Current Affairs Quiz - February 2022

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:
The seventh round of India-EU consultations on disarmament and non-proliferation matters was held in a virtual format.
The consultations are part of dialogue mechanisms under the ‘Roadmap to 2025’ for further strengthening the India-EU Strategic Partnership.

Notes:
The National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) has instituted National Award for Innovations and Good Practices in Educational Administration.
The 5^th National awards were recently presented to the selected District and Block level education officers from 29 states/ UTs of the country. This year, over hundred officers received Award or Certificate of Appreciation.

Notes:
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) recently launched an agro ecology-based programme JIVA.
It aims to promote natural farming under NABARD’s watershed and wadi programmes in 11 states covering five agro-ecological zones. It aims to nudge the farming community towards natural farming.

Notes:
Every year, World Radio Day is celebrated on February 13 with an aim to highlight the importance of radio.
The member states of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) first declared this day in the year 2011. It was later adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 as an International Day.

Notes:
India is ranked 46 on the EIU’s Democracy Index report, which was released recently. In the Global index, India has scored 6.91.
Norway and New Zealand got the top two places respectively, while North Korea, Myanmar, Afghanistan were placed at the bottom. India has the lowest score of 5 on political culture and the highest score of 8.67 on electoral process and pluralism.

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 Ministry of Defence has signed up a design and development contract with NewSpace Research & Technologies, to develop a High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS).
The Bengaluru-based company was mentored under the ministry’s Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative. The HAPS aims to conduct surveillance operations and support communications by staying airborne for months.

Notes:
Environment clearance has been issued to as many as 60 mining areas and legal mining of Bajri (riverbed sand) is initiated in Rajasthan.
Four years ago, the Supreme Court banned the sand mining activities in riverbeds until a scientific replenishment study was completed. The apex court later appointed a Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to probe the issue of illegal sand mining.