Daily Current Affairs for State Exams: 08 April 2022

Daily Current Affairs 08 April 2022

Important News: World

Forbes World’s Billionaires List 2022

Why in News

Recently, Forbes has released the 36th Annual World’s Billionaires List 2022.
Elon Musk has topped the list for the first time.

Key Points

Top 3 on the Forbes World’s Billionaires List 2022:

Rank	Name	Net Worth	Source of wealth
1	Elon Musk	$219 billion	Tesla, SpaceX
2	Jeff Bezos	$171 billion	Amazon
3	Bernard Arnault & family	$158 billion	LVMH

Forbes found 2,668 billionaires around the globe for the 2022 World’s Billionaires list, down from a record 2,755 last year.
Collectively, they’re worth $12.7 trillion, down from a record $13.1 trillion on the 2021 list.
The U.S. still reigns supreme, with 735 billionaire citizens, 11 more than in 2021.
India’s Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of RIL has ranked 10th position on the global list with a net worth of $7 billion.

Source: forbes.com

India hosts Clean Energy Ministerial Senior Officials meeting

Why in News

India is hosting the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) Senior Officials meetings starting from 6 April, 2022. This will conclude on 8 April.
The meeting will also be used to prepare the agenda for the upcoming Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting in September 2022.

Key Points

The meeting is being organised to review the work of various work streams in Clean Energy Policies.
The Government of India and the United Kingdom lead the plenary dialogue on the future of Energy Transition.
This was followed by discussions on topics such as Clean Power, Green Steel, and Hydrogen.
International Energy Agency, International Renewable Energy Agency and UN High Level Action Champions presented the findings of the State of Sectoral Transitions (SoST) draft report.

About Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM):

CEM is a high-level global forum of 29 member countries to promote policies and programs that advance clean energy technology through sharing of knowledge and best practices with a focus on transition to a global clean energy future.

Source: ET

Important News: India

India’s contribution of USD 72,124 to UNESCO Fund for Elimination of Doping in Sport in 2022

Why in News

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports released India’s contribution of USD 72,124 to UNESCO Fund for Elimination of Doping in Sport in 2022.

Key Points

As per the resolution of 7COP held at Paris, 29-31 September, 2019, the State Parties had agreed for 1% of the contribution of the regular budget of respective nations to UNESCO towards the Fund for the Elimination of Doping in Sport.
First time in 2021, the Government of India, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports made a contribution of USD 28172 towards the UNESCO Fund on the basis of a request received from UNESCO.

Background:

Copenhagen Declaration on Anti-Doping in Sport was agreed to by the Government of India in March, 2003, which was the political document through which Governments signaled their intention to formally recognize and implement the World Anti-Doping Code brought out by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
This was the first step towards the preparation of the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport.
India is a signatory to the International Convention Against Doping in Sport, also known as the “UNESCO Anti-Doping Convention”, which was ratified by India on 07 November 2007.
The National Anti-Doping Agency, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Youth Affairs, is responsible for adopting, implementing and enforcing anti-doping programmes in India.

Source: PIB

Comprehensive Training Program on Natural Farming

Why in News

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the Comprehensive Training Program on Natural Farming, organized by the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE),

Key Points

About MANAGE:

MANAGE was established in 1987, as the National Centre for Management of Agricultural Extension at Hyderabad, by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India as an autonomous Institute.
MANAGE is the Indian response to challenges of agricultural extension in a rapidly growing and diverse agriculture sector.

Natural farming:

It can be defined as a “chemical- free farming and livestock based.
Natural farming is a promising means of reducing the dependence of farmers on external inputs, reducing the cost of cultivation and increasing the income of the farmers.
The Government is promoting the Indian Natural Farming System (BPKP) as a sub-scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) to promote traditional indigenous practices.
In the coming days, trained master trainers will organize 750 awareness programs for 30,000 village heads across the country and help in taking forward the initiative of natural farming in their respective states.
09 lakh hectare area is covered under natural farming.
An announcement has also been made in the budget for the year 2022-23 to promote natural farming.

Other Initiatives related to Agriculture:

National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
Rainfed Area Development
Sub-mission on Agro Forestry
Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region

Source: PIB

‘One Health’ pilot project

Why in News

The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Government of India has launched a pilot project in the state of Uttarakhand to implement the One Health Framework by One Health Support Unit.

Key Points

One Health Concept:

One Health is an approach that recognizes that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment.
One Health’ vision derives its blueprint from the agreement between the tripartite-plus alliance comprising the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
The key objective of the Unit is to develop a national One Health roadmap based on the learnings of the pilot project implementation.
The Inter-ministerial One Health committee under the chairmanship of Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India has been established to lead the implementation of the One Health Support Unit.
By developing the One Health Framework, India will successfully address the need for efficient disease reporting and response coordination, optimum utilization of resources, emergency preparedness, build capability to handle diseases of economic and zoonotic importance, and create public awareness on animal diseases of zoonotic and economic significance.
In keeping with the long-term objectives, India established a National Standing Committee on Zoonoses as far back as the 1980s.

Source: PIB

Chhattisgarh ranks first in the country with the lowest unemployment rate

Why in News

Chhattisgarh has been ranked first among states with the lowest unemployment rate in the country.
According to the latest data released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy(CMIE), Chhattisgarh has registered an unemployment rate of 0.6 percent this March, which is the lowest so far.

Key Points

As per the data, Haryana has the highest unemployment rate at 26.7 percent, followed by Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir at 25 percent each and Jharkhand at 14.5 percent.
Chhattisgarh ranks first in the country with the lowest unemployment rate while the country’s unemployment rate stood at 7.6 percent in the same month (March).
The Chhattisgarh government adopted a new model of development three years ago in line with Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of ‘Gram Swaraj’ envisaging inclusive development of the state and launched various schemes including Suraji Gaon Yojana, Narva-Garva-Ghurva-Bari programme, Godhan Nyay Yojana, Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana etc. for boosting the rural economy.
The state government has set up the ‘Chhattisgarh Employment Mission’ intending to create around 15 lakh new employment opportunities in the next five years.

Source: Indian Express

‘XE’ variant of coronavirus

Why in News

Recently, The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced that a 50-year-old woman with a travel history to South Africa may have been infected with the newly-discovered ‘XE’ variant of the coronavirus.

Key Points

XE, a sub-variant of Omicron, which caused the third wave of Covid-19 this winter, had not been found in India until now.

XE variant of coronavirus:

The Omicron variant, which is responsible for over 90 per cent of the infections detected this year, has two prominent sub-variants, called BA.1 and BA.2. There is a BA.3 sub-variant as well, but that is less common.
During the initial phase, the BA.1 sub-variant was the most widespread. In India, however, it was the BA.2 that was the most dominant during the third wave.
2 was found to be slightly more transmissible than BA.1, even though it was not more dangerous.
In the last couple of months, the BA.2 variety has become the most widespread across the globe, accounting for almost 94 per cent of all Omicron infections in the last one month, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Source: Indian Express

Important News: Polity

Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022

Why in News

Recently, Lok Sabha passed Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022.

Key Points

The Bill moved by External affairs Minister S. Jaishankar amends the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005.
The 2005 Act prohibits unlawful activities (such as manufacturing, transport, or transfer) related to weapons of mass destruction, and their means of delivery.
Weapons of Mass Destruction are biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons.
The present Bill bars persons from financing any prohibited activity related to weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems.
To prevent persons from financing such activities, the central government may freeze, seize or attach their funds, financial assets, or economic resources (whether owned, held, or controlled directly or indirectly).
It may also prohibit persons from making finances or related services available for the benefit of other persons in relation to any activity which is prohibited.

Efforts to control the spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction are enshrined in international agreements such as:

Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty of 1968
Biological Weapons Convention of 1972
Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993

Source: Indian Express

Important News: Award and Honours

Ramdarash Mishra selected for Saraswati Samman 2021

Why in News

Noted poet and litterateur Prof Ramdarash Mishra will be awarded the prestigious Saraswati Samman 2021, for his collection of poems ‘Mein to Yahan Hun’.

Key Points

Born in Dumri village in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur district on August 15, 1924, Mishra has excelled in different branches of Hindi literature.

About Saraswati Samman:

The Saraswati Samman is an annual award for outstanding prose or poetry literary works in any of the 22 languages of India listed in Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India.
The Saraswati Samman was instituted in 1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation. It consists of ₹15,00,000, a citation and a plaque.
Candidates are selected from literary works published in the previous ten years by a panel that included scholars and former award winners.

Source: HT