Current Affairs highlights of the week- 14th February 2021- 21st February 2021

Talking about the major events that unfolded at both national and international level.

National 

• The 11th issue of the ‘Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav’ was inaugurated on February 14th, 2021 by the governor of West Bengal, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar.

• The Ministry of Finance decided to add Rs 3.000 crore capital in the current quarter to government-owned general insurance firms. The money will be invested to boost insurers’ financial security.

• The Chennai Metro Rail Phase I Extension Project was inaugurated on 14 February 2021 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The cost of the entire project was about Rs 3,770 crores. The 9,05 km extended route will connect the airport with the central railway station north Chennai.

• On February 14, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the framework of the Grand Anicut Canal System for the extension, renovation and modernisation. In the Tamil Nadu districts of the Cauvery Delta, the canal is essential for irrigation. This canal will be modernised at a cost of ₹2,640 crores.

• The groundwork for the IIT Campus was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 14, 2021. The campus is being built in Thaiyur, near Chennai, with an area of 2 lakh sq.m estimated at Rs 1,000 crores in the first phase.

• Any vehicle going to National Highway Toll Squares after February 15 will be charged twice if it does not have FASTag. The ministry of road transport and highways issued this order on February 14, 2021.

• Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (266 wickets) surpassed Harbhajan Singh (265 wickets) on February 14, 2021, to be the second-highest wicket-taker in Indian Tests on the second day of the 4-test series against England in Chennai. The leading tester in India with 350 wickets is Anil Kumble.

• On 15 February 2021, the commercial Jute seed distribution scheme was launched by the Union Minister for Textiles, Smriti Irani.

• The World Bank recently released its report, “Traffic Crash Injuries and Disabilities: The Burden on Indian Society”. This report was published on 13 February 2021 by Union transport minister, Nitin Gadkari, on February 13, 2021. The report describes the unfair impacts on poor households of a road crash.

• The Indian Government agreed to provide Canada with Coronavirus vaccines. The Indian government took this decision at the request of Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.

• Recently the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) has been established in all of the districts in India by The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

• On the shores of Puducherry, the mass nesting of the Olive Ridley tortoises has finally started. However, due to the influence of Cyclones Nivar and Burevi, the typical migration season of turtles has probably been delayed because of climate change.

• After 15 February 2021, India has liberalised its geospatial data regulations. The private companies are now able to carry out surveys and mappings without the government’s approval.

• In Mumbai, on 15 February 2021, the Indian Navy had its third submarine, commissioned as INS Karanj, under Project P-75. INS Karanj is Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited’s third Scorpene submarine built after Khanderi and Kalvari.

• The Maharaja Suheldev Memorial was virtually created by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 February 2021. Also, the building block for the Chittaura Lake development project will be laid down in the Uttar Pradesh district of Bahraich.

• The government of Rajasthan recently revised the Rajasthan Prison Rules, 1951.  The change was intended to eliminate the caste-based assignment of labour.

• The Union telecom ministry has agreed to create a consumer protection and intelligence unit. These systems are developed to counter the threats of irritating calls. It will also help to take stringent steps against telecoms-based financial fraud.

• To build facilities to produce mobile components, Tata Electronics signed a Memorandum (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government. This Electronics project of Tata will be costing Rs 4684 crores. The mechanical enclosures of cell phones will be built in Krishnagiri.

• S. Theodore Baskaran has been awarded the Sanctuary Lifetime Service Award in 2020 as a poet, historian, naturalist and activist.

• E-Chhawani platform was unveiled by the Indian Defense Minister, Rajnath Singh, on 16 February 2021. The Cantonment residents can now register complaints about civic issues through this E-Chawani Portal.

• ACC Ready Mix Concrete recently released its latest ECOPact low carbon concrete range. It is a green concrete for high performance, sustainable and circular building. In the first point, ECOPact was introduced in Mumbai and Hyderabad.

• On 17 February 2021, a third version of the Indian Sign Language dictionary (ISL) will be issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. There will be ten thousand daily words for the new edition. It also includes the university, legal, medical, administrative and agrarian fields.

• A Pilot Pey Jal Surveyshan has been initiated by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. This was initiated during the Jal Jeevan Urban Mission (JJM-U). This sarvekshan is done in towns to ensure fair water distribution and wastewater reuse. The sarvekshan helps to chart the bodies of water.

• India is now joined in a two days naval drill by the “Iran-Russia Maritime Security Belt 2021.” The activity takes place in the northern portion of the Indian Ocean. Power and naval vessels from both the Iranian and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps participated in the exercise (IRGC).

• A ‘Sandes’ app has been introduced by the National Informatics Center (NIC). This instant message network is WhatsApp-like. It can be used by anyone for some kind of communication. To be registered with the app you must have a mobile number or email id.

• The Pi Beam, the start-up of the IIT Madras, has just introduced the two-wheeled electric ‘PiMO.’ At the end of the financial year 2021–22, Pi Beam has set a target of selling 10,000 vehicles. The bike was built by Visakh Sasikumar, an IIT Madras Alum.

• Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar will launch five India surveys on February 18, 2021, for software applications. Data of migrant and family workers shall also be included in this survey.

• A Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) between India and Mauritius have been approved by the Cabinet of the Union governed over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On 17 February 2021, this approval was given. The Comprehensive Economic Cooperation agreement is a kind of free trade agreement between India and Mauritius.

• On February 18, 2021, in Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually started the initiative “Mahabahu-Brahmaputra.’ The base for the Dhubri Phulbari bridge will be laid. PM will also perform the bhumi pujan for the construction of the Majuli Bridge in Assam.

• A walking car concept robot was created by the Hyundai Motor Company. It’s named TIGER, the transition robot for smart field trips. The robot includes wheels that can be optimised for navigation in the demanding area.

• On 18 February 2021, a Third Ministerial Meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialog (Quad) will take place. The conference will share views on global and regional issues. To preserve an open, inclusive Indo-Pacific zone, the project will concentrate on realistic cooperation areas

• The Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ said that the annual interaction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the students called the ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ will be held online is the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

• On February 18th 2021 the Third India Tourism Mart took place. The Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan, addressed the meeting. The event was coordinated by the Indian Tourism and Hospitality Associations Federation (FAITH) by video conference.

• The 82nd Senior Table Tennis Championship was won by Manika Batra.

• The Chair of the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting will be held on 20 February 2021 by Narendra Modi. Aspects regarding agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure and the development of human resources will be discussed. This is the Governing Council’s sixth meeting.

• The Indian National Authority (NHAI) has successfully collected 100% cashless toll on national road fee toll across the world. The national highways have all lanes through the fee plazas declared FASTag lanes effective from 16 February 2021.

• In 2021 the SWAMIH Fund will be delivering the first completed apartments. This fund was set up by the government of India, consists of 250 billion dollars. This fund was formed to complete the housing projects that had stopped.

• Hyderabad has recently been recognised as a tree city in the world by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Arbor Day Foundation. Hyderabad was chosen for recognition for its dedication to develop and preserve urban forests.

• On 19 February 2021, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road, transport and roadways, launched the ‘Go Electric Campaign.’ The initiative has been initiated to raise awareness about the benefits of charging facilities for electric vehicles. The campaign also raises awareness of e-mobility and electric cooking in India

• The Intensified Mission (IMI) Indradhanush 3.0 was initiated by the Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan. The mission is to be carried out in two rounds. The first round will begin on 22 February 2021 and the second phase will start on March 22, 2021.

• The Agriculture Department could use a drone to collect data from Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana for remote sensing (PMFBY).

• Patanjali Divya Coronil medicine has been accredited in line with WHO certification criteria by the AYUSH Ministry. Coronil has now been accredited to help the action against Covid-19 and to improve immunity.

• To turn traditional anganwadis into “smart” anganwadis, the Government of Kerala has endorsed ₹9 crores for better amenities. Smart Anganwadi Scheme 48 state anganwadis were granted to build their new buildings by the Department of Women and Child Development under this scheme.

• The north-eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram observed their statehood day. Both of the states received their statehood on February 20, 1987.

Read more: Things you always wanted to know about “The United Nations”

International 

• To improve food security with the Middle East countries, the Indian government has provided 2000 metric tonnes of rice to Syria.

• On February 13, 2021, the former US President Donald Trump was acquitted by the United States Senate in the prosecution trial in which Trump supporters have tried to stop certification for the results of the Electoral College in connection with the 6 January attack on the Capitol.

• On 14 February 2021, days after the spacecraft had successfully entered the Red Planet’s orbit, the UAE’s ‘Hope’ probe sent back its first image of Mars. The National Space Agency reported. The probe detected Olympus Mons, the greatest volcano of the solar system, which emerged in the early morning light.

• In the district of Thar Desert, Pakistan Army is undertaking a month-long exercise to brace itself for war in the extreme wilderness. The exercise was launched on January 28 and is to be concluded on February 28, under the name ‘Jidar-ul-Hadeed’

• On February 14, 2021, Russia launched a new advanced cargo ship into space. To supply the cargo to the seven crew in the International Space Station (ISS), the ship was launched.

• On February 15, 2021, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced that it is going to provide Rs 100 crore loans for the health services and medical equipment chain Medanta to combat COVID-19.

• The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) has recently appointed Preeti Sinha as its Executive Secretary. She is an Indian-origin investment and development banker.

• To combat Islamic radicalism, the lower house of the French parliament adopted the new anti-radicalism law. The proposal aims to enhance government supervision of Mosques and religious schools. Anti-radicalism Bill Strong steps against polygamy and forced marriage will also be taken.

• India will all host the virtual health secretariat-level meeting with the South Asian Regional Cooperation Association member countries (SAARC). On February 18, 2021, the virtual meeting takes place. The representatives will address the current COVID-19 crisis during the session.

• The scientist retrieved from Siberian mammoths the older DNA registered. The molars of the mammoth were removed for the DNA. These mammals were discovered about 1.2 million years ago in northeast Siberia. The remains of three individual bacteria have retrieved and sequenced DNA.

• At the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in 2021, the International Solar Alliance (ISA) is expected to launch the World Solar Bank (WSB).

• The United Nations of the G20 has been asked by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to prepare a “Global Covid 19 Vaccine Plan” on 17 February 2020. The UN demanded it while condemning the wildly unequal distribution in various countries of COVID-19 vaccines.

• The International Finance Institute (IIF) said that the world had never been more indebted, and in 2021, debt would continue to grow, with additional borrowing in the aftermath of the economic crisis that led to covid-19.

• India and CEO Forum in Singapore launched in November 2018 held its meeting again. The meeting was arranged for 18 February 2021 by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and FICCI.

• Recently, technology-giant Facebook blocked Australian users from reading and posting local and foreign news. In the context of the controversy over Australia’s new media payment rule, Facebook initiated this move.

• On February 18, 202, NASA’s science rover, Perseverance, landed on the Red Planet (MARS). This rover is the most sophisticated astrobiology laboratory ever delivered. Secondly, it will scan for the remains of old microbial life on the planet.

• On February 18, 2021, Israel announced it is developing, in cooperation with the United States, a new ballistic missile shield, called Arrow-4. This missile is being established by keeping an eye on Iran as another layer in the defence system.

• The Indian government has decided to appeal against the international arbitration award worth $1.2 billion that was won by Cairn Energy Plc. in a tax dispute.

• On 19 February 2021, Joe Biden will be making his first major President appearance on the global stage. He has also made part of his plans to radically reorganise US foreign policy for the Group of Seven (G7) allies and other foreign leaders.

• India-Australia Circular Economy Hackathon (I-ACE) on 19 February 2021 was addressed by Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India. Narendra Modi said during the hackathon that it’s important to look at the consumption trends in India. India must also explore how its ecological effects can be minimised.

• On 20 February 20, 2021, India and Ethiopia signed two treaties. These agreements relate to leather technology and visa facilitation. n. The agreements were signed in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia Demeke Mekonnen Hassen and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

• On 19 February 2020, the United States formally rejoined the Paris climate agreement. After 107 days, it rejoined the agreement. With the US rejoining, the world leaders hope that the country will prove its gravity, as it has largely been absent for four years.

• The Passes military exercise in the Arab Sea was conducted by the Indian and Indonesian navies on 18 February 2021. It was coordinated to boost organisational interoperability and overall cooperation

• An agreement to create the Center for Excellence in Hydrogen has been signed by the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Greenstar Norway. This agreement was signed a few days after India launched a national mission to provide hydrogen.

• The 11th macroeconomic dialogue between India and the European Union took place virtually on 19 February 2021.

Check our Instagram : Ownguru

Facebook : Ownguru

If you have an interesting write-up or any suggestion, write to us at ownguru@gmail.com