Current Affairs March 30th 2022| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Centre extends import of Tur and Urad under ‘Free category’ for another year, till 31st March, 2023:

• The Centre has notified the decision to keep the import of Tur and Urad under ‘Free category’ till March 31, 2023.
• The Government had allowed the import of Tur, Urad, and Moong under the ‘Free category’ May 15, 2021, till October 31, 2021, in order to ensure smooth and seamless imports.
• The Free regime in respect of import of Tur and Urad was thereafter extended till March 31, 2022.
• This policy measure has been supported with facilitation measures and close monitoring of its implementation by the concerned Departments/organization.
• As per the official statistics of the Department of Consumer Affairs, the All India Average Retail Price of Tur Dal as reported on 28.03.2022 is Rs.102.99 per kilogram, which is a drop of 2.4% from the price of Rs. 105.46 per kilogram on 28.03.2021.
• The All India Average Retail Price of Urad Dal as reported on 28.03.2022 is Rs. 104.3 per kilogram, which is 3.62% less than the price of Rs.108.22 per kilogram on 28.03.2021.

Ministry of MSME to organize Mega International Summit on MSMEs in association with EDII:

• Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Ahmedabad is organizing a two-day Mega International Summit on MSMEs in New Delhi.
• Entrepreneurs, academicians, policymakers, industry leaders, thought leaders, business chambers, industry associations, startups, social impact organizations, MSMEs and self-help groups from India and across the world will attend the summit.
• National and international experts will deliberate on subjects such as challenges and opportunities in the MSME sector amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, role of incubators or accelerators in MSMEs’ growth, role of conducive policies and non-financial business development services in MSME competitiveness and how MSMEs can work in consortia to achieve sustainability will be discussed in the summit.

NCW launches legal aid clinic to resolve women grievances:

• National Commission for Women has launched a legal aid clinic in collaboration with Delhi State Legal Services Authority which will act as a single-window facility for resolving grievances of women by offering them free legal assistance.
• The legal aid centre aims to provide free advice and legal services to women.
• The legal aid clinic will focus on protecting women’s rights and providing them with a one-stop centre for seeking legal counseling and help.
• Under the new legal aid clinic, counseling will be provided for walk-in complainants, women in distress will be given legal assistance, advice and information on various schemes of the National Legal Services Authority.

Govt plans to amend Multi State Cooperative Societies Act 2002:

• Government is planning to amend Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act 2002 to have an effective regulatory mechanism for multi-state cooperative societies.
• Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah is proposed to amend the Act to keep the legislation in tune with the changing economic policies, to make the management accountable to the members of the societies, and to protect the interests of the depositors and the shareholders of the societies.

RBI Governor dedicates Varnika Ink Manufacturing Unit of BRBNMPL to the Nation:

• Shri Shaktikanta Das, Governor, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), dedicated Varnika, the Ink Manufacturing Unit of Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited (BRBNMPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of RBI to the nation in Mysuru.
• Governor recognised the substantial progress made towards achieving self-reliance in banknote production ecosystem in India.
• BRBNMPL has set up Varnika with an annual ink manufacturing capacity of 1,500 MT to enhance the security of banknotes.
• It is a boost to ‘Make in India’ initiative.
• It ensures that the entire requirement of banknote printing inks is produced in-house.
• This unit also manufactures Colour Shift Intaglio Ink (CSII) and meets the entire requirements of banknote printing presses in India, which has resulted in cost efficiency and self-sufficiency in banknote ink production.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : STATE NEWS

Gujarat gets India’s first ‘steel road’

• Gujarat became India’s first city to get a unique steel road, made with 100% processed steel slag at the Hazira Industrial Area in Surat, Gujarat.
• The steel slag road has been built by ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India.
• It is sponsored by the Council Of Scientific And Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) with help from the Ministry of Steel and Policy Commission and the NITI Aayog.
• The pilot project road is 1 kilometer long and has six lanes.
• The thickness of the road has also been reduced by 30 percent.
• More than 1,000 trucks, 18 to 30 every day, are passing with tons of weight on the steel road.
• The new method is expected to prevent the roads from any damage caused during
• the monsoon season.
• Slag is a by-product separated from metals during the smelting or refining of ore.
• It may help to solve the steel waste material issue, produced by different plants around the country each year, amounting to around nineteen million tonnes, that usually go to landfills.

About Gujarat :

• Governor: Acharya Devvrat
• Capital: Gandhinagar
• Chief minister: Bhupendrabhai Patel

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

RBI releases framework for Geo-tagging of payment system touch points

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the framework for geo-tagging of payment system touch points to ensure proper monitoring of the availability of payment acceptance infrastructure.
• The payment acceptance infrastructure includes Point of Sale (PoS) terminals and Quick Response (QR) codes.
• This framework is issued under Section 10 (2) read with Section 18 of Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Act 51 of 2007).
• Geo-tagging refers to capturing the geographical coordinates (latitude and longitude) of payment touchpoints deployed by merchants to receive payments from their customers.
• There are broad categories of physical infrastructure for digital payment transactions carried out by customers using payment touch points.

1. Banking infrastructure comprises bank branches, offices, extension counters, Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) / Cash Deposit Machines (CDMs), Cash Recycler Machines (CRMs), micro-ATMs used by Business Correspondents (BCs), etc.
2. Payment acceptance infrastructure such as Points of Sale (PoS) terminals, Quick Response (QR) codes deployed by banks/non-bank Payment System Operators (PSOs), etc.

• As per the framework, banks/non-bank Payment System Operators would capture and maintain geographical coordinates for all payment touch points.
• Also, geo-tagging information in respect of PoS terminals and paper-based/soft QR codes shall be submitted to RBI.
• Banks and non-banks can report information on payment touch points to the Reserve Bank through the Centralized Information Management System (CIMS).

About RBI :

• Founded: 1 April 1935
• Governor: Shaktikanta Das
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra,India
• Deputy governors : Mahesh Kumar Jain, M. Rajeshwar Rao,Michael Patra and T. Rabi Shankar

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

ILO Elects First African Gilbert F. Houngbo as 11th DG

• The Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) comprising representatives of governments, workers and employers, have elected African born Togolese, Gilbert F. Houngbo, and will take office in October 2022.
• He will be the 11th Director-General of the ILO, and the first African to hold the post.
• He will replace the current Director-General, Guy Ryder, from the United Kingdom, who has held the office since 2012.
• The position had attracted five candidates, including Kang Kyung-wha (Republic of Korea), Mthunzi Mdwaba (South Africa), Muriel Pénicaud (France), and Greg Vines from Australia.

About Gilbert F. Houngbo :

• Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo is a Togolese politician and diplomat.
• He was Prime Minister of Togo from September 2008 to July 2012.
• Houngbo is currently President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

About ILO :

• Founded: 1919
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Director-General : Guy Ryder
• The ILO has 187 member states
• The ILO’s Governing Body is composed of 56 titular members (28 governments, 14 employers and 14 workers) and 66 deputy members (28 governments, 19 employers and 19 workers).

CURRENT AFFAIRS : AWARDS & HONORS

List of Oscar winners 2022

• The Oscars Awards, also known as the 94th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films released between March 1 and December 31, 2021, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
• The ceremony was hosted by Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes.
• Awards will be presented across 23 categories, which are determined based on voting by members of the Academy.
• The film “The Power of the Dog” received the most number of nominations at 12 while the film Dune won the most number of awards at 6.

The Complete list of Oscar winners 2022 :

• Best Picture: “CODA”
• Best Actress: Jessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”
• Best Actor: Will Smith, “King Richard”
• Best Director: Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”
• Best Original Song: “No Time to Die”
• Best Documentary Feature: “Summer of Soul”
• Best Adapted Screenplay: “CODA”
• Best Original Screenplay: “Belfast”
• Best Costume Design: “Cruella”
• Best International Feature: “Drive My Car”
• Best Supporting Actor: Troy Kotsur, “CODA”
• Best Animated Feature: “Encanto”
• Best Visual Effects: “Dune”
• Best Cinematography: “Dune”
• Best Supporting Actress: Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story”
• Best Film Editing: “Dune”
• Best Score: “Dune”
• Best Sound: “Dune”
• Best Production Design: “Dune”
• Best Makeup and Hairstyling: “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”
• Best: Documentary (Short Subject): “The Queen of Basketball”
• Best Short (Animated): “The Windshield Wiper”
• Best Short Film (Live Action): “The Long Goodbye”

Governors Awards

• The Academy held its 12th annual Governors Awards ceremony on March 25, 2022, during which the following awards were presented:

Honorary Academy Awards

• Samuel L. Jackson
• Elaine May
• Liv Ullmann

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

• Danny Glover

About AMPAS :

• Founded : 1927
• President : David Rubin
• Headquarters : Beverly Hills, California, U.S

CURRENT AFFAIRS : MOU & AGREEMENTS

Airport Operators Groupe ADP, GMR Airports, Airbus, Axens and Safran sign a MoU for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in India   

• Airport operators Groupe ADP and GMR Airports together with Airbus, Axens and Safran have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conduct a joint study on Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and their potential in India.

Objective of the Study :

• To understand and evaluate the demand, the challenges and opportunities of supply, infrastructure and fueling, as well as to prepare a business case for SAF production and use in India for all kinds of aviation purposes.

About SAF :

• The SAF is a clean substitute for fossil jet fuels.
• Rather than being refined from petroleum, SAF is produced from sustainable resources such as waste oils from a biological origin, agri residues, municipal solid wastes or algae.
• SAF produced using the most advanced pathways can provide CO2 emission reduction of up to 85% across the entire SAF lifecycle.
• The aviation sector globally contributes to 2-3% of CO2 emissions as compared to other sectors.
• In 2009, the aviation industry collectively agreed under the frame of ATAG (Air Transport Action Group) to the world’s first set of sector-specific climate change targets.
• These targets include- Carbon neutral growth from 2020 and achieving 50% reduction in carbon emission by 2050 relative to a 2005 baseline.
• In 2021, the ATAG commitments have been modified to aim at Net Zero in 2050, in order to be coherent with current global roadmaps defined in the Paris Agreement with the 1.5°C temperature limit scenario.

Note :

• India, is the 3rd largest domestic aviation market in the world and with a forecasted yearly growth of about 9% going forward.

Ministry of Defence signs Rs.887 crore contract with L&T for two MPVs

• The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) for acquisition of two multi-purpose vessels (MPVs) for the Indian Navy at an overall cost of Rs 887 crore under “Buy-Indian” category.
• The contract was signed in the presence of Vice Admiral SN Ghormade, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff and Pankaj Agarwal, Additional Secretary and Director General Acquisition.
• Delivery of vessels is scheduled to commence from May 2025.
• The two vessels will be flag bearers of its “Make in India, Make for the World” initiatives.
• The MPVs will be the first of its kind platform, constructed to provide a cost-effective solution to meet a variety of requirements of the Indian Navy.
• It will perform multi-role support functions such as maritime surveillance and patrol, launching or recovery of torpedoes and operation of various types of aerial, surface and underwater targets for gunnery or ASW firing exercises.
• These vessels would also be capable of towing ships and rendering Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) support with limited hospital ship capability.
• They will also act as trial platform for naval weapons and sensors under development, support platform for ISV & salvage operations, and to provide logistics support for our island territories
• This contract will further boost and encourage active participation of Indian Shipbuilding Industry in consonance with the “AatmanirbharBharat” initiatives of the Central government.

About Ministry of Defence :

• Union Minister : Rajnath Singh
• Minister of State : Ajay Bhatt
• Defence Secretary : Dr Ajay Kumar

About Larsen & Toubro (L&T) :

• Founded: 7 February 1938
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chairman : Anil Manibhai Naik
• MD & CEO: S N Subrahmanyan
• Larsen & Toubro Ltd, commonly known as L&T, is an Indian multinational conglomerate, with business interests in engineering, construction, manufacturing, technology and financial services.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

India Successfully test-fires two MRSAMs off Odisha coast

• India successfully test–fired two Army–version Medium Range Surface–to Air–Missiles (MRSAMs) from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha.
• The MRSAM version is developed jointly by the DRDO and the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for the Army.

About MRSAM :

• The MRSAM version is a Surface-to-Air Missile.
• The flight tests were carried out as part of live–firing trials against high–speed aerial targets.
• The missiles intercepted the targets and destroyed them completely, registering direct hits at both the ranges.
• The first launch was to intercept a medium-altitude long-range target and the second launch was for proving the capability of a low altitude short-range target.
• The MRSAM Army weapon system comprises a multi-function radar, mobile launcher system and other vehicles.
• Two Pune-based DRDO facilities have contributed to the development of the missile system.
• The ground system and launcher of this system have been developed by the Pune-based Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) and the High Energy Material Research Laboratory has contributed towards the propellant.

Note :

• The first test of the missile was conducted in December 2020.

Recent News :

• In Feb 2022, India successfully test-fired a new version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile off the coast of Odisha in Balasore.

About DRDO :

• Founded: 1958
• Headquarters : New Delhi
• Chairman : Dr G. Satheesh Reddy
• Parent Agency : Ministry of Defence

Mario Marcel wins the Governor of the year award 2022

• Mario Marcel, the Governor of the Central Bank of Chile, has won the Governor of the year award at the Central Banking Awards 2022.
• Banco Central de Chile is the name of the central bank of Chile.

About Mario Marcel :

• Mario Marcel Cullell born on 22 October 1959 in Santiago de Chile, Chile.
• He is a Chilean economist who has been serving as Chile Minister of Finance since 11 March 2022.
• He was named Governor in December 2016 and member of the Bank’s Board from October 2015.

About Central Bank of Chile :

• Founded: 22 August 1925
• Headquarters : Santiago, Chile
• President : Rosanna Costa

Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship recognises INS Shivaji as the Centre of Excellence in Marine Engineering

• The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) recognised INS Shivaji, as the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in the field of Marine Engineering (ME).
• The recognition certificate was handed over by the Secretary MSDE, Mr Rajesh Aggarwal to Commodore Arvind Rawal, Commanding Officer, INS Shivaji at the Ministry Headquarters, Shram Shakti Bhavan, New Delhi.
• The certification took place at the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship,Shram Shakti Bhawan, New Delhi.
• Recognition as the Centre of Excellence by MSDE is first of its kind for any military organisation and an indication of the establishment’s sustained efforts towards skill and technology development.

About INS Shivaji :

• INS Shivaji is an Indian naval station in Lonavala, Maharashtra.
• It houses the Naval College of Engineering, which educates and trains Indian Navy and Coast Guard officials.
• It has three premier training entities, namely Centre of Marine Engineering and Technology (CMET), Centre of Excellence in Marine Engineering and School of Basic Sciences & Nuclear, Biological & Chemical Defence (NBCD) School.
• The organisation was commissioned as HMIS Shivaji on February 15, 1945.

About Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship :

• Union Minister : Dharmendra Pradhan
• Minister of State : Rajeev Chandrasekhar

CURRENT AFFAIRS : RANKING & INDEX

Moradabad 2nd most noise polluted city globally – UNEP

• According to a report ‘Annual Frontier Report 2022’ titled ‘Frontiers 2022: Noise, Blazes and Mismatches’ published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) the city of Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh is the second-most noise polluted city
• Moradabad has recorded noise pollution of a maximum of 114 decibels (db).
• Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka topped the list with a noise level of 119 decibels (dB) & Pakistan’s capital city Islamabad was placed on the third spot, where noise pollution level has been recorded at 105 dB.

Top 15 most noise polluted cities in the world :

1. Dhaka (Bangladesh) – 119 dB
2. Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh – India) – 114 dB
3. Islamabad (Pakistan) – 105 dB
4. Rajshahi (Bangladesh) – 103 dB
5. Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam) – 103 dB
6. Ibadan (Nigeria) – 101 dB
7. Kupondole (Nepal) – 100 dB
8. Algiers (Algeria) – 100 dB
9. Bangkok (Thailand) – 99 dB
10. New York (US) – 95 dB
11. Damascus (Syria) – 94 dB
12. Manila (Philippines) – 92 dB
13. Hong Kong (China) – 89 dB
14. Kolkata (West Bengal – India) – 89 dB
15. Asanol (West Bengal – India) – 89 dB

• Meanwhile, Jordan’s Irbid at 60 dB, France’s Lyon at 69 dB, Spain’s Madrid at 69 dB, Sweden’s capital city of Stockholm at 70 dB, and Serbian capital Belgrade at 70 dB are world’s quietest cities.
• The Frontier 2022 report mentions a total of 61 cities & the report identifies 13 noise polluted cities in south Asia (Five of these are in India).
• The noise pollution figures given in the report relate to daytime traffic or vehicles.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) had recommended a 55 db standard for residential areas in the 1999 guidelines,
• For traffic and business sectors, the limit was 70 db.
• The WHO set the limit of noise pollution on the road at 53 db in 2018.

Note :

• Sounds with a frequency over 70 db are considered harmful to health.

About UNEP :

• Founded: 5 June 1972
• Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya
• Executive Director : Head: Inger Andersen

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

The men’s and women’s team has won gold in the National Cross-Country Championship:

• Indian Railways’ women team became winner in the 56th National Cross-Country Championship (Men and Women) held at Kohima in state of Nagaland.
• In Kohima, Darshan Singh of the Services and Varsha Devi of the Railways finally defended their men’s and women’s titles in the National Cross-Country Championships by winning their 10 Km events on the picturesque but difficult course, which was made more difficult by 60 per cent humidity and wind gusts.
• Indian Railways women athletes won Gold in the team event while Men team won the Silver.
• Varsha Devi, Manju Yadav, Preenu Yadav and Munni Devi were members of Railway Sports Promotion Board team in the Championship.
• In the individual event, the women athletes from Indian Railways captured top 5 positions and sealed the Gold for Indian Railways in the Team event.
• In the Men’s section the Indian Railways team consisting of Narendra Pratap, Dinesh, Virendra Kumar Pal and HarshadMhatre won the Silver Medal.

Max Verstappen wins 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix:

• Defending F1 champion Max Verstappen has defeated Charles Leclerc three laps from the end of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for his first win of the season and the 21st of his career.
• Charles Leclerc (Ferrari- Monaco) came second and Carlos Sainz Jr. (Ferrari – Spain) came third.
• It was the second edition of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and the second round of the 2022 Formula One World Championship.
• Lewis Hamilton managed to get a point on the board after coming 10th.

Daily CA on March 30 :

• The Centre has notified the decision to keep the import of Tur and Urad under ‘Free category’ till March 31, 2023.
• Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Ahmedabad is organizing a two-day Mega International Summit on MSMEs in New Delhi.
• National Commission for Women has launched a legal aid clinic in collaboration with Delhi State Legal Services Authority which will act as a single-window facility for resolving grievances of women by offering them free legal assistance.
• Government is planning to amend Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act 2002 to have an effective regulatory mechanism for multi-state cooperative societies.
• Shaktikanta Das, Governor, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), dedicated Varnika, the Ink Manufacturing Unit of Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited (BRBNMPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of RBI to the nation in Mysuru.
• Gujarat became India’s first city to get a unique steel road, made with 100% processed steel slag at the Hazira Industrial Area in Surat, Gujarat, the steel slag road has been built by ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India & it is sponsored by the Council Of Scientific And Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) with help from the Ministry of Steel and Policy Commission and the NITI Aayog.
• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the framework for geo-tagging of payment system touch points to ensure proper monitoring of the availability of payment acceptance infrastructure.
• The Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) comprising representatives of governments, workers and employers, have elected African born Togolese, Gilbert F. Houngbo, and will take office in October 2022 & he will be the 11th Director-General of the ILO, and the first African to hold the post; he will replace the current Director-General, Guy Ryder, from the United Kingdom, who has held the office since 2012.
• The Oscars Awards, also known as the 94th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films released between March 1 and December 31, 2021, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
• Airport operators Groupe ADP and GMR Airports together with Airbus, Axens and Safran have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conduct a joint study on Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and their potential in India.
• The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) for acquisition of two multi-purpose vessels (MPVs) for the Indian Navy at an overall cost of Rs 887 crore under “Buy-Indian” category.
• India successfully test–fired two Army–version Medium Range Surface–to Air–Missiles (MRSAMs) from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha & the MRSAM version was developed jointly by the DRDO and the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for the Army.
• Mario Marcel, the Governor of the Central Bank of Chile, has won the Governor of the year award at the Central Banking Awards 2022.
• The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) recognised INS Shivaji, as the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in the field of Marine Engineering (ME).
• According to a report ‘Annual Frontier Report 2022’ titled ‘Frontiers 2022: Noise, Blazes and Mismatches’ published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) the city of Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh is the second-most noise polluted city globally.

• Indian Railways’ women team became winner in the 56th National Cross-Country Championship (Men and Women) held at Kohima in state of Nagaland.
• Defending F1 champion Max Verstappen has defeated Charles Leclerc three laps from the end of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for his first win of the season and the 21st of his career.