Why in news?

• Raksha Pension Shikayat Nivaran Portal launched coinciding with Veterans’ Day to redress pension grievances of ESM

About the portal

• Ministry of Defence (MoD) has launched three new initiatives for the welfare of ex-servicemen and their families on the occasion of Armed Forces Veterans’ Day which is celebrated on 14th January every year. In a series of tweets, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh announced that the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW) has allotted Rs 320 crore to Armed Forces Flag Day Fund (AFFDF) to clear all backlog of pending applications for welfare schemes especially Education & Marriage grants for widows/dependent children of the veterans. This will benefit over 1,66,000 wards/widows of Ex-Servicemen (ESMs).
• The DESW also launched a dedicated Raksha Pension Shikayat Nivaran Portal designed to speedily redress pension, including family pension-related grievances of ESM and their dependents. The portal will enable processing of grievances quickly by the DESW.
• Through the portal, an SMS and e-mail will be forwarded to the applicants on their registered mobile number and e-mail, intimating confirmation of registration of grievance and for tracking its status. Applicants can also provide feedback for the purpose of improving quality of redressal of grievances.

Why in news?

• Major earthquake events in last 30,000 years resulted in spectacular changes in landscape of the Katrol Hill Fault in the Kachchh region in Gujarat, a study conducted on sediment samples revealed.

About the landscape changes

• These surprising geological facts about the seismic history of the fault in the recent geological past necessitate a revised seismic hazard assessment and mitigation strategies in Kachchh Basin, owing to its close proximity to industrial corridor and major settlements, including Bhuj city.
• Earthquakes are one of the natural hazards that geologists are still grappling with its complex nature. The complexity is attributed to its widespread occurrence through space and time. Seismicity in Kachchh region is highly complex as it is characterized by multiple seismic sources in the form of several East-West trending fault lines, which release continuously accumulating tectonic stresses at intervals producing earthquakes. Real-time monitoring of earthquakes since the occurrence of devastating 2001 Bhuj earthquake indicate that most of the faults in the region, viz., Kachchh Mainland Fault (KMF), South Wagad Fault (SWF), Gedi Fault (GF), and Island Belt Fault (IBF) are seismically active. However, seismic activity along other faults like the Katrol Hill Fault (KHF) are not apparent, thus making the task of seismic hazard estimation and mitigation in the region a scientifically complex process.

Why in news?

• The 74th Indian Army Day was celebrated in India on 15 January 2022

About the Indian Army Day

• This day is a matter of great pride for every Indian, as we pay our respects to the daredevils of our country and salute them for the sacrifices, they make each day for the country.
• The Indian Army Day is celebrated to honour each soldier in the armed forces of our country for their selfless service.
• Every year, it is celebrated at all army command offices across the country, and the Headquarters in New Delhi. However, in the light of COVID-19 pandemic and the surge due to Omicron variant, the 2022 celebrations shall be muted.

Indian Army Day 2022: History and Significance

• While the Indian Army was officially established on 1 April 1895 under the British rule, the first Indian to head the forces was Lieutenant General KM Cariappa, who was appointed to the post on 15 January 1949.
• Ever since then, 15 January has become an important day for the history of India as it was the first time an Indian soldier took the reigns of the armed forces of the nation.
• The Indian Army Day is a celebration of not only our brave soldiers, but also the transfer of power from the British rule to India. That is why each year, it is celebrated in all army command headquarters with great gusto and pride.

Why in news?

• The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, gave nod to Swaran Jayanti Energy Policy — 2021 that envisaged clean and green.

About the Energy policy 2021

• It added additional 10,000 MW of green energy though hydro, solar and other green energy sources by 2030 and expeditious development of green energy sources.
• It also lays stress on renewal energy sources viz. solar, wind, biomass and other non-conventional energy sources.
• This policy aims four-pronged strategy by way of participation of the state, joint, Central and private sectors,

Why in news?

• To give a major fillip to sports promotion, Himachal govt announced major incentives in Swarnim Khel State Sports Policy 2020, which will replace the sports policy was framed in 2001.

About Swarnim sports policy

• The policy lays emphasis on sports promotion by developing, maintaining and optimally utilising high quality sports infrastructure.
• The policy aims at encouraging public private participation in creating sports infrastructure and coordinating with educational institutions for promotion of sports and providing the best of facilities for training and support to sports persons for participation and excellence in national and international championships with high standards of ethics.
• This policy introducing scientific research in training for long term sports development and recognize and honour talent in sports and reward young women and men who have achieved excellence in sports.

Why in news?

• A US man has become the first person in the world to get a heart transplant from a genetically-modified pig.

About the transplant

• David Bennett, 57, has got the transplant
• Doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Centre were granted a special dispensation by the US medical regulator to carry out the procedure, on the basis that Mr Bennett – who has terminal heart disease – would otherwise have died.

Why in news?

• The Western Railway said the RPF has recovered goods worth Rs 2.58 crore belonging to a total of 1,317 railway passengers during the year 2021.

About Mission Amanat

• Every year while travelling, thousands of rail passengers lose their belongings in trains and recovering those lost items is a challenging task for all. But no worries now. The Western Railway has come to the rescue of the passengers and has launched a new service called Mission Amanat.
• In this new service, the Western Railway said that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) will locate the lost luggage of railway passengers and upload a photo and description of the belongings on the website. And then the passengers can then identify and retrieve their luggage.

Why in news?

• Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar recently launched the Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar (SVP) 2021 – 2022.

About Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar

• The SVP 2021-22 is open to all categories of schools i.e., government, government aided and private schools in both rural and urban areas.
• The schools will be assessed through an online portal and mobile app in six sub-categories- Water, Sanitation, Hand Washing with soap, Operation and Maintenance, Behaviour Change and Capacity Building and the newly added category on Covid-19 preparedness and response and the system will generate the overall score and rating automatically.
• The schools can apply till March 2022 to apply for the awards. Schools will be awarded at the district, state and national level. A total of 40 schools will be selected for awards this year under the overall category.
• The Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar was first instituted in 2016-17.

Why in news?

• The World Bank has retained India’s economic growth forecast for the current fiscal at 8.3 per cent as the recovery is yet to become broad-based.

About India’s economic growth

• As per the first advanced estimates of the national income released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) last week, the economy is projected to grow at 9.2 per cent in 2021-22, surpassing pre-COVID level in actual terms, mainly on account of improved performance, especially in farm, mining and manufacturing sectors.

Why in news?

• India’s oldest sloth bear, named Gulabo, died at the age of 40 at the Van Vihar National Park and Zoo in Bhopal.

About the sloth bear

• The female sloth bear died after attaining the age of 40. Gulabo was one of the star attractions in the park. She was the oldest sloth bear in the country.
• The female bear was rescued from a Madaari or street performer in May 2006 at the age of 25 years.
• An autopsy determined the cause of death as a failure of internal organs due to old age. Gulabo was cremated by staffers of the park as per the norms.