MOE's Ramesh Pokhriyal & MOWCD's Smriti Irani Launched Toycathon 2021 and Toycathon Portal

• Toycathon 2021, was jointly launched by Union Minister Smriti Zubin Irani, Minister for Women & Child Development (MOWCD), Ministry of Textiles, and Union Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank', Ministry of Education (MoE) along with Toycathon Portal (https://toycathon.mic.gov.in.) during the launch event in New Delhi,

• The idea behind the launch of Toycathon is to make India self-reliant in the toy sector by promoting the indigenous toy industry and to make India as a global Toy manufacturing hub.

• Currently India's toy market stands at around 1.5 Billion USD imports with 80% import of toys.

• The participants can get prizes upto Rs 50 lakhs and the winners will also get an opportunity to showcase their concepts during National Toy Fair' starting Feb 27, 2021.

• In December 2020, Toycathon Challenge 2020 was launched in association with Amazon India.

Themes of Toycathon 2021

• Indian Culture, History, Knowledge of India and Ethos; Learning, Education and Schooling: Social and human values: Occupations & specific fields; Environment; Divyang ; Fitness and sport: Out of the box, creative and logical thinking and Rediscovering/redesigning traditional Indian toys

DRDO signs MoU with Maha-Metro for implementation of Advanced Biodigester Mk II Technology

• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) & Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MAHA-METRO) signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) through which DRDO will provide technical support for the implementation of advanced biodigester Mk-Il technology for treatment of human waste in the metro rail network

• The biodigester units (a non-sewered sanitation technology) will help in conserving water & protecting the environment.

• It converts human waste in usable water and gases, which will be used for cooking and water for irrigation purposes.

• During the process the fecal matter is dumped into a tank which is filled with bio digesting bacteria, which will degrade the fecal matter

• The Biodigester is an indigenous, green & cost-effective technology and was originally developed for the armed forces in high altitude Himalayan regions which include Leh-Ladakh & Siachen Glacier.

• The Indian Railways has installed around 2.40 Lakh Biodigesters in its passenger coaches.

About Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO):

• Chairman - G Satheesh Reddy
• Headquarters- New Delhi

About Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MAHA-METRO):

• Chairman - Durga Shanker Mishra
• Headquarters - Nagpur, Maharashtra

Tata Power, SIDBI Join Hands for Rooftop Solar Financing for MSMEs

• Tata Power partnered with Small Industrial Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to provide a finance scheme to Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) engaged in rooftop solar segment.

• The partnership will overcome the financing barriers for penetration of solar in the MSME sector.

• This will support and encourage MSMEs to adopt sustainable energy for their businesses.

• This rooftop solar financing is for the MSME customers of Tata Power for both off-grid and on-grid solar connections.

• As a part of the scheme MSMEs will get financial aid without any collateral at an interest of less than 10%.

• It offers quick sanction and disbursement process viz. sanction time is 7 days while money disbursal in 4 days.

About Tata Power:

• Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Managing Director (MD)- Praveer Sinha
• Headquarter- Mumbai, Maharashtra

About Small industrial Development Bank of India (SIDBI):

• Establishment - 1990
• Headquarters-Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
• Deputy Managing Director (MD)- Manoj Mittal, V Satya Venkata Rao

Cabinet approves signing of MoC between India and Japan on Partnership in "Specified Skilled Worker"

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between the Indian and Japan that pertains to sending Indian "Specified Skilled Worker" to Japan.

• As per MoC the Indian workers, who qualify the required skill and Japanese language test can work in 14 specified sectors in Japan.

• These Indian workers will also be granted a new status of residence of 'Specified Skilled Worker by the Japanese Government.

CEPI Centralized Network Lab at DBT-THSTI Faridabad

• Union Minister for Science & Technology, Harsh Vardhan virtually inaugurated the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) Laboratory at the Translational Health Science & Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad. This is the 1st of its Kind in India & one of the Seven labs of the Global network.

• The lab is part of the Global network developed by CEPI Foundation, the immediate mission of the CEPI Lab at THSTI will be to assess the quality of vaccines being developed against COVID-19.

• The Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India is implementing the Ind-CEPI Mission titled 'India Centric Epidemic Preparedness through Rapid Vaccine Development: Supporting Indian Vaccine Development Aligned with the Global Initiative of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

• The other labs in the collaborative vaccine network are Nexelis (Canada). Public Health England (United Kingdom) VisMederi Srl (Italy), Viroclinics-DDL (Netherlands), International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research (Bangladesh), Q2 solution (United States of America), National Institute for Biological Standards & Control (NIBSC, United Kingdom)

• CEPI Foundation was launched at Davos in 2017 as a partnership between public, private, philanthropic & civil organizations

About Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) Foundation:

• Chief Executive Officer - Richard J. Hatchett

• Headquarters - Oslo, Norway

TRIFED, Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram sign MoU to set up TRIFOOD Parks in Madhya Pradesh

• TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited) under Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MOTA) & Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish TRIFOOD Parks in 5 districts in Madhya Pradesh

• The parks procure raw materials from the Van Dhan Kendras and process them to be sold across the country through Tribes India outlets

• The main aim of TRIFOOD is to enhance the income of tribals through optimal utilization of value addition to Minor Forest Produces (MFPs) collected by Tribal Forest Gatherers.

• The 2 organizations will work towards implementation of Van Dhan Yojana through mobilization of Self Help Groups (SHGs), Van Dhan Vikas Kendra (VDVKs) & TRIFOOD parks.

• Among the other scope of activities, Kalyan Ashram will include other areas like Agriculture, Horticulture, Floriculture, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Handlooms, Crafts.

• Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra is an organization which has been working towards the welfare of Tribals in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh & Jharkhand since 1952.

About Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram:

• President - Jagdeo Ram Oram

• Headquarters - Jashpur Nagar, Chhattisgarh

Bandhan Bank Signs MoU with Indian Army for the Bandhan Bank Shaurya Salary Account

• Bandhan Bank Ltd signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Army for the Bandhan Bank Shaurya Salary Account. The serving personnel of Indian Army will be provided the services of the account through the Bank's network of banking outlets.

• It is a zero balance salary account with 6% interest on balance above Rs.1 lakh.

• The account holders can make unlimited ATM transactions at Bandhan bank and as well as other bank's ATMs for free of cost.

• The annual charge and issuance of Shaurya Visa Platinum Debit Card is waived

About Bandhan Bank:

• It is the 1st bank to be setup in easterern part of India post independence.
• Managing Director & CEO - Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
• Head Office- Kolkata, West Bengal
• Incorporated- December 23, 2014 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Bandhan Financial Holdings Ltd
• Tagline- Aapka Bhala, Sabki Bhalai

BEML receives orders from MoD for the supply of High-Mobility Vehicles to Indian Army

• BEML Ltd (previously known as Bharat Earth Movers Limited) has received orders worth INR 758 crores from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for supplying high-mobility vehicles to the Indian army.

• The equipment will be manufactured at BEML's Palakkad Plant in Kerala and will be supplied to Indian Army in a period of 1 year.

• They will be crucial in mobilizing armoured fighting vehicles, troops, ammunition & stores to far and difficult terrains in operational areas.

About BEML Ltd:

• Chairman -DK Hota
• Headquarters - Bengaluru, Karnataka

SBI Mutual Fund Raises its Stake in CSB Bank to 5.01% from 4.96%

• SBI Mutual Fund has acquired an additional 86,993 shares in CSB Bank Ltd (formerly The Catholic Syrian Bank Ltd), which consequently raised its stake in the bank to 5.01% from 4.96% earlier.

• About CSB Bank Ltd (formerly The Catholic Syrian Bank Ltd):
• It is currently the oldest private sector bank in Kerala. In 1969 it became a Scheduled Bank, as it was included in the Second Schedule of Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
• Established- 1920
• MD & CEO-C. VR. Rajendran
• Head Office Thrissur, Kerala
• Tagline Support All the Way

India Expected to grow at 5.4 % in Fiscal Year 2021-22 : World Bank report

• According to the Global Economic Prospects (GEP-January 2021) report released by the World Bank (WB), India is expected to grow at 5.4% in the Financial Year (FY) 2021-22 & 5.2% in FY 2022-23 after an expected contraction of 9.6% in FY 2020/21. The report also highlighted that the Global Economy is expected to expand by 4% in 2021.

• The Global economy is set to have contracted by 4.3 % in 2020

Former Indian Footballer Abhishek Yadav Appointed as AIFF's 1st Deputy General Secretary

• Abhishek Yadav, Former Indian footballer appointed as the 1st Deputy General Secretary of All India Football Federation (AIFF). It is the first time that a former national player has been appointed at a high-ranked position at AIFF.

• He scored the decisive goal in LG Cup 2002 as a substitute in the final against Vietnam, at Thong Nhat stadium, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam paving way to India to win the title, which is India's first trophy in abroad in 28 years.

About All India Football Federation (AIFF):

• President- Praful Patel
• Headquarters, New Delhi, Delhi

Faustin-Archange Touadéra Re-Elected as President of Central African Republic for 2nd Term

• Faustin-Archange Touadéra has been Re-Elected as the president of the Central African Republic after securing 53.9% votes, an absolute majority of votes in the first round. This is his 2nd term as president of the country. He belongs to the United Hearts Movement, which is led by him.

About Central African Republic:

• Capital, Bangui
• Currency- Central African CFA franc