Current Affairs Quiz - February 2022

Notes:
The Department of Science & Technology (DST) has established the National Centre of Excellence in Carbon Capture and Utilisation (NCOE-CCU) at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.
This is India’s first such centre centrally funded by the DST. This Centre of Excellence explores the potential of Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technologies, which will help India achieve its climate change goals.

Notes:
NITI Aayog released a report titled ‘Reimagining Healthcare in India through Blended Finance’. As per the report, about 65 per cent of hospital beds in the country cater to almost 50 per cent of the population concentrated in some states.
The report also stressed that the number of beds must be increased by at least 30 per cent to ensure equitable access to healthcare facilities for people.

Notes:
‘World Pulses Day’ is celebrated on February 10 every year. The UN General Assembly in 2019 dedicated this day to increase awareness and access to pulses globally.
World Pulses Day 2022 is celebrated under the theme of “Pulses to empower youth in achieving sustainable agri-food systems”.

Notes:
The President of India Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the annual ‘Udyanotsav’ of Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. Every year, the event is held during February-March.
The Mughal Gardens will remain open for the general public from February 12, 2022 to March 16, 2022. The main attraction of this year’s event will be 11 varieties of Tulips which are set to bloom in phases during February.

Notes:
The International Labour Organization has condemned China for racial and religious discrimination in the Xinjiang region.
The report said that as a ILO member state, the Chinese government is firmly committed to provide decent work for all China’s ethnic minority groups including Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

Notes:
India has cut its tax on crude palm oil (CPO) imports to 5 percent from 7.5 percent. The reduction in the tax, known as ‘Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC)’, will widen the gap between the CPO and refined palm oil import duties.
This will make it cheaper for Indian refiners to import CPO. India is the world’s biggest edible oil importer.

Notes:
India celebrates National Productivity Day on February 12 every year. The National Productivity Council (NPC) organises this special day.
NPC is an autonomous organisation established in 1958 under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. National Productivity Council celebrates productivity week February 12 to 18, across the nation under the theme “Self Reliance Through Productivity.”

Notes:
The Tata Group has appointed Ilker Ayci, former Turkish Airlines Chairman, as Air India’s Managing Director and CEO.
The decision is in line with the Tata Group’s plans to appoint an expatriate chief to run Air India, which it took over from the Indian government recently.

Notes:
Vedanta and Hon Hai Technology Group (also known as Foxconn) have formed a joint venture (JV) to manufacture semiconductors in India.
This is the first joint venture in the electronics manufacturing space after the Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI). In December 2021, the Centre cleared a PLI scheme for semiconductor and display board production targeting an investment of Rs 76,000 crore over the next five to six years.

Notes:
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) hosted the latest edition of the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the summit, which was based on the theme ‘Towards a Resilient Planet: Ensuring a Sustainable and Equitable Future’. The keynote addresses will be delivered by President of Republic of Guyana Dr Irfaan Ali and Deputy Secretary-General of the UN.