Current Affairs in English – September 22 2022

September 22 , 2022

National Events:

Convergence Portal:

• Convergence Portal was jointly launched between Agriculture Infrastructure Fund ( AIF ) , Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises ( PMFME ) scheme , and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana ( PMKSY ) at Krishi Bhawan , New Delhi.
• It has been launched for different schemes run by Food Processing and Agriculture Ministries.

3 – day ” floating ” photo exhibition:

• The first ever 3 – day ” floating ” photo exhibition was organized by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting Central Bureau of Communication Regional Office , Imphal in September.
• It kicked off at the Loktak Lake. As many as 88 Manipuri language creatives of ” Eight years of Seva , Sushasan , Garib Kalyan ” and creatives of 11 unsung Manipuri freedom fighters are being displayed.

PLI:

• The Union Cabinet has approved the second tranche of Production Linked Incentive ( PLI ) Scheme on ‘ National programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules ‘.
• It has been approved for achieving manufacturing capacity of Giga Watt scale in High Efficiency Solar PV Modules. The Tranche – 2 scheme has been approved with an outlay of Rs 19,500 crores.

NCC & UNEP:

• National Cadet Corps ( NCC ) and UN Environment Programme ( UNEP ) has signed an MoU in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on 22 September.
• It was signed to tackle the issue of plastic pollution and achieve the universal goal of clean water bodies through Puneet Sagar Abhiyan and Tide Turners Plastic Challenge Programme. The NCC had launched Puneet Sagar Abhiyan in December 2021.

NMDC:

• National Mineral Development Corporation ( NMDC ) has been conferred with National Awards for Excellence in CSR and Sustainability bestowed by ET Ascent in Bengaluru. NMDC is the country’s largest iron ore producer.
• Known as the Eco – Friendly Miners , NMDC’s responsible mine planning has been lauded by the Indian Bureau of Mines with a 5 Star Rating to all its complexes.

Multi Modal Logistics Park ( MMLP ):

• An MoU has been signed between National Highways Logistics Management Limited and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust for the development of Multi Modal Logistics Park ( MMLP ) at Jalna in Maharashtra.
• Jalna MMLP will serve as a functional dry port. It will also connect Samruddhi Marg and Delhi – Mumbai Industrial corridors.

AMTZ & NSIC:

• Andhra Pradesh Med Tech Zone ( AMTZ ) has signed an MoU with National Small Industries Corporation ( NSIC ) for cooperation in the healthcare sector. AMTZ is India’s largest life saving medical device manufacturing cluster.
• National Small Industries Corporation Limited is a Mini Ratna government agency established by the Ministry of Micro , Small and Medium Enterprises in 1955.

DILSAAF:

• Air India , AirAsia India , and Vistara have signed the MoU with Council Of Scientific And Industrial Research – Indian Institute Of Petroleum. They will collaborate and work together on research , development and deployment of sustainable aviation fuels.
• The focus of MoU is the exploration of Single Reactor HEFA Technology for Drop – in liquid Sustainable Aviation and Automotive Fuel ( DILSAAF ).

IHCI:

• India on 21 Sept 2022 won a United Nations award for its ‘ India Hypertension Control Initiative ( IHCI )’. The IHCI has been recognized for its exceptional work within India’s existing primary healthcare system.
• Under this initiative , more than 34 lakh people with hypertension are taking treatment in government health facilities. IHCI launched : 2017.

PM cares:

• Veteran industrialist Ratan Tata , former Supreme Court judge KT Thomas , and former deputy Lok Sabha speaker Kariya Munda have been nominated as trustees of the PM CARES Fund.
• The decision to appoint them was taken in a meeting of the Board of Trustees headed by PM Modi on 20 September 2022. PM CARES fund created : 27 March 2020. Trustees : Home Minister , Defence Minister , & Finance Minister.

ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund:

• ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund has launched India’s first Auto Index Fund : ICICI Prudential Nifty Auto Index Fund. It is an open – ended index scheme replicating Nifty Auto Index.
• It is designed to reflect the behaviour & performance of the automobile segment of the financial market. ICICI Prudential MF is the 2nd largest asset management company in India. Founded : 1993. CEO : Nimesh Shah.

Cental Bank of India:

• RBI has removed the Central Bank of India from the Prompt Corrective Action ( PCA ) framework on complying with parameters like net non – performing assets ( net NPAs ) and capital ratios.
• The PCA norm is a supervisory tool and is imposed when a bank breaches certain regulatory thresholds. RBI had placed Central Bank under PCA in June 2017 due to high net NPAs and negative returns on assets.

SPARSH:

• Defence Ministry has signed an MoU with the Bank of Baroda & HDFC Bank under the SPARSH- System for Pension Administration ( Raksha ) initiative with an objective to cover 17 lakh , defence pensioners , across the country.
• The MoU will onboard more than 14 thousand bank branches as Service Centres to provide last – mile connectivity to defence pensioners . SPARSH was implemented in 2021.

RINL:

• Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited ( RINL ) has been awarded the 2021 National Energy Leader Award. It has been awarded National Energy Leader Award for the 4th time consecutively.
• RINL received this award at the 23rd National Award for Excellence in Energy Management programme , held in New Delhi on 21 September. RINL is also the 1st Integrated Steel Plant to adopt ISO50001 Energy Management System.

Amazon:

• Amazon on 21 Sept 2022 announced its first utility – scale renewable energy projects in India , which include three solar farms in Rajasthan.
• These include a 210 MW project to be developed by ReNew Power , a 100MW project by Amp Energy , & a 110MW project by Brookfield Renewable.
• Additionally , Amazon also announced 23 new solar rooftop projects on its fulfilment centres across 14 cities in India.

Hindustan Shipyard Ltd:

• Two diving support vessels being built by Hindustan Shipyard Ltd , Vishakapatnam for the Indian Navy , were launched on 22 September. They are first of the kind ships indigenously designed and built at HSL.
• These ships would be deployed for deep sea diving operations. The vessels are 118.4 metres long , 22.8 metres at the broadest point and will have a displacement of 9,350 tons.

Deep sea port:

• West Bengal Govt has decided to give Adani Ports a contract to build a deep sea port at Tajpur in Purba Medinipur district at an investment of Rs 25,000 crore.
• The port will provide quick access to international markets for industries in the state. When developed , Tajpur would be Bengal’s only greenfield port in half a century since the Haldia Dock Complex was set up in the 1960s.

Assam & Indian Army:

• The Indian Army has agreed to give training to the newly recruited commandos of the Assam police who will be part of the five new battalions in the state.
• The five new commando battalions have been envisaged for specific roles.

Tamil Nadu Events:

‘ Dugong Conservation Reserve ‘:

• The country’s first ‘ Dugong Conservation Reserve ‘ has been notified in the Palk Bay region off the coast of Tamil Nadu. The move is aimed at conserving the endangered species as it would help protect and improve marine fauna.
• Dugongs are protected under Schedule 1 of the Wild Life ( Protection ) Act , 1972 as their population was on the decline due to habitat loss.

International Events:

IBSA:

• 10th IBSA Trilateral Ministerial Commission meeting was held on 21 September. It was chaired by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar.
• Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil Carlos Alberto Franco França and Minister of Health of South Africa Dr. Joe Phaahla were also present during the meeting.
• The Ministers reviewed the entire gamut of IBSA cooperation. IBSA – India – Brazil – South Africa.

World Rhino Day : 22 September:

• World Rhino Day is celebrated on September 22 every year to curb rhino poaching and save the endangered species. It was first announced by the World Wildlife Fund ( WWF ) in 2010.
• There are 5 species of rhino – white & black rhinos in Africa , & the greater one – horned , Javan & Sumatran rhino species in Asia. India is home to the largest number of Greater One – Horned Rhinoceros in the world.