TOP NOTCH CAPTIVATORS OF THE MONTH

“Collarwali”, the famous tigress

1 2
Famous Kathak dancer Pandit
of Madhya Pradesh's Pench
Birju Maharaj passed away
Tiger Reserve (PTR), also known
at 83.
as “supermom” has died.

Ayesha Malik appointed the

Former RBI governor Urjit Patel

3 4
first woman judge of the
has been appointed as a
Pakistan Supreme Court in the
vice-president of the Asian
conservative Muslim-majority
Infrastructure Investment Bank.
country.

TS Tirumurti, India's permanent

5 6
representative to the United Robert Lewandowski voted as
Nations was named the new the best men's player in the
Chair of the UN Counter- world in FIFA award.
Terrorism Committee.

Ban on plastic packaging

7 8
Uttar Pradesh awarded first
covering fruit and vegetables
prize in 3rd National Water
comes into force from
Awards.
in France.

9
Indian passport becomes
10
Rafael Nadal won the men's
83rd most powerful globally singles title to earn his 89th
in 2022, up from 90th rank. career ATP title.

Mahendra Publication Pvt. Ltd.

 CONTENTS
VOL-18
ISSUE -02

Editor
N.K. Jain 79th Golden Globe Awards 2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian
crisis
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Editorial “Arise! Awake! and stop not until the goal is reached.”
- Swami Vivekananda

Dear Aspirants,
We feel delighted to present to you the "February 2022" edition of "Master in Current Affairs". MICA is a
comprehensive magazine focused on both the intellectual and competitive nature of learning. Apart from the competitive
edge, MICA is intended to provide you with a vision of self-enhancement. MICA includes highly acclaimed sections such
as Newsletters, News Diary, One Liner, World of English, which are directly related to your preparation for competitive
examinations. Chalte - Chalte is one of the most steering elements of MICA on the go, which is mentioned below every
page. This edition creates a forum where all candidates and guidance personnel can meet the important issues of this
month which may play a vital role in the forthcoming examination. The important topics covered in this edition are:
79th Golden Globe Awards- The 79th Golden Globe Awards honored the best in film and American television of 2021,
as chosen by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The ceremony took place privately on January 9, 2022.
The nominations were announced on December 13, 2021 by rapper Snoop Dogg and HFPA president Helen Hoehne.
Padma Awards - one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma
Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art,
social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil
service, etc.
2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis- In March and April 2021, Russia massed about 100,000 soldiers and
military equipment near its border with Ukraine, representing the highest force mobilization since the
country's annexation of Crimea in 2014. This precipitated an international crisis and generated concerns over
a potential invasion. Satellite imagery showed movements of armor, missiles, and other heavy weaponry.
In this edition, as a wish for your bright and prosperous future, we are providing “SSC CGL MODEL
PAPER 2022” and “UPSSC LEKHPAL MODEL PAPER 2022” for your self-assessment. You can also
test your Current Affairs by visiting the Quiz Time section for self-assessment, which includes all
possible multiple-choice questions from the current affairs of this month. To serve you better we
will diligently serve you our level best with various new topics and news that is important from
the examination point of view.

Best of luck for your exams.

Your suggestions will be highly valuable and welcomed.

With Best Wishes

Editor : N.K. Jain “Your Success is Our Success”
 Vijay INTERVIEW
Vijay : With time management
PERSONAL DETAILS student can achieve his/her
Vijay Kumar Karole goal.
Father’s Name : Mr. N.L. Karole MICA : How did you prepare for
Mother’s Name : Mrs. Kiran Karole the Interview?
Hobbies : Playing Games
Vijay : I took interview classes
Prior Selection : None from Mahendra's
Name of the Exam : IBPS RRB PO CRP X
MICA : Tell us about the Interview
Roll No. of Qualified Exam : 1961008830
Board and the questions
Roll No. of Mahendra Institute : BPL0410084436 asked?
Vijay :
Vijay : Interview board was
English Language quite friendly. Before
my interview I was quite
Reading newspaper, learning new relaxed and the questions
vocabs and practicing comprehension were about my educational
from mock test. background, family and
banking.
Reasoning Ability
Practicing the puzzles and high level The questions asked were:
miscellaneous questions. I. They asked about surname.

MICA : Mahendra's family

Numerical Ability II. States & Union Territories.
expresses its heartfelt Focused mostly on Data
congratulations on your III. States touching Madhya Pradesh
Interpretation and Data Sufficiency.
and their Chief Minister's.
success.
General Awareness IV. About Nominee.
Vijay : Thank's Mahendras
and always grateful for Daily revision of current affairs.
MICA : From whom did you
playing a huge role in my
success. Computer Knowledge get information of your
selection and what was
MICA : To whom do you want Prepare computer knowledge from
your reaction?
to give the credit of your computer book and basic concepts.
selection? MICA : What would you say about Vijay : I got the news from
“Master in Current Affairs” online website. I was
Vijay : I want to give the credit to just extremely happy for
my parents and teachers. Magazine (MICA) and
Mahendra's Website? myself and my family.
MICA : After how many attempts
did you succeed in this Vijay : It covers all most every MICA : What message do you
examination? section. want to convey to other
aspirants?
Vijay : It was my second attempt. MICA : What is the best thing about
our coaching institute, Vijay : Consistency is key factor
MICA : What is the role of according to you? for every exam.
Mahendra's institute in
your selection? Vijay : Regular classes, on
time guidance, study MICA : Congratulations! once
Vijay : Way of teaching and environment etc. again on your success.
guidance on time. Your success is our
MICA : What is the role of “Time success.
MICA : How did you prepare for Management” in one’s
the examination? success? Vijay : Thank You!
In Nepal, the latest report on climate change has revealed that the area and volume of glaciers in
the Himalayan region are declining. Transparency International Nepal in collaboration with other FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 5
organizations conducted the research and the report was made public in Kathmandu.
CURRENT AFFAIRS One Liner

ONE Liner
PERSONS IN NEWS
## Recently Varun Singh has been passed away, he was
associated with profession? - Air force Officer
## Who has the most-searched person on Google in India
2021? - Neeraj Chopra
## Who has nominated as Germany’s Chancellor by
## Who has been named "PETA India Person of the Year" Parliament? - Olaf Scholz
2021? - Alia Bhatt
## Who has been appointed as the new head of AWARDS
UNICEF? - Catherine Russell
## Who was conferred the "21st Century Icon Awards"
## Recently General Bipin Rawat has been passed away For Contribution to Media Industry?
in helicopter crash, he was hold which post of defence - Amit Goenka
staff? - Chief of Defence Staff
## Who has won "the Sushila Devi Award" 2021 for
## Gabriel Boric, a former student activist, has been novel, Kintsugi? - Anukrti Upadhyay
elected as which nation's youngest president?
## Which sportsperson has won the honor of "Best
- Chile
Female Debut" at the 2021 Paralympic Sport Awards?
## Who has assumed charge as new chief secretary of - Avni Lekhara
Uttar Pradesh? - Durga Shankar Mishra
## Who has been selected for the "Royal Gold Medal"
## Who has the appointment of as a 'Vice President' & 2022? - Balkrishna Doshi
'Head of Global Engineering' of Acceldata Inc?
## Who was honoured with the 57th "Jnanpith Award"
- Gajanana Hegde
2021? - Damodar Mauzo
## Who has been crowned "Miss Universe" 2021?
## Who has posthumously gets "Mumbai Press Club's
- Harnaaz Sandhu
RedInk Award" 2020? - Danish Siddiqui
## How many times has England fast bowler James
## Which bank has bags two "DigiDhan Awards" by
Anderson become the first player to be not out in Test
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
cricket? - James Anderson
(MeitY)? - Karnataka Bank
## Who has been appointed as the new Global CEO of
## Which Indian mathematician has been awarded “the
Chanel? - Leena Nair
DST-ICTP-IMU Ramanujan Prize" 2021?
## Who has Appointed Brand Ambassador for "Lotus - Neena Gupta
Herbals Youth Rx"? - Malaika Arora
## Who was honoured with the 56th “Jnanpith Award”
## Recently who has been topped in the latest ICC Men's 2020? - Nilmani Phookan
Test Batsmen Rankings 2021?
- Marnus Labuschagne SCHEMES AND LAUNCHES
## Which UNESCO has appointed Goodwill Ambassador ## Which National Helpline number has launched by
for Cultural and Creative Industries in November Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry against
2021? - Naomi Kawase Atrocities on SCs, STs? - 14566
## Recently Bhutan has conferred its highest civilian ## Recently Union Cabinet has approved continuation of
decoration "Order of the Druk Gyalpo" to whom? "PM Awaas Yojana- Gramin" till which year?
- Narendra Modi - 24-Mar
## Recently "Ramakrushna Pattnaik" has been passed ## Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated
away, he was former finance minister of which state? "Bina-Panki Multiproduct Pipeline", how much kilometer
- Odisha long this Pipeline? - 356 Km
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released the 10th installment of financial benefit under the
6 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme through video conferencing. More than 20 thousand
crore rupees were transferred to over ten crore farmer families.
 One Liner
## Damodar Valley Corporation plans to set up "Lugu- ## Who has chaired 3rd meeting of "Apex Level
Pahar Pump storage project" on which river? Committee of Narco Coordination Center" in New
- Bokaro River Delhi? - Amit Shah
## Recently which state/UT has enforcing Level-I ## Which state police has launched its CCTNS Cloud Data
(Yellow alert) of the Graded Response Action Plan? Centre, Citizen Services Portal and User Manual?
- Delhi - Arunachal Pradesh
## Which state/UT has launched Project "Abhaya", a ## Madhya Pradesh Government has implemented
joint initiative of the force and an NGO for safety and "Police Commissionerate system" in which district?
security of girls? - Delhi - Bhopal and Indore
## Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated ## When is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's death
three projects worth around Rs 10,000 crore in which anniversary? - December 15th
city? - Gorakhpur ## Vice President Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated "Rishihood
## The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the University" in which city? - Delhi
foundation stone of "MaaUmiya Dham Development ## Which state/UT to get its first Teachers' University?
Project" in which State? - Gujarat - Delhi
## Which state has launched "Khel Nursery scheme 2022- ## India has launched the second edition of "water
23" to promote sports? - Haryana innovation challenges" with the Royal Embassy of which
## Which organisation has announced results of all-India of the following nation? - Denmark
contest under "PM-YUVA Mentorship Scheme"? ## Who has released "Atal Ranking of Institutions on
- National Book Trust Innovation Achievements" (ARIIA) 2021?
- Dr. Subhas Sarkar
## 'Nizamuddin Basti' is a conservation project based at
which Indian state/UT? - New Delhi ## In which city "the India Global Forum Healthcare
Roundtable" 2021 was organised?
## Recently which organisation has launched "Vernacular
- Dubai
Innovation Program" for innovators, entrepreneurs to
access innovative ecosystem in 22 languages? ## Piyush Goyal inaugurated Packaged Drinking Water
- NITI Aayog Test Facility at National Test House in which city?
- Ghaziabad
NATIONAL & STATE ## Which of the Indian Navy Ship (INS) has decommissioned
after 32 years of service at Visakhapatnam, Andhra
## Which date is celebrated as "international monkey Pradesh in December 2021? - INS Khukri
day"? - 14-Dec ## Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has inaugurated and
## Defence Minister launched "Rashtriya Ekta Geet" laid foundation stones of road projects worth Rs 4,160
composed by NCC Cadets in how many languages? crore in which district of Uttar Pradesh?
- 22 languages - Jaunpur and Mirzapur
## How many tonnes of Paddy procured in Kharif ## Which assembly has passed the Protection of Right to
Marketing Season 2021-22 till 10 December 2021? Freedom of Religion Bill 2021?
- 326 lakh tonnes - Karnataka Assembly
## How many sites of national importance in the country ## The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi has approved
looked up by Archeological Survey of India? interlinking projects on which two rivers?
- 3693 monuments - Ken-Betwa
## Recently Home Minister Amit Shah has released ## Which state has 5th ranked in India in "Good
"Good Governance Index" 2021, how many indicators Governance Index" 2021? - Kerala
are used in this inidex? - 58 indicators ## Which state has top in overall health performance,
## Recently how much Kilometer long "Ganga according to the fourth "Health Index" for 2019-20
Expressway" Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the launched by Niti Aayog? - Kerala
foundation stone? - 594 Km ## Recently Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has laid
## How much amount has been released by central down foundation stone for Defence Technology, Test
government to J&K to expedite implementation of "Jal Centre and BRAHMOS Manufacturing Centre of
Jeevan Mission"? - 604 crore rupees DRDO in which city? - Lucknow
A man has been arrested after a large fire severely damaged the Houses of Parliament in the South
African city of Cape Town. The suspect, who is not a parliamentary employee, is facing charges of FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 7
arson, housebreaking, and theft.
CURRENT AFFAIRS One Liner
INTERNATIONAL ## Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog and with
which international organisation rolled out their first
## Which nation has become the 2nd one to boycott 2022 "AgriTech Challenge cohort"?
Beijing Winter Olympics? - Australia - United Nations Capital
## Which nation hosted the 4th "Asia Youth Para Development Fund
Games"? - Bahrain
## Recently Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla FINANCIAL AWARENESS
has visited two day official visit to which country?
## OECD has projected India's economic growth forecast
- Bangladesh
at how much percent for FY22?
## Which country has been celebrate the ceremony of - 9.40%
"Swarnim Vijay Mashaals"? - Bangladesh
## LIC got RBI's approval to hold how much percent
## Recently India and Vietnam has signed a "Letter of stake in IndusInd Bank? - 9.99%
Intent" to establish partnership in which field?
## Recently Arogya World recognizes how many new
- Digital Media
companies as "Healthy Workplaces" 2021 at its
## Recently who has addressed 5th "Indian Ocean flagship conference? - 14
Conference" in Abu Dhabi? - Dr S Jaishankar
## As per the CEBR, India will become the 3rd largest
## Recently which country has to chaired "Counter economy in which year? - 2031
Terrorism Committee" of UNSC in January 2022 after
## Recently RBI extends deadline for KYC update to
ten years? - India
which periodic? - 31-Mar-22
## Recently Japan has launched a Communications
## According to Credit rating agency ICRA, the India's GDP
Satellite, what is the name of it?
is likely to maintain a how much percent growth rate in
- Inmarsat-6 F1
fiscal 2022 and 2023? - 9.0 percent
## India has utilized Chabahar port to ship 75,000 MTs of
## Recently SEBI has inducted to whom as a member of
wheat as humanitarian food assistance to Afghanistan
the MF advisory panel? - Aarati Krishnan
in 2020, in which country this port is located?
- Iran ## Which bank has topped in digital transactions in the
financial year 2020-21? - Bank of Baroda
## Recently 11th edition EKUVERIN Joint military
exercise between India and Maldives conducted at ## Which country become the 4th member of BRICS
which Island? - Kadhdhoo Island New Development Bank in year of 2021?
- Egypt
## Who has announced its 10th "International Conference" on
Yoga and Mental Health? - Kaivalyadhama ## Who has been named as the new chairman of Yamaha
Motor India Group? - Eishin Chihana
## Recently in which city the Bangladesh visa application
centre inaugurated? - Kolkata ## Which state has approved a "policy to export rejected
iron ore"? - Goa
## Which city has hold 21st "India-Russia Annual
Summit" 2021? - New Delhi ## Recently IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance has
announced the appointment as its new MD and CEO
## Cabinet has approved a treaty between India and
to whom. - HO Suri
which nation concerning Mutual Legal Assistance in
Criminal Matters? - Poland ## Asian development Bank approves loans worth USD
1.543 billion to Pakistan, who is the current President
## Recently India has hold first "2 plus 2 Ministerial
of ADB? - Masatsugu Asakawa
Dialogue" 2021 with which country?
- Russia SPORTS
## Which country has launched a draft agreement with NATO
on security measures? - Russia ## How many medals the Indian Badminton Contingent
has won at the 4th "Asia Youth Para Games"?
## Which nation has been removed from India's 'at-risk'
- 15
nations list? - Singapore
## Recently Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh retires from
## Recently which country's president has announced
all forms of cricket, he took how many total wicket in
constitutional referendum in 2022?
international match? - 417 wickets
- Tunisian
Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh dedicated Automatic Generation Control
8 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 (AGC) to the nation. This is expected to facilitate achieving the government’s ambitious target of 500
GW non-fossil fuel-based generation capacity by 2030.
 One Liner
## Recently who has been becomes first Indian girl to win ## DRDO and who has successfully test-fired indigenously
Jr Squash Open in US? - Anahat Singh built stand-off anti-tank missile at Pokhran range?
## Which country has won the "FIH Men's Hockey World - Indian Air Force
Cup" 2021? - Argentina ## Which organisation has launched "National Test
## Recently who has won to third Davis Cup title? Abhyas" Mobile App for aspirants to access mock tests
- Daniil Medvedev online? - National Testing Agency
## Which team won the bronze medal at the Asian ## India successfully test fires advance version of nuclear
Champions Trophy 2021? - India capable Agni-missile ‘Agni P’ at which Island?
- Wheeler Island
## Who has become 1st Indian to win silver medal in
men's singles at BWF World Badminton Championship MISCELLANEOUS
2021? - Kidambi Srikanth
## Which player has won "the FIDE World Championship" ## How many stranded people evacuated under "Operation Devi
2021 held in Dubai? - Magnus Carlson Shakti" from Afghanistan? - 565
## Recently Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has launched ## Global Family Day is celebrated which date?
first edition of "Khelo India Women’s U-21 Hockey - 1-Jan
League" in which city? - New Delhi ## “Maitri Diwas” celebrated which date?
## Ross Taylor announced retirement from international - 6-Dec
cricket on December 30, 2021, he belong to which ## Armed Forces Flag Day is celebrated which date?
nation? - New Zealand - 7-Dec
## Who has won "the National Billiards title" 2021? ## World Anti-Corruption Day is celebrated which date?
- Pankaj Advani - 9-Dec
## Recently who is the highest-ranked bowler in the ICC ## Human Rights Day is celebrated which date?
Test Bowling Rankings? - Pat Cummins - 10-Dec
## Who has become India's new ODI captain? ## National Energy Conservation Day is celebrated which
- Rohit Sharma date? - 14-Dec
## Which country's team has been won the BMW Golf Cup ## Goa Liberation Day is celebrated which date?
World Final in Dubai? - Russia - 19-Dec
## National Mathematics Day is celebrated which date?
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - 22-Dec
## As per a new study, the coral reefs in Western Indian ## National Consumer Day is celebrated which date?
Ocean can possibly extinct by which year? - 24-Dec
- 2070 ## How many participants has been selected to perform
## The US space agency NASA has announced the launch of on "Republic Day" 2022 parade?
"psyche mission" in ___. - 22-Aug - 485 participants
## India has successfully tests new-generation 'Pralay' ## Who is the military head and chairman of "the Chiefs
missile, what is the range of Pralay Missile? of Staff Committee" of the Indian Armed Forces?
- 150 to 500 km - Chief of Defence Staff
## Who has launched Genesys International’s digital twin ## What is the theme of International Human Solidarity
platform? - Amitabh Kant Day 2021? - Cultural equality,
social justice
## India’s first Green Hydrogen Microgrid Projects to be
set up in which state? - Andhra Pradesh ## Recently to whom Nation pays homage on his 65th
"Mahaparinirvan Diwas"? - Dr B R Ambedkar
## Which country has decided to close all of its nuclear
power plants by 2025? - Belgium ## Which state has topped in "Good Governance Index"
2021? - Gujarat
## Which armed force has launched contemporary messaging
app 'ASIGMA'? - The Indian Army ## Which state government has announced to set up
second "General Category Commission"?
## Seven new internet nodes are being launched in which
- Himachal Pradesh
state? - Uttar Pradesh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Manipur has the gateway to the southeast Asian countries and
strengthen the Atma Nirbhar Bharat and he also praised the women of Manipur and said that they FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 9
make India proud in the world of Sports.
SPOTLIGHT ALL THAT MATTERS
ABBREVIATIONS IMPORTANT DAYS AND DATES
AAIFR : Appellate Authority for Industrial and Financial February 01 Indian Coast Guard Day
Reconstruction February 02 World Wetlands Day
ACE : Asset Care Enterprise Ltd. February 04 World Cancer Day
ACH : Automated Clearing Houses February 10 National De-Worming Day
ACU : Asian Clearing Union February 12 Darwin Day
AD : Authorised Dealer February 13 World Radio Day
ADB : Asian Development Bank February 20 World Day of Social Justice
ADR : American Depository Receipt
February 21 International Mother Language Day
AFS : Available for Sale
AFTA : ASEAN Free Trade Area February 22 World Scout Day
AIBP : Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme February 24 Central Excise Day
AICL : Agricultural Insurance Company of India Ltd. February 27 World NGO Day
AIFI : All India Financial Institutions February 28 National Science Day
ECONOMIC GLOSSARY BOOKS & AUTHORS
Union budget of India
The Union Budget of India, also referred
to as the Annual Financial Statement in
Article 112 of the Constitution of India, is 01 THE modi gambit

the annual budget of the Republic of India.

The Government presents it on the first day
:- Sanju Verma
of February so that it could be materialised
before the beginning of new financial year
in April. Until 2016 it was presented on the

02
last working day of February by the Finance
Minister in Parliament. The budget, which is mamta beyond 2021
presented by means of the Finance bill and
the Appropriation bill has to be passed by
Lok Sabha before it can come into effect on 1 :- Jayanta Ghosal
April, the start of India's financial year.
An interim budget is not the same as a 'Vote
on Account'. While a 'Vote on Account'
deals only with the expenditure side of the
government's budget. An interim budget is
a complete set of accounts, including both
03 gandhi's assassin

expenditure and receipts. An interim budget

gives the complete financial statement, very :- Dhirendra K. Jha
similar to a full budget. While the law does
not disqualify the Union government from
introducing tax changes, normally during an
bose : the untold story
election year, successive governments have
avoided making any major changes in income
tax laws during an interim budget.
of an inconvenient
nationalist
04
Since 1947, there have been a total of 73 annual
:- Chandrachur Ghose
budgets, 14 interim budgets and four special
budgets, or mini-budgets. Morarji Desai has
presented 10 budgets which is the highest count

05
followed by P Chidambaram's 9 and Pranab a little book of
Mukherjee's 8. Yashwant Sinha, Yashwantrao india
Chavan and C.D. Deshmukh have presented 7
budgets each while Manmohan Singh and T.T.
Krishnamachari have presented 6 budgets. :- Ruskin Bond
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is targeting the launch of the first of the two
10 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
planned uncrewed flights under the Gaganyaan mission before Independence Day this year.
 APPOINTMENTS THE PEOPLE
Narendra Kumar Goenka He had also served NMCG as Executive Director (Projects)

T
in 2019-20 period. As Mission Director, NWM, Asok
extile Ministry has said that
Kumar took several innovative. Under his guidance,
Narendra Kumar Goenka has
National Water Mission Awards were presented for the first
been appointed as new chairman
time on 25th September, 2019.
of Apparel Export Promotion
Council, AEPC. Former chairman One of his major achievements as AS&MD, NWM
Padma Dr A Sakthivel handed was successful implementation of ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan-
over the charge to him. Ministry CatchTheRain campsign”. He is the recipient of “Jal
said, Mr. Goenka has been Mitra” award from the Government of Andhra Pradesh,
associated with the Council for the first TEX (Telangana Excellence) Award from the
more than two decades. He was Government of Telangana for Outstanding Work done
the Vice Chairman of the apex in Public Administration and the Skoch award for public
body of Indian apparel exporters before taking charge as services, 2021.
Chairman of AEPC. Asok had earlier served at the Centre as Joint Secretary in
On the occasion, Mr. Goenka said that country is witnessing the Ministry of Civil Aviation. He has initiated/completed
a robust growth in apparel exports. Going by the export many infrastructure projects like the Outer Ring Road,
orders in hand, this positive trend will further accelerate Krishna Phase-2 Drinking Water Pipeline, Godavari
in the last quarter. He added, apparel exports were 22 Drinking Water Pipeline Project, etc. in Hyderabad.
percent up at 1.46 billion dollars in December 2021 from Alka Mittal
1.20 billion dollar in December 2020. The same in the first
nine months of this fiscal stood at 11.13 billion-dollar, 35
percent more than 8.22 billion dollars in April-December S tate-run Oil and Natural
Gas Corporation's (ONGC)
Director HR (human resources),
2020. The trend is getting stronger.
Alka Mittal, has been given
Mr. Goenka said that this major turnaround in apparel exports
additional charge of chairman
was possible due to the highly efficient management by the
and managing director, making
government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the
her the first woman to head the
entrepreneurial spirit of the Indian apparel exporters. He
energy major, ONGC said.
said, with global demand picking up gradually and industry
reporting handsome orders in hand, apparel exports are Mittal was given the additional
likely to pick up in 2022. He emphasized the need to charge after incumbent Subhash
strongly focus on efforts for promoting Brand India taking Kumar superannuated on
suitable measures to ensure sustainability and other social December 31, 2021. She is also the senior-most director on
compliances. the ONGC board. Mittal however, is not the first woman
to head an energy company in India. While in 2014 Nishi
G. Asok Kumar Vasudeva became the first woman to head the state-run

G Asok Kumar, Additional Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL); in 2017,

Secretary, took charge as Dr Yasmine Hilton became the head of Shell Companies
the Director General of National in India.
Mission for Clean Ganga, "Mittal is a post graduate in Economics, MBA (HRM) and
Ministry of Jal Shakti on 1st Doctorate in Commerce and Business Studies. She joined
January 2022, from Rajiv Ranjan ONGC as a Graduate Trainee in 1985 and brings with her
Mishra, a 1987-batch IAS officer, an extremely rich experience spanning over three decades,"
who superannuated on 31-Dec. said ONGC on its website.
A 1991-batch IAS officer Mittal is the first woman to hold the charge of a full-time
belonging to the Telangana Director in ONGC’s history. She is also on the board of
Cadre, G. Asok Kumar has made significant and diverse ONGC Mangalore Petrochemicals Limited (OMPL) as
contribution to the Water and Sanitation Sector. As the ONGC nominee Director since August 2015. Prior to
Additional Secretary and Mission Director, National Water joining as Director (HR), Mittal held the post of Chief
Mission (NWM) he was leading the successful Jal Shakti Skill Development (CSD) of the company wherein she
Abhiyan: CatchTheRain campaign launched by PM Modi streamlined the activities and brought in uniformity in the
on 22 March 2021 to conserve rainwater. working of the Skill Development Centres of ONGC.
According to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, India's exports in December surged 37 percent on an
annual basis to 37.29 billion US Dollars, which is the highest-ever monthly figure. FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 11
THE PEOPLE APPOINTMENTS
During this period, she has also implemented the National T S Tirumurti

T
Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) in ONGC
S Tirumurti, India's
engaging more than 5000 apprentices across all work
permanent representative
centres.
to the United Nations was
Urjit Patel named the new Chair of the UN

F
Counter-Terrorism Committee
ormer Reserve Bank of
(CTC). Prior to taking up his
India (RBI) governor Urjit
current position as Permanent
Patel has been appointed as
Representative of India to the
a vice-president of the Asian
United Nations, in May 2020,
Infrastructure Investment
Tirumurti served as Secretary in
Bank (AIIB), a Beijing based
the Ministry of External Affairs,
multilateral development bank.
handling the Economic Relations portfolio (which included,
He will succeed outgoing Vice
inter alia, the Gulf and the Arab World, Africa, and India's
President D J Pandian, who is
Development Partnership), according to UNSC statement.
in charge of sovereign and non-
sovereign lending of the AIIB in Tirumurti previously served at the Embassy of India to
South Asia, the Pacific Islands and South-East Asia. Egypt, in Cairo; at the Permanent Mission of India to the
United Nations in Geneva; as the first Representative of
Patel, 58, told Prasar Bharati Special Correspondent in
India to the Palestinian Authority, in Gaza; as Counsellor in
Beijing that he will be joining on 1st February. He will be
the Embassy of India to the United States, in Washington.
one of the five Vice Presidents of the AIIB with a three-
DC; as Deputy Chief of Mission in the Embassy of India to
year tenure. Pandian, a former Gujarat chief secretary, has
Indonesia, in Jakarta; and as High Commissioner of India
been AIIB’s vice-president since 2016, the year the bank
to Malaysia, in Kuala Lumpur, the statement further said.
was set up with India as its second largest shareholder
after China. Pandian was also the bank’s first chief Tirumurti also served as Under Secretary (Bhutan),
investment officer. Director (Office of the Foreign Secretary), Joint Secretary
(Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar and Sri Lanka), and Joint
Urjit Patel is currently the chairman of the National
Secretary (United Nations Economic and Social Council)
Institute of Public Finance and Policy. He had taken over
during his service in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs,
as the 24th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
in New Delhi, it added. India will chair the Counter-Terrorism
succeeding Raghuram Rajan in September 2016 and was
Committee of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
with RBI till December 2018. An economist with great
in January. This Committee was formed in September 2001
repute, Patel will take over as vice-president at a time when
soon after the tragic terrorist attack of 9/11 in New York,
AIIB is expanding its footprint in developing countries
while India had chaired this Committee in the Security
especially India where Infrastructure is seen as a key driver
Council in 2011-12. In 2021, India has been asked to Chair
for growth. AIIB is currently headed by China’s Jin Liqun,
three important Committees of the Security Council, which
who is a former Chinese vice minister for finance.
include the Taliban Sanctions Committee, Counterterrorism
India has emerged as AIIB’s biggest beneficiary by Committee, and the Libyan Sanctions Committee.
obtaining $6.8 billion funding for 29 projects, outgoing
Vice President Pandian told Prasar Bharati Beijing in an Ayesha Malik

A
exclusive interview last November. Indonesia, Turkey, parliamentary panel in
Bangladesh and China are the next four borrowers from the Pakistan approved the
bank with over $7 billion investment. Pandian said AIIB elevation of High Court judge
has funded projects across sectors in India especially in Ayesha Malik to the Supreme
transport and energy sectors. In December, AIIB approved Court, moving a step closer to
the $150 million “Chennai City Partnership: Sustainable appoint the first woman judge of
Urban Service Program” aiming to strengthen institutions the apex court in the conservative
and improve the quality and financial sustainability of Muslim-majority country. The
selected urban services in Chennai. Also, the AIIB and the name of Justice Malik, currently
Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila are processing working as a judge of the Lahore
a $2 billion loan request from India to purchase 667 million High Court, was sent to the
Covid-19 jabs. Parliamentary Committee on Judges Appointment by the
Defense Minister and MP from Lucknow, Rajnath Singh, and Union Minister for Road Transport and
12 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 Highways, Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stone of Lucknow Kanpur expressway in a function in
Lucknow.
 APPOINTMENTS
Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) headed by Chief The ministry of home affairs constituted a three-member
Justice Gulzar Ahmed earlier this month. committee to probe into the lapses in the security
The bipartisan Parliamentary Committee headed by Senator arrangement during PM Modi's visit to Punjab's Ferozepur.
Farooq H Naek of Pakistan People’s Party, in its meeting The committee will be led by Sudhir Kumar Saxena,
held in Islamabad endorsed her nomination, removing secretary (security), Cabinet Secretariat.
the last big hurdle in her elevation to the apex court. The K P Arvindan
committee while approving her nomination created an
exception by setting aside the seniority principle because
Justice Malik, who is on the fourth position on the seniority
I n an impressive ceremony,
Rear Admiral KP Arvindan,
VSM took over charge as Admiral
list of the judges of the Lahore High Court, would be the
Superintendent of Naval Dockyard,
first woman top judge, according to Naek.
Mumbai from Rear Admiral B
Even the latest JCP meeting held on January 6 hotly Sivakumar, VSM on 14 January
contested the issue before finally granting approval of 2022. Rear Admiral KP Arvindan,
Malik’s nomination by a marginal difference of five an alumnus of Naval College of
members of JCP supporting her while four opposing the Engineering, INS Shivaji, Lonavla,
nomination. Her name will be sent to President Arif Alvi and is from the first batch of the Naval
after his approval, Justice Malik will become the first woman Engineering Course and was
judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Justice Malik was commissioned into the Indian Navy in November 1987. The
appointed as a judge of the Lahore High Court in March Admiral holds a B-Tech degree in Marine Engineering and a
2012. She will now work as a Supreme Court judge until M-Tech degree in Industrial Engineering from NITIE, Mumbai.
her superannuation in June 2031. She will also be the senior
In a career spanning over 34 years of service, the Admiral served
most serving judge and likely to become the Chief Justice of
in various capacities, including at command headquarters,
Pakistan in January 2030. In that scenario, she would again
training establishments, the marine gas turbine overhaul centre,
create history by becoming the first chief justice of Pakistan.
INS Eksila, and Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. He has served
The chief justice of the Supreme Court is appointed on the
onboard a Petya class patrol vessel, the missile corvette Kirpan
basis of their seniority of service in the apex court.
and guided missile destroyers Rajput and Ranjit. His recent
Indu Malhotra appointments include being the Commanding Officer of the

T he Supreme Court appointed premier training establishment, INS Shivaji, and Commodore
its former judge Indu (Fleet Maintenance), an assignment he handled for a period
Malhotra as chairperson of a panel of four years, handling issues related to maintenance and
to investigate Prime Minister repair support for the aircraft carrier, Vikramaditya, and the
Narendra Modi's security lapse in submarine fleet of the Indian Navy.
Punjab last week. The committee On promotion to the flag rank, the officer was appointed as
will look into the causes of the Admiral Superintendent, Naval Ship Repair Yard, Karwar. A
security breach that left PM recipient of the Vishisht Seva Medal, the Admiral was serving
Modi's convoy stuck on a flyover as Chief Staff Officer (Technical) at Headquarters, Western
for 15-20 minutes while it was on Naval Command, prior to taking over the present assignment.
its way to the National Martyrs
Memorial in Hussainiwala, a few kilometres away from the S Somnath
Pakistan border. The other members of the committee are
the director-general of the National Investigation Agency, O n January 14, 2022, Shri.
S. Somanath assumed
charge as Secretary, Department
director-general of police Chandigarh, additional director-
general of police (security) Punjab, and registrar general of Space and Chairman, Space
of Punjab and Haryana High Court. The apex court said Commission. Shri. Somanath
that the independent committee will also probe people assumed charge after a stint of
responsible for it and find out measures to be taken in future four years as the Director, Vikram
for preventing such security breaches of VVIPs. It directed Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC),
the registrar general of Punjab and Haryana High Court to Thiruvananathapuram. He also
submit documents on security arrangements for PM's visit served as the Director of Liquid
to Justice Indu Malhotra. It asked the committee to submit Propulsion Systems Centre
a report on the issue at the earliest. (LPSC), Valiamala, for two and half years.
Union Science and Technology Minister, Dr. Jitendra Singh has launched the theme of National Science
Day 2022. The theme of this year is "Integrated Approach in Science and Technology for Sustainable FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 13
Future".
THE PEOPLE APPOINTMENTS
Shri. Somanath obtained B. Tech in Mechanical Engineering girls’ schools have remained closed in most of the country’s
from TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, and Masters provinces, including Kabul.
in Aerospace Engineering from Indian Institute of Science, Earlier this week, the Taliban-led government’s Ministry
Bangalore, specializing in Structures, Dynamics, and of Virtue and Vice issued a new directive that orders
Control with a Gold Medal. He joined VSSC in 1985 and women who are travelling long distances by road should
was a team leader for the Integration of PSLV during the be accompanied by a male relative, and they should wear
early phases. a hijab, to cover their head and face. The directive also
Shri. Somanath is an expert in the area of system engineering banned playing music in the vehicles.
of Launch vehicles. His contributions in PSLV and GSLV It also ordered shops not to show the heads of female
MkIII were in their overall architecture, propulsion mannequins as it is against the Islamic Sharia law. Many
stages design, structural and structural dynamics designs, human rights activists have condemned the rigid laws
separation systems, vehicle integration, and integration imposed by the Taliban. Kabul also witnessed women led
procedures development. rally to protest against the latest travel bans imposed by the
He is the recipient of the ‘Space Gold Medal’ from the Taliban, demanding and calling on the global community to
Astronautical Society of India. He received the ‘Merit come to their rescue.
Award” and ‘Performance Excellence award’ from
ISRO and a ‘Team excellence award’ for GSLV Mk-
Vinay Kumar Tripathi
III development. He is a Fellow of the Indian National
Academy of Engineering (INAE), a Fellow of the
Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI), Astronautical
T he Ministry of Railways
appointed Vinay Kumar
Tripathi as new chairman-cum-CEO
Society of India (ASI), and a Corresponding Member of the of Railway Board with immediate
International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). He is in the effect after obtaining approval from
bureau of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) the Appointments Committee of
and a recipient of the National Aeronautics Prize from the the Cabinet (ACC). Vinay Kumar
Aeronautical Society of India (ASI). Tripathi, prior to be appointed as
He has published papers in journals & seminars in structural new chairman of railway board
dynamics and control, dynamic analysis of separation was working as General Manager
mechanisms, vibration & acoustic testing, launch vehicle of North Eastern Railway in
design, and launch services management. Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The Appointments Committee of
the Cabinet has not only approved the appointment of Tripathi
Rina Amiri for six months from Janaury 1 but also further granted extension

T he deteriorating situation in of his tenure till 31 December in 2022.

reference to the rights for As per details shared with The New Indian Express by
women in Afghanistan under the ministry, Tripathi is an electrical engineering graduate
the Taliban rule has prompted from IIT-Roorkee and a 1998-batch officer of Indian
US President Joe Biden’s Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE). His
administration to appoint first posting was as an Assistant Electrical Engineer on
two senior female diplomats, Northern Railway. In his distinguished carrier, Tripathi
assigned to represent Washington has successfully discharged the duties of important post of
in Kabul. Electrical Department on Northern, Central and Western
While, Amiri had previously Railway as well as held key posts of Divisional Railway
served as a US special envoy for Manager in North Central Railway at Allahabad, Chief
Afghanistan and Pakistan during former President Barack Electrical Locomotive Engineer, Additional General
Obama’s administration, Foster has earlier worked for the Manager of Western Railway and Additional Member/
State Department. Afghanistan is currently in the midst Traction in Railway Board.
of severe economic and humanitarian challenges which He has attended higher Management training programmes
have further deteriorated since the fall of the country to the in Switzerland & USA. Tripathi had played a key role in
Taliban on August 15. commissioning of state-of-art three-phase locomotives
According to the UN, Afghan women and girls are paying and their indigenization, which are now the work horse of
an especially high price for the ongoing poverty and hunger Indian Railways. Tripathi holds wide experience in railway
in the country. Following the political change, secondary management and administrations.
According to the Union health ministry, India on 5 January 2021 recorded the first death linked to the
14 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 Omicron variant of the coronavirus after the samples of a man in Rajasthan's Udaipur, who died last
week, showed the presence of the variant.
 AWARDS
AWARDS
ICMR National Award Awards 2021, which are referred by prominent global

D
bankers and IT consultants as the most prestigious of their
r Satish Adiga,
kind across the world.
professor in Clinical
Embryology at Kasturba Naval Kumar Lad, Sr. Vice President, Information
Medical College (KMC), Technology, Axis Bank, accepted the award on behalf of the
Manipal Academy bank. The bank has implemented CRMNEXT for sales and
of Higher Education service modernisation enabling Straight through Processing
(MAHE), Manipal, is and instant fulfilment. The platform also enables smarter
selected by the Indian lead processing automated routing, complete tracking, and
Council of Medical visibility.
Research for its National Award for the year 2020. Dr With CRMNEXT, the bank can now generate dynamic
Adiga also heads the fertility programme at KMC Manipal. personalized offers with real-time visibility on eligibility.
According to a release issued by ICMR on its website, CRMNEXT also delivered augmented analytics for real-
professor Adiga will receive Dr Subhas Mukherjee Award time customer intelligence, seamless customer onboarding
from ICMR in recognition for his outstanding contribution and enabled relationship managers with automated
to the field of In vitro fertilization (IVF). Dr Subhas relationship programs.
Mukherjee is the creator of India’s first IVF baby and CRMNEXT is the World's most powerful banking CRM
ICMR has instituted the award in his name to recognize platform. Gartner recognizes CRMNEXT as a leading
the outstanding contribution of IVF experts in the country. player in Sales force automation, Service Management,
Speaking about Dr Adiga’s win Dr H S Ballal, pro and Lead Management. It has set benchmarks in the CRM
chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education said, industry with innovations like Autobot, UpgradesTM,
“This is an extremely proud moment for us. Dr Adiga’s Autonoma IntegrationTM, and Commutable CloudTM that
contribution to the field of IVF has been truly outstanding. have brought a paradigm shift in the implementation, and
He has contributed significantly to both clinical IVF and total-cost-of-ownership of CRM solutions.
fertility research thereby enhancedcountry’s visibility in Sustainability 4.0 Award 2021
this specialised area. The recognition given by ICMR to Dr
Adiga is truly well deserved”.
Dr Sharath Rao, dean, KMC Manipal, also spoke about Dr
C airn Oil and Gas,
India’s
private oil and gas
largest
Adiga’s recognition saying, “Dr Adiga has played a key
Exploration Company,
role in the field of fertility and IVF. Through his work in
has bagged the
IVF, he has helped numerous people fulfil their dream of
‘Leaders Award’ at the
parenthood. We at KMC are extremely delighted by his
Sustainability 4.0 Award
selection for the national award by ICMR”
2021, jointly convened
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a complex series of procedures by Frost and Sullivan
used to help with fertility or prevent genetic problems and and The Energy and Research Institute (TERI). Cairn has
assist with the conception of a child. During IVF , mature also emerged as ‘Sustainability Front Runners Companies’
eggs are collected (retrieved) from ovaries and fertilized by under the ‘Mega large business’ category, scoring 947 out
sperm in a lab. of 1,200’. The award was acknowledged by Prachur Sah,
IBSi's Innovation Awards 2021 CEO, Cairn Oil and Gas.

A xis Bank, one of the These awards are the 12th edition of the prestigious legacy
largest private bank organised by Frost and Sullivan, which has over 50 years
in Asia, and CRMNEXT, of experience in partnering with Global 1,000 companies,
the leading crm for emerging businesses, and the investment community from
banks, were awarded more than 40 offices on six continents and TERI. The
the "Best CRM System award aims to highlight the need for linkages between
Implementation" at an organisation’s strategy, governance and financial
IBS Intelligence Global performance and the social, environmental and economic
FinTech Innovation context within which it operates, enabling businesses
Telangana stood first in the country in the list of the highest number of open defecation free (ODF
Plus) villages under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase-II programme till December 31, FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 15
2021.
THE PEOPLE AWARDS
to make sustainable decisions that ensure long term create a quantitative report for breast health and possible
stakeholder value. anomalies.
Cairn also received certifications of participation under the Over 45,000 women have been screened as a result of
Jury Special Mention Award category for its case studies on the startup’s collaborations with over 30 hospitals and
“Utilisation of Associated Natural Gas for power generation diagnostic centres across India. At this stage, the tool has
and thereby reducing GHG emissions” and “E-kaksha the potential to enable 2 billion women around the world
– a unique digital education initiative”. The awards are to check for cancer on a regular basis, potentially saving
among the most prestigious in recognising efforts made by 90,000 lives per year in India alone. Moreover, NIRAMAI
corporate players and industries in achieving sustainability. Health AnalytixPvt. Ltd, is also a recipient of BIRAC’s
Prachur Sah, CEO, Cairn Oil and Gas states, “We stand Women in Entrepreneurial ResearchAward 2019.
by our commitments towards ESG goals, and this award InnAccel Technologies Pvt Ltd. bagged this prestigious
further confirms our tireless efforts in this direction. We are award for developing Fetal Lite, a next-generation, AI-
glad to receive this recognition from Frost and Sullivan and powered fetal heart rate (FHR) monitor based on fetal ECG
TERI. The Sustainability 4.0 Award is a testament to the signal extraction technology for mothers in labour or post
positive transformation at Cairn’s areas of operations by 37 weeks of gestation.
intertwining the 4 Ps – Purpose, Partnership, Planet, and The device has next-gen ECG signal processing which
People. This award will further motivate us to drive our is more accurate, reliable, and easier to use than the
vision of ensuring holistic socioeconomic development conventional Doppler-based devices while also being
while achieving our goal of ensuring energy Aatmanirbharta comfortable for the mother.
for India.”
The other winning startups selected by a panel of industry
Global Women’s Health Tech Awards experts are Antiva Biosciences and UE LifeSciences.

T he World Bank
Group and
Consumer Technology
the
University for Social Contribution
Award, 2020
Association
awarded
have
NIRAMAI T he Indian Society for
Technical Education
(ISTE) Awards for
Health AnalytixPvt.
Ltd. and InnAccel the Universities and
Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Education Institutes
two DBT-BIRAC- across the Nation, Sanjay
supported start-ups based in India, the Global Women’s Ghodawat University
Health Tech Awards. The award recognises innovative (SGU) received the
startups that use technology to improve women’s health prestigious, ‘University
and safety in emerging markets. Launched in August 2021, for Social Contribution Award, 2020’. This was announced
the Awards attracted over 70 companies from 35 countries, on 28th September, 2021 by the ISTE, New Delhi.
which submitted their innovative products and services The University served many social welfare programs like
under three categories: reproductive health and pregnancy, Trees plantation, village cleanliness, relief work during
general women’s and adolescent health, and women safety natural calamities etc. were carried out during the floods of
and security. 2019 and recently in 2021 the University has been responsible
NIRAMAI Health AnalytixPvt. Ltd, won this award for of helping many people stranded due to the floods.
its novel software-based medical device that detects early- During the Covid 19 Pandemic the University had converted
stage breast cancer in a simple and private way on women its Hostel Buildings for Covid Care Centre where in the
of all age groups and breast densities, addressing a critical last 2 years around 27,400 Covid Patients were treated.
unmet need in cancer screening. The created solution is a The Covid centre was well equipped with professional
low-cost, accurate, automated, portable, contactless, non- doctors, health care workers, medical and life saving
radioactive, and painless cancer screening instrument that equipment. Also, the University undertook sanitization of
currently has no known adverse effects. The software villages, distribution of PPE Kits, face masks, etc. during
is called Thermalytix, a machine learning and AI-based the pandemic.
Computer Diagnostic Engine that employs artificial SGU has distributed over 5 lakh food packets to those
intelligence algorithms to evaluate thermal images and displaced due to the lockdown. Many migrants who were
Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk, who has been using social media to recruit people, has disclosed
16 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 that Indian-origin Ashok Elluswamy was the first employee to be hired for his electric vehicle
company’s Autopilot team.
 AWARDS
stranded for days together found relief in such help offered to create self-motivation and awareness about sanitation .
in the form of food packets, drinking water and other daily All categories of schools, that is, government, government
essentials. aided and private schools in both rural and urban areas can
Sanjay Ghodawat, President – SGU, has been active participate in the Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar 2021-22.
in social work right from the 90s as soon as he became The participating schools will be assessed via an online
a success in the business field. He established the Shri portal and mobile app in 6 sub categories] where the system
Acharya Tulsi Blood Bank at Jaysingpur for cost effective will generate their overall score and rating automatically.
blood donation during emergency, he has himself been These sub-categories are: Water, Sanitation, Hand Washing
an active donor with donating his blood for more than 75 with soap, Operation and Maintenance, behavior change
times. He has come to aid of victims of natural calamities and capacity building and the newly added category on
like floods, earthquakes, etc. He has contributed to the COVID-19 preparedness and response.
events of National importance like donations to martyred The participants will be awarded at the district, state and
soldier’s families, drought – affected farmers, donation national level based on an internationally acclaimed five-
to NGOs like Olympic Gold Quest that is into sponsoring star rating system. In addition, each school will be awarded
Olympic champions, etc. He has also received the Globe a certificate of participation showing the category-wise
Oil, India ‘Philanthropist Person of the Year Award 2021’ scores and overall rating of the school, which will help
for his philanthropic activities. in promoting sustainable practices of improved water,
SGG was founded in 1993 and since then it has witnessed sanitation and hygiene in schools. A total of 40 schools
impressive growth under the splendid stewardship of will be selected under the overall category this year at the
its Founder and Chairman- Mr. Sanjay Ghodawat. It has national level. The award money has been increased to Rs
strong base of millions of customers globally, an employee 50,000 to Rs. 60,000 per school under the Samagra Shiksha
strength of over 10,000 and a student base of over 16,000. scheme. Additionally, 6 sub-category awards have been
SGG is moving ahead with great vigour and bringing introduced for the first time and entails an award money of
significant changes in people’s lives with its wide range of Rs. 20,000/- per school.
high-quality products and services.
The Best FIFA Awards 2021

R
Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar (SVP) obert Lewandowski
2021 – 2022 was voted the best

M inister of State men’s player in the

for Education world, retaining the FIFA
Subhas Sarkar launched award he won last year
the Swachh Vidyalaya despite being left off
Puraskar (SVP) the ballot paper filed by
2021 - 2022 virtually runner-up Lionel Messi.
while stressing on the Lewandowski was the
importance of water overwhelming choice of
sanitation, and hygiene national team captains and coaches plus selected media
and the role these factors play in determining the health in more than 200 countries. Lewandowski broke two
of the students, attendance, dropout rate, and learning Bundesliga records by scoring 41 goals for Bayern in its
outcomes. He added that having the provision of water, title-winning 2020-21 season and 43 in the calendar year of
sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools secures a healthy 2021. Both marks were held since 1972 by another Bayern
school environment and protects children from illness and great, Gerd Müller.
exclusion. In the women's award, Alexia Putellas added the FIFA
Elucidating further, the Minister of state stressed that trophy to her Ballon d'Or victory. Putellas captained
the Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar recognizes, inspires and Barcelona to its first Women’s Champions League title and
awards schools who have undertaken exemplary work teammate Jennifer Hermoso placed third in the FIFA vote.
in the field of water, sanitation and hygiene while also Chelsea won the coaching awards in a year when its men’s
providing a benchmark and a roadmap for schools to make and women’s teams led by Thomas Tuchel and Emma
further improvements in future. Hayes reached their Champions League finals.
The Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar was first distributed by the Tuchel was again ahead of Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola
Department of School Education and Literacy, in 2016-17 in the result of their European title game. Guardiola placed
Food Processing Industries Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras launched six brands developed as part
of the 'One District-One Product' approach under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 17
processing Enterprises Scheme in New Delhi.
THE PEOPLE AWARDS
third having led City to the English Premier League title, Deepa Verma, Director
and into a runaway lead this season after beating Chelsea. of Rohini based FSL
Roberto Mancini was second in the FIFA voting after received the award on
leading Italy to win the European Championship. Hayes behalf of the FSL. FSL
won the coaching award for women’s soccer. His Barcelona is a scientific department
team beat Chelsea 4-0 in the Champions League final. and a stakeholder in the
Sarina Wiegman was third. criminal-trial process that
focus on examination of
Ronaldo was also the star guest with FIFA in Zurich. The
the cases related to crime
Portugal player won special award for breaking the all-time
and violence against children, due to physical, sexual,
scoring record in men's national team soccer.
financial, or emotional suffering. The SKOCH award,
Two awards went to Denmark for the reaction in the instituted in 2003 is the highest civilian honour in India
stadium to national team star Christian Eriksen collapsing conferred by an independent organization to recognise the
due to cardiac arrest at a European Championship game in people, projects and institutions that work to build a better
Copenhagen. India.
FIFA's fair play prize went to the Denmark players and The SKOCH Literature Award 2021 was presented to
medical staff who protected and treated Eriksen. The award the book titled ‘Rising to the China Challenge: Winning
for best fans was shared by Denmark and Finland whose Through Strategic Patience and Flexible Policies’ authored
supporters chanted Eriksen's name as he was treated on the by leading members of Pune International Centre(PIC). The
field before it was clear he would recover. book was published in 2021 by Rupa Publications India
The Puskas Award for best goal went to Érik Lamela for the Ltd. The book was based on the 2020 Galwan Valley clash
rabona flick he scored for Tottenham against Arsenal in the provoked by China. The SKOCH Public Policy LITFest
Premier League in March. endeavours to bring public policy literature to the forefront
The best goalkeeper prizes were won by Edouard Mendy of public discourse and decision making.
of Chelsea and Chile’s Christiane Endler, who moved from Other Awardees of SKOCH Literature Award 2021:
PSG to Lyon in the offseason. a. Amar Patnaik, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha)
SKOCH Award 2021(Silver) for the book titled “Institutional Change and Power
Asymmetry in the Context of Rural India”.
T he Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) – Forensic
Service, Delhi, has won the SKOCH Award
2021(Silver) in the Governance category for its work
b. Manish Tewari, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha)
for the book titled “10 Flash Points 20 Years”
towards combating Crime and Violence against Children. c. Tamal Bandyopadhyay, Consulting Editor, Business
The award was presented during the 78th SKOCH Summit Standard & Senior Adviser, Jana Small Finance Bank,
held on 6th January 2022. The summit was organised with for the book titled “Pandemonium: The Great Indian
the theme “State of Governance”. Banking Tragedy”.
OBITUARY
Pandit Birju Maharaj the Kalka-Bindadin Gharana of Lucknow, he was known

T
for his perfect rhythm and expressive gesture language.
he country's famous Kathak
Birju Maharaj was the recipient of numerous awards for his
dancer Pandit Birju Maharaj
contributions to the performing arts, including one of the
is no more. The 83-year-old
country’s highest civilian honours, the Padma Vibhushan
Panditji died of heart attack. Birju
in 1986.
Maharaj was born Brij Mohan
Nath Mishra on February 4, 1937 He gave his first recital at the age of seven. On 20 May
in a well-known Kathak dancing 1947, his father died when he was nine. Maharaj started
family. He began performing teaching the dance form at the age of thirteen, at the
as a child alongside his father Sangeet Bharti in New Delhi. He then taught at the
and became a Guru in his teens. Bharatiya Kala Kendra in Delhi, and at the Kathak Kendra
By the time he was 28, Birju (a unit of the Sangeet Natak Akademi) where he was Head
Maharaj's mastery of the dance form had won him the of Faculty, and director, retiring in 1998. He composed
coveted Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. An exponent of the music, and sang, for two dance sequences in the

Captain Harpreet Chandi, Indian-origin British Sikh Army officer, and physiotherapist, also known as
18 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 Polar Preet. has created history by becoming the first woman of color to complete a solo unsupported
trek to the South Pole.
 OBITUARY
Satyajit Ray's Shatranj ke Khilari, and choreographed the Sidney Poitier

A
song Kaahe Chhed Mohe from the 2002 film version of
ctor Sidney Poitier has died
novella Devdas.
at age 94, Eugene Torchon-
Pandit Birju Maharaj donned several hats during his Newry, acting director general of
lifetime. While he was best known as a Kathak dancer, he the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
was an equally prolific singer, poet and painter. confirmed Poitier’s death. In
Narayan Debnath Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,
he played a Black man with a

C artoonist Narayan Debnath,

the creator of Bengali comic
characters 'Bantul The Great',
white fiancee and In the Heat of
the Night, he was Virgil Tibbs, a
Black police officer confronting
'Handa Bhonda' and 'Nonte racism during a murder
Phonte', died in Kolkata after investigation. He also played a teacher in a tough London
a prolonged illness, said the school that year in To Sir, With Love. Poitier had won his
hospital where he was undergoing history-making best actor Oscar for Lilies of the Field in
treatment. He was 97 and 1963, playing a handyman who helps German nuns build a
survived by two sons, a daughter chapel in the desert. Five years before that Poitier had been
and a granddaughter. Debnath, the first Black man nominated for a lead actor Oscar for his
who was handed the Padma Shri role in The Defiant Ones. His other classic films of that era
award while undergoing treatment at the hospital. He was included A Patch of Blue in 1965 in which his character is
put on ventilator support as his condition deteriorated after befriended by a blind white girl, The Blackboard Jungle
being admitted to the hospital on December 24. In his and A Raisin in the Sun, which Poitier also performed on
career spanning over six decades, Debnath created comic Broadway.
characters such as 'Bantul The Great', 'Handa Bhonda' Sidney Poitier was born in Miami on Feb. 20, 1927,
and 'Nonte Phonte' -- all of which are household names in and raised on a tomato farm in the Bahamas, and had
Bengal. just one year of formal schooling. He struggled against
The first comic strip of 'Handa Bhonda' was published in poverty, illiteracy and prejudice to become one of the first
1962 in Bengali children's magazine 'Suktara', brought out Black actors to be known and accepted in major roles by
by Deb Sahitya Kutir. It was followed by 'Bantul The Great' mainstream audiences. In all, he acted in more than 50
(1965) and 'Nonte Phonte' (1969). films and directed nine, starting in 1972 with Buck and the
Debnath continued working till the age of 93 when the Preacher in which he co-starred with Belafonte.
last comic strip of 'Nonte Phonte' was published in the In 1992, Poitier was given the Life Achievement Award
2017 Durga Puja issue of Suktara. Earlier, he created by the American Film Institute, the most prestigious honor
'Rabi Chobi' -- a comic strip that was published in May after the Oscar. In 2002, an honorary Oscar recognized “his
1961 in children's magazine Anandamela to mark the birth remarkable accomplishments as an artist and as a human
centenary of Rabindranath Tagore. being.”
Debnath started freelancing for a few advertising agencies, Poitier wrote three autobiographical books and in 2013
creating movie slides and logos, before getting in touch published Montaro Caine, a novel that was described as
with Deb Sahitya Kutir. Debnath was conferred with Padma part mystery, part science fiction. The actor was knighted
Shri in 2021 but could not visit New Delhi to collect the by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in 1974 and served as the
award. State Home Secretary BP Gopalika and Cooperative Bahamian ambassador to Japan and to UNESCO, the U.N.
Minister Arup Roy handed him the medal and certificate on cultural agency. In 2009, Poitier was awarded the highest
his hospital bed. U.S. civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom,
by President Barack Obama. The 2014 Academy Awards
He was conferred with the Sahitya Akademi award in 2013 ceremony marked the 50th anniversary of Sidney Poitier’s
and the West Bengal government also honoured him with historic Oscar and he was there to present the award for
Banga Bibhushan the same year. The Rabindra Bharati best director.
University gave him an honorary D.Litt in 2015. Governor
Jagdeep Dhankhar, who visited Debnath at his home last Collarwali (T15)

C
month, said his death was a huge loss to the world of ollarwali, the famous tigress of Madhya Pradesh’s
literary creativity and comics. Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), who had earned the tag
Additional Secretary under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, G Asok Kumar was appointed as the new
Director-General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 19
He succeeded Director-General, Rajiv Ranjan Mishra.
THE PEOPLE OBITUARY
of “supermom” for giving birth Indira Gandhi assured that Silent Valley forests will be
to 29 cubs, has died, officials protected. Prasad, who held various academic positions in
said. The 17-year-old tigress Kerala, including the post of Pro Vice Chancellor of Calicut
was also known as T15. She had University and Principal of Maharaja's College, Ernakulam,
given birth to 29 cubs in eight has also authored numerous books in Malayalam on
litters during the span of 11 years environmental issues and popular science.
between 2008 and 2018, the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the demise of
officials said. An official from Prasad recalling his contributions as a leader of ecological
the office of the Principal Chief movements. Former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh
Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Leader of Opposition the state Assembly V D Satheesan
confirmed about the death of the also condoled the demise of Prasad.
tigress without disclosing any other information.
The tigress, who looked very weak due to old age, was Professor Chandrashekhar Patil
last seen on January 14 by the PTR visitors. According to
experts, the average age of a tiger is about 12 years. This
female cub was radio-collared in March 2008. After that,
N oted
and
Kannada
activist
writer
Professor
Chandrashekhar Patil popularly
radio collar stopped functioning. She was again radio- known as Champa passed away in
collared in January 2010. The tigress later became famous Bengaluru. The 82 year old writer
as “Collarwali” or T15 tigress, the officials said. was suffering from age related
“Collarwali” had first given birth to three cubs in May illness for the past two years. The
2008, but they could not survive. For the last time, the proponent of Kannada medium
tigress delivered four cubs in December 2018, which took education, Champa was one of
the number of her cubs to 29. Officials feel that this number the prominent ‘Bandaya sahithi’
could be a record. in Kannada literary school of
thought. Being a Bandaya writer, he was an important voice
Of the total number of 29 cubs, 25 survived, the officials in public discourse of Karnataka for over half a century.
added. In a rare occurrence, “Collarwali”, born as one of
the four cubs to famous tigress T-7 in September 2005, His street play Jagadambeya was against the imposition
had given birth to a litter of five cubs (four females and of Emergency by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Prof
one male) on October 23, 2010, the officials said. Madhya Patil also had played a key role during the Gokak Agitation
Pradesh, with 526 big cats, had emerged as the “tiger state” in 1980s for making Kannada the medium of education.
of the country in 2018. He had served as the Chairman of Kannada Development
Authority and was appointed President of Kannada
Professor M K Prasad Sahitya Parishat for a term. He was honored with the

N oted environmentalist Prof highest Rajyotsava Award by the State Government. Chief
M K Prasad, a prominent Minister Basavaraj Bommai and many other dignitaries
figure in the historic grassroot have condoled the death of Champa. The Chief Minister
level movement to save the has said that the final rites of the departed writer will be
evergreen tropical rain forests performed with police honors.
in Kerala's Silent Valley from Alleppey Ranganath
destruction, passed away, his
colleagues said. He was 89. He
breathed his last at a private N oted lyricist and music
director Alleppey Ranganath
passed away in Kerala. He was
hospital here while undergoing
treatment for Covid related 73. Ranganath was undergoing
complications, they said. treatment for COVID-19 at
the Kottayam Medical College
Prasad was a guiding force behind the national movement Hospital. The eldest among six
against the state government's move to set up a hydro- children of Alappuzha Vezhappra
power project in Silent Valley in Palakkad district in the Kunjukunju Bhagavathar
1970s. Bowing to unrelenting pressure from ecologists, and Gana Bhushanam M G
the government was forced to abandon the project. The Devammal, Ranganath has
struggle was called off in the early 80s after Prime Minister directed 42 plays and 25 dance dramas.
North Korea fired a hypersonic ballistic missile this week that successfully hit a target, state news
20 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 agency KCNA reported, its second such test as the country continues its new military capabilities
amid stalled denuclearisation talks.
 OBITUARY
He wrote and composed music for a play by the Kanjirapally of tribal girls and women in the then undivided Koraput
People's Arts Club at the age of 19 and first composed district.
music for the song ‘Hosanna’ from the 1973 film, Jesus. Shanti Devi was born on April 18, 1934 to a landlord family
Ranganath recently wrote 10 keerthanas, composed in in Balasore district. After two years of college at the age of
Carnatic music, based on Bible verses. He had also penned 17, she was married off to a doctor Rata Das, a follower of
numerous Lord Ayyappa devotional songs and received Mahatma Gandhi, and moved to then undivided Koraput
this year's Harivarasanam Award. district with her husband. She established an ashram at
Saturnino de la Fuente García Sankhalpadar village in Rayagada district (then undivided
Koraput district) for the tribal children and started looking
G uinness World Records
are saddened to hear that
Saturnino de la Fuente García
after leprosy patients there.
Shanti Devi met Gandhian follower Acharya Vinoba Bhave
in 1955-56. Inspired by his ideology, she started working for
(Spain) has passed away at his
the development of tribals, destitute women and orphaned
house at the age of 112 years and
girls and took part in his Bhoodan Movement. She also
341 days. The news has been
founded Seva Samaj Ashram at Gunupur in Rayagada
confirmed by Senior Gerontology
district in 1964 for rehabilitating orphans, destitute and
Consultant Robert Young, who
poor children.
also helped confirm Saturnino’s
record as the oldest person living She also set up another ashram at Gunupur for the education,
(male) in September 2021. The rehabilitation and vocational training of orphans and
record holder was announced as the oldest man living at destitute children. Shanti Devi also has three orphanages
exactly 112 years and 211 days. dedicated to girls in Gunupur and Rayagada, a hostel at
Limameda for tribal girls and eight welfare centres for
Born in the neighbourhood of Puente Castro, León, on
tribal children in Rayagada and Gajapati.
the 11th of February 1909, Saturnino – also known as “El
pepino” – married Antonina Barrio Gutiérrez in 1933. With In 1961, she became the secretary of Utkal Navajeevan
Antonina, he lived a kind and long life "without hurting Mandal. She became the President of Odisha Prohibition
anyone" (which Saturnino himself defined the secret of Congress and was also associated with several Gandhian
his longevity) and had seven daughters. He would have organisations. She is the vice-president of Agragamee’s
celebrated his 113th birthday at the beginning of next month. governing body since its foundation. Apart from Padma
Shri, she was felicitated with the Jamunalal Bazaz Award
"A quiet life… and do not hurt anyone." - Saturnino de la
and Radhanath Rath Peace Award.
Fuente García
Thanks to his short height, only 1.50 m (4.92 ft), Saturnino Sindhutai Sapkal

E
recounts that he avoided being enlisted into the 1936 Spanish minent social worker
Civil War and, instead, established a flourishing shoemaker and Padma Shri awardee
business. That is how El Pepino’s (a shortened version Sindhutai Sapkal, passed away
for Peña, the name of Saturnino’s mother) craftsman skills at the age of 73. She was laid
brought him to create boots for the army and to become a to rest with full state honours at
famous artisan in the area. His memory lives on in his seven Pune’s Thosar Paga crematorium.
daughters, 14 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. She was buried in keeping with
Shanti Devi the custom of the Mahanubhava
Panth sect in the presence of

W ell-known social worker

from Odisha, Gandhian
follower and Padma Shri, Shanti
dignitaries, senior authorities of
the Pune district administration,
and thousands of citizens from all walks of life.
Devi passed away at her residence At the Sanmati Bal Niketan Sanstha in Manjari, Sapkal’s
in Gunupur of Rayagada district. body was kept for people to have a last glimpse of their
She was 88. Shanti Devi was beloved Maai. She adopted and cared for more than 1,000
recently conferred with India’s orphaned children in this orphanage. Sapkal won more than
third-highest civilian honour, 700 awards for her work, including the Padma Shri in 2021.
Padma Shri for her invaluable
The doughty social worker’s harrowing but inspirational
contribution for the upliftment
life — from being married off as a child, to being disowned
External Affairs Ministry on 7 January 2022 has signed an agreement for the second phase of the
Passport Seva Programme (PSP-V2.0) with M/s.Tata Consultancy Services Limited, appointing them FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 21
as the Service Provider for the project.
THE PEOPLE OBITUARY
by her family and husband and having to beg to survive backward, highlighted the report on the most prestigious
in order to keep her child alive — was the subject of the and outstanding triple jumper in the history of world and
National Award-winning biopic, Mee Sindhutai Sapkal (‘I Olympic athletics.
am Sindhutai Sapkal’) directed by actor-filmmaker Ananth
Mahadevan. Pandit Ramdas Kamat
Sapkal, who hailed from a backwaters village in Wardha
district, transcended the tribulations of her early life, which V eteran singer actor Pandit
Ramdas Kamat passed away
at his residence in Vile Parle.
included making rotis near a crematorium to feed her
baby, in a manner that few individuals do. She sublimated He was 90 years old. Pandit
her pain and suffering into devoting the rest of her life to Ramdas Kamat started his career
bestowing affection on orphaned children. She also fought in the musical theater with the
for the rights of tribals. play ‘Sangeet Sanshay Kallol’
by The Goa Hindu Association.
Viktor Danilovich Saneyev He had since acted in eighteen

V iktor Danilovich Saneyev, musicals. He is survived by his

the most recognized triple son Dr. Kaustubh Kamat, Soon
jumper in the history of world Dr. Sandhya Kamat, grandson Aniket, Natsun Bhavya is a
athletics, died in the Australian family. His body will be cremated at Parsiwada Cemetery
city of Sydney at the age of 76. in Andheri.
Born in Sukhumi, on the shores Pandit Ramdas Kamat is a native of Goa who witnessed
of the Black Sea (capital of the the golden age of musicals in Marathi theater. Kamat,
so-called Republic of Abkhazia, who has been taking music lessons from his elder brother
Georgia), he defended the team of Upendra since childhood, also learned drama music. Along
the then Soviet Union for almost with Pandit Govind Buwa Agni, Pandit Jitendra Abhishek,
two decades, in the 1960s and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, he had undergone training in
’70s. drama music and acting under the tutelage of Prabhakar
In a perfect typological description of Saneyev, the journal Pendharkar and Bhalchandra Pendharkar. So he learned
“The country”, from Madrid, specified that his long legs Bhavgeet from Yashwant Dev.
were added to his 1.88 meters of height and 78 kilograms Veteran singer Nat Ramdas Kamat is one of the music
of weight, with which he beat the world record 7 times, singers who performed the film song. Having successfully
three outdoors and four on the indoor track, and climbed to completed 60 years of his musical career, he also achieved
the top of the podium at the European Championships eight this by playing his dual role in his job at Air India.
times, when there were no World Championships. While Sangeet Natak was flourishing on the stage,
Of course, the most bombastic of his magnificent athletic Gopinath Saavkar, Mo. C. He performed musicals under
career were the three gold medals achieved in the Olympic the direction of veterans like Ranganekar, Master Dattaram,
Games in Mexico 1968, Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976. Bhalchandra Pendharkar. He was associated with various
Saneyev was, according to this descriptive table in the theater organizations such as ‘The Goa Hindu Association’,
Spanish newspaper, the prototype of the so-called Soviet ‘Gopinath Saavkar Kalamandir’, ‘Mumbai Marathi
triple jump school, which dominated his specialty for more Natyasangh’, ‘Rangsharda’, ‘Bharat Natyamandir’,
than a decade, which in the technical part always found him ‘Marathi Rangbhumi’ to ‘Chandralekha’.
making a long and powerful first jump to the detriment of Sangeet Matsyagandha is one of his most acclaimed plays.
the last one penalized by the loss of speed in the previous Many songs sung by him like ‘Jan Vijan Zhale’, ‘Amber’s
ones, and in the middle a second “weightless and eternal”. Blue Cube Oath to You’, ‘Sriranga Kamala Kanta’,
The action of the arms was also characteristic of this ‘Purvechya Deva Tuje’, ‘Deva Tuja Me Sonar’ are still in
model when carrying them simultaneously forward and the minds of fans.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has canceled the authorization certificates of Muthoot Vehicle and
22 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 Asset Finance Ltd and Eko India Financial Services Private Ltd for non-compliance with regulatory
requirements.
 NATIONAL NEWS BITES
Burning Topics of the Month
UNESCO's World Heritage
Cabinet approves Intra-
Centre has agreed to publish India Post Payments Bank’s
State Transmission System
Hindi descriptions of India's customer base crosses the
– Green Energy Corridor
UNESCO World Heritage 5-crore mark.
Phase-II.
Sites on its website.
& Many More...

India's exports in December surged NEAT 3.0, a single platform to

37 percent on an annual basis to provide the best-developed ed-tech
37.29 billion US Dollars 03 Jan' 22 solutions and courses to students

T
he country's exports in December 2021 surged 37 launched 04 Jan' 22

U
percent on an annual basis to $ 37.29 billion, the nion Education Minister and Skill Development
highest-ever monthly figure, on the back of healthy Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launched
performance by sectors like engineering, textiles and NEAT 3.0, a single platform to provide the best-
chemicals, even as the trade deficit widened to $ 21.99 developed ed-tech solutions and courses to students of the
billion. country. The Minister also launched AICTE prescribed
Imports in December too rose by 38 percent to $ 59.27 technical books in regional languages.
billion on account of an increase in oil imports, which The Minister encouraged AICTE to integrate courses in
soared 65.17 percent to $ 15.9 billion, government data NEAT with skill India to tap the opportunities in emerging
showed. areas of skill to boost employability and prepare our youth
Gold imports expanded by 4.5 percent to $ 4.69 billion. for the future. He urged that AICTE and ed-tech companies
Exports in December 2020 stood at $ 27.22 billion, while to offer e-resources in the least possible cost. Shri Pradhan
imports aggregated to $ 42.93 billion. Trade deficit was complimented the global ed-tech companies and Indian
at $ 15.72 billion. Cumulatively, during April-December start-ups who are a part of NEAT 3.0. He said that all ed-
2021-22 exports rose by 48.85 percent to $ 299.74 techs are welcome to work with a collaborative approach
billion. for making education accessible & affordable. But, ed-
Imports during the period increased by 69.27 percent to $ techs must remember that there is no place for monopoly
443.71 billion, leaving a trade deficit of $ 143.97 billion. and exploitation, he added.
In December 2021, exports of engineering goods grew On technical books in regional languages, Shri Pradhan said
by 37.27 percent to $ 9.7 billion, followed by petroleum that our diverse languages are our strength and harnessing
products (140 percent to $ 5.6 billion), gems and jewellery them key to building an innovative society. He further said
(15.8 percent to $ 2.98 billion), chemicals (26 percent to $ that learning in regional languages will further develop the
2.64 billion) and ready made garments of all textiles (22 critical thinking capacity & enable our youth to become
percent to $ 1.46 billion). global citizens.
Addressing a press conference, Commerce Minister Piyush National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT) is an
Goyal said India's merchandise exports will cross $ 400 initiative to provide the use of best-developed technological
billion this fiscal. "With $ 300 billion in the first nine solutions in the education sector to enhance the
months of 2021-22 we are on track to achieve our target... employability of the youth on a single platform for learners'
This growth is satisfying and we must aspire for more," convenience. These solutions use Artificial Intelligence for
Goyal said. a personalized and customized learning experience for
He also said exports from Uttar Pradesh are expected at Rs better learning outcomes and skill development in the niche
2 lakh crore this fiscal, up 60 percent from Rs 1.23 lakh areas. AICTE, MoE is acting as the facilitator in the process
crore last year. while ensuring that the solutions are freely available to
Election Commission hikes expenditure limit for candidates in Parliamentary and Assembly polls.
The ceiling on parliamentary poll expenditure has been raised from 70 lakh to 95 lakh rupees in FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 23
bigger states and 54 lakh to 75 lakhs in smaller states.
NEWS BITES NATIONAL
a large number of socially and economically backward estimated cost of transmission projects of Rs. 10,141.68
students. NEAT has 58 Education Technology Companies crore with Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of Rs.
with 100 products that help to develop employable skills, 4056.67 crore.
capacity building, and bridge learning gaps.
Passport Seva Programme V2.0
Cabinet approves Intra-State 07 Jan' 22

T
Transmission System – Green Energy
he Ministry of
Corridor Phase-II 06 Jan' 22 External Affairs

T
he Cabinet signed an
Committee agreement for second
on Economic phase of the Passport
Affairs, chaired by Seva Programme
the Prime Minister, (PSP-V2.0) with M/s.
Shri Narendra Modi, Tata Consultancy
approved the scheme Services Limited, our
on Green Energy valued partner, appointing them as the Service Provider for the
Corridor (GEC) project.
Phase-II for Intra-State Transmission System (InSTS) The PSP-V2.0 is a continuation and enhancement of
for addition of approximately 10,750 circuit kilometres PSP-V1.0, an e-Governance instrument, which introduced
(ckm) of transmission lines and approx. 27,500 Mega Volt- unprecedented transformation in delivery of passport related
Amperes (MVA) transformation capacity of substations. services to citizens. The focus was on timely, transparent,
The scheme will facilitate grid integration and power more accessible and reliable platform, accessed by citizens in
evacuation of approximately 20 GW of Renewable Energy a comfortable environment through streamlined processes;
(RE) power projects in seven States namely, Gujarat, and a committed, trained and motivated workforce. The
Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil project design ensured that support functions like citizen
Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. interface, technology backbone, call centres, training and
The scheme is targeted to be set up with total estimated cost change management etc. were provided by the Service
of Rs. 12,031.33 crore and Central Financial Assistance Provider, and the Government continued to exercise all
(CFA) @ 33 percent of the project cost i.e. Rs. 3970.34 sovereign and security related functions in the passport
crore. The transmission systems will be created over a issuance process.
period of five year from Financial Year 2021-22 to 2025- The number of public dealing offices has increased across
26. The Central Financial Assistance (CFA) will help in the country. Ministry is working towards opening of a Seva
offsetting the Intra-State transmission charges and thus Kendra in every Lok Sabha Constituency where there is no
keep the power costs down. Thus, the Government support Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva
will ultimately benefit the end users — the citizens of India. Kendra (POPSK). As on date 93 PSKs, 428 POPSKs and
The scheme will help in achieving the target of 450 GW 36 Passport Offices are operational. The Programme has
installed RE capacity by 2030. recently been connected to more than 176 Indian Missions
/ Posts through Global Passport Seva Programme (GPSP),
The scheme will also contribute to long term energy security
providing seamless delivery of passport services to Indian
of the country and promote ecologically sustainable growth
diaspora. The key elements of PSP-V 2.0 are setting up
by reducing carbon footprint. It will generate large direct
of a state-of-art digital ecosystem, process overhauling
& indirect employment opportunities for both skilled and
and integration among various stakeholders and database,
unskilled personnel in power and other related sectors.
improving citizen interface, upgrading technology, adopting
This scheme is in addition to GEC-Phase-I which is best practices and strengthening data security. Security
already under implementation in the States of Andhra aspects, including strategic assets such as Data Centres,
Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Database and the Application Software will be owned by
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu for the Government. There would be strict access controls
grid integration and power evacuation of approx. 24 GW across the system, incorporating biometrics. On the digital
of RE power and is expected to be completed by 2022. front, the programme envisages a Data Centre, Disaster
The scheme is for addition of 9700 ckm of transmission Recovery Centre and Government Secure Repository
lines and 22600 MVA capacity of substations having networked to all PSKs/POPSKs, Passport Offices and also
India’s economy is forecast to grow by 9.2% in the current fiscal year helped by a robust farm sector
24 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 and strengthening recovery in the manufacturing, construction, and services sector but the third
Covid wave may hurt expansion in the months ahead.
 NATIONAL
to Indian Missions/Posts aboard, an electronic file system Whole wheat cookies, is the second product developed
for passport processing running across the passport issuance under the brand Dilli Bakes. The brand and the product
ecosystem and 24x7x365 monitoring and supervision have been developed under the bakery ODOP concept for
through state-of-art Network Operation Centre (NOC) and Delhi. According to NAFED, the whole wheat cookie is
Security Operation Centre (SOC). a unique product as it is made with whole wheat, jaggery
instead of sugar, and contains butter instead of vanaspati.
Six One District One Product brands The 380 gm pack is competitively priced at Rs.175/-.
launched under the PMFME scheme Brand Somdana has been developed under the ODOP
of the Ministry of Food Processing concept of milletsfrom Thane, Maharashtra. The ragi flour
is a unique product as it is gluten-free, rich in iron, fibre,
Industries 08 Jan' 22 and calcium. The 500 gm pack is priced at Rs.60/-.

U
n i o n
Minister for Union Minister of Power and NRE
Ministry dedicates Automatic Generation
of Food Processing Control to the nation 10 Jan' 22
Industries, Shri

U
Pashupati Kumar nion Minister
Paras and Minister of Power
of State, Shri Prahlad and New &
Singh Patel and senior Renewable Energy
officials of NAFED launched six, One District One Product Shri R.K. Singh
(ODOP) brands under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of dedicated Automatic
Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme at Generation Control
Panchsheel Bhawan, New Delhi. (AGC) to the nation.
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has signed This is expected to
an agreement with NAFED for developing 10 brands facilitate achieving the government’s ambitious target of
of selected ODOPs under the branding and marketing 500 GW non-fossil fuel-based generation capacity by 2030.
component of the PMFME scheme. Out of these, six The AGC is being operated by Power System Operation
brands namely Amrit Phal, Cori Gold, Kashmiri Mantra, Corporation (POSOCO) through National Load Despatch
Madhu Mantra, Somdana, and Whole Wheat Cookies of Centre. Through AGC, POSOCO sends signals to power
Dilli Bakes were launched. plants every 4 seconds to maintain frequency and reliability
The brand Amrit Phal for amla juice has been exclusively of the Power System.
developed under the ODOP concept for Gurugram, Shri R.K. Singh also released a report titled “Assessment of
Haryana. The product contains pure amla juice and is Inertia in Indian Power System” which has been prepared by
a natural elixir with added lemon for a unique taste and POSOCO in collaboration with IIT Bombay. Considering
health benefits. The 500 ml bottle is competitively priced the aggressive target of integrating RE capacity in India,
at Rs.120/-. POSOCO instituted a study in collaboration with the Indian
Cori Gold brand has been developed for coriander powder Institute of Technology, Bombay, to review the global
which is the identified ODOP for Kota, Rajasthan. The best practices in respect of estimation, measurement,
product has a distinct flavourand brings forth a regional and monitoring of Power System inertia and evolve a
speciality. The 100g pack is competitively priced at Rs.34/. methodology for the same in the context of Indian Power
System.
Brand Kashmiri Mantra brings out the essence of spices
from Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The Kashmiri Lal The event was attended by various distinguished officials
Mirch product has been developed under the ODOP from the MOP, MNRE, RPC, NLDC, RLDCs and SLDCs
component for spices for Jammu and Kashmir. The product through hybrid mode.
has a distinct flavour and the 100g pack is priced at Rs.75/-. POSOCO Day is observed on 3rd January to
Brand Madhu Mantra has been developed under the ODOP commemorate its independent functioning that began on
concept for honey from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The 3rd January 2017, under Ministry of Power as one of the
multiflora honey has been collected by free-range bees and Power PSUs after separating from POWERGRID as its
the 500g glass bottle is competitively pricedat Rs.185/-. subsidiary organization. It is responsible to ensure the
The government restored the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of Mother Teresa’s
organization Missionaries of Charity (MoC), less than a fortnight after the union ministry of home affairs FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 25
declined to renew the registration citing “adverse inputs”, people familiar with the matter said.
NEWS BITES NATIONAL
integrated operation of the Grid in a reliable, efficient, and University (IGNOU) through a virtual event. The objective
secure manner. It consists of 5 Regional Load Despatch for signing the MoU is to achieve the mandate of Investor
Centres (RLDCs) and the National Load Despatch Centre Education, Awareness and Protection by utilizing the tele-
(NLDC). lecturing facility of Gyan Darshan Channel.
This association with IGNOU/Gyan Darshan channel will
UNESCO's World Heritage Centre has help in propagating the message of Investor Education and
agreed to publish Hindi descriptions Awareness among a large group of present and prospective
of India's UNESCO World Heritage stakeholders. The panel of resource persons for the
lecture series would include experts from professional
Sites on its website 11 Jan' 22 institutions such as ICAI, ICSI & Senior officials from

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n the occasion of World Hindi Day on January 10, IEPFA, Ministry of Corporate Affairs and other regulators.
the Director of World Heritage Centre has informed The proposed lecture series of 75 episodes will be live
the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO, tele-lecturing series on 24x7 Gyan Darshan TV channel
Paris that UNESCO's World Heritage Centre has agreed and is a part of the ongoing celebration of the yearlong
to publish Hindi descriptions of India's UNESCO World activity commemorating the 75th anniversary of India’s
Heritage Sites on WHC website. Independence under “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”.
Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO, Paris 26 Episodes of the tele-lecturing series were earlier
organized the virtual celebration of World Hindi Day on rolled out in the year 2021 which were appreciated by all
January 10, 2022. Minister of State of External Affairs and stakeholders. The repository of the tele-lectures is available
culture, Meenakshi Lekhi gave a video message on World on IEPFA’s official YouTube channel.
Hindi Day and emphasized the importance of Hindi. Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority
India's ambassador/permanent representative to UNESCO, (IEPFA) has been established under Section 125 of the
Vishal V. Sharma also highlighted the key points that Hindi Companies Act 2013 for administration of the IEPF fund
attained during the last 75 years of India's independence. as per section 125 (3) of Companies Act 2013. The main
For the celebrations, the delegation has received short objective of the authority includes to promote Investor
videos on this occasion from Assistant-Director Generals Education, Awareness & Protection, refund unclaimed
for Education, Social and Human Sciences, Culture, shares, dividends and other amounts transferred to it under
Communication and Information and Executive Secretary sections 124 and 125 of the Companies Act 2013 to the
of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic. rightful claimants. IEPFA works under the administrative
control of Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
The Ambassadors/ permanent Delegates to UNESCO from
Angola, Bangladesh, Brazil, Ecuador, France, Greece, Iran, Atal Innovation Mission unveils
Japan, Mongolia, Palestine, Republic of Korea, Palestine,
Russian Federation, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Vietnam the Top Teams of the ATL Space
also sent the video message on World Hindi Day. Challenge 2021 14 Jan' 22

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Embassies / High commissions, Consulate Generals of fter a successful completion and an overwhelming
India in Canberra, Wellington Georgetown, Doha, London, participation from young innovators across the
Riyadh, Washington D.C., Male, Kathmandu, Colombo, country, the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI
Kuwait, Windhoek, Suriname, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Aayog declared the results of the ‘ATL Space Challenge
Dushanbe, Port Luis, Johannesburg and Gaborone also 2021’. The Challenge was launched in collaboration with
celebrated the occasion by sending the videos. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Central
Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
IEPFA signs MoU with IGNOU for
The event coincides with the birth anniversary of Swami
promoting Investor Education and Vivekananda, also celebrated as the National Youth Day to
Financial literacy through Gyan honor the birthday of Swami Vivekananda who voiced the
Darshan channel 12 Jan' 22 important role that youth play in the building up of a strong

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nation throughout his life.
he Investor Education and Protection Fund
The ATL Space Challenge witnessed over 2500 submissions
Authority (IEPFA) under the aegis of Ministry of
from both ATL and Non-ATL students across the country
Corporate Affairs has signed a Memorandum of
from which 75 top innovators were selected and announced.
Understanding (MoU) with Indira Gandhi National Open
The Challenge was a one-of-a-kind challenge and the first
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has withdrawn the appointment of Actor Sonu Sood as a
26 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 state icon for Punjab. Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Dr. S Karuna Raju confirmed that ECI
has withdrawn the appointment of Actor Sonu Sood as a state icon of Punjab on 4th January 2021.
 NATIONAL
time that an ATL challenge open to both ATL and non-ATL It stores the biographical information visible on page 2
students. ATL Space Challenge 2021 witnessed over 6500 of the passport as well as a digital security feature. This
students participating in the challenge from 32 States/ UTs. digital security feature is a 'digital signature' unique to
This Challenge also had a heartening participation of over each country and can be verified using their respective
35% from girl students. certificates.
The Challenge was launched on 6th September 2021 and More than 12.8 million passports were issued in 2019
the students could submit their entries using the online by the Passport Issuing Authorities (PIA) in India and
portal while virtual YouTube LIVE sessions were also abroad, making India the largest passport issuer globally
conducted by the AIM-ISRO-CBSE team to guide and after China and the United States. India has already issued
motivate the students. A total of 8 of these inspirational/ 20,000 official and diplomatic e-passports on a trial basis
motivational sessions were conducted during a period of 6 with an electronic microprocessor chip embedded in them.
weeks by esteemed scientists and experts for the students. Germany and South Korea hold onto joint 2nd spot on the
The innovations were to be aligned to one of the four broad latest ranking, with passport holders able to access 190
challenge themes under which entries were to be submitted. destinations visa-free, while Finland, Italy, Luxembourg,
The ATL Space Challenge 2021 was launched with an and Spain share 3rd place, with a score of 189.
objective to enable innovation among young school The US and the UK passports have regained some of their
students to create something in space sector that will not previous strength after falling all the way to 8th place in
only help them learn about the space but create something 2020 – the lowest spot held by either country in the index’s
that space programme can use itself. The Challenge 17-year history. Both countries now sit in 6th place, with a
also aligned with the World Space Week 2021, which is visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 186.
observed from 4 to 10 October each year at the global level
The index shows that without taking temporary Covid-
in order to celebrate the contributions of space science and
related restrictions into account, passport holders of the
technology.
top nations - Japan and Singapore can now enter 192
Indian passport becomes 83rd most destinations around the world visa-free. This is 166 more
than Afghanistan, which sits at the bottom of the index.
powerful globally in 2022, up from
90th rank 16 Jan' 22 India Post Payments Bank customer

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he power of the Indian passport has improved,
base crosses 5 crore mark 18 Jan' 22

I
with the country climbing seven places to rank in ndia Post Payments
83rd place in the Henley Passport Index, up from Bank (IPPB) said
the 90th position in previous year's rankings. The Henley its customer base
Global Mobility Report 2022 Q1, published quarterly by has crossed the 5 crore
global immigration consultant firm Henley & Partners, mark within three years
shows that the Indian passport now has visa-free access to of commencement of
60 destinations worldwide. operations, making
The index ranks all the world’s passports according it one of the fastest
to the number of destinations their holders can access growing digital
without a prior visa and is based on exclusive data from payments bank in the country.
the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Oman “IPPB opened up these five crore accounts in digital and
and Armenia are the latest destinations that Indian passport paperless mode through its 1.36 lakh Post Offices, out of
holders can visit without obtaining a visa compared to 58 which 1.20 lakh are in rural areas with the help of about 1.47
visa-free access destinations in the fourth quarter of 2021. lakhs doorstep banking service providers,” the Ministry of
Visa-free access refers to the number of countries Indian Communications said in a statement.
passport holders can visit without a visa or get visa-on-
Out of the total 5 crore account holders, around 48 per cent
arrival.
are women. About 98 per cent of accounts of women were
However, India's rank in the Henley Passport Index may opened at the doorsteps and over 68 per cent of women
soon go up further given the government's plans to quickly were availing DBT benefits. “Reaching to five crore
introduce a new generation of e-passports. E-passports add customers in a short span of 3 years speaks of the success
a layer of security to traditional non‑electronic passports of this model of providing cost – effective, simple, easy and
by embedding an electronic chip in the passport booklet. secure digital ecosystem, particularly to rural India. We are
Legendary Hollywood Actor, Sidney Poitier, who broke through racial barriers as the first black
winner of the Best Actor Oscar for his role in Lilies Of The Field' in 1963 and inspired a generation FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 27
during the civil rights movement, has died at the age of 94.
NEWS BITES NATIONAL
happy that we could empower rural women too, to avail the which now stands at almost $90 billion. Mukesh Ambani’s
banking services at their doorsteps,” said Vineet Pandey, net worth climbed by $13.3 billion in 2021, and he’s now
Secretary, Department of Posts. valued at $97 billion.
The focus of India Post Payments Bank has been on youth.
Over 41 per cent of account holders are in the age group of Cabinet approves infusion of
18 to 35 years. Rs.1,500 crore in Indian Renewable
India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has been established Energy Development Agency Limited
under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communication (IREDA) 22 Jan' 22

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with 100 per cent equity owned by the Government of
India. he Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs,
“It is a moment of pride for the Bank, as we have moved chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi,
from strength to strength while building this customer base approved the equity infusion of Rs.1500 crore in
while providing uninterrupted banking and G2C services Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited
even during the COVID-19 Pandemic,” J Venkatramu, MD (IREDA).
& CEO, India Post Payments Bank said in the statement. This equity infusion will help in employment generation
of approximately 10200 jobs-year and CO2 equivalent
India's richest have more than emission reduction of approximately 7.49 Million Tonnes
doubled their wealth during the CO2/year.
Covid-19 crisis: Global Oxfam Davos Additional equity infusion of Rs.1500 crore by Government
of India will enable IREDA:
report of 2022 20 Jan' 22

I
1. To lend Rs.12000 crore approximately to the RE sector,
ndia’s richest have more than doubled their fortunes thus facilitate the debt requirement of RE of additional
during the Covid-19 crisis that’s ravaged the country capacity of approximately 3500-4000 MW.
and worsened poverty, and the government should 2. To enhance its networth which will help it in additional
revisit its policies to redistribute wealth, according to the RE financing, thus contributing better to the Government
global Oxfam Davos report of 2022. of India targets for RE.
The nation added 40 billionaires to 142 last year, when 3. To improve the capital-to-risk weighted assets ratio
a second wave of infections overwhelmed its health (CRAR) to facilitate its lending and borrowing operations.
infrastructure and pushed crematoriums and burial
IREDA, a mini ratna (Category-1) company under the
grounds to breaking point. They have almost $720 billion
administrative control of MNRE was set up in 1987 to
in combined fortune, more than the poorest 40% of the
work as a specialised non-banking finance agency for the
population, the group said in a report on rising inequality
Renewable Energy (RE) sector. IREDA with more than 34
published.
years of techno-commercial expertise, plays a catalytic role
Wealth has surged globally during the pandemic as the value in the RE project financing which gives confidence to the
of everything from stock prices to crypto and commodities FIs/banks to lend in the sector.
has jumped. The world’s 500 richest people added more
than $1 trillion to their net worths last year, according Air India officially handed over to
to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. India, where urban
Tata Sons 27 Jan' 22
unemployment climbed as high as 15% last May and food

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insecurity worsened, now counts more billionaires than ir India
France, Sweden and Switzerland combined, Oxfam said. officially
State policies including the abolition of a wealth tax in h a n d e d
2016, steep cuts in corporate levies and an increase in over to Tata Sons
indirect taxation are among the factors that helped make the as disinvestment
rich richer, while the national minimum wage has remained process completes;
at Rs 178 ($2.4) a day since 2020, the India supplement of Tata Group credits
the global report said. PM's commitment to
Gautam Adani had India’s largest wealth surge last year and reforms
the fifth biggest in the world, according to the Bloomberg Tweeted by @AIRAir India has been officially handed
Billionaires Index. He added $42.7 billion to his fortune, over to the Tata Sons Limited. The Tata Group takes over
Defending Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from her semifinal match
28 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 at a WTA tournament in Melbourne with an abdominal injury, allowing her opponent Veronika
Kudermetova to advance to the final on a walkover.
 NATIONAL
the management and control of the airline. The transaction
Mentally retarded child entitled to
cover three entities, Air India, Air India Express and AI
SATS. family pension: Dr Jitendra Singh
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said, it is indeed 30 Jan' 22

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noteworthy that the disinvestment process of Air India has
overnment has said that mentally retarded
been brought to a successful conclusion in a time-bound
child of a deceased government employee
manner. He said, this proves the Government's ability and
or Pensioner is entitled to Family Pension.
the resolve to carry out disinvestment effectively in non-
Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances,
strategic sectors in the future.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, it has come to the notice of
Department of Investment and Public Asset Management the Department that in some cases the Banks are not
Secretary Tuhin Kant Pandey said that the strategic allowing Family Pension in respect of a mentally
disinvestment transaction of Air India successfully retarded child through the person nominated by
concluded with transfer of 100 per cent shares of Air India the Pensioner or his spouse and they insist for a
to Talace Private Limited along with management control. Guardianship Certificate issued by a Court of Law. He
He said a new Board, led by the Strategic Partner, took emphasised that the Government follows the Mantra
charge of Air India. of Good Governance for bringing Ease of Living to
In a statement by the Tata Group, Chairman of Tata Sons the common man. Dr Singh said, the provision for
Private Limited N. Chandrasekaran said that Tata Group is nomination for Family Pension is intended to avoid
excited to have Air India back and the group is committed any hassle to the child suffering from a mental
to making this a world class airline. He said, Tata Group disability in obtaining Guardianship Certificate from
warmly welcome all the employees of Air India to the the Court or in claiming Family Pension after the death
Group. of his parents. He said, insisting for a Guardianship
Tata Group acknowledged Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Certificate by a Bank in such cases defeats the purpose
commitment to reform and faith in India's entrepreneurship of such nomination and also violates the statutory
spirit saying that this commitment made this historic provisions of Central Civil Service (Pension) Rules.
transition possible. It said, the Tata Group agree with the The Minister said, Chairman and Managing Directors
Prime Minister's vision for the aviation sector of making it of all Pension Disbursing Banks have been advised
affordable and boosting Ease of Living for the citizen. to issue suitable instructions to their Branches for
Talace is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons. In payment of Family Pension in respect of a mentally
October last year, the Government approved Air India retarded child through the person nominated by the
disinvestment. The Air India strategic disinvestment Government servant in accordance with the statutory
transaction has been completed with Government receiving provisions of the Rules. He also asked not to insist for
a consideration of two thousand 700 crore from the Talace a Guardianship Certificate issued by Court of Law in
Private Limited. such cases.

Government makes 7-day home quarantine mandatory for all international arrivals into the country. FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 29
NEWS BITES STATE
Burning Topics of the Month
Rourkela is among the 15
Odisha finished first in 9th women National Ice
cities of the world to win the
India Skill - 2021 National Hockey Championship-2022
2021-2022 Global Mayors
Competition. inaugurated in Haryana.
Challenge.

& Many More...

Telangana first in the list of the plants in the green belt of villages as manure. Also, magic
soak pits and drainage facilities have been arranged in all
highest number of open defecation houses for proper liquid waste management.
free (ODF Plus) villages 02 Jan' 22 According to commissioner of Panchayat Raj and Rural

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Development A. Sharath, the implementation of Palle
elangana
Pragathi programme for holistic development of villages
stood first in
is being uploaded on SBM (G) 2.0 mobile app, which gets
the country
reported at the national level dashboard. Telangana State,
in the list of highest
as per the SBM (Grameen) phase-II dashboard, became
number of open
numero uno in India by declaring the highest number of
defecation free (ODF
ODF villages.
Plus) villages under
the Swachh Bharat
Gujarat CM launched Student Start-
Mission (Grameen)
Phase-II programme till December 31, 2021. As many as ups and Innovation Policy (SSIP) 2.0
13,737 out of 14,200 villages in the State are in the ODF 06 Jan' 22

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Plus list, which is 96.74%. This was followed by Tamil
Nadu with 4,432 villages (35.39%) and Karnataka with ujarat Chief
1,511 villages (5.59%). Gujarat took the 17th position with Minister
only 83 villages (0.45%). Bhupendra
Patel inaugurated a
The State government has enacted a new Telangana
two-day international
Panchayat Raj Act to ensure holistic development of
conference of
villages. A secretary has been posted in every panchayat
academic institutions
for smooth execution of welfare programmes, close
as a precursor to the
monitoring, digital reporting and to ensure prevalence of
10th Vibrant Gujarat
good governance in villages. Multi-purpose workers have
Global Summit, scheduled to take place between January
been appointed to maintain proper sanitation in villages.
10 and 12. During the inaugural ceremony, Patel launched
Apart from this, the government has stressed on garbage the second edition of the Student Start-up and Innovation
collection and scientific disposal. Garbage bins have Policy (SSIP 2.0) in the presence of dignitaries from India
been distributed to all households as part of solid waste and across the world.
management. It has also provided dedicated tractor trolleys
As per a government release, the five-year tenure of the SSIP-
with partitions to collect dry and wet waste and transport
1 will end on January 10. Hence, SSIP 2.0 was unveiled and
the garbage to segregation-cum-compost sheds.
will remain in force till March 2027. The new policy aims
There are 12,769 dedicated compost sheds in all gram to establish an innovation and incubation centre in each of
panchayats. Tankers have also been provided to water the the 90-odd universities in Gujarat. Other objectives of the
plants for greenery in villages. Sanitation drives have often policy include providing financial assistance to school and
been carried out through the Palle Pragathi programme in college students to build prototypes and proof-of-consents,
villages. Vermicompost made out of wet litter is given to financial assistance for filing at least 1,000 Intellectual
India’s Department of Agriculture and farmers’ welfare and the US Department of Agriculture have
30 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
signed a framework agreement for implementing the 2 Vs 2 Agri market access issues.
 STATE
Properties (IPs) and building a pre-incubation support billion cubic meters per year, projected to go up to 1,447
system in 500 institutions and universities. The policy also billion cubic meters by 2050," the statement said.
aims to upscale nearly 1,500 student start-ups and incubate In July 2019, the government had formed a new ministry,
500 start-ups through iHub, a state government initiative, Jal Shakti, to address all water issues in the country. The
the release stated. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Jal Shakti ministry was formed by integrating it with other
Pradhan was supposed to inaugurate the mega event, focused existing ministries, such as water resources and the ministry
on discussions about the implementation of the National of drinking water and sanitation.
Education Policy, 2020, but he could not attend due to some
“Water as a resource is crucial to India, which is one of the
unforeseen circumstances.
fastest growing economies in the world. While India has
The two-day conference is being held at Science City. more than 18% of the world’s population, it has only 4% of
According to the state government, around 120 panel world’s renewable water resources," the statement added.
speakers, including 40 from abroad, will be sharing their
experiences across 21 different sessions during this two-day Odisha finished first in India Skill - 2021
seminar. Australia, Canada, Norway, the UK and France National Competition 11 Jan' 22

I
have joined as partner countries for this conference, while
the British Council, Australia India Business Exchange ndia Skills 2021 national competition concluded with
and Institute of International Education are among the key more than 200 participants who were felicitated by the
institutions which have joined as international participants. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
As many as 270 winners of the Competition felicitated
Uttar Pradesh awarded first prize in 3rd with 61 gold, 77 silver, 53 bronze and 79 medallions of
National Water Awards 07 Jan' 22 excellence. More than five hundred competitors from across

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the country participated in the competition to showcase
ttar Pradesh has been awarded the first prize in their talent from 54 industrial sectors. These sectors include
Third National Water Awards-2020 in the best state car paint, patisserie and confectionery, welding, additive
category, followed by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. manufacturing, cyber security, floristry, among others.
“Union Minister of Jal Shakti Shri Gajendra Singh Odisha finished first out of 26 states and union territories of
Shekhawat announced 3rd National Water Awards-2020. this year in the ‘IndiaSkills 2021’ contest with 51 medals.
In the Best State category, Uttar Pradesh has been awarded Odisha won 10 gold, 18 silver, 9 bronze, and 14 medallions.
first prize, followed by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu," With 30 medals, Maharashtra remained in second place,
Ministry of Jal Shakti said in a statement. while Kerala took third place with 25 medals.
The `3.6 trillion Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scheme aims to The winners of the India Skills 2021 competition will also have
ensure assured tap water supply or ‘Har Ghar Jal’ to all rural the opportunity to compete in the World Skills International
households by 2024, with several states having presented Competition in Shanghai, China, in October 2022.
their commitment to provide tap water connections to all
The competitions were held at multiple locations, including
rural households before 2024.
Pragati Maidan and offsite locations in the National Capital
“To encourage and recognize individuals and organizations Region, from 7 to 9th of this month.
doing exemplary work in the field of water resources
In India's biggest India Skill - 2021 National Competition,
management, the Department of Water Resources, River
Haryana team has won 11 awards by performing brilliantly.
Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal
Haryana has won three Gold, four Silver, one Bronze
Shakti is giving 57 awards to States, Organizations,
medal as well as 3 medals for excellence. Haryana will
Individuals etc. in 11 different categories - Best State,
also represent the country in the upcoming World Skill
Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local
Competition 2022 to be held in China.
Body, Best Media (Print & Electronic), Best School, Best
Institution/RWA/Religious organization for Campus usage, BMC to have more than 80 citizen-
Best Industry, Best NGO, Best Water User Association, and
Best Industry for CSR Activity," the statement said. based services on WhatsApp chatbots
Over 5.53 crore rural households across the country have 14 Jan' 22

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been provided with tap water connection since the JJM rihan Mumbai Municipal Corp (BMC) has become
launch in August 2019. “Speaking on the occasion, Shri the only municipal corporation in the world to have
Shekhawat stated that water is fundamental to life. India’s more than 80 citizen-based services on WhatsApp
current water requirement is estimated to be around 1,100

Viresh Kumar Bhawra assumes charge as Director General of Punjab Police. FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 31
NEWS BITES STATE
chatbot, offering services for citizens, tourists, and has announced the high-altitude sports centre in Kaza
businesses in the city. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav with an estimated cost of `16 crore. He said skate boots
Thackeray virtually launched this service. have been provided by the department of youth services
According to BMC, through the chatbot on WhatsApp and sports for training players at a cost of `27 lakh and
number 8999-22-8999, information about more than 80 ice rinks have been developed by the administration
services and facilities will be easily available to citizens on a small scale in Lidang, Sagnam, Losar, Tabo and
on their mobiles. This service is available 24x7 in Marathi Hikmi. He announced `31,000 from his discretionary
and English. To access the bot, WhatsApp users need to fund for the students of a local school for their cultural
send ‘Hi’ to +91-8999-22-8999 or click on the link https:// performance.
wa.me/918999228999 . The state government has recently given approval to the
Municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal says that Swarna Jayanti Sports Policy, 2021, to give a boost to
BMC is India’s first civic body to launch this kind of sports activities in the state. He said under the new policy,
service on WhatsApp chatbot for citizens. 3% reservation would be provided to sportspersons in
government jobs and the diet money for them has also been
Shivnath Thukral, public policy director at WhatsApp India,
enhanced more than double.
says the BMC’s customised tech solution in MyBMC Assist
Helpline is equipped with over 80 citizen services and is Under the revised policy, prize money of `3 crore would
India’s first comprehensive city administration chatbot on be given for winning a gold medal in Olympics, Winter
WhatsApp. “The chatbot is a testament to the effective and Olympics or Paralympics. The silver medallist will be
scalable, transformational power of technology put to use given `2crore and the bronze medallist `1 crore.
by the Mumbai city administration. We remain committed Besides, `15 lakh would be given for participating in the
to supporting BMC’s effort to build a world-class platform Olympics, Winter Olympics, and Paralympics while Asian
that ensures easy access to citizen redressal and services and Commonwealth medal winners would be given pension
for all,” he says. and Arjuna Award, Dhyan Chand Award and Rajiv Gandhi
Khel Ratna award holders would get a monthly salary. The
9th women National Ice Hockey inaugural match was played between Delhi and Himachal,
Championship-2022 inaugurated in in which Delhi won 4-0. In the second match, Chandigarh
won over Telangana 1-0.
Haryana 16 Jan' 22

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In its ongoing efforts to strengthen the Hospitality &
hief minister Tourism Industry in Jammu & Kashmir, the Union Territory
Jai Ram government has signed an MoU with UAE’s pioneering
T h a k u r financial services company, Century Financial that will
inaugurated the 9th invest 100 million dollars in the UT.
National Ice Hockey
Championship-2022 J&K amends the rules governing
at the Ice Skating declaration of assets by government
Rink, Kaza, in
Lahaul-Spiti district.
employees 18 Jan' 22

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Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said it was for ll J&K public servants have been asked to “submit
the first time that the national-level ice hockey competition annual return in respect of all the assets possessed
and development camp was being held in Himachal by them and their family members through online
Pradesh. mode.” This directive has been part of the amendments
Ice hockey was one of the most popular winter sports made in Jammu and Kashmir Public Servants Declaration
in the world. The championship would also boost the of Assets and Other Provisions Rules, 1998.
tourism development in the region besides promoting ice The amendments have been made by the government
hockey amongst the younger generation. Ice hockey was in exercise of the powers conferred by section 16 of the
quite popular in Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Kashmir and other Jammu and Kashmir Public Men and Public Servants
Himalayan states. Declaration of Assets and Other Provisions Act, 1983. In
The first basic ice hockey 10-day coaching camp was an amendment to Rule 3 of the Rules, sub-rule (1) has been
organised at Kaza in 2019 by the state youth services substituted directing that every public servant will submit
and sports department in collaboration with the Ladakh “annual return through online mode using the portal https://
Women Ice Hockey Foundation. The state government prs.jk.gov.in for the calendar year between January 1 and

32 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 Rohan Bopanna-Ramkumar Ramanathan wins the Adelaide International doubles trophy.
 STATE
31, of the next calendar year, in respect of all the assets the use of technology. As part of the project, Rourkela
possessed by him and his family members.” Municipal Corporation (RMC) has developed a cold
This will include the assets in respect of movable property, storage facility at the local Veer Surendra Sai (VSS)
the value of which exceeds his two months basic salary in Market in partnership with a NIT Rourkela based startup
each case, giving full particulars regarding “cash balance, and managed by women self-help group members. With
saving bank deposits, shares, cash certificates, fixed this solution, local farmers and fruit traders have been
deposits, debentures, security bond; jeweIlery or ornaments able to enhance their income by preserving their produce
and households items (electric and electronic items only)." and preventing any wastage.
In the amended rules, sub-rule (2) will be omitted. Another In addition, fresh vegetables and fruits are delivered to
amendment was made with regard to “restriction to acquire people’s doorsteps, especially in times of Covid-19. The
and transfer of movable property” to Rule 4 of the Rules. system is managed by members of women self-help groups
Under the amended rule, every public servant will bring using mobile apps. While developing the ecosystem and
to the notice of the prescribed authority the acquisition helping all stakeholders, the model helps women largely in
or transfer of movable property where the “value of such augmenting their livelihoods.
property exceeds his two months basic salary in each case."
Ladakh's Stadium gets a special
Rourkela is among the 15 cities of the mention in PM's Mann Ki Baat
world to win the 2021-2022 Global 30 Jan' 22

P
Mayors Challenge 20 Jan' 22 rime Minister Narendra Modi has made a special

O
disha’s Rourkela is among the 15 cities of the world mention about ultra-modern sports infrastructure in
to win the 2021-2022 Global Mayors Challenge Leh, in his Mann Ki Baat. After becoming Union
conducted by Bloomberg Philanthropies. The Territory sports infrastructure is given special emphasis in
prestigious worldwide innovation competition recognised the Ladakh region.
cities for designing the boldest and most ambitious urban Outdoor stadiums and youth Hostels in Leh was a
innovations to emerge from the global Covid-19 pandemic. languishing project put on acceleration by the UT
“The yearlong competition launched in 2021 elevates Administration. Under the Khelo India program, Union
the most promising urban innovations to emerge from Minister Kiren Rijiju laid the foundation for over Ten crore
the pandemic,” said Bloomberg Philanthropies in a press rupees worth Synthetic Track & Astroturf for football at
release. As many as 631 cities from 99 countries had an open stadium and for Gymnasium Hall in NDS stadium
participated in the competition. costing over One and a half crore rupees, on 14th September
2020, in Leh.
Rourkela bagged the winner tag for providing “cold-storage
units to women co-ops to empower female food vendors, The works are in the final stages, while AstroTurf and
reduce food waste, and increase access to fresh foods”, the Synthetic track are serving the players in Ladakh. Similarly,
release said. Rourkela is also the only city from India to UT Administration is improving infrastructure at Sports
secure place in the Top 15. Rourkela’s idea was to set up a Authority of India centre, in Kargil. Ladakh is improving
digitised cluster based on solar cold storage and use electric the Leh and Kargil districts with Ice Hockey rinks, grounds
vehicles to distribute perishable commodities to various and gymnasiums to encourage the students towards taking
categories of consumers. This makes the city eligible for up the sports as a career.
a grant of USD 1 Million from Bloomberg Philanthropies At an altitude of over 11,500 feet, state of art sports
and technical assistance to carry out the innovation over the infrastructure provides an additional edge to the already
next three years. talented sports persons with natural endurance in Ladakh.
Under Global Mayors Challenge, Rourkela has developed The UT administration is working on facilities and
a sustainable model which augments the income of encouragement to the sports persons, to produce Olympians
women and small-time traders of the city while promoting from Ladakh, in the next five years.

Bharatiya Janata Party has appointed Phunchok Stanzin, as State President of Ladakh. FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 33
NEWS BITES INTERNATIONAL
Burning Topics of the Month
NASA Says Tonga The Philippines approves
ILO Report: Global the purchase of BrahMos
Eruption Was More
unemployment level in 2022 cruise missiles with India for
Powerful Than an Atomic
projected at 207 million. its navy.
Bomb.

& Many More...

prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation
India and Pakistan exchange lists of
is pending for want of nationality confirmation by
nuclear installations and prisoners Pakistan”.
01 Jan' 22

I
Germany shuts down half of its 6
ndia and Pakistan
exchanged lists of
remaining nuclear plants 02 Jan' 22

G
nuclear installations ermany shut
that cannot be attacked down half
in the event of hostilities of the six
maintaining a tradition nuclear plants it still
dating back more than has in operation,
three decades despite a year before the
bilateral relations being country draws the
at an all time low. final curtain on its
The two sides also exchanged lists of prisoners held in each decades-long use of
other’s jails, and the Indian side sought the early release atomic power.
of civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and The decision to phase out nuclear power and shift from
fishermen. fossil fuels to renewable energy was first taken by the
The lists of nuclear installations and facilities were center-left government of Gerhard Schroeder in 2002. His
simultaneously exchanged through diplomatic channels in successor, Angela Merkel, reversed her decision to extend
New Delhi and Islamabad according to the provisions of the lifetime of Germany’s nuclear plants in the wake of the
the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan and set 2022 as the final
Installations and Facilities. Both sides do not disclose deadline for shutting them down.
details of the facilities. The three reactors now being shuttered were first powered
The agreement was signed on December 31, 1988 and up in the mid-1980s. Together they provided electricity to
entered into force on January 27, 1991. It states that India millions of German households for almost four decades.
and Pakistan have to inform each other of the nuclear Some in Germany have called for the decision on ending
installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on the use of nuclear power to be reconsidered because the
January 1 every calendar year. power plants already in operation produce relatively little
“This is the 31st consecutive exchange of such lists carbon dioxide. Advocates of atomic energy argue that it
between the two countries, the first one having taken place can help Germany meet its climate targets for reducing
on January 1, 1992,” the external affairs ministry said in a greenhouse gas emissions.
statement. The signing of the 2008 agreement helped speed But the German government said this week that
up identification and release of hundreds of prisoners, a decommissioning all nuclear plants next year and then
majority of them fishermen. phasing out the use of coal by 2030 won’t affect the
The Indian side further urged Pakistan to expedite action country’s energy security or its goal of making Europe’s
“at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan biggest economy “climate neutral” by 2045.

In Tennis, former world number one Simona Halep clinched the Melbourne Summer Set 1 women’s
34 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
singles title after beating Number 3 seed Veronika Kudermetova 6-2, 6-3 in the final, in Melbourne.
 INTERNATIONAL
Several of Germany’s neighbors have already ended
Israel to offer 4th dose of coronavirus
nuclear power or announced plans to do so, but others are
sticking with the technology. This has prompted concerns vaccine to people aged 60 and above
of a nuclear rift in Europe, with France planning to build 04 Jan' 22

I
new reactors and Germany opting for natural gas as a
“bridge” until enough renewable power is available, and srael will start
both sides arguing their preferred source of energy be offering a fourth
classed as sustainable. dose of the
coronavirus vaccine
Man arrested after large fire to people aged 60
and over. It becomes
damages Houses of Parliament in the first country in
South Africa 03 Jan' 22 the world to widely

A
disseminate the extra
man has been
jab to fight off the omicron strain.
arrested after
a large fire The fourth dose will also be made available to medical
severely damaged the staff who had their last jab at least four months ago, Prime
Houses of Parliament Minister Naftali Bennett said in a press conference. Last
in the South African week, Israel approved the extra shot for people who are
city of Cape Town. immunocompromised, as well as residents of nursing
The suspect, who is homes and patients in geriatric wards. New daily cases,
not a parliamentary which topped 5,000 last week in the country of 9.5 million,
employee, will appear in court, facing charges of arson, are expected to quadruple by the end of the week.
housebreaking and theft, police said. Firefighters worked Israel is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the
for hours to extinguish the blaze. southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the
President Cyril Ramaphosa called it a terrible and northern shore of the Red Sea, and shares borders with
devastating event, as he vowed parliament’s work would Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the
continue. east and Egypt to the southwest; it is also bordered by the
Palestinian territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Officials say the fire started on the third floor offices
to the east and west respectively.
and quickly spread to the National Assembly (the
parliament’s lower house) chamber, reported media in Naftali Bennett is an Israeli politician serving as the 13th
Cape Town. and current prime minister of Israel since 13 June 2021.
The parliament is not currently in session because of the
North Korea's Kim Jong Un says
holidays, and no one was injured.
Police say the suspect, who reportedly entered the building
focus on food, economy for 2022
through a back window, is expected to be charged under the 04 Jan' 22

I
National Key Points Act, which protects sites of strategic
nstead of the
importance.
policy positions
Parliament said some offices had been severely gutted, and on diplomacy
confirmed significant damage to the New Assembly Wing for which Kim Jong
of the building, which includes the National Assembly Un's New Year
chamber where lawmakers sit. statements have
The fire, which began shortly after 06:00 local time came been closely watched
the day after Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s state funeral at St in recent years, he
George’s Cathedral, near parliament. focused on food and
The Houses of Parliament in Cape Town are made up of development at a plenary of the Workers' Party of Korea.
three sections, with the oldest dating back to 1884. The North Korean leader Kim Jong Un put the economy front
newer sections built in the 1920s and 1980s house the and centre of an agenda-setting speech at the end of a key
National Assembly. Meanwhile, the government is based ruling-party meeting, state media reported, with no mention
in Pretoria. of the United States.
Pakistan has moved closer to the appointment of the first woman judge of the Supreme Court after
the High Power Panel's approval to elevate Lahore High Court judge Ayesha Malik to the Supreme FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 35
Court.
NEWS BITES INTERNATIONAL
Instead of the policy positions on diplomacy for which The Pentagon in November sharply increased its estimate
Kim's New Year statements have been closely watched of China's projected nuclear weapons arsenal over the
in recent years, he focused on food and development at a coming years, saying Beijing could have 700 warheads by
plenary of the Workers' Party of Korea. 2027 and possibly 1,000 by 2030.
The impoverished, nuclear-armed nation has been under a Washington has repeatedly urged China to join it and
rigid self-imposed coronavirus blockade that has hammered Russia in a new arms control treaty.
its economy and left it struggling with food shortages. Geopolitical tensions between Moscow and Western
"Achieving an epoch-making step in resolving issues countries have increased over concerns about Russia's
related to the people's daily necessities was presented as an military buildup near neighbouring Ukraine. Moscow says
important task," the official Korea Central News Agency it can move its army around its own territory as it deems
(KCNA) said in a report on Kim's speech. necessary.
The pandemic and resulting border closure saw the North U.S. President Joe Biden told his Russian counterpart,
record its biggest economic contraction in over two decades Vladimir Putin, that a possible move on Ukraine would
in 2020, according to the South Korean central bank. draw sanctions and an increased U.S. presence in Europe.
Concerns have grown about a full-blown food crisis in U.S. and Russian officials will hold security talks on Jan.
the country, and a United Nations human rights expert 10 to discuss concerns about their respective military
warned in October that the most vulnerable were "at risk activity and confront rising tensions over Ukraine, the two
of starvation". countries said.
Kim, who took power just over a decade ago after the death A conference on a major nuclear treaty that was set to begin
of his father Kim Jong Il, said at the party meeting that at the United Nations has been postponed until August due
battling the pandemic was one of the main goals for the to the COVID-19 pandemic.
coming year.
Emergency anti-epidemic measures must be placed as a top Australia, Japan to sign treaty to beef
national priority and be vigorously carried out without even up defence & security cooperation
a minor slack, gap or loophole. 06 Jan' 22

A
"Cannot Be Won And Must Never Be ustralia and
Fought": 5 World Powers On Nuclear Japan are
set to sign
War 05 Jan' 22 a treaty to beef up

C
hina, Russia, defence and security
Britain, the cooperation at a virtual
United States summit. The move to
and France have strengthen ties comes
agreed that a further amid China’s rising
spread of nuclear military power and economic clout in the Indo-Pacific region.
arms and a nuclear Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, he and his
war should be Japan counterpart Fumio Kishida would sign a Reciprocal
avoided, according to Access Agreement (RAA), which would for the first time
a joint statement by the five nuclear powers published by set out a framework for the two countries’ defence forces
the Kremlin. to cooperate with each other. He said, this treaty will be a
statement of the two nations’ commitment to work together in
France also released the statement, underscoring that the
meeting the shared strategic security challenges they face and
five powers reiterated their determination for nuclear arms
to contribute to a secure and stable Indo-Pacific.
control and disarmament. They would continue bilateral
and multilateral approaches to nuclear arms control, it said. The strengthened security ties will expand on efforts of
Quad grouping comprising United States, Japan, India and
The statement from the so-called P5 group comes as
Australia dubbed to work on shared concerns as well as
bilateral relations between the United States and Moscow
freedom of navigation in the region. Japan’s top government
have fallen to their lowest point since the end of the Cold
spokesman said “common important challenges will be
War, while relations between Washington and China are
discussed in a candid manner” at the summit.
also at a low over a range of disagreements.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal has called upon stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem to take India
36 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 to the top 25 in the Global Innovation Index. He said startups are the key reason behind India’s rise in
Global Innovation Index from 76 in 2014 to 46 in 2021.
 INTERNATIONAL
“Japan-Australia relations will be further enhanced, and
Myanmar Former State Counsellor
towards the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific, we
will reaffirm our cooperation,” Chief Cabinet Secretary of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi was
Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters on . sentenced to four more years in
Kishida said he would forgo overseas visits before the prison 10 Jan' 22

M
next session of parliament starts on Jan. 17 to focus on
laying out anti-pandemic measures. He had previously yanmar
planned to travel to Australia in person, according to Former
media reports. S t a t e
Counsellor of
Russia-led military alliance to send Myanmar Aung
San Suu Kyi was
peacekeeping forces to Kazakhstan
sentenced to four
07 Jan' 22 more years in prison.

C
ollective She was handed
Security over the punishment in a case related to possession of an
T r e a t y unlicensed Walkie-talkie
Organization (CSTO), Myanmar Former State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung
a Russia-led military San Suu Kyi was sentenced to four more years in prison.
alliance, has said, She was handed over the punishment in a case related to
that it will dispatch possession of an unlicensed Walkie-talkie, reports Reuters.
peacekeeping forces The court handed over a sentence of 2 years for breaching
to Kazakhstan after the export-import law for possessing the handheld walkie-
the country’s President talkie and one year for having a set of signal jammers. The
asked for help in controlling protests that escalated into two sentences will run concurrently.
violence. The protests in the Central Asian nation were first Earlier, she had received a four-year jail sentence for
sparked by rising fuel prices, but have broadened to include inciting people against the military government and
other political grievances. breaching the coronavirus rules. The sentence was later
Protesters in Kazakhstan’s largest city Almaty stormed reduced by two years.
the Presidential Residence and the mayor’s office and The court proceedings against Aung San Suu Kyi are being
set both on fire. The Kazakh Interior Ministry said conducted without media access. Lawyers of Suu Kyi
eight police officers and national guard members are barred from communicating to the media and public.
were killed in the unrest and more than 300 were However, the military government maintains that she is
injured. Prime Minister Askar Mamin resigned amid being tried with due legal process by an independent court
the protest. led by a judge appointed during her term as head of the
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev claimed the unrest government.
was the work of foreign-trained terrorist gangs. He has Human Rights groups have called the court proceedings a
imposed a nationwide state of emergency that includes an ‘circus’ meant to keep Suu Kyi in prison indefinitely.
overnight curfew and a ban on mass gatherings and has Aung San Suu Kyi has been slapped with close to a dozen
vowed a tough response to the protests. cases since the army seized power last February, If found
In a televised speech, President Tokayev said he had guilty of all the charges, she could be sentenced to more
sought help from the CSTO - a Moscow-based alliance of than 100 years in prison.
six former Soviet countries, to help stabilise the country.
Hours later, the CSTO’s council approved sending an China reacted cautiously to Sri
unspecified number of peacekeepers. Lanka’s appeal for debt restructuring
The US State Department said, it is closely following 11 Jan' 22

C
the situation in Kazakhstan and urged for restraint by
authorities and protesters alike. hina reacted cautiously to Sri Lankan President
President Tokayev is only the second person to lead Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s request for Beijing’s
Kazakhstan since it declared independence in 1991. assistance in mitigating his country’s deepening
forex crisis and spiraling external debt amid criticism from

Satish Golcha is the new DGP of Arunachal Pradesh and Devesh Chandra Srivastava for Mizoram. FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 37
NEWS BITES INTERNATIONAL
some sectors that to establish a forum for the development of Indian Ocean
expensive joint Island countries, which observers say is an attempt by
Chinese investments Beijing to expand its influence in the region.
that are not profitable
are partly responsible North Korea launches possible
for Sri Lanka’s ballistic missile, second in a week,
struggling economy.
says Japan 11 Jan' 22

S
Beijing said, it will
help Colombo to the outh Korea's
best of its capacity after China’s foreign minister Wang military also
Yi returned after a series of diplomatic visits to the confirmed
Maldives and Sri Lanka. “We believe that Sri Lanka will the launch of
surely overcome the temporary difficulties as soon as an "unidentified
possible and usher in renewed and greater development,” projectile," without
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson told a media elaborating.
briefing in Beijing. Wang in his visit to Colombo held North Korea fired
talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, his elder what may be a
brother Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister G L ballistic missile, the Japanese coast guard said, the second
Peiris. apparent missile launch in less than a week after the
President Rajapaksa in his meeting with Chinese Foreign reclusive state's leader urged the military to make more
Minister Wang Yi in Colombo pointed out that it would military advances.
be a great relief to Sri Lanka if attention could be paid South Korea's military also confirmed the launch of an
to restructuring the debt repayments as a solution to the "unidentified projectile," without elaborating.
economic crisis that has arisen in the face of COVID-19 The test launches by nuclear-armed North Korea
pandemic, according to a statement issued by the Sri underscored leader Kim Jong Un's New Year's vow to
Lankan President’s Office. It is estimated that Sri Lanka bolster the military to counter an unstable international
owes debt payments to China in the range of USD 1.5 to situation amid stalled talks with South Korea and the
2 billion this year. The international rating agencies have United States. The latest test came a day after the United
expressed doubts over the island nation’s ability to meet States mission to the United Nations, joined by France,
its international sovereign bond payments of USD 1500 Ireland, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Albania, issued a
million, the first USD 500 million of which falls next joint statement condemning last week's test.
week for payment. The Lankan President also said that
if a concessional trade credit scheme could be obtained South Korean military officials cast doubts on the
for imports from China, it would enable industries to run capabilities of the "hypersonic missile" North Korea
smoothly. claimed to have test fired last week, saying it appeared
to represent limited progress over Pyongyang's existing
Wang’s visit took place at a time when Sri Lanka is facing ballistic missiles. U.N. Security Council resolutions ban all
its all-time worst foreign exchange crisis. By December, ballistic missile and nuclear tests by North Korea, and have
the reserves position had plummeted to just one month’s imposed sanctions over the programmes.
imports or a little over USD 1 billion. China is seeking to
deepen its ties with Sri Lanka making billions of dollars North Korea has said it is open to talk, but only if the United
of investments in ports and infrastructure projects amid States and others drop "hostile policies" such as sanctions
criticism of debt trap. China’s takeover of the Hambantota and military drills.
port on 99 years’ lease for USD 1.2 billion debt swap drew
international concerns over Beijing acquiring strategic
U.S. announces 308 million in
assets far away from home by providing heavy loans and humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan
investment to smaller nations. as crisis grows 12 Jan' 22

T
The Hambantota port together with Colombo port city
he United States has announced $308 million in
project where China is building a new city with reclaimed
additional humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan
land in the sea are seen by observers as Beijing’s strategic
as it edges toward a humanitarian crisis since the
assets in the Indian Ocean. Significantly, Wang during his
Taliban takeover nearly five months ago.
talks with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G L Peiris proposed

PM Narendra Modi sends 100 pairs of jute footwear for those working at Kashi Vishwanath Dham so
38 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
that those performing their duties do not have to stay bare-footed in the chilling cold.
 INTERNATIONAL
White House national security council spokesperson Emily country in Europe. The nation's capital and largest city is
Horne said in a statement that the new aid from the US Kyiv.
Agency for International Development will flow through Denys Anatoliyovych Shmyhal is a Ukrainian entrepreneur
independent humanitarian organizations and will be used and politician who has been the Prime Minister of Ukraine
to provide shelter, health care, emergency food aid, water, since 4 March 2020.
sanitation and hygiene services.
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is a landlocked country India and China hold 14th Corps
located at the crossroads of Central and South Asia. It Commander-level talks to resolve
is bordered by Pakistan to the east and south, Iran to the
west, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the north, and
LAC Standoff 14 Jan' 22

I
Tajikistan and China to the northeast. Occupying 652,864 n Eastern Ladakh,
square kilometers (252,072 sq mi) of land, the country is the 14th round
predominately mountainous with plains in the north and the of talks between
southwest that are separated by the Hindu Kush mountain India and China is
range. underway. After a
Capital: Kabul gap of three months,
Prime Minister: Hasan Akhund the fresh round of
talks between Area
Chief Justice: Abdul Hakim Ishaqzai
commanders of the
Indian Army and People’s Liberation Army, PLA, began
US, Russia meeting over Ukraine,
this morning, at the border meeting point at Moldo on the
other security issues remained Chinese side.
inconclusive 13 Jan' 22 Fire and Fury Corps new Commander Lt Gen Anindya

T
Sengupta is leading the Indian delegation for the first time,
he meeting
while PLA is led by its old guard Major General Liu Lin.
between United
States and Despite constructive suggestions by India, to resolve the
Russia over Ukraine dangerous proximity between the two armies at certain friction
and other security points along the Line of actual control during the last round of
issues remained talks on 10th October, the Chinese side was not agreeable and
inconclusive. with no could not provide any forward-looking proposals.
sign of progress from Following the 13th Round talks, on 18th November last
either side at highly year, India -China working Mechanism for Consultation
anticipated strategic talks. However, neither side characterized and Coordination, WMCC, the diplomatic channel, decided
the meeting as a complete failure. Washington says Russia has to resolve the blockades in Army level talks.
deployed an estimated 100,000 troops near the border with While completion of verifiable disengagement at certain
Ukraine in recent months, eight years after it seized the Crimean friction points including Hotsprings as agreed in July 2020,
peninsula from its neighbour. sources said, contentious Depsang Plains and Demchok
Russian President Vladimir Putin brushed aside the news also be discussed. India is cautious about Chinese tactics
about plans to invade Ukraine and blamed the US-headed with the infrastructure built up including the bridge
NATO transatlantic military alliance for undermining the on Pangong Tso and other military establishments and
region’s security. Moscow also insists on guarantees to halt communications. However, has maintained bonhomie with
NATO’s eastward expansion. exchange of courtesies on the eve of New year.
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-
largest country by area in Europe after Russia, which Philippines approves purchase of
it borders to the east and north-east. Ukraine also shares BrahMos cruise missiles with India for
borders with Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and its navy 14 Jan' 22

P
Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the south;
and has a coastline along the Sea of Azov and the Black hilippines accepted BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd's
Sea. It spans an area of 603,628 km2 (233,062 sq mi), with a to supply Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile System
population of 41.3 million, and is the eighthmost populous Acquisition Project for its navy. The proposal is worth

Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav has released the report on the second round of the Quarterly
Employment Survey for the period July to September 2021.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 39
NEWS BITES INTERNATIONAL
$374,9 million. The involved a wide variety of flying operations, replenishment
Notice of Award has approaches, as well as tactical manoeuvres.
been communicated It is worth noting that the accuracy, coordination, and high
to BrahMos officials degree of interoperability not only demonstrates the two
by the Philippines fleets' high levels of professionalism and preparation to
Department of tackle challenges at sea but also their high standard of trust
National Defense. and understanding over time which they have built, ANI
Indian Navy and reported. The complicated maritime exercises would allow
Defence Research the two navies to expand their existing extensive strategic
and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test- collaboration and, where necessary, would jointly secure
fired BrahMos Supersonic Cruise missile. their maritime interests while ensuring regional peace,
The missile is a joint venture between India and Russia stability, as well as security.
where DRDO represents the Indian side. Furthermore, last year in the month of October the 5th
The missile was tested from INS Visakhapatnam which is edition of the Japan-India Maritime Exercise (JIMEX)
the latest warship of the Indian Navy inducted recently. was conducted in the Arabian Sea. The maritime drill
was held from October 6 to 8, and it was a joint military
BrahMos is the main weapon system of the Indian Navy
exercise between the two nations. Ships and planes from
warships and has been deployed on almost all of its surface
the Indian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defence
platforms.
Force undertook cooperative coordinating operations
An underwater version is also being developed which will during the drill. Both armed forces performed high-speed
not only be used by the submarines of India but will also be marine operations focusing on the air, surface, as well as
offered for export to friendly foreign nations. subsurface domains.
BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost As per media reports, the Indian Navy was represented
three times the speed of sound. Senior scientist Atul Dinkar by the Guided Missile Frigate INS Teg (with SAR skilled
Rane has been appointed as the new head of the BrahMos Chetak helicopter), INS Kochi (with Sea King MK 42B
Aerospace Limited and he has worked with the firm since helicopter), and the indigenous Guided Missile Destroyer
its inception days. underneath the supervision of Rear Admiral Ajay Kochhar,
India is likely to bag more orders for the missile system Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet. A P8I, a shore-
from friendly countries as it is negotiating at an advanced based maritime reconnaissance plane, as well as MiG 29K
stage with some other nations too. fighters had also been deployed.
Meanwhile, the Japanese Navy's RAdm IkeuchiIzuru,
Indian Naval Ships Conduct Maritime Commander, Escort Flotilla, was in charge on the Japanese
Partnership Exercise with Japanese side. The Izumo Class Helicopter Carrier Kaga as well as
Navy 15 Jan' 22 the Guided Missile Destroyer Murasame escorted them.

I
n the Bay of US embassy in Dhaka donates 9.6
Bengal, Indian million doses of Pfizer COVID 19
Naval Ships
Shivalik and Kadmatt vaccine to Bangladesh 16 Jan' 22

T
participated in a he US
Maritime Partnership embassy in
Exercise alongside Dhaka donated
Japanese Navy Ships 9.6 million doses
Uraga and Hirado. of the Pfizer
The Indian Navy conducted maritime drill exercises with COVID 19 vaccine
Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, January 13 to improve to Bangladesh.
defence collaboration between the two nations. In the Announcing this on
Bay of Bengal, Indian Naval Ships Shivalik and Kadmatt social media, the
participated in a Maritime Partnership Exercise alongside US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller said that the
Japanese Navy Ships Uraga and Hirado. According to the vaccine has been donated to Bangladesh for the nationwide
Indian Navy, this maritime drill between the two nations vaccination programme. With this, the US has donated over
NASA informs the world's most powerful space telescope fully deployed in space. More powerful
40 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 than Hubble Space Telescope, the James Webb space telescope to scan the cosmos for light streaming
from 1st stars & galaxies formed 13.7 billion years ago.
 INTERNATIONAL
28 million doses of the COVID 19 vaccine to Bangladesh. The GDP of the world's second-largest economy grew by
Ambassador Miller said that millions more are on the 2.3 per cent expanding to USD 15.42 trillion in dollar terms
way and the US will continue to stand with Bangladesh in 2020.
in the fight against COVID 19. The delivery of Pfizer According to NBS data, China's fixed-asset investment
vaccines is part of the United State’s commitment to lead went up 4.9 per cent year on year in 2021.
the global COVID 19 response by donating a billion doses
Last year, the fixed-asset investment amounted to over
of vaccines around the world through 2022, said the US
54.45 trillion yuan (about USD 8.56 trillion) as per the
embassy press release. It said that the US continued to work
NBS.
with Bangladesh in its nationwide COVID 19 vaccination
campaign and strengthen the government’s response The growth came in at 8 per cent compared with the 2019
to the pandemic. The US has provided training to over level, and the two-year average growth stood at 3.9 per
7000 healthcare providers on the proper management and cent.
administration of vaccines. Till date US has contributed Investment by the private sectors rose seven per cent year
over USD121 million in COVID related development and on year to nearly 30.77 trillion yuan last year, the NBS data
humanitarian assistance through its various agencies like showed.
USAID and others. China's retail sales of consumer goods, a major indicator
of consumption growth, rose 12.5 per cent year on year in
China's economy grows by 8.1 per 2021.
cent in 2021 17 Jan' 22

C
China's population grows by less
h i n a ' s
economy
than half-a-million in 2021; birth rate
grew by 8.1 falls for 5th consecutive year
per cent in 2021 to 18 Jan' 22

T
about USD 18 trillion
despite challenges, he figure does
including epidemic not include
resurgences and a Hong Kong
complicated external and Macao residents
environment, the government said. and foreigners who
live in the mainland's
According to the official figures released by the National
31 provinces,
Bureau of Statistics (NBS), China's economy grew by four
autonomous regions,
per cent in the fourth quarter of last year, slowing from the
and municipalities,
4.9 per cent growth in the third quarter, rounding off the
the NBS said.
full year's growth rate to 8.1 per cent in 2021.
China's population grew by less than half a million-last
The country's GDP expanded 8.1 per cent year on year to
year to 1.41 billion as the birth rates fell for the fifth
114.37 trillion yuan (about USD 18 trillion) last year, the
consecutive year, stoking fears of a looming demographic
NBS said.
crisis and its adverse impact on the world's 2nd largest
The pace was well above the government target of "above economy.
6 per cent," and put the two-year average growth at 5.1 per
At the end of 2021, China's population on the mainland
cent, the NBS data showed.
grew to 1.4126 billion from 1.4120 billion in 2020, the
China's economy has continued a stable recovery in 2021, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said.
leading the world in both economic development and
China's population increased by 480,000 in a year-on-year
epidemic control, the NBS said, while warning of the
comparison from 2020 down from 12 million, as per the
triple pressure of demand contraction, supply shocks and
NBS data.
weakening expectations amid an increasingly complicated
external environment. The figure does not include Hong Kong and Macao residents
and foreigners who live in the mainland's 31 provinces,
The Chinese economy, which was the first to be hit by a
autonomous regions, and municipalities, the NBS said.
coronavirus and early to recover from the pandemic grew
2.3 per cent in 2020, the lowest annual growth rate in 45 The number of newborns in 2021 in the world's most
years. populous nation stood at 10.62 million, according to the
Kazakhstan's former intelligence chief Karim Massimov has been arrested on suspicion of treason
following nationwide anti-government protests. Massimov is an ally of former President Nursultan FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 41
Nazarbayev.
NEWS BITES INTERNATIONAL
NBS data, with the birth rate at 7.52 per thousand, state-run 2022 (WESO
Xinhua news agency reported. Trends) report. The
The national death rate was 7.18 per thousand last year, report analyses
putting the national growth rate at 0.34 per thousand. comprehensive labour
Experts have warned that a demographic turning point market projections for
may be just around the corner in the world's most populous 2022 and 2023 and
nation, and some say it threatens to erode the foundation of assesses how labour
China's booming economic growth over the past 40 years, market recovery has
the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. unfolded worldwide.
In the WESO 2022, ILO has downgraded its forecast for
In such a situation, the ratio of people in the workforce and
labour market recovery in 2022.
dependent persons (retired with pension and other benefits)
may be adversely affected, straining the economy. Total working hours globally in 2022 is projected to be 2%
below the pre-pandemic level, and that is equivalent to the
Dubai opens its Infinity Bridge for loss of 52 million full-time jobs.
traffic for the first time 19 Jan' 22 The global unemployment level in 2022 is estimated at 207

I
million, compared to 186 million in 2019.
conic ‘Infinity The global labour force participation rate in 2022 is
Bridge’ in Dubai, projected to remain 1.2 percentage points below that of
United Arab 2019 before the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
Emirates has been pandemic began.
formally opened
to traffic for the In 2022 around 40 million people will no longer be
first time on 16th participating in the global labour force.
January 2022. Its ILO states that there can be no real recovery from this
design resembles pandemic without a broad-based labour market recovery.
a mathematical sign for infinity (∞). It represents the International Labour Organisation Founder: Paris
limitless, infinite goals of Dubai. It consists of six lanes in Peace Conference
each direction and a combined 3-metre track for pedestrians International Labour Organisation Founded: 1919.
and cyclists. It is 300 meters long and 22 meters wide.
International Labour Organisation Headquarters:
The bridge consists of six lanes and improves the link Geneva, Switzerland
between Deira and Bur Dubai. It features a combined
3-metre track for pedestrians and cyclists. First International Labour Organisation Director-General:
announced in 2018, the Infinity Bridge is part of an Al Guy Ryder
Shindagha Corridor Project. Consisting of six lanes in
each direction, the bridge has an arch-shaped like the
NASA Says Tonga Eruption Was More
infinity symbol – which symbolises Dubai’s unlimited Powerful Than an Atomic Bomb
ambitions. 25 Jan' 22

T
UAE Capital: Abu Dhabi
he recent
UAE Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham explosion was
UAE President: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. so powerful
that it obliterated parts
ILO Report: Global unemployment of the volcanic island
level in 2022 projected at 207 million of Hunga Tonga-
Hunga Ha'apai,
23 Jan' 22
splitting it in two.

T
he International Labour Organisation (ILO) has The volcanic eruption
released its World Employment and Social Outlook that rocked the South Pacific kingdom of Tonga earlier this
– Trends 2022 (WESO Trends) report. month was hundreds of times more powerful than the atomic
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has released bomb the United States dropped on Hiroshima during World
its World Employment and Social Outlook – Trends War II, according to an analysis by NASA scientists.

Former State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to four more years in prison.
42 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
She was handed over the punishment in a case related to possession of an unlicensed Walkie-talkie.
 INTERNATIONAL
"This is a preliminary estimate, but we think the amount of nation first.
of energy released by the eruption was equivalent to Addressing the
somewhere between 4 to 18 megatons of TNT. National Cadet
For comparison, NASA scientists estimate the 1980 Corps PM Rally at
eruption of Mount St. Helens released 24 megatons of Cariappa Ground
energy, per CNN's Rhea Mogul and Alex Stambaugh. in New Delhi, Mr
Tonga’s recent event is the most powerful volcanic Modi underlined
eruption on Earth in more than 30 years, following that the major role that
of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, says University of Auckland today’s youngsters
volcanologist Shane Cronin to Kim Moodie of Radio New can play in the vocal for local campaign. He said, if
Zealand. today’s youth resolves to use only those goods that have
been created with the labour and sweat of an Indian,
The eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano
India’s destiny can be transformed.
sent a dramatic plume of ash and water vapor 25 miles
into the atmosphere and generated nearly 50-foot tsunami The Prime Minister talked about the steps being taken
waves that hit parts of Tonga’s main island and sent swells to strengthen the NCC in the country in a period when
across the Pacific. The blast also severed the nation’s the country is moving forward with new resolutions. He
internet cable, cutting off communication to the remote said a high-level review committee has been set up in the
archipelago for days. country. Mr Modi said, in the last two years, one lakh
new cadets have been created in the border areas of the
The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcanic island was once
country. He remembered with pride his NCC connection
two landmasses, but a 2015 eruption joined the two islands.
and credited his training as an NCC cadet for giving him
Small eruptions in late December 2021 actually added
the strength to carry out his responsibilities towards the
more land to the islands as well before the volcano quieted
nation.
down for about a week.
Prime Minister urged the NCC cadets to combine
Then, an eruption in the early morning hours of January
their aspirations and actions with the development and
14 was so powerful that it obliterated the new land,
expectations of the country. He remarked that today on
along with large portions of the two older islands,
the one hand there are good possibilities related to digital
explains volcanologist Ed Venzke of Smithsonian's
technology and information, on the other hand, there
Global Volcanism Program. The remaining islands form
are dangers of misinformation. He stressed that it is also
the upper tip of the underwater volcano, which rises
necessary that the common man of our country should not
more than a mile from the seafloor and stretches 12
fall prey to any rumour. He proposed that NCC cadets run
miles wide.
an awareness campaign related to misinformation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls On the occasion, the Prime Minister inspected the Guard
of Honour, reviewed March Past by NCC contingents
upon NCC and NSS cadets to make
and also witnessed the NCC cadets displaying their skills
campus drug-free 29 Jan' 22 in army action, slithering, microlight flying, parasailing

P
rime Minister Narendra Modi has said that no as well as cultural programmes. The best cadets received
power of the world can stop the country whose medal and baton from the Prime Minister. The Rally is the
youth starts moving ahead with the thinking culmination of NCC Republic Day Camp and is held on
28th January every year.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan addresses 82nd Indian Public Schools' Conference
Principals’ Conclave.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 43
NEWS BITES ECONOMY
Burning Topics of the Month
World Bank says the
India emerges as the largest India Post Payments Bank's
Indian economy to grow
exporter of cucumber, customer base crosses the
at 8.3 percent during the
gherkins in the world. 5-crore mark.
current financial year.

& Many More...

will also be an all-time high. "We have seen a USD 179

India achieves highest ever export
billion services exports in first nine months, he said.
of 37.29 billion dollars in December
04 Jan' 22 Edison Motors bags SsangYong from

C
ommerce
court receivership, M&M 'to co-
Minister operate with transition' 10 Jan' 22

C
Piyush Goyal
ash-strapped
said India's exports in
carmaker
December surged 37
S s a n g Yo n g
percent on an annual
Motor has finally
basis to USD 37.29
got sold to a South
billion, which is
Korean consortium.
highest-ever monthly
The consortium
figure. He added that India's exports of goods will cross USD
led by electric car
400 billion this fiscal, adding that Prime Minister Narendra
company Edison
Modi wanted India to witness not only incremental growth
Motors has agreed to acquire debt-ridden SsangYong
but experience a Quantum jump as well.
Motor for 305 billion won ($254.65 million). The company
Imports in December too rose by 38 percent to USD 59.27 had been under court receivership after Mahindra &
billion on account of an increase in oil imports, which Mahindra pulled out of the cash-strapped car maker some
soared 65.17 percent to USD 15.9 billion. time ago. Back in September, 11 investors showed interest
Cumulatively, during April-December 2021-22 exports rose in acquiring SsangYong, seven undertook due diligence,
by 48.85 percent to USD 299.74 billion. Imports during the and three participated in the bids.
period increased by 69.27 percent to USD 443.71 billion, The poor financial condition of SsangYong Motor is the
leaving a trade deficit of USD 143.97 billion. reason why very few bids came in finally. SsangYong was
"With USD 300 billion in the first nine months of 2021- burdened with high debt and its vehicle sales last year
22 we are on track to achieve our target...This growth is fell about 21 percent from a year earlier. The automaker
satisfying and we must aspire for more," Goyal said. He reported a January-September 2021 operating loss of 238
added that the third wave of COVID-19 is impacting billion won and a revenue of 1.8 trillion won.
developed economies like the US, Europe and the Middle Mahindra Group had been looking to exit the South
East, and problems related to shipping lines can be expected. Korean automaker, which it had bought from near-
Commenting on the numbers, Federation of Indian Export bankruptcy in 2010. M&M was unable to find a buyer
Organisations (FIEO) President A Sakthivel said looking for SsangYong for a very long time, and SsangYong's
at the current trend, India will achieve the USD 400 billion financials worsened further. On its part, Mahindra Group
merchandise exports target for the fiscal. on January 12 said that it is “happy to hear” that Edison
Goyal also said the country is well on track to go up to USD Motors has formally agreed to acquire SsangYong Motor
230 billion or upwards in services exports this fiscal, which Company (SYMC).

44 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 Noted Kannada writer & activist Prof Chandrashekhar Patil passes away.
 ECONOMY
Earlier in October 2021, Korea-based bus maker Edison pomegranate exports to the US and import of cherries and
Motors promised to make fresh investments of more than Alfalfa hay from the US. A revised work plan has been
Rs 6,300 crore if it wins the bid. SsangYong has been a worked out, including phase-wise transfer of oversight of
troubled unit for M&M despite several attempts by the preclearance of Irradiation treatment to India as agreed
Anand Mahindra-led company to turn it around. The cash- upon between both the countries.
strapped Korean company posted losses for more than 15 As part of the mutual agreement, India will be able
consecutive quarters and has been struggling to stay afloat. to export mangoes to the USA in the mango season
The Korean car brand even sold non-core assets to generate commencing with the Alphonso variety of mangoes by
liquidity in 2020. March onwards. Notably, there is a huge acceptance and
During FY20, M&M wrote off investments of around Rs consumer preference of Indian mangoes in the USA as
2,000 crore it made in SsangYong after putting its entire India had exported 800 Metric Tonnes (MTs) of mangoes
stake in the Korean company for sale in February that year. to the USA in 2017-18 and the export value of the fruit was
Also, in April 2020, M&M announced that it will not make USD 2.75 Million.
any further investments in SYMC and declined SYMC’s Similarly, in 2018-19, 951 MT mangoes of USD 3.63
request for fund infusion following the business disruption Million were exported to USA and 1,095 MT of USD
caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 4.35 Million of mangoes were export to USA in 2019-
Mahindra and SYMC jointly developed the X100 platform 20. As per estimates received from the exporters, the
which saw the birth of Mahindra XUV300 compact SUV export of mangoes in 2022, may surpass the figures of
in India and the SsangYong Tivoli in Korea. Mahindra 2019-20.
also experimented with launching SsangYong SUV under The USDA approval would pave the way for exports from
its namesake brand. The Alturas premium SUV from traditional mango production belts such as Maharashtra,
Mahindra was a rebranded SsangYong G4 Rexton. Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export
Centre secures approval for export of Development Authority (APEDA) said that this would also
Indian mangoes to USA this season provide an opportunity for the export of other delicious
11 Jan' 22 varieties of mangoes from North and East India such as

T
Langra, Chausa, Dushehri, Fazli, etc from Uttar Pradesh,
he Central Bihar and West Bengal.
Government The pomegranate exports from April 2022. Exports of
has secured Alfalfa hay and cherries from the USA will begin in April
the approval of 2022.
the United States
Department of Govt states major edible Oil cut
Agriculture (USDA)
for export of Indian
prices by 15 to 20 rupees per litre
mangoes to USA 11 Jan' 22

T
in the new season. Consumers in the United States (US)
he govt. has
would now have access to excellent quality mangoes from
said that as per
India. The export of Indian mangoes has been restricted
the trend from
by the USA since 2020 as USDA inspectors were unable
167 price collection
to visit India for inspection of irradiation facility due
centers, the edible oil
restrictions imposed on international travel because of
prices have declined
Covid-19 pandemic.
significantly in the
Recently, in pursuant to the 12th India – USA Trade range of 5 rupees
Policy Forum (TPF) meeting held on November 23, 2021, and 20 rupees per
the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and kilogram in the major retail markets across the country.
US Department of Agriculture (USDA) have signed a Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
framework agreement for implementing the 2 Vs 2 Agri in a statement said that major edible Oil players including
market access issues. Adani Willmar and Ruchi Industries have cut prices by 15
Under the agreement, India and the US would follow joint to 20 rupees per litre. The other players that have reduced
protocol on irradiation for India’s mango exports and the prices of edible oils are Gemini Edibles and Fats India,
World Hindi Day is being observed today. On this day in 2006, the First World Hindi Conference
was held in Nagpur to promote the language worldwide and since then, every year 10th January is FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 45
being observed as the World Hindi Day.
NEWS BITES ECONOMY
Hyderabad, Modi Naturals, Delhi, Gokul Re-foils and successive World Bank projections have signalled a post-
Solvent, Vijay Solvex, Gokul Agro Resources and N.K. pandemic recovery. On March 31, the bank said India's real
Proteins. The Ministry said, consequent upon various GDP growth for fiscal year 21-22 could range from 7.5 to
measures taken by the government, the duty for Crude Palm 12.5 per cent.
Oil is now 7.5% and it is 5 per cent for Crude Soyabean Oil In April-May, India struggled with the second wave of the
and Crude Sunflower Oil. deadly coronavirus pandemic with more than 3,00,000
It added that the latest step taken by the Government for daily new cases, throwing hospitals and health system out
controlling the prices of various oils is with respect to Soya of gear due to a shortage of medical oxygen and beds. An
meal. It said Stock limit on Soya Meal has been imposed array of economic activities were severely hit in this period.
with effect from 23rd December, 2021 till June 2022 by After considering the second COVID-19 jolt, the World
including it in the Schedule to Essential Commodities Act, Bank, in South Asia Economic Focus report released in
1955. This will cool down the prices and improve supply. early October, said the Indian economy is poised to grow
The Government has also suspended futures trading in by 8.3 percent. The economy of South Asia region was
all essential commodities for a period of one year, upto projected to grow by 7.1 percent. Indian govt estimates
December 2022. 9.2% growth in FY22
The Ministry added that the reduction in import duty and According to the first advance estimate released by the
other steps like imposition of stock limits to curb hoarding Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation on
has helped cool down domestic prices of all edible oils and January 8, India's GDP will likely grow by 9.2 percent
granted much required relief to the consumers. in FY22. The projection is lower than the forecast by the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which had in December said
World Bank says Indian economy to that the GDP growth rate is likely to be 9.5 percent for the
grow at 8.3 percent during current current fiscal. While the estimated GDP growth rate of 9.2
financial year and 8.7 percent in next percent for FY22 is the highest in at least 17 years, it has
been aided by an extremely favourable base effect, with the
fiscal 12 Jan' 22 GDP having contracted by a record 7.3 percent in FY21 on

T
he Indian account of the COVID-19 pandemic.
economy is
expected to India-UK Joint Media Statement on
grow at 8.3 percent Launch of FTA Negotiations 13 Jan' 22

T
in the current fiscal
and at 8.7 percent in he Republic of India and United Kingdom have
financial year 2022- formally launched negotiations for a Free Trade
23, the World Bank Agreement between our two countries. This
said in its 'Global announcement has been made by Indian Minister for
Economic Prospects' report released on January 11. The Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and UK Trade
8.3 percent GDP growth prediction for FY22 is the same Secretary, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who is in New Delhi for
as what was stated by the World Bank in its last projection Free Trade Agreement discussions. A India-UK Free Trade
released in October 2021. Agreement would be a substantial opportunity for both of
our economies and a significant moment in the India-UK
According to the Global Economic Prospects report, the bilateral relationship.
growth rate of the Indian economy in the current and
next fiscal will be stronger as compared to its immediate The India-UK bilateral trading relationship is already
neighbours. Bangladesh is expected to grow at 6.4 and significant, and both sides have agreed to double that
6.9 percent in FY22 and FY23, respectively; Nepal at 3.9 bilateral trade by 2030, as part of Roadmap 2030 announced
percent this fiscal and at 4.7 percent in the next financial by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister
year; and Pakistan's economy is predicted to accelerate Boris Johnson in May 2021. India and the UK will seek
by 3.4 percent in FY22 and 4 percent in FY23, as per the to agree a mutually beneficial agreement supporting jobs,
report. The Washington-based development lender forecast businesses and communities in both countries.
global growth to slow down to 4.1 percent this year from Trade negotiations will be a priority for both countries,
an estimated 5.5 percent in 2021, but warned "Omicron- as we build upon the Enhanced Trade Partnership
related economic disruptions could substantially reduce launched by our Prime Ministers in May 2021. During
growth" to as low as 3.4 percent. For India, however, the negotiations, and on the path to a comprehensive

46 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 14-year-old Bharath Subramaniyam becomes India's 73rd Chess Grandmaster.
 ECONOMY
agreement, both Governments will consider the option embassy, can be attributed to two factors: narrow basket
of an Interim Agreement that generates early benefits for of commodities, mostly primary, for exporting to China
both countries. In parallel to trade negotiations, the India- and the lack of market access for most India’s agricultural
UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee will continue products and the sectors where India is competitive in, such
to work in improving the India-UK trading relationship as pharmaceuticals and IT.
and addressing market access barriers outside of a trade Several rounds of military and diplomatic talks have only
agreement. resulted in partial disengagement of troops until now.
Both parties have agreed that the first round of negotiations Separately, GAC data showed that trade between China
will begin on 17 January, and future rounds of negotiations and the US soared by 28.7 percent and amounted to $755.6
will take place approximately every five weeks. The Indian billion in 2021 - maintaining a strong growth momentum
negotiating team will be led by Ms. Nidhi Mani Tripathi, and contributing 12 percent to China’s record $6 trillion
Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce and the UK foreign trade for the year.
negotiating team will be led by Harjinder Kang, Director China’s exports to the US increased by 27.5 percent
for India Negotiations at the Department for International in 2021, while imports grew by 32.7 percent, reaching
Trade. $179.53 billion.
The ambition of both countries is to negotiate a broad
agreement that will deliver for businesses and consumers. Posco and Adani Group to build $5
billion Mundra steel mill 14 Jan' 22
Sino-India trade at record $125

S
billion amid border tension; deficit outh Korea’s
Posco and
widens 14 Jan' 22 Adani Group

T
rade between India and China reached a record $125 have agreed to jointly
billion in 2021 despite the worst chill in bilateral ties build a $5 billion
in decades, Chinese customs data showed. Two-way integrated steel plant
trade between India and China in 2021 stood at $125.66 in Gujarat in the third
billion, up 43.3 percent from 2020 when bilateral trade was attempt by the South
worth $87.6 billion. Korean steel giant
to have a significant manufacturing presence in India. As
In 2021, China’s exports to India were $97.52 billion, up
part of an initial non-binding agreement between Posco
46.2 percent, while China imported $28.14 billion worth of
and Adani, the environment-friendly steel mill would be
goods from India, up 34.2 percent, according to statistics
built at Mundra in Gujarat, the home state of the billionaire
released by the General Administration of Customs (GAC)
Gautam Adani-led conglomerate.
and quoted by the tabloid, Global Times. Trade deficit
between the two countries remained much in favour of Details such as the investment and manufacturing capacity
China – at $69 billion. of the new plant were not disclosed. The alliance is a
significant move for the diversified Adani Group, which
The deficit in trade has been a constant source of friction
has interests in logistics, ports, airports, mining, power
between New Delhi and Beijing with India complaining
generation and distribution, renewable energy, gas and
that China, despite promises, hasn’t given Indian
infrastructure. Adani has recently announced major
companies access to sectors like pharmaceuticals. India
investment plans as part of an ambitious plan to become
was China’s 15th largest trade partner in 2021, according
the world’s top renewable energy company.
to GAC.
The group is also venturing into new-age businesses with
India-China trade in 2020 declined by 5.6 percent to $87.6
plans for a super app and investing big in data centres. Both
billion, the lowest since 2017. But China still overtook
Posco and Adani plan to further collaborate at the group
the US to become India’s largest trading partner last year.
level in other sectors such as renewable energy, hydrogen
Chinese companies saw an increase in demand from
and logistics to respond to their global carbon reduction
India for medical equipment in the first half of the year
requirements, according to a joint statement.
following a devastating second wave of the coronavirus
pandemic. The companies have also signed an initial agreement
with the Gujarat government for support and cooperation
The widening trade deficit with China, according to
for the partnership. Posco has had a chequered journey
an explanatory note published online by the Indian
in India so far, with unsuccessful attempts of setting

Former RBI Governor Urjit Patel appointed vice-president of Beijing-based AIIB, to take charge on
1st February.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 47
NEWS BITES ECONOMY
up mega steel projects in Odisha and Karnataka. It had of (-) 132.07%. As compared to April-December 2019
agreed in June 2005 to incorporate an Indian subsidiary (USD (-) 125.91 Billion), trade balance in April-December
and build a steel plant in Odisha, but the project didn’t 2021 exhibited a negative growth of (-) 13.13%.
materialize following protests, controversies and delays
in land acquisition. Country’s overall exports in
India’s crude steel output, which stood at 87.07 million December 2021 estimated to be
tonnes (mt) in April-December, is likely to reach 120 mt 57.87 Billion US dollars 14 Jan' 22

C
by FY22 end. In FY21, the production of crude steel and
finished steel stood a 102.49 mt. ountry’s overall exports, Merchandise and Services
combined in December 2021 are estimated to
India's Merchandise Exports Spike be 57.87 Billion US dollar, exhibiting a positive
Nearly 39% On Year In December growth of 25.05 per cent over the same period last year.
Overall imports in December 2021 are estimated to be
14 Jan' 22 72.35 Billion US dollar, exhibiting a positive growth of

I
ndia's overall exports (Merchandise and Services 33.86 per cent over the same period last year.
combined) in December 2021 are estimated to be USD India’s overall exports , Merchandise and Services
57.87 Billion, exhibiting a positive growth of 25.05% combined in April-December 2021 are estimated to be 479
over the same period last year and a positive growth of Billion US Dollar exhibiting a positive growth of 36.31
23.35% over December 2019. Overall imports in December per cent over the same period last year . Data released
2021 are estimated to be USD 72.35 Billion, exhibiting a by Commerce ministry said, overall imports in April-
positive growth of 33.86% over the same period last year December 2021 are estimated to be 547.12 Billion US
and a positive growth of 40.30 % over December 2019. dollar, exhibiting a positive growth of 57.33 per cent over
India's overall exports (Merchandise and Services the same period last year.
combined) in April-December 2021 are estimated to Merchandise exports in December 2021 were 37.81 Billion
be USD 479.07 Billion, exhibiting a positive growth of US dollar, as compared to 27.22 Billion US dollar in
36.31% over the same period last year and a positive growth December 2020, exhibiting a positive growth of 38.91 per
of 20.25% over April-December 2019. Overall imports in cent. As compared to December 2019, exports in December
April-December 2021 are estimated to be USD 547.12 2021 exhibited a positive growth of 39.47 per cent.
Billion, exhibiting a positive growth of 57.33% over the
same period last year and a positive growth of 18.57% over MobiKwik launches ‘ClickPay’ in
April-December 2019. collaboration with Bharat BillPay
Merchandise exports in December 2021 were USD 37.81 18 Jan' 22

F
Billion, as compared to USD 27.22 Billion in December
2020, exhibiting a positive growth of 38.91%. As compared intech major MobiKwik has launched ‘ClickPay’
to December 2019, exports in December 2021 exhibited in collaboration with NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd.
a positive growth of 39.47%. Merchandise imports in (NBBL). NPCI Bharat BillPay is a wholly owned
December 2021 were USD 59.48 Billion, which is an subsidiary of National Payments Corporation of India.
increase of 38.55% over imports of USD 42.93 Billion in Through ClickPay, customers can pay recurring online bills
December 2020. Imports in December 2021 have registered (such as mobile, gas, water, electricity, DTH, insurance,
a positive growth of 50.24% in comparison to December and loan EMIs) without the need to remember individual
2019. bill details and due dates.
Merchandise imports for the period April-December 2021 Chandan Joshi, Co-Founder, and CEO, Consumer
was USD 443.82 Billion as against USD 262.76 Billion Payments, MobiKwik said, “Our partnership with NPCI
during the period April-December 2020, registering a Bharat BillPay is a testament to our commitment to
positive growth of 68.91%. Imports in April-December providing best in class bill payment experience to our
2021 have registered a positive growth of 21.87% in 120 million customers.” Noopur Chaturvedi, CEO, NPCI
comparison to April-December 2019. Bharat BillPay Ltd (NBBL) said, “We are glad to launch
The merchandise trade balance for April-December 2021 the ClickPay facility with MobiKwik. We believe this
was estimated at USD (-) 142.44 Billion as against USD (-) initiative will offer a memorable transaction experience to
61.38 Billion in April-December 2020, which is a decline MobiKwik customers for all their bill payments backed up
by enhanced convenience and safety.”
The 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal defeated American Maxime Cressy, 7-6, 6-3 in the
48 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
Men's Singles final of the Melbourne Summer Set ATP 250 event to lift the trophy at the Rod Laver Arena.
 ECONOMY
According to a joint statement issued by MobiKwik and to cater to battery demands of the growing EV business.
Bharat BillPay, the new feature ClickPay is a two-step Ipower Batteries, pioneers in manufacturing battery were
payment feature wherein the billers generate a unique chosen as their tailor-made battery solutions would be ideal
payment link within the bill-pay message, allowing for different OEM’s.
customers to make payments directly on the payment page. Electric One under the aegis of Mr. Amit Das,(Founder)
MobiKwik received authorisation from the RBI to operate acknowledges Ipower Batteries, as one of the leading
as a Bharat Bill Payment Operating Unit in 2019. battery manufacturers in the segment which has
MobiKwik is focused on providing the Indian middle-class seamlessly integrated the use of smart technology
population a simple and secure payment platform to make solutions both in their batteries and also to ease the battery
daily life payments, the company claimed. swapping ecosystem. The batteries by Ipower are light
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has canceled the authorization weight, modular, theft and tamper proof. They are also
certificates of Muthoot Vehicle and Asset Finance Ltd interoperable across vehicle platforms. These batteries
and Eko India Financial Services Private Ltd for non- also have built- in GPRS, SIM and computing power
compliance with regulatory requirements. for live monitoring. These batteries can be operated and
controlled remotely as well.
India Post Payments Bank's customer Electric One acknowledges that brands like Ipower
base crosses 5 crore mark Batteries provide battery solutions for any make of electric
vehicles. The company’s batteries come with in -built
19 Jan' 22
smart features like advanced tracking, geo-fencing, battery

I
ndia Post Payments Bank, IPPB, has crossed the five- immobilization, remote monitoring & control features
crore customer mark in just 3 years of commencement which is one of their sought-after products, highly in
of its operations to become one of the fastest growing demand. The company is driven by their in-house R&D to
digital payments bank in the country. Announcing this provide green energy solutions.
achievement, the bank said that it has opened up these five Electric One is the Indo-German multi-brand eMobility
crore accounts in digital and paperless mode through its franchise store chain in India and abroad. It is a platform
one lakh 36 thousand Post Offices. for sales and distribution of electric two and three wheelers.
Out of these post offices, one lakh 20 thousand are in rural The company has on board leading OEM brands and battery
areas. About one lakh 47 thousand doorstep banking service supplies and aims to provide pocket friendly mobility
providers helped in opening up of these accounts. With solutions and Zero pollution mission.
this, IPPB has achieved the world’s largest digital financial
literacy programme by building a financially aware and SEBI launches Saa`thi mobile app on
empowered customer-base, leveraging the strength of two investor education 20 Jan' 22

A
lakh 80 thousand Post Office employees.
jay Tyagi,
IPPB has further stated that it has taken digital banking to
chairman
the grassroots levels through Interoperable Payments and
of the
Settlement Systems of NPCI, RBI and UIDAI offering
Securities and
services in over 13 languages.
Exchange Board
Interestingly, out of the total account holders, around 48 of India (Sebi),
per cent were women account holders that indicated the announced the launch
Bank’s focus on bringing the women customers under the of Saa`thi, a mobile
banking network. application that aims
to educate investors and empower them with knowledge
Electric One enters into strategic about the securities market. The purpose behind the app
partnership with Ipower Batteries for is to create proper awareness about the securities market
retailing the batteries 19 Jan' 22 among investors, especially considering the fact that many

E
new investors have entered the market, and the fact that
lectric One, an Indo-German e-mobility franchise they are mobile-friendly.
store aims to forge strategic partnerships with Earlier, speaking at the World Investor Week, Tyagi had
leading names in the EV business. One such strategic spoken about the significance of investor awareness events
partnership has been signed with Ipower Batteries Pvt Ltd and how it was important to help investors, especially the

Veteran singer and actor Pandit Ramdas Kamat passed away at his residence in Vile Parle, in
Mumbai. He was 90 years old.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 49
NEWS BITES ECONOMY
new and young ones, so that they make a well-informed Processed gherkins are exported in bulk as industrial raw
decision. He warned investors against false promises or material and in jars as ready to eat. The bulk production is
guarantees and unwanted advice. still occupying a high percentage of the gherkin market. In
The Saa`thi app is expected to teach basic concepts of the India there are about 51 major companies producing and
securities market, mutual funds (MFs), trending market exporting gherkins in drums and ready-to-eat consumer
developments, trading and settlements, KYC process, packs.
investor grievances redressal mechanism, etc. With the On an average, a gherkin farmer produces 4 metric tonne
manifold growth in complexities in the securities market, per acre per crop and earns about Rs 80,000 with a net
the app is expected to provide further momentum to income of Rs 40,000. Gherkin has a 90-day crop and the
investor education and awareness programmes. farmers take two crops annually. Processing plants of
The app is available in English and Hindi. As its use grows, international standards have been established to cater to the
other Indian languages will be added. The app has Android requirement of foreign buyers.
and iOS versions and can be downloaded from Google Play The APEDA is also focusing on value addition of gherkins
Store and Apple App Store, respectively. to increase the export value of the product.

India emerges as largest exporters Exports of electronic goods register

of cucumber, gherkins in the world 49 percent surge between April and
23 Jan' 22 December 2021: Govt 28 Jan' 22

I I
ndia has emerged ndia's electronic goods exports registered a growth of
as the largest 49 per cent at $11.0 billion in April-December 2021
exporter of compared to $7.4 billion during the same period in 2020,
gherkins in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has said in a statement.
world. India has The top five export destinations in April-November 2021
exported cucumber are - USA (18 per cent), UAE (16.6 per cent), China (7.6
and gherkins to the per cent), Netherlands (4.5 per cent) and Germany (4.2 per
tune of 1,23,846 cent).
Metric Tonnes with a Meanwhile, the electronic goods exports in December
value of USD 114 million during April-October (2020-21). 2021 touched $1.67 billion, registering a growth of 33.99
India has crossed the USD 200 million mark of export of per cent, over $1.25 billion logged in December 2020.
agricultural processed product, - pickling cucumber, which The overall electronic goods exports FY21 were $11.11
is globally referred as gherkins or cornichons, in the last billion.
financial year. In 2020-21, India had shipped 2,23,515
The electronic goods sector includes IT hardware
Metric Tonnes of cucumber and gherkins with a value of
(laptops, tablets), consumer electronics (TV and audio),
USD 223 million.
industrial electronics, auto electronics, electronic
Gherkin cultivation, processing and exports started in components, LED lighting, wearables and hearables,
India during the early 1990s with a modest beginning in and Telecom equipment’s among others. Mobile Phones
Karnataka and later extended to the neighbouring states constitute a major chunk of India's electronics goods
of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Nearly exports. The Ministry of Electronics and Information
15% production of the world’s gherkin requirement is Technology (MeitY) recently released the second
grown in India. Gherkins is currently exported to more volume of a 5-year road map and vision document for
than 20 countries, with major destinations being North the electronics sector; the first volume was released in
America, European countries and Oceanic countries November 2021.
such as USA, France, Germany, Australia, Spain, South
The document lays the road map to "transform India into
Korea, Canada, Japan, Belgium, Russia, China, Sri
a $300 billion electronics manufacturing powerhouse
Lanka and Israel.
over the next 5 years, from the current US$75 billion.
Apart from its export potential, the gherkin industry This will make electronics goods among India's 2-3 top
plays a key role in the creation of rural employment. In ranking exports by 2026". As per the vision document, the
India, cultivation of gherkins is carried out under contract electronics goods exports are expected to increase from
farming by around 90,000 small and marginal farmers with the projected $15 billion in 2021-22 to $120 billion by
an annual production area of 65,000 acres. 2026.
355th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th and last Sikh guru. The auspicious occasion
50 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
is also known as Prakash Parv.
 SPORTS NEWS BITES
Burning Topics of the Month
17 years three months
Captain Harpreet Chandi 14-year-old Bharath
Abdusattorov becomes
becomes the first Indian- Subramaniyam becomes
the youngest ever world
origin woman to trek solo to India's 73rd chess
champion in open
the South Pole. Grandmaster.
competition.

& Many More...

two wicket in one over to leave Sri Lanka in trouble at 57

India lift U-19 Asia Cup beating Sri
for 7 wicket loss. Southpaw Dunit Wellagle attempted to
Lanka by 9 wickets in Dubai break the shackles but ended up getting caught in the deep.
01 Jan' 22 Two balls later Ranuda Somarathne missed Oswal's arm

O
ball on the back foot, trapping him in front of the stumps.
p e n e r With India set to bowl out Sri Lanka for a sub-100 total,
Angkrish heavy rain lashed Dubai International Cricket Stadium with
Raghuvanshi the Sri Lanka at 74 for 7 in 33 overs. After a long delay, the
scored 56 runs of 67 match resumed and was revised to 38 overs per side. In the
balls in the second five overs Sri Lanka had, they managed 32 runs for the loss
inning of the match. of two wickets. Hangargekar got a much deserved wicket
Raghuvanshi's on the last ball of the innings with Antriksh Raghuvasnshi
opening partner taking a diving catch at the square leg boundary to dismiss
Harnoor Singh was Matheesha Pathirana.
dismissed early for 5 runs only. Shaik Rasheed, however,
scored 31 runs of 49 balls and built a 96-run partnership Captain Harpreet Chandi becomes
for the second wicket. Good bowling performance helped
India restrict Sri Lanka to 106 for nine after the Lankan
first Indian-origin woman to trek solo
team opted to bat. Though early morning showers made to South Pole 03 Jan' 22

C
conditions ideal for seam bowling first. The Indian pace
a p t a i n
duo of Rajvardhan Hangargekar and Ravi Kumar did
Harpreet
good balling, though Rajvardhan was unlucky to not get
Chandi, a
a wicket. Left-arm pacer Ravi got the first wicket of the
32-year-old Indian-
match by dismising Chamindu Wickramasinghe in the
origin British Sikh
fourth over. The left-hander opener went for a big shot
Army officer and
over the mid-wicket but ended up mistiming it straight into
physiotherapist, also
the hands of Raj Bawa at third man. Wickramasinghe's
known as Polar Preet,
opening partner Shevon Daniel tried to hit a pull shot on
has created history
Bawa ball but the ball took a faint edge and was caught by
by becoming the first woman of colour to complete a solo
the wicketkeeper Aaradhya Yadav. Now Sri Lanka was at
unsupported trek to the South Pole.
15 for two in the 11th over. India, who have won a record
seven Asia Cup titles, looked like a far superior team. Capt. Chandi announced her history-making feat on her
Hangargekar was the most impressive pacer in the first live blog at the end of Day 40 after travelling 700 miles
10 overs, generating a good pace that hurried the batters (1,127 kilometres) while pulling a pulk or sledge with all
besides extracting movement off the pitch. The Sri Lanka of her kit and battling temperatures of minus 50 degrees
batsman looked completely in trouble against the Indian Celsius and wind speeds of around 60mph.
bowlers, be it fast bowlers or the spin pairing of Kaushal “This expedition was always about so much more than me.
Tambe and Vicky Ostwal. Both off-spinner Tambe and left- I want to encourage people to push their boundaries and
arm spinner Ostwal got the ball to turn sharply. Ostwal got to believe in themselves, and I want you to be able to do it
In Tennis, World No.1 Ash Barty won the Adelaide International by crushing world No. 14 Elena
Rybakina of Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-2 in the Women's Singles final at Cannebara.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 51
NEWS BITES SPORTS
without being labelled a rebel. I have been told no on many of the then disputed classical crown in 2001 and Carlsen,
occasions and told to ‘just do the normal thing’, but we also at 18, in the 2009 World Blitz. The next youngest
create our own normal," Capt. Chandi said. were 22 – Garry Kasparov, in his first victory over
She uploaded a live tracking map of her trek and also Anatoly Karpov in 1985, and Daniil Dubov and Sergey
posted regular blogs of her journey to the snow-capped Karjakin when winning speed titles. The world women’s
region. As part of a Medical Regiment in the northwest championship has a younger record holder, as Hou Yifan
of England, Capt. Chandi’s primary role is to organise won it in 2010 aged 16, after being the defeated finalist
and validate training for medics in the Army as Clinical two years earlier.
Training Officer. Abdusattorov is the second player from Generation Z,
Currently based in London, she is completing her masters defined as people born from 1995 to 2010, to break through
degree in Sports and Exercise Medicine, part-time, at to the chess top. Firouzja, whose victories in Latvia and
Queen Mary’s University in London and had dragged Slovenia last month made him No 2 behind Carlsen in the
around two large tyres over the past few months for her global rankings, was out of form in Warsaw in the rapid but
polar training as a substitute for the heavy sledge she has finished strongly in the three-minute blitz to take the bronze
been dragging along in Antarctica. She also used her time medal and narrowly miss out on the Vachier-Lagrave v
in the cold to think about wedding plans for when she Duda play-off.
returns to England, having been engaged to Army reservist Yet another Gen Z player surged into the limelight when
fiance David Jarman before setting off on her expedition. Bibisara Assaubayeva, 17, captured the world women’s
The couple are expected to be reunited in Chile when she rapid championship silver medal with 8.5/11, half a point
returns from the South Pole later this month. Capt. Chandi behind Russia’s “chess Queen” Alexandra Kosteniuk. The
says she has always been keen to push the human body to teen from Kazakhstan did even better in the women’s blitz,
its limits and sees her latest mission as part of this wider reversing the result to take gold to Kosteniuk’s silver.
research. As an "endurance athlete", she has run marathons Fide has announced that the eight-player 2022 Candidates
and ultra-marathons and, as an Army officer, completed will be staged in Madrid in June-July 2022, with patronage
large-scale exercises and deployments in Nepal, Kenya and from the Scheinberg family, who have previously backed
most recently a six-month United Nations peacekeeping opens in the Isle of Man and whose fortune comes from the
tour to South Sudan. sale of PokerStars for nearly $5bn.
17 years three months Abdusattorov The 2022 Melbourne Summer Set 1
becomes the youngest ever world 09 Jan' 22

T
champion in open competition
he 2022
06 Jan' 22 Melbourne

A
little-known Summer Set
17-year- was a set of two
old from simultaneous tennis
Uzbekistan made tournaments organized
a clean sweep of by Tennis Australia
Magnus Carlsen at Melbourne Park
and the global chess in Melbourne,
elite, incidentally Australia for the first time in response to the cancellation of
setting a world age several warm-up tournaments normally scheduled before the
record. Nodirbek Abdusattorov won the World Rapid Australian Open, including the Brisbane International, ATP
championship in Warsaw, claiming en route the scalps Auckland Open, and the WTA Auckland Open, because of
of Magnus Carlsen and the No 1’s last two challengers, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Melbourne Summer
Fabiano Caruana and Ian Nepomniachtchi. In rapid chess Set 1 featured an ATP Tour 250 tournament and a WTA 250
each player has 15 minutes for all moves, plus a 10 second tournament, both played on hardcourts.
per move increment. Rafael Nadal won the men's singles title to earn his 89th
At 17 years three months Abdusattorov becomes the career ATP title and his first in Australia since 2009. Simona
youngest ever world champion in open competition, Halep won the women's singles title to earn her 23rd career
surpassing Ruslan Ponomariov at 18 in the Fide version WTA title and first title in Australia.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated Kalpana Chawla Centre for Research in Space
52 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
Science and Technology (KCCRSST) at Chandigarh University.
 SPORTS
Champions Open in Italy. All India Chess Federation congratulates
Men's singles Bharath for the achievement," AICF wrote on its website.
Meanwhile, another Indian Grandmaster MR Lalith Babu
The 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal defeated
also took part in the Vergani Cup Open and won the title
American Maxime Cressy, 7-6, 6-3 in the Men's Singles
in Italy.
final of the Melbourne Summer Set ATP 250 event to lift
the trophy at the Rod Laver Arena. The World No. 6 Nadal Lalith seeded 9th in the tournament, scored seventh points
showed no signs of rustiness as he did not lose a set en out of a possible 9, and tied for the pole position along
route to the title in Melbourne. It was Nadal's 89th tour- with second seed GM Niemann Hans Moke of the USA,
level crown as the Spaniard saved a set point in the first Vitaliy Bernadskiy of Ukraine, and Nurgyul Salimova
set tie-break and rallied from a game down in the 2nd set of Bulgaria. But a better tie break score helped Lalith
against Cressy. to finish as champion while Moke finished as the first
runner-up. Top seed Anton Korobov of Ukraine finished
Women's singles
at fifth position.
Former world number one Simona Halep defeated Number
3 Veronika Kudermetova 6-2, 6-3 in the final, in Melbourne. Goalkeeper Savita Punia captain of
It was the 23rd career WTA singles title for Halep.
the Women’s Hockey team for Asia
Men's doubles
Cup 2022 13 Jan' 22

G
Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski defeated Aleksandr
Nedovyesov and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi in the final, 6–4, oalkeeper
6–4, to win the men's doubles tennis title at the 2022 Savita Punia
Melbourne Summer Set 1. will captain
Women's doubles an 18-member Indian
squad at the Women’s
Asia Muhammad and Jessica Pegula defeated Sara
Hockey Asia Cup
Errani and Jasmine Paolini in the final, 6–3, 6–1, to win
2022 in Muscat,
the women's doubles tennis title at the 2022 Melbourne
Oman from January
Summer Set 1.
21-28. Indian women
are the defending champions at the continental event. The
14-year-old Bharath Subramaniyam
Indian women’s hockey team, named by Hockey India,
becomes India's 73rd chess features 16 players who were part of the Tokyo 2020
Grandmaster 10 Jan' 22 Olympics, where the Indian eves finished fourth. Regular

F
skipper Rani Rampal will miss out as she is undergoing
ourteen-year- rehabilitation for a hamstring injury in Bengaluru. Defender
old Bharath Deep Grace Ekka will be the vice-captain.
Subramaniyam
Gurjit Kaur and Vandana Katariya, who were India’s top
became India's 73rd
goalscorers at Tokyo 2020, are also in the squad. China,
chess Grandmaster,
Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea
after completing his
and Thailand are the seven other teams competing at the
third and final GM
Women’s Hockey Asia Cup 2022. India are drawn in Pool
norm at Vergani
A with Japan, Malaysia and Singapore and will begin their
Cup Open in Italy.
campaign against Malaysia on January 21.
Subramaniyam scored 6.5 points from nine rounds along with
four others to finish seventh overall in the event. The top four countries will qualify for the Women’s Hockey
World Cup 2022 to be held in Spain and the Netherlands
He secured his third GM norm and also touched the
later this year.
requisite 2,500 (Elo) mark. Notably, to become a GM, a
player has to secure three GM norms and cross the live Indian squad will consist-
rating of 2,500 Elo points. The All India Chess Federation Goalkeepers: Savita Punia (captain), Rajani Etimarpu
(AICF) also congratulated the teenager on his feat. Defenders: Deep Grace Ekka (vice-captain), Gurjit Kaur,
"Fourteen-year-old Bharath Subramaniyam becomes the Nikki Pradhan, Udita
73rd Grandmaster of the country after completing his final Midfielders: Nisha, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Monika,
GM Norm and crossing the 2500 rating at Vergani Cup Neha, Salima Tete, Jyoti, Navjot Kaur
Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan), won the World Rapid Chess Championship 2021 by defeating
Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia) in a tiebreaker and dethroning Magnus Carlsen, the current World FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 53
Number 1. 2020 FIDE Championship was won by Magnus Carlsen.
NEWS BITES SPORTS
Forwards: Navneet Kaur, Lalremsiami, Vandana Katariya,
Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2022
Mariana Kujur, Sharmila Devi
20 Jan' 22
Replacement players: Deepika, Ishika Chaudhary.

T
he 2022
The 2022 Adelaide International 1 India Open
16 Jan' 22 (officially

T
known as the Yonex-
he 2022 Sunrise India Open
Adelaide 2022 for sponsorship
International reasons) was a
1 was a tennis badminton tournament
tournament on the that took place at the
2022 ATP Tour and K. D. Jadhav Indoor Hall in New Delhi, India, from 11 to 16
2022 WTA Tour. It January 2022. It had a total prize pool of US$400,000.
was a combined ATP
The 2022 India Open was the first tournament of the
Tour 250 and WTA
2022 BWF World Tour and was part of the India Open
500 tournament played on outdoor hard courts in Adelaide,
championships, which had been held since 1973. The
South Australia, Australia. This was the third edition of the
tournament was organized by the Badminton Association of
tournament for the women and the second edition for the
India with sanction from the Badminton World Federation.
men. The tournament took place at the Memorial Drive
This international tournament was held at the K. D. Jadhav
Tennis Centre from 3–9 January 2022 and was followed
Indoor Hall in New Delhi, India.
a week later by the 2022 Adelaide International 2, a
combined ATP Tour 250 and WTA 250 tournament, at the Below is the point distribution table for each phase of the
same venue. tournament based on the BWF points system for the BWF
World Tour Super 500 event. The total prize money for this
Ashleigh Barty and Gaël Monfils were crowned the
tournament was US$400,000. The distribution of the prize
women's and men's singles champions, respectively.
money was in accordance by BWF regulations. Due to
Iga Świątek was the defending champion in women's
COVID-19, the tournament was held behind closed doors
singles and Andrey Rublev was the defending champion
at K. D. Jadhav Indoor Hall with the participating players
in men's singles from when the men's tournaments were
tested for COVID-19 daily.
last held in 2020. Neither player defended their title after
Świątek lost to Barty in the semifinals, and Rublev did However, there were many shuttlers withdrawing from the
not return to compete. By winning the women's doubles tournament before and during the tournament. On 7 January
tournament as well, Barty notched a third occasion 2022, the entire England contingent withdrew before the
where she won both the singles and doubles titles at the competition started after Sean Vendy and Nathan Robertson
same tournament. was tested positive with COVID-19. On 12 January 2022,
seven Indian shuttlers, including Srikanth Kidambi was
Champions
withdrawn for the same reason. Rodion Alimov and Alina
Men's singles Davletova had to withdraw as well after Alimov was tested
France Gaël Monfils def. Russia Karen Khachanov, 6–4, positive, giving Terry Hee and Tan Wei Han a walkover on
6–4 their mixed doubles semifinals.
Women's singles Champions
Australia Ashleigh Barty def. Kazakhstan Elena Rybakina Men's singles India Lakshya Sen
6–3, 6–2
Women's singles Thailand Busanan Ongbamrungphan
Men's doubles
Men's doubles India Satwiksairaj Rankireddy
India Rohan Bopanna / India Ramkumar Ramanathan def.
Croatia Ivan Dodig / Brazil Marcelo Melo 7–6(8–6), 6–1 India Chirag Shetty
Women's doubles Women's doubles Thailand Benyapa Aimsaard
Australia Ashleigh Barty / Australia Storm Sanders def. Thailand Nuntakarn Aimsaard
Croatia Darija Jurak Schreiber / Slovenia Andreja Klepač Mixed doubles Singapore Terry Hee
6–1, 6–4 Singapore Tan Wei Han

A professor in the clinical embryology department at Kasturba Medical College (KMC), under
54 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 Manipal Academy of Higher education (MAHE), Dr. Satish Adiga has been selected by the Indian
Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for its national award.
 SPORTS
by the women's
Six Boxers, Including Mary Kom,
national teams in
Added To National Coaching Camp the Asian Football
22 Jan' 22 Confederation (AFC).

S
India was
e a s o n e d
recommended as
pugilists Amit
the host of the
Panghal, Vikas
tournament by AFC
Krishan, and MC
Women's Football
Mary Kom are among
Committee and selected as the host in June 2020.
six Olympians who
It will be the second time that the country hosts the
have been added to
competition, the first being in 1979. On 28 January
the ongoing national
2021, the AFC confirmed that the tournament would
boxing coaching
take place between 20 January and 6 February 2022,
camps in the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports,
instead of the original scheduled dates of late October
Patiala and the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. The camps
and early November.
will continue till March 14.
Three Services boxers Amit Panghal, Manish Kaushik and For the first time in the competition, the final tournament
Satish Kumar, Vikas Krishan (All India Police) and Ashish was expanded from eight teams to twelve. It will
Kumar (Himachal Pradesh) have now been included in the serve as the final stage of Asian qualification for the
men’s camp in Patiala while Manipur’s six-time World 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New
Champion MC Mary Kom will join the wom’n’s camp at Zealand. Japan are the two-times defending champions.
the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, the Sports Authority of India had previously hosted the 1980 AFC Women's
India (SAI) informed in a release. Championship, originally scheduled for 1979, and
Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) had hosted the 1977 and 2001
The Olympian boxers will now join the camps, which
editions of the tournament. India was recommended
started on January 3, with only those who had competed
as the host for the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup by
in the National Championships. With the Commonwealth
the AFC Women's Football Committee on 19 February
Games and Asian Games drawing close, the Sports
2020. On 5 June 2020, India was awarded the hosting
Authority of India approved their inclusion in the camp as
rights.
recommended by the Boxing Federation of India.
As many as 63 men boxers across different weight The 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup was held amidst the
categories, and 27 coaching and support staff have been in COVID-19 pandemic which affected the organization
the national camp in NIS, Patiala while 57 women boxers, of the tournament. As a response, the tournament
including Olympic Games bronze medallist Lovlina was held under a bio-secure bubble setup. Following
Borgohain and 25 coaching and support staff are already negative test results, movement of players and officials
in the national camp in the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. are to be restricted to the hotel, the training and match
venues.
The two national camps, are part of the continuing
preparation of the boxing contingent and are part of the Several teams reported positive COVID-19 cases during
approved annual training calendar by MYAS and SAI. the duration of the tournament namely China, India,
Japan, South Korea, Myanmar, the Philippines, and
The 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup Vietnam. Host India were the most affected, with as much
as 12 of their players testing positive for COVID-19
30 Jan' 22 which rendered them unable to name 13 players required

T
he 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup is the 20th edition for their match against Chinese Taipei. India was forced
of the AFC Women's Asian Cup, the quadrennial to withdraw form the tournament due to tournament
international football tournament in Asia competed regulations.

The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) won SKOCH Award in the Silver category for its work
towards combating Crime and Violence against Children. The award was given out at the 78 SKOCH FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 55
Summit. The “State of Governance” was the theme of the summit.
NEWS BITES SCIENCE
Burning Topics of the Month
ISRO targets the launch of The naval variant of Indigenous RT-PCR kit
uncrewed flights under the BrahMos supersonic to detect Omicron in four
Gaganyaan mission before missile test-fired from INS hours gets DCGI approval.
Independence Day. Visakhapatnam.

& Many More...

Several other European countries have announced similar

Ban on plastic packaging covering
bans in recent months as they pursue commitments made
fruit and vegetables comes into force at the recent COP-26 conference in Glasgow. Earlier this
from in France 01 Jan' 22 month, Spain announced that it will introduce a ban on the

A
sale of fruit and vegetables in plastic packaging from 2023
new law to allow businesses to find alternative solutions.
banning
Mr Macron's government also announced several other
p l a s t i c
new environmental regulations, including rules calling on
packaging on most
car adverts to promote greener alternatives such as walking
fruit and vegetables
and cycling.
comes into effect
in France from
Defence Research and Development
New Year's Day.
Cucumbers, lemons Organisation (DRDO) is celebrating
and oranges are among the 30 varieties banned from being its 64th foundation day on January 1
wrapped in plastic. Larger packs, as well as chopped or 02 Jan' 22

D
processed fruit, will be exempt. President Emmanuel Macron
called the ban a real revolution and said, it showed the e f e n c e
country's commitment to phase out single-use plastics by 2040. Research and
More than a third of fruit and vegetable products in France Development
are thought to be sold in plastic wrapping and government Organisation (DRDO)
officials believe that the ban could prevent a billion items of is celebrating its 64th
single-use plastics from being used every year. foundation day. It was
In a statement announcing the new law, the Environment on this day in 1958
Ministry said that France uses an outrageous amount of when DRDO was
single-use plastics and that the new ban aims at cutting back formed to make India
the use of throwaway plastic and boosting its substitution strong and self-reliant in terms of science and technology
by other materials or reusable and recyclable packaging. and especially in military technologies.
The ban forms part of a multi-year programme introduced In the span of 63 years the organization has transformed
by Macron Government that will see plastics slowly eased the landscape of defence research and development in
out in many industries. From 2021, the country banned the country. Talking exclusively to All India Radio, the
plastic straws, cups and cutlery, as well as polystyrene Chairman of DRDO Dr G. Satheesh Reddy said that
takeaway boxes. In 2022, public spaces will be forced the last year was the year of major breakthroughs and
to provide water fountains to reduce the use of plastic accomplishments even under the difficult situation posed
bottles, publications will have to be shipped without plastic due to COVID 19.
wrapping and fast-food restaurants will no longer be able Talking about the role of DRDO in the fight against the
offer free plastic toys. COVID 19 pandemic, the DRDO Chief highlighted the
front-line tasks performed by his organization in the fight
India successfully tested an advanced sea to sea variant of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise missile from
56 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 INS Visakhapatnam. Defense Research and Development Organisation, DRDO said the missile hit
the designated target ship precisely.
 SCIENCE
against the disease. He said that over 850 oxygen plants an in-house developed nano-satellite being designed by
have been set by DRDO with the help from PM CARES the students of Chandigarh University, and a Geo Spatial
Fund and many COVID centric hospitals have been set up Centre for research, besides other important projects.
across the country, besides developing a medicine named Remembering late India-born astronaut Kalpana Chawla,
2DG. Rajnath Singh described her as a symbol of women
On the issue of development of indigenous hypersonic empowerment, and urged the people to motivate their
cruise missile which was recently called upon by the daughters to go ahead & touch unimaginable heights,
Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh in a recent seminar of echoing the Government's vision of increased participation
DRDO, the chairman said that his organisation is working of women in all sectors.
rigorously to achieve hypersonic systems and also working It may be mentioned here that CUSAT will be among the
on the fifth-generation advanced combat aircraft. 75 student-built satellites to be launched into space on the
The DRDO Chairman informed that the organization eve of the 75th Independence Day in 2022. The Chandigarh
has initiated significant steps in popularizing defence University has joined the list of 13 institutes like Indian
studies among students in the country. Talking about Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, IIT Bombay and
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s clarion call to make became the first university in North India to design and
India Self Reliant or Aatm Nirbhar, the DRDO Chairman develop its own satellite. For the project, 75 students of
reiterated the commitment of his organisation to make the the University have been working on the Chandigarh
country world leader and net exporter in the field of defence University Student Satellite Project under the guidance of
research and production in coming years. eminent Indian scientists including Padma Shri Prof RM
Vasagam, Padma Shri Dr Mylaswamy Annadurai, Padma
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has Shri YS Rajan, Padma Bhushan Dr BN Suresh, Padma Shri
inaugurated Kalpana Chawla Centre Dr BN Dattaguru, V Mahadevan, Dr L V Muralikrishna
Reddy, and Dr K Gopalakrishnan.
for Research in Space Science and
With the launch of CUSAT, Punjab will become the first
Technology (KCCRSST) at Chandigarh border state in India to have its own satellite in space. The
University 05 Jan' 22 launch of the university's nanosatellite-CUSAT will prove

R
to be an important step for the country, as it will collect data
eiterating the
related to border intrusion detection, agriculture, weather
government's
forecasting, natural disaster forecasting, which will be
commitment
helpful in research and study of various problems in these
of strengthening the
areas.
private sector for the
holistic development In addition, the GCS will help develop satellite research
of the nation, facilities and launch satellites in countries that do not
Defence Minister have developed satellite technology. The GCS under the
Rajnath Singh said KCCRSST will monitor majority of Low Earth Orbit
that an active and long-term public-private partnership is (LEO) Satellites including CUSAT and being a member
crucial to take the education and science sectors to a global of SatNOGS project, will be monitoring more than 380
level and make India a knowledge economy. satellites with over 810 transmitters in more than 50
Countries.
He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of Kalpana
Chawla Centre for Research in Space Science & Technology Indigenous RT-PCR kit to detect
(KCCRSST) at Chandigarh University, Gharuan, the first of
its kind in North India. The Union Minister also launched Omicron in four hours gets DCGI
Chandigarh University's Defence Scholarship Scheme, approval 07 Jan' 22

T
worth Rs 10 Crore, for the wards of Defence Personnel of
the three services. he Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has
approved the usage of new Omicron detecting
Established with the objective of training students in RT-PCR kit 'Omisure' that is developed by TATA
space science and satellite development and to meet future Medical and Diagnostics (MD) and the Indian Council
challenges in the area of space research, this state-of-the-art of Medical Research (ICMR). 'Omisure' kit is capable
space centre would be the Ground Control Station (GCS) of producing results in just four hours, according to the
for the Chandigarh University's Student Satellite (CUSAT), Director-General of ICMR, Dr Balram Bhargava. "The
Former Congress leader Arvind Khanna and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Gurdeep Singh Gosha
joined BJP in New Delhi.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 57
NEWS BITES SCIENCE
tests have been performed as per the manufacturer’s Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy congratulated the
instructions. Responsibility for batch-to-batch consistency team for the excellent performance of the missile during
lies with the manufacturer", a joint approval letter released the test.
on December 30, 2021, by ICMR and Health Ministry
stated. James Webb, World’s Most Powerful
"This kit can detect the Omicron variant as well as other Space Telescope, Fully Deployed
variants of SARS-CoV2 reported so far. Currently, Omicron in Space; to Study Cosmic History:
patients are detected only after genome sequencing. But
this test can help eliminate that step and detection can be
NASA 08 Jan' 22

T
done during the testing", Ravi Vasanthapuram, the R&D he James
head of TATA MD had told PTI. Moreover, the kit is now Webb Space
the only one in India used to confirm the Omicron variant Te l e s c o p e ,
in patients with its S-Gene Target Failure (SGTF) strategy, said to be the most
however, it is expected to be more expensive than regular powerful space
kits. telescope ever
As for the current scenario, Dr Bhargava said that Omicron built, completed
has grown into a predominant strain in India and urged to its two-week-long
avoid mass gatherings in order to curb its spread. deployment phase.
The number of Omicron cases in India has reached 2,135 The telescope unfolded its final mirror panel as it readies
with Maharashtra logging in the highest of 653. According to study every phase of cosmic history. “The final wing is
to the Ministry of Health, India reported 58,097 fresh now deployed,” NASA said on Twitter, adding the team
COVID cases in the last 24 hours with 828 recoveries as was working “to latch the wing into place, a multi-hour
of January 4. Meanwhile, Delhi has the second-highest process.”Also Read - NASA's Mars Orbiter Finds Water
number of Omicron cases (464), followed by Kerala (185), Flowed On Red Planet Longer Than Thought
Rajasthan (174) and Tamil Nadu (121). Because the telescope was too large to fit into a rocket’s
nose cone in its operational configuration, it was transported
DRDO Flight Tests Final Deliverable folded-up. Unfurling has been a complex and challenging
Configuration of MPATGM 11 Jan' task — the most daunting such project has ever attempted,
according to NASA. Also Read - NASA Announces New
22
Chief Scientist, Senior Climate Advisor

D
efence Research and Development Organisation The successor to Hubble, Webb blasted off in an Ariane 5
(DRDO) successfully flight tested the final rocket from French Guiana on December 25, and is heading to
deliverable configuration of Man Portable Anti- its orbital point, a million miles (1.5 million kilometers) from
Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) on January 11, 2022. Earth. Its infrared technology allows it to see the first stars and
The indigenously developed anti-tank missile is a low galaxies that formed 13.5 billion years ago, giving astronomers
weight, fire & forget missile and is launched from a man new insight into the earliest epoch of the Universe.
portable launcher, integrated with thermal sight. The Earlier this week, the telescope deployed its five-layered
missile impacted the designated target and destroyed it. sunshield — a 70-foot (21 meter) long, kite-shaped
The final impact event was captured on camera and the test apparatus that acts like a parasol, ensuring Webb’s
has validated the minimum range successfully. instruments are kept in the shade so they can detect faint
The present test was to prove the consistent performance infrared signals from the far reaches of the Universe.
for the minimum range. All the mission objectives were
met. The missile has miniaturised infrared imaging seeker Area and volume of glaciers in the
and advanced avionics for on-board control and guidance. Himalayan region are declining:
The missile performance has been proven for the maximum
range in earlier test trials.
Transparency International Nepal
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO 15 Jan' 22

A
for the consistent performance of the anti-tank missile and report of a study on climate change has made
said that this is an important step towards Atmanirbhar public the fact that the area and volume of glaciers
Bharat in advanced technology-based defence system in the Himalayan region is declining.Transparency
development. Secretary Department of Defence R&D and
In India Skill - 2021 National Competition, the Haryana team has won 11 awards. The state won
58 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
three Gold, four Silver, one Bronze medal as well as 3 medals for excellence.
 SCIENCE
International (TI) Nepal in collaboration with ICIMOD produced nanosatellites, which made up the country's
and other organisations conducted the research to look into first Maritime Domain Awareness Satellite (MDASat)
the impact of climate change on water resources in Nepal's constellation, were launched from Cape Canaveral in the
mountainous region and in the lower coastal regions. The United States as part of American aerospace company
study was made public. The study observed high variation in SpaceX's Transporter-3 mission.
temperature and precipitation variation due to geographical Transporter-3, SpaceX's third dedicated rideshare mission,
conditions of the Himalayan region.The latest study has carried a total of 105 spacecraft for various organisations and
revealed the findings of an earlier study report that the area governments, including CubeSats, microsats, PocketQubes
of glaciers in Nepal decreased by about 24 percent from and orbital transfer vehicles. Minister Nzimande said
1977 to 2010.The study also revealed that the height of the funding and support of South Africa's satellite construction
Imja and Lhotse glaciers in the Khumbu region of Nepal industry by the Department of Science and Innovation
decreased from 1970 to 2007.The risk of flooding caused (DSI) was reaping rewards.
by glacial bursting has also increased. In Koshi, Gandaki
The launch of the first three satellites of the MDASat
and Karnali watershed, 47 potentially dangerous glacial
constellation comes three years after that of the most
lakes have been identified. Of these, 21 are in the high
advanced South African nanosatellite to date, ZACube-2,
mountainous region of Nepal, 25 in Tibet and one in India.
as a technology demonstrator for the constellation.
The study has also brought out the fact that 35 glaciers have
Operation Phakisa focuses on unlocking the economic
burst from the Nepal mountain range so far.Coordinator of
potential of South Africa's oceans, which the department
the study task force Mohan Bahadur Chand said that the
said could contribute up to R177 billion to the GDP by
lake burst in Kanchenjunga area in 1963 was confirmed by
2033 and between 8,00,000 and a million direct jobs. The
the local elders during the on-site study. Yet, there is no
DSI is implementing this work through the Cape Peninsula
record of it and the issue was not even reported in the media.
University of Technology (CPUT).
Former environment ministry secretary Krishna Gyawali
said that even though the environment council was formed Although South Africa has been involved, on a relatively
under the chair of the prime minister to discuss such issues, small scale, in space activities since the dawn of the space
the meeting had not been held due to its cumbersome age in 1957, the national space industry requires specialised
structure.Under Secretary at the Ministry of Forest and skills. The full MDASat constellation will be an operational
Environment, Dr Arun Prakash Bhatta, said that the recent constellation of nine cube satellites that will detect, identify
floods in Melamchi, avalanches in Manang and unseasonal and monitor vessels in near real-time in support of South
rains in the far-western region was due to the impact of African maritime domain awareness.
climate change. He said that the developed countries should
also play a role in solving the problem of carbon emissions. Naval variant of BrahMos supersonic
On the occasion, TI Nepal President Padmini Pradhanang, missile test-fired from INS
Vice President Budhinarayan Shrestha, General Secretary Visakhapatnam 20 Jan' 22

B
Mukunda Bahadur Pradhan, Ramesh Raj Pantal of the
Central Department of Environmental Sciences, Tribhuvan rahMos,
University and others stressed on the need for Nepal to deployed
start a detailed study on the impact of climate change using by the Navy
its own resources.They also stressed on the need to pay on its warships first
attention to the fact that the local levels are spending budget in 2005, has the
allocated for the study on climate change on development capability to hit sea-
works, thereby depriving people the information they need based targets beyond
to be aware of the problem. radar horizon. An
extended-range sea-
Science and Innovation on launch to-sea variant of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile
of South African nanosatellite was successfully test fired from Indian Navy’s newly
commissioned INS Visakhapatnam on the Western
constellation 17 Jan' 22 seaboard, precisely hitting the target ship at the maximum

S
outh Africa has launched its first satellite constellation range.
developed entirely in the continent of Africa, a move An extended range sea-to-sea variant of the BrahMos
hailed by the country's Science and Innovation supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired by
Minister Blade Nzimande as a milestone. Three locally India from the Indian Navy’s newly commissioned INS
The 79th edition of the Golden Globe Awards has been announced. While the Power Of The Dog
movie won the two biggest awards, one of Best Film in Drama category and another of Best Director FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 59
honored upon Jane Campion.
NEWS BITES SCIENCE
Visakhapatnam, the Defence Research and Development engine will undergo four more tests totalling a duration of
Organisation said. 1,810 seconds and another engine will under-go two short
The naval variant was originally tested in October and duration and one long-duration test before the cryogenic
December 2020 from the Navy’s indigenously-built stealth stage is qualified for Gaganyaan mission.
destroyer INS Chennai and Rajput-class destroyer INS This is especially important after the failure of the GSLV
Ranvijay, respectively. F10 mission in August last year, when the cryogenic engine
This version of the missile has been designed to launch did not ignite due to a small drop in pressure in the fuel
either in a vertical or a horizontal mode from moving/ tank, even though the cryogenic engine for the GSLV MkIII
stationary assets to target both land and sea targets. The is different. The first stage of the launch vehicle, which
missiles, fired at a speed of 2.8 Mach or nearly three times used solid propellant, is already qualified for the mission,
the speed of sound, significantly increase the capability of according to experts. ISRO is targeting the launch of at
the ships in engaging long-range targets. least one of the two planned uncrewed mission before this
Independence Day, while the crewed mission is planned for
BrahMos missiles are designed and developed by BrahMos
next year.
Aerospace, a joint venture company set up by Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and ISRO targets launch of uncrewed
Mashinostroyenia of Russia. Originally introduced in 2001,
variations of these supersonic missiles can be launched flights under Gaganyaan mission
from submarines, ships, aircraft, and land platforms. before Independence Day 26 Jan' 22

T
ISRO tests liquid engine for he Indian Space
Research
Gaganyaan mission to check engine Organisation
function 23 Jan' 22 (ISRO) is targeting the

T
launch of first of the
he Indian
two planned uncrewed
space agency
flights under the
successfully
Gaganyaan mission
conducted a 25-second
before Independence
qualification test for
Day this year.
its liquid propellant-
based Vikas engine ISRO chairperson Dr K Sivan said the third lunar mission
to be used under the Chandrayaan-3 will be launched by middle of the next year.
Gaganyaan mission. In a letter encouraging the scientists at the organization,
The test, which was conducted at the Indian Space Research Dr Sivan said, launch of EOS-4 and EOS-6 onboard PSLV
Organisation((ISRO) Propulsion Complex in Mahendragri, and launch of EOS-02 onboard maiden flight of SSLV are
Tamil Nadu, was done to see how the engine performed immediate tasks at hand this year.
in conditions that were not optimal, such as change in the He said, there is a directive to launch the first
fuel-oxidiser ratio or pressure in the fuel chamber. “ The unmanned mission before the 75th anniversary of
performance of the engine met the test objectives and the Country’s independence i,e, August 15th this year
engine parameters were closely matching with the predictions and all the stakeholders are putting their best effort
during the entire duration of the test,” ISRO said in a release. to meet the schedule. Dr. Sivan said, Chandrayaan-3
Three more tests will be conducted, totalling a duration of design changes incorporating and testing has seen huge
75 seconds, to test the engine under varying conditions. progress and the mission could be launched by the
Then, a long-duration test for 240 seconds will be conducted middle of next year.
to qualify the engine for carrying humans to space. Two The launch of the three earth observation satellites –
Vikas engines have already been tested for 240 seconds EOS-02, EOS-04, and EOS-06 have been delayed for
each under optimal operating conditions. This is one of the several months now. All big-ticket scientific missions,
three engines that the space agency will have to qualify to including India’s first solar mission Aditya-L1, which
finally make the entire launch vehicle human rated. were to take place in 2021 were pushed when the launch
The space agency conducted a qualification test for 720 schedule was revised after the second wave of the
seconds of its cryogenic upper stage earlier this month. The pandemic.

Six boxers including Mary Kom have become part of the National Coaching Camp in the Netaji
60 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala, and the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
 MISCELLANEOUS NEWS BITES
Burning Topics of the Month
Indian Navy and Russian PM Modi sends 100 pairs
Dharmendra Pradhan
Navy conducts PASSEX of jute footwear for those
attends 82nd Indian Public
Exercise in the Arabian working at Kashi Vishwanath
Schools' Conference.
Sea. Dham.

& Many More...

PM Modi lays foundation stone of Election Commission hikes

Major Dhyan Chand Sports University expenditure limit for candidates in
in Meerut 02 Jan' 22 Parliamentary and Assembly polls

P
rime Minister
07 Jan' 22

T
Narendra he Election
Modi layed the Commission
foundation stone of has enhanced
Major Dhyan Chand the existing election
Sports University expenditure limit
in Uttar Pradesh's for candidates
Meerut. While in Parliamentary
speaking on the and Assembly
occasion, PM Modi said Meerut and its surrounding region constituencies.
has contributed significantly in giving a new direction to
independent India. These limits will be applicable in all upcoming elections.
"Be it sacrifices on the border for the defense of the nation The ceiling on parliamentary poll expenditure has been
or respect for the nation in the playground, this area has raised from 70 lakh to 95 lakh rupees in bigger states and
kept the flame of patriotism lit," Modi said. 54 lakh to 75 lakhs in smaller states.
PM Modi has also hailed the historic significance of The bigger states include Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh,
Meerut, saying the city been the birthplace of great child of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Karnataka, and the
the country, Major Dhyan Chand ji. smaller states include Goa, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh
A few months back, the central government had named and UTs.
the country's biggest sports award after Dadda. Sports The ceiling on poll expenditure in UT of Jammu and
University of Meerut is being dedicated to Major Dhyan Kashmir has been raised to 95 lakhs.
Chand ji.
For Assembly constituencies, expenditure limits have
Lashing out on the opponents, PM Modi said: "in the been enhanced from 28 lakh rupees 40 lakh rupees in
earlier governments, criminals used to play their game bigger states and from 20 lakhs to 28 lakhs in smaller
in UP, mafia used to play their game. Earlier there used states.
to be tournaments of illegal occupation, those who made
remarks on daughters roamed freely." Last major revision in the election expenditure limit was
carried out in 2014, which was further increased by 10
Our youth have the heritage of antiquity, they also have a
percent in 2020.
sense of modernity. And therefore where the youth will run,
India will run and the world is going to run where India EC had formed a Committee to study the cost factors and
goes, Modi said. other related issues, and make suitable recommendations.

UNESCO's World Heritage Centre has agreed to publish Hindi descriptions of India's UNESCO
World Heritage Sites on its website.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 61
NEWS BITES MISCELLANEOUS
Kazakhstan detains former national Phunchok Stanzin appointed new
security chief on suspicion of treason Ladakh BJP president 09 Jan' 22

F
08 Jan' 22 o r m e r

K
a r i m executive
M a s s i m o v, councillor
who was Phunchok Stanzin
fired this week as was appointed the
protests raged across new president of the
the Central Asian BJP's Ladakh unit,
country, was detained replacing Jamyang
along with several Tsering Namgyal.
other officials, the Mr Namgyal, BJP MP from Ladakh, who was
National Security Committee said in a statement appointed to the post in July 2020, welcomed the new
appointment.
Authorities in Kazakhstan have detained Karim Massimov,
the former head of the national security committee, on In a communication, BJP national general secretary Arun
suspicion of treason, the security committee said on Singh said, "BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda
January 8. has appointed Phunchok Stanzin as state president of
Ladakh BJP. The appointment comes into immediate
Karim Massimov, who was fired this week as protests raged effect," Mr Singh said in his letter, copies of which were
across the Central Asian country, was detained along with also addressed to the state in-charge and the general
several other officials, the National Security Committee secretary (organisation) for Ladakh.
said in a statement. It did not name them or provide further
details. Mr Stanzin was working as the state unit vice-president of
the party and had earlier served as an executive councillor
Reuters was unable immediately to contact Karim in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council,
Massimov. Leh.
Dozens have died and public buildings across Kazakhstan Welcoming Mr Stanzin's appointment as the party
have been ransacked and torched in the worst violence president in Ladakh, Mr Namgyal expressed his gratitude
experienced by the former Soviet republic in 30 years of to Nadda and the senior party leadership for their support
independence. and guidance during his tenure as the state unit chief.
After several days of violence, security forces appeared He also thanked his team members for their cooperation in
to have reclaimed the streets of Kazakhstan's main city by retaining power at the LAHDC, Leh for the “larger interest
January 7. of Ladakh as well as the nation”.
The Russian-backed President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Mr Namgyal expressed his heartiest congratulations to
said he had ordered his troops to shoot to kill to put down a Mr Stanzin and all the members of the BJP for the new
countrywide uprising. leadership.
At Mr. Tokayev's invitation, a Russia-led military alliance
355th birth anniversary of Guru
has been deployed at a time of high tension in East-West
relations. Russia and the United States are gearing up for Gobind Singh ji celebrated
talks next week on the Ukraine crisis. 09 Jan' 22

O
Karim Massimov is widely viewed as a close ally of former n 9th Jan is the
president Nursultan Nazarbayev. He has twice been Prime 355th birth
Minister and has also served as head of the presidential anniversary
administration under Mr. Nazarbayev. of Guru Gobind
Nazarbayev (81) was the longest-serving ruler of anex- Singh, the 10th and
Soviet state until he turned over the presidency to last Sikh guru. The
Tokayevin 2019. His family is widely believed to have auspicious occasion is
retained influence in Nur-Sultan, the purpose-built capital also known as Prakash
that bears his name. Parv.
Russian President Vladimir Putin brushed aside the news about plans to invade Ukraine and blamed
62 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 the US-headed NATO transatlantic military alliance for undermining the region’s security. Moscow
also insists on guarantees to halt NATO’s eastward expansion.
 MISCELLANEOUS
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister 81 schools including Sainik Schools and Military Schools.
Narendra Modi have greeted the people on the occasion. The annual meet of the Headmasters, Headmistresses of
Mr. Naidu said Guru Gobind Singh Ji is the epitome of more than 80 leading schools of India holds significant
selfless service and righteousness. He said Guru Gobind weight in terms of the power to influence the generation
Singh will continue to inspire the people to lead a life of of tomorrow.
service for the greater good.
PM Modi sends 100 pairs of jute
In a tweet, Mr. Modi said the life and message of Guru
Gobind Singh give strength to millions of people. He said footwear for those working at Kashi
he will always cherish the fact that his Government got the Vishwanath Dham 10 Jan' 22

P
opportunity to mark 350th Parkash Utsav.
rime Minister
Meanwhile, the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh
Narendra
is being celebrated in Bihar on a low key this time due to
Modi has sent
Covid. Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan and Chief Minister
100 pairs of jute
Nitish Kumar greeted people on the occasion of Prakas
footwear for those
Parva.
working at Kashi
Patna Sahib is the birth place of Guru Gobind Singh. Vishwanath Dham
Prakash Utsava will be celebrated tonight after after coming to know
culmination of 48 hour long Akhand path amid covid that most of them
protocol. Takhat Sri Harmandir Ji Prabhandhak perform their duties bare-footed as it is forbidden to wear
Committee general secretary Indrajeet Singh said the leather or rubber footwear on temple premises, government
entry of devotees has been restricted and no Langar will sources said.
be organised.
These include priests, people performing seva, security
guards, sanitation workers and others, they added.
Dharmendra Pradhan attends 82nd
Mr. Modi got the jute footwear procured and sent over to
Indian Public Schools' Conference the dham so that those performing their duties don’t have to
10 Jan' 22 stay bare-footed in the chilling cold.

U
n i o n A source said, “PM Modi has been deeply involved with
Education Kashi Vishwanath Dham & keeps a tab on all issues &
and Skill developments in Varanasi. This is yet another example
Development Minister of his attention to minute details and his concern for the
Dharmendra Pradhan poor.”
virtually addressed Mr. Modi had last month inaugurated the first phase
the 82nd Indian Public of the dham, which has massively expanded the Kashi
Schools' Conference Vishwanath Temple premises and beautified the
(IPSC) Principals’ complex.
Conclave organised by Doon School. Speaking on the
occasion, Pradhan said that National Education Policy Prime Minister Narendra Modi will
(2020) focusses on equitable and inclusive education with inaugurate the 25th National Youth
special emphasis given on socially and Economically
Disadvantaged Groups. An inclusive classroom benefits
Festival 11 Jan' 22

P
everyone from myriad experiences and viewpoints, and rime Minister
understand the various challenges facing this country, he Shri Narendra
added. Modi will
The Minister urged all the schools attending the conclave inaugurate the 25th
to reflect how inclusive our leading schools are and what National Youth
more can be done towards ensuring that every child in the Festival on 12th
country gets the best education. January 2022 in
The Minister was happy to know that IPSC which started in Puducherry. 12th
1939 with a few residential schools now has a strength of January being
the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, the great
India successfully tests the advanced "Sea to Sea" variant of BrahMos missile from INS
Visakhapatnam.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 63
NEWS BITES MISCELLANEOUS
philosopher and thinker, is observed as National Youth Day The government
every year. As we celebrate the birth anniversary of Swami said the company
Vivekanand, his teachings and eternal belief in the power had agreed to its
of youth greatly resonate with the changing times in India. conditions on the
Briefing media persons virtually about the National Youth management of
Festival 2022, Secretary, Youth Affairs, Smt. Usha Sharma unlawful content,
said that the Festival aims to shape the minds of India's to registering its
youth and transform them into a united force for nation- operations in Nigeria
building. and to a new tax
Smt Usha Sharma said that this year, in view of the emerging arrangement.
Covid situation, the Festival has been scheduled to be held “The FGN [federal government of Nigeria] lifts the
virtually from 12 - 13 January 2022. The inauguration will suspension of the Twitter operations in Nigeria from
be followed by the National Youth Summit which aims midnight of 13 January 2022,” said a statement from
to galvanize, ignite, unite and activate the youth towards Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the director-general of Nigeria’s
nation-building, to unleash the true potential of our National Information Technology Development Agency.
demographic dividend. The company had agreed to set up offices in Nigeria earlier
During the summit, the youth will get an opportunity to this year, register its company in the country and comply
express their views on current issues like Environment, with tax obligations, the government said.
Climate Change, SDG Led Growth, Technology, The Twitter ban was widely condemned by millions of users
Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Indigenous and Ancient and rights groups. Nigerian authorities initially threatened
Wisdom, National Character, Nation Building among to prosecute users and companies who defied the ban.
others.
Relations between Nigeria’s government and Twitter
“During the festival, the participants will have a glimpse had been difficult for a while. Officials often criticised
of Auroville, Immersive City Experience of Puducherry, the company for not doing enough to curb abusive posts
indigenous sports games from all across the country & and hate speech, and blamed it for destabilising the
folk dances etc. Other highlights of the festival include country because protest movements used social media
Live Musical Performance, Interactive Yoga session by as an organising tool. Fears of repression and curbs on
Auroville & Art of Living instructors”, Secretary Youth free speech by Muhammadu Buhari’s government have
Affairs added. grown in recent years, amid clampdowns on journalists
As a tribute to the contribution of Sri Aurobindo and and protest groups, including on key figures in the
Mahakavi Subramania Bharathi towards the Indian EndSars protests against police brutality in October
independence struggle and their fruitful efforts towards the 2020.
inculcation of the spirit of nationalism among the citizens The ban started two days after Twitter removed a post from
of the country through their literary works, the 25th the president that threatened to punish secessionists, which
National Youth Festival is being celebrated in partnership sparked mass outrage.
with Puducherry which is blessed with thoughts of both
Sri Aurobindo and Mahakavi Subramania Bharathi. DEPwD to launch its first bi-monthly
During the event, the Prime Minister will unveil selected
E-Newsletter 17 Jan' 22
essays on “Mere Sapno ka Bharat” and “Unsung Heroes

U
of Indian Freedom Movement”. These essays have been nion Minister
selected from submissions by over 1 lakh youth on the for Social
two themes. Justice &
Empowerment Dr
Nigeria lifts Twitter ban seven months Virendra Kumar
after site deleted president’s post will launch the
13 Jan' 22 E-Newsletter during
the inauguration of

N
igeria has lifted a ban on Twitter, restoring access main building of
to millions of users, seven months after it clamped Composite Regional Centre (CRC) for Skill Development,
down on the social media site in a row over Rehabilitation & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities
Twitter’s decision to delete a post by the president. at Kozhikode.
India has got the approval of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the export
64 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 of Indian mangoes to the USA. Consumers in the United States would now have access to quality
mangoes from India.
 MISCELLANEOUS
Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities navies, whilst visiting each other’s ports or during a
(Divyangjan) (DEPwD) is going to launch its first rendezvous at sea.
bi-monthly E Newsletter during the inauguration of
main building of Composite Regional Centre for Skill A book titled “Bose: The Untold Story
Development, Rehabilitation & Empowerment of Persons of An Inconvenient Nationalist” by
with Disabilities (CRC) Kozhikode on 18th January,
2022 virtually by Dr Virendra Kumar Honble Minister
Chandrachur Ghose 18 Jan' 22

A
of Social Justice & Empowerment Govt of India. Smt n e w
Anjali Bhawara, Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice biography
& Empowerment, Government of India, Dr. Prabodh titled “Bose:
Seth, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice & The Untold Story
Empowerment, Government of India, Shri Nachiketa of An Inconvenient
Rout, Director, NIEPMD, Chennai will also be present Nationalist” authored
during the function. by Chandrachur
The function is being organized at CRC Campus at Ghose will be
Chevayur Kozhikode Kerala. released in February
The E-Newsletter will be helpful in continuity of flow of 2022. The book contains the thoughts and opinions
information and to bridge the gap with our target audience. of Subhas Chandra Bose about the development of
It would be a gateway to know our department’s activities. independent India, communalism, geopolitics and political
It will also keep track of the performance of our different ideology. It also marked the untold and unknown stories of
Schemes. Netaji (Subhas Chandra Bose).
The biography attempts to bring new perspectives on
Indian Navy and Russian Navy Netaji’s thoughts on independent India’s development,
conducts PASSEX Exercise in Arabian the problem of communalism, geopolitics, his political
ideology, and how he negotiated with the political parties,
Sea 17 Jan' 22 revolutionary societies, and the government.

I
ndian Navy The book throws light on Bose’s intense political activities
and Russian around the revolutionary groups in Bengal, Punjab,
Navy undertook Maharashtra, and the United Provinces; his efforts to
PASSEX exercises bridge the increasing communal divide and his influence
at the port of Cochin, among the splintered political landscape; his outlook on
in the Arabian and relations with women; his plunge into the depths of
Sea. The Indian spirituality; his penchant for covert operations; and his
Navy’s indigenously efforts to engineer a rebellion among the Indian armed
designed and built forces.
guided-missile destroyer, INS Kochi, took part in the Subhas Bose was born into wealth and privilege in a
exercise. Russian Federation Navy was represented by RFS large Bengali family in Orissa during the British Raj. The
Admiral Tributs. early recipient of an Anglocentric education, he was sent
Two other Russian naval ships Russian Naval Missile after college to England to take the Indian Civil Service
Cruiser Varyag, and Russian Tanker Boris Butoma were examination. He succeeded in the vital first exam but
also accompanied. The exercise showcased cohesiveness demurred at taking the routine final exam, citing nationalism
and interoperability between the two navies and included as a higher calling. Returning to India in 1921 to join the
tactical manoeuvres, cross-deck helicopter operations and nationalist movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and the
seamanship activities. Indian National Congress, Bose followed Jawaharlal Nehru
These exercises are aimed at enhancing interoperability, to leadership in a group within the Congress which was less
improving understanding and imbibing best practices keen on constitutional reform and more open to socialism.
between both the friendly navies, and this will involve He became Congress president in 1938. After reelection
advanced surface and anti-submarine warfare exercises, in 1939, differences arose between him and Gandhi. The
weapon firings, seamanship exercises and helicopter senior leadership in the Congress supported Gandhi, and
operations, Navy officials said, adding that these exercises Bose resigned as president and was eventually ousted from
are conducted regularly with units of friendly foreign the party.

UN says, 5 billion dollars in aid for Afghanistan to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in 2022. FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 65
NEWS BITES MISCELLANEOUS
April 1941 Bose arrived in Nazi Germany, where the composer', 'Pianist par excellence' and an 'outstanding'
leadership offered unexpected but equivocal sympathy mentor to Shillong Chamber Choir.' PM Modi also credited
for India's independence. German funds were employed the Nongkynrih for transforming the choir group into a
to open a Free India Centre in Berlin. A 3,000-strong Free globally renowned musical group.
India Legion was recruited from among Indian POWs Furthermore, PM Narendra Modi talked about being
captured by Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps to serve under enthralled by Nongkynrih's 'soul-stirring' performances
Bose. and believed that his 'versatile genius' and 'creativity'
With Japanese support, Bose revamped the Indian National will always be fondly remembered. Notably, the Shilling
Army (INA), which comprised Indian prisoners of war of Chamber Choir had performed at the Republic Summit in
the Indian Army. 2018 just minutes before PM Modi had taken the stage. He
also believed that although the late musician is no longer
PM Modi's Tribute Rings At Neil with the group, his values and memories will continue
Nongkynrih's Funeral 25 Jan' 22 to stay with them. PM Modi also added that the group

N
members would continue to be inspired by Nongkynrih's
eil Nongkynrih, excellence and scale new heights with their music. He
the celebrated concluded the letter by offering condolences and prayers to
m u s i c Neil Nongkynrih's family and admirers.
composer and founder Sharing the letter on social media, Shillong Chamber Choir
of Shillong Chamber informed that it was read out at the late music conductor's
Choir, breathed his funeral. They wrote, ''A letter of condolence from the Prime
last on January 5 at Minister of India, read out at Uncle Neils funeral - a man
the Reliance Hospital whose life made an impact on all who met him and his
following a brief music.
illness. Many notable personalities from the film industry had
then taken to social media to pay him a tribute and remember Born in Meghalaya, Neil Nongkynrih was an Indian concert
his profound contribution to music. Prime Miniter Narendra pianist. The music conductor, who led the SCC to national
Modi also mourned his death and extended condolences to his fame via the popular reality show India's Got Talent about
family, a letter of which has now been posted. a decade ago, was admitted to the hospital and died after
surgery. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Manipur has
The official social media handle of the Shillong-based the gateway to the southeast Asian countries and strengthen
group, Shillong Chamber Choir, shared the letter of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat and he also praised the women of
condolence by PM Modi. Mourning the loss of the 51-year- Manipur and said that they make India proud in the world
old musician, PM Modi extended his deepest condolences. of Sports.
In his letter, he described the late musician as 'eminent

Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested Man-Portable

66 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
Anti-Tank Guided Missile.
 DESIGNATION WHO'S WHO
WHO’S WHO
S.No. DESIGNATION NAME
1. Chairman, Rajya Sabha Venkaiah Naidu
2. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla
3. Chairman of Niti Ayog Narendra D. Modi
4. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge
5. Leader of House in Lok Sabha Narendra D. Modi
6. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha -
7. Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra
8. Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, Anup Chandra Pandey
9. Director General, ITBP Sanjay Arora
10. Central Vigilance Commissioner Suresh N. Patel
11. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla
12. Comptroller & Auditor General of India G. C. Murmu
13. Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre S. Somanath
14. Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Dr. P. D. Vaghela
15. CBI Director Subodh Kumar Jaiswal
16. Chairman, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes Harsh Chauhan
17. Chairperson, National Commission for Minorities Sardar Iqbal Singh Lalpura
18. Chairman, UPSC Pradeep Kumar Joshi
19. Director General, National Investigation Agency Kuldiep Singh
20. Chairman, Space Commission and ISRO K. Sivan
21. Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission and Sec. Deptt. of Atomic Energy K. N. Vyas
22. Chairman, SSC Deepti Umashankar
23. Chairman,National Human Rights Commission Justice Arun Mishra
24. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India Vivek Joshi
25. Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes J.B. Mohapatra
26. Chairman, Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India Subash Chandra Khuntia
27. Chairman, Securities & Exchange Board of India Ajay Tyagi
28. Chairperson, State Bank of India Dinesh Kumar Khara
29. India’s permanent representative in UNO T S Tirumurti
30. Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla
31. Chairperson of National Commission for Women Rekha Sharma
32. Chairman, 15th Finance Commission N. K. Singh
33. Chairman, Competition Commission of India Ashok Kumar Gupta
34. Chairperson,Central Board of Film Certification Prasoon Joshi
35. President, ASSOCHAM Vineet Agarwal
36. Chairman, NASSCOM UB Pravin Rao
37. Chief of Defence Staff -
38. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari
39. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar
40. Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane
41. Chief, RAW Samant Goel
42. Director, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre A.K. Mohanty
43. National Commission for Scheduled Castes Vijay Sampla
44. President, FICCI Sanjiv Mehta
45. Chairman of 21st Law Commission Dr. Justice BS Chauhan
46. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval
47. CEO, Prasar Bharati Shashi S. Vempati
48. DG of National Testing Agency Vineet Joshi
49. Finance Secretary T.V. Somanathan
50. Chairman, Indian Banks Association A.K. Goyal
Data as on 08th February, 2022
The BWF 2022 Yonex-Sunrise India Open tournament started in New Delhi with players like
Kidambi Srikanth, PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, and Sai Pratheek set to take on their respective FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 67
opponents in the round 32 matches.
WORD OF ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY
Precipitate 3. The passing of the gun control bill may precipitate a
rapid increase in illegal gun sales.
Pronunciation: /
4. Although economists cannot be certain, it is
1: Verb
presumed the rising real estate market will
A: Cause (an event or situation, typically one that is precipitate new jobs.
undesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or
5. The witch got people to purchase her magic potion
prematurely.
by telling them the liquid would precipitate true
"The incident precipitated a political crisis" love.
B: cause to move suddenly and with force. 6. Drinking in excess will precipitate liver disease.
"Suddenly the ladder broke, precipitating them down 7. Despite the mediator’s wish to precipitate peace
into a heap" between the two warring countries, he was unable
to get the sides to agree to a treaty.
C: send someone or something suddenly into a particular
state or condition. 8. More than likely, the lack of rain is going to
precipitate a drought in the southern region of the
"They were precipitated into a conflict for which they
country.
were quite unprepared"
9. Eating an unhealthy diet will precipitate poor health.
2: Adjective
10. The principal did what she could to precipitate an
A: Done, made, or acting suddenly or without careful
end to the student dispute.
consideration.
11. Often, the precipitating factor is the older relative's
"I must apologize for my staff—their actions were
physical safety.
precipitate"
12. An acute sickle cell crisis is often Precipitated by
B: Occurring suddenly or abruptly.
infection.
"A precipitate decline in Labour fortunes"
13. QX-505 is a very fine-grained Precipitated silica as
Origin of the word white powder.
Late 15c., precipitacioun, "a casting down" (of the evil 14. These particles will grow to a certain point and
angels from heaven), also, in alchemy "separation of a solid finally Precipitate.
substance from a solution," from Old French precipitation
15. If the urine is extremely alkaline, them more calcium
(15c.) and directly from Latin praecipitationem (nominative
Precipitates, too.
praecipitatio) "act or fact of falling headlong, haste," noun
of action from past-participle stem of praecipitare "to 16. The victim can give a strong tea, which contains
throw or dive headlong; be hasty," from praeceps (genitive substances that Precipitate poison(tannins).
praecipitis) "steep, headlong, headfirst," from prae "before,
17. His weakness Precipitates his downfall and the
forth" (see pre-) + caput "head" (from PIE root *kaput-
demise of those around him.
"head")..
18. The victim can begiven a strong tea that contains
Example sentences:
substances precipitating poison(tannins).
1. The rising level of unemployment is going to
19. It's used to observe hair follicle( blocked or the
precipitate a huge crowd at the welfare office.
pigment precipitates), sensitive skin.
2. Even though Mark is experiencing pain in his ankle,
20. The ultrasonically precipitated crystals feature have
he cannot think of anything he did to precipitate the
a more uniform sizeand more cubic morphology.
injury.

68 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 Nifty may rally 22% by April to hit 22000 and Sensex is seen at 65000: Sanjiv Bhasin.
 79th Golden Globe
Awards

The 79th Golden Globe Awards honored the best in film and American television of 2021, as chosen by the Hollywood
Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The ceremony took place privately on January 9, 2022. The nominations were
announced on December 13, 2021 by rapper Snoop Dogg and HFPA president Helen Hoehne.
For the first time since 2008, there was no traditional, televised ceremony. In support of boycotts of the HFPA by
various media companies, actors, and other creatives over its lack of action to increase the membership diversity of the
organization, the Golden Globes' regular broadcaster NBC declined to televise the 79th Golden Globe Awards; it was
also agreed that the event would not be live streamed online either. The HFPA ultimately chose to hold the presentation
privately, with attendance limited to the organization's beneficiaries, and results announced to the public via the Golden
Globes' social media outlets.
The films Belfast and The Power of the Dog were tied for the most nominations, at seven each. The Power of the Dog tied
with Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, and HBO's drama Succession with the most awards of the night, with three each.
These included the awards for Best Drama Film, Best Musical or Comedy Film and Best Drama Series, respectively. Mj
Rodriguez made history as the first transgender person to win an acting award at the Golden Globes, winning the Best
Actress – Television Series Drama category for her role as Blanca Rodriguez-Evangelista in Pose. Rachel Zegler also
made history as the first actress of Colombian descent and first Latina to win Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy
or Musical for her performance as María Vasquez in West Side Story as well as becoming the youngest winner in that
category at 20-years-old.

1. Best Motion Picture Drama The Power of the Dog, Netflix

2. Best Performance By An Actress In Drama Nicole Kidman, Being The Ricardos
A Motion Picture
3. Best Performance By An Actor In A Drama Will Smith, King Richard
Motion Picture
4. Best Motion Picture Musical Or Comedy West Side Story, 20th Century Studios /
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
5. Best Performance By An Actress In Musical Or Comedy Rachel Zegler, West Side Story
A Motion Picture
6. Best Performance By An Actor In A Musical Or Comedy Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick…Boom!
Motion Picture
7. Best Motion Picture Animated Encanto, Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures
8. Best Motion Picture Non-English Language Drive My Car, (Japan), Janus Films
(Formerly Foreign
Language)
9. Best Performance By An Actress In In Any Motion Picture Ariana Debose, West Side Story
A Supporting Role
10. Best Performance By An Actor In A In Any Motion Picture Kodi Smit-Mcphee, The Power Of The
Supporting Role Dog

With Rs 76,000 crore PLI scheme, India is set to action its semiconductor fab vision. FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 69
 11. Best Director Motion Picture Jane Campion, The Power Of The Dog
12. Best Screenplay Motion Picture Kenneth Branagh, Belfast
13. Best Original Score Motion Picture Hans Zimmer, Dune
14. Best Original Song Motion Picture “No Time To Die” — No Time To Die
Music By: Billie Eilish, Finneas
O’Connell
Lyrics By: Billie Eilish, Finneas
O’Connell
15. Best Television Series Drama Succession, HBO/HBO Max
16. Best Performance By An Actress In Drama Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Pose
A Television Series
17. Best Performance By An Actor In A Drama Jeremy Strong, Succession
Television Series
18. Best Television Series Musical Or Comedy Hacks, HBO/HBO Max
19. Best Performance By An Actress In Musical Or Comedy Jean Smart, Hacks
A Television Series
20. Best Performance By An Actor In A Musical Or Comedy Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso
Television Series
21. Best Television Limited Series, Made For Television The Underground Railroad, Amazon
Anthology Series Or Motion Picture Prime Video
22. Best Performance By An Actress In Made For Television Kate Winslet, Mare Of Easttown
A Limited Series, Anthology Series,
Or A Motion Picture
23. Best Performance By An Actor In Made For Television Michael Keaton, Dopesick
A Limited Series, Anthology Series,
Or A Motion Picture
24. Best Performance By An Actress In On Television Sarah Snook, Succession
A Supporting Role
25. Best Performance By An Actor In A On Television Oh Yeong-Su, Squid Game
Supporting Role
On January 6, the HFPA announced that the ceremony would be held privately, with the winners announced via its social
media platforms and press releases. It marked the first time since the 36th Golden Globe Awards in 1979 that there
was no telecast, and the 65th Golden Globe Awards in 2008 that there was no traditional ceremony. The HFPA stated
that the 90-minute event would primarily highlight the organization's philanthropy, and be interspersed with the award
presentations. After reportedly being unable to secure celebrities to serve as presenters, attendance was limited to those
associated with the HFPA's beneficiaries. No nominees, guests, or credentialed media were in attendance. The ceremony
was held under strict COVID-19 protocol due to the Omicron variant situation in Los Angeles.

NIRAMAI, InnAccel receive World Bank and Consumer Technology Association's Global Women's
70 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
Health Tech Awards.
 2021–2022
Russo-Ukrainian
crisis
In March and April 2021, Russia massed about 100,000 Following weeks of protests as part of the Euromaidan
soldiers and military equipment near its border with movement, pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych and
Ukraine, representing the highest force mobilization the leaders of the parliamentary opposition on 21 February
since the country's annexation of Crimea in 2014. This 2014 signed a settlement agreement that called for an
precipitated an international crisis and generated concerns early election. The following day, Yanukovych fled from
over a potential invasion. Satellite imagery showed Kyiv ahead of an impeachment vote that stripped him of
movements of armor, missiles, and other heavy weaponry. his powers as president. Leaders of the Russian-speaking
The troops were partially removed by June. The crisis eastern regions of Ukraine declared continuing loyalty
was renewed in October and November 2021, when over to Yanukovych, causing the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in
100,000 Russian troops were again massed near the border Ukraine. The unrest would develop into the War in Donbas
by December. with the creation of the Kremlin-controlled self-proclaimed
The ongoing crisis stems from the protracted Russo- Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic,
Ukrainian War that began in early 2014. In December as well as the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia.
2021, Russia advanced two draft treaties that contained In July 2021, Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, published
requests of what it referred to as "security guarantees" an essay titled "On the Historical Unity of Russians and
including a legally binding promise that Ukraine would Ukrainians", in which he re-affirmed his view that Russians
not join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as and Ukrainians were "one people".Russia has said that a
well as a reduction in NATO troops and military hardware possible Ukrainian accession to NATO and the NATO
stationed in Eastern Europe and threatened unspecified enlargement in general threaten its national security.
military response if those demands were not met in full.
The United States and other NATO members have rejected First Russian military buildup
these requests, and warned Russia of "swift and severe" On 3 March 2021, separatists from the self-proclaimed
economic sanctions should it further invade Ukraine. Donetsk People's Republic reported they had been granted
Bilateral U.S.-Russia diplomatic talks were held in January permission to use "preemptive fire for destruction" on
2022, but those failed to defuse the crisis. Ukrainian military positions.
Beginning from 16 March, NATO began a series of military
Historical background of the exercises known as Defender Europe 2021. The military
Russo-Ukrainian War exercise, one of the largest NATO-led military exercises in
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Europe for decades, included near-simultaneous operations
both Ukraine and Russia continued to retain close ties. In across over 30 training areas in 12 countries, involving
1994, Ukraine agreed to abandon its nuclear arsenal and 28,000 troops from 27 nations. Russia has criticized NATO
signed the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances for holding Defender Europe 2021. It has deployed troops
on the condition that Russia, the United Kingdom and the to its western borders for military exercises in response to
United States would issue an assurance against threats NATO's military activities.
or use of force against the territorial integrity or political
independence of Ukraine. In 1999, Russia was one of
Continued violence and escalation
signatories of Charter for European Security. Despite being Russian and pro-Kremlin media made allegations on 3
a recognized independent country since 1991, as a former April accusing a Ukrainian drone attack of causing the
USSR constituent republic, Ukraine had been perceived by death of a child in the Russian-occupied part of Donbas.
the leadership of the Russian Federation as being part of its Shortly after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Ukraine
sphere of influence. blocked the flow of the Northern Crimean Canal, which had

PM Modi inaugurates 11 New Government Medical Colleges across Tamil Nadu. FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 71
supplied 85-percent of Crimea's water. Crimea's reservoirs On 1 December, Russia accused Ukraine of deploying
were subsequently depleted and water shortages ensued, 125,000 troops (half of the capacity of the ZSU) at Donbas
with water reportedly only being available for three to five to confront pro-Russian separatists.
hours a day in 2021. Russia began a slow evacuation of its embassy staff at
Russia has transferred ships between the Caspian Sea and Kyiv beginning from January 2022. The motives of the
Black Sea. The transfer had involved several landing craft evacuation remain unknown and were subjected to multiple
and artillery boats. speculations. By mid-January, an intelligence assessment
On 13 April, Ukrainian consul Oleksandr Sosoniuk was produced by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence estimated
detained in Saint Petersburg by the Federal Security that Russia were in its final stages of completing a military
Service (FSB), allegedly while "receiving confidential buildup at the Russo-Ukrainian border, amassing 127,000
information" during a meeting with a Russian citizen. troops at the region.
Sosoniuk was later expelled from Russia. In response, On 20 January, Russia announced plans to hold major
Yevhen Chernikov, a senior Russian diplomat of the navy drills from the Pacific to the Atlantic containing
Russian embassy in Kyiv, was declared a persona non 140 warships and support vessels, 60 planes and 10,000
grata in 19 April in Ukraine and was forced to leave the soldiers.
country within 72 hours. In an interview to The Washington Post in January 2022,
On the night between 14 and 15 April, a naval confrontation Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that
took place in the Sea of Azov, 25 miles from the Kerch Russian forces could invade and take control of regions in
Strait, between three Ukrainian Gyurza-M-class artillery eastern Ukraine
boats and six vessels from the Coast Guard of the Border On January 28, the former NATO Commander, General
Service of the FSB. Philip Breedlove, gave an assessment of Russian army war
According to John Kirby, Pentagon Press Secretary, Russia fighting capabilities and strategic aims.
had concentrated more troops near the border with Ukraine
than in 2014. Russia reportedly imposed temporary Alleged Russian subversion attempts
restrictions on flights over parts of Crimea and the Black The vandalism of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Sea from 20 to 24 April 2021, as stated in an international website by hackers as seen during the 2022 Ukraine cyberattack.
report for pilots. On 10 January 2022, the Ukrainian government announced
On 22 April 2021, Russian Minister of Defence Sergey that it had arrested an alleged Russian military intelligence
Shoygu announced a drawdown of military exercises with agent who was attempting to recruit others to conduct
troops from the 58th and 41st Army, and the 7th, 76th, attacks in the Ukrainian city of Odessa.
and 98th Guards Airborne Division returning to their In January 2022, the United States said that the Russian
permanent bases by 1 May after inspections in the Southern government had deployed saboteurs to eastern Ukraine to
and Western military districts. Equipment at the Pogonovo stage a fabricated attack on Russian proxy separatists in eastern
training facility were to remain for the annual military Donetsk and Luhansk to provide Putin with a pretext for a
exercise with Belarus scheduled in September 2021. renewed invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. said that the Russian
operatives were trained in urban warfare and explosives. The
Second Russian military buildup Russian government denied seeking a pretext to invade.
Senior officials of the Biden administration reported that
On 22 January, the British government said that Russia
Russia had only withdrawn a few thousand troops since the
was organizing a plan to supplant Ukraine's government
previous military buildup. The New York Times estimated
via military force and install a pro-Russian puppet
over 80,000 Russian troops still remain at the Russo-
administration in the country, potentially led by Yevheniy
Ukrainian border by September 2021.
Murayev, a former member of the Ukrainian parliament.
On 21 November, the head of the HUR MOU, Kyrylo
Budanov, reported that Russia had concentrated more Ukrainian defenses
than 92,000 troops and deployed several Iskander short- In preparation of a possible renewed Russian invasion
range ballistic missile (SRBM) systems near the Russo- in April 2021, the Ukrainian Ground Forces announced
Ukrainian border. Budanov accused Russia of conspiring a meeting of territorial defense to strengthen and protect
protests against vaccination against COVID-19 in Kyiv and the state border, protect and defend critical facilities and
other protest rallies in Ukraine to destabilize the country in combat sabotage and reconnaissance groups in the southern
preparations for a large-scale military invasion. border areas of Ukraine.

IEPFA signs MoU with IGNOU for promoting Investor Education and Financial literacy through
72 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
Gyan Darshan channel.
The United States estimated in December 2021 that Russia NATO–Russia security talks
could assemble 175,000 troops to invade Ukraine.
On 15 December 2021, Russia formally handed over to
Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces (the reserve the U.S. its draft treaties on security guarantees whereby
component of the army established after the 2014 Russian the U.S. would undertake not to deploy troops in ex-Soviet
invasion) recruited additional citizens and trained them in states that are not NATO members, rule out any further
urban guerrilla tactics and firearm use. expansion of the Alliance eastward, and NATO would,
By combining serving military units with combat veterans, among other things, undertake not to deploy any forces in
reservists, territorial defense units, and large numbers of other countries in addition to that which were deployed as
volunteers, Ukraine can create tens of thousands of small of 27 May 1997.
and highly mobile groups capable of attacking Russian The Geneva meeting was followed by a meeting of the
forces. NATO–Russia Council in Brussels on 12 January that
Foreign support to Ukraine brought together all 30 NATO members and Russia to
discuss, according to the official statement issued by NATO,
In response to threats of a renewed invasion by Russia "the situation in and around Ukraine, and the implications
and the amassing of about 100,000 Russian troops of for European security".
the Ukrainian border, the U.S. and other NATO nations
On 21 January, Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony
provided aid to Ukraine to assist the nation in bolstering
Blinken met in Geneva. Blinken emphasized "was not a
its defenses. The first shipment of some 200,000 pounds
negotiation but a candid exchange of concerns and ideas".
of military equipment arrived in Ukraine in January
2022. Reactions
In December 2021, US administration approved an Ukraine
additional $200 million defense aid to Ukraine. This was in
In an interview with the French newspaper Libération in
addition to already allocated aid for that, making the total
April 2021, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said
defense aid of $650 million in 2021.
that Russian troops' build-up near the border with Ukraine
In January 2022, the Biden administration also granted and the deterioration of the situation in eastern Ukraine
permission to the Baltic nations (Lithuania, Latvia and were the gravest since the attack on Ukrainian sailors in the
Estonia) to transfer U.S.-made equipment to Ukraine. Kerch Strait in November 2018.
Other NATO members also provided aid to Ukraine. Russia
Prexisting UK and Canadian military training programs
The Kremlin has repeatedly denied that it has any plans
were bolstered in January 2022, with the British deploying
to invade Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin
additional military trainers and providing light anti-armor
dismissed such fears as "alarmist". Sergei Naryshkin,
defense systems, and the Canadians deploying a small
director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service,
special forces delegation to aid Ukraine.
dismissed reports of a possible invasion of Ukraine
On 16 January, the Danish government decided to provide asserting that it was "malicious propaganda by the US
a €22 million defense package for Ukraine. State Department".
Diplomatic negotiations Belarus
On 2–3 November 2021, CIA director William Burns met The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has
with senior Russian intelligence officials at Moscow to stated that his country "does not want war", but if someone
convey to the Kremlin Biden's concern about the situation "pulls it, imposes sanctions or intimidates it", it will
on the border with Ukraine. "almost give up" because, in his words, they are invincible.
He also stated that he would send "a whole contingent of
Israel maintains strong relationship with both with Ukraine
the Belarusian army" to the border with Ukraine, because
and with Russia, and has sometimes acted as an interlocutor
"Ukrainians allegedly began to draw troops there."
between the two nations.
On January 18, the Digital Forensic Research Lab of the
On 21 January 2022 the Communist Party of the Russian
Atlantic Council expert group published a review of the
Federation announced on Pravda that its deputies would
arrival of Russian troops in the Republic of Belarus. In
introduce a resolution in the State Duma to ask President
particular, it was about unloading Russian BM-27 Uragan
Putin to officially recognize the (breakaway (from Ukraine)
multiple rocket launchers at the Rechytsa station in the
republic's) Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk
Gomel Oblast north of Kyiv.
People's Republic.

India and China hold 14th Corps Commander-level talks to resolve LAC Standoff. FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 73
 Padma
Awards 2022
announced
Padma Awards - one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan,
Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public
affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. ‘Padma
Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and
‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.
These awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at RashtrapatiBhawan
usually around March/ April every year. This year the President has approved conferment of 128 Padma Awards including
2 duo case (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one) as per list below. The list comprises 4 Padma Vibhushan, 17
Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri Awards. 34 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 10 persons from
the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 13 Posthumous awardees.
Padma Vibhushan(4)
S. No. Name Field State/Country
1. Ms. Prabha Atre Art Maharashtra
2. Shri Radheyshyam Khemka Literature and Education Uttar Pradesh
(Posthumous)
3. General Bipin Rawat Civil Service Uttarakhand
(Posthumous)
4. Shri Kalyan Singh Public Affairs Uttar Pradesh
(Posthumous)

Padma Bhushan(17)
5. Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad Public Affairs Jammu and Kashmir
6. Shri Victor Banerjee Art West Bengal
7. Ms. Gurmeet Bawa Art Punjab
(Posthumous)
8. Shri Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Public Affairs West Bengal
9. Shri Natarajan Chandrasekaran Trade and Industry Maharashtra
10. Shri Krishna Ella and Smt. Suchitra Ella* (Duo) Trade and Industry Telangana
11. Ms. Madhur Jaffery Others-Culinary United States of America
12. Shri Devendra Jhajharia Sports Rajasthan
13. Shri Rashid Khan Art Uttar Pradesh
14. Shri Rajiv Mehrishi Civil Service Rajasthan
15. Shri Satya Narayana Nadella Trade and Industry United States of America
16. Shri Sundararajan Pichai Trade and Industry United States of America
17. Shri Cyrus Poonawalla Trade and Industry Maharashtra
India Open: Saina Nehwal moves into women's singles second round after Tereza Svabikova
74 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
withdraws with injury.
18. Shri Sanjaya Rajaram Science and Engineering Mexico
(Posthumous)
19. Ms. Pratibha Ray Literature and Education Odisha
20. Swami Sachidanand Literature and Education Gujarat
21. Shri Vashishth Tripathi Literature and Education Uttar Pradesh

Padma Shri (107)

22. Shri Prahlad Rai Agarwala Trade and Industry West Bengal
23. Prof. Najma Akhtar Literature and Education Delhi
24. Shri Sumit Antil Sports Haryana
25. Shri T Senka Ao Literature and Education Nagaland
26. Ms. Kamalini Asthana and Ms. Nalini Art Uttar Pradesh
Asthana* (Duo)
27. Shri Subbanna Ayyappan Science and Engineering Karnataka
28. Shri J K Bajaj Literature and Education Delhi
29. Shri Sirpi Balasubramaniam Literature and Education Tamil Nadu
30. Srimad Baba Balia Social Work Odisha
31. Ms. Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay Science and Engineering West Bengal
32. Ms. Madhuri Barthwal Art Uttarakhand
33. Shri Akhone Asgar Ali Basharat Literature and Education Ladakh
34. Dr. Himmatrao Bawaskar Medicine Maharashtra
35. Shri Harmohinder Singh Bedi Literature and Education Punjab
36. Shri Pramod Bhagat Sports Odisha
37. Shri S Ballesh Bhajantri Art Tamil Nadu
38. Shri Khandu Wangchuk Bhutia Art Sikkim
39. Shri Maria Christopher Byrski Literature and Education Poland
40. Acharya Chandanaji Social Work Bihar
41. Ms. Sulochana Chavan Art Maharashtra
42. Shri Neeraj Chopra Sports Haryana
43. Ms. Shakuntala Choudhary Social Work Assam
44. Shri Sankaranarayana Menon Chundayil Sports Kerala
45. Shri S Damodaran Social Work Tamil Nadu
46. Shri Faisal Ali Dar Sports Jammu and Kashmir
47. Shri Jagjit Singh Dardi Trade and Industry Chandigarh
48. Dr. Prokar Dasgupta Medicine United Kingdom
49. Shri Aditya Prasad Dash Science and Engineering Odisha
50. Dr. Lata Desai Medicine Gujarat
51. Shri Malji bhai Desai Public Affairs Gujarat
52. Ms. Basanti Devi Social Work Uttarakhand
53. Ms. Lourembam Bino Devi Art Manipur
54. Ms. Muktamani Devi Trade and Industry Manipur
55. Ms. Shyamamani Devi Art Odisha

PM security lapse: SC appoints former SC Judge, Indu Malhotra to head the inquiry committee along
with other members.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 75
56. Shri Khalil Dhantejvi Literature and Education Gujarat
(Posthumous)
57. Shri Savaji Bhai Dholakia Social Work Gujarat
58. Shri Arjun Singh Dhurve Art Madhya Pradesh
59. Dr. Vijaykumar Vinayak Dongre Medicine Maharashtra
60. Shri Chandraprakash Dwivedi Art Rajasthan
61. Shri Dhaneswar Engti Literature and Education Assam
62. Shri Om Prakash Gandhi Social Work Haryana
63. Shri Narasimha Rao Garikapati Literature and Education Andhra Pradesh
64. Shri Girdhari Ram Ghonju Literature and Education Jharkhand
(Posthumous)
65. Shri Shaibal Gupta Literature and Education Bihar
(Posthumous)
66. Shri Narasingha Prasad Guru Literature and Education Odisha
67. Shri Gosaveedu Shaik Hassan Art Andhra Pradesh
(Posthumous)
68. Shri Ryuko Hira Trade and Industry Japan
69. Ms. Sosamma Iype Others - Animal Husbandry Kerala
70. Shri Avadh Kishore Jadia Literature and Education Madhya Pradesh
71. Ms. Sowcar Janaki Art Tamil Nadu
72. Ms. Tara Jauhar Literature and Education Delhi
73. Ms. Vandana Kataria Sports Uttarakhand
74. Shri H R Keshavamurthy Art Karnataka
75. Shri Rutger Kortenhorst Literature and Education Ireland
76. Shri P Narayana Kurup Literature and Education Kerala
77. Ms. Avani Lekhara Sports Rajasthan
78. Shri Moti Lal Madan Science and Engineering Haryana
79. Shri Shivnath Mishra Art Uttar Pradesh
80. Dr. Narendra Prasad Misra Medicine Madhya Pradesh
(Posthumous)
81. Shri Darshanam Mogilaiah Art Telangana
82. Shri Guruprasad Mohapatra Civil Service Delhi
(Posthumous)
83. Shri Thavil Kongampattu A V Murugaiyan Art Puducherry
84. Ms. R Muthukannammal Art Tamil Nadu
85. Shri Abdul Khader Nadakattin Others - Grassroots Innovation Karnataka
86. Shri Amai Mahalinga Naik Others - Agriculture Karnataka
87. Shri Tsering Namgyal Art Ladakh
88. Shri A K C Natarajan Art Tamil Nadu
89. Shri V L Nghaka Literature and Education Mizoram
90. Shri Sonu Nigam Art Maharashtra

The United States has announced $308 million in additional humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan
76 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
as it edges toward a humanitarian crisis.
 91. Shri Ram Sahay Panday Art Madhya Pradesh
92. Shri Chirapat Prapandavidya Literature and Education Thailand
93. Ms. K V Rabiya Social Work Kerala
94. Shri Anil Kumar Rajvanshi Science and Engineering Maharashtra
95. Shri Sheesh Ram Art Uttar Pradesh
96. Shri Ramachandraiah Art Telangana
97. Dr. Sunkara Venkata Adinarayana Rao Medicine Andhra Pradesh
98. Ms. Gamit Ramilaben Raysingbhai Social Work Gujarat
99. Ms. Padmaja Reddy Art Telangana
100. Guru Tulku Rinpoche Others - Spiritualism Arunachal Pradesh
101. Shri Brahmanand Sankhwalkar Sports Goa
102. Shri Vidyanand Sarek Literature and Education Himachal Pradesh
103. Shri Kali Pada Saren Literature and Education West Bengal
104. Dr. Veeraswamy Seshiah Medicine Tamil Nadu
105. Ms. Prabhaben Shah Social Work Dadra and Nagar Haveli
and Daman and Diu
106. Shri Dilip Shahani Literature and Education Delhi
107. Shri Ram Dayal Sharma Art Rajasthan
108. Shri Vishwamurti Shastri Literature and Education Jammu and Kashmir
109. Ms. Tatiana Lvovna Shaumyan Literature and Education Russia
110. Shri Siddhalingaiah Literature and Education Karnataka
(Posthumous)
111. Shri Kaajee Singh Art West Bengal
112. Shri Konsam Ibomcha Singh Art Manipur
113. Shri Prem Singh Social Work Punjab
114. Shri Seth Pal Singh Others - Agriculture Uttar Pradesh
115. Ms. Vidya Vindu Singh Literature and Education Uttar Pradesh
116. Baba Iqbal Singh Ji Social Work Punjab
117. Dr. Bhimsen Singhal Medicine Maharashtra
118. Shri Sivananda Others - Yoga Uttar Pradesh
119. Shri Ajay Kumar Sonkar Science and Engineering Uttar Pradesh
120. Ms. Ajita Srivastava Art Uttar Pradesh
121. Sadguru Brahmeshanand Acharya Swami Others - Spiritualism Goa
122. Dr. Balaji Tambe Medicine Maharashtra
(Posthumous)
123. Shri Raghuvendra Tanwar Literature and Education Haryana
124. Dr. Kamlakar Tripathi Medicine Uttar Pradesh
125. Ms. Lalita Vakil Art Himachal Pradesh
126. Ms. Durga Bai Vyam Art Madhya Pradesh
127. Shri Jyantkumar Maganlal Vyas Science and Engineering Gujarat
128. Ms. Badaplin War Literature and Education Meghalaya
Note: * In Duo case, the Award is counted as one.

Jammu and Kashmir government has amended the rules governing declaration of assets by
government employees.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 77
QUIZ TIME CURRENT AFFAIRS
CURRENT AFFAIRS QUIZ
Q.1. Recently which ministry has released draft (1) Meerut (2) Ujjain (3) Ayodhya
"National Air Sports Policy" for public feedback? (4) Prayagraj (5) Haridwar
(1) The Ministry of Civil Aviation Q.8. Recently Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan
(2) The Ministry of Railway has launched nationwide 100 days reading
(3) The Ministry of Sport campaign - "Padhe Bharat" which emphasizes
the promotion of joyful reading culture in which
(4) The Ministry of Education language?
(5) The Ministry of Home Affairs (1) Mother tongue (2) Regional language
Q.2. Which country has announced a five-year roadmap (3) Local language (4) International language
to achieve its goal of becoming a "global robotics
innovation hub" by the year 2025? (5) 1, 2, and 3 only

(1) France (2) Japan (3) Germany Q.9. Recently which country's Prime Minister has
Abdalla Hamdok resigned after mass protests?
(4) China (5) India
(1) Egypt (2) Sudan (3) Ethiopia
Q.3. Who among the following has appointed chairman
and CEO of "Railway Board"? (4) South Sudan (5) South Korea

(1) Suneet Sharma Q.10. Recently which state has named a new road
"Narendra Modi Marg"?
(2) VK Tripathi
(1) Sikkim (2) Goa (3) Assam
(3) Virender Singh Pathania
(4) Gujarat (5) Uttar Pradesh
(4) Sanjeev Mittal
Q.11. Recently Dr. Jitendra Singh has launched Web
(5) Rahul Jain Portal for "PM's Excellence Award", under this
Q.4. Prime Minister Modi laid foundation stone of "Major award how much amount the prize money are
Dhyan Chand Sports University" at which city? given for awarded District or Organization?
(1) Bhopal (2) Hyderabad (3) Meerut (1) 10 Lakh rupees (2) 20 Lakh rupees
(4) Prayagraj (5) Gandhi Nagar (3) 30 Lakh rupees (4) 40 Lakh rupees
Q.5. Recently in which state was launched "Skill hub (5) 50 Lakh rupees
initiative"? Q.12. Recently who among the following has launched
(1) Jammu and Kashmir "NEAT 3.0"?
(2) Manipur (1) Dharmendra Pradhan
(3) Ladakh (2) Narendra Modi
(4) Gujarat (3) Meenakshi Lekhi
(5) Puduchery (4) Smriti Irani
Q.6. Rcently All India Radio had doubled Broadcast (5) Pashupati Kumar Paras
time in 6 neighbourhood languages from 3 January Q.13. Which ministry makes available “Ayush Aahaar”
2022, which language does not included? at its canteen in New Delhi?
(1) Pashto (2) Baluchi (1) Ministry of Women and Child Development
(3) Mandarin Chinese (4) Sinhala (2) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
(5) Tibetan (3) Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public
Q.7. Recently Prime Minister Modi has offered prayers Distribution
at "Augurnath temple" in which city this temple is (4) Ministry of AYUSH
located? (5) Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his best wishes to Netherlands Prime Minister Mark
78 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
Rutte for a successful fourth term in office.
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
Q.14. Who among the following has become first Indian- (1) Robotic Process Automation Technology
origin woman to trek solo to South Pole? (2) 3D AMG Technology
(1) Harpreet Chandi (2) Oman Chandi (3) Edge Computing Technology
(3) Arunima Sinha (4) Santosh Yadav (4) Quantum Computing Technology
(5) Kalpana Chawla (5) Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Technology
Q.15. "Chaand Pe Chai" book was written by which Q.22. The Chief of Defence Staff chopper crash detailed
actor? inquiry report has prepared under the supervision
(1) Amir Khan (2) Ashutosh Rana of whom?
(3) Rajesh Tailang (4) Nashiruddin Shah (1) Manvendra Singh
(5) Javed Akhtar (2) M M Narvane
Q.16. Recently the birth anniversary of Savitribai Phule (3) Vivek Ram Chaudhari
was celebrated, she was associated with which (4) Krishnendra Pratap Singh
profession?
(5) Prabhat Kumar Tripathi
(1) Doctor (2) Nurse
Q.23. Recently which ministry has invited nominations
(3) Artist (4) Social Reformer for "Nari Shakti Puraskar" 2021?
(5) Lawyer (1) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Q.17. Which nation won the U-19 Asia Cup on December (2) Ministry of Women and Child Development
31, 2021?
(3) Ministry of Labour and Employment
(1) Nepal (2) India (3) Sri Lanka
(4) Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
(4) South Africa (5) Australia
(5) Ministry of Corporate Affairs
Q.18. Recently Kalpana Chawla Centre for Research in
Space Science & Technology has been inaugurated Q.24. Recently which is the new variant of a coronavirus
in which university? found in France?
(1) Jawaharlal Nehru University (1) Ciguatera (2) Marburgvirus

(2) Chandigarh University (3) IHU (4) Coxsackievirus

(3) Allahabad University (5) Nipah Virus

(4) Delhi University Q.25. Which of the following first woman has been
appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director
(5) Banaras Hindu University of ONGC?
Q.19. Karnataka government has partnered with the (1) Soma Mondal (2) Gita Gopinath
NPCI & which bank to enable and implement the
(3) Megha Rajagopalan (4) Alka Mittal
'e-RUPI'?
(5) Arundhathi Subramaniam
(1) Indian Bank (2) Bank of Baroda
Q.26. Recently India has recorded first Omicron virus
(3) State Bank of India (4) IndusInd Bank
death in which state?
(5) Bandhan Bank
(1) Rajasthan (2) Goa (3) Kerala
Q.20. Which of the following state's Chief Minister has (4) Punjab (5) Karnataka
launched "Kaushal Rozgar Nigam portal"?
Q.27. "National Bird Day" is celebrated which date?
(1) Goa (2) Assam (3) Punjab
(1) 01- January (2) 02- January
(4) Haryana (5) Bihar
(3) 03- January (4) 04- January
Q.21. Recently Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Nitin
Gadkari has laid down foundation stone of (5) 05- January
"Lucknow Kanpur expressway", this expressway Q.28. Which state government set tabled to bill to "free
to be constructed with which technology? Hindu temples"?
World Bank says the Indian economy to grow at 8.3 percent during the current financial year and 8.7
percent in the next fiscal.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 79
QUIZ TIME CURRENT AFFAIRS
(1) Goa (2) Odisha (3) Karnataka (1) Axis Bank
(4) Uttar Pradesh (5) Kerala (2) State Bank of India
Q.29. What is the theme of "Global Family Day"? (3) Punjab National Bank
(1) Peaceful Future (4) Canara Bank
(2) Global Peaceful Day (5) Bank of Baroda
(3) One Day in Peace Q.37. Which nation recorded its first test win over a top-
(4) Harmony and Peaceful Days five ICC-ranked team away from home on January
5th?
(5) One Day in Harmony
(1) Afghanistan (2) Ireland (3) Scotland
Q.30. Who among the following has been given the
additional charge of Sashastra Seema Bal? (4) Netherlands (5) Bangladesh

(1) V R Chaudhary (2) Sandeep Masha Q.38. Who among the following has become the first
Indian to qualify for two different events of the
(3) Vijay Singh (4) Sanjay Arora held Winter Olympics 2022 in Beijing?
(5) Rakesh Asthana (1) Pankaj Adwani
Q.31. Recently how much amount the "Xiaomi (2) Neha Ahuja
Technology India Private Limited" has evaded
customs duty? (3) Arif Mohammed Khan

(1) 253 crore rupees (2) 553 crore rupees (4) Vikas Puri

(3) 653 crore rupees (4) 853 crore rupees (5) Aanchal Thakur

(5) 953 crore rupees Q.39. Which nation has won the U-19 Asia Cup 2021?

Q.32. Neil Nongkynrih has been passed away, he was (1) Pakistan (2) India (3) Sri Lanka
associated with which profession? (4) South Africa (5) Australia
(1) Journalist (2) Music Teacher Q.40. Who has been appointed as the new Ambassador
(3) Advocate (4) Economist of India to the United Nations Conference on
Disarmament?
(5) Actor
(1) Pradeep Kumar Rawat
Q.33. Recently which country has successfully tested a
hypersonic missile, its first major weapons test in (2) Vikas Rawat
2022? (3) Taranjit Singh Sandhu
(1) Iran (2) Iraq (3) Israel (4) Anupam Ray
(4) North Korea (5) South Korea (5) Ajay Bisaria
Q.34. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Q.41. Recently Centre has announced 3rd "National
second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Water Awards" 2020, which state has been awarded
Institute (CNCI) in which city? first prize in the state category of 3rd National
(1) Kolkata (2) Lucknow (3) Mumbai Water Awards 2020?

(4) Bhopal (5) Chennai (1) Uttar Pradesh (2) Rajasthan

Q.35. "World Day of War Orphans" is celebrated which (3) Tamil Nadu (4) Punjab
date? (5) Kerala
(1) 02- January (2) 03- January Q.42. Recently External Affairs Ministry has signed an
(3) 04- January (4) 05- January agreement for second phase of the Passport Seva
Programme (PSP-V2.0) with which country?
(5) 06- January
(1) Unacademy
Q.36. Which bank has enhanced its free IMPS transactions
limit to Rs 5 lakh from earlier Rs 2 lakh? (2) Byju's

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has successfully conducted qualification tests of the
80 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
Cryogenic Engine for the Gaganyaan human space program.
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
(3) Tata Consultancy Services Limited (2) Narendra Modi
(4) Rise Educational Consultancy (3) Pushkar Singh Dhami
(5) Excelsoft (4) Gurmeet Singh
Q.43. Which department to organize "Startup India (5) 1 and 3
Innovation Week" from 10 January to 16 january Q.49. Recently RBI has the cancellation of the Certificate
2022? of Authorisation (CoA) of which company/
(1) Department Of Science & Technology companies for non-compliance with regulatory
(2) Department of Atomic Energy requirements?

(3) Department of Space (1) Muthoot Vehicle

(4) The Department for Promotion of Industry and (2) Asset Finance
Internal Trade (3) Eko India Financial Services
(5) The Press Information Bureau (4) 1 and 2 only
Q.44. Recently which organisation has celebrated his (5) 1, 2 and 3 only
75th "Establishment Day"? Q.50. Recently which country has denied entry of Novak
(1) Press Information Bureau Djokovic?
(2) Bureau of Indian Standards (1) Australia (2) Japan (3) France
(3) All India Radio (4) Germany (5) India
(4) Life Insurance Corporation of India Q.51. Recently who among the following has appointed
(5) Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority new DGP of Punjab?

Q.45. Who among the following has addressed 24th (1) Mukul Goel (2) Viresh Kumar Bhawra
"Conference on e-Governance" 2020-21? (3) Prabodh Kumar (4) Dinkar Gupta
(1) Dr Jitendra Singh (2) Dr Rajiv Kumar (5) Pradeep Kumar Mishra
(3) Dr Ajay Kumar (4) Arvind Subramanian Q.52. Recently which actor's the appointment Election
Commission of India (ECI) has withdrawn as a
(5) Narendra Modi
state icon of Punjab?
Q.46. Recently how much amount the Election
(1) Amir Khan (2) Shahrukh Khan
Commission hikes expenditure limit for candidates
in Parliamentary and Assembly polls in bigger (3) Actor Sonu Sood (4) Amitabh Bachchan
state respectively? (5) Sunny Deol
(1) 55 lakh rupees and 5 lakh rupees Q.53. Recently which state/UT has been chosen by Prime
(2) 65 lakh rupees and 10 lakh rupees Minister Narendra Modi to host the 25th "National
Youth Festival"?
(3) 75 lakh rupees and 20 lakh rupees
(1) Puducherry (2) Chandigarh (3) Goa
(4) 95 lakh rupees and 40 lakh rupees
(4) Punjab (5) Delhi
(5) 85 lakh rupees and 30 lakh rupees
Q.54. Recently who has been appointed as the new
Q.47. Recently which country has hits Google, Facebook Secretary General of Shanghai Cooperation
with 210 million euros in fines over cookies? Organization?
(1) Japan (2) China (3) France (1) Zhang Ming (2) Marcos Prado Troyjo
(4) Germany (5) India (3) Li Keqiang (4) Li Zhanshu
Q.48. Who among the following has inaugurated & lay (5) Wang Yang
foundation stone of various schemes worth Rs
111.14 crore in Uttarkashi? Q.55. Recently who has been appointed as the chairman
of "the Commission for Agricultural Costs and
(1) Rajnath Singh Prices"?
NITI Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has declared the results of the ‘ATL Space Challenge
2021’, after successful completion and overwhelming participation from young innovators.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 81
QUIZ TIME CURRENT AFFAIRS
(1) Ashok Lavasa (2) Dr Alka Mittal (1) 4 (2) 5 (3) 6
(3) Vijay Paul Sharma (4) Soma Mandal (4) 7 (5) 8
(5) Ajay Kumar Q.63. The Election Commission has announced on 8
Q.56. Recently who has been made the brand endorser of January 2022 the 5 states Assembly polls, in how
Bank of Baroda? many phases the poll of Uttar Pradesh to complete?

(1) Shefali Verma (2) Sonu Sud (1) 4 (2) 5 (3) 6

(3) Rohit Sharma (4) K L Rahul (4) 7 (5) 8

(5) Harbhajan Singh Q.64. "Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas" is celebrated on which

date?
Q.57. What is the name of the 102nd country to join the
International Solar Alliance recently? (1) 09-Jan (2) 10-Jan (3) 08-Jan

(1) Sudan (4) 07-Jan (5) 06-Jan

(2) Turkey Q.65. Recently Ex-RBI Governor Urjit Patel appointed

Vice President of which organisation?
(3) Antigua and Barbuda
(1) International Monetary Fund
(4) Ethiopia
(2) Reserve Bank of India
(5) Egypt
(3) Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Q.58. Recently, who has won the title of the first "Guinness
Book of World Record" 2022 in numerology? (4) Asian Development Bank

(1) Anand Kumar (5) International Bank for Reconstruction and

Development
(2) JC Chaudhry
Q.66. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent 100 pairs
(3) Dr Vedant Sharmaa of jute footwear for worker which temple?
(4) Rajat Nayar (1) Kamakhya Temple
(5) Anupam V Kapil (2) Kashi Vishwanath Dham
Q.59. Recently which of the following bank has received (3) Ram Mandir
"the UiPath Automation Excellence Awards" 2021?
(4) Somnath Temple
(1) South Indian Bank
(5) Lingaraja Temple
(2) Axis Bank
Q.67. Recently 24th "National Conference on
(3) Yes Bank e-Governance" 2021 concluded in which city?
(4) Bank of Baroda (1) Lucknow (2) Mumbai (3) New Delhi
(5) Punjab National Bank (4) Hyderabad (5) Kolkata
Q.60. "African National Congress Foundation Day" is Q.68. Which country is facing unrest due to a sudden
celebrated which date? spike in fuel prices?
(1) 04-Jan (2) 05-Jan (3) 06-Jan (1) Nepal (2) Turkmenistan (3) Oman
(4) 07-Jan (5) 08-Jan (4) Bahrain (5) Kazakhstan
Q.61. Recently "Chandrashekhar Patil" has been passed Q.69. India's first unique ‘Rock’ museum has been
away, he was associated to which literary? inaugurated in which city?
(1) Tamil literary (2) Malayalam literary (1) Bengaluru (2) Lucknow (3) New Delhi
(3) Kannada literary (4) Odia literary (4) Hyderabad (5) Pune
(5) Hindi literary Q.70. Who will lead India in the ICC Women's World
Q.62. Recently the Election Commission has announced Cup 2022?
the Assembly polls schedule for how many state? (1) Shafali Verma (2) Harmanpreet Kaur

Cairn has been named winner of the Leaders Award' and emerged as Sustainability Front Runners
82 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
Companies' under the Mega large business' category.
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
(3) Smriti Mandhana (4) Meghna Singh (3) Pradeep Kumar Rawat
(5) Mithali Raj (4) Navrang Saini
Q.71. Recently Daniel Ortega has sworn as a President of (5) Samant Goel
which country? Q.78. Recently when is "World Hindi Day" celebrated?
(1) Nicaragua (2) Cuba (3) Chile (1) 10- January (2) 09- January
(4) Paraguay (5) Egypt (3) 08- January (4) 07- January
Q.72. Recently David Sassoli has passed away, he was (5) 06- January
the President of organisation?
Q.79. Who is the chairman of the committee constituted
(1) International Monetary Fund to investigate the security lapses during the recent
(2) Asian Development Bank visit of the Prime Minister to Punjab?
(3) European Parliament (1) Rakesh Kumar Jain
(4) Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (2) Banwarilal Purohit
(5) World Bank (3) Sudhir Kumar Saxena
Q.73. "National Youth Festival" 2022 has been organised (4) Ravi Shankar Jha
in which city? (5) Rajesh Bindal
(1) Puducherry (2) Hyderabad (3) Lucknow Q.80. Losar festival is celebrated in which of the
(4) Bhopal (5) New Delhi following region of India?
Q.74. The Ramnath Goenka Awards have been presented (1) Punjab (2) Kerala (3) Ladakh
annually in India for excellence in which of the (4) Goa (5) Karnataka
following field?
Q.81. Recently UNESCO has agrees to publish in which
(1) Economist language descriptions of India's World Heritage
(2) Journalism Sites on its website?
(3) Sports (1) Marathi (2) Bangla (3) Hindi
(4) Science & Technology (4) English (5) Punjabi
(5) Mathematics Q.82. Who has been appointed as the new secretary-
Q.75. Who is the Director and Chairman of Starlink India general of the Organization of the Petroleum
business who has announced his resignation? Exporting Countries?

(1) Alka Mittal (2) Sunil Bharti Mittal (1) Abdel Fattah el-Sisi

(3) Sanjay Bhargava (4) Pradeep Kumar Rawat (2) Abdul Rahman al-Bazzaz

(5) Pukhraj Singh (3) Ashraf T. Lutfi

Q.76. Which of the following country is ranked at the (4) Haitham Al Ghais
top of ICC World Test Championship Points Table (5) Imran Khan
2021-23? Q.83. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off
(1) Pakistan (2) England the newly launched "Agartala-Jiribam-Agartala Jan
(3) South Africa (4) Australia Shatabdi Express". It is the first rail line connection
between which states?
(5) India
(1) Manipur and West Bengal
Q.77. Recently who has been appointed as the interim
head of the "Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of (2) Tripura and West Bengal
India"? (3) Tripura and Odisha
(1) Soma Mondal (4) Mizoram and Manipur
(2) V R Chaudhary (5) Tripura and Manipur
Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) signs MoU with Indira Gandhi National
Open University (IGNOU) for promoting Investor Education and Financial literacy among youth FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 83
through the Gyan Darshan channel.
QUIZ TIME CURRENT AFFAIRS
Q.84. Which of the following state/UTs got national Q.91. Recently who among the following has appointed
level awards for Covid-19 Management and as 10th chairman of ISRO?
Panchayat Development Index at the 24th National (1) K. Sivan (2) S Somanath
Conference on e-Governance held at Hyderabad?
(3) G. Satheesh Reddy (4) T. V. Somanathan
(1) Punjab (2) Jammu and Kashmir
(5) R Madhavan
(3) Kerala (4) Chandigarh
Q.92. Which of the following organisation and Atal
(5) New Delhi Innovation Misson announced the results of the
Q.85. Which of the following state government has 'ATL Space Challenge 2021'?
announced an increase in the retirement age of (1) NITI Aayog
state government employees from 60 years to 62
years? (2) Union Public Service Commission
(1) Kerala (2) Andhra Pradesh (3) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
(3) West Bengal (4) Madhya Pradesh (4) Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
(5) Odisha (5) Council of Scientific & Industrial Research
Q.86. Name the founder of Shillong Chamber Choir Q.93. How many schools has been selected for “Swachh
and renowned Indian concert pianist, who passed Vidyalaya Puraskar" 2021-22?
away? (1) 60 (2) 50 (3) 40
(1) Vinod Dua (2) Mahendra Prasad (4) 30 (5) 20
(3) R L Jalappa (4) KS Sethumadhavan Q.94. What is the rank of India in "Henley Passport
(5) Neil Nongkynrih Index" 2022 for first quarter of 2022?
Q.87. Recently which countries President has signed a (1) 60 (2) 90 (3) 63
law prohibiting Child Marriage? (4) 83 (5) 103
(1) Russia (2) United Kingdom Q.95. Recently Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav
(3) Philippines (4) Egypt has released "India State Of Forest Report" 2021,
in this report forest covered what percent of
(5) United State of America geographical area of the country?
Q.88. Google has celebrated which birthday of Fatima (1) 20.60 percent (2) 21.60 percent
Sheikh with a doodle?
(3) 22.60 percent (4) 23.60 percent
(1) 131 (2) 121 (3) 100
(5) 24.60 percent
(4) 200 (5) 191
Q.96. "National Youth Day" is celebated on which date?
Q.89. Who has authored the new book titled "Gandhi's
(1) 11- January (2) 12- January
Assassin: The Making of Nathuram Godse and His
Idea of India"? (3) 13- January (4) 14- January
(1) H L Dattu (2) Chetan Bhagat (5) 10- January
(3) Dhirendra K. Jha (4) Harish Meenakshi Q.97. Recently which of the following country has lifted
Twitter ban after seven months?
(5) Shashi Tharoor
(1) Nigeria (2) Egypt (3) Sudan
Q.90. Which General Insurance Company has launched a
campaign titled '#BahaneChhodoTaxBachao'? (4) Iran (5) India
(1) AGEAS Federal Life Insurance Company Limited Q.98. Name the Indian company which has recently
acquired a controlling stake in Mandarin Oriental
(2) SBI General Insurance Company New York five star hotel?
(3) Oriental Insurance Company (1) TCS (2) Larsen and Toubro
(4) Bharti AXA General Insurance (3) ITC Limited (4) Wipro
(5) ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co. Ltd (5) Reliance Industries
DBT-BIRAC supported start-ups InnAccel and NIRAMAI have received World Bank Group and the
84 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
Consumer Technology Association's Global Women's HealthTech Awards.
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
Q.99. Justice Ayesha Malik has become the first woman (4) Meenakashi Lekhi
Supreme Court judge of which country? (5) Amit Shah
(1) Nepal (2) Afghanistan (3) Pakistan Q.107. Who has become the first Black woman to feature
(4) Bangladesh (5) Iran on a US quarter?
Q.100. What is the latest value of foreign currency reserves (1) Rehana (2) Naomi Anderson
of India as per the data by RBI? (3) Theresa El-Amin (4) Lillie Mae Bradford
(1) $733.000 billion (2) $633.614 billion (5) Maya Angelou
(3) $621.581 billion (4) $642.453 billion Q.108. Which of the following country has the world's
(5) $640.405 billion most powerful passport?
Q.101. Who among the following has appointed as CEO (1) Norway (2) Japan
of "IHH Healthcare India"? (3) United State (4) United Kingdom
(1) Alka Mittal (2) Dr S Somanath (5) France
(3) Anurag Yadav (4) Dr Rajiv Kumar Q.109. Which of the following country has the weakest
(5) Ajit Kumar Mohanty passport in the world?
Q.102. Recently how much amount SBI has raises via (1) Pakistan (2) Afghanistan
5-year Regulation S Formosa bonds? (3) North Korea (4) Syria
(1) $300 million (2) $500 million (5) Jordan
(3) $600 million (4) $700 million Q.110. Which city has launched a Covid-Free Village
(5) $800 million contest to curb Omicron spread?
Q.103. Recently which country has accepted BrahMos (1) Pune (2) Lucknow (3) Bengaluru
Aerospace Pvt Ltd's to supply "Shore-Based Anti- (4) Bhopal (5) New Delhi
Ship Missile System" Acquisition Project for its
navy? Q.111. Who among the following has taken charge as
Admiral Superintendent of Mumbai's naval
(1) Vietnam (2) Bangladesh (3) Nepal dockyard?
(4) Philippines (5) Mongolia (1) K P Arvindan
Q.104. "Armed Forces Veterans Day" is celebrated which (2) Chandi Prasad Mohanty
date?
(3) Yogesh Kumar Joshi
(1) 12- January (2) 13- January
(4) Manoj Pande
(3) 14- January (4) 15- January
(5) Nav Kumar Khanduri
(5) 10- January
Q.112. Which team is ranked at the top of World Test
Q.105. Recently Indian Naval Ships undertake Maritime Championship Table 2021-23?
Partnership Exercise with "Japan Maritime Self-
Defence Force" (JMSDF) Ships in which sea? (1) India (2) Sri Lanka (3) Australia
(1) Arabian Sea (2) Bay of Bengal (4) New Zealand (5) Pakistan
(3) Sea of Japan (4) Sea of Okhotsk Q.113. Recently who has been appointed as the MD and
CEO of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (SFB)?
(5) Red Sea
(1) Alka Mittal (2) Anubrata Biswas
Q.106. Recently who among the following has launched
"North East on Wheels Expedition" to promote (3) J Venkatramu (4) Ittira Davis
Culture of Northeastern States? (5) Vijay Shekhar Sharma
(1) Narendra Modi Q.114. Recently which of the following bank has got
(2) Kiren Rijiju the title of "Best Private Sector Bank" in India in
"Global Private Bank Awards" 2021?
(3) Himanta Biswa Sarma
The Henley Passport Index for the first quarter of 2022, India’s passport now ranks at 83rd position in
the Henley Passport Index, climbing seven places from 90th in 2021.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 85
QUIZ TIME CURRENT AFFAIRS
(1) Axis Bank (2) Yes Bank Q.120. Recently Professor Dr. Satish Adiga of which of
(3) HDFC Bank (4) ICICI Bank these medical colleges has been selected by Indian
Council of Medical Research for "the National
(5) Bandhan Bank Award"?
Q.115. Recently who among the following has been (1) Armed Forces Medical College
appointed as the chairman of the "Indian Council
of Historical Research"? (2) Kasturba Medical College

(1) Raghuvendra Tanwar (3) Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of

Medical Sciences
(2) Divya Gokulnath
(4) St. John's Medical College
(3) Gaurav Munjal
(5) Kharagpur Medical College
(4) Bhavish Aggarwal
Q.121. Recently "Shanti Devi" has been passed away, she
(5) Soma Mondal was associated to which profession?
Q.116. Recently which of the following organisation has (1) Social worker (2) Economist (3) Journalist
received World Bank and Consumer Technology
Association's "Global Women's Health Tech (4) Lawyer (5) Doctor
Awards"? Q.122. Which among the following Lavni artist from
Maharashtra has wins gold medal at "International
(1) NIRAMAI Health Analytix Private
Folk Art Festival" in Dubai?
(2) InnAccel Technologies Private Limited
(1) Lata Paralikar
(3) Indian Council of Medical Research
(2) Reshma Barshikar
(4) 1 and 2
(3) Sumit Bhale
(5) All of the above
(4) Vithabai Narayangaonkar
Q.117. The Indian Railways has renamed Kevadiya (5) Managala Bansode
railway station by which name?
Q.123. In whiich of the following state the 9th "women
(1) Modi Nagar railway station National Ice Hockey Championship" -2022 has
(2) Biswas Nagar railway station inaugrated?
(3) Ekta Nagar railway station (1) Goa (2) Himachal Pradesh
(4) Sardar Patel Nagar railway station (3) Kerala (4) Odisha
(5) Gandhi Nagar railway station (5) Punjab
Q.118. Recently which of the following ministry has Q.124. According to United Nations' WESP 2022 Report,
signed an agreement with TCS for the second what is the estimated growth rate of the Indian
phase of "the Passport Seva programme"? economy in FY 2022?
(1) Ministry of Science and Technology (1) 4.10% (2) 5.10% (3) 7.50%
(2) Ministry of Culture (4) 8.30% (5) 6.50%
(3) Ministry of Education Q.125. Which of the following state government has
decided to bring a law to regulate online gaming?
(4) Ministry of External Affairs
(1) Karnataka (2) Odisha
(5) Ministry of Sports
(3) Kerala (4) Madhya Pradesh
Q.119. Who has become the winner of "the Melbourne
Summer" 2022 Set 1 men's single title? (5) Goa
Q.126. According to the ‘India State of Forest Report
(1) Pete Sampras (2) Roger Federer
2021’, how much the total forest and tree cover in
(3) Andy Murray (4) Rafael Nadal India increased as compared to 2019?
(5) Novak Djokovic (1) 3,000 sq kms (2) 3,646 sq kms

Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on 13 January 2022 released the "India State of Forest
86 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 Report" 2021. In 2021, the total forest and tree cover in India is 80.9 million hectares. This is over
24.60 percent of the geographical area of the country.
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
(3) 5,511 sq kms (4) 2,261 sq kms (3) Ministry of Chemical Fertilizers
(5) 1,538 sq kms (4) Ministry of Textiles
Q.127. Which of the following state has topped in terms of (5) Ministry of Commerce and Industry
increase in forest cover as per 'India State of Forest Q.134. Which of the following India's first Indigenous
Report' 2021? Aircraft Carrier has returns to Kochi after its third
(1) Gujarat (2) Andhra Pradesh sea trial?
(3) Tamil Nadu (4) Haryana (1) INS Vikramaditya (2) INS Vikrant
(5) Odisha (3) INS Jalashwa (4) INS Cheetah
Q.128. Who is the author of the book "Indomitable: (5) INS Kumbhir
A Working Woman's Notes on Work, Life and Q.135. Which of the following ministry organised 26th
Leadership"? "CISO Deep Dive Training program" under Cyber
(1) Ram Chandra Guha Surakshit Bharat initiative?
(2) Salman Rushdie (1) Ministry of Communications
(3) Arundhati Bhattacharya (2) Ministry of Skill Development and
(4) Amartya Sen Entrepreneurship
(5) Arundhati Roy (3) Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology
Q.129. Alikhan Smailov has been appointed as the new
Prime Minister of which country? (4) Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
(1) Iran (2) Georgia (3) Armenia (5) Ministry of Science and Technology
(4) Kazakhstan (5) Rawanda Q.136. Recently Volcano eruption happened in Tonga
Island, it Island is located in which Ocean?
Q.130. Which of the following bank has set up a separate
internal department for fintech? (1) Pacific Ocean (2) Atlantic Ocean
(1) Yes Bank (2) State Bank Of India (3) Indian Ocean (4) Arctic Ocean
(3) Indusland Bank (4) HDFC Bank (5) Southern Ocean
(5) Axis Bank Q.137. Recently in J&K the Army rescues 30 civilians
Q.131. Recently "World Economic Forum" 2022 held in stuck in avalanches near which Pass?
which of the following city? (1) Lanak Pass (2) Zoji La Pass
(1) Paris (2) London (3) Davos (3) Banihal Pass (4) Tangdhar pass
(4) Moscow (5) New Delhi (5) Changla Pass
Q.132. Recently Dr Virendra Kumar has launched first bi- Q.138. Recently how many crore customers India Post
monthly E-Newsletter of for which Community? Payments Bank has been crossed in 3 years?
(1) Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (1) 5-crore (2) 20-crore (3) 25-crore
(2) Empowerment of Farmer (4) 10-crore (5) 15-crore
(3) Empowerment of women Q.139. Recently Union Minister Narayan Rane virtually
(4) Empowerment of transgender inaugurated MSME Pavilion in "World Expo",
2020 in which city?
(5) Empowerment of Schedule caste
(1) Berlin (2) New York (3) New Delhi
Q.133. Which ministry has cleared 20 strategic research
projects worth 30 crore rupees in the areas of (4) Paris (5) Dubai
specialty fibers and geotextiles? Q.140. "National Winnie the Pooh Day" is celebrated
(1) Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises which date?
(2) Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (1) 18- January (2) 17- January

India and the UK have formally launched negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between two
countries.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 87
QUIZ TIME CURRENT AFFAIRS
(3) 16- January (4) 15- January (1) 82 percent (2) 72 percent (3) 62 percent
(5) 14- January (4) 42 percent (5) 32 percent
Q.141. Recently who among the following appointed as Q.147. Who among the following has releasesd book titled
Additional Secretary in Labor and Employment “Prakrtik, Vaidik avem Jaivik Kheti”?
Ministry? (1) Ramnath Kovind (2) Arvind Kejriwal
(1) Narendra Kumar Goenka (3) Yogi Adiyanath (4) Manoj Sinha
(2) Shashank Goel (5) Baba Ramdev
(3) Alka Mittal Q.148. "Australian Open Tennis tournament" 2022 held in
(4) S Somanath which of the following city?
(5) Dr G Satheesh Reddy (1) Melbourne (2) Sydney (3) Canberra
Q.142. Recently who among the following appointed (4) Perth (5) Adelaide
as new chairman of "Apparel Export Promotion Q.149. As per the data by NPCI, which bank was the
Council"? largest recipient of the UPI transaction amount in
(1) Narendra Kumar Goenka the October-December quarter in 2021?
(2) Shashank Goel (1) ICICI Bank (2) Bank of Baroda
(3) Alka Mittal (3) State Bank of India (4) Paytm Payments Bank
(4) S Somanath (5) Punjab National Bank
(5) Dr A Sakthive Q.150. Which player has been named as the captain of
Q.143. Recently in which of the following city India-UK the Indian women's team participating in the 2022
meet held on “Sustaining Food Production under Women's Hockey Asia Cup?
Environmental Stress”? (1) Mandeep Kaur (2) Navjot Kaur
(1) London (2) Glasgow (3) New Delhi (3) Savita Punia (4) Lalremsiami
(4) Mumbai (5) Dubai (5) Rani Rampal
Q.144. Recently who among the following become EU Q.151. Which of the following organisation has launched
Parliament’s new president? Saa`thi mobile app on investor education, will be
helpful in accessing recent market developments?
(1) Magdalena Andersson
(1) Asian Development Bank
(2) Sanna Marin
(2) Indian Space Research Organisation
(3) Roberta Metsola
(3) Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
(4) Erna Solberg
(4) Securities and Exchange Board of India
(5) Gita Gopinath
(5) Reserve Bank of India
Q.145. "Davos Agenda" is associated to which of the
following organisation? Q.152. National Innovation Foundation Incubation
Council ties up with which company to boost
(1) International Monetary Fund Grassroot Innovation?
(2) World Bank (1) Flipkart India (2) Amazon India
(3) World Economic Forum (3) Myntra (4) Jiomart
(4) Asian Development Bank (5) SnapDeal
(5) International Bank for Reconstruction and Q.153. Under the chairpersonship which country the First
Development "BRICS Sherpas meeting" 2022 held on 18-19
Q.146. According to ministry of Commerce and Industry, January 2022?
how much percentage of India's apple exports have (1) South Africa (2) Russia (3) Japan
risen exponentially since 2014?
(4) Chinese (5) India

88 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 Nigeria has lifted its ban on Twitter, seven months after clamping down on the social networking site.
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
Q.154. Which bank has won the right to sell Vijay Mallya's (1) 50 (2) 60 (3) 10
London home? (4) 35 (5) 25
(1) Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank Q.162. In order to commemorate the 125th birth
(2) Bahrain Financing Company anniversary of the great freedom fighter Netaji
(3) Union Bank of Switzerland Subhas Chandra Bose's statue to be installed at
which Monument?
(4) Reserve Bank of India
(1) Parliament Hall (2) Rashtrapati Bhawan
(5) The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking
Corporation Limited (3) India Gate (4) Gate way of India

Q.155. Recently in which country Prime Minister Narendra (5) Victoria Memorial
Modi and his counterpart to jointly inaugurated Q.163. Recently “Operation Sajag” was in news, it was
"India-assisted Social Housing Units project"? launched by which state/UT police?
(1) Nepal (2) Bangladesh (3) Mauritius (1) Uttar Pradesh Police
(4) Sri Lanka (5) Pakistan (2) Madhya Pradesh Police
Q.156. Which of the following edition of "the India Digital (3) Delhi Police
Summit" 2022 was held by the Internet And Mobile (4) Punjab Police
Association of India (IAMAI) virtually?
(5) Kerala Police
(1) 25 (2) 16 (3) 10
Q.164. The Best FIFA Women's Player of the year 2021
(4) 22 (5) 18 has been won by whom?
Q.157. Who is the head of the Working group set up to (1) Carli Lloyd (2) Alexia Putellas
strengthen television rating point (TRP) services?
(3) Jennifer Hermoso (4) Wendie Renard
(1) Alka Mittal
(5) Sam Kerr
(2) Anurag Singh Thakur
Q.165. "Rojgar Mission" is the recent initiative of which
(3) Shashi Shekhar Vempati state?
(4) Sukant Vatsa (1) Goa (2) Punjab
(5) L Murugan (3) Chhattisgarh (4) Odisha
Q.158. Tasnim Mir becomes the Indian world number one (5) Assam
player, she is associated with which sports?
Q.166. As per Standards for Charging Infrastructure for
(1) Cricket (2) Tennis (3) Badminton Electric Vehicles (EV), who can set up a Public
(4) Shooting (5) Football Charging Station?
Q.159. Birju Maharaj has been passed away on 17th January (1) The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
2022, he was associated to which profession? (2) State Governments
(1) Economist (2) Doctor (3) DISCOMs
(3) Music Composer (4) Kathak Dancer (4) Ministry of Power
(5) Politician (5) Individuals
Q.160. What is the crew capacity of the Gaganyaan Q.167. The 9th Women National Ice Hockey Championship
programme? 2022 has been organised at which place?
(1) 7 (2) 3 (3) 2 (1) Silent Valley (2) Solang Valley
(4) 4 (5) 6 (3) Gulmarg (4) Leh
Q.161. Recently central Government has ordered blocking (5) Lahaul And Spiti
how many Pakistan- based youtube channels,
Twitter, Instagram accounts for spreading fake Q.168. The famous Indian tigress popularly known as
news? 'Collarwali' passed away at which Tiger Reserve?
Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav released the India State Of Forest Report 2021. In 2021,
the total forest and tree cover in India is 80.9 million hectares. This is over 24.60 percent of the FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 89
geographical area of the country.
QUIZ TIME CURRENT AFFAIRS
(1) Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (3) 22- January (4) 24- January
(2) Kanha Tiger Reserve (5) 25- January
(3) Corbett Tiger Reserve Q.176. What is the new name of the Lucknow IPL team?
(4) Pench Tiger Reserve (1) Lucknow Loins (2) Lucknow Super Giants
(5) Kaziranga Tiger Reserve (3) Lucknow Tuskers (4) Lucknow Nawab
Q.169. Which of the following states has won the (5) Lucknow Chargers
maximum number of awards at the national startup Q.177. Which company is expected to unveil the world's
awards 2021? fastest supercomputer by mid-2022?
(1) Kerala (2) Maharashtra (3) Gujarat (1) Amazon (2) Meta (3) Google
(4) Odisha (5) Karnataka (4) Instagram (5) Microsoft
Q.170. Which Indian state constituted the Justice Hema Q.178. Recently which Indian films have been nominated
Commission? for Oscar 2022?
(1) Punjab (2) Tamil Nadu (1) Jai Bhim
(3) West Bengal (4) Kerala (2) Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Singham
(5) Assam (3) Khadgam
Q.171. Recently who among the following has released (4) 1 and 2 only
pictorial comic book "India’s Women Unsung
Heroes"? (5) 1, 2 and 3 only
(1) Meenakashi Lekhi (2) Rajnath SIngh Q.179. Recently who among the following has been given
"Ashok Chakra" 2022?
(3) Ajay Kumar (4) Ramnath Kovind
(1) General Bipin Rawat
(5) M. Venkaiah Naidu
(2) Babu Ram
Q.172. Recently Chinese PLA hands over ‘abducted’
young boy Miram Taron of which state to Indian (3) Madhulika Rawat
army? (4) Prithvi Singh Chauhan
(1) Uttrakhand (5) None of the above
(2) Jharkhand Q.180. Recently who among the following has recieved
(3) Jammu and Kashmir "Param Vishisht Seva Medal" 2022?
(4) Arunachal Pradesh (1) Neeraj Chopra
(5) Sikkim (2) Mahendra SIngh Dhoni
Q.173. Which state has dedicated "General Bipin Rawat (3) Karambir Singh
Hall" to people on occasion of Republic Day? (4) Arjun Lal Jat
(1) Uttarakhand (2) Arunachal Pradesh (5) Arvind Singh
(3) Punjab (4) Goa Q.181. India and which country has launched
(5) Sikkim commemorative logo to mark 30th anniversary of
establishment of diplomatic ties?
Q.174. Who among the following is ranked at the top of
ICC Women's T20 Batting Rankings? (1) France (2) Norway (3) Israel
(1) Beth Mooney (2) Smriti Mandhana (4) Bangladesh (5) Egypt
(3) Shafali Verma (4) Mithali Raj Q.182. Which ministry has organised Rangoli Utsav
‘Umang’ to celebrate National Girl Child Day?
(5) Meg Lanning
(1) Ministry of Tribal Affairs
Q.175. When is "National Tourism day" observed?
(2) Ministry of Culture
(1) 20- January (2) 21- January
Indian Naval Ships Shivalik and Kadmatt undertook Maritime Partnership Exercise with Japan
90 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
Maritime Self-Defence Force Ships Uraga and Hirado in the Bay of Bengal on 13 Jan 22.
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
(3) Ministry of Home Affairs Q.190. How many children were honoured with "Pradhan
(4) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar" 2022?

(5) Ministry of Textiles (1) 40 (2) 35 (3) 28

Q.183. Which of the following ministry has launched (4) 15 (5) 29

mobile app is called “MyCGHS”? Q.191. Which of the following Indian film has gets the best
(1) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare film award at "Dhaka International Film Festival"?

(2) Ministry of Women and Child Development (1) Jai Bhim (2) Pushpa: The Rise

(3) Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (3) Bhuj (4) Koozhangal

(4) Ministry of Tribal Affairs (5) Bell Bottom

(5) Ministry of Corporate Affairs Q.192. Which date the "Uttar Pradesh Foundation Day" is
celebrayed?
Q.184. "National Voters' day" is celebrated which date?
(1) 20th January (2) 21th January
(1) 21-Jan (2) 22-Jan (3) 23-Jan
(3) 22th January (4) 23th January
(4) 25-Jan (5) 24-Jan
(5) 24th January
Q.185. Recently how much amount India has announced
immediate relief assistance to Tonga Island in Q.193. Which of the following company has partnered
wake of tsunami? with Canada Running Series to be the Toronto
Waterfront Marathon title sponsor by November
(1) 2 lakh US dollar (2) 3 lakh US dollar 2026?
(3) 4 lakh US dollar (4) 5 lakh US dollar (1) Spacex (2) Reliance (3) TCS
(5) 6 lakh US dollar (4) Facebook (5) Google
Q.186. Recently Professor MK Prasad has passed away, he Q.194. The Central Government has appointed Vikram
was associated which field? Dev Dutt as the new CMD of which airline
(1) Lawyer (2) Mathematician company?
(3) Economist (4) Oncologist (1) Go First (2) Indigo (3) Vistara
(5) Environmentalist (4) Air India (5) Air India Express
Q.187. Recently which organization has been released "the Q.195. Which of the following technology company has
World Employment and Social Outlook (WESO) announced to acquire game maker Activision
Trends" 2022 report? Blizzard Inc.?
(1) Forest Survey of India (1) Amazon India (2) Google Inc.
(2) International Meteorological Organization (3) Facebook (4) Apple
(3) World Health Organization (5) Microsoft
(4) Food and Agriculture Organization Q.196. Which of these ministries has organized the
(5) International Labour Organisation “Streets for People Challenge” online program?
Q.188. Who has been named as the captain of the ICC (1) Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Men's ODI Team of the Year 2021? (2) Ministry of Tribal Affairs
(1) Rohit Sharma (2) Babar Azam (3) Ministry of Education
(3) Virat Kohli (4) Joe Root (4) Ministry of Women
(5) Steve Smith (5) Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Q.189. How many tableaux will participate in Republic Q.197. Recently which city Indonesia has made its new
Day Parade 2022? capital?
(1) 35 (2) 25 (3) 20 (1) Jakarta (2) Nusantara (3) Bandung
(4) 19 (5) 15 (4) Surabaya (5) Medan
The Philippines accepted BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd's to supply Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile
System Acquisition Project for its navy.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 91
QUIZ TIME CURRENT AFFAIRS
Q.198. Which Indian state has launched the Golden (3) USD 3.25 trillion (4) USD 1.65 trillion
Jubilee Celebrations of the state and decided to set (5) USD 1.85 trillion
up 'Infrastructure Financing Authority'?
Q.200. Which institution released the 'Climate of India
(1) Kerala (2) Punjab during 2021' Report?
(3) Arunachal Pradesh (4) Assam (1) World Meteorological Organization
(5) Odisha (2) India Meteorological Department
Q.199. What was the amount of global FDI flow in (3) Indian Agricultural Research Institute
2021 as per UNCTAD Global Investment Trends
Monitor? (4) NITI Aayog
(1) USD 2.45 trillion (2) USD 4.85 trillion (5) Environment Ministry

ANSWER KEY
Q.1.(1) Q.2.(4) Q.3.(2) Q.4.(3) Q.5.(1) Q.6.(4) Q.7.(1) Q.8.(5) Q.9.(2) Q.10.(1)

Q.11.(2) Q.12.(1) Q.13.(4) Q.14.(1) Q.15.(3) Q.16.(4) Q.17.(3) Q.18.(2) Q.19.(3) Q.20.(4)

Q.21.(2) Q.22.(1) Q.23.(2) Q.24.(3) Q.25.(4) Q.26.(1) Q.27.(5) Q.28.(3) Q.29.(3) Q.30.(4)

Q.31.(3) Q.32.(2) Q.33.(4) Q.34.(1) Q.35.(5) Q.36.(2) Q.37.(5) Q.38.(3) Q.39.(2) Q.40.(4)

Q.41.(1) Q.42.(3) Q.43.(4) Q.44.(2) Q.45.(1) Q.46.(4) Q.47.(3) Q.48.(5) Q.49.(5) Q.50.(1)

Q.51.(2) Q.52.(3) Q.53.(1) Q.54.(1) Q.55.(3) Q.56.(1) Q.57.(3) Q.58.(2) Q.59.(1) Q.60.(5)

Q.61.(3) Q.62.(2) Q.63.(4) Q.64.(1) Q.65.(3) Q.66.(2) Q.67.(4) Q.68.(5) Q.69.(4) Q.70.(5)

Q.71.(1) Q.72.(3) Q.73.(1) Q.74.(2) Q.75.(3) Q.76.(4) Q.77.(4) Q.78.(1) Q.79.(3) Q.80.(3)

Q.81.(3) Q.82.(4) Q.83.(5) Q.84.(2) Q.85.(2) Q.86.(5) Q.87.(3) Q.88.(5) Q.89.(3) Q.90.(2)

Q.91.(2) Q.92.(1) Q.93.(3) Q.94.(4) Q.95.(5) Q.96.(2) Q.97.(1) Q.98.(5) Q.99.(3) Q.100.(1)

Q.101.(3) Q.102.(1) Q.103.(4) Q.104.(3) Q.105.(2) Q.106.(4) Q.107.(5) Q.108.(2) Q.109.(2) Q.110.(1)

Q.111.(1) Q.112.(2) Q.113.(4) Q.114.(3) Q.115.(1) Q.116.(4) Q.117.(3) Q.118.(4) Q.119.(4) Q.120.(2)

Q.121.(1) Q.122.(3) Q.123.(2) Q.124.(5) Q.125.(4) Q.126.(4) Q.127.(2) Q.128.(3) Q.129.(4) Q.130.(2)

Q.131.(3) Q.132.(1) Q.133.(4) Q.134.(2) Q.135.(3) Q.136.(1) Q.137.(4) Q.138.(1) Q.139.(5) Q.140.(1)

Q.141.(2) Q.142.(1) Q.143.(3) Q.144.(3) Q.145.(3) Q.146.(1) Q.147.(4) Q.148.(1) Q.149.(4) Q.150.(3)

Q.151.(4) Q.152.(2) Q.153.(4) Q.154.(4) Q.155.(3) Q.156.(2) Q.157.(3) Q.158.(3) Q.159.(4) Q.160.(2)

Q.161.(4) Q.162.(3) Q.163.(3) Q.164.(2) Q.165.(3) Q.166.(5) Q.167.(5) Q.168.(4) Q.169.(5) Q.170.(4)

Q.171.(1) Q.172.(4) Q.173.(2) Q.174.(3) Q.175.(5) Q.176.(2) Q.177.(2) Q.178.(4) Q.179.(3) Q.180.(1)

Q.181.(3) Q.182.(2) Q.183.(1) Q.184.(4) Q.185.(1) Q.186.(5) Q.187.(5) Q.188.(2) Q.189.(2) Q.190.(5)

Q.191.(4) Q.192.(5) Q.193.(3) Q.194.(4) Q.195.(5) Q.196.(5) Q.197.(2) Q.198.(3) Q.199.(4) Q.200.(2)

Paytm has announced to shut its Canada Business-to-Consumer (B2C) app to focus all its resources
92 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
on the Indian business.
SSC CGL PRE MODEL PAPER 2022
SSC CGL PRE - REASONING ABILITY
Q.1. Select the option that will correctly replace the (A) Scalpel (B) Grip
question mark (?) in the series. (C) Chisel (D) Spade
20, 24, 40, 76, ? Q.8. Select the Venn diagram that best represents the
(A) 130 (B) 120 (C) 145 (D) 140 given set of classes.
Q.2. Choose the option that would follow next in the Units, Watt, Volt
given figure series.

(A) (B)

(C) (D)
Q.9. The statements below are followed by two
(A) (B) conclusions labeled I and II. Assuming that the
information in the statements is true, even if it
appears at variance with generally established
facts, decide which conclusion(s) logically and
(C) (D) definitely follow(s) from the information given in
Q.3. Choose the option that most closely resembles the the statements.
mirror image of the given word when mirror is Statements:
placed at right side.
Some mouse are whales.
All whales are dogs.
Conclusion:
I. Some mouses are dogs.
II. No mouse is dog.
(A) (B)
(A) Only conclusion I follows.
(B) Both conclusions follow.
(C) (D) (C) Neither conclusion I nor conclusion II follows.
Q.4. Choose the odd one out of the given options. (D) Only conclusion II follows.
(A) EKO (B) JIU (C) KVG (D) QMJ Q.10. Select the option that will correctly replace the
Q.5. In a certain code, WORKER is written as question mark (?) in the series.
OKROKR. How will ASSUME be written in that 9, 20, 42, 75, ?
code?
(A) 99 (B) 129 (C) 109 (D) 119
(A) SUESUE (B) SUESVE
Q.11. The statements below are followed by two
(C) SUMSUM (D) SSESSE conclusions labeled I and II. Assuming that the
Q.6. Select the option that is related to the third term in information in the statements is true, even if it
the same way as the second term is related to the appears at variance with generally established
first term. facts, decide which conclusion(s) logically and
DEK : HIL :: GHL : ? definitely follow(s) from the information given in
the statements.
(A) KJP (B) KPL (C) KLM (D) KLO
Statements:
Q.7. Select the option that is related to the third term in
the same way as the second term is related to the All knights are nuns.
first term. All nuns are men.
Chef : Knife :: Surgeon : ? Conclusion:
Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, is facing a lawsuit in the UK worth over £2.3
billion (approx. $3.2 billion), following allegations of abusing its market position to gather and FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 93
exploit the personal data of 44 million people.
SSC CGL PRE
I. All men are knights.
II. All knights are men.
(A) Either conclusion I or conclusion II follows.
(B) Both conclusions follow. (A) (B)
(C) Only conclusion II follows.
(D) Only conclusion I follows.
Q.12. Choose the odd one out of the given options. (C) (D)
(A) Colombia (B) Canada Q.20 Choose the option in which the figure marked 'X' is
(C) Asia (D) China embedded. (Rotation is not allowed)
Q.13. In a certain code, CIRCLE is written as 50. How
will ALGAE be written in that code?
(A) 57 (B) 26 (C) 23 (D) 59
Q.14. Seven friends O, P, Q, R, S, T and U are watching
a movie sitting in a row. S is sitting at one extreme
end. Q is sitting second to the right of S. P is sitting
between O and Q. U is not sitting at any extreme
end. R is sitting to the left of T. Who is sitting
between P and R?
(A) U (B) R (C) T (D) O (A) (B)
Q.15. Select the option that will correctly replace the
question mark (?) in the series.
SNC, QPA, ORY, MTW, ?
(A) KUU (B) KVV (C) KUV (D) KVU (C) (D)
Q.16. Choose the odd number out of the given options. Q.21. J, K, L, M, N and O are six teachers. Each one
(A) 27 (B) 625 (C) 343 (D) 125 teaches a different subject out of Hindi, English,
Q.17. Find out the two signs to be interchanged to make Math, Science, Social Science and Arts, not
the following equation correct. necessarily in the same order. Each of them teaches
on only one day, from Monday to Saturday, not
30 + 28 x 3 - 16 ÷ 4 = -50
necessarily in the same order. J teaches Arts on
(A) x and ÷ (B) + and - Saturday. L teaches neither English nor Social
(C) - and x (D) - and ÷ Science, but he teaches on Thursday, Wednesday is
Q.18. Eight friends A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H are sitting reserved for Maths taught by K. O teaches Science
around a circular table facing each other for a a day before N. Social Science is taught a day
lunch. A is opposite F and third to the right of B. before Arts. Which subject is taught on the day
G is between F and D. H is to the left of D. E is between Social Science and Math?
between C and A. Who is sitting opposite H? (A) Science (B) Hindi
(A) B (B) C (C) D (D) G (C) English (D) Arts
Q.19. A square transparent sheet with a pattern is given. Q.22. Select a figure from amongst the four alternatives
How will the pattern appear when the transparent that when placed in the blank space (?) of figure X
sheet is folded along the dotted line? will complete the pattern. (Rotation is not allowed).

India's merchandise exports for December 2021 were $37.8 billion, as compared to $27.22 billion in
94 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
the same month last year, an increase of 39%, data released by the government.
 MODEL PAPER 2022
Q.24. Select the option that is related to the third number
in the same way as the second number is related to
the first number.
(A) (B) 22 : 242 :: 18 : ?
(A) 275 (B) 169 (C) 162 (D) 221
Q.25. Select the option that will correctly replace the
question mark (?) in the given pattern.
(C) (D)
Q.23. Select the option that is related to the third term in
the same way as the second term is related to the
first term.
Aeroplane : Hanger :: Gun : ?
(A) Shoot (B) Armoury (A) 729 (B) 125 (C) 256 (D) 225
(C) Human (D) Fire
SSC CGL PRE - GENERAL STUDIES
Q.26. ' Thoda' a sport dance belongs to which of the (A) Cauvery (B) Brahmaputra
following states? (C) Mahanadi (D) Krishna
(A) Sikkim (B) Haryana Q.34. Sundari, a well-known species of trees, is found in:
(C) Himachal Pradesh (D) Andhra Pradesh (A) Tropical deciduous forests
Q.27. _____ is the largest river island in the world. (B) Mangrove forests
(A) Majuli (B) Munroe (C) Himalayan mountains
(C) Mahvani (D) Umananda (D) Tropical rainforests
Q.28. _____ was the first and only Muslim woman to Q.35. Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) was founded
ever sit on the throne of Delhi. by Dorabji Tata in _.
(A) Fatima Al Fihri (B) Razia Begum (A) 1911 (B) 1907 (C) 1913 (D) 1919
(C) Shajarat Al (D) Gevher Sultan Q.36. The Banking Regulation Act was passed in India in
Q.29. __________ is the founder of Facebook. __.
(A) Jimi Wells (B) Mark Zuckerberg (A) 1949 (B) 1934 (C) 1955 (D) 1978
(C) Brian Acton (D) Larry Page Q.37. The highest railway station in India is located in
the state of:
Q.30. J.J.Thomson received the Nobel Prize in Physics
for his discovery of ____. (A) Sikkim (B) Jammu & Kashmir
(A) Proton (B) Electron (C) West Bengal (D) Madhya Pradesh
(C) Neutron (D) Positron Q.38. The Indian National Association was established in
1876 by ______ in Calcutta.
Q.31. Methyl propane is an isomer of:
(A) V K Chiplunkar (B) Anand Mohan Bose
(A) n-pentane (B) n-butane
(C) Sisir Kumar Ghosh (D) Badruddin Tyabji
(C) n-propane (D) n-hexa
Q.39. The Indian Passport was ranked _____ in the
Q.32. Minimum Support Price is recommended by __.
Global Passport Index Report 2021.
(A) The Food Safety and Standards Authority of
(A) 67th (B) 62th (C) 85th (D) 77th
India
Q.40. The Khajuraho Temples are located in the state of
(B) The Farmers' Welfare Society
___.
(C) The Commission for Agricultural Costs and
(A) Andhra Pradesh (B) Maharashtra
Prices
(C) Madhya Pradesh (D) Uttarakhand
(D) The Commission for Weights and Measures
Q.41. The Malimath Committee Report deals with:
Q.33. Musi and Bhīma are tributaries of ____ river.
India’s trade with China in 2021 crossed $125 billion with imports from China nearing a record $100
billion, underlining continued demand for a range of Chinese goods, particularly machinery.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 95
SSC CGL PRE
(A) Judicial delays Q.46. Which of the following metals is the most ductile
(B) Stock market reforms metal?
(C) Textile sector reforms (A) Tin (B) Gold
(D) Criminal justice system reforms (C) Aluminium (D) Copper
Q.42. The property of catenation is predominant Q.47. Which of the following places was ruled by the
in_______. Wadiyar dynasty?
(A) Silicon (B) Nitrogen (A) Guwahati (B) Kanpur
(C) Sulphur (D) Carbon (C) Jabalpur (D) Mysore
Q.43. Which of the following acid found in Apple? Q.48. Which queen died fighting Mughal armies while
defending Garha Katanga in 1564?
(A) Malic Acid (B) Formic Acid
(A) Rani Durgavati (B) Rani Ahilyabai
(C) Nitric Acid (D) Sulphuric Acid
(C) Rani Rudrambara (D) Rani Avantibai
Q.44. Which of the following is mined in the Badampahar
mines of Odisha? Q.49. Who amongst the following succeeded the Mughal
throne in the year 1556?
(A) Bauxite (B) Dolomite
(A) Shah Jahan (B) Sher Shah Suri
(C) Azurite (D) Hematite
(C) Akbar (D) Jahangir
Q.45. Which of the following is NOT a symptom of
Wilson's disease? Q.50. Who was the first invader to attack and loot the
famous Somnath temple in 1025 AD?
(A) Problems with speech, swallowing or physical
coordination (A) Mahmud of Ghazni
(B) Fluid build-up in the legs or abdomen (B) Muhammad Ghori
(C) Night blindness (C) Nadir Shah
(D) Uncontrolled movements or muscle stiffness (D) Genghis Khan

SSC CGL PRE - QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE

Q.55. A boat running downstream covers a distance of 24
Q.51. If a2 + b2 + 2b + 4a + 5 = 0, then the value of km in 2 hours while for covering the same distance
is- upstream it takes 4 hours. What is the speed of the
boat in still water?
(A) (B) 0 (C) – 3 (D) 3 (A) 9 km/hr. (B) 12 km/hr.
Q.52. A shopkeeper sold sarees at Rs. 2185 each after (C) 10 km/hr. (D) 8 km/hr.
giving 5% discount on labelled price. Had he not
given the discount he would have earned a profit of
15% on the cost price. What was the cost price of Q.56. If and then
each saree? find the value of tan 2α.
(A) `2224 (B) `2000 (C) `1995 (D) `2105 (A) 0 (B) 1 (C) 2 (D) 3
Q.53. If three cubic biscuits having edges 0.3 m, 0.4 m Q.57. An article of cost price Rs. 8000 is marked at Rs.
and 0.5 m respectively are melted and formed into 11200. After allowing a discount of x% a profit of
a single cubic biscuit, then what is the total surface 12% is made. The value of x is-
area of the cubic biscuit? (A) 20% (B) 21% (C) 22% (D) 24%
(A) 1.08 m
2
(B) 1.56 m 2
Q.58. Find the sum of all odd numbers up to 100.
(C) 1.84 m
2
(D) 2.16 m2 (A) 2650 (B) 2500 (C) 3200 (D) 2800
Q.54. If 12 + 22 + 32 + ... + 202 = 2870, then 22 + 42 + 62 + Q.59. A can do a piece of work in 24 days, B in 32 days
... + 402 = ? and C in 64 days. All begin to do it together but A
(A) 5740 (B) 8610 (C) 11480 (D) 28400 leaves after 6 days and B leaves 6 days before the
completion of the work. The total number of days
North Korea said it test-launched ballistic missiles from a train in what was seen as an apparent
96 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
retaliation against fresh sanctions imposed by the Biden administration.
 MODEL PAPER 2022
they worked for is - part of a journey takes 20 minutes, then to complete
(A) 24 days (B) 8 days
th of that journey, it will take
(C) 16 days (D) 20 days
(A) 80 minutes (B) 90 minutes
Q.60. If the price of a book is reduced by Rs. 5, a person
can buy 5 more books for Rs.300. What is the (C) 96 minutes (D) 72 minutes
original list price of the book? Q.68. One train crosses a pole and a platform in 18 seconds
(A) Rs. 15 (B) Rs. 20 (C) Rs. 25 (D) Rs. 30 and 39 seconds respectively. The length of platform is
157.5 metre. What will be the length of another train
Q.61 Simplify:
whose length is equal to the sum of half of the length
of first train and twice the length of the platform?
(A) 238.5 m. (B) 375 m.
(C) 328.5 m. (D) 382.5 m.
(A) 0 (B) 1 (C) 5 (D) 10 Q.69. Two vessels A and B contains "a" litres of milk and
Q.62. Find the minimum value of (4 sec θ+ 9 cosec θ).
2 2 "b" litres of water respectively. "c" litres of milk
and same quantity of water is taken out and then
(A) 13 (B) 6 (C) 12 (D) 25 transferred to B and A respectively. This process
is repeated several times. If after the first operation
Q.63. If then what will be the value of the quantity of milk and water in either of A and B
(a + b)? does not change. What is the value of "c"?
(A) 631 (B) 99 (C) 647 (D) 651
Q.64. Two medians BP and CQ intersects at G. Find the
ratio of area of the ΔPGQ: Δ ABC. (A) (B)
(A) 3: 4 (B) 1: 6 (C) 1: 12 (D) 1: 3
Q.65. If (a + b ) (m + n ) = (am + bn) then which one
2 2 2 2 2

of the following is true? (C) (D)

Q.70. What is the least multiple of 13 which when divided
by 4, 5, 6, 7 leaves remainder 3 in each case?
(A) a2n = b2m (B) (A) 3780 (B) 3783 (C) 2520 (D) 2522
Q.71. Water is flowing at the rate of 3 km/hr through
a circular pipe of 20 cm internal diameter into a
(C) (D) circular cistern of diameter 10 m and depth 2 m. In
Q.66. Two pipes A and B fill the tank in 48 hours and how much time will the cistern be filled?
72 hours, respectively. If they are opened together, (A) 1 hour (B) 1 hour 40 min
then in how many hours will the 2/9 portion of the (C) 1 hour 20 min (D) 2 hour 40 min
tank be filled?
Q.72. A person lent Rs. 8000 partly at the rate of 5% and
partly at the rate of 6% per annum simple interest.
The total interest after 2 years is Rs. 820 then in
(A) (B) (C) (D)
which ratio will Rs. 8000 is to be divided?
(A) 13: 5 (B) 12: 5 (C) 15: 4 (D) 7: 1
Q.73. A person P started a business with a capital of Rs.
2525 and another person Q joined P after some
months with a capital of Rs 1200.Out of the total
annual profit of Rs. 1644, P's share was Rs. 1212.
When did Q, join as partner?
Q.67. If th
(A) After 2 months (B) After 3 months
(C) After 4 months (D) After 5 months
Rear Admiral K P Arvindan has taken charge as the Admiral Superintendent of the naval dockyard in
Mumbai.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 97
SSC CGL PRE
Q.74. ABCD is a parallelogram AB = 14 cm, BC = 18 cm of the tree and on the same side of its are 45o and 60o
and AC = 16 cm. Find the length of the other diagonal. respectively the distance between the boats is-
(A) 24 cm. (B) 28 cm. (C) 36 cm. (D) 32 cm.
(A) m. (B) m.
Q.75. From the top of a tree of height 120m, the angle of
depression of two boats in the same line with the foot (C) m. (D) m.

SSC CGL PRE - ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Q.76. Select the correct passive form of the given sentence. town have been relegated (B) _______ oblivion.
A child could understand his theory. Amongst such 60 odd monuments in (C) _______
(A) His theory could be understood by a child. town, the Red Taj is the most (D) _______
(B) His theory is being understood by a child. and relatively well-preserved. The tomb in red
sandstone was (E) _______ by Ann Hessing,
(C) His theory was understood by a child.
widow of a Dutch officer, after his death in 1803.
(D) His theory can be understood by a child.
Select the correct option to fill in blank (A).
Q.77. Given below are four jumbled sentences. Out of
(A) but (B) that (C) than (D) If
the given options pick the one that gives their
correct order. Q.83. In the following passage some words have been
deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the
A. These lotteries organised by State Governments
alternatives given. Select the most appropriate
sell dreams.
option for each blank.
B. Lured by this, millions of poor people waste
Agra's marble-marvel has such an overwhelming
their hard-earned money.
presence (A) _______ other monuments in the
C. Crores of rupees and gold are offered as prizes. town have been relegated (B) _______ oblivion.
D. People buy lotteries hoping to become rich overnight. Amongst such 60 odd monuments in (C) _______
(A) DBCA (B) CABD (C) CBAD (D) DACB town, the Red Taj is the most (D) _______
Q.78. Select the most appropriate meaning of the and relatively well-preserved. The tomb in red
given idiom. sandstone was (E) _______ by Ann Hessing,
Pull a fast one widow of a Dutch officer, after his death in 1803.
(A) Believe someone easily Select the correct option to fill in blank (B).
(B) Progress fast (A) on (B) to (C) with (D) by
(C) Trick someone Q.84. In the following passage some words have been
deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the
(D) Take quick action
alternatives given. Select the most appropriate
Q.79. In the sentence identify the segment which
option for each blank.
contains the grammatical error.
Agra's marble-marvel has such an overwhelming
We had a long discussion at a cup of coffee. presence (A) _______ other monuments in the
(A) We had (B) of coffee town have been relegated (B) _______ oblivion.
(C) at a cup (D) a long discussion Amongst such 60 odd monuments in (C) _______
Q.80. Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. town, the Red Taj is the most (D) _______
The poor man was ______ entry to the restaurant. and relatively well-preserved. The tomb in red
(A) deluded (B) denied sandstone was (E) _______ by Ann Hessing,
(C) derived (D) devoid widow of a Dutch officer, after his death in 1803.
Q.81. Select the most appropriate antonym of the given word. Select the correct option to fill in blank (B).
FICKLE (A) their (B) an (C) a (D) the
(A) Stable (B) Flighty (C) Crafty (D) Subtle Q.85. In the following passage some words have been
deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the
Q.82. In the following passage some words have been
alternatives given. Select the most appropriate
deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the
option for each blank.
alternatives given. Select the most appropriate
option for each blank. Agra's marble-marvel has such an overwhelming
presence (A) _______ other monuments in the
Agra's marble-marvel has such an overwhelming
town have been relegated (B) _______ oblivion.
presence (A) _______ other monuments in the
BMC becomes the only municipal corporation in the world to have more than 80 citizen-based
98 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
services on WhatsApp chatbots.
 MODEL PAPER 2022
Amongst such 60 odd monuments in (C) _______ C. A tsunami is made up of a series of very long waves.
town, the Red Taj is the most (D) _______ D. Spreading thus, they look like ripples caused by
and relatively well-preserved. The tomb in red throwing a rock in a pond.
sandstone was (E) _______ by Ann Hessing, (A) BDCA (B) CBDA (C) CABD (D) BADC
widow of a Dutch officer, after his death in 1803. Q.93. Select the most appropriate antonym of the given word.
Select the correct option to fill in blank (D). HASTE
(A) elegant (B) adequate (A) Lose (B) Dash (C) Rush (D) Delay
(C) efficient (D) active Q.94. In the sentence identify the segment which
Q.86. In the following passage some words have been contains the grammatical error.
deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the The both children go to the same school.
alternatives given. Select the most appropriate
(A) to the (B) same school
option for each blank.
(C) children go (D) The both
Agra's marble-marvel has such an overwhelming
presence (A) _______ other monuments in the Q.95. Select the most appropriate option to substitute the
town have been relegated (B) _______ oblivion. underlined segment in the given sentence. If there
Amongst such 60 odd monuments in (C) _______ is no need to substitute it, select No improvement.
town, the Red Taj is the most (D) _______ They stopped to laugh as soon as the teacher
and relatively well-preserved. The tomb in red entered the classroom.
sandstone was (E) _______ by Ann Hessing, (A) stopped laughing (B) No improvement
widow of a Dutch officer, after his death in 1803. (C) stop laughing (D) stopped laugh
Select the correct option to fill in blank (E). Q.96. Select the most appropriate one word
(A) building (B) built substitution for the given group of words.
(C) to build (D) build To increase the speed
Q.87. Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word. (A) Assimilate (B) Exhilarate
DISHEARTENED (C) Accelerate (D) Activate
(A) disliked (B) depressed Q.97. Select the most appropriate option to fill in the
(C) disgusted (D) disgraced blank.
Q.88. Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word. Have you ______ for a job in this company?
CORDIAL (A) approved (B) applied
(A) hard (B) cold (C) warm (D) rude (C) appointed (D) supplied
Q.89. Select the INCORRECTLY spelt word. Q.98. Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence.
(A) Opportunity (B) Obsolete Mahesh said to Rita, "Don't play in the sun."
(C) Omision (D) Obscure (A) Mahesh advised Rita not to play in the sun.
Q.90. Select the most appropriate meaning of the given idiom. (B) Mahesh told to Rita to not play in the sun.
See eye to eye (C) Mahesh requested Rita that don't play in the sun.
(A) See clearly (B) Stare at someone (D) Mahesh ordered Rita that not play in the sun.
(C) Be suspicious (D) Agree with someone Q.99. Select the most appropriate option to substitute
Q.91. Select the most appropriate one word the underlined segment in the given sentence.
substitution for the given group of words. If there is no need to substitute it, select No
Pertaining to an individual from birth improvement.
(A) Habitual (B) Anomaly If they will get married, they will probably settle
(C) Chronic (D) Congenital in Mumbai.
Q.92. Given below are four jumbled sentences. Out of (A) No improvement
the given options pick the one that gives their (B) If they get married
correct order. (C) If they will be getting married
A. These are generated by a violent undersea (D) If they had got married
disturbance or ocean activity. Q.100. Select the INCORRECTLY spelt word.
B. Once generated, they travel outward on the (A) Rebel (B) Delegait
ocean surface in all directions. (C) Monarch (D) Edible
The country’s overall exports, Merchandise, and Services combined in December 2021 are estimated
to be 57.87 Billion US dollars, exhibiting a positive growth of 25.05 percent over the same period FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 99
last year.
SSC CGL PRE
EXPLANATION/SSC CGL PRE/REASONING
Q.1.(D) 20 (+ 2 ) 24(+ 42) 40 (+ 62) 76 (+ 82) 140
2

Q.2.(C)
Q.3.(B)

Q.12.(C) Asia is a continents whereas all other are the

Q.4.(A) EKO (5+11+15) = 31 name of country.
JIU (10+9+21) = 40 Q.13.(B) CIRCLE (3+9+18+3+12+5) = 50
KVG (11+22+7) = 40 ALGAE (1+12+7+1+5) = 26
QMJ (17+13+10) = 40 Q.14.(D) S R/U Q P O R/U T
Q.5.(A) Q.15.(D) SNC (-2+2-2) QPA (-2+2-2) ORY (-2+2-2)
MTW (-2+2-2) KVU
Q.16.(B) 33 =27; 73 = 343; 53= 125; 252=625
Q.17.(B) 30 + 28 x 3 - 16 ÷ 4 = -50
30 – 28 x 3 + 16 ÷ 4 = -50
30 – 84 +4 = -50
Q.6.(C) 34 – 84 = -50
-50 = -50
Q.18.(A)

Q.7.(A) The second term is a tool used by first term, as

knife is used by chef similarly scalpel is used by
surgeon.
Q.8.(B)
Q.19.(D)
Q.20.(A)
Q.21.(B)

Q.9.(A)

Q.22.(C)
Q.23.(B) Hangar-a place where aeroplane are kept.
Armory-a place where arms or guns are kept.
Q.24.(C) 22/2 = 11x22 = 242
Q.10.(D) 9, 20, 42, 75, 119 18/2 = 9x18 = 162
+11 +22 +33 +44 Q.25.(D) 1+2= 32 =9 7+2=92 =81 13+2=152 =225
Q.11.(C) 3+2 = 52 =25 9+2=112 =121 15+2=172 =289
5+2 =72 =49 11+2=132 =169 17+2=192 =361
In Himachal Pradesh, the 9th women National Ice Hockey Championship-2022 was inaugurated
100 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 today at Ice Skating Rink, Kaza in Lahaul Spiti district. For the first time in the state, and Ice Hockey
competition and development camp is being organized at the national level.
 MODEL PAPER 2022
EXPLANATION/SSC CGL PRE/GENERAL STUDIES
Q.26.(C) Thoda' a sport dance belongs to Himachal Pradesh. the most powerful passport report with a visa-
Q.27.(A) Largest river islands of the world is Majuli. free score of 58 in 2021.
Q.28.(B) Razia Begum was the first and only Muslim Q.40.(C) The Khajuraho Temples are located in the state
woman to ever sit on the throne of Delhi. of Madhya Pradesh.
Q.29.(B) Mark Zuckerberg is the founder of Facebook. Q.41.(D) Malimath Committee was headed by Justice V.S.
Q.30.(B) JJ Thomson received the Nobel Prize in Physics Malimath, former Chief Justice of the Karnataka
for his discovery of Electron. and Kerala High Courts. This Committee began
Q.31.(B) In chemistry, isomers are molecules or its work in 2000 when it was constituted by
polyatomic ions with identical molecular the Home Ministry. The Report related to the
formulas — that is, same number of atoms of criminal justice system in India was submitted.
each element — but distinct arrangements of Q.42.(D) The property of catenation is predominant in
atoms in space. Carbon. In chemistry, catenation is the bonding
Q.32.(C) The Commission for Agricultural Costs and of atoms of the same element into a series, called
Prices. a chain. A chain or a ring shape may be open if
its ends are not bonded to each other (an open-
Q.33.(D) Musi and Bhīma are tributaries of Krishna
chain compound), or closed if they are bonded
River.
in a ring (a cyclic compound).
Q.34.(B) Heritiera littoralis (Sundari Tree) is a species
Q.43.(A) Malic Acid found in Apple.
of tree in the family Malvaceae. They have a
self-supporting growth form. They have simple, Q.44.(D) Hematite is found in Badampadahar mines of
broad leaves. Sundari Tree form mangrove Odisha.
swamps. Individuals can grow to 13 m. Q.45.(C) Night blindness is NOT a symptom of Wilson's
Q.35.(B) Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) was disease.
founded by Dorabji Tata in 1907. Q.46.(B) Gold is the most ductile metal. Ductility is
Q.36.(A) The Banking Regulation Act was passed in defined by the degree to which a material can
India in 1949. sustain plastic deformation under tensile stress
before failure.
Q.37.(C) Ghum is a small hilly neighborhoods in the
Darjeeling Himalayan hill region of West Q.47.(D) The Wadiyar dynasty ruled in Mysore.
Bengal, India. Ghum railway station of the Q.48.(A) Rani Durgawati died in 1564.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is the highest Q.49.(C) Akbar succeeded the Mughal throne in the years
railway station in India. 1556.
Q.38.(B) The Indian National Association was established Q.50.(A) Mahmud Ghazni, who ruled Ghazni from 999 to
in 1876 by Anand Mohan Bose in Calcutta. 1030 AD. To plunder the wealth of India he made
Q.39.(C) The Henley Passport Index (HPI) is a global first attack in 1001. He attacked India 17 times on
ranking of countries according to the travel India. He made his 16th attack on the Somnath
freedom for their citizens. India ranks 85th in temple in 1025 just to plunder the gold.

EXPLANATION/SSC CGL PRE/QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE

Q.51.(D) a +b +2b+4a+5=0
2 2

= a2+4a+4+b2+2b+1=0 =

= (a=2)2+(b+1)2=0 = `2000
= a=-2, b=-1 Q.53.(D) Volume of cube = (0.3)3 + (0.4)3 + (0.5)3
= 0.027 + 0.064 + 0.125
= 0.216 m3
a3 = 0.216
Q.52.(B) a = 0.6
Total surface area of the cubic biscuit
C.P. = = 6 × (0.6)2
= 2.16 m2
A young Lavni artist from Maharashtra has won a gold medal at the International Folk Art Festival in FEBRUARY 2022 MICA
Dubai. 101
SSC CGL PRE
Q.54.(C) 4 × 2870 = 11480 Q.61.(D)

Q.55.(A) Upstream speed = km/hr. = 6 km/hr.

Downstream speed = km/hr. = 12 km/hr.

Speed in still water = = 9 km/hr.

Q.56.(B)

= (100)1/2 = 10
Q.62.(D)

Q.57.(A)
Q.63.(C)

100 – x = 80
x = 20
Q.58.(B) 1, 3, 5, 7, … 99
1 + (n – 1) × 2 = 99
n = 50 Put this value in equation (I)

S=
= 25 × 100 = 2500
Q.59.(D) A 24 8
B 32 192 6 Q.64.(C) 1: 12
C 64 3 Q.65.(B) (a2 + b2) (m2 + n2) = (am + bn)2
a2m2 + b2n2 + a2n2 + b2m2 = a2m2 + b2n2 + 2abmn
17 × 6 + 9d + 3 × 6 = 192
a2n2 + b2m2 = 2abmn
d=8
a2n2 + b2m2 – 2abmn = 0
Required answer = 8 + 6 + 6 = 20 days (an – bm)2 = 0
Q.60.(B) Let original list price be Rs. x. an = bm

Q.66.(A)

x2 – 5x = 300
x2 – 5x – 300 = 0
x2 – 20x + 15x – 300 = 0
x (x – 20) + 15 (x – 20) = 0
(x – 20) (x + 15) = 0 Required time =
x = 20, – 15

Lakshya Sen clinches Men's Singles title of India Open; Pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag
102 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
Shetty lifts Men's Doubles trophy.
 MODEL PAPER 2022
Q.67.(C)

Q.70.(B) L.C.M of 4, 5, 6, 7 is 420

420K + 3, should be divisible by 13 where K is
a natural number
K=9
Number = 3783
Q.71.(B) ππ × 10 × 10 × 300000 × t = π × 25 × 200 × 10000
t = 1.66 hours
t = 100 minutes = 1 hour 40 minutes
Q.72.(D) Let first part be x.

82000 = 10x + 96000 – 12x

x = Rs.7000
Other part = 8000 – 7000 = Rs.1000
Required ratio = 7000 : 1000 = 7 : 1
Q.73.(B) Let Q join after x months.

Time taken in completing (1/8) part = 20 minutes

Time taken in completing (3/5) part = 20 × (3/5)
×8
= 96 minutes 9 = 12 – x
Q.68.(D) Let, length of train B = x metre x = 3 months
Q.74.(B)

13x = 6x + 157.5 × 6
7x = 945, x = 135 metre

Length of train C =
= (67.5 + 315) m. = 382.5 m. AB2 + BC2 = 2 (BO2 + AO2)
AB2 + BC2 = 2 (BO2 + 64)
Q.69.(C) After first operation, 196 + 324 = 2 (BO2 + 64)
Quantity of water in vessel A = c/a BO2 = 196
Quantity of water in vessel = (b – c)/b BO = 14
BD = 2 BO = 2 × 14 = 28 cm.
According to the question,
The US embassy in Dhaka donated 9.6 million doses of the Pfizer COVID 19 vaccine to Bangladesh.
Announcing this on social media, the US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller said that the vaccine FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 103
has been donated to Bangladesh for the nationwide vaccination program.
SSC CGL PRE
Q.75.(A)
tan 60o =

CD = BD – DC
tan 45o = CD = BD – DC
1= = 120 – 40
BD = 120 m. = m.

EXPLANATION/SSC CGL PRE/ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Q.76.(A) His theory could be understood by a child. For other options-
Kindly refer to the rules of voice. Disgusted (adj.) - feeling or expressing revulsion
Q.77.(D) The correct rearrangement is DACB. or strong disapproval.
Q.78.(B) E.g. - He had been trying to pull a fast one on his Disgraced (adj.) - having fallen from favour or a
producer. position of power or honour; discredited.
Q.79.(C) ‘At’ should be replaced by ‘Over’ as it is Q.88.(C) Cordial (adj.) - warm and friendly.
expressing duration. The sentence means ‘we Q.89.(C) The correct word is ‘Omission’.
discussed things while we were drinking coffee Q.90.(D) E.g. – The occasions, when we see eye to eye,
(i.e. in that duration). are very less.
Q.80.(B) For other options- Q.91.(D) For other options-
Delude (v) - make (someone) believe something Anomaly (n) - something that deviates from
that is not true. what is standard, normal, or expected.
Devoid (v) - entirely lacking or free from. Chronic (adj.) - (of an illness) persisting for a
Q.81.(A) Fickle (adj.) - changing frequently, especially as long time or constantly recurring.
regards one's loyalties or affections. Q.92.(C) The correct rearrangement is CABD.
Stable (adj.) - sane and sensible; not easily upset Q.93.(D) Haste (v) - excessive speed or urgency of
or disturbed. movement or action; hurry.
For other options- For other options-
Subtle (adj.) - so delicate or precise as to be Dash (v) - run or travel somewhere in a great
difficult to analyse or describe. hurry.
Crafty (adj.) - clever at achieving one's aims by Q.94.(D) Remove ‘the’. No article is needed here.
indirect or deceitful methods. Q.95.(A) ‘stop’ is one if the verbs which take a gerund.
Q.82.(C) ‘than’ is used to express comparison. E.g. – His Here, ‘laughing’ will be used.
taste in music is better than his brother’s.
Q.96.(C) For other options-
Q.83.(B) ‘to’ is used with ‘relegate (v) - assign an inferior
Assimilate (v) - to take in and incorporate as
rank or position to’.
one's own; absorb.
Q.84.(D) Definite article ‘the’ is used when we state
Exhilarate (v) - make (someone) feel very
something that has been mentioned before.
happy, animated, or elated.
Q.85.(A) Elegant (adj.) - graceful and stylish in
Q.97.(B) Apply (v) - make a formal application or request.
appearance or manner.
Q.98.(A) Mahesh advised Rita not to play in the sun.
For other options-
Kindly refer to the rules of narration.
Adequate (adj.) - satisfactory or acceptable in
Q.99.(B) ‘Will’ is not correct in both the phrases as it is
quality or quantity.
a conditional sentence. The second clause will
Q.86.(B) Since it is the passive case, V3 will be used after ‘was’. take ‘will’.
Q.87.(B) Disheartened (adj.) - having lost determination Q.100.(B) The correct word is ‘Delegate’.
or confidence; depressed.
The tsunami threat around the Pacific basin from a powerful underwater volcano eruption off the
104 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 coast of Tonga began to recede. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said, the threat had receded but
coastal areas should remain alert for strong or unusual currents.
UPSSSC LEKHPAL MODEL PAPER 2022
UPSSSC LEKHPAL / MATHS
What is the speed (in km/hr) of the current?
Q.1. If of P = of Q, then what is P: Q?
(A) 20 (B) 4 (C) 8 (D) 16
(A) 3:5 (B) 4:3 (C) 3:4 (D) 10:9 Q.12. Which smallest number to be subtracted from 600,
Q.2. The diagonal of a square is 12 cm. Find the area of so that the resulting number is completely divisible
the square. by 9?
(A) 78 (B) 76 (C) 72 (D) 64 (A) 5 (B) 4 (C) 3 (D) 6
Q.3. A shopkeeper sells Marker at the rate of Rs 35 Q.13. An amount invested at simple interest gives Rs
each and earns a commission of 10%. He also 5100 interest at rate of 8.5% per annum in 6 years.
sells Gel pen at the rate of Rs 65 each and earns What is the principal (in Rs)?
a commission of 20%. How much amount (in (A) 12000 (B) 10000 (C) 14500 (D) 12500
rupees) of commission will he earn in 2 weeks, if
Q.14. A sum amounts to Rs.1210 in 2 years when invested
he sells 12 markers and 8 Gel pens a day?
at compound interest. If principal is Rs.1000, then
(A) 1500 (B) 2044 (C) 1380 (D) 1250 what is the rate of interest (in %)?
Q.4. The marked price of an article is 50% more than its (A) 12% (B) 15% (C) 20% (D) 10%
cost price. If a discount of 10% is given, then what
Q.15. If the radius of a circle is decreased by 12.5%,
is the profit percentage?
then what is the percent decrease in the area of the
(A) 25 (B) 30 (C) 35 (D) 20 circle? (upto two decimal points)
Q.5. Two numbers are in the ratio of 5: 6. If 3 be (A) 22.38% (B) 23.44%
subtracted from each, then the new ratio becomes
(C) 25.67% (D) 37.64%
37: 45. What are the two numbers?
Q.16. If P: Q = 1: 4 and Q: R = 2: 3, then what is P: Q: R?
(A) 36, 40 (B) 42, 46 (C) 40, 48 (D) 48, 40
(A) 1 : 4 : 6 (B) 2 : 8 : 7
Q.6. The average age of a group of persons going for
tour to Shimla is 22 years. 25 new persons with an (C) 2 : 8 : 5 (D) 1 : 4 : 5
average age of 10 years join the group and their Q.17. The sum of three consecutive even integers is 114.
average age becomes 12 years. The number of Which is the greatest integer among them?
persons initially going for tour is? (A) 36 (B) 38 (C) 40 (D) 42
(A) 10 (B) 8 (C) 7 (D) 5 Q.18. A and B can complete the some work in 12 and 15
Q.7. If the ratio of the cost price and selling price of an article days respectively. They started working together
is 13: 15, then what will be the profit percentage? but 3 days before the completion of the work B
(A) 15.38% (B) 16.32% leaves the work. Find in how many days the work
will be completed?
(C) 14.32% (D) 18.38%
(A) 8 (B) 7 (C) 6 (D) 5
Q.8. If the grapes is sold at Rs 96 per kg, then there
would be a 20% loss. To earn a profit of 20% what Q.19. What is the value of 23 + 24 ……. 40?
should be the price of grapes (per kg)? (A) 540 (B) 567 (C) 578 (D) 560
(A) 138 (B) 140 (C) 144 (D) 150 Q.20. What is the digit in unit’s place of the product 455×
Q.9. When 60 is subtracted from 40% of a number, the 962 × 537?
result is 30. What is the value of the number? (A) 0 (B) 1 (C) 2 (D) 3
(A) 445 (B) 225 (C) 450 (D) 360 Q.21. If 123457Y is completely divisible by 9, then what
Q.10. A number is first decreased by 20% and then will be the digit in place of Y?
increased by 50%. If the number so obtained is 72 (A) 5 (B) 4 (C) 3 (D) 6
more than the original number, then what is the Q.22. A person goes from point L to N and comes back.
value of the original number? His average speed for the whole journey is 100 km/
(A) 360 (B) 240 (C) 480 (D) 720 hr. If his speed while coming back from N to L is
Q.11. Speeds of a boat along the current and against the 65 km/hr, then what will be the speed of the person
current are 24 km/hr and 16 km/hr respectively. (in km/hr) while going from L to N?

Kathak dancer Pandit Birju Maharaj passes away at age 83. FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 105
UPSSSC LEKHPAL
(A) 135 (B) 146.31 Q.24. The difference between the simple and compound
(C) 150.62 (D) 216.67 interest at the same rate of interest R% per annum
on an amount of Rs.15000 for 2 years is Rs.216.
Q.23. In an examination, 34% of the students failed in
What is the value of R?
Mathematics and 42% failed in English. If 20% of
(A) 8% (B) 10% (C) 12% (D) 14%
the students failed in both the subjects, then what is
the percentage of students who passed in both the Q.25. The area of four walls of a room is 120 m2. The
subjects? length of the room is twice its breadth. If the height
of the room is 4 m, what is area of the floor?
(A) 40% (B) 42% (C) 44% (D) 46%
(A) 40 m2 (B) 50 m2 (C) 60 m2 (D) 80 m2
UPSSSC LEKHPAL / HINDI
iz-26- fuEufyf[kr okD;ksa esa vdeZd fØ;kFkZd okD; gS& (B) fofiu mPp f'k{kk çkIr djus gsrq fons'k x;kA
(A) cw¡n&cw¡n ls ?kM+k Hkj tkrk gS (C) mlus iwjk Hkkstu xzg.k dj fy;kA
(B) bl Vc dks ikuh ls Hkj nks (D) eSa dy jkr dks ç;kxjkt tkÅaxkA
(C) ek¡ csVs dks [kkuk f[kyk jgh gS iz-34- tgk¡ mies; esa mieku dh laHkkouk dh tk,] ogk¡ vyadkj
(D) pkpkth us eq>s i= fy[kk gS gksrk gS &
iz-27- ^pancjnkbZ* fuEufyf[kr esa ls fdlds njckjh dfo Fks \ (A) miek vyadkj (B) mRçs{kk vyadkj
(A) egkjkt gehj ds (B) egkjkt chlynso ds (C) :id vyadkj (D) Hkzkafreku vyadkj
(C) egkjk.kk çrki ds (D) i`Fohjkt pkSgku ds iz-35- {] = vkSj K ;s rhuksa dkSu&lk O;atu gS \
iz-28- ^tks lcls vkxs jgrk gks* dks dgrs gSa & (A) la;qä O;atu (B) m"e O;atu
(A) vxz.kh (B) vukfn (C) roxhZ; O;atu (D) buesa ls dksbZ ugha
(C) vuqdj.kh; (D) voSèk iz-36- ^xoh'k* dk lafèk&foPNsn gS \
iz-29- fdl lekl ls cus 'kCn dk :i] fyax ;k opu ds dkj.k (A) xo $ bZ'k (B) xkso $ b'k
ifjorZu ugha gksrk gS \ (C) xks $ bZ'k (D) xks $ oh'k
(A) }a} lekl (B) rRiq#"klekl iz-37- ^ijkèkhu* esa dkSu&lk milxZ gS \
(C) vO;;hHkko lekl (D) deZèkkj; lekl (A) i (B) èkhu (C) ijk (D) ij
iz-30- ^^tks thrk ogh fldanj** bl okD; esa ^^tks** 'kCn iz-38- ^vks[kyh* 'kCn dk rRle :i fuEu esa ls dkSu&lk gS&
dkSu&lk loZuke gS \
(A) vks[ky (B) Åyw[k (C) myw[ky (D) vkS[ky
(A) iq:"kokpd (B) futokpd
iz-39- ^tqxqIlk* fuEu esa fdl jl dk LFkk;h Hkko gS\
(C) lacaèkokpd (D) fu'p;okpd
(A) okRlY; jl (B) vn~Hkqr jl
iz-31- dkSu lk okD; 'kq) gS\
(C) 'kkar jl (D) ohHkRl jl
(A) 'kjRdkyhu fnuksa esa pUæek dh 'kksHkk ns[kus ;ksX; gksrh gSA
iz-40- fuEufyf[kr esa ls dkSu&lk o.kZ v?kks"k gS \
(B) 'kjn~ dky ds fnuksa esa pUæek dh 'kksHkk ns[kus ;ksX;
(A) vk (B) n (C) g (D) l
gksrh gSA
(C) 'kjr~ dky esa pUæek dh 'kksHkk ns[kus ;ksX; gksrh gSA
iz-41- buesa ls 'kq) orZuh dk 'kCn gS&
(D) 'kjr~ dky ds fnuksa esa pUæek dh 'kksHkk ns[kus ;ksX; (A) T;ksRluk (B) T;ksrluk
gksrh gSA (C) T;ksRLuk (D) T;kSRLuk
iz-32- fuEufyf[kr esa ls dkSu&lk ^flag* dk i;kZ;okph gS& iz-42- yacksnj dkSu&lk 'kCn gS \
(A) vard (B) e`xkad (C) iapkuu (D) flaèkqj (A) :<+ (B) ;ksfxd (C) ;ksx:<+ (D) ;s lHkh
iz-33- fuEufyf[kr esa ls fdl okD; esa laçnku dkjd dh iz-43- eSa dkSu&lk iq#"k gS\
vuqHkwfr gS \ (A) mÙke iq#"k (B) eè;e iq#"k
(A) dkepksj O;fä lnSo vlQy gh gksrs gSaA (C) vU; iq#"k (D) buesa ls dksbZ ugha

Noted environmentalist Prof M K Prasad, a prominent figure in the historic grassroot level movement
106 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
to save the evergreen tropical rain forests in Kerala's Silent Valley from destruction, passed away.
 MODEL PAPER 2022
iz-44- fgUnh lkfgR; esa NUn'kkL= dh n`f"V ls igyh d`fr iz-48- i`Foh dkSu&lk 'kCn gS\
dkSu&lh gS\ (A) rRle (B) rn~Hko
(A) NUnekyk (B) NUnlkj (C) ns'kt (D) buesa ls dksbZ ugha
(C) Nanks.kZo fiaxy (D) Nanfopkj iz-49- ^i<+rs le; esjh vk¡[kksa ls ikuh fudyrk gSA* çLrqr okD;
iz-45- ^pjj ejj [kqy x, vjj joLQqVksa ls* esa dkSu &lk vyadkj gS\ dh laKk ds fy, fyax] opu vkSj dkjd crkb,\
(A) ;ed (B) vuqçkl (C) 'ys"k (D) mRçs{kk (A) iqafyax] cgqopu] viknku
iz-46- ^gfjuh ds uSuku rs gfj uhds ;s uSu* esa dkSu &lk vyadkj (B) L=hfyax] cgqopu] dj.k
gS\ (C) iqafyax] ,dopu] deZ
(A) ;ed (B) vuqçkl (D) buesa ls dksbZ ugha
(C) Hkzkafreku (D) mRçs{kk iz-50- folxZ gS&
iz-47- ^lulukgV* esa fdl çR;; dk ç;ksx fd;k x;k gS\ (A) la;qä O;atu (B) egkçk.k
(A) lu (B) g (C) l (D) vkgV (C) vk;ksxokg (D) vYiçk.k
UPSSSC LEKHPAL / GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
Q.51. "World Animal Welfare Day" is celebrated which Q.58. The last ruler of Delhi Sultanate was -
date? (A) Jalal Khan Lodi (B) Ibrahim Lodi
(A) 01-Oct (B) 02-Oct (C) Bahlul Lodi (D) Sikandar Lodi
(C) 03-Oct (D) 04-Oct Q.59. When did theTiger Conservation Authority came
Q.52. Who among has took the oath as new Chief Justice into existence?
of Allahabad High Court? (A) 1992 (B) 1994 (C) 1996 (D) 2005
(A) Akil Kureshi (B) Rajesh Bindal Q.60. Where is Hirni water fall located?
(C) Ravi Shanker Jha (D) Sanjay Karol (A) Jharkhand
Q.53. Which of the following organisation has observed (B) Chattisgarh
"India Start-up Week" From October 4-9, 2021?
(C) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
(A) Securities and Exchange Board of India
(D) Himanchal Pradesh
(B) Indian Chamber of Commerce
Q.61. The percentage of tribal population to total
(C) Competition Commission of India population is maximum in -
(D) National Skill Development Corporation (A) Jharkhand (B) Chhattisgarh
Q.54. "World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day" has been (C) Nagaland (D) Arunachal Pradesh
celebrated which date?
Q.62. First Human development report was prepared
(A) 20- October (B) 19- October under the leadership of indian Nobal Laureate for
(C) 17- October (D) 16- October economics Amartya Sen and –
Q.55. The lines which represent the regions of same (A) Mahboob-ul-Haq (B) Paul Krugman
cloudiness are known as? (C) Mohd. Yunus (D) C. Rangarajan
(A) Isoneph (B) Isomegh Q.63. Buddha was born in -
(C) Isohels (D) Isotherm (A) 623 B.C. (B) 602 B.C.
Q.56. An orchid is considered to be a/an - (C) 523 B.C. (D) 563 B.C.
(A) synioiont (B) endophyte Q.64. According to Gandhiji, Satyagraha may take the
(C) parasite (D) epiphyte form of -
Q.57. In the world of smuggling, white gold is associated (A) coercion (B) civil disobedience
with- (C) violent strike (D) revolution
(A) ivory (B) diamond Q.65. “Origin of Species” is written by -
(C) gun powder (D) cannabis (A) Darwin (B) Weismann
China's population grew to 1.4126 billion by the end of last year, increasing by less than half-a-million
as the birth rate fell for the fifth consecutive year, stoking fears of a looming demographic crisis.
FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 107
UPSSSC LEKHPAL
(C) Muller (D) Mendel Q.71. 'Nhava Shiva' port is situated in which of the
Q.66. In economics, the central problem is - following state?
(A) Population (B) Consumption (A) Andhra Pradesh (B) Gujarat
(C) Allocation (D) Scarcity (C) Maharashtra (D) Tamil Nadu
Q.67. ‘Chhau’ dance is a form of dancing found in - Q.72. Cartography study describes ______.
(A) Bihar (B) Uttar Pradesh (A) Earth's surface
(C) Maharashtra (D) West Bengal
(B) Moon's surface
Q.68. The first Modern Trade Union founded in India
was - (C) Sun's surface
(A) Clerks Union, Bombay (D) Internal Part of the Earth
(B) M.S.M. Railways Union, Madras Q.73. The Chola King who conquered the northern part
(C) Madras Labour Union of Sri Lanka and made it a province of his empire
was --
(D) Indian Seamen's Union Calcutta
Q.69. Extension in demand occurs when the - (A) Rajraja (B) Rajendra I
(A) price increases (C) Adhirajendra (D) Parantaka I
(B) price of the substitute increases Q.74. In which district of Uttar Pradesh is the famous
(C) quantity demand increases demand increases shrine Gola Gokarnanath located?
(D) Demand increase (A) Sitapur (B) Gorakhpur
Q.70. The date of partition of Bengal, October 16, 1905, (C) Lakhimpur Kheri (D) Faizabad
was celebrated on the suggestion of Rabindra Nath Q.75. What is the Population Density of the Uttar pradesh ?
Tagore, as -
(A) 940 sq km (B) 639 sq km
(A) Solidarity Day (B) Rakhi Bandhan Day
(C) Black Day (D) Brotherhood Day (C) 828 per sq km (D) 712 per sq km

UPSSSC LEKHPAL / AGRICULTURE

Q.76. Who is the chief Justice of Allahabad Highcourt? Q.80. Farmers cannot retain the produce for a long time
(A) Munishwar Nath Bhandari they have to sell it immediately. Which defect of
agriculture is shown in this system?
(B) Sharad Arvind Bobde
(A) Unregulated market
(C) Dilip Babasaheb Bhosale
(B) Distress sale
(D) Govind Mathur
(C) Lack of information
Q.77. India has comparative advantage in organic
farming because it involves? (D) False weight
(A) Labour intensive process Q.81. Why it was considered to replace the private money
(B) Capital intensive process lender by institutional source of credit?
(C) Both A and B (A) The supply of credit was irregular
(D) None of the above (B) Money lender took advantages of ignorance of
the cultivator
Q.78. In 1988 which scheme was established?
(C) The rate of interest was invariably high
(A) NABARD (B) Kisan Credit Card
(C) Bharat Nirman (D) SHG (D) All of these
Q.79. Which state has launched the 'PANKH Abhiyan' Q.82. Who is the current cabinet minister of Rural
under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' in Jan 2021? Development department Uttar Pradesh Govt.?
(A) Madhya Pradesh (B) Uttar Pradesh (A) Rajendra Pratap Singh
(C) Himachal Pradesh (D) Karnataka (B) Dara Singh Chauhan

108 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 Noted lyricist Alleppey Ranganath passes away at 73.
 MODEL PAPER 2022
(C) Swami Prasad Maurya (C) Public Distribution system
(D) Nand Gopal Gupta "Nandi" (D) None of the above
Q.83. SHG (Self help groups) was introduced in: Q.92. MSP announced ________ the sowing season.
(A) 1984 (B) 1992 (C) 1995 (D) 1985 (A) After (B) Before
Q.84. Which is the apex institute at national level which (C) At the time of (D) None of the above
provide re-finance facilities to institutions engaged Q.93. A shift from crop farming to other areas of
in providing rural credit? productive activity with a view to raising income
(A) DABARD (B) NABARD known as:
(C) NABADR (D) NBAARD (A) Diversification of crop production
Q.85. Rural development implies: (B) Diversification of productive activity
(A) Development of a agriculture (C) Both A and B
(B) Providing health facilities in rural areas (D) None of the above
(C) Spread of agriculture among rural people Q.94. TANWA stands for:
(D) Everything that raises quality of life of rural people (A) Tamil Nadu Women in Agriculture
Q.86. Rural population needs long term loan: (B) Tripura Women in agriculture

(A) For making minor improvements on land (C) Tripura Women in industry
(D) Tamil Nadu men in agriculture
(B) To buy seeds
Q.95. Development of rural marketing relates to
(C) For buying fertilizers
(A) Transportation (B) Storage
(D) For buying agricultural machinery
(C) Regulated market (D) All of these
Q.87. Which scheme provide adequate an timely support
from the banking system to the farmers for their Q.96. Government fixes MSP for how many agricultural
cultivation needs in a flexible manner? products:
(A) KMC (B) KCC (C) KBC (D) KMM (A) 23 (B) 22 (C) 25 (D) 24
Q.88. Which of the following is false regarding SHG’s? Q.97. The period between 1991-2012 is called:
(A) Improve rural’s poor access to formal credit system (A) Green Revolution (B) Blue Revolution
(B) Introduced in 1982 (C) Golden Revolution (D) White Revolution
(C) Small and informal association of poor persons Q.98. Operation flood is related to:

(D) Provide rural credit by mobilising their own (A) Pulses co-operatives
resources (B) Milk co-operatives
Q.89. In which year the Purvanchal Vikas Nidhi scheme (C) Cereals co-operatives
started in Uttar Pradesh? (D) None of these
(A) 1981-82 (B) 1961-63 Q.99. To minimise the fluctuations in the prices
(C) 1990-91 (D) 1971-73 government announce the following:
Q.90. Tuber crops, medicinal and aromatic plants, spices (A) Minimum agriculture price
and plantation crops are examples of: (B) Minimum support prices
(A) Flower crops (B) Horticultural crops (C) Minimum production price
(C) Fruits crops (D) Agricultural crops (D) All of these
Q.91. _________ is build up in the years of surplus Q.100. An instrument used by government to stabilise
production and is used during shortage. prices is:
(A) Buffer stock (A) SSP (B) SHP
(B) Minimum support price (C) Buffer Stock (D) MSP

Indian Navy’s indigenously designed and built guided missile destroyer, INS Kochi conducted
Passex exercise with Russian Federation Navy’s RFS Admiral Tributs on 14 January 2022 in the FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 109
Arabian Sea.
UPSSSC LEKHPAL
EXPLANATION/UPSSSC LEKHPAL / MATHS
Q.1.(D) 80% of x = 96
x = 120
to make a profit of 20%
120% of 120 = Rs.144
Q.9.(B) let the number be x
so,
40% of x – 60 = 30
40% of x = 90
Q.2.(C)
so, x = 225
Q.10.(A) let the number is 100
when it reduced by 20% it becomes 80
and when 80 increased by 50% it becomes 120
120 – 100 = 20

original number =
Q.3.(B) 3.5 × 12 + 13 × 8 = 42 + 104 Q.11.(B)
= 146×14
= 2044
Q.4.(C) let the c.p of article is 100
x = 20; y = 4
so, m.p of article is 150
Q.12.(D) 600 ÷ 9
after giving 10% discount S.P = 135
remainder = 6
so profit % = 35%
So 6 should be subtracted
Q.5.(C) 6x – 5y = 0
Q.13.(B)
45x – 37y = 24
on solving these two equations we get x = 40
and y = 48
Q.6.(D)
Q.14.(D)

Q.7.(A)

Q.8.(C) let the C.P of grapes is x

then,

Union Minister of MSME Shri Narayan Rane and Minister of State for MSME Shri Bhanu Pratap
110 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
Singh Verma inaugurated the MSME Pavilion virtually in World Expo, 2020 Dubai.
 MODEL PAPER 2022
Q.15.(B)

Q.20.(A) 5 × 2× 7 = 70
Q.21.(A) 1+2+3+4+5+7 = 22

Q.16.(A) 27 – 22 = 5
Q.22.(D)

Q.17.(C) x + x+2+ x+4 = 114

3x + 6 =114
3x = 108
x = 36
x+4 = 40
Q.18.(A)
Q.23.(C) Passed candidates in both the subjects = 100% –
[34% + 42% – 20%]
= 100% – 56% = 44%
Q.24.(C)
5 × 3 = 15
60 – 15 = 45

R = 12%
5+3=8 Q.25.(B) 2 (L + B) × H = 120
Q.19.(B) (x + 2x) = 15
3x = 15
x=5
Area of the floor = 5 × 10 = 50 m.2

EXPLANATION/UPSSSC LEKHPAL / HINDI

iz-26-(A) cw¡n&cw¡n ls ?kM+k Hkj tkrk gSA vdeZd fØ;kFkZd okD; & foosd ds lkFk] vuq:i & :i ds ;ksX; | bu 'kCnksa
gS& ftu fØ;kvksa dk O;kikj vkSj Qy drkZ ij gh dk fyax o opu ifjofrZr ugha gksrk gSA
os vdeZd fØ;k dgykrh gSaA vdeZd fØ;kvksa dk iz-30-(C) ;g loZuke fefJr okD;ksa esa ç;ksx gksrs gSa] ;g loZuke
deZ ugha gksrk] fØ;k dk O;kikj vkSj Qy nwljs ij u 'kCn fdlh vU; miokD; esa ç;qä laKk ;k loZuke ls
iM+dj drkZ ij iM+rk gSA lacaèk dks n'kkZrs gSaA
iz-27-(D) ^pancjnkbZ* i`Fohjkt pkSgku ds njckjh dfo FksA iz-31-(C) ^'kjr~ dky esa pUæek dh 'kksHkk ns[kus ;ksX; gksrh gS*A
iz-28-(A) ^tks lcls vkxs jgrk gks* ml dks ^vxz.kh* dgrs gSaA fn, x, fodYiksa esa ;g 'kq) okD; gSA
iz-29-(C) vO;;hHkko lekl ls cuus okys 'kCnksa ij fyax o opu iz-32-(C) fn, x, fodYiksa esa ^flag* ds i;kZ;okph & iapeq[k]
dk çHkko ugha iM+rk gS] mudk :i fLFkj jgrk gS | bu O;k?kz] yfyr] dsljh] gfj] e`xsUæ] egkohj] 'ksj] ds'kh]
leklksa dk foxzg dqN bl çdkj gksrk gS & foosdiwoZd e`xifr] oujkt] 'kknZwy] lkjax] e`xjkt] ukgj vkfn gSaA
MP’s Pench tiger reserve loses its ‘Supermom’, Tigress named Collarwali passed away. FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 111
UPSSSC LEKHPAL
iz-33-(B) ftl laKk ds fy, ;k ftl ç;kstu ls okD; dh fØ;k mnkgj.k & eSa [kkuk [kkuk pkgrk gw¡A mi;Zqä okD; esa
?kfVr gksrh gS] mls laçnku dkjd dgrs gSaA eSa 'kCn ç;qä gqvk gSA vr% ;s mnkgj.k mÙke iq#"k ds
iz-34-(B) tgk¡ mies; esa mieku dh lEHkkouk dh tkrh gS]a ogka varxZr vk,xkA
mRçs{kk vyadkj gksrk gSA ;fn iafä esa &euq] tuq] esj]s iz-44-(A) fgUnh lkfgR; esa NUn'kkL= dh n`f"V ls igyh d`fr
tkurs] eugq] ekuks] fu'p;] bZo vkfn vkrk gS] ogka mRçs{kk ^NUnekyk* gSA vkpk;Z fiaxy us ^NUnlw=* esa NUn dk
vyadkj gksrk gSA tSl&s fp=dwV tuq vpy vgsjhAA lqlEc) o.kZu fd;k gS] vr: bls NUn'kkL= dk vkfn
iz-35-(A) {k] = vkSj K ;s rhuksa la;qä O;atu gSa] D;ksafd ;s nks xzUFk ekuk tkrk gSA
o.kksZa dks tksM+dj cuk;s tkrs gSaA tSls& {k ¾ d~ $ "k iz-45-(B) ^pjj ejj [kqy x, vjj joLQqVksa ls* esa vuqçkl
! d esa gyUr vkSj "k dks ,d lkFk fy[kus ij {k o.kZ vyadkj gSA ^j* o.kZ dh vko`fÙk ds dkj.k ;gk¡ vuqçkl
cu tkrk gSA = ¾ r~ $ j ! r~ esa gyUr ds lkFk j vyadkj gSA
fy[kus ij = o.kZ cu tkrk gSA iz-46-(A) ^gfjuh ds uSuku rs gfj uhds ;s uSu* esa ;ed vyadkj
K ¾ t~ $ ! t esa gyUr vkSj dks lkFk fy[kus gSA ;gk¡ çFke ^gfjuh ds* dk vFkZ gS & fgjuh ds] tcfd
ij K o.kZ cu tkrk gSA nwljs ^gfj uhds* dk vFkZ d`".k ds vPNs us= gSA
J ¾ 'k~ $ j ! 'k esa gyUr vkSj j dks lkFk fy[kus iz-47-(D) ^lulukgV* esa vkgV çR;; dk ç;ksx fd;k x;k
ij J o.kZ cu tkrk gSA gSA blls cuus okys 'kCn gSa & fpdukgV] ?kcjkgV]
iz-36-(C) ^xoh'k* dk lafèk&foPNsn & xks $ bZ'k vks $ bZ ¾ oh] ckS[kykgV vkfnA
vr% ;gk¡ v;kfn lafèk gSA iz-48-(A) i`Foh rRle 'kCn gSA rRle vkSj rn~Hko 'kCnksa dks
iz-37-(D) ^ijkèkhu* esa ^ij* milxZ gSA tSls & ijthoh] ijekFkZ igpkuus ds fu;e &
vkfnA ¼1½ rRle 'kCnksa ds ihNs ^ {k ^ o.kZ dk ç;ksx gksrk
iz-38-(C) vks[ky ,d rn~Hko 'kCn gS bldk rRle :i ^myw[ky* gS vkSj rn~Hko 'kCnksa ds ihNs ^ [k ^ ;k ^ N ^ 'kCn
gksrk gSA dk ç;ksx gksrk gSA
iz-39-(D) ^tqxqIlk* ohHkRl jl dk LFkk;h Hkko gSA mnkgj.k& ¼2½ rRle 'kCnksa esa ^ J ^ dk ç;ksx gksrk gS vkSj
rn~Hko 'kCnksa esa ^ l ^ dk ç;ksx gks tkrk gSA
vk¡[ks fudky mM+ tkrs] {k.k Hkj mM+ dj vk tkrs]
¼3½ rRle 'kCnksa esa ^ 'k ^ dk ç;ksx gksrk gS vkSj
'ko thHk [khapdj dkSos] pqHkyk&pHkyk dj [kkrsAA rn~Hko 'kCnksa esa ^ l ^ dk ç;ksx gks tkrk gSA
Hkkstu esa Üoku yxs eqjns Fks Hkw ij ysVs] ¼4½ rRle 'kCnksa esa ^ "k ^ o.kZ dk ç;ksx gksrk gSA
[kk ek¡l pkV ysrs Fks] pVuh lSe cgrs cgrs csVsAA ¼5½ rRle 'kCnksa esa ^ _ ^ dh ek=k dk ç;ksx gksrk gSA
iz-40-(D) ckdh ds rhuksa o.kZ l?kks"k O;atuksa ds varxZr vkrs gSaA ¼6½ rRle 'kCnksa esa ^ j ^ dh ek=k dk ç;ksx gksrk gSA
iz-41-(C) fn, x, fodYiksa esa ^T;ksRLuk* 'kq) orZuh gSA ¼7½ rRle 'kCnksa esa ^ o ^ dk ç;ksx gksrk gS vkSj
iz-42-(C) yacksnj ^;ksx:<+* 'kCn gSA os 'kCn] tks ;kSfxd rks gSa] rn~Hko 'kCnksa esa ^ c ^ dk ç;ksx gksrk gSA
fdUrq lkekU; vFkZ dks u çdV dj fdlh fo'ks"k vFkZ tSls & rRle 'kCn ¾ rn~Hko 'kCn
dks çdV djrs gSa] ;ksx:<+ dgykrs gSaA tSls&iadt]
n'kkuu vkfnA iadt¾iad$t ¼dhpM+ esa mRiUu gksus vkez ¾ vke
okyk½ lkekU; vFkZ esa çpfyr u gksdj dey ds vFkZ vk'p;Z ¾ vpjt
esa :<+ gks x;k gSA vf{k ¾ vk¡[k
iz-43-(A) ^eSa* 'kCn mÙke iq#"k gSA mÙke iq#"k& mÙke iq#"k og iz-49-(A) ^i<+rs le; esjh vk¡[kksa ls ikuh fudyrk gSA* çLrqr
gksrk gS tks cksyrk gS vFkok ckr djrk gSA bls oäk okD; esa laKk& vk¡[kksa gS] bl laKk esa fyax& iqafyax]
Hkh dgrs gSaAoäk [kqn ds ckjs esa crkus ds fy, eSa] opu&cgqopu vkSj dkjd& viknku dkjd gSA
eq>s] eq>dks] esjk] esjh vkfn 'kCnksa dk ç;ksx djrk gSA
iz-50-(C) folxZ ^vk;ksxokg* gSA

112 MICA FEBRUARY 2022 Social worker and Padma Shri awardee Shanti Devi passed away at 88.
 MODEL PAPER 2022
EXPLANATION/UPSSSC LEKHPAL / GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
Q.51.(D) 4 October: Every year on 4 October, "World Q.58.(B) The last ruler of Delhi Sultanate was Ibrahim
Animal Day" is celebrated across the globe. Lodi.
Also known as Animal Lovers' Day, the
Q.59.(D) The Tiger Conservation Authority was
global initiative for animal rights is aimed at
established in December 2005 following a
raising awareness about their importance in
recommendation of the Tiger Task Force.
the ecosystem and improving their welfare
standards. Q.60.(A) Hirni water fall is located in west singhbhumi in
the Indian state of Jharkhand.
1 October: International Day of the Older
Persons Q.61.(A) The percentage of tribal population to total
population is maximum in Jharkhand.
1 October: International Coffee Day
Q.62.(A) First Human development report was prepared
1 October: World Vegetarian Day
under the leadership of Indian Nobel Laurate
2 October: International Day of Non-Violence for economics Amartya sen and Mahboob-ul-
Haq.
3 October: German Unity Day
Q.63.(D) Gautama Buddha was born in 563 BC in the
4 October: World Animal Welfare Day
place called Lumbini in Kapilvastu.
Q.52.(B) Justice Rajesh Bindal appointed Chief Justice of
Q.64.(D) According to Gandhiji, Satyagraha may take the
Allahabad High Court. The President appointed
form of revolution.
Justice Rajesh Bindal as the Chief Justice of the
Allahabad High Court — one of the oldest high Q.65.(A) “Origin of Species” is written by Darwin.
courts to be established in India.
Q.66.(D) The problem of scarcity of resources which
Q.53.(B) "India Start-up Week" by Indian Chamber of arises before an individual consumer also arises
Commerce Commenced From October 4-9, collectively before an economy.
2021. Indian Chamber of commerce (ICC),
Q.67.(D) ‘Chhau’ dance is a form of dancing found in
to flag-off its initiative India Startup Week, a
West Bengal.
weeklong interactive session for investors, State
Government and startups from 4th October Q.68.(C) The first Modern Trade Union founded in India
2021. was Madras Labour Union.
Q.54.(B) 19 October: "World Pediatric Bone and Joint Q.69.(D) Extension in demand occurs when the demand
Day" on October 19th of each year spreads increases.
awareness about the impact of musculoskeletal
Q.70.(B) The date of partition of Bengal October 10,1905
conditions in children.
was celebrated on the suggestion of Rabindra
20 October: World Statistics Day Nath Tagore as Rakhi Bandhan Day.
17 October: International Day for the Q.71.(C) Jawaharlal Nehru port also known as Nhava
Eradication of Poverty Shiva, is the largest container port in India,
located South of mumbai in Maharastra.
16 October: World Food Day
Q.72.(A) Cartography is the study of the Earth's Surface.
Q.55.(A) The lines which represent the regions of same
cloudiness are known as Isoneph Isohel is a line Q.73.(A) Chola's king of Rajraja, conquered the northern
drawn on a map or chart connecting places of part of Srilanka and Made it a province of his
equal duration of sun shine.Isotherm connects empire.
places of equal temperature.
Q.74.(C)
Q.56.(B) An orchid is considered to be an endophyte.
Q.75.(C) Uttar Pradesh has a population more than that of
Q.57.(A) In the world of smuggling, white gold is Pakistan. There is an average population density
associated with ivory. of 828 persons per km².

India's richest have more than doubled their wealth during the Covid-19 crisis that's worsened
poverty, and the government should revisit its policies to redistribute wealth, according to the global FEBRUARY 2022 MICA 113
Oxfam Davos report of 2022.
UPSSSC LEKHPAL
EXPLANATION/UPSSSC LEKHPAL / AGRICULTURE
Q.76.(A) Munishwar Nath Bhandari is an Indian Q.88.(B) It was introduced in 1992.
Judge. Presently, he is Acting Chief Justice of Q.89.(C) Purvanchal Vikas Nidhi scheme was started in
Allahabad High Court. 1990-91 in Uttar Pradesh.
Q.77.(A) Abundance of labour places India in a better Q.90.(B) Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals
position to specialise in organic farming. with the art, science, technology, and business of
Q.78.(B) The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme is a credit growing plants. It also is the study of plants. It
scheme introduced in August 1998 by Indian banks. includes the cultivation of medicinal plants, fruits,
vegetables, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms,
Q.79.(A) On the occasion of National Girl Child Day,
algae, flowers, seaweeds and non-food crops such
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh
as grass an ornamental trees and plants.
Chouhan launched the 'PANKH Abhiyan' under
the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme in order to Q.91.(A) These stocks are used, for PDS so that poorer sections
aid in empowerment and growth of the girl child. of the society have an easy access to these things.
Q.80.(B) Most of the Indian farmers are very poor and Q.92.(B) The minimum support prices are announced by
thus have no capacity to wait for better price the Government of India at the beginning of the
of his produce in the absence of proper credit sowing season for certain crops on the basis of
facilities. Farmers often have to go for even the recommendations of the Commission for
distress sale of their output to the village Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
moneylenders-cum-traders at a very poor price. Q.93.(B) A shift from crop farming to other areas of
Q.81.(D) Due to non-institutional credit, farmers often productive activity with a view to raising income
led to a debt trap. known as diversification of productive activity.
Q.82.(A) Rajendra Pratap Singh urf Moti Singh, is an Q.94.(A) TANWA (Tamil Nadu Women in Agriculture) is
Indian politician affiliated to the Bhartiya a project launched in Tamil Nadu with a view to
Janata Party. He represents Patti assembly training women in diverse techniques of farming.
constituency of Pratapgarh district of UP. He Q.95.(D) Agricultural marketing includes all these
has been appointed as a cabinet minister on processes between harvesting and final sale of
19 March 2017. He is currently holding rural the produce by the farmers.
development department. Q.96.(B) Presently MSP is fixed for 22 agricultural crops
Q.83.(B) In 1991-92 NABARD started promoting self- on 21 Sept. 2020.
help groups on a large scale. Q.97.(C) Golden Revolution:
Q.84.(B) National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Fruits / Honey Production / Horticulture Development
Development bank has been entrusted with
Father of Golden Revolution: Nirpakh Tutej.
"matters concerning policy, planning and
operations in the field of credit for agricultural From 1991 to 2003 is termed as Golden
and other economic activities in rural areas in revolution, when there was a huge increase in
India. the production of Fruits, Honey Production and
other Horticulture products.
Q.85.(D) Rural development is the process of improving
the quality of life and economic well-being of Q.98.(B) The objective of this Programme was to create a
people living in rural areas, often relatively nationwide milk grid.
isolated and sparsely populated areas. Q.99.(B) MSP policy is an important step initiated by the
Q.86.(D) Longer-term agricultural financing is needed for government to improve agriculture marketing
longer-term investments such as better storage system.
facilities, food/commodity processing facilities Q.100.(C) Buffer stock is an instrument use by the
and equipment/mechanization. government to stable price. It is built up in the
years of surplus production and is used during
Q.87.(B) KCC stands for Kisan Credit Card scheme in
shortage. Such a policy ensures regularity in
which this card is issued to the farmers who
supply even when production is uneven.
otherwise eligible for short term credit.
India Post Payments Bank, IPPB, has crossed the five-crore customer mark in just 3 years of commencement
114 MICA FEBRUARY 2022
of its operations to become one of the fastest-growing digital payments banks in the country.