Home » Current Affairs Date: 22 March 2022

Current Affairs Date: 22 March 2022

National

January 16 as National Start-up Day

⇒ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi interacted with Startups on 15 January 2022. The event was a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, “Celebrating Innovation Ecosystem”.

  • The Prime Minister announced that it has been decided to celebrate January 16 as National Start-up Day to take the Startup culture to the far-flung areas of the country.

This decade is being called as ‘techade’ of India to strengthen the innovation and entrepreneurship, PM said.

The Prime Minister listed three important aspects of the massive changes that the government is making in this decade to strengthen the innovation, entrepreneurship and start-up ecosystem.

    • First, to liberate entrepreneurship and innovation from the web of government processes, bureaucratic silos. Second, creating an institutional mechanism to promote innovation. And third, handholding of young innovators and young enterprises.
More than 150 Startups gave presentations to the Prime Minister on six Themes:
    1. Growing from Roots
    2. Nudging the DNA
    3. From Local to Global
    4. Technology of Future
    5. Building Champions in Manufacturing
    6. Sustainable Development

National Startup Awards 2021

⇒ Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Textiles Shri Piyush Goyal presented the National Startup Awards 2021 on 15 January 2022.

Presenting the awards, he said that the Startup Mission is a symbol of Self-Reliant & Self-Confident India.

» A total of 2177 applications were received from Startups across the 49 sub-sectors along with applications from 53 incubators and 6 accelerators for the ecosystem enablers categories.

    • All applicants were evaluated against six broad parameters namely Innovation, Scalability, Economic Impact, Social Impact, Environmental Impact, and Inclusiveness and Diversity.
    • A total of 46 Startups have been recognized as winners of National Startup Awards 2021 along with 1 incubator and 1 accelerator.

The felicitation ceremony was accompanied by the release of an e-Report on National Startup Awards 2021 highlighting the year-round handholding support provided to the finalists of first edition of National Startup Awards and the journey of NSA 2021.

» The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade conceived the National Startup Awards to recognize and reward outstanding Startups and ecosystem enablers that are building innovative products or solutions and scalable enterprises, with high potential of employment generation or wealth creation, demonstrating measurable social impact.

Second Edition of the Awards:

» The second edition of the awards invited applications across 15 sectors and 49 sub-sectors.

    • The sectors included Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Drinking Water, Education & Skill Development, Energy, Enterprise Technology, Environment, Fintech, Food Processing, Health & Wellness, Industry 4.0, Security, Space and Transport and Travel.
    • Six special categories were also introduced to recognize exceptional Startups contributing to the good of the society.

» The 2021 edition of the awards also recognized exceptional Startups innovating solutions to promote Indic languages and to compliment national efforts to combat COVID-19 pandemic.

Official Link to Download List of Winners of the National Startup Awards, 2021

India’s first, BHEL-built Coal to Methanol (CTM) pilot plant

⇒ The Union Minister for Heavy Industries Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey dedicated India’s first, BHEL-built Coal to Methanol (CTM) pilot plant, to the Nation on 15 January 2022 in Hyderabad.

The 0.25 TPD capacity CTM pilot plant, indigenously designed, developed and installed by BHEL, is currently producing methanol with purity of more than 99% from high ash Indian coals.

Significantly, this conversion of high ash Indian coals to methanol through the gasification route, is the first of its kind technology demonstration in India.

Admiral Superintendent of Naval Dockyard, Mumbai

⇒ Rear Admiral KP Arvindan, VSM took over charge as Admiral Superintendent of Naval Dockyard, Mumbai from Rear Admiral B Sivakumar, VSM on 14 January 2022.

Rear Admiral KP Arvindan, an alumnus of Naval College of Engineering, INS Shivaji, Lonavla, is from the first batch of the Naval Engineering Course and was commissioned into the Indian Navy in November 1987.

Important Day

National Youth Day 2022

⇒ National Youth Day (NYD) is celebrated every year on 12 January to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

Theme:

The theme of the National Youth Day 2022 was ‘It’s all in the mind’.

History:
    • In 1984, the Government of India declared January 12, the birthday of Swami Vivekananda, as the National Youth Day in honor of the great philosopher and monk. Since 1985, this day is celebrated as National Youth Day all over India.
    • Swami Vivekananda was born Narendranath Datta on January 12, 1863, in Kolkata, West Bengal.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 25th National Youth Festival in Puducherry.
    • The festival was held virtually from 12 – 13 January, 2022.

During the event, the Prime Minister unveiled selected essays on “Mere Sapno ka Bharat” and “Unsung Heroes of Indian Freedom Movement”. These essays were selected from submissions by over 1 lakh youth on the two themes.

    • Prime Minister also inaugurated the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Manimandapam – an auditorium with open air theatre, constructed by Government of Puducherry at a cost of about Rs 23 crores.
Logo and Mascot:
    • Union Minister Shri Anurag Thakur and Lt. Governor of Puducherry Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan unveiled the Logo and Mascot of National Youth Festival 2022 in Puducherry.
Tag-line:
    • The tag-line of the National Youth Festival was ‘Shaksham Yuva Shashakth Yuva’ meaning Capable Youth- Forceful Youth, Able Youth- Strong Youth.
About:
    • National Youth Festival is organized by the Government of India every year in collaboration with one of the States from January 12th to 16th to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda i.e. 12th January. Puducherry was the host state of the National Youth Festival 2022.
    • The National Youth Festival not only strengthens National Integration but also spreads the spirit of communal harmony and brotherhood among the youth of the country.
    • The festival also provides an arena, by creating a mini-India, where youth interact in formal and informal settings and exchange their social and cultural uniqueness.

» In 1999, the United Nations decided to celebrate International Youth Day on 12 August every year.

Source: PIB & Other News Reports

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