Why in news?

• India has agreed to provide a grant to Sri Lanka for implementing a ‘Unitary Digital Identity framework’.
• The Unitary Digital Identity Framework is apparently modelled on the Aadhaar card.
• Sri Lankan government will give priority to the implementation of this Framework as a national level programme.
• Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers approved this proposal made by President Rajapaksa, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with India to obtain the grant and launch this project.
• This project comes amid substantive economic assistance from India, worth USD 1.4 billion to Sri Lanka, since the start of 2022 to help Sri Lanka cope with its dollar crunch, and import food, medicines and fuel due to shortages.

About Unitary Digital Identity Framework

• Under the Unitary Digital Identity Framework, a personal identity verification device will be introduced, based on biometric data, which is a digital tool to represent identities of individuals in cyberspace. Identification of individual identities can be accurately verified in physical and digital environments by combining two devices.
• The initiative will be launched following bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in December 2019.

Why in news?

• The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is to develop five light houses in the state of Odisha.
• The Light Houses are to be built in Public – Private Partnership mode. The identified districts are as follows: Gopalpur lighthouse in Ganjam, Paradip lighthouse in Jagatsinghpur, alse point lighthouse in Kendrapara, Chandrabhaga lighthouse in Puri and Puri lighthouse.
• 71 lighthouses have been identified to increase lighthouse tourism. The plan is to build open air theatre, cafeteria, museum, children’s park, landscaping and eco – friendly cottages in these light houses.
• The Odisha Light house tourism being developed is a part of Marine aids to Navigation 2021. Under the aid, the development was to be brought in the states of Gujarat, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The aid will help develop the lighthouses into tourism destinations. It will preserve the historical and traditional values of the lighthouses.
• The lighthouses are maintained by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and lightships which functions under the Ministry of Shipping.
• Facts-
• The Jeddah port control tower is the tallest lighthouse in the world. It is 133 metres tall.
• The tallest lighthouse in India is located in Jakhau port of Gujarat. It is 45 metres tall.

Why in news?

• Indian documentary Writing with Fire, has been nominated at the 94^thAcademy Awards in ‘Best Documentary Feature Category’.
• The documentary is directed by filmmakers Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh.
• It has been nominated alongside Ascension, Flee, Attica, and Summer of the Soul.
• Writing with Fire is the only Indian title, to be nominated at Oscar awards 2022.

About ‘Writing with Fire’

• ‘Writing with Fire’ is about a rural newspaper run by Dalit women called Khabar Lahariya.
• The newspaper was started by Delhi based NGO Nirantar from Chitrakoot, Bundelkhand region in 2002.
• The documentary shows transition of Khabar Lahariya from print to digital in recent years.
• The film follows Meera and her fellow journalists, when they get acquainted with new technology whilst questioning patriarchy, reporting stories about victims of caste & gender violence and investigating incompetence of the police force.

Why in news?

• Sustainable Access to Markets and Resources for Innovative Delivery of Healthcare (SAMRIDH) initiative was announced by ‘Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog in association with the S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

About SAMRIDH Initiative

• This new partnership will improve access to quality and affordable healthcare for vulnerable populations across tier-2 and tier-3 cities, as well as rural and tribal regions.
• USAID, IPE Global, and stakeholders from Indian government, private sector and academia developed the innovative SAMRIDH blended finance facility in 2020, for combining philanthropic and public funds with commercial capital, in a bid to create and rapidly scale market-based health solutions.
• This partnership will enhance SAMRIDH’s efforts for reaching vulnerable populations and leveraging expertise of AIM in innovation and entrepreneurship.
• AIM and SAMRIDH will leverage public sector resources and philanthropic capital for offsetting barriers for commercial investments across small and medium health enterprises for investing in and scale healthcare solutions.
• This collaboration will also focus on innovations across healthcare landscape with a common goal to mount an effective response towards ongoing third wave of COVID-19.
• It will also build health system preparedness for future health emergencies and infectious disease outbreaks.

Significance of SAMRIDH initiative

• SAMRIDH initiative will help in strengthening India’s health systems with sustainable business innovations and solutions.
• This collaboration will also share the commitment of Atal Innovation Mission and USAID for leveraging innovative financing solutions in order to unlock greater investment in healthcare services.

Why in news?

• Safer Internet Day is observed every year on the second day of the second week of February with the aim of providing a safer and better internet, where every user gets to use the internet responsibly and without getting their data leaked.
• This year February 8is being celebrated as Safer Internet Day across the world.
• This year marks the 19th edition of Safer Internet Day with actions taking place right across the globe.
• The theme for this year is ‘Together for a better internet’, calling upon all stakeholders to join together to make the internet a safer and better place for all, and especially for children and young people.
• It started as an initiative of the European Union’s (EU’s) Safe Borders project in 2004 and was taken up by the In safe network as one of its earliest actions in 2005, according to its website.
• It is now celebrated in nearly 200 countries across the world. From cyber bullying to social networking to digital identity, each year Safer Internet Day aims to raise awareness of emerging online issues and current concerns.

Why in news?

• The United Nations designated World Pulses Dayis observed every year on 10 February.
• The day has been established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)of the United Nations to recognize the importance of pulses (dry beans, lentils, dry peas, chickpeas, lupins) as a global food.
• World Pulses Day’s 2022 theme: “Pulses to empower youth in achieving sustainable agrifood systems”.

Why in news?

• The Kangra district administration has planned to adopt drone technology for demarcation and division of land and preparing documents in populated areas. A demo survey of the technology was conducted at Kopra panchayat in Nurpur tehsil of the district .
• Under the Swamitav Scheme of the Central Government, the drone technology would be used to measure land in populated areas.
• It was a scheme proposed by the state and Central governments, which would help in providing property cards to people in ‘abaadi’ or Lal Dora areas in rural areas of the district.
• The first drone pilot school of the state was being established at the ITI, Shahpur, and the Central Government had granted approval for it.

Why in news?

• A short biography of Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra has titled ‘Golden Boy Neeraj Chopra’ authored by sports author Navdeep Singh Gill has been released.
• Neeraj Chopra won a Gold medal in Javelin Throw at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
• The biography on Tokyo Olympics-2021 gold medalist Neeraj Chopra was released by the chairperson of Punjab Kala Parishad Surjit Patar and president of Punjabi Sahit Akademi Lakhwinder Singh Johal, amid the presence of the author and his family members.
• The 72 page book covers the life history and achievements of Neeraj Chopra right from his childhood to the Tokyo Olympics.
• The book very aptly covers his sporting techniques, numerous awards and contemporaries in different chapters with coloured photos in each chapter.

Why in news?

• To solve water problems in India, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras establishes a new inter-disciplinary water management and policy centre known as ‘AquaMAP’.
• The centre will offer smart solutions for water problems by designing scalable models using innovative technologies. These models will be implemented at various chosen locations across the country as proof of the concept.
• Aqua Map comprises a governing body chaired by director IIT Madras and an advisory board that includes eminent people in the area of water technology, management, and policy.
• In future AquaMAP will collaborate with other IIT Madras water research centers such as Sutram, International Centre for Clean Water (ICCW) – IIT Madras, and PCoE on Water and Sustainability, and other partners as well.
• Expected outcomes from AquaMAP in the medium or long term include
• The capability to address complex real-life water problems through consortia approach,
• Establish as an entity that can deliver solutions with wide impact and application,
• Address at least three chronic water issues through grand challenges and their successful translation into pilot projects,
• Completing pilot studies in at least six water innovation villages or towns that can be replicated for water management and policy implementation, within the country.

Why in news?

• A ruling by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) suspending the accreditation and penalising a firm certifying organic produce for violation of national regulations in the certification process has brought to light several violations in the system.
• APEDA, while suspending the accreditation of Hyderabad-based certifying firm, has pointed to some serious lacuna in the organic certification process.
• Violations include farmers being certified without being informed, use of urea, along with complaints from importing nations.

About APEDA

• The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) was established by the Government of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act passed by the Parliament in December, 1985.
• Following functions have been assigned to the Authority.
• Development of industries relating to the scheduled products for export by way of providing financial assistance or otherwise for undertaking surveys and feasibility studies, participation in enquiry capital through joint ventures and other reliefs and subsidy schemes;
• Registration of persons as exporters of the scheduled products on payment of such fees as may be prescribed;
• Fixing of standards and specifications for the scheduled products for the purpose of exports;
• Carrying out inspection of meat and meat products in slaughter houses, processing plants, storage premises, conveyances or other places where such products are kept or handled for the purpose of ensuring the quality of such products;
• Improving of packaging of the Scheduled products;
• Improving of marketing of the Scheduled products outside India etc.
• APEDA is mandated with the responsibility of export promotion and development of the following scheduled products:
• Fruits, Vegetables and their Products, Meat and Meat Products, Poultry and Poultry Products, Dairy Products, Confectionery, Biscuits and Bakery Products, Honey, Jaggery and Sugar Products, Cocoa and its products, chocolates of all kinds, Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Cereal and Cereal Products etc.