1. Power of Dog win best film awards at BAFTA awards
The British Academy Film Awards or BAFTA awards was announced on 14 March 2022 at the Royal Albert hall, London, England.
Winners list
Best Feature film : The Power Of The Dog
Best Actress: Joanna Scanlan. She got the award for acting in the film “After Love”.
Best Actor : Will Smith. He got the award for acting in the film “King Richard”.
Best Director : Jane Campion. He got the award for directing the film “ The Power Of The Dog”.
Best Animated film: Encanto
Best supporting actor : Troy Kotsur. He got the award for acting in the film CODA. He is a deaf actor.
Best supporting actress: Ariana DeBose. She got the award for acting in the film “ West Side Story”.
Best British Film: Belfast. It was directed by Kenneth Branagh.
2. India is the largest importer of arms in the world :SIPRI
India is the largest importer of arms in the world accounting for over 11% of the world arms import during 2017-21 ,according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). These finding were published in the SIPRI’S “Trends in International Arms Transfers 2021”
Highlights of the SIPRI report
India’s arms imports have decreased by 21 percent between 2012-16 and 2017-21,but it still remains as the largest importer globally.
The five largest arms importers in the 2017-21 period were India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Australia, and China.
These five countries accounted for nearly 38 % of the world's arms import during this period.
Russia was India’s largest supplier of arms in both 2012-16 and 2017-21. However, the volume of India’s imports from Russia fell by 47 per cent between these two periods.
France is the second largest supplier of arms to India after Russia.
The five biggest exporters of arms in the same period were the United States, Russia, France, China, and Germany.
They accounted for around 77% of the world arms export during 2017-21.
As for exports, the US remained the world’s biggest weapons supplier accounting for 39 per cent of the total.
Russia is the second-largest exporter, but their trade has fallen by 26 per cent.
Meanwhile, the largest arms importers in Europe are the UK, Norway, and the Netherlands.
In 2017-21, China accounted for 4.6 per cent of global arms exports, a 31 per cent drop from its exports share in 2012-16. However, 47 per cent of China’s exports during 2017-21 went to Pakistan.
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. It is funded mainly by the Swedish Government .
Established in 1966,
Headquarters : Solna, Sweden
3. Rishab Pant scores India’s fastest fifty in Test Match
The wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant made history by scoring the fastest half-century by an Indian cricketer in the history of Tests during Day 2 of the Bengaluru Test against the Sri Lankans on 13 March 2022.
He scored his fifty in 28 balls beating the record of Kapil Dev who scored 50 runs in 30 balls against Pakistan in the Karachi test in 1982. He was eventually out at the score of 50.
The world record is held by Pakistani batsmen Misbah-ul who scored 50 runs in a test match against Australia in Abu Dhabi in 2014 in 21 balls.
Important for Exam
Bengaluru Cricket Stadium name : Chinnaswamy stadium
4. Maternal Mortality Ratio declines to 103 in India
According to the latest Sample Registration System (SRS) special bulletin on maternal mortality in India (2017-19), brought out by the office of the Registrar General of India,the Maternal Mortality Ratio(MMR) has declined to 103 per lakh live births.
It was 113 per lakh live births, according to the special bulletin on maternal mortality(2016-18) in India.
The lowest MMR was in Kerala 30 per lakh live births and the highest MMR was in Assam,205 per lakh live births.
The MMR for Uttar Pradesh was 167, Bihar 130,Madhya Pradesh 163,Chhhatisgarh 163,Odisha 136, Rajasthan 141,Uttrakhand 101.
The target of the government of India under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is 70 MMR per lakh live births by 2030.
The number of states which have achieved the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target has now risen from 5 to 7 . These states are Kerala (30), Maharashtra (38), Telangana (56), Tamil Nadu (58), Andhra Pradesh (58), Jharkhand (61), and Gujarat (70).The states which have recently achieved this target are Jharkhand and Gujarat.
The target of 100 MMR per lakh live birth under the National Health Policy by 2020 is likely to be achieved by the country .
The number of states which have achieved the National Health Policy target are Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh ,Jharkhand ,Gujarat Karnataka (83) and Haryana (96).
Four states West Bengal, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh have shown an increase in MMR. Haryana MMR increased from 91 in 2016-18 to 96 in 2017-19. Similarly in West Bengal it increased from 98 to 109,in Uttarakhand the MMR increased from 99 to 101 and in Chhattisgarh it increased from 159 to 160.
States in India have been divided into three groups for better monitoring of MMR situation in India .
Empowered Action Group (EAG) States comprising Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand and Assam. These states have high MMR.
Southern States which include Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu; and
“Other” States covering the remaining States/UTs(Union Territories).
Concept Clearing
Maternal Mortality Ratio(MMR)
It refers to the death of the mother while delivering a child . It does not include children which are born dead and includes only children which are born alive.
It is a statistical tool which refers to the proportion of maternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births.
5. Government reduces EPF interest rate to 8.1% for 2021-22
The Central Board of Trustee, Employment Provident Fund (EPF) under the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment has decided to reduce the interest to be paid on the EPF fund to 8.1% for the financial year 2021-22.
During the 2020-21 the interest rate was 8.5%.
The meeting of the Central Board of Trustee was held in Guwahati ,under the chairmanship of the Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav.
This is the lowest interest rate since 1977-78 when the EPF interest rate stood at 8%.
Employees provident Fund (EPF)
Employee Provident Fund (EPF) is a retirement benefits scheme framed under the Employees Provident Fund & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
The Act is applicable to every factory or industry mentioned in Schedule 1 of the Act, wherein 20 or more persons are employed or to any other establishment which the Central Government specifies by notification in the official Gazette, even when the number of employees is less than 20.
It includes any worker having salary(basic salary and Dearness allowances ) of Rs 15,000 or less per month .
The Employee has to contribute 12% of its salary and a similar contribution is made by the Employer. The Government of India pays interest on the amount every year.
On retirement, the employee receives a lump sum corpus of EPF, including the employee’s contribution, employer’s contribution and the interest amount credited every year.
- The fund is managed by Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) under the Union Ministry of Labour
6. India ranked 4th on the Global firepower Index
Tags: Popular International News
The Global Firepower report 2022 has ranked India as the 4th most powerful military in the world in 2021. The Global Firepower ranks the countries on its potential war making capabilities across land, air and sea fought by conventional means. It means it does not take into account the country's nuclear capability.
The most powerful country in the world was the United States followed by Russia, China, India and Japan.
Iceland was ranked at 142 and was considered as the least military powerful country in the world,
The report has been released by Global Firepower since 2006.
7. Justice (retd.) AK Sikri to be the head of the Char Dham Panel
The Supreme Court of India has appointed Justice ( retd.) A.K. Sikri as the chairman of the high-powered committee constituted by it to “consider the cumulative and independent impact of the Char Dham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojna on the entire Himalayan valley” on 11 March 2022..
Earlier Professor Ravi Chopra resigned as the chairman of the Char Dham project accusing the Union Road and Highway Transport ministry of ignoring its recommendations.
Justice Sikri is also the chairman of the oversight committee appointed by the Supreme Court, to look after the environmental concerns and other issues related to the Char Dham project.
Char Dham Project
The project seeks to connect the pilgrimage centers of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri & Gangotri in Uttarakhand.
The project is of 889 Km length which will build two lane roads.
The total cost of the project is Rs 11,700 crore.
Many environmentalists are objecting to the project as it will harm the sensitive ecosystem of the Himalayas.
8. Debashish Panda appointed as the new Chairman of IRDAI
Tags: Popular Person in news
The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Debashsish Panda as the new chairman of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India .
He has been appointed for a term of three years .
Debashish Panda earlier retired as the Secretary of the Department of Financial Services , Union Ministry of Finance.
The post of IRDAI chairman has been vacant since May 5, after Subhash C Khuntia stepped down on completion of his term.
IRDAI
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) was set up under the Insurance Development Authority Act 1999 by the Government of India in 1999.
It was set up on the recommendation of R.N Malhotra Committee on Insurance sector , set up by the Government of India in 1993.
It is the regulator of the Insurance sector in India .
The Headquarters of the IRDAI : Hyderabad .
Appointment Committee of the Union Cabinet
The appointment committee of the Union Cabinet at present consists of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Home Minister Amit Shah .
9. BJP poised to form government in 4 states and AAP sweeps Punjab polls
Bharatiya Janata Party is set to form governments in Uttar Pradesh,Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa while the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) swept away Punjab.
The general election to constitute a new legislative Assembly in the states of Manipur, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab was held by the Election Commission of India from 14 February 2022 to March 7 ,2022.
Uttar Pradesh voted in 7 phases from February 10 to March 7 to elect 403 vidhan sabha members of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly
The 40-member assembly of Goa went to polls in a single phase on February 14.
The 70 member assembly of Uttarakhand went to polls in a single phase on February 14.
The 117 member assembly of Punjab went to polls in a single phase on February 20.
The 60 member assembly of Manipur went to polls in two phases on 28 February and 5 March 2022.
State | Total Seats | Majority seats | Second place | Others |
Punjab | 117 | Aam Aadmi Party -92 seats | Congress(I)- 18 seats | Shiromani Akali Dal-3 seats |
Uttar Pradesh | 403 | BJP-255 seats | Samajwadi party-111 seats | Congress-2 seats |
Uttrakhand | 70 | BJP-47 seats | Congress-19 seats | Others - 2 seats |
Manipur | 60 | BJP-32 seats | National People’s Party -7 seats | Congress-5 seats |
Goa | 40 | BJP-20 seats | Congress-11 | AAP-2 seats |
In Uttar Pradesh,the alliance partners of BJP were Apna Dal(Sonelal) and NISHAD Party(Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal") .The alliance partner Apna Dal won 12 seats and the NISHAD party won 6. The total seats won by BJP and its alliances are 273.
Notable winners of the Poll
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of BJP won from Gorakhpur Urban seat by defeating Samajwadi Party’s Subhawati Upendra Dutt Shukla. This was the first time he contested an Assembly poll.
Samajwadi party leader Akhilesh Yadav won the Karhal seat by defeating the Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Satya Pal Singh Baghel.
Manipur Chief Minister N.Biren Singh of BJP defeated Congress's P Sharatchandra from Heingang seat.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant won the Sanquelim assembly constituency seat as he defeated Congress leader Dharmesh Saglani.
Notable losers
- Uttarakhand Chief Minister and BJP leader, Pushkar Singh Dhamilost the election from Khatima to the Congress candidate Bhuwan Chandra Kapri.
- Punjab Chief Ministerand Congress Party (I) candidate Charanjit Singh Channi contested from two constituencies and lost both . He was defeated by Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) candidate Labh Singh Ugoke in the Bahadaur assembly seat. He also lost his traditional Chamkaur singh sahib seat to his name sake ,Chanranjit singh Channi of Aam Aadmi Party.
- Former Chief Minister of Punjab ,Captain Amrinder Singh who formed a new party, Punjab Lok Congress lost his Patiala Urban constituency to AAP's Ajit Pal Singh Kohli.
- Congress Party Punjab chief , Navjot Singh Sidhu lost the Amritsar East seat to AAP candidate Jeevanjyot Kaur
- Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya was defeated by Pallavi Patel of Samajwadi Party in Sirathu constituency .
Pushkar Singh Dhami and Charanjit Singh Channi have resigned from their post .
Chief Election Commissioner of India : Sushil Chandra .
10. Government removes upper age limit for NEET-UG
Tags: Popular National News
In a major decision the government of India has decided to remove the upper age limit for aspirants appearing for the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) for Undergraduates medical courses.
The National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET), formerly the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT), is the qualifying test for MBBS and BDS programmes in Indian medical and dental colleges. It is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
As per the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997 the upper-age limit for candidates appearing for National Eligibility Entrance Test and seeking admission to MBBS programme shall be 25 years as on the date of examination and 30 years for SC/ST/OBC category and persons entitled for reservation under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
There is no change in the minimum age criteria of 17 years for appearing in the exam.
According to the government of India there were 51,348 MBBS seats in India in 2014 and now it is 88,120 seats. Nearly half of these seats are in government medical colleges.
This move of the government can be seen as a response to the fact that many Indian students go to places like Ukraine for medical study and one of the reasons cited was the low number of medical seats in India, high fees in private medical colleges in India and also NEET. Increasing the age limit will offer more chances to the candidate to clear the medical exam for MBBS.
