Daily Current Affairs for State Exams: 16 March 2022

Daily Current Affairs 16-03-2022

Important News: India

Detailed Project Reports on Rejuvenation of 13 Major Rivers through Forestry Interventions

Why in News

The Union Minister for Environment Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav and the Union Minister, Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat jointly released the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) on Rejuvenation of 13 Major Rivers through Forestry Interventions.

Key Points

The 13 Rivers for which DPRs were released are Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Luni, Narmada, Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna, and Cauvery.
The DPRs were funded by National Afforestation & Eco-development Board, (MoEF&CC) and prepared by Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education (ICFRE), Dehradun.
13 rivers collectively cover a total basin area of 18,90,110 sq. km that represents 57.45% of the geographical area of the country.
The length of 13 rivers including 202 tributaries within the delineated riverscapes is 42,830 km.
The DPRs focus on protection, afforestation, catchment treatment, ecological restoration, moisture conservation, livelihood improvement, income generation, ecotourism by developing river fronts, eco-parks and bringing awareness amongst the masses.
The proposed cumulative budget outlay of 13 DPRs is Rs. 19,342.62 crore.
It will strengthen the country’s progress towards Panchamrit commitment at CoP-26 during November 2021 in Glasgow whereby India promised to reduce its projected carbon emission by one billion tonnes by 2030, meet 50 percent of energy requirements with renewable energy by 2030, enhance non-fossil energy capacity to 500 gigawatt by 2030, reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by 45 percent by 2030 and achieve net zero emission by 2070.

Note: International Day of Action for Rivers is celebrated every year on the 14th of March.

Source: Indian Express

National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism

Why in News

In order to create a robust framework and synergy amongst the Central Government Ministries, State Governments and Private Sector for promoting India as a Medical and Wellness Tourism destination, the Ministry of Tourism has formulated a National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism.

Key Points

In order to provide a dedicated institutional framework to take forward the cause of promotion of Medical Tourism, the Ministry of Tourism has constituted a National Medical and Wellness Tourism Board with the Minister (Tourism) as its Chairman.
As part of its on-going activities, the Ministry of Tourism, releases global print, electronic and online media campaigns in important and potential markets overseas, under the ‘Incredible India’ brand-line, to promote various tourism destinations and products of the country.
'Medical Visa’ has been introduced, which can be given for specific purpose to foreign travellers coming to India for medical treatment.
‘E- Medical Visa’ and ‘E-Medical Attendant Visa’ have also been introduced for 156 countries.
The Ministry of Tourism provides financial Assistance under Market Development Assistance Scheme to Medical Tourism Service Providers accredited by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) for participation in Medical/ Tourism Fairs, Medical Conferences, Wellness Conferences, Wellness Fairs and allied Road Shows.

Other Major Schemes of the Ministry of Tourism:

Swadesh Darshan Scheme
Iconic Tourist Sites Initiative
DekhoApnaDesh Campaign
PRASHAD Scheme

Source: PIB

405 Airports under UDAN Scheme

Why in News

Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Implementing Agency, has awarded 948 routes, from which, 405 routes involving 65 airports including 8 heliports and 2 water aerodromes have been operationalized under UDAN as on 09.03.2022.

Key Points

About UDAN Scheme:

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - UDAN (Ude Deshka Aam Nagrik) on 21-10-2016 to stimulate regional air connectivity and making air travel affordable to the masses.
An airport which is included in the awarded routes of UDAN and requires upgradation/development for commencement of RCS operations, is developed under "Revival of unserved and underserved airports" scheme.
Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Implementing Agency has identified 154 RCS airports including 14 water aerodromes and 36 helipads so far under UDAN for operation of RCS flights.
Besides Viability Gap Funding (VGF), other concessions from Central, State Governments and airport operators are extended to Selected Airline Operators (SAOs) to encourage operations from unserved/underserved airports/heliports/water aerodromes and to keep the air fare affordable.

Source: PIB

Longest Vessel ever to sail on Brahmaputra anchors at Pandu Port after completing cargo movement from Haldia via Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR)

Why in News

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways achieved a landmark when the MV Ram Prasad Bismil became the longest vessel ever to sail on Brahmaputra.
The vessel along with two barges - DB Kalpana Chawla and DB APJ Abdul Kalam - was flagged off from the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Haldia by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (PSW) and AYUSH, Sarbananda Sonowal.

Key Points

The 90 meters long flotilla is 26 meters wide, loaded with a draft of 2.1 meters.
With this, it successfully completed the aspiring pilot run of heavy cargo movement from Haldia Dock in Kolkata after it anchored at Pandu port in Guwahati.
The significance of this pilot run lays down the path for commencement of barging operation from Kolkata to Guwahati via Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBRP).
The Government of India along with Government of Bangladesh funded the dredging of this stretch - with 80:20 ratio respectively - for seamless navigation.
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) as well as Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) worked together so that this historic cargo movement can move smoothly.

Note: Earlier MV Lal Bahadur Shastri carried a consignment of 200 MT foodgrains for Food Corporation of India (FCI) from Patna to Pandu, successfully completing the Pilot Movement cargo between Ganga, the National Waterway 1 (NW1), and Brahmaputra, the National Waterway 2 (NW2).

Source: PIB

Department of Consumer Affairs starts celebration of the 'Consumer Empowerment Week'

Why in News

The Department of Consumer Affairs started the “Consumer Empowerment Week” on 14^thMarch, 2022 to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Key Points

In a first of its kind initiative, field units of organizations under the Department i.e., Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Indian Institute of Legal Metrology (IILM) Ranchi, National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Limited (NCCF), National Test House (NTH) and Regional Reference Standards Laboratories (RRSLs) organized consumer awareness and rural outreach programmes in more than 85 villages in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
The outreach programmes created awareness about features of Consumer Protection Act 2019, Indian Standard marks, Hallmarked jewellery, CRS mark, details to be seen on pre-packaged commodities, use of proper weights and measures and informed the consumers on how to lodge a consumer complaint on the National Consumer helpline number 14404 or 1800-11-4000.

Source: newsonair

Important News: State

Mumbai becomes first South Asian city to detail net-zero roadmap

Why in News

Mumbai’s Climate Action Plan (MCAP) has set an ambitious target of reaching complete carbon neutrality by 2050, two decades ahead of the country’s target of 2070, which was committed in COP-26 in Glasgow.

Key Points

The plan aims to serve as a 30-year road map for the city to tackle the challenges of climate change by adopting inclusive and robust mitigation and adaptation strategies.
After a vulnerability assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) and natural green cover inventory over the last six months, the BMC prepared the plan with technical support from the World Resources Institute (WRI), India and the C40 Cities network.
The MCAP focuses on six sectors – Energy and Buildings, Sustainable Waste Management, Sustainable Mobility, Urban Green and Biodiversity, Air Quality, Urban Flooding, and Water Resource Management.
The plan’s interim and long-term objectives include a 30 percent decrease in emissions by 2030, a 44 percent reduction by 2040, and a net-zero reduction by 2050 compared to base year emissions (2019).

Source: ET

Country’s first Digital Water Bank ‘AQVERIUM’ launched in Bengaluru

Why in News

The country’s first Digital Water Bank ‘AQVERIUM’ was launched in Bengaluru.

Key Points

The initiative has been undertaken by AquaKraft Ventures, a company that expertise in sustainable initiatives to provide drinking water and sanitation to all.
This is a very unique innovation combining sustainable & green technologies along with information technology, skill development & entrepreneurship.
Digital Water Data Bank can be understood as a curated list of ‘Water Data’ from all institutions and sources that will further aid in tackling some common development challenges.

Source: newsonair

Important News: Personality

Former Andhra Pradesh Governor Kumudben Joshi passes away

Kumudben Manishankar Joshi, the former Governor of Andhra Pradesh passed away at 88.
Kumudben Joshi was the Governor of Andhra Pradesh from 26 November 1985 to 7 February 1990.
She was the second female Governor of the state after Sharda Mukherjee.
Joshi was a member of the Rajya Sabha thrice.

Source: newsonair

Important News: Important Days

March 16, National Vaccination Day

Why in News

National Vaccination Day is observed every year on March 16.

Key Points

Vaccines are essential to help us develop immunity against deadly diseases.
The theme of National Vaccination Day 2022 is ‘Vaccines Work for all’.

History:

It was on March 16, 1995, when the day was first celebrated officially after the Pulse Polio Immunisation programme became operational.
The first dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine was administered in 1995 on this date, under the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Polio Eradication Initiative which had begun in 1988.
Vaccination against Polio, however, had already started in 1978 and on March 27, 2014, India was declared polio-free, by WHO.