21 MAY 2022 DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS | UPSC CDS CAPF AFCAT NDA SSB

1. FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI)

India has recorded highest ever annual FDI inflow of USD 83.57 billion in the Financial Year 2021-22.

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In terms of top investor countries of FDI Equity inflow, ‘Singapore’ is at the apex with 27%, followed by U.S.A (18%) and Mauritius (16%) for the FY 2021-22.
‘Computer Software & Hardware’ has emerged as the top recipient sector of FDI Equity inflow during FY 2021-22 with around 25% share followed by Services Sector (12%) and Automobile Industry (12%) respectively.
Under the sector `Computer Software & Hardware’, the major recipient states of FDI Equity inflow are Karnataka (53%), Delhi (17%) and Maharashtra (17%) during FY 2021-22.
Karnataka is the top recipient state with 38% share of the total FDI Equity inflow reported during the FY 2021-22 followed by Maharashtra (26%) and Delhi (14%).
Further, India is rapidly emerging as a preferred country for foreign investments in the manufacturing sector. FDI Equity inflow in Manufacturing Sectors have increased by 76% in FY 2021-22 (USD 21.34 billion) compared to previous FY 2020-21 (USD 12.09 billion).

Source : PIB

2. WORLD BEE DAY

This year, World Bee Day is being celebrated under the theme - ‘Bee Engaged: Celebrating the diversity of bees and beekeeping systems’.

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World Bee Day is celebrated on May 20.
On this day Anton Janša, the pioneer of beekeeping, was born in 1734.
The purpose of the international day is to acknowledge the role of bees and other pollinators for the ecosystem.
The UN Member States approved Slovenia’s proposal to proclaim 20 May as World Bee Day in December 2017.

Beekeeping in India

The centrally funded scheme, ‘National Beekeeping and Honey Mission’ aims to establish 5 big regional and 100 small honey and other Bee Products testing laboratories, out of which 3 world class state-of-the-art laboratories have been setup.
The Government of India is also providing assistance for setting up of Processing Units.
More than 1.25 lakh metric tonnes of honey is being produced in the country, out of which more than 60 thousand metric tonnes of natural honey is exported.

Source : PIB

3. ASTROSAT

Astrosat, India’s first dedicated astronomy mission, witnessed the birth of black holes for the five hundredth.

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Black holes have been a subject of intense scrutiny from astronomers from all over the world. However, Indian scientists are making great headway in studying black hole births using the indigenously built space telescope - Astrosat.
Calling it a landmark achievement, Prof. Dipankar Bhattacharya, the current Principal Investigator of CZTI said, the wealth of data obtained on Gamma Ray Bursts is making a big impact worldwide.
It may be noted that astronomers study Gamma Ray Bursts, also called the mini big bangs and X-rays from such bursts to better understand formation of black holes.
Astrosat with a lift-off mass of 1,515 kilogram was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, on 28th of September 2015.
It is the most sensitive space telescope in the world; consisting of five instruments that can simultaneously study the universe in ultraviolet, optical and X-ray radiation.
One of these instruments is the Cadmium Zinc Telluride Imager - CZTI, which discovers the birth of black holes. A unique aspect of CZTI is the ability to measure the polarisation of X-rays: an ability that is lacking in flagship missions like NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Telescope or the US-Europe Fermi Space Telescope.

Source : All India Radio

4. RBI TRANSFER TO GOVERNMENT

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the transfer of 30,307 crore rupees as surplus to the Central Government for the accounting year 2021-22.

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The decision was taken after deciding to maintain the contingency risk buffer at 5.50 per cent of its balance sheet.
According to the Bimal Jalan committee’s report, the RBI, at all times, has to maintain a minimum contingency risk buffer of 5.5 per cent.
This year’s transfer is sharply lower than what the central bank had did in the previous financial year — Rs 99,126 crore.

Source : Business Standard

5. SRI LANKA GOES BANKRUPT

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has declared the country bankrupt as it faces a fuel crisis and food shortages.

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Mr Wickremesinghe said, the last administration is to blame for the country has come to a point where it is bankrupt which has never happened before.
We have no dollars, we have no rupees, we are not in a stable position, we are feeling the rise of the price of fuel, and we know it will go higher, he added.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's central bank has secured foreign exchange to pay for fuel and cooking gas shipments that will ease crippling shortages.
Most of Sri Lanka's petrol stations have run dry as the island nation battles its most devastating economic crisis since independence in 1948.

Source : All India Radio

6. RIGHT TO FEED STRAY DOGS

A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court on May 19, 2022 vacated the stay on a Delhi High Court order from last year that said that stray dogs have a right to food and water, and citizens have the right to feed them.

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The SC’s action paves the way for community dogs to be fed either at private driveways/porches or spots designated in consultation with resident welfare associations in Delhi. It will be incumbent on the local police to ensure that no caregiver or community dog feeder is harassed.
The feeding and caring for stray dogs is a hugely divisive issue in urban neighbourhoods across India, with arguments and disputes breaking out frequently between dog lovers and those who feel scared or intimidated by the animals.
Each side accuses the other of being insensitive and inconsiderate.

What did the High Court say in its 2021 order?

A single-judge Bench of the High Court had observed that animals have a right under the law to be treated with compassion, respect, and dignity, and that their protection is the “moral responsibility of each and every citizen, including the governmental and non-governmental organisations”. (‘Dr Maya D Chablani vs. Radha Mittal and Ors’, 2021)

Source : Indian Express

7. NASM-SR MISSILE

The Navy recently tested an indigenous Naval Anti-Ship Missile (Short Range) or NASM-SR from a Sea King helicopter at the Integrated Test Range in Balasore, Odisha.

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The NASM-SR has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The NASM-SR has a range of 55 km and weighs 385 kg.
This missile will replace the Sea Eagle missiles which are currently in use with the Navy. With the Sea King helicopters too being phased out, it is expected that the NASM-SR will be used with the new MH-60R multi-role helicopters, which are being inducted into the Navy.
The NASM-SR carries a warhead of 100 kg and has sub-sonic capabilities, which means that it flies below the speed of sound at 0.8 Mach. The sub-sonic flight speed makes it difficult for the naval vessels on target to detect it.
It has a launch altitude of maximum of 3 km and can skim 5 metres above sea level when on final approach to the target.
The NASM-SR can also be fired from the shore to target vessels in the sea.

Source : Indian Express

8. ‘TOUR OF DUTY’ RECRUITMENT IN ARMY

A first-of-its-kind model, Tour of Duty (ToD), for short term recruitment of jawans into the three Services of the armed forces for a period of four years is all set to be rolled out soon.

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All recruitment in the three services will be through ToD route only. The four year stint will include six months of training and three-and-a-half-years service. Army recruitment rallies have been on hold for over two years now due to the COVID-induced pandemic.
Those recruited under ToD would get salary and benefits almost at par with regular personnel and there will be a severance package of around 10-12 lakhs after four years.
This move is expected to bring significant reduction in pay and pensions and frees up funds for modernisation especially for the Army, which has a negatively skewed revenue to capital ratio in the budgetary allocation.

Source : The Hindu

9. CENTRAL ADVISORY BOARD ON ARCHAEOLOGY (CABA)

The Central Advisory Board on Archaeology (CABA), that is meant to strengthen contacts between the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and those in the field of archaeological research, was re-constituted this week, over seven years since its last meeting.

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It has been reconstituted for a period of three years to promote closer contacts of the Archaeological Survey of India with Indian universities conducting archaeological researches and other institutions carrying out studies related to application of archaeological principles and providing for closer association of learned societies in India with the activities of the ASI.
The board would also include “five persons nominated in their personal capacities by the Government of India” and former Director-Generals of ASI.

Source : The Hindu

10. GM CROPS

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has issued guidelines easing norms for research into genetically modified (GM) crops and circumventing challenges of using foreign genes to change crops profile.

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The ‘Guidelines for Safety Assessment of Genome Edited Plants, 2022’ exempt researchers who use gene-editing technology to modify the genome of the plant from seeking approvals from the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), an expert body of the Environment Ministry.
The GEAC evaluates research into GM plants and recommends, or disapproves, their release into farmer fields.
The final call, however, is taken by the Environment Minister as well as States where such plants could be cultivated. The Environment Ministry too has sanctioned this exemption.

Source : The Hindu

21 MAY 2022 DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS | UPSC CDS CAPF AFCAT NDA SSB

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