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By admin: March 26, 2022

WHO Global centre for Traditional medicine in India

Tags: Popular National News

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has signed an agreement with the  government of India to set up a WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The Agreement was signed on 25 March 2022 in Geneva by the Secretary, Ministry of Ayush Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, and Director General, WHO Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

• The Government of India will invest $250 million in the center .

• The primary objective of GCTM is to harness the potential of traditional medicine from across the world through modern science and technology and improve overall health of the communities’ world over. 

• The WHO centre will be under the Ministry of AYUSH. 

• It is the only such centre on traditional medicine  of WHO in the world.

Traditional Medicine 

• According to the WHO, Traditional medicine is the sum total of the knowledge, skill, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness.

AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy)

• The Ministry of AYUSH was set up on the 9th of November 2014 to revive  the knowledge of traditional Indian systems of medicine. 

• It focuses on education and research in the fields of Ayurveda, Yoga Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy. 

• Minister of AYUSH: Sarbananda Sonowal

World Health Organisation (WHO)

• The World Health Organisation is a specialised agency of the United Nations which was founded on 7 April, 1948.

• Every year 7 April is celebrated as “World Health Day”.

• Headquarters of WHO : Geneva, Switzerland 

• Director General of WHO :  Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus  of Ethiopia .

• He was elected as WHO director General  in 2017 and later re-elected in 2022 for a period of 5 years.

4.1 million Indian brought to India under Vande Bharat Mission

Tags: National

The Government of India has informed a Parliamentary panel that under the Vande Bharat Mission a total of 4.1 million Indians were brought back to India. 

The Vande Bharat Mission was launched by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India to bring back Indian’s stranded across the world due to Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The Vande Bharat mission is the largest ever civilian repatriation exercise by any country in recent history.

Highlights of the government data 

• Around 4.1 million Indians were brought back to India .

• The government repatriated Indian citizens from more than 100 countries under the mission.

• Of the total arrived passengers, 39.2 percent were  workers, 39.1 percent were professionals, 5.9 per cent were students, 7.8 per cent visitors and 4.8 per cent Indian tourists stranded in foreign countries.

• The maximum number of people were brought from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 2.54 million Indians were brought from the UAE.

• Saudi Arabia, USA, Qatar and Oman ranked behind the UAE.

• Maximum people brought to India were from Kerala( 1.41 million) followed by Delhi (1.33 million).

• Both Air India and private carriers operated a total of more than 88,000 inbound flights and more than 87,600 outbound flights for the mission for which tickets had to be purchased by the passengers.  

1 Million = 10 lakhs 

Vande Bharat Mission 

• It was launched by the Government of India on 7 May 2020 to bring back Indian’s  stranded in foreign countries due to covid -19 pandemic.

• Initially the flights were operated by Air India,  but later Private Air Lines also joined the operation.

• The operations under Vande Bharat Mission were commercial operations by the airlines and air fares were paid by passengers. The Centre has not provided any subsidy or grant for the mission.

Gujarat again tops NITI Aayog’s Export Preparedness Index 2021

Tags: Popular Economics/Business

Gujarat has topped the  National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog’s Export Preparedness Index 2021 for the second time in a row. The index assesses the readiness of the states in terms of their export performance and potential. The index was released by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar, in the presence of NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant.

Highlights of the report 

• The report was prepared by NITI Aayog, in partnership with the Institute of Competitiveness Gurugram, Haryana was released on 25 March 2022.
• Gujarat was the top ranked state followed by Maharstra and Karnataka 

The EPI ranks states and Union Territories  on 4 main pillars

• Policy

•  Business Ecosystem

•  Export Ecosystem;

•  Export Performance

and 11 sub-pillars—Export Promotion Policy; Institutional Framework; Business Environment; Infrastructure; Transport Connectivity; Access to Finance; Export Infrastructure; Trade Support; R&D Infrastructure; Export Diversification; and Growth Orientation.

The main aim of the  EPI’s report is to promote competition among all Indian states to bring about favourable export-promotion policies, ease the regulatory framework to prompt subnational export promotion, create the necessary infrastructure for exports, and assist in identifying strategic recommendations for improving export competitiveness. 

Institute of Competitiveness 

• The Institute for Competitiveness is part of the global network of the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School, United States .

• It is an research institution dedicated to understanding  competition and strategy 

• Headquarters : Gurugram, Haryana 

NITI Aayog 

 It was set up by the Government of India to replace the Planning commission.

• The NITI Aayog serves as the apex public policy think tank of the Government of India for economic growth and development of the country .

• It was set up on 1 January 2015

• Prime Minister is the ex officio chairman of NITI Aayog 

• Headquarters : New Delhi 

Delhi Per Capita Income is third highest in the country

Tags: State News

According to the Economic Survey 2021-22 presented by the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia,Delhi per capita income was third highest in the country in 2021-22 after Sikkim and Goa.

• According to the survey, Delhi's per capita income grew 16.81 per cent to Rs 4,01,982 in 2021-22 as compared to 2019-2020.

• According to the first advance estimate of the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) the per capita Income of India at constant price in 2021-22  was Rs 93973.

• Per Capita Income is calculated by dividing the total national income of the country by the total population of the country.

• In states the total Gross Domestic State Product (GDSP) is divided by the population of the state in a particular time period.

Western Naval Commands conducts security exercise Prasthan

Tags: Defence State News

The Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy conducted an offshore security exercise, ‘Prasthan’ off the coast of Mumbai . The exercise is conducted by the Western  Naval Command every six months .

Led by the Navy, the exercise saw participation from the Indian Air Force, Coast Guard, ONGC, Mumbai Port Trust, JawaharLal Nehru Port Trust, Customs, state fisheries department, Mercantile Marine Department and the Marine Police.

Important for exam 

 Current Chief of Navy : Admiral R.Hari Kumar 

Navy Day : 4 December 

The Headquarters of the Indian Navy is at New Delhi 

Operational Naval Commands     Headquarters 

Western Naval Command             Mumbai 

Southern Naval Command             Kochi 

Eastern Naval Command             Visakhapatnam

President of India Presents President’s Colour to INS Valsura

Tags: Defence

• President Ram  Nath Kovind presented the President’s colour  to the Indian Navy premier training technological training establishment, INS Valsura on 25 March 2022.
• The President’s Colour is bestowed on a military unit in recognition of the exceptional service rendered to the nation, both in peace and in war. 
• The Navy was the first Indian armed force to be awarded the President’s Colour by Dr Rajendra Prasad on May 27, 1951.
• INS Valsura which was set up in 1942 as a torpedo training institute at Jamnagar, Gujarat is now a premier technical training institution in India. 

India win the SAFF U 18 WOMEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2022 title

Tags: Sports News

The Indian women's team emerged as champion of the  3rd South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U-18 Women’s Championship 2022. This is the first time India has won this title.

• India was crowned champion on a better goal difference as compared to Bangladesh. India enjoyed a better goal difference of +11 in comparison to +3 of Bangladesh. 

• The highest goal scorer of the championship, Lynda Kom of India was declared the most valuable player of the tournament. She scored 5 goals  in the championship.

• The SAFF U-18 Women’s Championship 2022 was held in JRD Tata sports complex, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand from 15 to 25 March 2022.

• Three teams India, Bangladesh and Nepal participated in the championship.

SAFF (South Asian Football Federation)

• The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) is an organization working to develop and make football more accessible for everyone within the South Asian region.

•  SAFF was formed in 1997 by founding Member Associations from Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and SriLanka. 

• SAFF is now composed of seven Member Associations including Bhutan.

• Headquarters of SAFF: Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Himanta Biswa Sarma re-elected as BAI president

Tags: Person in news Sports News

• Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma was reelected unopposed  as the President of the Badminton Association of India (BAI) for a new four year term from 2022 to 2026.

• The  general body meeting of the BAI was held in Guwahati, Assam on 25 March 2022.

• He is also the Vice-President of the Badminton Asia Council.

Badminton Association of India (BAI) 

• Badminton Association of India (BAI) is the governing body for Badminton in India. 

• It was formed in 1934 and has been holding national-level tournaments in India since 1936.

• Its Headquarters :  New Delhi 

Maharashtra, Delhi win the compound titles in National Archery championships 2022

Tags: Sports News

Maharashtra and Delhi won the compound men and women team titles respectively in the  41st  Senior National Archery Championships held at the  M.A. Stadium in Jammu on  25 March 2022.

Compound Event 

Men's Final 

The Maharashtra team  won the gold by defeating  Rajasthan.

Women’s Final 

The Delhi team won the gold by defeating the All India Police Team.

Mixed Team 

Punjab defeated  Rajasthan  to win gold in the mixed event.

Individual Ranking 

Men

 1. Abhishek Verma of Delhi 

 2. Mohan Bhardwaj  of Uttrakhand,

3   Aman Saini  of Delhi 

 Women:

 1. V. Jyoti Sureka of Petroleum Sports Promotion Board  

 2. Avneet Kaur  Punjab 

 3. Priya Gurjar of Rajasthan.

Defence Ministry approves setting up of 21 new Sainik Schools for 2022-23

Tags: National

The Union Defence Ministry has approved setting up of 21 new Sainik Schools in partnership with NGOs, private schools and State Governments for the academic session 2022-23. These schools will be set up as part of the Government India’s initiative of setting up of 100 new Sainik schools across the country in partnership mode.

• They will be distinct from the existing Sainik Schools. 

• These new Sainik Schools, besides their affiliation to respective education boards, will function under the aegis of Sainik Schools Society and will follow the Rules and Regulations for new Sainik schools in partnership mode prescribed by the Society.

• The entry to the new Sainik School pattern in these schools will be at class six level only.

Sainik Schools 

• Sainik Schools Society (SSS) is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Defence, Govt of India. 

• The Society runs Sainik Schools. Sainik Schools are English medium residential schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education(CBSE). 

• Sainik Schools prepare Cadets to join the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla (Pune), Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala,Kerala  and other Training Academies for officers. 

• At present there are a total of 33 Sainik Schools across the country.

• Sainik Schools offer admission at the level of Class VI and Class IX.

Anil Ambani resigns as director as per SEBI order

Tags: Economy/Finance

Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani has resigned as the director of Reliance Power Ltd. and Reliance Infrastructure Ltd., following market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India order restraining him from associating with any listed company.

• SEBI in February 2022,  barred Reliance Home Finance Ltd., industrialist Anil Ambani and three other individuals from the securities market for allegedly siphoning off funds from the company.

• Anil Ambani was accused of using Reliance Home Finance ltd fund to pay off his own loans .

• The regulator also restrained Ambani and three others from "associating themselves with any intermediary registered with SEBI, any listed public company or acting directors/promoters of any public company which intends to raise money from the public till further orders."

Concept Clearing 

Listed Companies

A company which has its securities (shares, bonds, debentures, warrants etc) listed on a recognised stock exchange is called as listed companies . It means an investor can buy the company's shares, bonds ,debentures ,warrants etc from the stock exchange where the company is listed .

Intermediaries  registered with SEBI :  

They are Stock brokers,Merchant Bankers , Mutual Funds etc. registered with SEBI.

 Siphoning of funds . It means that the funds which were borrowed by the company from any banks or financial institutions were used by the company for purposes  unrelated to the   business of the company, which could lead to serious loss to the company and the  lenders.

 SEBI (Securities Exchange Board of India )

Securities Exchange Board of India(SEBI) was set up on 12 April 1988 and it was given statutory status by the SEBI Act 1992 on 30 January 1992.

• It comes under the Ministry of Finance , Government of India.

• It is the regulator of the Capital market and Commodities market in India.

• Capital markets include securities markets and Secondary markets like stock exchanges.

Chairman of SEBI :Madhuri Buch

Headquarters of SEBI: Mumbai

Australia wins a Test series in Asia after 2011 by defeating Pakistan

Tags: Sports News

The Australian men's cricket team defeated Pakistan by 115 runs in the third and final test match of the 3 match Test series  to win the series 1-0. The Australian team  was touring Pakistan after 1998.

• The first two test matches were  played at Rawalpindi and Karachi respectively which ended in a draw.

• The third test was played at Lahore which was won by Australia 

• Australia won the inaugural Benaud-Qadir Trophy. The test match series between Australia and Pakistan  has been named as the Benaud-Qadir Trophy.

•  This is the third Test series victory of Australia in Pakistan 

•  This is Australia's first Test series win in Asia since beating Sri Lanka 1-0  in 2011.

• Usma Khwaja of Australia was named as the Player of the Series.

• The Australian team captain was Pat Cummins while Babar Azam was the captain of Pakistan.