National
11th National Seed Congress- 2022
⇒ The 11th National Seed Congress- 2022 was organized from 21st August to 23rd August 2022 at Gwalior on ‘Recent Advances in Research on Quality seeds for Self-sufficiency in Oil Seeds and Pulses’.
Theme:
‘Recent Advances in Research on Quality seeds for Self-sufficiency in Oil Seeds and Pulses’
Organized by:
It was organized by the Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agriculture University, Gwalior in collaboration of National Seed Research & Training Center, Varansi, Uttar Pradesh and Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar has said that our agricultural scientists have made great progress through research, India is today at first or second place in terms of most food produce.
- Now that the climatic conditions are changing, this challenge has to be dealt with. Now there should be self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds also. For this the government is working in mission mode, but along with policies and funding, the invention of seeds should be such that it increases productivity and takes the country towards self-reliance.
- Agricultural scientists have a huge responsibility in this, and they need to do more work,” said Shri Tomar at the launch of the 11th National Seed Congress 2022.
Lucky Bill App
⇒ In a first in India, the Kerala government has launched an app that aims to curb Goods and Service Tax (GST) evasion. The app, ‘Lucky Bill App’, was launched by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on 16 August 2022.
- The Chief Minister of Kerala Cm said that ₹5 crore worth of prizes would be given every year.
App developed by:
The app, according to the official data has been developed in collaboration with the Digital University of Kerala.
Prizes:
- The app asks its users to upload original bills of their purchases to win prizes, including a cash prize of ₹25 lakh. Apart from cash prizes, the app will also offer rewards such as gift packs from Kudumbashree and Vanashree as well as KTDC tour packages.
- Under the project, there would be daily, weekly and monthly prizes as well as a bumper prize, through draw of lots, for those who upload their bills via the app.
India’s first truly indigenously developed Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus
⇒ Union Minister of State (I/C) Science & Technology; Minister of State (I/C) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh launched India’s first truly indigenously developed Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus developed by KPIT-CSIR in Pune, on 21 August 2022.
- Dr Jitendra Singh said the launch is in tune with PM Modi’s National Green Hydrogen Mission.
Dr Jitendra Singh also inaugurated the Bisphenol-A pilot plant in CSIR-NCL and said these pilot plants have successfully demonstrated novel process technologies developed by NCL under CSIR’s Covid-19 mission program and Bulk Chemicals mission program.
- Bisphenol-A (BPA) is an important feedstock for the production of epoxy resins, polycarbonate and other engineering plastics.
- The global market for Bisphenol-A is projected to reach 7.1 Million Tons by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 2% over the analysis period 2020-2027.
- The entire estimated annual demand of 1, 35,000 tons in India is imported today.
International
First country in the world to make period products free for all
⇒ Scotland has become the first country in the world to make period products free for all.
There is now a legal duty on local authorities to provide free items such as tampons and sanitary pads to “anyone who needs them”. Products will be distributed through councils and education providers as the Period Products Act comes into force.
» MSPs unanimously approved the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill in November 2020.
- The bill was introduced by Labour MSP Monica Lennon, who has been campaigning to end period poverty since 2016. Period poverty is when those on low incomes can’t afford, or access, suitable period products.
Sports
World U20 Wrestling Championships 2022
⇒ The World U20 Wrestling Championships 2022 was held in Sofia, Bulgaria from 15 and 21 August 2022.
- The U20 World Championships 2022 was the 45th edition of the World Junior Wrestling Championships.
- The U20 World Championship is a yearly event that brings together the best wrestlers from each category (Greco-Roman, Freestyle and Women’s), aged between 18 and 20 years old.
India ended the World U20 Wrestling Championships 2022 with 16 medals which include 1 gold, 4 silver and 11 bronze medals. This is India’s best-ever performance at the junior world wrestling championships.
Indian medallists at World U20 Wrestling Championships 2022
Men’s freestyle
- Mahendra Gaikwad – Silver medal in men’s 125kg Category
- Abhishek Dhaka – Bronze medal in men’s 57kg Category
- Mohit Kumar – Bronze medal in men’s 61kg Category
- Sujeet Kalkal – Bronze medal in men’s 65kg Category
- Mulayam Yadav – Bronze medal in men’s 70kg Category
- Sagar Jaglan – Bronze medal in men’s 74kg Category
- Neeraj Bhardwaj – Bronze medal in men’s 97kg Category
Greco-Roman
- Sumit – Bronze medal in men’s 60kg Category
- Rohit Dahiya – Bronze medal in men’s 82kg Category
Women’s freestyle
- Antim Panghal – Gold medal in women’s 53kg Category
- Sonam Malik – Silver medal in women’s 62kg Category
- Priyanka – Silver medal in women’s 65kg Category
- Priya Malik – Silver medal in women’s 76kg Category
- Priyanshi Prajapat – Bronze medal in women’s 50kg Category
- Sito – Bronze medal in women’s 57kg Category
- Reetika – Bronze medal in women’s 72kg Category