ANSWER: D

• The International Mother Language Day (IMLD) is observed annually on the 21st of February. The day aims to raise awareness regarding linguistic and cultural diversity and to promote multilingualism.
• The 2022 theme is “Using technology for multilingual learning: Challenges and opportunities”. 
• The UN mentioned in its statement that this year’s theme raises the potential role of technology to advance multilingual education and support the development of quality teaching and learning for all.
• International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)in November 1999. The UN General Assembly welcomed the proclamation of the day in its resolution of 2002.

ANSWER: B

• World Day of Social Justice is celebrated annually all over the world on 20 February.
• The International Labour Organization unanimously adopted the ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization on 10 June 2008.
• Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations.
• World Day of Social Justice 2022 Theme: Achieving Social Justice through Formal Employment.

ANSWER: A

• World Pangolin Day is celebrated on the “Third Saturday of February” every year.
• In 2022, the annual World Pangolin Day is being celebrated on 19 February 2022.It marks the 11th edition of the event.
• The day aims to raise awareness about these unique mammals and speed up conservation efforts. Pangolin numbers are rapidly declining in Asia and Africa.

 About Pangolins

• Pangolins are the only mammal to be covered in scales.
• They are the most smuggled mammal in the world because people want their meat and scales.

 Pangolins in India

• Out of the eight species of pangolin, the Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) and the Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) are found in India.
• Indian Pangolin is a large anteater covered by 11-13 rows of scales on the back. A terminal scale is also present on the lower side of the tail of the Indian Pangolin, which is absent in the Chinese Pangolin.
• Habitat
• Indian Pangolin is widely distributed in India, except the arid region, high Himalayas and the North-East. The species is also found in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
• Chinese Pangolin is found in the Himalayan foothills in Eastern Nepal, Bhutan, Northern India, North-East Bangladesh and through Southern China.
• Threats to Pangolins in India: Hunting and poaching for local consumptive use (e.g. as a protein source and traditional medicine) and international trade for its meat and scales in East and South East Asian countries, particularly China and Vietnam.
• IUCN Red List
• Indian Pangolin: Endangered
• Chinese Pangolin: Critically Endangered
• Both these species are listed under Schedule I, Part I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

ANSWER: B

• A team of researchers recently discovered a new species of bent-toed gecko or lizard, from Umroi Military station in Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya.
• The new species of Gecko or lizard belongs to the family of Cyrtodactylus exercitus (‘exercitus’ means army, in Latin).
• It has been named to honour the valour of Indian Army for their services to India.
• These new species was discovered as part of efforts of research team, to uncover herpetofaunal diversity of North East India.
• Bent-toe geckos are scientifically known as Cyrtodactylus. It is a diverse genus of Asian geckos. This genus has about 300 described species as of 2020. Thus, it is the largest of all gecko genera.
• Genus Cyrtodactylus
• The genus Cyrtodactylus is represented by about 320 species across the world. It is the third most speciose vertebrate genus worldwide. Members of the genus range from South Asia to Melanesia. There is high diversity of the species in south Asia. North East India has now become home to 16 species of bent-toed gecko.

ANSWER: B

• With the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) entering the seventh year of implementation in the upcoming Kharif season, the government has announced a new doorstep crop insurance distribution policy known as ‘Meri Policy Mere Hath’.
• The ‘Meri Policy Mere Hath’ door-step campaign has been launched to ensure that all farmers are well informed about their land records, policies, and the PMFBY’s claim and grievance redressal process.
• In the upcoming Kharif season which will be beginning in June, the doorstep campaign will be launched in all implementing states.

 About Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)

• In the 2016, PMFBY was launched with the aim of providing financial assistance to all the farmers who have suffered crop damage or loss from natural disasters.

 About Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY):

• In the 2016, PMFBY was launched with the aim of providing financial assistance to all the farmers who have suffered crop damage or loss from natural disasters.
• It provides a comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crop thus helping in stabilising the income of the farmers.
• Scope: All food & oilseed crops and annual commercial/horticultural crops for which past yield data is available.
• Premium: The prescribed premium is 2% to be paid by farmers for all Kharif crops and 5% for all rabi crops.
• In the case of annual commercial and horticultural crops, the premium is5%.
• Premium cost over and above the farmer share was equally subsidized by States and GoI.
• However, GoI shared 90% of the premium subsidy for North Eastern States to promote the uptake in the region.
• The scheme was compulsory for loanee farmers availing Crop Loan/Kisan Credit Card (KCC) account for notified crops and voluntary for others.
• In order to ensure more efficient and effective implementation of the scheme, the central government had revamped PMFBY in the 2020 Kharif season.
• This overhauled PMFBY is often called PMFBY 2.0, it has the following features:
• Completely Voluntary: Enrolment 100% voluntary for all farmers from 2020 Kharif.
• Limit to Central Subsidy: The Cabinet has decided to cap the Centre’s premium subsidy under the scheme for premium rates up to 30% for unirrigated areas/crops and 25% for irrigated areas/crops.
• More Flexibility to States: The government has given the flexibility to states/UTs to implement PMFBY and given them the option to select any number of additional risk covers/features.
• Investing in ICE Activities: Insurance companies have to now spend 0.5% of the total premium collected on information, education and communication (IEC) activities.

ANSWER: A

• Ministry of Education has approved the continuation of the RUSA scheme till March 31, 2026.

 About Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)

• It is a centrally sponsored scheme, launched in 2013.
• Seeks to provide strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions.
• Under the new phase, RUSA aims to reach out to unnerved, underserved areas; remote and rural areas; LWE (left-wing extremism) areas; aspirational districts, tier-2 cities, etc.
• New Phase is designed to implement some of the recommendations of National Education Policy 2020.
• It will support state governments for gender inclusion, equity initiatives, ICT, enhancing employability through vocationalisation and skill upgradation.
• Grants will be provided to strengthen both accredited and non-accredited universities and colleges for undertaking various activities including teaching-learning in Indian languages.

ANSWER: B

• Malawi has recorded Africa’s first wild poliovirus (WPV) case in five years.

About Polio:

• Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious viral disease that largely affects children under 5 years of age.
• It may affect the spinal cord causing muscle weakness and paralysis.
• Transmitted by person-to-person spread mainly through the faecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a contaminated water or food).
• Wild poliovirus (WPV) is the most commonly known form of the poliovirus.
• There are 3 strains of WPV- type 1, type 2 and type 3.
  • > type 2 was eradicated in 1999
  • > no case of type 3 has been found since 2012.
  • > As at 2020, type 1 affects two countries: Pakistan and Afghanistan.

ANSWER: A

• Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti is observed annually on February 19. This year, the 392nd birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the great Maratha warrior, was celebrated on February 19, 2022.

 About Chhatrapati Shivaji

• Shivaji Maharaj was born on February 19, 1630, in Shivneri Fort, near the city of Junnar, present-day Pune district. Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti was first celebrated by Mahatma Jyotirao Phule in 1870. 
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was the first Chhatrapati and founder of the Maratha Empire. He had re-established Hindavi Swarajya, self-rule of the Hindu people.
• He is considered as the greatest Maratha ruler who carved an enclave from the declining Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur, which became the start of the Maratha Empire.
• He seized the Torna fort at the young age of 16 years and by 17 years, he had seized the Raigad and Kondana forts. He is popularly known as Shivaji Bhosale and was a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan.
• His efforts and contributions in reviving the Maratha empire amid the Mughal rule in India, including his fued with Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, are well documented in India.

ANSWER: B

• Under “Operation Nanhe Farishte”, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) have rescued more than 1,000 kids from Railway stations across India, in the month of January, 2022.
• The RPF is entrusted with providing safety to passengers. It saved 1,045 children who were found alone or were abandoned at the railway stations.
• Out of all, 701 were boys and 344 were girls.
• According to the RPF, many children are kidnapped from railway stations every year. They are later exploited and trafficked.

ANSWER: A

• The Government of India (GoI), and the World Bank signed loan agreements of USD 115 million to implement the “Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development” (REWARD) Project in the states of Karnataka and Odisha with the support of the respective governments.
• REWARD is a $115 million project signed by Central government, Karnataka, Odisha, and World Bank.
• The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), lending arm of World Bank Group financing will support the $115 million loan has a maturity of 15 years, including a grace period of 4.5 years.
• Karnataka with $60 million ,
• Odisha with $49 million , and
• The remaining $6 million will be for the central government’s Department of Land Resources.
• It will help in the adoption of improved watershed management practices that further help increase farmers’ resilience to climate change, promote higher productivity and better incomes.
• Watershed management refers to implementing land use practices and water management practices to protect and improve the quality of the water and other natural resources within a watershed.
• REWARD Project:
• This project is an initiative of the Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) and World Bank. It is proposed as a 6 years project, from 2021 to 2026 and one of the largest watershed management programs in the world.