1. PRADHAN MANTRI RASHTRIYA BAL PURASKAR-2022
29 Children have been conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar this Year, selected from all regions of the country for their exceptional achievements in Innovation (7), Social Service (4), Scholastic (1), Sports (8), Art & Culture (6) and Bravery (3) categories.
About:
- There are 15 Boys and 14 Girls among the awardees belonging to 21 States and UTs.
- The cash prize of Rs.1,00,000/- was given to the awardees of PMRBP 2022.
- The award is given by Ministry of Women and Child Development every year to recognize exceptional achievements of our children in various fields i.e., innovation, scholastic achievements, social service, arts & culture, sports and bravery.
Block Chain Technology
- During the function, PM Modi gave digital certificates to the 61 winners of PMRBP 2021 and 2022 using a Block Chain-driven technology developed by IIT Kanpur under the National Blockchain Project.
- The digital certificates are stored on digital wallets installed on the mobile devices of the recipients.
- The digital certificates issued using the blockchain driven technology are unforgeable, globally verifiable, selectively disclosable and sensitive to user content.
- Block Chain Technology is being used for the first time for giving certificates to the awardees.
In a historic moment for Pakistan’s judiciary, Lahore High Court’s Justice Ayesha Malik was sworn in as the Supreme Court’s first female judge.
About:
- The swearing in of the first female judge of Pakistan’s highest court – which was established in 1956 – is noteworthy.
- Compare this to India, where the Supreme Court (established in 1950) currently has four female judges out of a total of 34. Three of them were appointed in September 2021 and one of them, Justice BV Nagarathna could possibly become India’s first female Chief Justice in 2027.
- India’s first female judge Justice Fathima Beevi was appointed in 1989.
3. DRAFT UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK 22 (UGCF-2022)
The Delhi University (DU) on Friday released a draft Undergraduate Curriculum Framework 22 (UGCF-2022) keeping in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) and has invited feedback on it from stakeholders till January 30. The new UG curriculum will come into force from next year when the university shifts to a four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP).
About:
- The UGCF provides the curriculum framework that will be adopted in the 2022-23 academic session when DU shifts to an FYUP. This, however, does not include the syllabi for courses, which is prepared independently.
- The UGCF is an attempt to include two of the most talked about features of the NEP – multi-disciplinarity and multiple exit points (leaving the course at the end of each year with a different degree).
- As of now, DU follows the Choice Based Credit System, according to which there are a total of 148 credits for a three-year Honours programme, and 132 credits for a Programme course – which is a course in which a combination of subjects is taught, as opposed to the focus being on one main subject in Honours courses.
The Serbia government has revoked the licenses for lithium mining to Rio Tinto, an Anglo-Australian multinational mining organisation, following protests for nearly two months.
About:
- Serbians have been protesting against Rio Tinto’s plans to mine lithium in the Jadar valley near Lozinca town in the country.
- Rio Tinto had discovered lithium deposits in the country in 2006 and had bought land in the Lozinca area in Serbia
- the mine would have produced enough lithium to operate one million electric vehicles along with boric acid and sodium sulphate.
- While Rio Tinto has said to be fulfilling all Serbia’s and European Union’s environmental standards, protestors have been pointing out that lithium mining in the $2.4-billion project would irrevocably pollute the drinking water.
- Serbian capital Belgrade is surrounded by lignite mines and coal power plants powered by these mines, which only make the pollution worse.
National Girl Child Day is celebrated in the country on January 24 every year with an objective to provide support and opportunities to the girls of India.
About:
- It aims towards promoting awareness about the rights of the girl child and to increase awareness on the importance of girl education, and their health and nutrition and also to promote the girls position in the society to make their living better among the society.
- National Girl Child Day was first initiated in 2008 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
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- Save the Girl Child,
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao,
- Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana
- CBSE Udaan Scheme
- Free or subsidized education for girl child,
- Reservation for women in colleges and universities
- National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education
Government of India has taken several steps over the years to improve the conditions of girls, some of them are :
- Save the Girl Child,
Source : PIB
6. MOIL
6. MOIL
The Minister of State for Steel reviewed the performance of Manganese Ore (India) Limited (MOIL), a schedule ‘A’ CPSE under Ministry of Steel and understood the future plans of MOIL at Balaghat.
About:
- MOIL is a Schedule “A” Miniratna Category-I Company. It was originally incorporated as Manganese Ore (India) Limited in the year 1962. Subsequently, name of the Company was changed from Manganese Ore (India) Limited to MOIL Limited during the financial year 2010-11.
- It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Steel.
- It is headquartered in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
- At present, MOIL operates 11 mines, seven located in the Nagpur and Bhandara districts of Maharashtra and four in the Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh. The Balaghat Mine is the largest mine of the Company.
Source : PIB
7. CENTRAL GOVERNMENT HEALTH SCHEME (CGHS)
7. CENTRAL GOVERNMENT HEALTH SCHEME (CGHS)
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare digitally launched the revamped CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) website (www.cghs.gov.in) and mobile app, “MyCGHS”.
The various features of the upgraded CGHS website are as follows:
- The Website has been developed in accordance with GIGW (Guidelines for Indian Government Websites). These standards and guidelines make the website 3U compliant i.e., Usable, User-Centric and Universally Accessible.
- As mandated by the GIGW, the site has been made Bilingual (Hindi and English) with provision to make it multi-lingual in future.
- There is a direct link to the eSanjeevani Teleconsultation facility through the CGHS website.
Do you know?
- The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) is the nodal healthcare provider to Central Government employees, pensioners and certain other category of beneficiaries and their dependents enrolled under the scheme.
- It caters to the healthcare needs of eligible beneficiaries covering all four pillars of democratic set up in India namely Legislature, Judiciary, Executive and Press and is unique of its kind due to the large volume of its beneficiary base and pan India presence providing healthcare through allopathic as well as indigenous systems of medicine.
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, in association with ICEA, released a 5-year roadmap and Vision Document for the electronics sector, titled “$300 bn Sustainable Electronics Manufacturing & Exports by 2026.”
About:
- This roadmap is the second volume of a two-part Vision Document – the first of which titled “Increasing India’s Electronics Exports and Share in GVCs” was released in November 2021.
- This report provides a year-wise break-up and production projections for the various products that will lead India’s transformation into a US$300 billion electronics manufacturing powerhouse, from the current US$75 billion.
- Amongst the key products that are expected to lead India’s growth in electronics manufacturing include Mobile Phones, IT Hardware (laptops, tablets), Consumer electronics (TV and audio), Industrial electronics, Auto electronics, Electronic components, LED Lighting, Strategic electronics, PCBA, Wearables and hearables, and Telecom equipment (see chart).
- Mobile manufacturing that is expected to cross US$100 billion annual production - up from the current US$30 billion - is expected to constitute nearly 40% of this ambitious growth.
- The domestic market is expected to increase from US$65 billion to US$180 billion over the next 5 years. This will make electronics amongst India’s 2-3 top ranking exports by 2026.
- Of the US$300 billion, exports are expected to increase from the projected US$15 billion in 2021-22 to US$120 billion by 2026.
- The five-part strategy to reach the US$300 billion goal, based on an “all of the government” approach, sharply focuses on broadening and deepening electronics manufacturing in India.
PLI Schemes
- The US$300 billion electronics manufacturing comes on the back of US$10 billion PLI Scheme announced by the government to propel forward the Semiconductor and Display ecosystem.
- The government has committed nearly US$17 billion over the next 6 years across four PLI Schemes – Semiconductor and Design, Smartphones, IT Hardware and Components.
Contract for construction of 50Ton Bollard Pull Tugs was concluded with M/s Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, Visakhapatnam in Feb 2019. The Fourth tug in the series, “Balbir” has been delivered to Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on 24 Jan 2022.
About:
- These tugs have been designed and built under the classification rules of Indian Register for Shipping (IRS) with a service life of 20 years and are capable of assisting large naval ships, including Aircraft Carrier and Submarines in berthing, un-berthing, turning and manoeuvering in confined waters and in harbour.
- They also provide afloat firefighting cover/assistance to ships alongside/anchorage and have limited capability for Search and Rescue operations.
- Induction of 50Ton Bollard Pull Tugs has significantly augmented the auxiliary support services and enhanced the capability to meet high operational requirements of Fleet assets of Indian Navy.
- Tugs “Veeran” and “Balraj” have been inducted on 22 Oct 2021 and 31 Dec 2021 at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam respectively and “Balram” on 30 Oct 2021 at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.
To address the needs of Indian exporters, the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) besides conducting investigations against dumped and subsidised imports from other countries, also protects the interests of Indian exporters in investigations conducted by other countries against Indian exports through its Trade Defence Wing (TDW).
About:
- The TDW was established in the year 2016, and has been the nodal point for extending support and defending the interests of Indian exporters in investigations undertaken by other countries against India.
- The TDW coordinates with various departments of the Central as well as the State Governments and presents India’s defence.