1.India ranks third in the world in increasing forest area: Economic Survey
Recently, in the Economic Survey released by the Department of Economic Affairs, it has been told that India ranks third in the world in terms of forest area increase . India has seen an increase of 2,66,000 hectares of forest area every year between 2010 and 2020 . 24% of the total geographical area of India is covered by forests . India has 2% of the total forest area of the world. According to the survey, the countries with the most forests are Brazil, Congo, Peru and Russia . 59% of the total land area of Brazil is covered by forests. 57% of Peru, 56% of Congo and 50% of Russia are covered by forest. About ten countries contributed 66% of the global forests. Madhya Pradesh in IndiaIt is the largest forest area. Madhya Pradesh has 11% of the total forest area of India. It is followed by Arunachal Pradesh which has 9% of the total forest area of the country. Chhattisgarh accounts for 8%, Odisha 7% and Maharashtra 7%. The top five states in terms of forest cover as a percentage of the total geographical area of the state are: Mizoram- 85%, Arunachal Pradesh- 79%, Meghalaya- 76%, Manipur- 74% and Nagaland- 74%. Between 2011 and 2021, there has been an increase of 20% in the highly dense forest area and 7% in the open forest area in India. The term ‘forest area’ refers to the legal status of the land, as per government records, while the term ‘forest cover’ refers to the presence of trees on any land.
2.India can become a $5 trillion economy by 2025-26: Chief Economic Advisor
India’s new Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran said that if India’s GDP grows at the rate of 8% every year, then India can become a $5 trillion economy by 2025-26 or 2026-2027 . It is worth noting that in the year 2019, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had set a target of making India a $5 trillion economy by 2024-25 . India’s economy is planned to grow at the rate of 9.2% in the current financial year. According to the recently presented Economic Survey 2021-22, GDP will grow at the rate of 8 to 8.5% in 2022-23. Whereas in 2023-24 it will grow at the rate of 7.1%. Former Finance Secretary, Subhash Chandra Garg , “ The 10 Trillion Dream ”She is going to make her debut as a writer with an upcoming book titled. According to Subhash Chandra Garg, there is a need to adopt a bold and strong economic policy agenda to bring India a chance to become a $5 trillion economy by 2026-27 and a $10 trillion economy by 2035.
3.Sergio Mattarella elected President of Italy for a second term
During a joint session of parliament and the eighth round of voting , Italian President Sergio Mattarella was elected for a second term. Mattarella has been re-elected with a wide majority. He got 759 votes out of 983 MPs and regional representatives. Presidential re-election is rare in Italy. So far, only Giorgio Napolitano , Mattarella’s predecessor, had served a second term. The 2022 Italian presidential election was held in Rome from January 24 to January 29, 2022 . The President was elected by a joint session of the Italian Parliament and regional representatives. The election process was extended by several days. This process elected incumbent President Sergio Mattarella for a second term.
4.UAE announces introduction of federal corporate tax
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced the introduction of a corporate tax from mid-2023 to diversify its income . The United Arab Emirates has long been known as a tax haven . It is the regional headquarters of multinational companies. But it will start levying 9.0% tax on gains over AED 3,75,000 from June 2023 . The UAE’s corporate tax regime will be one of the most competitive in the world. There will be a corporate tax of 9% for businesses with a net annual profit of more than AED 375,000, and a corporate tax of 0% for businesses with a net annual profit of less than AED 375,000. According to the ministry, there is no plan to introduce capital gains tax or personal income tax from immovable property or other investments.
5.NSO presents first revised GDP estimates for FY21
The National Statistics Office recently released the first revised GDP estimates for the fiscal year 2021 . According to these estimates, GDP decreased by 6.6% . Earlier, GDP had declined by 7.3%. This contraction is mainly due to the COVID pandemic and the imposed lockdown . The real GDP for 2020-21 is Rs 135.58 lakh crore . The real GDP for 2019-20 is 145.16 crores. Calculation of prices on the basis of 2011-12 pricesBut was done. The nominal GDP for 2020-21 is Rs 198.01 lakh crore. The nominal GDP in 2019-20 was 200.75 lakh crores. This shows that the nominal GDP has decreased by 1.4%. The contraction of GDP in 2021 creates a lower approval base for fiscal year 2022. This will contract the growth to 8.8% in 2022. NSO expects this to change in 2023 and GDP may go up. The growth rate for 2020-21 is as follows:
- Primary Sectors: Quarrying, Mining, Fisheries, Agriculture and Forestry: -2.8%. Last year it was 1.6%.
- Secondary sector: water supply, electricity, manufacturing, gas: -7.8%. Last year the growth rate was 1.9%.
- Tertiary Sector: Services: -6.8%. Last year it was -8.4%.
6.Privilege motion moved on Pegasus espionage issue
On January 30, 2022, Congress gave a notice in the Lok Sabha to move a privilege motion against Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnav , alleging that he had misled the House on the Pegasus spyware issue. A similar notice will also be issued in the Rajya Sabha. The privilege motion was introduced citing a report that India had bought Israeli spyware in 2017 as part of a USD 2 billion package for weapons. The opposition has accused the government of using the Israeli spyware Pegasus to spy on political leaders, judges, journalists and civil society activists. The government has made it clear that it has neverHave not purchased Pegasus spyware from NSO Group .
7.NASA’s Ocean Melting Greenland Mission
In Greenland , ocean water is melting glaciers as much as warm air from above is melting them . The Ocean Melting Greenland Mission , commonly known as the OMG mission , was launched by NASA . It was a five-year mission. It ended on December 31, 2021 . This mission primarily measured ice loss in Greenland. The study conducted by the mission states that if all the ice in Greenland melts, the global ocean level will rise by 7.4 meters . Greenland’s ice is melting five times faster than it was 25 years agoIs. There are over 220 glaciers in Greenland. The sea water is melting them fast. The upper layer of the oceans in Greenland is extremely cold. Plus, it’s not salty. The top layer of water comes from the Arctic. On the other hand, the layers below are warm. This water at the bottom is melting glaciers four to five times faster. The greater the depth, the faster it melts. Also, the water is more saline at greater depths. The mission conducted a complete survey of the sea level in the coasts of Greenland. It measured ocean temperatures from year to year, from place to place, and from top to bottom. This made a complete map of the sea. This mission measured the salinity of water at various depths. It also studied how salty Atlantic water affected the melting of ice in Greenland.
8.’Death Penalty in India’ report released
According to the ‘ Death Penalty in India ‘ report, the number of prisoners sentenced to death at the end of 2021 was 488. This number was the highest in 17 years . The year 2021 saw the highest number of death row prisoners since 2016. There was an increase of about 21% from 2020. Prison Statistics of India by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)Compared to the reported figures, this is the population with the highest death penalty since 2004, when it stood at 563. According to this report, the limited functioning of courts amid the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the priority given to cases related to the death penalty. Appellate courts were functioning in a limited way in 2020 and 2021. This meant that fewer appeals from death row prisoners were being pronounced, and by the end of the year a large number of prisoners had been sentenced to death. According to this report, trial courts awarded 144 death sentences in 2021, while high courts decided only 39 cases during the same period. In 2020, the High Courts decided 31 cases related to the death penalty, compared to 76 cases in 2019. Supreme Court could decide only 6 cases in 2021, While decision was taken on 11 cases in 2020 and 28 in 2019. Of the 39 cases involving capital punishment in high courts, only 4 confirmed death sentences. 15 cases were acquitted of all charges, 18 were commuted to life imprisonment, while 2 cases were remanded back to a lower court.
9.First goods train arrived in Manipur
On January 27, 2022 , the first goods train arrived at Rani Gaidinliu station in Manipur . This is the first goods train to enter Manipur after 75 years . This reflects the rapid change taking place in the state of Manipur. Manipur is a hill state. For this reason it was difficult to build railway lines in this area. The new railway line built in Manipur is 111 km long . It runs from Jiribam to Imphal . Jiribam Railway Station Assam-ManipurIt is 17 km away from the border. The Railway Department will build 46 tunnels along the new rail line. It also includes 153 bridges. In this line is the world’s highest bridge. It is in Noni district. This bridge is 141 meters high. Railways has so far spent Rs 14,000 crore in the construction of the railway line. This construction started in 2013. This line was to be constructed till Imphal. Now, there are plans to expand to Moreh. Moreh is a trading center located on the Manipur-Myanmar border.
10.NGT to set up ‘Fly Ash Management and Utilization Mission’
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recently directed to constitute a ‘ Fly Ash Management and Utilization Mission ‘. The NGT passed the order keeping in view the ‘ unscientific handling and storage ‘ of fly ash by coal thermal power stations. For example, it looked into the evacuation of industrial effluents and fly ash in the Rihand reservoir . The ‘Fly Ash Management and Utilization Mission’ seeks to oversee the disposal of the annual stock of unused fly ash. It will also look at how 1,670 million tonnes of accumulated fly ash can be used in the least hazardous manner. This mission will further look at how all the safety measures can be taken by the power plants.
11.30% tax on cryptocurrencies in India
The Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget on February 1, 2022. During the budget, the Finance Minister announced that the transfer of virtual digital assets will be taxed at 30% . This new rule will come into effect from April 1 . It is worth noting that the Government of India has been using cryptocurrency for a long time.But considering making a law. According to the IMF, the rapid growth and increasing popularity of crypto assets pose financial stability challenges. Such decentralized currencies can create instability because they are extremely volatile. They are much more volatile than equity or commodity or exchange rates. Its transaction cost is quite expensive compared to digital currency. According to this report, such transactions make capital flows unstable. It also creates a number of operational and financial integrity risks from the provision of crypto assets.
12.Ancient coral reef discovered in Tahiti
Scientists have recently discovered a coral reef along the coast of Tahiti . This reef is two miles long and is unaffected by anthropogenic activities and climate change. The coral reef was discovered during a dive expedition. UNESCO this campaignwas supported by. These discovered corals were six feet in diameter. Coral reefs were discovered at depths of 100 feet to 210 feet. These corals were found in the mesophotic zone. These are the darkest areas where sunlight can penetrate. This depth protects the corals from human activities. In 2019, the entire French Coral Polynesia was affected by coral bleaching. Coral bleaching is caused by climate change and global warming. However, this new coral reef has not been affected by coral bleaching.
13.NASA discovered the presence of water in ancient times on Mars
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has discovered that there was water on Mars two billion years ago . But today all the water on the planet has evaporated. This was confirmed by MRO salt deposits on the planet’s surface.done with the help of MRO found that water flows on Mars for some time. NASA’s Odyssey found traces of sodium chloride that were spread over hundreds of square kilometers. It was discovered in 2001. Later in 2008 salt minerals were found. MRO used CRISM to map the salts in the planet’s southern hemisphere. CRISM stands for Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer. Mars has many craters. MRO discovered salt deposits along shallow sediments of volcanic plains. These reserves were less than three meters deep. They were formed about 2.3 billion years ago. The closest analogue of this discovery is Antarctica. When ice melts in Antarctica, lakes are formed. Similarly, when the water in Mars’ crater evaporated, salt was left behind.
14.NASA HERMES Mission
Recently , an important mission review was passed by NASA in the context of the HERMES mission . HERMES stands for ‘ Heliophysics Environmental and Radiation Measurement Experiment Suite ‘. The review evaluated the mission’s initial design and program plan for launch by November 2024. The HERMES mission is a 4-instrument suite that will be mounted outside NASA’s Moon-orbiting Gateway . This mission will be the Artemis mission as well as NASA’s permanent presence on the Moon.will be an important part of the goals of making. The mission will help in monitoring space weather and detecting fluctuations in space driven by the Sun. Space weather includes activities such as a constant stream of particles and magnetic fields, the explosion of billion-ton gas clouds called coronal mass ejections, and flashes of extremely-bright light from solar flares. Some of these space weather events pose threats to astronauts and robotic missions. HERMES will specifically study these weather events in a variable environment.
15.UGC releases draft National Higher Educational Qualification Framework
The University Grants Commission (UGC) recently released the Draft Framework for Higher Education Qualification . This National Education Policy 2020is a part of. All the higher education institutions of the country will be brought under this new framework. The new framework will be brought in to meet the needs of the growing size of the higher education system in the country, to facilitate transparency, to create an internationally comparable framework. It will not promote a single curriculum or a common curriculum for all higher education students. Rather, the framework will ensure that all education systems in the country are providing quality education. This will create a performance benchmark for the higher education system in the country. The framework has created various levels to assess the learning outcome of the students. Level 5 represents the learning outcome of a first year student in a UG programme. Level 10 represents the learning outcome of a student in the doctoral level programme.
16.Operation Sadbhavna launched by Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir
Operation Sadbhavna was launched by the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir . Its main objective is to help the people affected by terrorism in the region.Is. This operation is mainly targeted to fulfill the aspirations of the people. Terrorist organizations in the Kashmir region are trying to remove government officials and target public symbols and services. The purpose of these organizations is by this to isolate the local population. Once separated, they become easy targets. This can draw more people towards terrorism. So far, the Indian Army has established 46 Goodwill Schools under this operation. 1900 schools have been renovated. The Indian Army has helped in infrastructure development, renovation and modification. All these schools are now run under the Jammu and Kashmir State Educational Board. It also includes two boarding schools Pahalgam and Rajouri. They are affiliated to CBSE.
17.SBI ties up with Tata Power to finance solar projects
State Bank of India (SBI) has launched a dedicated centralized processing cell named ‘ Surya Shakti Cell ‘ with an aim to strengthen the existing financing regime for solar power projects . SBI has roped in Tata Power Solar Systems Limited (a Tata Power company) to finance solar power projects.collaborated with. SAIL has been set up at Ballard Estate, Mumbai. Surya Shakti SAIL will process all loan applications by Tata Power Solar Systems Limited for solar projects from across India with a maximum capacity of 1 MW. Loan applicants will include business entities as well as homes. The objective of the bank is to provide loan applicants a complete platform for a digital and hassle free journey for financing solar projects. With this digital initiative, SBI will offer a complete solution for solar projects at competitive rates.
18.Tata Sky rebrands itself as Tata Play
Tata Sky has dropped the ‘ Sky ‘ brand name after 15 years and rebranded itself as Tata Play . DTH company Netflix to offer new OTT (over the top) content-centric channel packsshook hands with. The new name of the company will be visible to the audience. Tata Play Binge will host content from 13 leading OTT apps through a single user interface, while offering the flexibility of a single subscription and payment. Through the new identity as Tata Play, the companies aim to reflect their wide range of products and services and their desire to be future ready, while making tomorrow better for homes and families than today. Tata Play was established in 2006. It is a joint venture with Tata Sons (60%) and The Walt Disney Company (30%), Temasek Holdings, Singapore (10%).
19.HPCL launches non-fuel retail store ‘HappyShop’
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) has forayed into non-fuel retail by inaugurating its retail store under the brand name Happy Shop , to provide its customers with daily requirement products as per their convenience . The first retail store was launched by HPCL in September 2021 at the company’s retail outlet located at Nepean Sea Road in Mumbai . In addition, HPCL has launched the platform in a completely online format by opening an online store at Madurai. HPCL is also marketing branded packaged drinking water under the name ‘PAani@Club HP’ at its retail outlets across the country.
20.Book titled ‘Operation Khattam’ by RC Ganju and Ashwini Bhatnagar
A book titled ‘Operation Khatma’ has been released written by journalists RC Ganju and Ashwini Bhatnagar . The book is based on the operation of the Special Operations Group of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, in which 22 terrorists of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) were killed. It is a graphic first-hand thriller on terrorism in Kashmir. The blood-soaked rivalry between the JKLF and HM and the short, swift surgical strike—Operation Over—that broke the back of militancy in the Valley.
21.Samsung overtakes Intel as world’s top semiconductor company in 2021
South Korean electronics manufacturing giant, Samsung Electronics has overtaken US chipmaker Intel to become the world’s leading chipmaker in terms of revenue in 2021 , according to a report released by research firm Counterpoint Technology Market Research .Became. While Intel posted relatively flat results, Samsung led in 2021 with a strong DRAM and NAND flash market performance. Samsung also saw solid momentum in logic chips this year. Memory vendors continued to lead the industry, with SK Hynix and Micron in third and fourth places, followed by IC design vendors including Qualcomm and NVIDIA. The year witnessed 19% YoY revenue growth.
22.RBI imposed restrictions on Bhartiya Mercantile Co-operative Bank Ltd.
The Reserve Bank of India has imposed several restrictions on Indian Mercantile Cooperative Bank Ltd, Lucknow, including a limit of Rs 1 lakh on withdrawals . The ban came into effect from the closure of business hours on January 28, 2022. The RBI said that the Lucknow-based co-operative bank shall not, without its prior approval, grant or renew any loans and advances, or make any investments. The restrictions will remain in force for six months and are subject to review. RBI has imposed the above restriction in exercise of powers vested under sub-section (1) of section 35A read with section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (AACS). In particular, withdrawal of an amount exceeding one lakh rupees shall not be permitted from all savings or current accounts or any other account of the depositor.
23.Construction of Gandhi Mandiram, Smriti Vanam at Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh
Social activists constructed a temple for Mahatma Gandhi and Smriti Vanam of freedom fighters at the Municipal Park in Srikakulam , Andhra Pradesh to inculcate the spirit of patriotism among the youth by remembering the sacrifices of freedom fighters.has done. Statues of freedom fighters and social workers were installed in the park with the help of donors. The statue of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled along with Smritivanam on the eve of Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary in Srikakulam town. Srikakulam, also known as Chicacole, North Eastern district in AP is known for temple tourism. Srikakulam Municipal Corporation Commissioner Obulesh, after taking stock of the park development, sanctioned Rs 4.60 lakh from the corporation fund for park beautification.
24.Unnati Hooda and Kiran George win 2022 Odisha Open
Indian teenager Unnati Hooda defeated compatriot Smit Toshniwal 21-18, 21-11 to clinch the women’s singles title at the 2022 Odisha Open badminton tournament . 14-year-old Unnati is the youngest Indian to win the tournament . In men’s singles, India’s 21-year-old Kiran George defeated Priyanshu Rajawat 21-15, 14-21, 21-18 to emerge the winner. The 2022 Odisha Open is a BWF Super 100 tournament, held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Cuttack, Odisha .
25.Tata Steel Chess 2022: Magnus Carlsen beat Fabiano Caruana
World champion Grand Master Magnus Carlsen took victory with one round remaining in Wijk Aan Zee (Netherlands). The world champion defeated GM Fabiano Caruana and is now ahead of a full point in the 2022 Tata Steel Chess Tournament . This was his 8th victory, a unique achievement. Arigasi Arjun (India) has won the Tata Steel Challengers . By doing so, he has made it to the Tata Steel Masters next year. The 85th edition of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament will be held from 13 to 29 January 2023.
26.Spituk Gaster Festival celebrated in Ladakh
Spituk Gaster Festival , a two-day annual festival of Ladakhi culture and traditional heritage was celebrated on 30 and 31 January 2022 in the Union Territory of Leh and Ladakh . To witness the colorful festivities, devotees come to Spituk Monastery every year and participate in the colorful mask dance which is locally known as ” Chams “.Spituk Monastery is 8 km away from Leh. It is a celebration of peace and prosperity that is celebrated at Spituk Monastery in Leh and Ladakh UT. The highlight of the festival was the colorful mask dance performed locally by the monks of the monastery. Various deities such as Mahakal (Gombo), Paladan Lhamo (Sridevi), Safed Mahakal, the protector deity were performed in their best robes depicting them. The mask dance began with the saraskam, followed by Hashang Hatuk, Six Arms Mahakal, Paladan Performed by Lhamo, Shava, Janak Chams.However, the locals believe that the weather will become hot and pleasant after this festival.
27.February 2: World Wetlands Day
World Wetlands Day is organized every year on 02 February to raise global awareness about the important role of wetlands for our home ( earth ) . On this day in the year 1971, the ‘Convention on Wetlands of International Importance’ (Ramsar Convention) was signed on the shores of the Caspian Sea in Ramsar, Iran. World Wetlands Day was first celebrated on February 02, 1997 to mark the 16th anniversary of the Ramsar Convention . World Wetlands Day provides an opportunity to the general public to recognize the importance of wetlands to nature. The theme of this day for the year 2022 is – ‘ Wetland Action for People and Nature ‘, the theme of this day for the year 2021 was- ‘The theme of this day was ‘ Wetlands and Water ‘ and for the year 2020- 2020- ‘ Wetlands and Biodiversity ‘. The area with moisture or marshy land is called wetland or wetland. Actually, wetlands are those areas where there is plenty of moisture and it has many benefits too. Wetlands make water free from pollution. A wetland is an area that is partially or completely filled with water throughout the year. Wetlands in India extend from the cold and dry regions to the tropical monsoon regions of central India and the humid regions of the south.
28.Ireland: 50th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday
On 30 January 1972 , British soldiers killed a group of unarmed civilians . These citizens were protesting in the Bogside area of Derry. This event is called Bloody Sunday . In 2022, the people of Northern Ireland celebrated the 50th year of Bloody Sunday.marked. A group of innocent civilians protested the detention without trial. Detention means putting someone in jail without any court trial. The prisoners had no choice but to justify their actions. The protest was organized by the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association. The protesters were shot. Some were injured by rubber bullets and others were crushed by army vehicles. The soldiers involved in this massacre belonged to the 1st Battalion of the Parachute Regiment. The same battalion was also involved in the Ballymurphy massacre. The protests were mainly against Operation Demetrius. This happened during the Troubles. Operation Demetrius was a British Army operation and was conducted in 1971. During this operation, British soldiers arrested the suspects and were jailed without trial. The suspects were primarily members of the Irish Republican Army. The IRA was fighting for a united Ireland.
29.World Interfaith Harmony Week: February 1-7
World Interfaith Harmony Week is an annual event celebrated during the first week of February (1–7 February) since its designation of the General Assembly in 2010 . World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) was conceived to promote cultural peace and non-violence. The World Interfaith Harmony Week is based on the pioneering work of The Common Word initiative. The initiative, which began in 2007, gave Muslim and Christian leaders two common fundamental religious commandments; God of love and love of neighbor, called upon to engage in dialogue on the basis of, without compromising on any religious doctrine of his own. The Two Commandments are at the heart of the three monotheistic religions and therefore provide the most solid theological foundation possible.
