Daily Current Affairs for State Exams: 21 March 2022

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 since 2012, the World Happiness Report is based on two key ideas – happiness or life evaluation measured through opinion surveys and identifying key elements that determine well-being and life evaluation across countries.
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 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 ‘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

PM Modi inaugurates centenary year celebrations of Mathrubhumi

Why in News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the year-long celebrations of the centenary year of Mathrubhumi – the Malayalam daily.

Key Points

Mathrubhumi started functioning on March 18, 1923.
It has been at the forefront of pushing across social reforms and developmental agenda, while constantly highlighting issues of national interest.
Mathrubhumi has 15 editions and 11 periodicals.
Also, Mathrubhumi Books division publishes titles on a wide range of issues of contemporary interest.

Source: PIB

Important News: Defence

Indian Coast Guard’s fifth offshore patrol vessel Saksham commissioned in Goa

Why in News

Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar commissioned Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) ‘Saksham’, the fifth in the series of 105-metre Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) class, at Goa.

Key Points

The 105-meter OPV has been designed and built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited and fitted with advance technology, navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machinery.
The ship has been equipped with an Integrated Bridge System (IBS), Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS), Power Management System (PMS) and High Power External fire-fighting (EFF) system.
The ship, on joining the Coast Guard fleet, will be based at Kochi.
It will be deployed extensively for Exclusive Economic Zones surveillance and other duties as enshrined in the Coast Guard charter.

Note: Recently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a seven-storeyed Flight Control System (FCS) Integration facility at Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Source: India Today

Important News: Award and Honours

BAFTA Awards 2022

The 75^th 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