufactured at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in collaboration with Naval Group, France.
Source: HT
Defence Secretary inaugurates National Level Pollution Response Exercise ‘NATPOLREX-VIII’
Why in News
- Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar inaugurated the 8thedition of two-day (April 19-20, 2022) National Level Pollution Response Exercise, ‘NATPOLREX-VIII’, conducted by Indian Coast Guard (ICG) off Mormugao harbour, Goa.
Key Points
- The event was attended by more than 85 participants from 50 agencies, including 29 observers from 22 friendly foreign countries & International Organisations and two Coast Guard ships from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
- The objective of NATPOLREX-VIII is to enhance the preparedness and response capability of all the stakeholders in combating marine spills.
- It aims at validating the procedures and guidelines as contained in the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP) at the national and regional levels under the aegis of SACEP MoU to which India is a member state.
- Today, the Indian Coast Guard is capable of handling the highest level of oil spills in this region, which is 700 tonnes and above.
Note: Besides NATPOLREX, ICG is concurrently conducting a capacity building professional training course in Marine Oil Response and Preparedness for 45 international participants from 18 countries including member states from Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) at Chennai from April 18-29, 2022.
Source: India Today
Important News: Environment & Ecology
Scientists discover new eel species from Kerala, Bengal
Why in News
- A group of Indian scientists have discovered a new species of eel from among specimens collected from the Kalamukku and Digha Mohana fishing harbours in Kerala and West Bengal respectively.
Key Points
- The newly discovered eel belongs to the Congrid eels group and has been named Ariosoma indicum.
- Scientists from the Indian Council of Agriculture Research-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBFGR), Lucknow and the Estuarine Biology Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Gopalpur-on-Sea, Odisha, confirmed Ariosoma indicum as a new species.
- The total length of the new species is 362 millimetres.
- The Ariosoma genus has 7 species, including the newly identified eel that have been documented in Indian waters. Globally, there are 223 species in the genus.
Note: The new eel species is not listed as ‘Threatened’ or ‘Endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List.
Source: DTE
Important News: Important Days
April 21, National Civil Services Day
Why in News
- The National Civil Services Dayis observed on April 21 every year and is dedicated to India's civil servants for their contribution and hard work in public administration.
Key Points
- The theme for Civil Services Day 2022 is “Vision India@2047 – Bringing Citizens and Government closer”.
- The first National Civil Service Day was observed in the year 2006.
- The Government of India chose April 21 as the National Civil Service Day as on this day the country's first home minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel addressed the newly appointed Administrative Services Officers in 1947.
- The historic occasion took place at the Metcalfe House in Delhi.
- Sardar Patel had referred to the civil servants as the ''steel frame of India''.
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