DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: Sept. 17, 2022

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar to lead Indian Delegation at the 77th UNGA Session

Tags: National Person in news

According to a 17 September press release of the External Affairs Ministry, the External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar will be on an official visit to the United States from 18-28 September 2022.

During his visit to the United States he will be leading the India delegation for the High Level Week at the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). 

IMPORTANT FACTS -

• The theme of 77th UNGA is "A Watershed Moment: Transformative Solutions to Interlocking Challenges”.

His other engagements in the United States are as follows :

• To commemorate and showcase Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, EAM would be addressing a special event "India@75: Showcasing India UN Partnership in Action” on 24 September, which would highlight India’s development journey and its contributions to South-South Cooperation.
• He will host a Ministerial meeting of the G4 (India, Brazil, Japan, Germany) countries. G4 countries support the inclusion of the member countries as the permanent member of the United Nation Security Council.
• He will also participate at the High Level Meeting of the L.69 Group on "Reinvigorating Multilateralism and Achieving Comprehensive Reform of the UN Security Council”.
• The L.69 Group consists of developing countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America, Caribbean and Small Island Developing States, focused on reforms of the UN Security Council.

Amidst controversy Amit shah inaugurates Hyderabad Liberation Day celebration

Tags: place in news National State News

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the year-long celebrations of Hyderabad Liberation Day at the parade grounds in Hyderabad, Telangana on 17 September 2022. However the celebration has become controversial after the Telangana Chief Minister announced to observe the day as Telangana National Integration Day. The center move has also been criticized by the Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi.

Both the Chief Minister and Owaisi considers Centre’s move as communal.

IMPORTANT FACTS -

• Speaking on the occasion, Amit Shah said for the first time liberation day is being held officially on the land of Telangana after 75 years. He said some political parties feel ashamed to call September 17 Hyderabad Liberation Day as they still have fear of Razakars (Nizam’s para military force) in their mind.
• Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Karnataka Transport Minister Sriramulu and Union Culture minister Kishan Reddy participated in the event while Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao stayed away from the event.
• Telangana Liberation Day is observed on 17 September to mark the popular rebellion against the ruler of Hyderabad, Nizam after Independence. It subsequently led to the Police action by India, code named ‘operation polo in 1948 and the Hyderabad princely state was merged with India.

International Coastal Cleanup Day

Tags: Important Days

The International Coastal Cleanup Day is observed every year on the third Saturday of the September month.  The day aims to create awareness amongst the people about the garbage pollution on the beach and to encourage voluntary action by the people to clear the beaches.

IMPORTANT FACTS -

Background of the Day :

• The credit for starting the day is given to American Linda Maraniss and Kathy O’Hara who started the campaign in 1986 in the United States. Since then it has grown into an International movement.

Theme of the Day :

• Theme of the International Coastal Cleanup Day 2022: Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar/Clean Coast Safe Sea. 

Events in India on the International Coastal Cleanup Day :

• Vigyan Prasar, an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India launched a Clean Coast Safe Sea campaign in 75 coastal places across the country.
• The clean coast-safe sea campaign culminated at the Juhu Beach, Mumbai on 17 September 2022. The clean-up drive in Mumbai  was organised by the Indian Coast Guard. 

Pranav Anand and A R Ilamparthi crowned champion at the World Youth Chess Championship 2022

Tags: Sports Person in news

Indian teenager chess prodigy Pranav Anand and A R Ilamparthi  won the under -16 and Under -14 categories title respectively in  the World Youth Chess championship at Mamaia, Romania on 16 September 2022.

Pranav Anand also became India's 76th Grandmaster when he secured the necessary 2500 Elo Rating points while playing in the championship.

The FIDE World Youth Chess championship 2022(under 18,16,14) for boys and girls was held at  Mamaia, Romania from 5-17 September 2022.

IMPORTANT FACTS -

FIDE : 

• The International Chess Federation or French acronym FIDE Fédération Internationale des Échecs) is an international organization that was set up on 20 July 1924 in Paris, France.
• It is the international body which governs world chess championships. 
• President of FIDE :  Arkady Dvorkovich 
• Headquarters of FIDE : Lausanne, Switzerland 

Sudarsan Patnaik creates Modi sand sculpture with Kulhar on PM's birthday

Tags: place in news Person in news State News

Famous sand artist and Padam Shri awardee, Sudarsan Patnaik of Odisha has paid tribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 72 birthday in his own unique way.

IMPORTANT FACTS -

• He made a 5 feet sand statue of the PM with the message ‘Happy Birthday Modi ji’ by placing 1,213 Kulhar (clay tea cups) at Puri beach on 17 September 2022. He used 5 tonnes of sand for the purpose.
• Sudarsan Patnaik has participated in more than 60 international sand art championships and festivals around the world and has won many awards.
• 
  

World’s largest blood donation drive launched in Gujarat

Tags: State News Important Days

The Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launched the world’s largest blood donation drive on 17 September 2022 on the occasion of the 72nd birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Ahmedabad.

IMPORTANT FACTS -

• The ‘Mega Blood Donation Drive’ has been organized by Akhil Bharatiya Terapanth Yuva Parishad Ahmedabad.  According to the organizers “the target is to get more than 1, 50,000 units of blood donation by organizing around 2,000 Blood Donation Camps”
• Meanwhile in New Delhi the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya launched  Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav, a countrywide mega drive for voluntary blood donation from 17th September to 1st October this year. 
• 1st October is observed as the National Voluntary Blood Donation Day. 

SCO summit 2022 : India to host SCO summit next year

Tags: International Relations Summits International News

The SCO summit was held two years later in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on 15 and 16 September. The next meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State will be held in 2023 in India.

Agenda of the summit :

• The technological and digital divide, continued turbulence in global financial markets, instability in supply chains, increased protectionist measures and uncertainty in the global economy.

• Member States also highlighted the impacts of global climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, which have posed additional challenges to economic growth, social welfare and food security.

Samarkand Declaration :

• The leaders of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) signed the Samarkand Declaration at a meeting of the Council of Heads of State.

• The declaration states that the SCO will be headed by India for the next period.

• In the declaration, the member states supported the efforts of the countries of the region to ensure prosperity, peace and sustainable development. 

• They advocated for strengthening the role of SCO in promoting stability and socio-economic development in the region.

IMPORTANT FACTS -

• The leaders stressed the need to adopt new approaches to promote more equitable and effective international cooperation and sustainable economic development.

• Member States expressed deep concern over the security threat posed by terrorism, separatism and extremism and strongly condemned terrorist acts around the world.

• They also resolved to take measures to contain the spread of terrorism, to eliminate terrorist financing channels.

• They supported the establishment of Afghanistan as a free, neutral, united, democratic and peaceful state, free from terrorism, war and drugs.

• Member States called for strengthening the effectiveness of the World Trade Organization as the principal forum for discussing the international trade agenda and adopting the rules of the multilateral trading system.

• Member States have decided to set up an expert working group on start-ups and innovation, poverty reduction and traditional medicine.

PM Modi's participation in the Summit :

• In the summit PM Modi said the Indian economy is expected to grow by 7.5 per cent this year and thus will be the highest among the largest economies in the world.

• PM Modi holds bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) :

• It is a permanent intergovernmental international organization.

• It was founded in 2001.

• The SCO Charter was signed in 2002, and came into force in 2003.

• It is a Eurasian political, economic and military organization.

• Its aim is to maintain peace, security and stability in the region.

• China, Russia and four Central Asian states – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan – were founding members of the SCO.

• Its members include China, Russia, India and Pakistan, as well as 4 Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

• Official Languages - Russian and Chinese

• Chairmanship - On the basis of rotation for a year by Member States

SBI Global Factors becomes 100% subsidiary of the SBI

Tags: Economy/Finance

India’s largest bank, State Bank of India (SBI) has bought the entire 13.82 per cent stakes held by Small Industrial Bank of India (SIDBI), Bank of Maharashtra and Union Bank of India in the SBI Global Factors Ltd (SBIGFL).

• Now SBI Global Factors Ltd has become a 100% subsidiary company of SBI.
• SBIGFL is a non-banking financial company. It provides domestic and export factoring services under one roof.
• The regulator of Factors in India is the Reserve Bank of India.

IMPORTANT FACTS -

What is Factoring in Finance ?

• It is a financing method in which a business owner sells its account receivable at a discount to a third party to raise capital for its business needs.

How it works : 

• Suppose Business man A sells goods worth Rs 100 to a business man B. The businessman B promises to pay back the amount after three months and issues a statement in a proper format to A, mentioning all the details of the amount due and the date of repayment.  
• Suppose after one month A needs money urgently for its business. It will approach SBI Factors and show it the statement given by B and will ask money from SBI Factor.
• If SBI Factor is satisfied that B is credit worthy then it will buy the statement issued by B at a discount of suppose 4%. It means that it will pay 96 rupees to A and it will collect Rs 100 from B.
• In this way A gets money for its business and SBI Factors earns Rs 4 on the deal.
• The statement issued by B to A is called as account receivables. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -

SBI Global Factors Ltd :

• It is a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC)
• It was founded in 2001
• It’s Headquarters: Mumbai 
• Chairman: Ashwini Kumar Tewari 

Indigenous Light Combat Helicopter to join IAF helicopter fleet in October

Tags: place in news Defence

The Indian Air Force helicopter fleet will be boosted with the induction of the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) at Jodhpur, Rajasthan on 3 October 2022. The LCH has been manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

IMPORTANT FACTS -

Capability of LCH :

• According to HAL, the LCH is the only attack helicopter in the world that can land and take-off at an altitude of 5,000 m (16400 feet) with a considerable load of weapons and fuel. It has been made to meet the requirement of the armed forces operating in the high altitude area of Ladakh and Siachen.
• It is suited to perform the roles of search and rescue, destruction of enemy air defence, counter insurgency operations, combat against slow moving aircraft etc.

Limited Series production :

• In March 2022 the Union Government had approved the manufacturing of 15 limited series LCH for the Army and the Air force .Of the 15 limited series production helicopters approved, 10 are for the IAF and five for the army.
• The light combat helicopter Limited Series Production (LSP) is an indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured state-of-the-art modern combat helicopter. It has an indigenous content of 45% that will increase to more than 55% in the further series.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) :

• It was set up as Hindustan Aircraft Limited by Walchand Hirachand in 1940 at Bangalore (now Bengaluru), Karnataka.
• It was taken over by the government of India and merged with Aeronautics India limited and was renamed as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited on 1 October 1964.
• Its main business is to design, develop, manufacture, repair and overhaul of aircraft, helicopters, engines and related systems like avionics, instruments and accessories.
• It comes under the Ministry of Defence.
• Headquarters: Bengaluru

Scientist and Entrepreneur Swati Piramal conferred France's highest civilian award

Tags: Economics/Business Awards Person in news

The visiting French Minister for Europe & Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna conferred the highest civilian award of France Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) on scientist and entrepreneur Swati Piramal in Mumbai on 16 September 2022.

Earlier in August, 2022 the French government had announced that senior congressman and Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram   Shashi Tharoor has been chosen for the Knight of the Legion of Honour award.

Dr. Swati Piramal who is the Vice Chairperson of the Piramal group was awarded France’s second Highest civilian award Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Merite (Knight of the Order of Merit) in 2006.

She was earlier honoured with Padma Shri by the government of India in 2012.

IMPORTANT FACTS -

Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur :

• The Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur (Knight of the National Order of the French Legion of Honour), was started by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802.
• It is the highest civilian award given by the French Government to a French national or any country's national for outstanding contribution to the recipient’s field of expertise.
• The Legion has five classes, listed in descending rank: grand cross, grand officer, commander, officer, and knight, or chevalier (unlimited).

Which other Indians have received it :

• The first Indian to be awarded with the Legion of Honour was Maharaja Pratap Singh of Idar in 1918.
• Since then, more than 40 Indians have been honoured with the award. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -

Some of the famous recipients are : 

• JRD Tata (1983), Satyajit Ray (1987), Pandit Ravi Shankar (2000), Zubin Mehta (2001), E Sreedharan (2005), Amitabh Bachchan (2007), Lata Mangeshkar (2007), Shah Rukh Khan (2014), Kamal Haasan (2016), Ratan Tata (2016), Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (2016), and Azim Premji (2018).

Varanasi nominated as first SCO cultural and tourism capital

Tags: National National News

Varanasi has been designated as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Tourism and Cultural Capital for the first time during the period 2022-2023 at the 22nd meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on 16 September.

IMPORTANT FACTS -

• The nomination of Varanasi as the first SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital will promote tourism, cultural and humanitarian exchanges between India and SCO member countries.

• It also underlines India's ancient civilizational ties with the SCO member states, particularly the Central Asian republics.

• Under the framework of this flagship cultural outreach programme, several events will be organized in Varanasi during the year 2022-23, in which guests from SCO member states will be invited to participate.

• Varanasi is the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Windfall tax reduced on domestic crude oil and export tax on ATF slashed

Tags: Economy/Finance

The Union Ministry of Finance has issued a notification on 16 September 2002 slashing the windfall taxes on the domestically produced crude oil and has also reduced the taxes on the export of diesel and Aviation Turbine Fuel (jet fuel).

IMPORTANT FACTS -

Why was Special taxes imposed by the Government :

• Government of India imposed windfall taxes on the domestically produced crude oil and imposed special taxes on the on export of petrol,diesel on 1 July 2022 after the crude oil prices shot up in the international market. 
• At that time ,Nirmala Sitharaman  had said that India imports around 83% of its crude oil  and pays a high price for it . The oil companies after importing crude oil at high prices export the  petroleum products like petrol ,diesel earning huge profits. This has resulted in a shortage of petroleum products in certain parts of the country.
• To encourage the companies to sell their products in India export duties were  imposed. 
• Also windfall taxes were imposed to collect extra revenue for the government to provide subsidies for the poor. 
• The Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had promised that the government will review these special taxes every 15 days and reduce it if the international prices of oil comes down.
• With the recent drop in the crude oil prices in the international market the government has reduced the taxes .

New Tax rates : 

• The tax on domestically-produced crude oil has been reduced  to Rs 10,500 per tonne from Rs 13,300 per tonne.
• The levy on the export of diesel was reduced to Rs 10 per litre from Rs 13.5. 
• Also, the tax on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) exports was cut to Rs 5 a litre from Rs 9 per litre.

Who will be affected by these taxes : 

• While private refiners Reliance Industries Ltd and the Russian owned  Nayara Energy are the principal exporters of fuels like diesel and ATF, the windfall levy on domestic crude targets producers like state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Vedanta Ltd.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -

Windfall Tax :

• It is a special tax which is imposed on companies which earn abnormal profits due to sudden increase in the price of the goods they sell . 
• In India domestic crude oil price  is linked with the international prices .  With the increase in the international price the domestic price increases automatically resulting in abnormal profit for  crude oil producing companies like ONGC ,Oil India limited and Vedanta limited.

India Discrimination Report 2022

Tags: National National News

Oxfam India recently released the 'India Discrimination Report 2022'. The report highlights that women and marginalized communities face discrimination in the job market.

IMPORTANT FACTS -

Key Highlights of the report :

Labour force participation rate (LFPR) :-

• The labor force participation rate (LFPR) of women in India was just 25 per cent in 2021.

• It is considerably lower than Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa. 

• Low participation was mainly due to gender discrimination in wages and opportunities.

Wage Gap :-

• Self-employed urban men earn 2.5 times more than their female counterparts.

• 83 percent of this pay gap is attributable to gender-based discrimination.

• In rural areas, the income gap between men and women is 93 percent due to gender discrimination.

Discrimination with Educational Qualification :-

• The employment status of women does not depend on their educational qualifications.

Social Norms :-

• A large section of qualified women is not available in the labor market due to family responsibilities.

• Women from well-educated and economically well-off households often withdraw from the labor force due to socio-cultural reasons.

• Women do not enter the labor market due to insecurities during travel and the need to go to office on time and due to family reasons.

Lack of salaried jobs :-

• 60 percent of urban men are engaged in salaried jobs or are self-employed, while among women this figure has come down to just 19 percent.

Status in SC, ST communities :-

• SC and ST women start working at an early age without any formal education due to poor socio-economic conditions.

• This means that more than educational qualification or age, social factors are the determinant factor for rural women to opt out or stay away from work.

• Individuals belonging to SC and ST communities earn Rs 5,000 less than the national average.

Oxfam India :-

• It is a organisation of people working to end discrimination and create a free and just society.

• It is a part of the Oxfam Global Confederation in which 21 countries are working together as partners to build a better world.

Science Magazine ‘Vigyan Pragati’ receives ‘Rajbhasha Kirti Award’

Tags: National Awards National News

CSIR’s popular science magazine “Vigyan Pragati” has received the National Rajbhasha Kirti Award (First position).

IMPORTANT FACTS -

• The award was given at the 2nd All India Official Language Conference held during 14-15 September 2022 at Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Indoor Stadium, Surat.

• The Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs organized the event which was attended by about 9000 spectators.

• Director of CSIR-National Institute for Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR), Prof. Ranjana Agarwal received this prestigious Kirti Award.

• Article 51A (h) of the Indian Constitution states that it is the fundamental duty of every citizen to develop scientific temper, spirit of inquiry, humanism and reform.

Magazine ‘Vigyan Pragati’ :

• ‘Vigyan Pragati’ (a popular science magazine in Hindi) is one of India's best popular science magazines.

• It is popular among children, teachers, researchers and the public in India as well as in other countries.

• The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) started publication of this journal in 1952.

• The aim of Vigyan Pragati is to make science and technology accessible to the common man in simple language.

AN-32 Transport Aircraft

Tags: National Defence Science and Technology

To reduce its carbon footprint, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning to fly a modified AN-32 transport aircraft operating on 10% blended biodiesel for 200 flight hours in the next six months.

IMPORTANT FACTS -

• The aircraft flew on biodiesel mixed with aviation turbine fuel (ATF) for the first time in December 2018.

• So far, one AN-32 has flown 65 hours with 10% biofuel mixture and the performance has been quite satisfactory.

• Another aircraft, the Dornier, is undergoing ground testing after being approved by the engine's original manufacturer Honeywell to use 50% biofuel.

• The global aviation industry is one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

• The indigenous bio-jet fuel was first produced in 2013 by the CSIR-IIP laboratory in Dehradun, but could not be tested for commercial use on aircraft.

• This fuel is made from Jatropha oil procured from Chhattisgarh Biodiesel Development Authority (CBDA) and then processed at CSIR-IIP, Dehradun.

About AN-32 :

• It is a twin-engine, tactical light transport aircraft designed and manufactured by Antonov Design Bureau of Ukraine for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

• The AN-32 is derived from the AN-26 transport aircraft.

• The current total number of AN-32 transport aircraft operating around the world is 240.

• It can fly at a maximum speed of 530km/h and its cruise speed is 470km/h. 

• It has ten variants.

'Swachhta Hi Seva' (SHS) campaign

Tags: National National News

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti launched a fortnightly campaign 'Swachhta Hi Seva' (SHS) on 16 September to accelerate efforts towards complete sanitation in rural India. 

IMPORTANT FACTS -

• Its objective is to accelerate the efforts being made towards total sanitation in rural India.

• This is a massive campaign for old waste cleaning and solid waste management activity.

• The campaign will culminate on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Major activities to be organized in villages under the campaign :

• Cleaning of old waste sites in villages.

• Construction of waste collection and segregation sheds/centres

• Keeping the areas around water bodies clean and planting trees around them

• Procurement of waste collection vehicles such as tricycles/e-carts (battery operated vehicles) through GeM

• Door to door collection of non-biodegradable waste such as plastic

• To create awareness about the ill-effects of Single Use Plastic (SUP) by organizing Gram Sabha meetings

• Promoting the 4 R's for Plastic Waste Management – Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

PM Narendra Modi releases 8 Cheetahs in MP's Kuno National Park

Tags: National State News International News

The first batch of cheetahs, translocated from Namibia to India, has been released into the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17.

IMPORTANT FACTS -

• Cheetahs (5 females and 3 males) have been brought from Namibia in Africa as part of 'Project Cheetah'.

• Eight cheetahs were brought in a cargo plane to Gwalior as part of an intercontinental cheetah translocation project.

• Later, helicopters from the Indian Air Force transported the cheetahs from Gwalior Air Force Station to Kuno National Park.

• This is the first time in the world that a large carnivore has been transferred from one continent to another.

• The cheetahs have been brought under a memorandum of understanding signed earlier this year.

Reintroduction Action Plan :

• Reintroduction of a species means releasing it in an area where it is capable of surviving.

• Under the scheme, 50 cheetahs will be released in various national parks of the country over a period of 5 years.

Extinction of cheetahs :

• The last cheetah of the country was found dead in the year 1947 in Chhattisgarh and in the year 1952 it was declared extinct in the country.

• Habitat loss, conflict with humans, poaching and high susceptibility to diseases are the major causes of their extinction.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -

About ‘Project Cheetah’ :

• This is a one of its kind project in which a species is being brought out of the country (from South Africa / Namibia) and restored to the country.

• The subspecies of the extinct cheetah in India was the Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) and the subspecies of the cheetah being brought back to the country is the African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus).

• Research has shown that the genes of both these subspecies are similar.