1. 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.
2. OECD suspends Russia and Belarus
Tags: International News
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Economic development (OECD) has suspended Russia and Belarus from participating in any activities of the OECD due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Neither Russia nor Belarus is a member of the OECD.
Russia's application to join the OECD was postponed after the country annexed Crimea in 2014 and was cancelled in February 2022 as a result of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Belarus has been punished for its role in supporting Russia in its invasion of Ukraine
The exclusion of Russia and Belarus will mean they're barred from participating in negotiations on issues including taxation, international business regulation and trade.
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Economic development (OECD)
It is a group of the world’s most developed and rich countries. It discusses a wide range of global issues like trade, taxation, money laundering,international business regulation etc and sets the agenda for the world .
It was founded in 1961.
Headquarters : Paris, France
Total member countries 38
Costa Rica was the 38th country to join the OECD.
Russia, China, and India are not members of OECD .
Full Form for exam
OECD: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Economic development
Belarus
Belarus or also called Byelorussia is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe.
It was once part of the Soviet Union and became independent after the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Capital : Minsk
Currency : Belarusian ruble
President : Alexander Lukashenko
3. 5th NSA meeting of Colombo Security Conclave held in Maldives
Tags: International News
The 5th National Security Advisor’s meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave was held at Male, Maldives on 9 March 2022.
The Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval represented India at the meeting.
India, Sri Lanka and Maldives are the members of the Colombo Security Conclave.
At the meeting, Mauritius was included as the fourth member. Bangladesh and Seychelles participated as Observers.
NSAs discussed the significance of close cooperation between member and observer countries in maritime safety and security and countering terrorism and radicalisation.
These countries agreed that they shall play the role of the first responders for the region.
4. Government of India to set up Land Monetisation Corporation
Tags: National News
The Union cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the creation of National Land Monetisation Corporation (NLMC). It will pool together and monetise the land owned by the government of India and its companies/corporations.
The NMLC will be owned by the government of India and under the Ministry of Finance. The Corporation will have a paid-up capital of Rs 150 crores and authorised capital of Rs 5000 crore.
In the 2021-22 Union Budget, Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced the setting up of a special purpose vehicle for this purpose.
Last September, the Government had put out a four-year National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) worth an estimated Rs 6 lakh crore. Roads, Railways and power sector assets will comprise over 66 per cent of the total estimated value of assets to be monetised.
Concept Clearing
What is Monetisation
It refers to the process of turning non-revenue generating assets into cash.
The Government of India and its various companies like railways, defence, telecommunications etc have surplus lands, buildings which are not being used or are generating less revenue than it is capable of.
Under the monetisation plan these land or buildings can be sold, or used for commercial purposes in partnership with private companies so that optimum revenue can be generated.
5. 4 million students shifted to government school during Covid
Tags: National News
Around 40 lakh students shifted to government school during the 2020-21 academic season due to the corona pandemic which made millions of people jobless and teaching shifted to online mode.
According to the government‘s Unified District Information System for Education (UIDSE+), overall enrollment in the pre-primary to higher secondary schools declined by 77,585.
The UDISE+ 2020-21 report covers data reported by private and government schools.
According to the data , nearly 75% of schools in India still did not have internet facilities and 59% had no computer facilities in the year 2020-21.
The overall enrolment of students from the pre-primary grades to class 12 in more than 15 lakhs schools across the country was 2645 lakhs in 2019-20, declining to 264 lakhs in 2020-21.
The data shows that the number of students enrolled in private schools decreased from 9.80 crore in 2019-20 to 9.5 crore in 2020-21 while enrolment in government schools rose by 39.7lakhs during the same period.
The Unified District Information System for Education (UIDSE+) report is released by the Union Ministry of Education.
Important for Exam
Union Education Minister : Dharmendra Pradhan
6. 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.
7. Union Rural Development Ministry to focus on rural women contribution for its Iconic week celebration
Tags: National News
The Union Rural Development Ministry is celebrating its Iconic week under the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav from 7th to 13th March, 2022.
The theme of the Iconic week is “Naye Bharat ki Naari”. It will focus on the contribution of rural women in India .
Union Minister of Rural Development : Giriraj Singh
Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements.
The official journey of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav commenced on 12th March 2021 which started a 75-week countdown to our 75th anniversary of independence and will end post a year on 15th August 2023.
Following are the five themes of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Freedom Struggle
Idea at @75
Resolve @75
Action @75
Achievement @75
8. Union Minister Narayan Rane launches “SAMARTH” for women entrepreneur
Tags: National News
On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2022, Union Minister for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Shri Narayan Rane, launched a Special Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive for Women -"SAMARTH" on 7th March 2022 at New Delhi.
The Scheme will provide Skill Development and Market Development Assistance to women and more than 7500 women candidates from rural and sub- urban areas in 2022-23.
The aim of the scheme is to provide them an opportunity to be self-reliant and independent by undertaking self-employment opportunities.
Under the Samarth initiative of the Ministry, following benefits will be available to aspiring and existing women entrepreneurs:
20% Seats in free Skill Development Programs organised under skill development schemes of the Ministry will be allocated for Women. More than 7500 women will be benefitted.
20% of MSME Business Delegations sent to domestic & international exhibitions under the schemes for Marketing Assistance implemented by the Ministry will be dedicated to women-owned MSMEs.
20% Discount on annual processing fee on National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) Commercial Schemes.
Special Drive for registration of women-owned MSMEs under Udyam Registration.
For Understanding the concept of MSME kindly see our 26 February 2022 post
9. Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav launched to bring girls to formal education
Tags: National News
The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), in partnership with the Union Ministry of Education and United Nations Children Funds,(UNICEF), has launched a campaign Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav to bring back out of school adolescent girls in India to the formal education or skilling system at New Delhi on 7 march 2022.
The main aim of the campaign is to increase the enrolment and retention of girls between 11-14 years of age in school.
The Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav campaign will be under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) initiatives of the Ministry of Women and Child Development , targeting more than 400,000 out of school adolescent girls as primary beneficiaries.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
The scheme was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Panipat, Haryana on 22 January 2015.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is a joint scheme of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, Union Ministry of Education and Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare .
The main aim of the scheme is to ;
Prevention of gender biased sex selective elimination
Ensuring survival and protection of the girl child
Ensuring education and participation of the girl child
UNICEF
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is a successor to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, which was set up on 11 December , 1946 by the United Nation .
It was later renamed as United Nation Children Funds in 1953 but the acronym is still UNICEF.
It works for the welfare of women and children's especially in developing countries .
Headquarters : New York, United States of America
Head : Catherine Russel of the United States of America
Important for Exam
Union Minister of Women and Child Development : Smt Smriti Irani
Union Minister of Education : Dharmendra Pradhan
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare : Mansukh Mandviya
10. Coal Ministry to celebrate “Iconic Week” from 7th March, 2022
Tags: National News
The Union Minister of State for Coal, Mines and Railways, Shri Raosaheb Patil Danveon inaugurated the “Iconic Week” celebration organised by the Union Ministry of Coal on 7 March 2022 at New Delhi.
The Union Ministry of Coal is celebrating “7 to 11 March 2022” as an”Iconic Week”, to celebrate and commemorate the 75 years of Independence, as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
The Government of India is celebrating 75 years of Indian Independence “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” to mark 75 years of progressive India and its elegant history.
The Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav was started on 12th March, 2021 and will end on 15 August 2023.
