Daily Current Affairs 21.03.2022
Important News: World
World Happiness Report 2022
Why in News
- World Happiness Report 2022 (10th edition) was released on March 18, 2022, which identified Finland as the happiest country of the world, for the fifth time in a row.
Key Points
Top 3 countries of the World Happiness Report, 2022:
- Finland
- Denmark
- Iceland
- India, meanwhile, saw a marginal improvement in its ranking, jumping three spots to 136, from 139 a year ago.
- Published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the report contains rankings of national happiness based on several factors, and primarily on the responses by the individuals.
- The World Happiness Report usually ranks 150 countries based on several factors such as real GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity and perceptions of corruption.
- This year, the report ranked 146 countries.
Note: International Day of happiness is observed every year around the world on March 20.
Source: HT
India emerges as the largest importer of arms in 2017-21: SIPRI Report
Why in News
- The latest report of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on Trends in International Arms Transfer, 2021, released in March 2022, reveals that India and Saudi Arabia had emerged as the largest arms importers of arms between 2017-21.
Key Points
- SIPRI has identified 163 states as importers of major arms in 2017-21.
- The top 5 arms importers-India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Australia and China- together received 38 percent of total global arms imports in 2017-21.
- Between 2012-16 and 2017-21 Indian arms imports decreased by 21 percent.
- Despite this, India was the world's largest importer of major arms in 2017-21 and accounted for 11 percent of total global arms imports in the period.
- Russia was the largest supplier of major arms to India in both 2012-16 and 2017-21, but India's imports of Russian arms dropped by 47 percent between the two periods as several large programmes for Russian arms wound down.
- In contrast, India's arms imports from France increased more than tenfold, making it India's second largest arms supplier in 2017-21.
Source: ET
Important News: India
India’s Arctic Policy
Why in News
- Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh, released India's Arctic policy titled 'India and the Arctic: building a partnership for sustainable development from the Ministry of Earth Sciences Headquarters in New Delhi.
Key Points
About India's Arctic policy:
- India's Arctic policy lays down six pillars: strengthening India's scientific research and cooperation, climate and environmental protection, economic and human development, transportation and connectivity, governance and international cooperation, and national capacity building in the Arctic region.
- The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) in Goa, an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, is the nodal institution for the programme, which includes Arctic studies.
Background:
- India has a significant stake in the Arctic. It is one of thirteen nations holding Observer status in the Arctic Council, a high-level intergovernmental forum that addresses issues faced by the Arctic governments and the indigenous people of the Arctic.
- India’s engagement with the Arctic dates back to a century when the ‘Svalbard Treaty was signed in February 1920 in Paris and, today India is undertaking several scientific studies and research in the Arctic region.
- In 2007, India launched its first scientific expedition to the Arctic.
- In 2014 and 2016, India's first multi-sensor moored observatory in Kongsfjorden and the northernmost atmospheric laboratory in Gruvebadet, Ny Alesund, were launched in the Arctic region.
- Until 2022, India has successfully conducted thirteen expeditions to the Arctic.
Source: PIB
Disaster Management Plan of Ministry of Panchayati Raj
Why in News
- Union Minister of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Giriraj Singh released the “Disaster Management Plan of Ministry of Panchayati Raj” (DMP-MoPR).
Key Points
About “Disaster Management Plan of Ministry of Panchayati Raj” (DMP-MoPR):
- The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has developed the Disaster Management Plan with an aim to develop disaster resilience at the grassroots level among the Panchayats and establish a framework to align the disaster management measures in rural areas to that of the National Disaster Management Authority.
- Under the Plan, every Indian village would have a “Village Disaster Management Plan” and every Panchayat would have their Disaster Management Plan.
- It is noteworthy that the Disaster Management Plan incorporates many innovations in addition to being in compliance with Disaster Management Act 2005, National Disaster Management Policy 2009, and guidelines issued by National Disaster Management Authority.
Source: PIB
Important News: Award and Honours
BAFTA Awards 2022
- The 75th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA Awards) 2022 was held at the Royal Albert Hall, London.
- Dune won five BAFTA 2022 awards for Best Original Score, Cinematography, Production Design, Sound and Visual Effects.
BAFTA Awards 2022 Main Winners List:
- Best Film: The Power of the Dog
- Best Director:Jane Campion for The Power of the Dog
- Best Actor:Will Smith for King Richard
- Best Actress: Joanna Scanlan for After Love
- Outstanding British Film: Belfast
- Best Animated Film:Encanto
- Best Documentary:Summer of Soul
- Best Supporting Actor:Troy Kotsur for CODA
- Best Supporting Actress: Ariana DeBose for West Side Story
- Best Film not in England Language: Drive My Car
- Best Original Screenplay:Licorice Pizza
- Best Adapted Screenplay: CODA
Source: India Today
Important News: Books
A book titled ‘Modi @ 20: Dreams Meet Delivery’ to be released
Why in News
- A book ‘Modi @ 20: Dreams Meet Delivery’ capturing the last 20 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political life will be released by Rupa Publications in mid-April 2022.
Key Points
- The book will cover various aspects of Narendra Modi's tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat to the Prime Minister of the country.
- Narendra Modi served as Gujarat Chief Minister for more than 12 years over four terms, making him the longest-serving CM of the state. In 2014, Narendra Modi became the 14th person to become the prime minister.
Source: HT
Important News: Important Days
March 21, International Day of Forests
Why in News
- International Day of Forests is celebrated every year on March 21st.
Key Points
- The theme for International Day of Forests 2022 is "Forests and sustainable production and consumption."
- The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests in 2012.
Note: Recently, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) approved a resolution for setting March 15th as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
Source: un.org
March 20, World Sparrow Day
Why in News
- World Sparrow Day (WSD) is celebrated every year on March 20th.
Key Points
- World Sparrow Day was established by the Nature Forever Society in India in collaboration with the Eco-Sys Action Foundation in France and various other national and international organisations throughout the world to promote awareness of the house sparrow and other similar birds.
- In 2010, the first World Sparrow Day was organised.
Source: India Today
Daily Current Affairs 21/3/2022 in English PDF
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