Daily Current Affairs 21 February 2022 | WBCS, WBPSC, WBP

By Soumyadip Mandal|Updated : February 21st, 2022

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Table of Content

Daily Current Affairs: 21:02:2022

Important News: International

Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and UAE

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  • (CEPA) between India and UAE will create a minimum 10 lakh jobs for youth of the country informed by the Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal.
  • the agreement aimed to help in making India self-reliant, and will also provide job opportunities to the youth of the country.
  • through this agreement both the countries will do trade worth 7.5 lakh crore rupees for a period of next five years
  • 90 per cent products exported from India will have zero duty in UAE.
  • The products include readymade garments, pharmaceutical products, agriculture products, food processing products, footwear, leather, sports and engineering goods, gems and jewellery and all those products which come from labour-oriented sector etc.

Source AIR

Important News: India

Aroma Mission or Purple Revolution

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  • ‘Lavender Cultivation’ under CSIR-IIIM’s Aroma Mission to be started in Ramban as a part of Purple Revolution.
  • The favorable climatic and geographic conditions exist in Doda and Ramban, Lavender cultivation can be started Ramban to increase income sources for the youth of the district.
  • Lavender cultivation under Ministry of Science and Technology’s AROMA mission will help in providing means of livelihood to budding farmers and agri-entrepreneurs and give a boost to Start-Up India campaign and promoting a spirit of entrepreneurship in the region.
  • This decision is taken in order to develop difficult areas as development is essential for inclusive and regionally balanced development.

About Ramban

  • Ramban is a district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, located in the lap of the Pir Panjal range.
  • It is one the three districts of Chenab Valley, as it was carved out as a district from erstwhile Doda district in 2007.
  • The town is located midway between Jammu and Srinagar along the Chenab River in Chenab Valley on National Highway-44, (originally National Highway 1A (India)) approximately 151 km from Jammu and Srinagar.

Aroma Mission, also popularly referred as "Lavender or Purple Revolution"

  • It has started from J&K and transformed the lives of farmers who are able to grow lavender, make lucrative profit and improve their lives.

Objective

  • To promote the cultivation of aromatic crops for essential oils that are in great demand by the aroma industry.
  • To enable Indian farmers and the aroma industry to become global leaders in the production and export of some other essential oils on the pattern of menthol mint.
  • Aromatic Plants include lavender, damask rose, mushk bala, etc.

Source: PIB

Capacity Development Scheme to extend until March 2022

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  • The Union Government has approved the continuation of the Capacity Development (CD) Scheme till 31st of March 2026.
  • An outlay approved for continuation of the Scheme during 15th Finance Commission cycle is 3 thousand 179 crore rupees by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation

What is capacity Development scheme?

  • The Capacity Development Scheme is an Ongoing Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry with an overall objective to augment infrastructural, technical as well as manpower resources for enabling availability of credible and timely official statistics.
  • The Scheme encompasses all statistical and data management activities of the Ministry and plays a crucial role in generation and maintenance of official statistical system of the country.
  • The large-scale sample surveys undertaken by the Ministry cover important aspects of the economy and provide data inputs for policy framing of the Government.

Vigyan Sarvatra Pujyate

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  • A week-long commemoration titled Vigyan Sarvatra Pujyate is being held from February 22 to 28 simultaneously in 75 locations across India.

Key Highlights

  • The programmes have been grouped under four themes.
  • First theme: ‘from the annals of the history of S&T’. 

This section traces the contributions of founders of modern science and institutions of national importance to nation-building. It will be done in the form of the screening of 75 films on 75 scientists, and 75 lectures by eminent scientists and technocrats across the 75 locations.

  • Second theme, ‘Milestones of Modern S&T’,

It will highlight critical discoveries, innovations, or inventions that made a mark in the global science or India’s development story.

  • Third theme, ‘Swadeshi Paramparik Inventions and Innovations’

It will showcase 75 inventions or technologies that made India self-standing and helped in achieving the goal of self-reliance by drawing upon the reservoir of traditional knowledge systems, such as drugs from herbs.

  • Fourth theme, `transforming India’

It will look at the road ahead for the next 25 years of Indian S&T. It would include talks by 75 eminent scientists & technocrats from within India and the diaspora on their ideas for Indian S&T as it marches towards the centenary year of India’s independence.

  • The programme will be held in various Indian languages, including Kashmiri, Dogri, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telegu, Odiya, Bengali, Assamese, Nepali, Maithili, and Manipur and will include the screening of 75 films.
  • National Science Day, celebrated on February 28 every year since 1987 in remembrance of Nobel Laureate Sir C.V. Raman’s path-breaking discovery of the Raman Effect in 1930.

Source: PIB

Coke Oven Plant, KIOCL

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  • Foundation stone laid by Shri Ram Chandra Prasad, Union Minister of Steel for Coke Oven Plant Kudremuckh Iron Ore Co. Ltd (KIOCL), Panambur Mangalore.
  • The proposed project is for Setting up of 2.0 LTPA Ductile Iron Spun Pipe Plant under forward & 1.80 LTPA Coke Oven Plant under backward integration projects at Blast Furnace Unit.
  • It is in sync with the national steel policy and govt. set a target of producing 300 million tonnes of crude steel in India by the year 2030.
  • A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally pig iron, but also others such as lead or copper.
  • Blast refers to the combustion air being "forced" or supplied above atmospheric pressure.

Highlights of National Steel Policy

  • National Steel Policy enshrines the long-term vision of the government to give impetus to the steel sector. 
  • The policy envisages to create a technologically advanced and globally competitive steel industry that promotes self-sufficiency in steel production as well as economic growth.
  • Steel being a de-regulated sector, government acts a facilitator, by creating enabling environment for development of steel sector.

Source: PIB

Important News: Festivals

48th Khajuraho Dance Festival organised

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  • The 48th Khajuraho Dance Festival commenced from 21st Feb 2022 in Madhya Pradesh, the week-long festival will be held till February 26th.
  • Governor of Madhya Pradesh Mangubhai Patel inaugurated the festival at Khajuraho.
  • The festival is being organized on the theme of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. 
  • Renowned artists from across the country and the world are performing at the festival, such as Kathak performance by the disciples of late Pandit Birju Maharaj etc. 

About the festival

  • This festival highlights the richness of the Indian classical dance styles such as Kathak, Bharathanatyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, and Kathakali with performances of some of the best exponents in the field.
  • Modern Indian dance has been added recently.
  • The dances are performed in an open-air auditorium, usually in front of the Chitragupta Temple dedicated to Surya (the Sun God) and the Vishvanatha Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, belonging to the western group.

Source: AIR

Medaram Jatara celebrated

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  • The biggest tribal fair “Medaram Jatara” celebrated with traditional fervour and zeal.
  • The 4-day festival named after a village Medaram village in Mulugu district of Telangana.
  • Shri G Kishan Reddy, the Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of the NorthEastern Region (DoNER) attended the Sammakka-Saralamma Medaram Jatara.
  • The minister, as per tradition, offered jaggery which is popularly also known as ‘Bangaram’ (Gold), equal to his weight.

About the festival

  • As per the age-old ritual, the tribal priests performed special pujas at Chilakalagutta forest and the Medaram village.
  • The devotees huddled around the road worshipping the tribal deities and walked barefoot to offer jaggery to the goddesses.
  • As a part of Swadesh Darshan scheme, the Ministry of Tourism undertook projects to develop the Tribal Circuit of Mulugu, Laknavaram, Medavaram, Tadvai, Damaravi, Mallur and Bogatha waterfalls and constructed a guest house in Medaram.
  • The Government of India sanctioned approximately 80 crores for the Tribal Circuit in Telangana and this included the construction of tourist amenities centre, amphitheatre, public convenience facilities, cottages, tented accommodation, gazebos, seating Benches, solid waste management infrastructure, solar lights, landscaping and drinking water fountains in Medaram.
  • As per the 2011 census, the tribal population of the country is 10.43 crore, constituting 8.6% of the total population. 89.97% of them live in rural areas and 10.03% in urban areas.
  • Note: 705 tribal communities constitute approximately 10% of our population.

What is Swadesh Darshan Scheme?

  • Swadesh Darshan Scheme is a Central Sector scheme launched in 2014-15 by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture for the integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits.
  • It aims to promote, develop, and harness the potential of tourism in India.
  • Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, the Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance – CFA to State Governments, Union Territory Administrations for the infrastructure development of circuits.
  • It is envisioned to synergise with other schemes like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Skill India, Make in India etc. with the idea of positioning the tourism sector as a major engine for job creation, the driving force for economic growth, building synergy with various sectors to enable tourism to realize its potential.

Source: PIB

Important News: Important Days

International Mother Language Day: 21st Feb

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  • As part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav in India, the International Mother Language Day is observed.
  • To mark the day, the Ministry of Culture is organizing a two-day programme in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts IGNCA and UNESCO New Delhi Cluster Office in physical and virtual format.

Key highlights

  • Vande Bharatam’ soundtrack release by MoS Culture Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi.
  • Inaugural Address by Shri Prasoon Joshi, Renowned Writer, Poet and Lyricist.
  • Launch of book ‘Tribal and Indigenous Languages of India’ written by Prof. Ramesh C Gaur, Dean IGNCA.
  • ‘Grammy winner Ricky Kej and tabla maestro Bikram Ghosh Live concert.

About the day

  • International Mother Language Day is observed worldwide on 21st February every year to promote
  • awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and
  • multilingualism
  • The Day is part of a broader initiative to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by people of the world.
  • The idea to celebrate International Mother Language Day first came from Bangladesh.
  • The general conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decided to celebrate February 21 as International Mother Language Day in 2000.
  • Every year a unique theme is chosen by UNESCO to celebrate this special day.
  • The theme of 2022 is: “Using technology for multilingual learning: Challenges and opportunities”, it focuses on potential role of technology to advance multilingual education and support the development of quality teaching and learning for all.

Source: PIB

Important News: Awards and Honours

“Most Dependable Public Sector in India” award

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  • Coal India Limited (CIL) has been conferred with “Most Dependable Public Sector in India” award.
  • The award was conferred by the Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Kolkatta in “Energy Meet &Excellence Awards function.
  • Shri Pralhad Joshi is the Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs.

About CIL

  • Coal India Limited (CIL) the state-owned coal mining corporate came founded in in November 1975.
  • CIL is an Indian government-owned coal mining and refining corporation.
  • Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal
  • Ownership: Ministry of Coal, Government of India

Important facts

  • It is the single largest coal producer in the world and one of the largest corporate employers with manpower of 2,59,016 (as of 1st April 2021).
  • It is a Maharatna public sector undertaking.
  • It is also the fifth largest employer in India with nearly 272,000 employees.

What is Maharatna Status?

  • “Maharatna” status is granted to a company which has recorded more than Rs. 5,000 crore of net profit for 3 consecutive years, an average annual turnover of Rs. 25,000 crore for 3 years or should have an average annual net worth of Rs. 15,000 crore for 3 years.
  • And a PSU with Navratna Status must be listed on an Indian stock exchange.

Source: PIB 

Important News: Defense

Indian Naval Fleet, the twelfth Fleet Review

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  • President Ram Nath Kovind to review the Naval Naval Fleet comprising over 60 ships and submarines and 55 aircraft in Vishakhapatnam.
  • President is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
  • This is the twelfth Fleet Review and has a special significance that it is being conducted on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of India's Independence being celebrated as Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav across the Nation. 

Key Highlights

  • The President would be reviewing the Indian Naval Air Arm in a display of spectacular fly-past by several helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. In the final stage of the review, a mobile column of warships and submarines will steam past the Presidential Yacht.
  • This display would showcase the latest acquisitions of the Indian Navy.
  • Several enthralling waterfront activities, including Parade of Sails, Search and Rescue Demonstration at Sea, Aerobatics by Hawk aircraft and Water Para Jumps by the elite Marine Commandos MARCOS to be conducted.

Key facts

  • The President’s Yacht is an indigenously built Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel, INS Sumitra, which will lead the Presidential Column.
  • The yacht will be distinguished by the Ashoka Emblem on its side and will fly the President’s Standard on the Mast.
  • After a Ceremonial Guard of Honour and a 21 Gun Salute, the President embarked on the Presidential Yacht INS Sumitra would sail through 44 ships lined up at anchorage off Visakhapatnam.

Source: AIR

Important News: Sports

Indian Ranked 1 in Men's ICC T20

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  • India have become the number one team in the Men's ICC T20 International team rankings for the first time in six years after its 3-0 series win over West Indies in Kolkata on 20th Feb 2022.
  • India surpassed England which had 269 rating points to take the top spot.
  • It previously held the reigns over the Format under Mahendra Singh Dhoni's leadership from 12th February to 3rd May in 2016.
  • Rohit Sharma has become the second captain to take India to the number one position.

India to host 2023 IOC session in Mumbai

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  • India won the right to host the 2023 IOC session in Mumbai.
  • This will be the second time India hosts an IOC session, having done so in 1983 in New Delhi.
  • India won the bid unopposed at the 139th IOC session that was held in Beijing, China, on the sidelines of the Winter Olympics.
  • Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, IOC member Nita Ambani, IOA president Narinder Batra and sports minister Anurag Thakur presented India’s proposal for the hosting rights at this year’s IOC Session.

Source: AIR

 

Daily Current Affairs: 21:02:2022 pdf

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