Current Affairs in Short: 22 November 2021

Ranjan Madugalle becomes first Match Referee to officiate 200 tests; ICC, SLC present mementos

•The Chief Referee of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees became the first Match Referee to officiate in 200 Test matches. He achieved the feat in the ongoing first Test between Sri Lanka and the West Indies in Galle.

•Madugalle was presented with mementos by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) by the CEO of SLC Ashley de Silva and Vice President of SLC Dr Jayantha Dharmadasa.

•Madugalle has officiated in 200 men’s Test matches, 369 men’s ODIs, and 125 men’s T20Is as well as supervised 14 women’s ODIs, 8 women’s T20Is. He has also played as a cricketer for Sri Lanka in the first 18 Test matches and captained in his final two Test matches.

•Madugalle was appointed as ICC Match Referee in 1993. His first assignment was the Test match between New Zealand and Pakistan in Karachi in December 2021 followed by the first ODI shortly.

•Madugalle has served as ICC Match Referee for four ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Finals (1999, 2003, 2015, and 2019), four ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Finals (2007, 2010, 2016, and 2021), and three ICC Champions Trophy Finals (2004, 2006, and 2013).

Finance Ministry notifies 12 per cent GST rate on MMF, yarn, fabrics from January 1

•The Union Finance Ministry has notified uniform 12 per cent GST rate on manmade fibre (MMF), yarn, fabrics, and apparel. With this, the Ministry addressed the inverted tax structure in the MMF textile value chain.

•Currently, the tax rate on MMF is 18 per cent, MMF yarn is 12 per cent and MMF fabrics is 5 per cent. On November 18, 2021, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) notified a 12 per cent GST rate for MMF, MMF yarn, and MMF fabrics.

•The GST Council chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and comprising state finance ministers in its meeting on September 17 decided to correct the inverted duty anomalies in the textile sector from January 1, 2022.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya urges States to prepare micro plans for COVID vaccination

•Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in a virtual meeting on November 22, 2021, to review the status of COVID-19 vaccination in Puducherry, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Manipur urged States to launch an aggressive campaign to ensure COVID-19 vaccination by increasing the pace of vaccination.

•While India’s first dose coverage is at 82 per cent and second dose coverage at 43 per cent, the Union Health Ministry reported low vaccination coverage in these states and union territories with Puducherry (66 per cent, 39 per cent), Nagaland (49 per cent, 36 per cent), Meghalaya (57 per cent, 38 per cent), and Manipur (54 per cent, 36 per cent).

•Mandaviya urged these States to prepare detailed district-wise micro plans, deploy an adequate number of teams, and regularly review the daily progress of the low-performing districts.

•Mandaviya also urged to strengthen the ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ campaign by deploying ‘Prachar Toli’ in villages which would ensure mobilization and counseling of all eligible population and deploying ‘Vaccination Toli’ which would ensure vaccination of all eligible citizens with the first and second dose of vaccines.

Kamal Hassan tests positive for COVID-19

•Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) Chief and Actor Kamal Hassan on November 22, 2021, tweeted that he has been tested positive for COVID-19. It is the first time Hassan got infected with COVID-19. He has already been vaccinated.

•67-years-old Hassan tweeted about his test confirmation of COVID-19 infection after he experienced a slight cough after returning from US trip. He is admitted to a hospital. He had gone to the US for launching the fashion brand House of Khaddar.

Patalpani railway station in Indore to be renamed Tantya Mama railway station

•Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on November 22, 2021, announced that Patalpani railway station in Indore will be renamed as Tantya Mama railway station.

•The decision comes after PM Modi inaugurated the Rani Kamlapati Station (earlier Habibganj railway station). Chouhan had earlier written to Home Ministry to rename Habibganj railway station after Rani Kamlapati.