Daily Current Affairs for State Exams: 07 March 2022

Daily Current Affairs 07/03/2022

Important News: World

PM Modi participates in the virtual summit of Quad leaders

Why in News

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated at a virtual summit of Quad leaders, along with US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Key Points

The meeting reviewed the progress on Quad initiatives since the September 2021 Quad Summit.
The leaders agreed on accelerating cooperation, with an objective to achieve concrete outcomes by the summit in Japan later this year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for concrete and practical forms of cooperation within the Quad, in areas like Humanitarian and Disaster Relief, debt sustainability, supply chains, clean energy, connectivity, and capacity-building.
He reiterated the importance of adhering to the UN Charter, international law and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The leaders also discussed other topical issues, including the situation in Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean region and the Pacific Islands.

About Quad:

The Quad, or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is an informal grouping of four countries — Australia, Japan, India and the United States.
It is aimed at ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific, a strategically vital region that witnessed increasing Chinese military assertiveness in recent years.
Quad’s first in-person summit was held in Washington in September 2021.

Source: newsonair

Financial Action Task Force keeps Pakistan in Grey List

Why in News

Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has once again retained Pakistan on the increased monitoring list, also known as the "Grey List" and called the country to work on "complex money laundering investigations and prosecutions.

Key Points

Pakistan has been on the FATF's grey list for deficiencies in its counter-terror financing and anti-money laundering regimes since June 2018.
This greylisting has adversely impacted its imports, exports, remittances, and limited access to international lending.

Facts about Financial Action Task Force (FATF):

FATF is an intergovernmental organization founded on the initiative of the G7 to develop policies to combat money laundering. In 2001, its mandate was expanded to include terrorism financing.
Headquarters: Paris, France
Founded: 1989
Membership: 39

Two lists of FATF:

Grey List: Those countries that are considered safe haven for supporting terror funding and money laundering. ‘Increased monitoring list’ is another name for the 'Grey List'.
Black List: Those countries known as Non-Cooperative Countries are put in the Black List. These countries support money laundering and terror funding activities.

Source: HT

Important News: India

‘Sagar Parikrama’ Programme

Why in News

Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala inaugurated the ‘Sagar Parikrama’, organized by The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India and National Fisheries Development Board along with Department of Fisheries, Government of Gujarat, Indian Coast Guard, Fishery Survey of India, Gujarat Maritime Board and fishermen representatives.

Key Points

The Parikrama, starting from Mandvi at Shyamiji Krishna Varma Memorial, Gujarat, as a part of‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsava’, is an endeavor to know the problems of Coastal Fisherfolk.
It will be organized in other districts of Gujarat and other State/UTs in subsequent phases.
During the event, certificates /sanctions related to Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampadha scheme (PMMSY), Kisan Credit Card & State Scheme shall be awarded to the progressive fishermen, especially coastal fishermen, fishers and fish farmers, young fishery entrepreneurs etc.

Fisheries Sector in India:

India is the second major producer of fish through aquaculture in the world.
India is the 4th largest exporter of fish in the world as it contributes 7.7% to global fish production.

Initiatives related to Fisheries:

Seaweed Park
Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana
Palk Bay Scheme
Marine Fisheries Bill
Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund
Marine Products Export Development Authority
Kisan Credit Card

Source: PIB

Centre approves the scheme - Modernisation Plan-IV for Central Armed Police Forces

Why in News

The Centre has approved the scheme - Modernisation Plan-IV for Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in continuation of the scheme Modernisation Plan-III for CAPFs.
The Modernisation Plan-IV will run from 01.02.2022 to 31.03.2026.

Key Points

Modernization Plan-IV for CAPFs with a total financial outlay of Rs.1,523 crore is to be implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
It will equip the CAPFs with modern state-of-the-art weapons and equipment as per their operational requirement, keeping in view their deployment pattern in different theatres.
This would bolster the Government’s ability to address the challenges being faced on the International Border/LoC/LAC as well as in the different theatres, such as areas affected by Left Wing Extremism, Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and insurgency affected North Eastern States.

Source: India Today

Important News: Defence

Indian Navy successfully fires extended range Brahmos land attack missile

Why in News

The Indian Navy successfully demonstrated the accuracy of an extended-range land-attack Brahmos supersonic cruise missile from the stealth destroyer INS Chennai.

Key Points

Both Brahmos missile and INS Chennai are indigenously built and highlight the cutting-edge of Indian missile and ship-building prowess.
They reinforce the Indian Navy's contribution towards the Atma Nirbhar Bharat and Make in India endeavors.
BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture, produces supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.

Source: ET

Postponement of DefExpo 2022

Why in News

Due to logistics problems being experienced by participants, the DefExpo 2022 (12^th edition) proposed to be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from March 10^thtill March 14^th is postponed.

Key Points

Russia and Ukraine were among the 70 countries expected to participate in the DefExpo 2022.
The 11th edition of DefExpo was held at Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) in 2020.
DefExpo is a flagship biennial event of the Ministry of Defence, showcasing the land, naval, air as well as homeland security systems.
DefExpo began in 1996.

Source: Indian Express

Important News: Science

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inspects the trial of Kavach System

Why in News

Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways, Communication and Electronics & Information Technology inspected the trial of ‘Kavach’ working system between Gullaguda-Chitgidda Railway stations on Lingampalli-Vikarabad section in Secunderabad Division of South Central Railway.
As a part of Atmanirbhar Bharat, 2,000 km of the network will be brought under Kavach for safety and capacity augmentation in 2022-23.

Key Points

About Kavach:

The Kavach is an indigenously developed ATP system by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in collaboration with Indian industry and trials facilitated by South Central Railway to achieve the corporate objective of safety in train operations across Indian Railways.
It is a state of the art electronic system of Safety Integrity Level - 4 standards.
Kavach is meant to provide protection by preventing trains to pass the signal at Danger (Red) and avoid collision.
It activates the train braking system automatically if the driver fails to control the train as per the speed restrictions.

Other Initiatives Related to Railways:

Transit-Oriented Development
Overhead Traction System
National Rail Transportation Institute
Railway Energy Management Company Limited

Source: Indian Express

India's first Start-up in latest Daylight Harvesting Technology

Why in News

The Ministry of Science & Technology has decided to promote a unique Start-up in the latest Daylight Harvesting Technology in order to reduce carbon footprint and improve the building energy efficiency.

Key Points

The only Start-up company in India for Daylight Harvesting Technologies “Skyshade Daylights Private Limited” Hyderabad signed an MoU with the Technology Development Board, a statutory body of the Department of Science & Technology.
The company aims to create Green & Net-zero buildings and to participate and contribute to national missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

Note:

The country has set an ambitious target to achieve a capacity of 175 GW of its energy requirement from renewable energy sources by the end of 2022 and committed to achieving 500 GW by 2030 as stated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the COP26 summit in Glasgow.

Other initiatives to Promote Energy Efficiency:

Energy Conservation Building Code
Perform Achieve and Trade Scheme
Standards and Labeling
Demand Side Management
Bureau of Energy Efficiency
ECO Niwas Samhita

Source: PIB

Important News: Personality

Former Army Chief Gen Sunith Francis Rodrigues passes away

General (retd) Sunith Francis Rodrigues, who headed the Indian Army between 1990 and 1993 and served as the governor of Punjab between 2004 and 2010 passed away.
In addition to his more than 40 years of illustrious service in the army, he served two terms on the National Security Advisory Board.
Source: ET

Australian cricketer Shane Warne passes away

Former Australian cricketer and spin bowling legend Shane Warne passed away at the age of 52 years.
Warne was named as one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Century for his unparalleled achievements in a 15-year career between 1992 and 2007.
In 2013, the year he retired from the game completely, he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.

Source: Indian Express