16th March, 2022 Current Affairs

National
India’s first ‘World Peace Center’ will be established in Gurugram

• Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti organisation established by Ambassador of Peace, Eminent Jainacharya Dr Lokeshji will establish India’s first World Peace Center in Gurugram, Haryana.
• For this, the Haryana Government has allotted a plot to the organization in Sector 39 of Gurugram opposite Medanta Hospital and adjacent to Delhi-Jaipur Highway. ‘World Peace Center’ will work for the establishment of peace and harmony in the world.
• The Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti had got the plot by depositing the entire amount in the Government treasury, on which the construction work of about 25000 square feet will be completed in two years. He expressed his gratitude to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattarji.
• The voice of this centre of Gurugram will be heard all over the world by its work, including the United Nations and the World Religion Parliament.
• ‘World Peace Center’ will be a major world-class centre for personality building, where various dimensions such as Personality Development of Youth, Empowerment of Women and Sanskar Development in Children through Meditation, Yoga, Indian Culture and Jain lifestyle based scientific programs will also be conducted here.

Bilateral
Sri Lanka receives a US$1 billion line of credit from India to assist pay for crucial imports

• The Indian government has issued a USD 1 billion line of credit (LoC) for Sri Lanka to aid in the import of food, necessary products, and medication.
• On March 15, 2022, Sri Lankan Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa will visit India to finalise the agreement. Sri Lanka is currently experiencing a serious economic crisis. India is extending the Line of Control as part of its efforts to aid its neighbouring country in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigating its negative impact on its development aspirations.
• The island’s foreign reserves have dropped 70% in the last two years to $2.31 billion in February, stalling critical imports including of fuel. Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, who first announced the Indian credit line in February, will sign an agreement for it on Wednesday to pay for essentials including medicine, wheat flour, sugar and rice.

INTERNATIONAL                
Title: Who has become the youngest President of Chile?

• Gabriel Boric Font has been appointed as the new and 36th President of Chile. The 36-year-old leftist is the youngest leader to hold the office in Chile’s history.
• He succeeds Sebastián Piñera.
• Boric will hold the office for the period between 2022-2026.
• As a student representative, Boric became one of the leading figures of the 2011–2013 Chilean student protests.
• Boric was twice elected to the Chamber of Deputies representing the Magallanes and Antarctic district, first as an independent candidate in 2013 and then in 2017 as part of the Broad Front, a left-wing coalition he created with several other parties.                                                                                                          

Former Zambian President Rupiah Banda passes away

• The former President of Zambia, Rupiah Banda has passed away after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 85.
• Banda had served as the fourth president of Zambia from 2008 and 2011.
• Banda had held senior diplomatic posts under first President Kenneth Kaunda before being eventually named as vice president in 2006 by then-President Levy Mwanawasa.

SIPRI Report: India emerges as largest importer of arms

• The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has released its latest report on Trends in International Arms Transfer, 2021.
• As per the report, India and Saudi Arabia emerged as the largest importers of arms between 2017-21.
• Both two countries accounted for 11% of all global arms sales.
• Egypt (5.7%), Australia (5.4%) and China (4.8%) were the next three largest importers respectively in the top 5.        
• The report placed India at the top of the list. 85% of India’s overall imports were from three countries - Russia (46%), France (27%), and the USA (12%) were the top three largest exporters of arms to India during the period.

Largest Arms Exporters in 2017-21

• USA, with 39% share, retained its standing as the world’s largest arms exporters during 2017-21.
• Russia (19%), France (11%), China (4.6%) and Germany (4.5%) were among the top 5 largest exporters respectively.
• India was 23rd largest exporter during 2017-21, with a share of just 0.2% of the global exports.

Persons
AAP leader Bhagwant Mann to be sworn-in as Chief Minister of Punjab today

• Aam Aadmi Party leader Bhagwant Mann will be sworn-in as the chief minister of Punjab today. The oath-taking ceremony will be held in Khatkar Kalan village in Nawanshahr district, the ancestral village of iconic freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.
• Mr Mann tendered his resignation from the membership of Lok Sabha to Speaker Om Birla on Monday. Mr Mann, who contested from Dhuri assembly constituency in Sangrur district, won by a margin of 58,206 votes over Congress' Dalvir Singh Goldy.

Economy
BRO signs MoU with GRSE for construction modular bridges in border areas

• Border Roads Organisation today signed an MoU with Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited for construction of 27 double-lane class 70 modular bridges in border areas.
• The MoU includes fabrication, supply, erection and launching of 27 double-lane bridges of carriageway 7.5 meters of load class 70 along the Northern and North Eastern Border States.
• It reinforces the commitment of BRO for greater self-reliance on indigenous equipment and achieving overall aim of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
• It will also ensure better infrastructure development in border areas keeping in view the nation’s security needs.

Sports
Sports Ministry sanctions over Rs 506 cr for 77 sports infrastructure projects in Himalayan Region

• Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry has sanctioned over 506 crore rupees for 77 sports infrastructure projects in the Himalayan Region under Khelo India Scheme.
• 24 sports academies have been accredited and 199 Khelo India Centres on district level and 11 Khelo India State centres of Excellence have been approved under the Khelo India Scheme in the Himalayan Region.
• Under the Enhancement of Sports Facilities at Jammu and Kashmir, PMDP, programme of the government, 30 sports infrastructure projects as well as sports equipment have been sanctioned foe Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh amounting to 273.85 crore rupees.

Published date : 16 Mar 2022 05:35PM