1st – 7th

February
2022

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 READ ME PLEASE

Let us try to understand how to read this magazine for preparing the current affairs of RBI Gr B, NABARD Gr A, NABARD
Gr B and SEBI Gr A

What are the areas where current affairs-based questions are asked in RBI Gr B, NABARD Gr A and B examinations and
SEBI Gr A?

• After thorough analysis of previous year papers of RBI Grade B and NABARD Gr A and B examinations, we understand
that current affairs form an important part of these examinations- both phase 1 as well as phase 2, and with the
changed pattern of SEBI Gr A – it would be majorly relevant for Phase 1.

• For RBI Gr B examination, current affairs-based questions are asked in Phase 1 (General Awareness – GA Section)
and Objective and Descriptive paper of ESI and Finance for Phase 2

• For NABARD Gr A and B examinations, current affairs based questions are asked in Phase 1 (General Awareness – GA
Section, Economics and Social Issues – ESI Section as well as Agriculture and Rural Development – ARD Section) as
well as Objective and Descriptive paper of Phase 2 (Economics and Social Issues – ESI Section as well as Agriculture
and Rural Development – ARD Section which is a combined paper)

What is the weightage of current affairs-based questions in Phase 1 and 2 of RBI Gr B and NABARD Gr A and B
examinations?

Phase 1 – GA Phase 2 (Objective) – ESI Phase 2 (Descriptive) – Phase 2 (Objective) - Phase 2 –

ESI Finance Descriptive

Total Marks = 80 Total Marks = 50 Total Marks = 50 Total Marks = 50 Total Marks = 50
Current Affairs Current Affairs weightage Current Affairs Current Affairs Current Affairs
weightage = 60- = 30-35 Marks weightage = 20-25 weightage = 20-25 weightage = 10-
65 Marks Marks Marks 15 Marks

Let us look at RBI Gr B first:

Now let us take a look at NABARD Gr A and B examination:

Phase 1 – GA Phase 1 - ESI Phase 1- ARD Phase 2 – ESI + Phase 2 – ESI + Phase 2 – Paper
ARD (Objective) ARD III (for Gr B)
(Descriptive)
Total Marks = Total Marks = 40 Total Marks = Total Marks = 50 Total Marks = Total Marks =
20 40 50 100
Current Affairs Current Affairs Current Affairs Current Affairs Current Affairs Current Affairs
weightage = 15- weightage = 25- weightage = 10- weightage = 35- weightage = 15- weightage = 5-10
20 Marks 30 Marks 15 Marks 40 Marks 20 Marks Marks

What is the nature of questions asked based on current affairs in these examinations?

To understand and better appreciate the nature of questions asked, this current affairs document provided by EduTap has
been divided into 4 sections namely:

1. GA in news
2. GA + ESI (Economics and Social Issues) in news
3. GA + Finance in news

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 4. Static in news

Why this division?

• For the simple reason that current affairs need to be prepared in a combined manner for Phase 1 as well as Phase 2
of these examinations.

• General Awareness has been taken as the super set and all other sections – ESI, Finance and ARD are nothing but
subsets of the super set of GA when we talk about current affairs.

• Simply put, this means that all the current affairs which are important for ESI, ARD and Finance can also be asked in
GA. (ARD for NABARD Gr A/B specifically)

Example of the Previous Year Questions:

Q. Which of the following organizations has released State of Global Climate Report 2018 recently (April 2019)?

A) UNFCCC

B) BRICS

C) WMO

D) IPCC

E) None of the above

First look at this question suggests that this can be asked in the ESI section of the examinations as the topic
“Environmental issues and Sustainable Development” has been mentioned in the official syllabus of ESI for both RBI Gr B
and NABARD Gr A examinations.

But, can this question also be asked under General Awareness Section of Phase 1 of RBI Gr B and NABARD Gr A/B or
SEBI Gr A? Yes!

Let us take another example.

Q. Who among the following was the chairperson of the Committee on Currency Management constituted by RBI in the
year 2016?

A) Viral Acharya

B) Duvvuri Subbarao

C) Bimal Jalan

D) D.K. Mohanty

E) None of the above

First look at this question suggests that this can be asked in the Finance section of the examination as the topic “Recent
Developments in the Financial Sector” has been mentioned in the official syllabus of Finance for RBI Gr B examination.

But, can this question also be asked under General Awareness Section of Phase 1 of RBI Gr B and NABARD Gr A/B or
SEBI Gr A? Again, Yes!

Let us take one last example:

Q. In which of the following years was e-NAM launched?

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 A) 2012

B) 2013

C) 2015

D) 2016

E) None of the above

What about this question?

First look at this question suggests that this can be asked in the Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) section of the
examination as the topic “Agricultural Finance and Marketing” has been mentioned in the official syllabus of ARD for
NABARD Gr A/B examination.

But, can this question also be asked under General Awareness Section of Phase 1 of RBI Gr B and NABARD Gr A/B or SEBI
Gr A? Again, Yes!

So, we have firmly established that the questions asked based on current affairs in ESI, ARD as well as Finance can be
asked in the GA section as well, didn’t we say that GA is the super set?

This also implies that there are certain areas in GA which cannot be asked in ESI, ARD or Finance.

What are those areas? Let us consider some examples:

Q. Who among the following personalities has recently (April 2019) become the first Indian to join the FIFA council?

A) Praful Patel

B) Sharad Pawar

C) Utpal Kumar Ganguly

D) Krishnendu Banerjee

E) None of the above

Q. Who has been elected as the first woman President of Slovakia recently (April 2019)?

A) Viorica Dancila

B) Zuzana Caputova

C) Kersti Kaljulaid

D) Ana Brnabic

E) None of the above

Both these questions are such that can be asked in GA section but not in ESI, Finance or ARD. Why?

For the simple reason that these questions cannot be linked to any of the topics of ESI, ARD or Finance as given in the
official syllabus for RBI Gr B and NABARD Gr A/B examinations.

Based on this analysis, we have divided our current affairs magazine into 3 sections:

1. GA in news
2. GA + ESI (Economics and Social Issues) in news
3. GA + Finance in news
4. Static in news

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The first section – GA in news covers those news which can be asked in GA only and not in ESI or Finance.

The second section – GA + ESI in news covers those news which can be asked in GA as well as ESI.

The third section – GA + Finance in news covers those news which can be asked in GA as well as Finance/ESI of NABARD
Gr A/B

The fourth section – Static in news covers all the important static information that are there in news example countries,
organizations etc.

How to read this document for Phase 1?

For RBI Grade B - you need to refer to first four sections of the magazine because the syllabus of Phase 1 includes
General Awareness (GA). This GA includes GA in news, GA + ESI in news, GA + Finance in news and static in news.

For NABARD Grade A - you need to refer to first and second part of the magazine. The syllabus of the exam includes
current affairs from GA, ESI & ARD (A separate magazine is provided for ARD)

How to read this document for Phase 2?

For RBI Grade B - you need to refer to the second and third sections of this magazine. Section first i.e GA in news is not
important for Phase 2 as in this phase such type of questions are not asked. The section of GA + ESI in news and GA +
Finance in news are important for Phase 2 with two separate exams of ESI and FM, 100 marks each.

For NABARD Grade A – you need to refer to second and third sections of this magazinefor Phase 2 of this paper.

A combined paper of ESI + ARD with 100 marks is conducted in this phase. Section first i.e GA in news is not important
here but it is important to understand that all the financial developments covered in Finance sections are also relevant
for the NABARD Gr A/B with the changing pattern of the examination.

Syllabus Topic mentioned in ESI part of NABARD Gr A which is related to all the Finance section news –“Rural banking and
financial institutions in India - Reforms in Banking/Financial sector”

Questions asked in NABARD Gr A 2020 – Phase 2

Q. According to RBI data, what is the central government’s External Debt by March 2020?

A) USD 558.5 billion

B) USD 455.5 billion

C) USD 659.6 billion

D) USD 252.9 billion

E) None of the above

Answer : USD 558.5 billion

Q. Paragraph – Framework for Bank Frauds

Government has launched "Fraud Prevention and Management Function" toenable, among others, effective investigation
of fraud cases. It talked about RedFlagged Account and EWS. In EWS, S stands for?

A) Simple

B) System

C) Signals

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D) Systematic

E) None of the above

Answer : Signals (Early Warning Signals)

How to read this document for Descriptive paper?

You can write the better descriptive answers by going through the second and third section of the Magazine.

For example:

Question: 15th finance commission - Horizontal and Vertical transfers

Note - ARD month wise magazine is separately provided by us to cover “ARD in news”

Now that we have understood how to read this magazine, let’s dive in!

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Contents
1 GA in News: ................................................................................................................................................................ 9
National News ................................................................................................................................................................ 9
1.1 “Statue of Equality” ............................................................................................................................................. 9
1.2 Andhra Pradesh government increases retirement age of state government employees ..................................... 9
1.3 CCI approves acquisition of additional equity of Escorts Ltd. by Kubota Corporation ........................................... 9
1.4 Prime Minister inaugurates two research facilities of ICRISAT.............................................................................. 9
1.5 KVIC bans Khadi Emporium at DN Road in Mumbai ........................................................................................... 10
1.6 Bharti Airtel to buy 25% stake in Lavelle ............................................................................................................ 10
1.7 Odisha Light House Tourism plan ...................................................................................................................... 10
1.8 Kanchoth festival celebrated ............................................................................................................................. 10
1.9 World’s Largest Igloo Café opened at Jammu and Kashmir ................................................................................ 10
International News ....................................................................................................................................................... 10
1.10 Portugal Parliamentary elections ....................................................................................................................... 10
1.11 UAE to introduce federal corporate tax on business profits ............................................................................... 10
1.12 AU suspends Burkina Faso ................................................................................................................................. 10
1.13 Sri Lanka ‘Unitary Digital Identity framework’ .................................................................................................... 11
Science and Technology ................................................................................................................................................ 11
1.14 NASA’s study suggests presence of liquid water in Mars .................................................................................... 11
1.15 Two New Bird Species Discovered on Borneo .................................................................................................... 11
1.16 NASA HERMES Mission ...................................................................................................................................... 11
1.17 IIT Madras team finds gene linked to higher diabetes risk ................................................................................. 12
1.18 New Ultra Strong 2-D polymer........................................................................................................................... 12
Defence in News ........................................................................................................................................................... 12
1.19 India- Oman Joint Military Cooperation Committee Meeting ............................................................................. 12
1.20 Boys Sports Company, RVC Centre and College to conduct an induction rally .................................................... 12
1.21 IAC Vikrant ........................................................................................................................................................ 12
Environment ................................................................................................................................................................. 12
1.22 New Species added to the mammal list of India................................................................................................. 12
1.23 New gecko species discovered in Western Ghats ............................................................................................... 12
1.24 Cyclone Batsirai makes landfall.......................................................................................................................... 13
1.25 New species of spider and millipede discovered ................................................................................................ 13
Awards ......................................................................................................................................................................... 13
1.26 Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards 2021 ..................................................................................................... 13
1.27 94th Academy Awards ........................................................................................................................................ 13
Sports ........................................................................................................................................................................... 13
1.28 Magnus Carlsen wins 2022 Tata Steel Chess tournament................................................................................... 13
1.29 Odisha Open 2022 ............................................................................................................................................. 13

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 1.30 PR Sreejesh wins World Games Athlete of the Year Award ................................................................................ 14
1.31 ICC Under- 19 World Cup .................................................................................................................................. 14
1.32 2022 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup ............................................................................................................... 14
1.33 India’s 1000th ODI match .................................................................................................................................. 14
Appointments............................................................................................................................................................... 14
Persons in News ........................................................................................................................................................... 14
Days in News ................................................................................................................................................................ 15
2 GA + ESI in News ....................................................................................................................................................... 15
Social Sectors in India- Health ....................................................................................................................................... 15
2.1 Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 4.0 ......................................................................................................................... 15
2.2 Data on Leprosy in India .................................................................................................................................... 16
Social Sectors in India – Education ................................................................................................................................ 16
2.3 National Higher Education Qualification Framework ......................................................................................... 16
Employment Generation in India .................................................................................................................................. 17
2.4 National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC) ........................................................................................ 17
2.5 Parvatmala Scheme ........................................................................................................................................... 17
Sustainable Development and Environmental Issues..................................................................................................... 18
2.6 ASEAN-India High Level Conference on Renewable Energy ................................................................................ 18
2.7 Auto Fuel Vision and Policy-2025....................................................................................................................... 18
2.8 Data On Water Bodies In The Country ............................................................................................................... 19
2.9 GT Suggests National River Rejuvenation Mechanism........................................................................................ 19
2.10 GAIL starts India’s maiden project of Blending Hydrogen ................................................................................... 20
Social Justice................................................................................................................................................................. 20
2.11 Prime Minister's 15 Point Programme for Minorities ......................................................................................... 20
2.12 Advancement made by Muslim Community ...................................................................................................... 21
Globalization ................................................................................................................................................................ 21
2.13 India’s merchandise export in January 2022 ...................................................................................................... 21
2.14 Export of Petroleum Products ........................................................................................................................... 22
Indian Agriculture ......................................................................................................................................................... 22
2.15 Pilot movement of food grains on vessel from Patna (Bihar) to Pandu (Guwahati) ............................................. 22
Industrial Development in India .................................................................................................................................... 23
2.16 Doubling of Domestic Steel Making Capacity ..................................................................................................... 23
2.17 SAMADHAN Portal ............................................................................................................................................ 23
2.18 IFLDP continuation with an outlay of Rs. 1700 Crore ......................................................................................... 23
2.19 Powerthon-2022 for Enabling Advanced Technology in Power Distribution ....................................................... 24
Regional Economic Cooperation ................................................................................................................................... 25
2.20 World Oil Outlook Data ..................................................................................................................................... 25
Indian Political System .................................................................................................................................................. 25

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 2.21 ECI appoints 15 Special Observers for the Poll Going States ............................................................................... 25
3 GA + Finance in News................................................................................................................................................ 25
FinTech ......................................................................................................................................................................... 25
3.1 NITI Aayog’s Fintech Open Summit .................................................................................................................... 25
4 Static ........................................................................................................................................................................ 26
4.1 List of Important Organizations with Headquarters ........................................................................................... 26
4.2 Countries in News ............................................................................................................................................. 26

1 GA in News:
National News
1.1 “Statue of Equality”
• The Prime Minister has dedicated to the nation the ‘Statue of Equality’ in Hyderabad, Telangana.
• The 216-feet tall statue commemorates the 1000th birth anniversary of the 11th century Bhakti Saint
Sri Ramanujacharya, who promoted the idea of equality in all aspects of human life.
• It has been conceptualized by Chinna Jeeyar Swami of Sri Ramanujacharya Ashram.
Additional Information
• The 13th century Kakatiya Rudreshwara Ramappa temple has been declared as a World Heritage
Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
• Pochampalli, Tamil Nadu has been recognized as India’s best tourism village by the World Tourism
Organization.

1.2 Andhra Pradesh government increases retirement age of state government employees
• The Andhra Pradesh government has promulgated an ordinance to raise the retirement age of state
government employees from 60 years to 62 years.

1.3 CCI approves acquisition of additional equity of Escorts Ltd. by Kubota Corporation
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved acquisition of certain additional equity of
Escorts Limited by Kubota Corporation.

1.4 Prime Minister inaugurates two research facilities of ICRISAT

• The Prime Minister has inaugurated two research facilities of the International Crops Research
Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru (Hyderabad) on the occasion of the 50th
anniversary of ICRISAT. These are:
o Climate Change Research Facility on Plant Protection
o Rapid Generation Advancement Facility.
• A specially designed logo of ICRISAT and launched a commemorative stamp has also been issued on
the occasion.
About ICRISAT
• It is an international organization that conducts agricultural research for development in Asia and
sub-Saharan Africa.

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 • It helps farmers by providing improved crop varieties and hybrids and also helps smallholder
farmers in the dry lands to fight climate change.

1.5 KVIC bans Khadi Emporium at DN Road in Mumbai

• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), has cancelled the “Khadi Certification” of its oldest
Khadi Institution named Mumbai Khadi and Village Industries Association (MKVIA) for selling non-
Khadi products in the name of genuine Khadi.
• MKVIA was running the prestigious “Khadi Emporium” at D.N. Road in Mumbai since 1954.

1.6 Bharti Airtel to buy 25% stake in Lavelle

• Bharti Airtel is going to acquire 25% equity stake in Bengaluru based technology start-up Lavelle
Networks, which specializes in Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) solutions.

1.7 Odisha Light House Tourism plan

• The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is to develop five light houses in the state of Odisha.
The five ports are:
• Gopalpur lighthouse in Ganjam
• Paradip lighthouse in Jagatsinghpur
• False point lighthouse in Kendrapara
• Chandrabhaga lighthouse in Puri
• Puri lighthouse

1.8 Kanchoth festival celebrated

• The ancient festival of Kanchoth has been celebrated across the Chenab valley region of Jammu and
Kashmir (J&K).
• It is annually celebrated mainly by Nag followers.

1.9 World’s Largest Igloo Café opened at Jammu and Kashmir

• Café Name: Snowglu
• Opened at: Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir
• Owner: Syed Wasim Shah

International News
1.10 Portugal Parliamentary elections
• Portugal’s ruling Socialist Party (PS) led by Prime Minister Antonio Costa has secured an absolute
majority in the Parliamentary snap elections.

1.11 UAE to introduce federal corporate tax on business profits

• The United Arab Emirates has introduced a federal corporate tax on business profits starting from
June, 2023.
• The tax will be levied on all corporations and commercial activities in the country, except
"extraction of natural resources".

1.12 AU suspends Burkina Faso

• The African Union (AU) has suspended Burkina Faso from all activities after the country suffered its
latest coup.

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 • Recently, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional bloc has also
suspended Burkina Faso from all its ranks.

1.13 Sri Lanka ‘Unitary Digital Identity framework’

• India has agreed to provide a grant to Sri Lanka for implementing a ‘Unitary Digital Identity
framework’.
• The Unitary Digital Identity Framework is apparently modelled on the Aadhaar card.

Science and Technology

1.14 NASA’s study suggests presence of liquid water in Mars
• A team of NASA’s (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) scientists have suggested the
presence of surface water on Mars nearly 2 billion years ago.
• The study has been conducted through the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) launched in 2005.
• The team has made the discovery by studying chloride salt deposits left behind after the
evaporation of ice water by using data from an instrument named Compact Reconnaissance
Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) on the MRO.
• They also used the Context Camera and High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) color
camera onboard the spacecraft to map the extent of chloride salts across Mars’ southern
hemisphere.

1.15 Two New Bird Species Discovered on Borneo

• Ornithologists have discovered two new bird species from the Meratus Mountains of Borneo.
• The new species named Cyornis and Zosterops belong to a genus of passerine birds.
• Cyornis belongs to family Muscicapidae and is distributed across southern Asia.
• Zosterops is a unique white-eyed bird in family Zosteropidae distributed in the Afrotropical,
Indomalayan, and Australasian regions.
• The researchers have recommended the vulnerable status for the new species in the International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

1.16 NASA HERMES Mission

• NASA’s HERMES mission has passed a critical mission review called Key Decision Point C to
evaluate the preliminary design and program plan of the mission.
About HERMES Mission
• HERMES stands for “Heliophysics Environmental and Radiation Measurement Experiment
Suite” and is planned to be launched in November, 2024.
• It will help in monitoring space weather and fluctuating conditions in space driven by the Sun.
• It will be mounted outside the “Habitation and Logistics Outpost module” of Gateway outpost
of NASA.
• Gateway will be where Artemis astronauts live and work as they orbit the Moon, supporting
scientific experiments and technology development applicable for both lunar and future deep
space human exploration.
• HERMES will be a critical part of Artemis mission.
About Artemis
• It is NASA’s mission which will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, using
innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface.
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 1.17 IIT Madras team finds gene linked to higher diabetes risk
• A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, has identified a
gene/protein variation which increases the risk of diabetes, heart attacks and hypertension in the
population by 1.5 times.
• It is present in about 15% of Indians and south Asians.
• The team has been led by Nitish R. Mahapatra, professor in the Department of Biotechnology,
Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta, School of Biosciences, IIT-Madras.
• The new research has been published in the journal “Diabetes” of the American Diabetes
Association.

1.18 New Ultra Strong 2-D polymer

• Developed by: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT
• Polymer name: 2DPA-1.
• Special Property: It is lighter than plastic and stronger than steel.

Defence in News
1.19 India- Oman Joint Military Cooperation Committee Meeting
• The 11th edition of the India-Oman Joint Military Cooperation Committee Meeting (JMCC) on
bilateral defence cooperation has been held in New Delhi.
• The JMCC is the highest level engagement between the two nations in the field of defence that
evaluates and provides guidance to the overall framework of defence exchanges.

1.20 Boys Sports Company, RVC Centre and College to conduct an induction rally
• Boys Sports Company (BSC), Remount Veterinary Corps (RVC) Centre and College, Meerut is going
to conduct a selection rally for Induction of raw and proven players as Sports Cadets from all over
India.
• These cadets will be inducted in Equestrian Discipline (Horse Riding) at RVC Centre and College,
Meerut Cantt.
• BSC is a joint venture between Sports Authority of India and Indian Army with a provision to select
and groom potential talent in Equestrian discipline to improve and achieve India’s medal prospectus
in future international sports competitions.

1.21 IAC Vikrant

• It is an India-Russian joint venture that produces the supersonic cruise missile 'BrahMos'.

Environment
1.22 New Species added to the mammal list of India
• Recently found ‘white cheeked macaque’ in Arunachal Pradesh has been added in the mammal list
of India.
• Discovered by: Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).
• While the Macaque was first discovered in China in 2015, its existence was not known in India
before this.

1.23 New gecko species discovered in Western Ghats

• The species has been named as Hemidactylus easai.
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 • It has been discovered from the hills of Attappady, in the Western Ghats, Kerala.

1.24 Cyclone Batsirai makes landfall

• Cyclone Batsirai has made landfall on coast of Madagascar on 6th February 2022.

1.25 New species of spider and millipede discovered

• A team, led by researchers from Department of Zoology, Christ College, Kerala, has discovered a
new species of millipede.
• This new species, named as Delarthrum anomalans, belongs to the family Paradoxosomatidae, a
group of minute millipedes.

Awards
1.26 Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards 2021
• The President of India has approved the conferment of Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards 2021
on 51 persons.
• It includes 6 Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak (SJRP), 16 Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak (UJRP) and 29
Jeevan Raksha Padak (JRP).
• 7 personnel of Indian Railways’ Railway Protection Force (RPF) have also received the award.
S. No. Award Awardee
1 SJRP Gyan Chand (posthumous)
2 SJRP Anil Kumar
3 UJRP Dinker Tiwari
4 UJRP Tridip Paul
5 UJRP Rajbir Singh
6 UJRP Sanjeet Kumar Ram
7 JRP Bongu Narasimha Rao

1.27 94th Academy Awards

• Indian documentary ‘Writing with Fire’, has been nominated at the 94th Academy Awards in ‘Best
Documentary Feature Category’.
• Directors: Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh

Sports
1.28 Magnus Carlsen wins 2022 Tata Steel Chess tournament
• Magnus Carlsen (Norway) has won the 84th Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2022 by beating Fabiano
Caruana (Italian- American) in Wijk Aan Zee (Netherlands).
• Erigaisi Arjun (India) has won the Tata Steel Challengers and has earned a spot in the 2023 Tata
Steel Masters.

1.29 Odisha Open 2022

• The 2022 Odisha Open badminton tournament has been held at Cuttack.

S. No Category Winner Country

1 Men’s Singles Kiran George India
2 Women’s Singles Unnati Hooda India
3 Men’s Doubles Nur Mohammad Azriyn Ayub and Lim Khim Wah Malaysia

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 4 Women’s Doubles Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand Pullela India
5 Mixed Doubles Sachin Dias and Thilini Hendahewa Sri Lanka

1.30 PR Sreejesh wins World Games Athlete of the Year Award

• India hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has won the prestigious World Games Athlete of the Year
award for the year 2021.
• He is the second Indian to win the award after Indian women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal became
the first Indian to win the honor in 2020.

1.31 ICC Under- 19 World Cup

• The Indian team has won the 2022 International Cricket Council (ICC) under-19 World Cup held in
the West Indies by beating England.
• The Indian team was led by Yash Dhull.
Additional Information
• Yash Dhull has been named as the captain of the ICC Men's U19 World Cup Team of the
Tournament.
• Left-spinner Vicky Oswal and all-rounder Raj Bawa have also been named in the team.

1.32 2022 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup

• India has won the 2022 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup for the record breaking 5th time.
• India defeated England in the Final Match to lift the World Cup.

1.33 India’s 1000th ODI match

• Indian Cricket Team has won its 1000th One Day International Cricket Match on 6 th February 2022
against West Indies.

Appointments
S. No. Person Position Organization/ Country/ Company/ Outgoing Person
State
1 Usha Chief Rajasthan Niranjan Arya
Sharma Secretary
2 M Jagadesh New Chairman Professor D P
Kumar of UGC Singh
3 Santishree First Women Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU
Dhulipudi
Pandit

Persons in News
S. No. Name of Deceased Country/ Field Miscellaneous
State
1 Rupinder Singh Suri India Advocate He was the Additional Solicitor General (ASG)
2 Lata Mangeshkar India Singer Popularly known as the Nightingale of India
and Melody Queen.
Recipient of Bharat Ratna, Padma
Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, the title of
Officer of the French Legion of Honour,
Dadasaheb Phalke Award, three National
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 Film Awards, etc.
3 C Janga Reddy Telangana Politician Former Member of Parliament.
4 M R Kumar Chairman Tenure extended by 1 year
of LIC
5 Raj Kumar Managing Tenure extended by 1 year
Director of
LIC

Days in News
S. No. Days Date Theme & Misc.
1 ICG Raising Day February 1 46th Raising Day of Indian Coast Guards (ICG)
2 Safer Internet Day February 8 Theme: "Together for a better internet"
3 International February 6 to Campaign #GoForTheGoals
Development Week 12

2 GA + ESI in News
Social Sectors in India- Health
2.1 Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 4.0
• Recently, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare has launched Intensified Mission
Indradhanush (IMI) 4.0.
o Under IMI 4.0, all vaccines under Universal Immunization Program (UIP) will be provided as
per National Immunization Schedule.
Key Details of the IMI 4.0
• It will have three rounds and will be conducted in 416 districts across 33 States/UTs in the country.
• In the first round (Feb-April 2022), 11 states will conduct IMI 4.0 and the others (22 states) will
conduct the 2nd rounds from April to May 2022.
About Mission Indradhanush
• The Prime Minister has launched Mission Indradhanush in December 2014, with the aim of
increasing full immunization coverage.
• It was launched for covering partially and unvaccinated children and pregnant women, in pockets
of high-risk, hard-to-reach and low immunization coverage areas.
o This mission was focused on protecting them from vaccine preventable diseases.
• This mission was also identified as one of the flagship schemes under Gram Swaraj Abhiyan and
Extended Gram Swaraj Abhiyan.
Additional Information
• Other launches on this occasion includes:
o IMI 4.0 portal and “Operational Guidelines for IMI 4.0”,
o “Strengthening Immunization in Urban Areas-A framework for Action”
o A handbook for “Mahila Arogya Samiti on Urban Immunization” and awareness material/IEC
package developed as part of the campaign.

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 2.2 Data on Leprosy in India
• Recently, the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) has released data regarding the
Leprosy conditions in India.
Key Details of the Data
• India still accounts for over half (almost 60%) of the world's new leprosy patients.
o Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal,
and Jharkhand contributed 76% of the new leprosy cases.
• Based on the reports from all the states and UTs 2020-21:
o A total of 65,147 new cases of leprosy were detected taking Annual new case detection to
4.56 per 100,000 population as against 1,14,451 cases in 2019-20.
o A total of 57,672 leprosy cases are on record as of April 1, 2021.
✓ A total of 3,753 child cases were recorded, taking the child case rate to 5.76%.
Additional Information
• According to World Health Organization (WHO), 114,451 new leprosy cases were detected in the
India in 2019-20.
o This accounted for 80% of the cases of Southeast Asian countries.
• India has been declared "leprosy-free" in 2005.
About NLEP
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the umbrella of National Health Mission (NHM).
o It aims at eliminating leprosy in each of the districts by 2030.
• Under the NLEP, action has been taken for early case detection; complete treatment of detected
cases, and to contain the onset of disease in close contacts of the index cases.

Social Sectors in India – Education

2.3 National Higher Education Qualification Framework
• Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has released a Draft National Higher
Educational Qualification Framework (NHEQF).
o It has been released as a part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to assess students
at different levels.
Key Details of the Draft Framework
• It aims to elevate all HEIs (Higher Education Institutions) to a common level of benchmarking to
ensure that all institutions are providing quality education.
• The draft framework has outlined several learning level “descriptors” or parameters based on
which students can be assessed at every level.
o These parameters include generic learning outcomes, constitutional, ethical, and moral
values, entrepreneurship mindset, and application of knowledge and skills among others.
• The draft has divided these parameters into levels 5 to 10.
o Levels 1 to 4 cover the school education.
o Level 5 represents learning outcomes appropriate to the first year of the undergraduate
programme of study.
✓ While Level 10 represents learning outcomes appropriate to the doctoral-level
programme of study.

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 • It also envisages that students on completion of a programme of study must possess and
demonstrate the expected graduate profile/attributes acquired.
• It also fixes the number of credits required to clear the different levels of the four-year
undergraduate programme, postgraduate degrees and doctoral degrees.
About UGC
• It is a statutory body set up by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, in
accordance to the UGC Act 1956.
o The headquarters are in New Delhi
• It is charged with coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of higher education
in India.
• It also provides recognition to universities in India, and disbursements of funds to such
recognized universities and colleges.
Employment Generation in India
2.4 National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC)
• Recently, the Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has shared data regarding
the achievements of NSIC in helping MSME sector in the country in last five years.
Key Information Shared
• In last five years, NSIC has conducted many entrepreneur orientation programmes.
o In these five years, in 2017-18 NSIC have conducted highest number of 574 entrepreneur
orientation programmes with highest participation.
• In last five years, NSIC Technical Services Centers has trained many trainees and have served
various MSME’s.
o In these five years, in 2019-20 highest no of 54,624 has been trained and highest 9438
MSME’s has been served by these technical centers.
About NSIC
• It is a Mini Ratna government agency established by and comes under the Ministry of Micro, Small
and Medium Enterprises in 1955.
• It provides integrated support to MSMEs under marketing, technology, credit and other support
services.
• It is also a nodal authority for several schemes of Ministry of MSME such as Performance & Credit
Rating, Single Point Registration, MSME Databank, National SC ST Hub, etc.

2.5 Parvatmala Scheme

• Recently, the Union Finance Minister in Union Budget for 2022-23 has announced National
Ropeways Development Programme -“Parvatmala”.
o This is to improve connectivity and convenience in hilly areas.
Key Details of the Scheme
• It will be taken up on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, which will be a preferred ecologically
sustainable alternative in place of conventional roads in difficult hilly areas.
o The contracts for 8 ropeway projects for a length of 60 km would be awarded in 2022-23.
o The scheme is being presently started in regions like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh,
Manipur, Jammu & Kashmir, and the other Northeastern states.
Benefits of the Scheme:

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 • The idea is to improve connectivity and convenience for commuters, besides promoting tourism.
• This may also cover congested urban areas, where conventional mass transit system is not feasible.

Sustainable Development and Environmental Issues

2.6 ASEAN-India High Level Conference on Renewable Energy
• Recently, the ASEAN and India has held high level conference on Renewable Energy.
o Theme “Experience and Innovations for Integrated Renewables Market”.
o The conference is being organized by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Ministry
of External Affairs.
Key Details of the Conference
• India and ASEAN will together develop an entire ecosystem for renewable energy (RE).
o This is to promote knowledge sharing, technical assistance and capacity building.
• They will also explore the joint initiative to build RE manufacturing hubs in the region.
• India reiterated its commitment for working together with ASEAN in order to establish a strong
relationship in renewables sector.
About ASEAN
• It is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia.
o It was established in Bangkok in August 1967.
• It promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, military,
educational and socio-culture integration between its members and other countries in Asia.
• Member Southeast Asian states namely, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines,
Myanmar, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand, into one organization.
o India is not a member of ASEAN.

2.7 Auto Fuel Vision and Policy-2025

• Recently, the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas has shared information regarding the steps
taken by government to enhance energy security and improve efficiency in use of energy for
sustainability.
Government has taken following steps
• Diversification in sources of imports and promotion of alternate fuels,
• Increasing production of oil and gas, substitution of energy demand, improving refinery processes,
and notification of fuel efficiency norms, etc.
• Government has been promoting the use of bio fuels with multiple objectives in line with the
National Policy on Bio fuels 2018.
• Auto Fuel Vision and Policy-2025 had recommended the implementation of BS-IV, BS-V, BS-VI
emission norms in phased manner.
o Thus government implemented BS-VI emission norms in April 2020.
About Auto Fuel Vision and Policy-2025
• Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has constituted an Expert Committee for drafting the Policy
under the Chairmanship of Shri Saumitra Chaudhuri.
• This policy lays down recommendations to provide a suitable roadmap for auto fuel quality till
2025 for the country.
o It had recommended a 75 paisecess to recoup additional investments projected for
producing cleaner fuels.
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 o It touched upon Bharat norms (next stage implementation), Taxation issues & Alternative
fuels.
What is Bharat Stage Emission Standards (BS-VI, V, and VI)?
• The Bharat Stage (BS) is emission standards instituted by the Government of India to regulate the
output of air pollutants from motor vehicles.
o These regulations are based on the European emission standards.
• With the implementation of new norms, pollution levels are expected to come down significantly
as the particulate matter (PM) will decrease.

2.8 Data On Water Bodies In The Country

• Recently, the Minister of State for Jal Shakti has shared data, collected from the 1st first census of
water.
o This census of water was combined with the 6th round of minor irrigation census (reference
year 2017-18).
Key Data Shared
• As per the tentative figures of State-wise number of water bodies.
o Andhra Pradesh has the highest number of water bodies and number of encroachments
reported.
• The number of water bodies used for irrigation derived from 5th minor irrigation census (reference
year 2013-14) was 5,16,303.
o In state wise number of water bodies used for minor irrigation, Maharashtra has highest no.
of water bodies used for Minor Irrigation.
About 1st first census of water:
• The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation have launched
the first census of water bodies.
• The objective of the census of water bodies is to develop a national database for all water bodies
by collecting information on all important aspects of the subject including their size, condition, etc.

2.9 GT Suggests National River Rejuvenation Mechanism

• Recently, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Ministry of Jal Shakti to devise an
appropriate National River Rejuvenation Mechanism.
o This mechanism will be for effective monitoring of steps to curb pollution and for
rejuvenation of all polluted river stretches across the country.
Key Details of the Mechanism
• It may consider setting up a National, State or district environment data grid at appropriate levels
as an effective monitoring strategy.
• The process of rejuvenation of rivers need not be confined to only 351 stretches but may be
applicable to all small, medium and big polluted rivers, including those dried up.
• Under the mechanism, effective measures should be taken by Chief Secretaries of all States and
UTs in terms of action plans for abatement of pollution and rejuvenation of rivers.
o They are also required to personally monitor progress at least once every month and the
NRRM every quarter.
• The accountability for failure to comply with the direction for payment of compensation will be of
the Chief Secretaries concerned.
What is the need of this Mechanism?
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• This is based on the observation that there has been deterioration in the quality of water in rivers in
spite of the Water Act.
o This act was enacted way back in 1974 which were intended to bring about improvement.
About NGT
• It is a statutory body, established by the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.
o This act provide pathway for the establishment of a NGT for the effective and expeditious
disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and
other natural resources.
2.10 GAIL starts India’s maiden project of Blending Hydrogen
• Recently, the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) has commenced India’s first-of-its-kind project
of mixing hydrogen into natural gas system at Indore (Madhya Pradesh).
o GAIL has started injection of grey hydrogen at City Gate Station (CGS), Indore and it would
subsequently been replaced by green hydrogen.
• In line with the National Hydrogen Mission (NHM), it has been started as a pilot project to establish
the techno-commercial feasibility of blending hydrogen in City Gas Distribution (CGD) network.
About National Hydrogen Mission
• It has been announced in Union Budget 2021-22 and focus on generation of hydrogen from green
power resources.
• It has an objective to scale up Green Hydrogen production and utilization and to align India’s efforts
with global best practices in technology, policy, and regulation.
• Mission has identified pilot projects, infrastructure, and supply chain, research and development,
regulations, and public outreach as broad activities for investment.
o It has a proposed financial outlay of Rs 800 crores for the next three years.
About GAIL
• It is a government owned Natural Gas Corporation responsible for natural gas processing and
distribution in India headquartered in GAIL Bhawan New Delhi, India.
o It comes under the ownership of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
o Manoj Jain, is the present Chairman & MD.
• It was conferred with the Maharatna status on 1 Feb 2013.

Social Justice
2.11 Prime Minister's 15 Point Programme for Minorities
• Recently, the Union Minister for Minority Affairs has shared information regarding the Prime
Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for welfare of Minority Communities.
Key Information Shared
• It is an overarching programme which covers various schemes/initiatives of the participating
Ministries/Departments.
• It has an aim to ensure that the underprivileged and weaker sections of six centrally notified
minority communities have equal opportunities for availing the various welfare schemes and
contribute to the overall socio-economic development of the Country.
• The programme has the following broad objectives:
o Enhancing opportunities for education,

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 o Ensuring an equitable share for minorities in economic activities and employment, through
existing and new schemes,
o Improving the conditions of living of minorities by ensuring an appropriate share for them in
infrastructure development schemes,
o Prevention and control of communal disharmony and violence.

2.12 Advancement made by Muslim Community

• Recently, the Union Minister for Minority Affairs has shared information regarding the Socio,
Economic and Educational Advancement made by Minorities and Muslim Community
o This information is based on Census 2011 and other means of data collection.
Key Information Shared
• The literacy rate amongst Muslim population has increased from 59.1% in 2001 to 68.5% in 2011.
• The enrolment of Minorities, in Higher Education has increased from 22,96,671 in 2015-16 to
29,86,610 in 2019-20.
o As per All India Survey of Higher Education (AISHE) report for Muslims the increase in Higher
Education is from 16,13,710 in 2015-16 to 21,00,860 in 2019-20.
• The enrolment of Minority students in School education has increased from 4,11,19,333 in 2015-16
to 4,55,05,633 in 2020-21.
o As per Unified District Information System For Education (UDISE+), the increase of Muslim
students is from 3,31,46,085 in 2015-16 to 3,62,02,678 in 2020-21.
• The Government has also implemented various schemes for the welfare and upliftment of every
section of the society including minorities. It includes
o Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY),
o Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY),
o Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM KISAN),
o Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY),
o Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana, etc.

Globalization

2.13India’s merchandise export in January 2022

• Recently, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has released preliminary India’s Merchandise
trade data for January, 2022.
Key Data Shared
• India’s merchandise export in January 2022 was USD 34.06 billion, an increase of 23.69% over USD
27.54 billion in January 2021.
o India’s merchandise export in 2021-22 (April-January) was USD 335.44 billion, an increase
of 46.53% over USD 228.9 billion in 2020-21 (April-January).
• India’s merchandise import in January 2022 was USD 52.01 billion, an increase of 23.74% over USD
42.03 billion in January 2021.
o India’s merchandise import in 2021-22 (April-January) was USD 495.83 billion, an increase
of 62.68% over USD 304.79 billion in 2020-21 (April-January).
• The trade deficit in January 2022 was USD 17.94 billion, while it was 160.38 billion USD during
2021-22 (April-January).

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 • In exports, top 10 major commodity groups covered 78% of total exports in January 2022 in which
Engineering Goods pegged the highest share.
• In Imports, top 10 major commodity groups covered 75% of total imports in January 2022 in which
Petroleum, Crude & products pegged the highest share.

2.14 Export of Petroleum Products

• Recently, the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas has shared information regarding the
export of petroleum products from the country.
Key Information Shared
• Oil Companies after meeting the domestic demand, export surplus production of petroleum
products.
• In last two years, Oil Public Sector refineries and Private Sector refineries has exported petroleum
products worth Rs. 2,54,018 crore in 2019-20 and Rs. 1,57,168 crore in 2020-21.
• Oil Companies export major petroleum products including High Speed Diesel, Motor Spirit, Aviation
Turbine Fuel, Naphtha, etc. to various countries like UAE, Singapore, China, USA, Turkey, Nepal,
Malaysia, etc.
• Prices of petrol and diesel are market-determined with effect from 26.06.2010 and 19.10.2014
respectively.
• Prices of LPG in the country are based on Saudi Contract Price (CP), the benchmark for
international prices of LPG.

Indian Agriculture
2.15 Pilot movement of food grains on vessel from Patna (Bihar) to Pandu (Guwahati)
• Recently, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways flagged off an inland waterway
vessel MV Lal Bahadur Shastri from Patna to Guwahati.
o It is a pilot movement to check feasibility of inland water ways in food grain cargo shipping.
o This first food grain movement will be an integrated IWT movement via National Waterway
(NW)-1 (Ganga), NW-97, Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route and NW-2 (Brahmaputra).
• He also shared information regarding the government’s steps for holistic development of
waterways infra & ecosystem.
Key Information Shared
• Planned intermodal terminal at Kalughat, Bihar with Rs.78 crore.
• 2 stretches of Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route are being developed with Bangladesh having
the budget of Rs. 305 cr.
• Jal Marg Vikas Project with Rs. 4,600 cr for capacity augmentation of NW-1 (Ganga) for
safe movement of vessels upto 2,000 tn.
• Setting up of multi-modal terminals at Varanasi, Sahibganj and Haldia, Ro-Ro terminals, jetties,
vessel repair & maintenance facilities, etc.
• Eighty connectivity projects are in progress under Sagarmala to connect commercial hubs with
ports.
• 106 new waterways in 24 States have been declared as National Waterways, taking the total no. to
111.
About Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route

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 • It is an inland water way route protocol between India and Bangladesh for Inland Water Transit
and Trade.
o The route will use NW-1 as well as NW-2 on the Indian side.
• It will connect land locked countries such as Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar to North Eastern parts of
India to smoothen trade in future.

Industrial Development in India

2.16 Doubling of Domestic Steel Making Capacity
• Recently, the Union Minister of Steel has shared information regarding the government vision to
double domestic steel making capacity and government’s steps to fulfill this vision.
Key Information Shared
• The present annual crude steel capacity of the country is 144 MT and is envisaged to reach 300 MT
by 2030-31.
• Government has taken following steps to fulfill this target:
o Implementation of National Steel Policy, 2017.
✓ It aims to provide the conducive environment for attaining doubling steel making
capacity objective by providing policy support and guidance to steel producers.
o Domestically Manufactured Iron & Steel Products (DMI&SP) Policy for promoting
procurement of made in India steel.
o Steel Scrap Recycling Policy to enhance the availability of domestically generated scrap.
o Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Specialty Steel with an outlay of ₹6,322
crores.
o Joint Plant Committee (JPC) and Institute for Steel Development and Growth (INSDAG) along
with Ministry of Steel have evolved a roadmap for increasing the use of steel in various
infrastructure sectors.

2.17 SAMADHAN Portal

• Recently, the Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has shared information
regarding the SAMADHAN portal.
Key Information Shared
• As per the information available in the SAMADHAN portal, the total outstanding payment to the
Micro and Small Sector since 01.04.2020 is Rs 11,741.21 crore.
• SAMADHAN is a web portal called for monitoring of the outstanding dues to the MSMEs from the
buyers of goods and services.
• In addition to this, a special sub-portal within SAMADHAAN portal was also launched.
o This portal is for monitoring the dues and monthly payments by Ministries/Departments of
Government of India and CPSEs to the MSMEs.
2.18 IFLDP continuation with an outlay of Rs. 1700 Crore
• Recently, the Indian Footwear and Leather Development Programme (IFLDP) has been approved
for continuation from 2021-22 with an approved financial outlay of Rs. 1700 crore.
o It has been approved as continuation of the erstwhile IFLADP till 31.03.2026 or till further
review.
Key Details of
• The following major sub-schemes have been approved under IFLDP during 2021-26:
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 oSustainable Technology and Environmental Promotion (proposed outlay Rs.500 crore).
oIntegrated Development of Leather Sector (IDLS) sub-scheme (proposed outlay Rs.500 crore).
oEstablishment of Institutional Facilities (proposed outlay Rs.200 crore).
oMega Leather Footwear and Accessories Cluster Development (MLFACD) sub-scheme
(proposed outlay Rs.300 crore).
o Brand Promotion of Indian Brands in Leather and Footwear Sector (proposed outlay Rs.100
crore).
o Development of Design Studios (proposed outlay Rs.100 crore).
• Under the scheme, the government will provides 50% financial assistance and the limit of the
assistance is fixed at Rs 10 crores.
o Every brand will get this assistance and it will be provided for three years.
About IFLDP
• It comes under the Ministry of Commerce.
• It was announced with an expenditure of Rs. 2,600 crore for three financial years 2017-18 to 2019-
20.
• It aims at:
o Development of infrastructure for the leather sector
o Addressing environmental concerns specific to the leather sector,
o Facilitating additional investments, employment generation and increase in production.

2.19 Powerthon-2022 for Enabling Advanced Technology in Power Distribution

• Recently, the Union Minister for Power has launched Powerthon-2022.
o It is a hackathon competition under Revamped Distribution Sector Reform Scheme (RDSS).
Key Details of the Hackathon
• It has been organized by REC Limited in collaboration with SINE, IIT Bombay.
• It aims to find technology driven solutions to solve the complex problems in power distribution
and to ensure quality and reliable power supply.
• In this hackathon Technology Solution Providers (TSPs), start-ups, educational institutions, and
other shareholder in power sector will be briefed on the current challenges/problem statements
faced across the power distribution sector.
o They will also be invited to participate and showcase their technology driven solutions to
solve the complex problems.
• Participants will be tasked to find innovative solutions based on advanced emerging technologies
such as AI/ML, IoT, Blockchain, VR/AR etc under 9 themes.
o These themes have been identified after discussions & consultations with 14 DISCOMs from
9 states.
About RDSS
• It was introduced by Ministry of Power and is a Reform-based and Result-linked Scheme.
• It was launched with the objective of Reducing AT&C losses to 12-15%, eliminating ACOS-ARR gap
by 2024-25
• It also aimed to improve the quality & reliability of power supply for building a robust power
sector.

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 Regional Economic Cooperation
2.20 World Oil Outlook Data
• Recently, the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, has shared information regarding
the World Oil Outlook 2021 data, concerning India.
Key Data Shared
• As per outlook, the oil demand in India is expected to reach around 11 mb/d (million barrels per
day) by 2045 as compared to approximately 4.9 million barrels per day in 2021.
• By 2026, global oil consumption is projected to reach 104.1 mb/d.
o This would represent an increase of 4.4 mb/d from 2019 levels.
About World Oil Outlook 2021
• This is a means to highlight and further the understanding of the many possible future challenges
and opportunities that lie ahead for the oil industry.
• It is a flagship publication by Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
About OPEC
• It is an intergovernmental organization or cartel of 13 countries created at the Baghdad
Conference in 1960, by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.
• It aims to manage the supply of oil in an effort to set the price of oil in the world market, in order
to avoid fluctuations that might affect the economies of both producing and purchasing countries.
• It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.

Indian Political System

2.21 ECI appoints 15 Special Observers for the Poll Going States
• Recently, the Election Commission of India has appointed 15 former civil servants as special
observers for the upcoming assembly elections to Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar
Pradesh.
o These Special Observers will be supervising and monitoring the work being done by the
electoral machinery in their assigned States.
About Election Commission of India
• It is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Law and Justice.
• It is established by the Constitution of India directly to ensure free and fair elections in the country
through Article 324.
• The body administers elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, State
Legislative Councils and the offices of the President and Vice President of the country.

3 GA + Finance in News
FinTech
3.1 NITI Aayog’s Fintech Open Summit
• Recently, the Union Minister for Railways, Communications, and Electronics and IT has
inaugurated ‘Fintech Open’, from 7–28 February.

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 o This virtual summit has been organized by the NITI Aayog, in collaboration with PhonePe,
AWS and EY.
• It aims to bring together regulators, fintech professionals and enthusiasts, industry leaders, the
start-up community, and developers to collaborate, exchange ideas and innovate.
• Objectives of the Summit:
o Encourage an open ecosystem across the fintech industry,
o Foster innovation and growth
o Ensure financial inclusion and leverage new models like Account Aggregator to unleash the
next wave of fintech innovation.
o An open platform is also created using public investment, wherein numerous private
entrepreneurs, start-ups and developers can join to create new solutions.

4 Static
4.1 List of Important Organizations with Headquarters
S.No Organization Headquarters Establishment Head
Name Year
1 NASA Washington DC, US 1958 Bill Nelson
(Administrator)

4.2 Countries in News

S.No Country Currency Capital

1 UAE UAE dirham Abu Dhabi

2 Portugal Euro Lisbon
3 Oman Omani rial Muscat
4 Burkina Faso West African CFA franc Ouagadougou
5 Madagascar Malagasy ariary Antananarivo

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