Weekly Current Affairs (15th to 21st March 2022) Part - 2 - UPSC PDF Download

Important News – India

Q.1. The MSME Ministry has announced the extension of the Rs 20,000-crore Credit Guarantee Scheme for Subordinate Debt (CGSSD) till?

Correct Answer is 31st March 2023.

• Initially the scheme was up to March 31, 2021. The government later extended this scheme up to March 31, 2022.
• The ‘Distressed Assets Fund- Subordinate Debt for Stressed MSMEs’ was created on May 13, 2020 under the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ economic package.
• The CGSS was approved by the Government on June 1, 2020 and the scheme was launched on June 24, 2020 to provide credit facility through lending institutions to the promoters of stressed MSMEs viz. SMA (Special Mention Account)-2 and NPA accounts, who are eligible for restructuring.

Q.2. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has inaugurated pilot project for Hydrogen based advanced Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV). The project has been launched by the which motor company?

Correct Answer is Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd.

• It has been launched by Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. along with International Center for Automotive Technology (ICAT).
• It will be first of its kind project in India aimed at spreading awareness about Hydrogen, FCEV technology and disseminating its benefits to support hydrogen-based society for India.

Q.3. MV Ram Prasad Bismil became the longest vessel ever to sail through which river, achieving a landmark in sailing history?

Correct Answer is Brahmaputra.

• The vessel is 90 meters long flotilla is 26 meters wide, loaded with a draft of 2.1 meters.
• With this, it successfully completed the aspiring pilot run of heavy cargo movement from Haldia Dock in Kolkata.
• The vessel along with two barges DB Kalpana Chawla and DB APJ Abdul Kalam were flagged off from the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Haldia.

Q.4. As per the latest data released by the Registrar General of India what was the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) during the period between 2017-2019?

Correct Answer is 103.

• From 113 in 2016-18 to 103 in 2017-19, this ratio has decreased, witnessing an 8.8 % decline.
• MMR has gradually decreased in the country, falling from 130 in 2014-2016 to 122 in 2015-17, 113 in 2016- 18, and 103 in 2017-19.

Q.5. At which institution the Indian Army has announced the establishment of General Bipin Rawat Memorial Chair?

Correct Answer is United Service Institution of India (USI).

• Army Chief Gen MM Naravane announced setting up of a 'Chair of Excellence' in memory of India's first Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat at the United Service Institution of India (USI).

Q.6. India’s first World Peace Center is being established in which city of the country?

Correct Answer is Gurugram.

• For this, the Haryana Government has allotted a plot to the organization in Sector 39 of Gurugram opposite Medanta Hospital and adjacent to Delhi-Jaipur Highway.
• The organization would soon start the construction of the World Peace Center (WPC) on this plot.

Q.7. Which become the first station in the East Coast railway to implement the the Centre’s ‘One Station, One Product’ concept?

Correct Answer is Visakhapatnam.

• FM Sitharaman announced the ‘One Station, One Product’ concept in the recent Union Budget to help local businesses and supply chains.
• The concept is based on the ‘One District, One Product’ scheme.
• It aims to promote the supply chain of local products using the Indian Railways network, turning each station into a showcase destination and promotional hub for local products.

Q.8. What is India’s rank in the 10th edition of the World Happiness Report 2022 published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network?

Correct Answer is 136th.

• This year the report was published ahead of the annual International Day of Happiness on March 20.
• Finland has again topped the list as the happiest country in the world for the fifth time in a row.
• It was followed by Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

Q.9. Which edition of Surajkund International Crafts Mela has been inaugurated recently?

Correct Answer is 34th.

• During the inauguration session, Dattatraya in his address pointed out the importance of art and crafts in the development of civilization and culture.
• This years' Suraj Kund Crafts Mela is special as organized when we are celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Q.10. The 36th International Geological Congress was held in which city?

Correct Answer is New Delhi.

• The three-day event provided a unique platform for knowledge and experience sharing in the field of geosciences and professional networking.
• It will give first-hand information on latest technologies in mining, mineral exploration and management of water, mineral resource and the environment.
• The theme of the event is Geosciences: The Basic Science for a Sustainable Future.

Important News – State

Q.1. Which state government has signed an MoU with Welspun One Logistics Parks (WOLP) for the development of large scale warehousing facilities in the state?

Correct Answer is Haryana.

• The project aims to explore the available government land parcels to build Grade A warehousing facilities across key warehousing micro-markets.
• Welspun Group will invest under the integrated fund Rs 1,500 crores in Haryana for the warehousing infrastructure and development.

Q.2. Which state has created history by becoming the 1st State Assembly in the country to implement the National eVidhan Application programme to become completely paperless?

Correct Answer is Nagaland.

• The Nagaland Assembly Secretariat has attached a tablet or e-book on each table for the 60 members.
• Now members can use electronic devices to participate in House proceedings.
• NeVA will help the Chair of the House to conduct the proceedings of the House smoothly in a Paperless manner.

Q.3. Which state/UTs is the ‘theme state’ of the 35th Surajkund International Crafts Mela 2022?

Correct Answer is Jammu and Kashmir.

• Hundreds of artists from Jammu & Kashmir will be performing different folk arts and dances. From traditional dances art forms to exquisite crafts, there is a bouquet of heritage and culture from Jammu & Kashmir to enthrall the audience.
• Replicas of Vaishno Devi temple, Amar nath temple , Apna Ghar representing architecture from Kashmir, live demonstration of House Boat and Commemorative gate ‘Mubarak Mandi – Jammu’ promises to be the main attractions of this year’s Mela.

Q.4. Which state got the Geographical Indication tag for Narasingapettai Nagaswaram under the category of musical instruments of class 15?

Correct Answer is Tamil Nadu.

• The unique feature of the nagaswaram is its production process - it is handmade in Narasingapettai village in Thanjavur, unlike the other machine-made ones.
• The Geographical Indications Registry of Government of India accorded the recognition based on an application from Thanjavur Musical Instruments Workers Cooperative Cottage Industrial Society Limited.

Q.5. The Survey Settlement and Land Records (SSLR) unit of which states revenue introduced Dishaank app for land records?

Correct Answer is Karnataka.

• The Dishaank app is developed under the Geographical Information System (GIS) program of the Karnataka State Remote Sensing Applications Center (KSRSAC).
• The KSRSAC provides satellite data to agencies such as the SSLR unit for innovative use. Dishaank leverages Karnataka’s decision to digitize land records under the Bhoomi project.

Q.6. Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) has entered into a tripartite MoU with Eker Group (Norway) and Vaan moto to build high speed boats in which state?

Correct Answer is Andhra Pradesh.

• These boats are high end boats with smart, flexible solutions with superior maneuverability which can be operated from shore up to maximum speed of 75 Knots, with a complement of 4 crew and 4 passengers and equipped with Navigation and Communication gadgets.
• These platforms can easily adapt to the roles of Search and Rescue, surveillance, Anti-Submarine Warfare, Mine Countermeasures, ambulance, fire, harbor control and close protection.

Important News – World

Q.1. What amount of credit line has been approved by India for Sri Lanka to help the island country in importing food, essential items and medicine?

Correct Answer is $ 1 billion.

• Sri Lanka is currently facing a severe economic crisis.
• LoC is being extended by India in line with its efforts to assist its neighbouring country in fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and to mitigate its adverse impact and its developmental priorities.

Q.2. Which country-based technology company, Coralogix announced its foray into the India cyber security market with the launch of security venture Snowbit?

Correct Answer is Israel.

• The company, which will initially focus on the Indian and Israeli markets, is a full-service cybersecurity venture focussed on empowering cloud-native companies to secure themselves against growing cyber risks in a quick, efficient, and cost-effective manner.
• Founded and led by tech veterans and former Amazon Web Services (AWS) executives Navdeep Manaktala and Zack Barak, Snowbit will have operations across Tel Aviv and New Delhi/Gurgaon.

Q.3. As part of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebration, a “Green Triangle” named after Mahatma Gandhi, was inaugurated in?

Correct Answer is Madagascar.

• The Mahatma Gandhi Green Triangle was jointly inaugurated by India’s Ambassador to Madagascar Abhay Kumar and Mayor of Antananarivo, Naina Andriantsitohaina.
• The naming of this park as Mahatma Gandhi Green Triangle is an apt tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.

Q.4. Which country is not among the top five in the 10th edition of the World Happiness Report 2022?

Correct Answer is New Zealand.

• Finland has again topped the list as the happiest country in the world for the fifth time in a row.
• It was followed by Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
• the World Happiness Report is based on two key ideas – happiness or life evaluation measured through opinion surveys, and identifying key elements that determine well-being including levels of GDP, life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, across countries.

Q.5. Prasar Bharti has signed an MOU with which country’s public service broadcaster to boost co-operation in the field of broadcasting?

Correct Answer is Australia.

• The MoU will facilitate the reach of DD News, DD India, and multiple language services of DD News amongst the Indian Diaspora in Australia.
• Under this MoU, the two broadcasters will explore opportunities in co-production and joint broadcasting of programmes spanning multiple genres.

Q.6. With which country India has signed an agreement for developing a 100 megawatt solar power plant?

Correct Answer is Sri Lanka.

• India and Sri Lanka have signed an agreement for developing a 100 megawatt solar power plant in the eastern port district Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, as part of the efforts to strengthen bilateral economic partnership, including through cooperation in the renewable energy sector.
• The Joint endeavor and Shareholders’ Agreement (JVSHA) for the Trincomalee Power Company Limited (TPCL) — a joint venture between National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited from India and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) for fostering the 100 megawatt solar power plant at Sampur — has been signed.

Q.7. The first ever consignment of GI-tagged Kashmiri carpets with quick response (QR) code with details of artisans and the material used were exported to which country?

Correct Answer is Germany.

• The Jammu and Kashmir government has finally started a Geographical Indication (GI) registry for the famed Kashmiri carpet with a quick response (QR) code with details of artisans and the material used. The first ever consignment of GI-tagged carpets were exported to Germany from New Delhi.
• The Geographical Indication Registry of the Department of Industry Promotion and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry granted GI tag to Kashmiri carpets in June 2016 but the registered carpets were certified from this year.

Q.8. Who is the richest person in the world according to the Hurun Global Rich List 2022?

Correct Answer is Elon Musk.

• While Elon Musk retained the top spot, Mukesh Ambani is the only Indian to secure a place in the top 10.
• Elon Musk is the world’s richest person for the second consecutive year with $205 billion, up $8 billion from last year.
• Jeff Bezos second with $188 billion. Globally Mukesh Ambani is the 9th richest person.

Honor & Awards

Q.1. Who has been has awarded the ICC ‘Men’s Player of the Month’ February 2022?

Correct Answer is Shreyas Iyer.

• Iyer pipped fellow nominees, UAE's Vriitya Aravind and Nepal's Dipendra Singh Airee to claim the award.
• Iyer earned the award on the back of his brilliant white-ball exploits during the home series against West Indies and Sri Lanka respectively in February 2022.

Q.2. Which edition of Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) will be held from 29th May to 4th June, 2022 at Films Division complex, Mumbai?

Correct Answer is 17th.

• Filmmakers can now submit their entry in Documentary, Short Fiction and Animation category of films up to 20th March 2022
• Eligibility: Films that are completed between Sept 2019 and Dec 2021
• Components: Golden Conch, silver conch, trophies, certificate, cash reward
• V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award will also be conferred.

Q.3. Karolina Bielawska belongs to which country who was honoured with the Miss World 2021 crown at the 70th edition of the event at the Coca-Cola Music Hall in San Juan, Puerto Rico?

Correct Answer is Poland.

• Miss World 2019 Toni-Ann Singh of Jamaica crowned her successor at the finale.
• 1st Runner Up: Shree Saini ( United States)
• 2ns Runner Up: Olivia Yace (Cote d'Ivoire)

Q.4. Which Bank has been honoured with the Bank of the year award at the IFR Asia Award 2021?

Correct Answer is Morgan Stanley.

• The awards are organized by IFR Asia, a Hong Kong-based provider of capital markets intelligence.
• India’s third-largest private sector bank, Axis Bank has won IFR Asia’s Asian Bank of The Year 2021.
• Axis Bank has been awarded for its outstanding performance in equity and debt issuance, across all major products and segments.

Q.5. Which edition of the Women Transforming India Awards (WTI) was organized by the NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP)?

Correct Answer is Fifth.

• WTI Awards will be conferred on 75 women achievers to celebrate their contribution towards ‘Sashakt Aur Samarth Bharat’
• Awards will be given by an equally exceptional group of women: Kiran Bedi, Lakshmi Puri, Tessy Thomas, Arundhati Bhattacharya, Debjani Ghosh, Ila Arun, Salma Sultan, Sangeeta Reddy, Shivani Malik
• It will be conferred in 7 categories.

Q.6. Who has been awarded with the coveted ‘Sportstar of the Year (Male)’ award at the 2022 Sportstar Aces Awards?

Correct Answer is Neeraj Chopra.

• Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, who won the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, received the ‘Sportstar of the Year (Female)’ award.
• Lovlina Borgohain (Sportswoman of the Year, Individual Sports), Avani Lekhara (Parathlete of the Year, Female), Pramod Bhagat (Special Recognition award), Savita (Sportswoman of the Year, Team Sports), and Rupinder Pal Singh (Sportsman of the Year, Team Sports) were some of the awardees present at the event.

Q.7. Radhey Shyam Khemka who has bee awarded the Padma Vibhushan – the nation's second-highest civilian honour – posthumously, was associated with which field?

Correct Answer is Religious Literature.

• Reportedly, born in 1935 to an elite Marwari family in the Munger district of Bihar, Khemka moved to Kashi in 1956 before securing a Master of Arts from Banaras Hindu University.
• Khemka would go on to join the family business but he would begin to craft his true legacy in 1982 when he first edited the November and December issues of 'Kalyan,' the flagship magazine of Gita Press.

Q.8. Who has been selected for the 31st GD Birla Award for Scientific Research for his outstanding contribution in the field of material sciences?

Correct Answer is Professor Narayan Pradhan.

• Professor Narayan Pradhan has been selected for the 31st GD Birla Award for Scientific Research for his outstanding contribution in the field of material sciences.
• Instituted in 1991, the award recognises eminent Indian scientists below the age of 50 for their original and outstanding contributions to any branch of science. It carries a cash prize of ₹5 lakh.
• The recipient is chosen by a selection board, whose present head is professor Chandrima Shaha, the president of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA).

Sports News

Q.1. Sandeep Nangal was shot dead in Punjab’s Jalandhar was associated with which sports?

Correct Answer is Kabaddi.

• As per the reports, Sandeep was shot dead during a kabaddi tournament in Jalandhar, Punjab.
• Besides being a regular member of the Indian national team, Sandeep was a frequent player in leagues in UK, US, New Zealand, Australia.

Q.2. Which country will host the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022?

Correct Answer is India.

• It was originally scheduled to be hosted in Russia.
• FIDE has recently announced that it pulled out from Russia following the Ukraine invasion.
• After the announcement, Tamil Nadu government and All-India Chess Federation made a joint bid to host the tournament

Q.3. Who defeated India’s Laksya Sen in the All England Open Badminton World Championships 2022 to won men’s single title?

Correct Answer is Viktor Axelsen.

• Viktor Axelsen of Denmark won the men’s single title in All England Open Badminton World Championships 2022
• Other winners of the event were:
  •  Women’s singles title: Yamaguchi Akane, Japan
  • Men’s doubles title: Muhammad Shohibul Fikri & Bagas Maulana (Indonesia)
  • Women’s doubles title: Matsuyama Nami & Shida Chiharu (Japan)
  • Mixed doubles title: Yuta Watanabe & Arisa Higashino (Japan)

Q.4. Which football team has won their first Indian Super League title in 2022?

Correct Answer is Hyderabad FC.

• The defeated Kerala Blasters' in a penalty shootout in the final at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa.
• While Hyderabad won the trophy in their first final appearance, this is Blasters' third defeat in an ISL final and their second in a shootout as their wait continues.

Q.5. Name the former cricketer who has been felicitated with the prestigious 'Sports Icon' award at the Maldives Sports Awards 2022?

Correct Answer is Suresh Raina.

• He was nominated alongside 16 international sportspersons, including former Real Madrid player Roberto Carlos, Jamaican Sprinter Asafa Powell, former Sri Lankan captain and cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya and Dutch football legend Edgar Davids.
• Raina was presented with the award for his various achievements throughout his career.

Q.6. Who has won the 19th Asian Billiards Championship 2022 in Doha, Qatar?

Correct Answer is Pankaj Advani.

• It was his eighth title at the Asian Billiards Championship and 24th international title.
• Earlier, he defeated Myanmar's Pauk Sa in the semi-final to enter finals.
• Asian Billiards Championship is organized by the Asian Confederation of Billiard Sports, since 1984.

Q.7. Who has won the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix 2022 at at the Bahrain International Circuit?

Correct Answer is Charles Leclerc.

• It was his first victory since the 2019 Italian Grand Prix.
• He was followed by Carlos Sainz Jr. (Ferrari – Spain), who came second, and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain).

Books and Authors

Q.1. Who is the author of the book-length poem titled ‘Monsoon’ published by the Sahitya Akademi?

Correct Answer is Abhay Kumar.

• Sahitya Akademi was established on 12th March in 1954.
• Its logo was designed by Satyajit Ray himself and Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was its first President.
• The first book published by the Academy was Bhagwan Buddha by D.D. Koshambi in 1956. It was a translation from Marathi into Hindi.

Q.2. Who has authored the first authorized biography of Rahul Bajaj titled “Rahul Bajaj: An Extraordinary Life”?

Correct Answer is Gita Piramal.

• The book is based on the life of the late iconic industrialist Rahul Bajaj.
• It highlights his life’s journey, struggle and challenges in becoming one of the most well regarded business personalities in the world.

Science and Defence

Q.1. In which country the NATO has organized the massive military drill ‘Cold Response 2022’?

Correct Answer is Norway.

• The exercise is held in Norway every second year, for NATO Allies and partners
• The Norwegian-led exercise provides an opportunity to train together in cold weather conditions over challenging terrain and demonstrates NATO’s ability to respond decisively to any threat, from any direction.
• It is the largest ‘Cold Response’ being exercise conducted in Norway since the 1980s.

Q.2. With which IIT, the National Mineral Development Corporation Ltd. (NMDC) has signed an MoU for ‘Drone-Based Mineral Exploration’ on a virtual platform?

Correct Answer is IIT Kharagpur.

• After this, NMDC will be the first CPSE in India to conduct Drone-based Geophysical Surveys and Hyperspectral Studies for Mineral Exploration in the country.
• It will open a new chapter and set a benchmark in the field of mineral exploration.

Q.3. With which country’s defence forces the Indian Army has conducted the 9th Joint Military Exercise LAMITIYE-2022 )?

Correct Answer is Seychelles.

• It is being held at Seychelles Defence Academy (SDA) from 22nd to 31st March 22
• It is a biennial training, which is conducted in Seychelles since 2001
• It will include field training exercises, combat discussions, lectures, demonstrations and validation exercise.

Q.4. At the campus of which IIT new water management and policy centre, AquaMAP has been inaugurated by the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. K. VijayRaghavan?

Correct Answer is IIT Madras.

• AquaMAP aims at providing solutions for complex and challenging water problems by designing and evolving smart and optimal water management practices and implementing them in the field, at different locations across the country, as a scalable model by leveraging best practices in management and innovative technologies.
• AquaMAP is a national water centre and IIT Madras is collaborating with IIT Dharwad around the broad theme of ‘Data Science for Water Security and Agriculture Sustenance’.