1) World Coconut Day 2022 observed on 2nd September
•World Coconut Day is celebrated on 2nd September every year. The day is observed to emphasise and spread knowledge of the value and advantages of coconuts. The coconut palm is often called the ‘tree of life’ owing to its versatile use in food, fuel, medicine, cosmetics, building materials, and various other uses.
•In India, this day is celebrated with the support of the Coconut Development Board (CDB), across the states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, etc. World Coconut Day is about coconut as a nutritious fruit, a crucial raw material, and a significant crop.
2) 5th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2022 celebrating from Sep 1 to 30th September
•Ministry of Women and Child Development is celebrating the 5th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2022 across the nation from 1st September till 30th September. Rashtriya Poshan Maah serves as a platform to bring focus to the discourse of nutrition and good health. Maah serves as a platform to bring focus to the discourse of nutrition and good health. In the 5th Rashtriya Poshan Maah, the aim is to convert Jan Andolan into Jan Bhagidari to fulfil the Prime Minister’s vision of a Suposhit Bharat. The Central Theme of Poshan Maah 2022 is “Mahila aur Swasthya” and “Bacha aur Shiksha”.
3) India’s First Vaccine Against Cervical Cancer Launched
•India is set to launch its first indigenously developed Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (qHPV) against Cervical cancer with the help of the Serum Institute of India (SII) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) on 1st September 2022. The vaccine for Cervical cancer “CERVAVAC”, will be launched by Union Minister of State Science and Technology Jitendra Singh. The vaccine is likely to cost around 200-400 per dose.
•As per the government data, cervical cancer ranks number 2 for most prevalent cancer in India and also accounts for one-fourth of the world’s cervical cancer deaths. Approximately 1.25 lakhs women are diagnosed with Cervical cancer and over 75 thousand females die from the disease in India. The Union government plans to target the age of 9-14 years of girls for vaccination against cervical cancer. Before the rollout of the vaccine, a sensitization program will be organized by the government to educate parents and school authorities. The government also said that CERVAVAC is an outcome of the partnership of DBT and BIRAC with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
4) INS Vikrant, an Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Commissioned by PM Modi
•INS Vikrant Commissioned: INS Vikrant, India’s first homegrown aircraft carrier, to the Indian Navy at the Cochin Shipyard commissioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The nation’s largest warship, weighing 45,000 tonnes, has finished a year of sea trials. The warship’s construction cost Rs 20,000 crore. The new Naval emblem was also revealed by the Prime Minister.
5) IMF To Extend 2.9 Billion $ To Sri Lanka
•Bankrupt Sri Lanka agreed a conditional $2.9 billion bailout with International Monetary Fund negotiators, as the island nation seeks to overcome a bruising economic crisis that saw its president flee the country. Months of acute food, fuel and medicine shortages, extended blackouts and runaway inflation have plagued the country after it ran out of dollars to finance even the most essential imports.
6) The Unemployment Rate Zooms To 1 Year High Of 8.3%
•India’s unemployment rate surged to a one-year high of 8.3 per cent in August as employment sequentially fell by 2 million to 394.6 million, according to data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). During July, the unemployment rate was at 6.8 per cent and the employment was 397 million, the CMIE data added.
7) Indian Air Traffic May Grow At 7% Till 2040 Says Boeing
•Aircraft maker Boeing expects India’s air traffic to annually grow by nearly 7 per cent through 2040, and is bullish on the “massive potential” in the air cargo space. The company, which is a key player in both civil and defence aerospace segments, is also looking to increase the sourcing of raw materials from the country. Boeing Managing Director (Marketing) David Schulte said strong recovery is gaining further momentum in Indian aviation and it is one of the fastest growing markets.
8) Vasudha Gupta named as DG of News Services Division of AIR
•Indian Information Service officer, Vasudha Gupta was appointed as the director general of the news services division of All India Radio. Gupta, who was director general in the Press Information Bureau, assumed charge of her new post immediately. All India Radio Director General N Venudhar Reddy superannuated.
•Gupta played a key role in implementing the communication strategies of the government during the COVID-19 pandemic and also helmed the fact-checking unit to curb misinformation about the viral outbreak.
9) Nuakhai Festival Being Celebrated in Western Odisha
•Nuakhai is an annual harvest festival in Odisha. Nuakhai is celebrated to welcome the approaching new season and welcome the season’s new rice. Nuakhai is celebrated a day after Ganesh Chaturthi, and it is one of the most awaited festivals in Odisha. The festival is celebrated with Nabanna offering to Goddess Samaleswari during a particular time. Nuakhai is made of two words, Nua which means new, and Khai which means food. The festival altogether means celebrating the season’s new rice harvested by hardworking farmers. The people in the western part of Odisha celebrate Nuakhai with zeal and excitement.
•Nuakhai marks the harvest of new rice paddy and people across the socio-economic strata celebrate this festival. People of western Odisha have agriculture as their main occupation, therefore Nuakhai is a very important festival for them. The celebration of Nuakhai begins with cleaning and decorating the households. People wear new and traditional clothes which are made of Sambalpuri fabrics. Once the Nabanna is given to the goddess, people enjoy the Nabanna, distribute Nua or rice grains to family and friends, and offer their greetings to mother earth for providing food. The celebration is followed by ‘Nuakhai Juhar’ where young members of the family touch the feet of elders seeking their blessings.
10) A book titled “Science Behind Surya Namaskar” unveiled by Dr Kalubhai
•Minister of State for AYUSH, Dr Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai has released a book titled “Science Behind Surya Namaskar” a collection of evidence-based research on one of the most well-known Yoga asanas at the AIIA. The book was compiled by the All-India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) department of Swasthavritta and Yoga, at AIIA.
•The book was released during the Continuing Medical Education (CME) Programme 2022 organised by the departments of Swasthavritta, Panchakarma, and Darvyaguna in association with Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth (RAV), New Delhi. at the AIIA from 22nd-27th August 2022. The book is a collection of evidence-based research on one of the most well-known Yoga asanas at the AIIA. Dr Kalubhai also inaugurated the new Panchakarma Room in the Hospital block and flagged off an e-rickshaw and a public ambulance for AIIA.
11) PMI Flags Fastest Manufacturing Output Growth Since November Last Year
•India’s manufacturing activity remained robust in August, with production and new orders strongest since last November, thanks to higher strengthening demand conditions and a spike in export orders. The S&P Global India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) dipped to 56.2 in August from a reading of 56.4 in July. A reading above 50 indicates expansion and a print below that denotes contraction. India’s manufacturing activity continued to expand for the 14th straight month.
12) Rajesh Kumar Srivastava, Interim New Chairman of ONGC
•Rajesh Kumar Srivastava has been appointed as the interim new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) by the Central Government. Rajesh Kumar Srivastava is the third interim Chief who has been appointed, as the government has not made any full-time appointment yet in 17 months.
•Srivastava has been entrusted with an additional charge of Chairman and Managing Director for 4 months with effect from 1 September 2022 to 31 December 2022 or till the appointment of a regular incumbent to the post or until further orders of the Government. He is currently the Director and will take over the additional charges from incumbent Alka Mittal, who was also an acting chief. Since April 2021, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd has been functioning without a regular Chairman and Managing Director.
13) Tejas Mark-2 megaproject approved by Cabinet Committee on Security
•The Tejas Mark-2 project has received approval from the PM Narendra Modi-led Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), advancing India’s push for indigenous fighter aircraft. The Tejas Mark-2 project, which would cost more than 6,500 crore, was cleared by the CCS. The Tejas Mark-2 will be crucial to the country’s military forces. On the Tejas Mark-1, technologies including fly-by-wire, avionics, composites, and others have been previously demonstrated.
