Daily Current Affairs 2 February 2022 | WBCS, WBPSC, WBP

Daily Current Affairs: 2:02:2022

 Important News: India

1. UGC releases draft National Higher Educational Qualification Framework

Why in News

• The University Grants Commission (UGC) has developed a draft National Higher Educational Qualification Framework (NHEQF), which is part of a set of reforms that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 envisages.

Key Points

• From job readiness to constitutional values, theoretical knowledge to technical skills, higher education institutes across the country will soon be brought under a new framework to assess students on a range of learning outcomes.
• In the draft, the UGC has clarified that the framework is not intended to promote a uniform curriculum or national common syllabus.
• The purpose is to bring up/elevate all HEIs to a common level of benchmarking to ensure that all institutions are providing quality education.

About University Grants Commission (UGC):

• UGC is a statutory body set up by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India in accordance with the UGC Act 1956.
• Founded: 1956
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Source: Indian Express

2. Global Center of Excellence in Affordable and Clean Energy (GCoE-ACE) at IIT Dharwad

Why in News

• A virtual function was held to mark the launch of the Global Center of Excellence in Affordable and Clean Energy (GCoE-ACE) at the Indian Institute of Technology, Dharwad (IITDh), Karnataka in the presence of, Prof. K. VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India.

Key Points

• The center is supported by the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) donation from Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation (HHSIF).
• The first phase of the CSR project with HHSIF is to establish equipment for the GCoE-ACE mainly as skill development, fabrication, and R&D equipment.
• The subsequent phases are envisaged to encourage innovation and to provide incubation support for the solutions to the grass-root problem statements in the affordable and clean-energy domain.
• This also dovetails with the Government’s goal of meeting 50% of the country’s energy requirement from renewables by 2030. 
• The center will work towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goal - 7 on Affordable and Clean Energy.

Source: PIB

Important News: Economy

3. Union Budget 2022-23

Why in News

• The Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Union Budget 2022-23 in Parliament on 1^stFebruary, 2022.

Key Points

• Entering Amrit Kaal, the 25 year long lead up to India @100, the budget provides impetus for growth along four priorities:
• PM GatiShakti
• Inclusive Development
• Productivity Enhancement & Investment, Sunrise opportunities, Energy Transition, and Climate Action
• Financing of investments

Highlights of Union Budget 2022-23:

• India’s economic growth is estimated at 9.2 percent, the highest among all large economies.
• Outlay for Capital expenditure in the Union Budget hiked by 35.4 percent.
• Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) extended up to March 2023. The guarantee cover will be expanded by 50,000 crore rupees.
• Additional credit of 2 lakh crore rupees for MSME to be provided under Credit Guarantee Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises.
• Productivity Linked Incentive in 14 sectors for achieving the vision of AtmaNirbhar Bharat will be strengthened.
• Use of ‘Kisan Drones’ to be promoted for crop assessment, digitization of land records, spraying of insecticides and nutrients.
• Implementation of the Ken-Betwa Link Project at an estimated cost of 44,605 crore rupees to be taken up.
• Four hundred new-generation Vande Bharat Trains to be developed over the next three years.
• One Station-One product concept to be popularized to help local businesses and supply chains.
• One hundred PM GatiShakti Cargo Terminals for multimodal logistics facilities to be developed during the next three years.
• PM GatiShakti Master Plan for Expressways to be formulated in 2022-23 to facilitate faster movement of people and goods.
• National Highway network to be expanded by 25 thousand kilometres in 2022-23.
• Allocation of 60,000 crore rupees made for Har-Ghar, Nal-Se-Jal to cover 3.8 crore households in 2022-23.
• 80 lakh houses to be completed in 2022-23 under PM AwasYojana, both rural and urban.
• A new Vibrant Villages Programme to be launched to cover border villages with sparse population, limited connectivity and less infrastructure.
• Two lakh Aangawadis to be upgraded under the Saksham Anganwadi Mission.
• A new scheme-Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North-East, PM-DevINE to be implemented through North-Eastern Council.
• One class-one TV channel’ programme of PM eVIDYA to be expanded from 12 to 200 TV channels.
• A Digital University to be established to provide access to students across the country for world-class quality universal education.
• Government to set up 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) in 75 districts of the country by Scheduled Commercial Banks.
• 100 percent of post offices to be brought under core-banking system.
• Digital Rupee, using blockchain and other technologies to be issued by RBI from 2022-23.
• E-Passports using embedded chips and futuristic technology to be rolled out in 2022-23.
• Auction of spectrum for rollout of 5G mobile services to be taken up in 2022.
• Additional 19,500 crore rupees allotted under PLI scheme to give a fillip to domestic manufacturing in solar power.
• Revised Fiscal Deficit during current year is estimated at 6.9 percent.
• Alternate Minimum Tax for cooperative societies reduced from 18.5 to 15 percent.
• Outlay for the ‘Scheme for Financial Assistance to States for Capital Investment’ is being enhanced from 10,000 crore in the Budget Estimates to 15,000 crore rupees.
• Virtual digital assets to be taxed at the rate of 30 percent.
• Surcharge on long term capital gains arising on transfer of any type of assets to be capped at 15 percent.

Source: PIB

Important News: State

4. India's first Geo Park to come up in Madhya Pradesh

Why in News

• The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has approved the setting up of the country's first Geo Park at Lamheta village on the banks of the Narmada River in Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh.

Key Points

• The estimated cost of this project is ₹ 35 crore.
• A Geo Park is a unified area that advances the protection and use of geological heritage in a sustainable way and promotes the economic well-being of the people who live there.
• This site is already there in the UNESCO geo-heritage tentative list for the conservation of the natural heritage.
• William Henry Sleeman had discovered Dinosaur fossils from this area in 1928.

Source: TOI

5. Punjab Chief Electoral Officer unveils poll mascot ‘Shera’

Why in News

• Ahead of Punjab Assembly elections 2022, the office of Punjab Chief Electoral Officer unveiled its poll mascot ‘Shera’ depicting a lion.

Key Points

• The election mascot represents the rich cultural heritage of Punjab.
• Promoted under the Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) project, the mascot aims to increase voter awareness and participation in the elections to increase voter turnout and promote ethical voting.

Source: Indian Express

Important News: Sports

6. P R Sreejesh wins World Games Athlete of the Year 2021 Award

Why in News

• Veteran Indian Hockey goalkeeper P R Sreejesh has won the prestigious World Games Athlete of the Year 2021 for his performances, becoming only the second Indian to receive the accolade.

Key Points

• P R Sreejesh was the only Indian nominated and was recommended by the International Hockey Federation.
• Sreejesh is a former captain of the Indian men's hockey team and a member of the bronze medal winning team at the Tokyo Olympics.
• In the FIH Stars Awards in October 2021, Sreejesh was named the goalkeeper of the year for 2021.

Note: In 2020, Indian Women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal became the first Indian to win the honour for her 2019 show. 

Source: newsonair

Important News: Important Days

7. February 2, World Wetlands Day 

Why in News

• World Wetlands Day is observed every year on February 2.
• 2 February 2022 is the first year that World Wetlands Day will be observed as a United Nations international day, following its adoption by the General Assembly on 30 August 2021 in a resolution co-sponsored by 75 member states.

Key Points

• The theme for 2022 is ‘Wetlands Action for People and Nature’.
• This day also marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar.

Source: un.org

8. Indian Coast Guard celebrates its 46th Raising Day

Why in News

• The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) celebrated its 46th Raising Day on February 1.

Key Points

• From just seven surface platforms in 1978, the ICG has grown into a formidable force with 158 ships and 70 aircraft in its inventory
• It is likely to achieve targeted force levels of 200 surface platforms and 80 aircraft by 2025.
• As the fourth largest Coast Guard in the world, it has played a significant role in securing the Indian coasts and enforcing regulations in the maritime zones of India.

Facts about Indian Coast Guard (ICG):

• Director General: Virender Singh Pathania
• Headquarters: Ministry of Defence, New Delhi
• Founded: 1 February 1977

Source: India Today