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Q1. As per the ‘EIU Global Liveability Index’ 2022, which is the most liveable city in the world?
Vienna
Geneva
Pittsburgh
Auckland
Vienna
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) launched its annual ranking of the world’s most liveable cities- Global Liveability Index for 2022.
A total of 173 cities were ranked based on a range of criteria, including infrastructure, availability to green space, political stability, crime rates, and health care.
Top three cities
Vienna (Austria)
Copenhagen (Denmark)
Zurich (Switzerland)
Q2. Which state runs the ‘Mo Bus service’ which was recently recognized by the UN’s Public Service Awards?
Odisha
Kerala
Telangana
Tamil Nadu
Odisha
Odisha’s Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) authority introduced the Mo Bus Service in 2018 to promote smart technologies and safe transportation for women riders.
It was recently recognised by the UN’s Public Service Awards for 2022.
Q3. T-Hub is a start-up incubator based in which state/UT?
New Delhi
Maharashtra
Tamil Nadu
Telangana
Telangana
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao recently inaugurated the new facility of business incubator T-Hub in Hyderabad.
T-Hub 2.0 is claimed to be world’s largest innovation campus. The facility will support over 2,000 startups under one roof. Established in 2015, T-Hub (Technology Hub) is an innovation hub and ecosystem enabler based in the city of Hyderabad.
Q4. Which state will host the G-20 summit in 2023?
Uttar Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Uttarakhand
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir has been selected by the Ministry for External Affairs (MEA) for meetings during the G-20 summit, to be hosted by India in 2023.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has constituted a five-member high-powered panel for overall coordination of G20 meetings to be held in the union territory. This will be the first major international summit to be held in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of its special status.
Q5. Recently ISRO has launched its PSLV-C53 mission with three Singaporean satellites, being launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. Sriharikota is a barrier island off the Bay of Bengal coast in
Andhra Pradesh
Kerala
Odisha
West Bengal
Andhra Pradesh
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched three satellites from Singapore in its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C53) mission.
It is being launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. PSLV-C53 is also the second dedicated mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a corporate arm of the Department of Space. ISRO has successfully launched the PSLV-C52 mission in February 2022 by injecting Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-04)
Q6. Who has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog?
Parameswaran Iyer
Ajit Doval
Amitabh Kant
Subash Chandra Garg
Parameswaran Iyer
Parameswaran Iyer, a 1981 IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog.
He is also the former Secretary of the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, who led the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Q7.Raghurajpur is famous for which of the following types of paintings?
Madhubani
Pattachitra
Kalamkari Paintings
Warli Art
Pattachitra
Pattachitra painting is the traditional painting of Odisha and West Bengal. These scroll paintings trace their origin to 12th century. They mainly depict Hindu mythology and are closely related to Jagannath and Vaishnava sect.
Q8. ‘CAPSTONE’ satellite was recently launched by which space agency?
NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)
Rocosmos
NASA
SpaceX
NASA
NASA has recently launched a 25-kg satellite ‘CAPSTONE’, which is short for Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment.
The satellite is designed to test a unique and elliptical lunar orbit. CAPSTONE will enter an elongated orbit called a near rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO). It will provide data about operating in an NRHO and showcase key technologies.
Q9. Who has sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra?
Devendra Fadnavis
Vinayak Raut
Eknath Shinde
Pravin Darekar
Eknath Shinde
Shiv Sena rebel leader Eknath Shinde sworn in as Maharashtra CM while BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister.
Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath of office and secrecy to the leaders.
Q10. Who is appointed as the President of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)?
Urjit Patel
T Raja Kumar
Dr. Raghuram Rajan
Dr. D. Subbarao
T Raja Kumar
T Raja Kumar of Singapore has been appointed as the president of Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the anti-money laundering watchdog.
He has replaced Marcus Pleyer and will discharge his service for next two years. As per FATF, the President will focus on enhancing the effectiveness of global anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing measures, improving asset recovery and other initiatives.
Q11. Which Union Ministry released the ‘States’ Start-ups Ranking 2021’?
Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Ministry of Corporate Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Trade
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Commerce and Industry
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry has released ‘Start-ups Ranking 2021’.
Gujarat, Karnataka and Meghalaya were categorised as best performers
Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Mizoram and Ladakh have an emerging start-up ecosystem. Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and Jammu and Kashmir were ranked as the top performers.
Q12. The institution in India to issue ‘Electoral bonds’ is
Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation
Election Commission of India
RBI
State Bank of India
State Bank of India
The government has approved the issuance of the 21st phase of sale of electoral bonds through authorised SBI branches from July 1.
State Bank of India (SBI) is the only authorised institution to issue and encash Electoral Bonds through its 29 Authorized Branches. The Electoral bonds are interest-free bearer instruments, which can be encashed by the party through a Bank account within 15 days.
Q13. The recently instituted Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Award is associated with which field?
Science & Technology Innovation
Entrepreneurship
Social Service
Public Administration
Public Administration
Union Ministery of Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh announced setting up of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Award in public administration in the field of academic excellence.
He announced the award in memory of the first President of India, while he chaired the meeting of Executive Council of Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) in New Delhi.
Q14. The recently adopted Lisbon Declaration is associated with the conservation of which entity?
Oceans
Poles Glaciers
Air
Mountains
Oceans
The UN Ocean Conference 2022 concluded with the unanimous adoption of the Lisbon Declaration “Our Ocean, our future, our responsibility.”
The Lisbon Declaration takes into account the capacity challenges being faced by the developing countries, mainly the Small Island Developing States and Least Developing Countries.
Q15. Which group of nations recently issued a statement title ‘2022 Resilient Democracies Statement’?
UNGA
G-7
QUAD
BRICS
G-7
Leaders of the powerful G7 grouping and its five partner countries, including India issued a joint statement titled ‘2022 Resilient Democracies Statement’.
The leaders affirmed that they are committed to open public debate and the free flow of information online and offline while guarding the freedom, independence and diversity of civil society actors.
Government of Assam approves identification of five Muslim sub-groups as indigenous Assamese Muslim communities.
The government of Assam approved the identification of five Assamese Muslim sub-groups as indigenous Assamese Muslim communities.
These include Goriyas, Moriyas, Julhas, Deshis, and Syeds as indigenous Assamese Muslim communities.
The decision to identify five sub-groups as indigenous was taken in line with recommendations of seven sub-groups/committees formed by the state government last year to discuss issues concerning Assamese Muslim community.
The ‘indigenous’ status to Assamese-speaking Muslim communities will distinguish them from Bengali-speaking Muslims, who migrated from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to Assam.
This classification has been a long-standing demand of Assamese Muslim communities. The classification is also important because to identify the people from minority communities who are the original residents of Assam and have not migrated to the state.
Delhi will host a world-class ‘Delhi Shopping Festival’ in 2023
Delhi will host its first ever world-class ‘Delhi Shopping Festival’ from January 28 to February 26, 2023. This major announcement was made by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The Delhi Shopping Festival was one of the ambitious projects proposed in the Rozgaar Budget 2022-23 presented by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in March this year.
About the festival
The festival will be organised from January 28-February 26, 2022.
The festival will have a special opening and closing ceremony.
All major markets and malls will be decorated. It will offer an unparalleled shopping experience to people.
There will be at least 200 concerts over the span of 30 days.
Exhibitions will be organised on different themes including spirituality, gaming, technology, health and wellness.
The festival will have a lot to offer for the youth, children and families.
All markets and shops will offer heavy discounts on products during this festival.
There will be a lot of entertainment programmes involving top artists from across the country.
Odisha has ranked number one in State Ranking Index for NFSA 2022
Recently, the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has released the 1st edition of ‘State Ranking Index for NFSA’.
Key Points
Odisha bagged the first position for implementation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Uttar Pradesh is ranked second and Andhra Pradesh is ranked third.
Tripura secured number one, Himachal Pradesh second and Sikkim is at the third position among special category states for the implementation of the National Food Security Act.
Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu scored the highest in terms of coverage, targeting and implementing provisions of NFSA.
Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had the best delivery platform displaying the efficiency of the TPDS supply chain.
About National Food Security Act (NFSA)
The National Food Security Act (NFSA) was enacted on July 5, 2013.
It is an Indian Act of Parliament which aims to provide subsidized food grains.
Its aim is to ensure that everyone everywhere has enough good-quality food to lead a healthy life at affordable prices.
It includes the Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services scheme and the Public Distribution System.
The Act legally entitled up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to receive subsidized food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
The Act ensures nutritional support to women and children. Pregnant and lactating women would be entitled to nutritious meals, free of charge under the MDM and ICDS schemes.
The Act covers two-thirds of the entire population under two categories of beneficiaries: Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households Priority Households (PHH).
Tanuja Nesari was awarded with the Ayurveda Ratna Award by the UK Parliament
Tanuja Nesari, Director of All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) was awarded with the Ayurveda Ratna Award by the UK Parliament.
The UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Indian Traditional Sciences (ITSappg) conferred the award for her contribution to promoting the growth of Ayurveda in India and abroad.
She has been honoured for her exceptional service of the highest order for the promotion of Ayurveda.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Indian Traditional Sciences was formed in 2014 with an aim to spread the knowledge of Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Vastu, Unani and Sangeetam in United Kingdom and abroad.
States’ Start-up Ranking 2021 released
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has released the 3rd edition of Ranking of States on Support to Startup Ecosystems.
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has been conducting the States’ Start-up Ranking Exercise since 2018. The main objective is to facilitate the ease of building a start-up and doing business across the country.
Key Points
Evaluation Parameters: participants were evaluated across 7 broad Reform Areas consisting of 26 Action Points like–
Institutional Support
Fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Access to Market
Incubation support
Funding Support
Mentorship Support
Capacity Building of Enablers
Participation: A total of 24 states and 7 Union Territories participated in the States’ Startup Ranking 2021 exercise. In States’ Startup Ranking 2020 exercise, only 25 states and UTs participated.
Categorization: For the purposes of the States’ Startup Ranking, States and Union Territories are classified into 5 Categories, viz.
Best Performers
Top Performers
Leaders
Aspiring Leaders
Emerging Start-up Ecosystems
States’ Startup Ranking 2021 Results
Gujarat and Karnataka appeared as the Best Performers in the States category.
Meghalaya top among UTs and North-eastern States category.
Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa and Telangana won the Top Performers award among states category.
Jammu and Kashmir appeared as the Top Performer among UTs and NE states category.
Assam, Punjab, Tamil Nādu, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh were adjudged the winners in the Leaders category among states.
Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh and Goa bagged the Leaders honour among the UTs and NE states.
Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan were declared as Aspiring Leadersamong the States.
Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Puducherry and Tripura were the Aspiring Leaders from the UTs and NE states.
Andhra Pradesh and Bihar from States category and Mizoram and Ladakh from the UTs/NE States were clubbed under the Emerging Start-up Ecosystem.
Michelle Poonawalla bags the coveted Shiromani Award
Michelle Poonawalla received the coveted Shromani Award at the NRI World Summit 2022, the United Kingdom for her contribution to the field of Art.
Poonawalla also unveiled her artwork at JMS Foundation Charity Gala Dinner at The Dorchester in London. Her film ‘Reserve’ marks water scarcity as a global crisis and accentuated pollution and contamination of water reserves.
The Shiromani Award was also awarded to Shri Sadhu Bhramvihari, Lord Rami Ranger, Rita Hinduja Chhabria, Dr. Kamel Hothi OBE and Falguni Shane Peacock.
Shiromani Award
The Shiromani Award was formed in 1977.
The award has been bestowed on Mother Teresa, Chief Marshal Manekshaw, Raj Kapoor, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, PT Usha, Leander Paes, Vishwanathan Anand, The Dalai Lama, Jaya Bachchan and Asha Bhosle in the past.
NITI Aayog and World Food Program have released a report titled ‘Take Home Ration-Good Practices across the State/Union Territories’.
The report presents a set of good and innovative practices adopted in the implementation of the Take Home Ration value chain by the States and UTs.
Key Points
In this report, various good practices at the State/UTs level have been identified and are documented which would serve as a guidebook to policymakers and administrators in strengthening their Take-Home Ration system.
Take-Home ration is provided by Government of India, under Supplementary Nutrition component of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
It is provided to fill the gap in nutrition among children as well as Pregnant and Lactating Women (PLW).
To generate a document on good practices under the programme, aspects related to production, distribution, formulation, packaging, labelling, quality assurance, monitoring, and social & behavioural change have been reviewed.
This document will help in adopting good practices in Take-Home Ration programmes across states and UTs.
Recommendations made by the report:
In order to realize the full potential of the THR, all components of this value chain need to function at optimum.
Building a robust system for procurement, supply chain management and monitoring that ensures complete transparency, standardized process, sustainability, full coverage, leverages local ties, fosters a culture of collaboration and builds trust within a community.
About World Food Program
The World Food Program was founded in 1961 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) headquartered in Rome, Italy.
It is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations.
It is the world’s largest humanitarian organization in the world, saving lives in times of need and utilising food aid to help people recover from war, natural disasters, and the effects of climate change create a road to peace, stability, and prosperity.
The WFP was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for its efforts to provide food assistance in areas of conflict, and to prevent the use of food as a weapon of war and conflict.
It is is an executive member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group.
India’s Largest Floating Solar Power Project Commissioned
Recently, the National Thermal Power Corporation(NTPC) has commissioned India’s largest floating solar power project at Ramagundam, Telangana.
Key Points
It is a 100-megawatt(MW) floating solar power photovoltaic project commissioned by the National Thermal Power Corporation(NTPC).
It is endowed with advanced technology as well as environment friendly features.
The floating platform comprises a transformer, inverter and a HT breaker.
The project spreads over 500 acres of its reservoir divided into 49 blocks and each block has a capacity of 2.5MW and each block comprises one floating platform and a matrix of 11,200 solar modules.
The solar modules are kept on floaters which are manufactured with HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) material.
Benefits of this project
Minimum land requirement mostly for associated evacuation arrangements.
With the presence of floating solar panels, the evaporation rate from water bodies is reduced, thus helping in water conservation.
The water body underneath the solar modules helps in maintaining their ambient temperature, thereby improving their efficiency and generation.
World Cities Report 2022
Recently, United Nations-Habitat(UN-Habitat) has released the World Cities Report 2022.
Key Points
The UN-Habitat World Cities Report 2022 highlights that, rapid urbanization in India was delayed temporarily due to the covid-19 pandemic.
According to the report, the urban population in India is estimated to reach 675 million in 2035. It will be the second-highest figure, behind China’s one billion.
In lower income countries, existing urban populations continuing to increase naturally with increasing birth rates. Urban population is expected to grow from 56 percent of the world’s total in 2021 to 68 per cent by 2050.
In last two decades, India and China experienced rapid urbanisation and economic growth which led to massive reduction in the number of people living in poverty.
India’s urban population is likely to reach 675,456,000 in 2035, as compared to 483,099,000 in 2020.
The percentage of the population in urban areas of India will be 43.2 percent, by 2035.
About UN-Habitat
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) was established in 1978 headquartered at the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Kenya.
It is a member of the United Nations Development Group.
It is the United Nations programme for human settlements and sustainable urban development.
It is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all.
IIE, Guwahati signs MoU with IIM, Shillong to boost entrepreneurship ecosystem in North Eastern Region
The Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Incubation and Enterprise Support Centre of Indian Institute of Management Shillong (IIMS) to boost the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the North Eastern Region (NER).
Objectives
To encourage entrepreneurship, incubation, and startups in the North Eastern Region.
To support professional development in the areas of management, entrepreneurship, and skill development.
To meet the larger demand for capacity building and entrepreneurship promotion in the North Eastern Region.
By collaborating on this initiative, both institutes will benefit from each other’s strengths in promoting skill development in the NER and the country at large.
The institutes will together conduct certified courses on entrepreneurship development and also train startups and incubates under the Incubation and Enterprise Support Centre, IIM Shillong. They will also promote educational lectures, workshops, exhibitions, and other knowledge dissemination programmes in the region.
ISRO launches PSLV-C53 satellites
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the PSLV-C53 with three Singapore Satellites onboard.
Key Points
PSLV-C53 is the second dedicated commercial mission of New Space India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO. This was ISRO’s 55th mission of PSLV.
The rocket placed the three customer satellites in the precise orbit of 570 km with a 10 degree inclination.
The four-stage, 44.4-metre-tall rocket had a lift-off mass of 228.433 tonnes.
The launch vehicle has carried three satellites – DS-EO, a 365 kg and NeuSAR, a 155 kg satellite and 2.8 kg Scoob-1 satellite.
DS-EO carries an Electro-Optic, multi-spectral payload which will provide full colour images for land classification, and for serving humanitarian assistance and disaster relief needs.
NeuSAR satellite will provide images in day and night and under all weather conditions and the Scoob-I satellite is the first satellite in the Student Satellite Series (S3-I), which is a hands-on student training programme.
Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022
Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has issued the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022, under the Forest (conservation) Act, 1980.
Provisions of Forest (conservation) Rules 2022
It constituted an Advisory Committee, a regional empowered committee and a screening committee at each of the integrated regional offices and a screening committee at State/Union Territory (UT) government-level.
The Advisory Committee is restricted to advise or recommend with regards to grant of approval under relevant sections in respect of proposals referred to it and any matter connected with the conservation of forests referred to it by the Central government.
Integrated Regional Office will be set up to examine all the linear projects (Highways and roads) on land up to 40 hectares and those projects using forest land up to 0.7 canopy density. These rules provide for a fixed time for reviewing each project quickly.
States are given the responsibility of settling forest rights of forest dwellers (Forest Rights Act, 2006) and allowing diversion of forest land. They will also allow diversion of forest land.
Compensatory afforestation (CA) will now be allowed in other states. If the state already has over two-thirds area under green cover or over one-third area under forest cover, then CA could be taken in other states/UTs where the cover is less than 20%.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has also proposed the removal of imprisonment as a penalty for the “less severe’’ contraventions and replace it with a monetary penalty. However, serious violations of EPA which lead to grievous injury or loss of life shall be covered under the provision of Indian Penal Code.
Sini Shetty crowned Femina Miss India 2022
Karnataka’s Sini Sadanand Shetty won the Femina Miss India 2022. She will now represent India at the 71st Miss World pageant.
Sini Shetty hails from Karnataka. Shetty was born in Mumbai in 2001. The 21-yr-old, who holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and financing, is currently pursuing a course in Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
Femina Miss India 2022’s first runner-up is Rubal Shekhawat from Rajasthan, while the second runner-up is Shinata Chauhan, who hails from Uttar Pradesh.
Femina Miss India 2022 was the 58th edition of the Femina Miss India beauty pageant.
Raja Kumar has been appointed as the president of Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
T. Raja Kumar has been recently appointed as the president of Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the anti-money laundering watchdog.
Raja Kumar, who hails from Singapore has replaced Marcus Pleyer. He will discharge his service for next two years.
He has been working against global terror financing for quite a long time. As soon as he took over the charge, he presented his objectives for the coming Plenary period (July 2022 -June 2024) to strengthen the FATF.
During the Singapore Presidency, the FATF will continue its core work of identifying and analysing money laundering and terrorist financing methods and trends, developing and refining the FATF Standards, and evaluating and supporting the assessments of countries within the Global Network.
About Financial Action Task Force
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an intergovernmental organisation. Headquarters at Paris, France.
It is also known by its French name, Groupe d’action financière (GAFI).
It was founded in 1989 on the initiative of the G7 to develop policies to combat money laundering.
The objectives of FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.
In 2001, its mandate was expanded to include terrorism financing.
Tapan Kumar Deka appointed as new Director of Intelligence Bureau
Tapan Deka has been appointed as the new Chief of the Intelligence Bureau for a tenure of two years. He will succeed incumbent Intelligence Bureau Director Arvind Kumar. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Tapan Kumar Deka.
About Tapan Kumar Deka
Tapan Deka, is a 1988 batch Himachal Pradesh Cadre officer.
He is currently serving as the Special Director of Intelligence Bureau and he is also in charge of counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
He has given preference to an officer over some four seniors in the Intelligence Bureau with the objective of adding more strength to the Intelligence Agency.
Global Liveability Index 2022
Recently, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) launched the Global Liveability Index for 2022. A total of 173 cities were ranked by EIU based on a range of criteria, including the availability of green space, infrastructure, crime rates, political stability, and health care.
Key points
The first place on the list is acquired by Vienna followed by Copenhagen in second place and Zurich in third place.
The cities in India have fared poorly in the list of the world’s most liveable cities. India’s national capital New Delhi has been ranked 112th on the list while Mumbai is ranked at 117th position.
The Pakistani city of Karachi and Bangladesh capital Dhaka are among the least liveable cities in the world.
Several of the top 10 cities have the minimum COVID-19 rules. Museums, Schools, eateries, and shops have all resumed operations.
Top 10 liveable cities
1.Vienna, Austria
Copenhagen, Denmark
Zurich, Switzerland
Calgary, Canada
Vancouver, Canada
Geneva, Switzerland
Frankfurt, Germany
Toronto, Canada
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Osaka, Japan and Melbourne, Australia (tie)
Least 10 liveable cities
Tehran, Iran
Douala, Cameroon
Harare, Zimbabwe
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Port Moresby, PNG
Karachi, Pakistan
Algiers, Algeria
Tripoli, Libya
Lagos, Nigeria
Damascus, Syria
Nitin Gupta appointed as the new chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)
Nitin Gupta has been appointed as the new Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) chairman.
He is an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of the 1986 batch of the Income Tax cadre, is currently serving as member (investigation) in the CBDT and is scheduled to retire in September next year.
About Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is the administrative body for the Income Tax department.
It was established as per the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963.
It is administered by the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance.
It is headed by a Chairman and can have six members who are in the rank of special secretary.
It deals with matters related to levying and collecting Direct Taxes and formulation of various policies related to direct taxes.
Partners in the Blue Pacific’ initiative
Recently, the United States and allied countries namely Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have – launched a new initiative called ‘Partners in the Blue Pacific’ for “effective and efficient cooperation” with the region’s small island nations.
About Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP)
It is an initiative of a five-nation “informal mechanism” to support Pacific islands and to boost diplomatic, economic ties in the region.
It speaks of enhancing “prosperity, resilience, and security” in the Pacific through closer cooperation among the member nations.
Member countries would cooperate in areas including climate crisis, transportation, connectivity, health, maritime security & protection, prosperity and education.
The initiative members will “elevate Pacific regionalism”, and forge stronger ties with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).
Reasons behind the PBP Initiative
As China signed a security pact with Solomon Islands, the deal flagged serious concerns about the Chinese military getting a base in the southern Pacific, close to the US island territory of Guam, and right next to Australia and New Zealand.
China’s quest to dominate crucial shipping lanes pushed 10 Pacific nations to endorse a game-changing agreement called the “Common Development Vision”.
Common Development Vision is a comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development, to build a closer China-Pacific Island Countries community with a shared future.
The vision is to follow cooperative and sustainable security measures and promote regional peace – strengthening dialogue and cooperation in governance and cybersecurity.
Efforts of the US and its allies to counter China
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF): US and its partners had launched “Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)” before the launch of Partners in the Blue Pacific Initiative. It is a trade-boosting framework, launched in association of 13 member countries; namely, Brunei, India, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Fiji.
G7 announced a plan- Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) to rival China’s Belt and Road Initiative by promising to raise 600 billion dollars to fund development projects in low and middle-income countries.
Asia-Africa Growth Corridor: A collaboration between India and Japan for development, connectivity, and cooperation between Asia and Africa.
Indian Army and DRDO successfully tests Ingeniously- developed Anti Tank Guided Missile
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested the final deliverable configuration of an indigenous Man Portable Antitank Guided Missile (MPATGM)
The Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) was successfully test-fired from Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Army at KK Ranges with support of Armoured Corps Centre & School (ACC&S) Ahmednagar
The ATGM has been developed with multi-platform launch capability and is currently undergoing technical evaluation trials from the 120 mm rifled gun of MBT Arjun.
With the trial, the ATGM’s capability to engage targets from minimum to maximum range has been established. Earlier trials have been successful for maximum range.
Vijay Amritraj honored with 2021 Golden Achievement Award
Vijay Amritraj has been named the 2021 recipient of the Golden Achievement. The award is annually presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and International Tennis Federation.
He is the first recipient from India and he joins an esteemed list of tennis leaders who have received the honour, including Brian Tobin of Australia, Eiichi Kawatei of Japan, and Peachy Kellmeyer of the United States.
The Golden Achievement Award
The award is selected from a pool of nominations submitted by tennis federations and individuals from around the world.
The annual honouree is selected by the Golden Achievement Award Committee, which is comprised of tennis administrators.
Iran and Argentina apply to join BRICS
Recently , Iran and Argentina submitted an application to become a full member of BRICS. As per Iran’s Foreign Minister Spokesperson, Iranian membership in BRICS will result in added values for both sides.
BRICS is a grouping of 5 powerful economies joining which will provide Iran and Argentina an international platform to present their regional and economic issues.
China hosted the most recent 14th BRICS summit on 24 June 2022 virtually. Theme of the 14th BRICS Summit is Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development.
India is the chair for 2021.
About BRICS
BRICS is the acronym coined to associate five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
In 2001, the British Economist Jim O’Neill coined the term BRIC to describe the four emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
BRICS powers had their first summit in 2009 in Russia and South Africa joined in 2010.
The grouping was formalised during the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers’ in 2006.
Ambubachi Mela
Four-day Ambubachi Mela begins in Guwahati’s Kamakhya temple atop the Nilachal Hills.
This annual festival is held in the middle of June, when the Brahmaputra River is at its highest flow, during the monsoon season, which also happens to fall within the Assamese month of Ahaar.
About Ambubachi Mela
The Ambubachi Mela is an annual Hindu mela held at Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam.
It is the celebration of the yearly menstruation course of goddess Kamakhya.
It is believed that the presiding goddess of the temple, Devi Kamakhya, the Mother Shakti, goes through her annual cycle of menstruation during this time stretch.
The temple remains closed for three days during the mela for it is believed that the goddess rests for three days like the traditional women’s menstrual seclusion.
After three days devi Kamakhya is bathed and other rituals are performed to ensure that the devi retrieves her purity. Then the doors of the temple are reopened[and prasad is distributed.
On the fourth day the devotees are allowed to enter the temple and worship devi Kamakhya.
Salt Sector Crisis
Recently, the Salt Industry is facing enormous challenges in meeting the demand and handling the crisis faced by salt farmers and workers.
Farmers are facing low prices as there is no minimum support price, Workers are also in distress due to a lack of a proper system for wages and social security.
Issues
Indian Salt Manufacturers Association(ISMA) has demanded the classification of salt production as an agricultural activity under the Ministry of agriculture.
This is because mining produces hardly 0.5% salt. 99.5% of salt is produced either from sea water or from subsoil water and the whole process is done by seeding, farming and harvesting.
Unseasonal rains and floods are resulting in demand for Minimum Support Prices for the Salt industry.
Salt companies have replaced cooperatives and they decide the wages of these workers and the production of farmers. Most of them are migrant labourers with no minimum wages or social security.
Moreover, projects such as Rann Sarovar, a freshwater lake construction project in 5,000 square kilometers of this area, will render about 50,000 people jobless.
Salt Industry in India
India is the third producer of salt in the world next to the USA and China.
Initially, the farmers were getting ₹ 17/per tonne which touched up to ₹70 by 1991.
Salt is a central subject listed as item number 58 of the Union List of the 7th Schedule of the Constitution.
Gujarat produces about 28.5 million tonnes of salt per year which is more than 80% of the country’s total production.
ISRO successfully launches India’s Communication satellite GSAT-24 satellite from Kourou in French Guiana (South America).
GSAT-24, built by ISRO for New Space India Limited (NSIL), was launched by French company Arianespace.
The satellite was successfully placed into geostationary orbit by the Ariane 5 rocket, operated by French company Arianespace, from Kourou in French Guiana (South America) .
GSAT-24 is a 24-Ku band communication satellite weighing 4180 kg with pan-India coverage for meeting DTH application needs. It was the first “demand driven” communication satellite mission undertaken by NSIL post space sector reforms.
New Space India Limited (NSIL) has leased the entire satellite capacity to Tata Play.
Lisa Sthalekar becomes first woman president of international cricketers’ association
Former Australia international Lisa Sthalekar is the first woman appointed president of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations. Her appointment was made at a meeting of the organisation’s executive committee in Switzerland.
She joins a shortlist of former cricketers including Barry Richards, Jimmy Adams and Vikram Solanki to have held the post of FICA president.
Sthalekar played for the Australian women’s team from 2001 to 2013 before becoming a broadcast commentator. She has also worked with the Australian Cricketers’ Association.
India to Have its First-Ever Dark Sky Reserve in Ladakh
A part of Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary in Ladakh is going to become a Dark Sky Reserve, which will help promote astronomy-tourism and also give a boost to local tourism through science.
The tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) Bengaluru and the Ladakh Administration and Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh.
About Dark-sky reserve (DSR)
A dark-sky Reserve (DSR) is an area, usually surrounding a park or observatory that restricts artificial light pollution.
The lighting protocol for a dark-sky reserve is based on the sensitivity of wildlife to artificial light at night.
An International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) was founded in 1988 to reserve public or private land for an exquisite outlook of nocturnal territories and starry night skies.
In 1993, Michigan became the first state in the United States to designate a tract of land as a “Dark Sky Reserve” at the Lake Hudson State Recreation Area.
First India-Nepal Bharat Gaurav tourist train flagged off from New Delhi
The first India-Nepal Bharat Gaurav tourist train was flagged off from the Safdarjung Railway Station in New Delhi.
The train started its first Shri Ramayana Yatra for 18 days from June 21. It will provide an opportunity to people from across the countries to explore the architectural, historical and cultural marvels of the country.
About Bharat Gaurav tourist train
Bharat Gaurav trains is an attempt of showcasing the rich spiritual, cultural, and historical heritage of India to its people.
The train has 14 coaches and the exteriors of some of the coaches also promote various classical and folk dance forms, attires, popular festivals, delicacies of the country.
Every coach of the train has been designed as a kaleidoscope of ‘Pride of India’ highlighting the various facets of India such as monuments, cuisines, attires, festivals, flora and fauna, folk art etc.
The Ramayana Circuit is one of the 15 thematic circuits identified for development under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of the Ministry of Tourism of India.
Indira Gandhi International Airport has become the first airport in the country to run entirely on hydro and solar power
Indira Gandhi International Airport or Delhi Airport has become the first airport in the country to run entirely on hydro and solar power from this month.
It is a major step toward achieving the ambitious goal of becoming a Net Zero Carbon Emission Airport by 2030.
Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a GMR Infrastructure Limited-led consortium, which manages and operates the Delhi Airport, has signed a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with a Himachal Pradesh-based hydropower producing company for the supply of hydroelectricity for the airport until 2036.
Key points
Approximately 6 percent of the airport’s electricity requirement is met from the onsite solar power plants while as much as 94 percent of the total demand is now being met through renewable energy use from the hydropower plant since June 1, thus ending its dependency on non-renewable power.
DIAL has been working relentlessly towards environmental sustainability and has set its target to make Delhi Airport a Net Zero Carbon Emission airport by 2030, way ahead of the global target of 2050. To achieve this, DIAL has adopted a Green Transportation program recently and now we achieved another milestone of the Green Energy Program.
Parameswaran Iyer appointed as CEO of NITI Aayog
Parameswaren Iyer has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog for 2 years. He will succeed Amitabh Kant.
About Parameswaren Iyer
Parameswaren Iyer, a 1981-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre and a well-known sanitation specialist.
He entered the Indian Administrative Service in 1981 and took voluntary retirement in 2009 to join the water and sanitation initiatives at the World Bank.
In 2016, Iyer returned to India and was appointed by the government to head the drinking and sanitation department and lead the Swachh Bharat Mission.
In 2021, Iyer resigned as Secretary of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation at the Jal Shakti Ministry.
Ruth Ozeki wins Women’s Prize for Fiction
Renowned US-Canadian author, film-maker, and Zen Buddhist priest Ruth Ozeki has won the Women’s Prize for Fiction this year for her novel ‘The Book of Form and Emptiness’.
Ozeki’s fourth novel, ‘The Book of Form and Emptiness’ tells the story of a thirteen-year-old boy who, after the tragic death of his father, starts to hear the voices of objects speaking to him.
She was announced as the winner of the £30,000 prize at a ceremony in London, beating nominees including Elif Shafak, Meg Mason and Louise Erdrich.
Mongolia’s Khuvsgul lake added to UNESCO Biosphere Reserves
Khuvsul Lake National Park of Mangolia has been added to the World Network of Biosphere Reserve of UNESCO.
The World Network of Biosphere Reserves by UNESCO covers internationally designated protected areas called biosphere reserves. These reserves are meant to demonstrate a balanced relationship between nature and people. They are created under Man and the Biosphere Programme.
About Khuvsgul Lake
The Khuvsgul Lake is located in northern Mongolian province of Khuvsgul, near to Russian border.
It is the largest fresh water lake of Mongolia, by volume. In terms of area, it is the second largest lake in Mongolia.
It holds 70 per cent of freshwater of Mongolia or accounts for 0.4 per cent of world’s total.
This lake is located around 1645 meters above the sea level. It is a 135 km long and 262-meter-deep lake.
A total of nine sites from Mongolia have so far been registered in the network, according to the ministry.
The lake is located at about 200 km west of Lake Baikal. It is nicknamed as “Younger sister” of two “sister lakes”. It freezes over completely in winter.
Sunil Chhetri becomes joint 5th highest goalscorer in international football history
Indian Men’s football team captain, Sunil Chhetri became the joint fifth highest goalscorer in international football history.
He scored his 84th goal during their AFC Asian Cup Qualifier clash against Hong Kong .
He has now equalled legendary Real Madrid and Hungarian player Ferenc Puskas goals scoring exploits on the international level.
Earlier in October 2021, Chhetri also surpassed legendary football player Pele’s record of 77 goals. He is now third on the list of active international goalscorers, just behind Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi.
China launches third aircraft carrier Fujian
China launched its third aircraft carrier named ‘Fujain’, the country’s most advanced as well as the first “fully domestically” built naval vessel.
The launching ceremony for the carrier named Fujian was held in Shanghai’s Jiangnan shipyard.
The third aircraft carrier built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation Ltd is equipped with electromagnetic catapults and arresting devices.The aircraft carrier has the name of China’s eastern coastal province of Fujian.
China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was a refit of a Soviet-era ship commissioned in 2012, followed by the indigenously built second aircraft carrier Shandong in 2019.
Neeraj Chopra wins gold at Kuortane Games in Finland
Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal with a best throw of 86.69m at the 2022 Kuortane Games in Finland.
Keshorn Walcott won silver with a throw of 86.64m. Peters was third with a throw of 84.75m.
Sandeep Chaudhary, who was also training at the Kuortane Olympic Training Centre along with Chopra, also took part in the competition and finished eighth with a best throw of 60.35m.
PM eVidya wins UNESCO’s King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize
The “PM eVidya” scheme has been awarded with the UNESCO’s King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of ICT in Education for the year 2021.
Key points
The “PM eVidya” scheme has been initiated as part of Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan by the the Ministry of Education in 2020.
The scheme unifies all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education to enable multi-mode access for imparting education by using technology to minimise losses.
It offers multifarious educational resources in multi-platform mode viz., digital / online, TV, radio, community radio, podcast, etc.
About UNESCO’s King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize
Established in 2005, with the help of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The award recognises innovative approaches in leveraging new technologies in a bid to expand educational and lifelong learning opportunities for all. It is in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Goal 4 on Education.
It rewards individuals and organisations which are implementing outstanding projects and promoting creative use of technologies to enhance teaching, learning, and overall educational performance in digital age.
Each prize winner receives US$ 25,000, a medal and a diploma during a ceremony at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris”, which this year will be held on 24th June, 2022.
West Seti Power Project
India will be taking over an ambitious hydropower project in Nepal West Seti nearly four years after China withdrew from it.
India’s National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) has already begun preliminary engagement of the site in far-western Nepal following the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Lumbini.
Key points
It is a proposed 750-megawatt Hydropower Project, which is to be built on the Seti river in far-western Nepal.
West Seti and Seti River, a joint storage project, with the capacity to generate 1,200 megawatts of electricity.
This storage or reservoir will fill up during the monsoon season and the water will be drawn to generate power during peak hours each day in the dry season.
India-Nepal Power relations
Mahakali treaty was signed back in 1996, to produce 6,480 MW, but India has still not been able to come out with the Detailed project Report.
The Upper Karnali project, for which the multinational GMR signed the contract, has not made any headway for years.
Three cross-border transmission lines were completed recently with GoI assistance: 400 kV Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar line (2016); 132 kV Kataiya-Kusaha and Raxaul-Parwanipur lines (2017).
India’s success in executing the 900-MW Arun Three project in eastern Nepal’s Sankhuwa Sabha, and whose foundation was laid in 2018 and which is set for completion by 2023 has helped build faith in India recently.
The Union government launched a new scheme called “Agnipath” for recruitment of youth in the armed forces
The government has recently unveiled its new Agnipath scheme for recruiting soldiers across the three services. Recruited Soldiers will be called “Agniveers”.
About Agnipath Scheme
Agneepath Army Bharti Scheme is a central government scheme for all Indian candidates. Through Agnipath, one can serve in the combat forces and approximately 45,000 to 50,000 soldiers will be recruited every year for the service term of just four years.
After completion of the tenure, 25% of Agniveers will be retained or re-enlisted into regular cadre. 75% will be demobilised with an exit package. This has sparked protests because protestors are of the view that, this scheme will limit the opportunities for permanent jobs in defence forces, that provide fixed salaries, pensions along with other benefits.
Central Government has explained to the youths that, youths will get a generous exit package of Rs 11.71 lakh, after four years. They will be given priority in government services like CAPFs, state police forces. However, to calm down the protestors, government has introduced several changes to the new scheme.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had announced a 10% reservation for Agniveers in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Assam Rifles, after completing four years. Thus, the upper age limit for CAPFs now stands at 26 years.
Government has also increased the upper-age limit for recruitment to 23 years from 21 years for 2022.
The National institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) under Department of school education, has announced to start a special programme, to enable 10th pass Agniveers to further their education and obtain 12th class pass certificate through customised courses.
The education ministry also announced a special, three-year skill-based bachelor’s degree programme for serving defence personnel that will recognize the skill training received by Agniveers during their tenure in the defence establishments.
International Day of Yoga
The International Day of Yoga has been celebrated across the world annually on June 21 since 2015 to spread awareness about the benefits of yoga. This year it is the 8th edition of the International Yoga Day. This year’s theme : ‘Yoga for Humanity’.
The International Day of Yoga aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga.
Yoga is a group of physical, mental and spiritual exercises which originated in ancient India, involves mindful and controlled breathing and various body movements to rejuvenate the body and calm the mind.
It emphasises the values of mindfulness, moderation, discipline and perseverance.
The idea of an International Day of Yoga, initially proposed by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and was promoted by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2014.
Ruchira Kamboj named as next Permanent Representative of India to the UN
Ruchira Kamboj has been appointed as India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations at New York. Currently she is Indian ambassador to Bhutan
She will succeed TS Tirumurti and is expected to take up the assignment shortly as the Indian ambassador to the United Nation.
About Ruchira Kamboj
She joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1987, was the All India women’s topper of the 1987 Civil Services batch and the topper of the 1987 Foreign Service batch.
She began her diplomatic journey in Paris, France, where she was posted as the Third Secretary in the Indian Embassy to France from 1989-91 and learnt French there.
She has been Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO in Paris, Indian High Commissioner in South Africa, and Chief of Protocol in New Delhi.
From 2011-2014, she was India’s Chief of Protocol, the first and only woman diplomat so far in the Indian government to have held this position.
She has also served in Mauritius, Cape Town in South Africa as India’s Consul General, and at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London.
Institute for Management Development recently released the annual World Competitive Index 2022. India ranked 37th as per World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY).
Key points
India has witnessed the sharpest rise among the Asian economies, with a six-position jump from 43rd to 37th rank, mainly due to gains in economic performance.
Denmark has topped the 2022 ranking featuring a 63-nations list from the third position last year.
Switzerland dropped from the top position to second position and Singapore regained the third spot from fifth.
Others in the top 10 include Sweden at the fourth position, followed by Hong Kong SAR (5th), the Netherlands (6th), Taiwan (7th), Finland (8th), Norway (9th) and the USA (10th).
About World Competitiveness Index
The World Competitiveness Yearbook is an annual report published by the Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development (IMD) on the competitiveness of nations and has been published since 1989.
It examines and assesses countries based on how effectively they manage their competencies in order to create long-term value.
Based on a comprehensive study, it provides benchmarks as well as patterns, and also statistics, and survey data.
Haryana- Israel sign joint declaration on Water Management
Recently, the government of Haryana and Israel have signed a joint declaration in the field of integrated water resources management and capacity building as India and Israel are celebrating 30 years of full diplomatic relations.
Key points
Under the agreement, the government of Haryana and Israel expressed their willingness to strengthen existing relations in the water management sector, improve public health in the region and preserve water resources in public water areas in Haryana.
Both the countries also seek to cooperate and coordinate efforts in protecting the water resources.
Israel will share its most advanced and cutting-edge water technologies, expertise and know-how with the government of Haryana.
Israel will work closely with all of its partners in India, in order to continue enhancing the strategic relations between both the countries.
India successfully test-fired Prithvi-II Ballistic Missile
India has successfully test-fired its indigenously developed, nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile from an integrated test range in Chandipur, Odisha.
This missile is an indigenously developed, surface-to-surface missile. Its range is 350 km and can carry one-ton payload. The system is capable of striking targets with a very high degree of precision.
About Prithvi-II
The missile is capable of carrying 500-1,000 kilogram of warheads.
It is powered by liquid propulsion twin engines.
It uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvering trajectory to hit its target
The missile was randomly chosen from the production stock and the entire launch was carried out by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the Army and monitored by the scientists of the DRDO as part of a training exercise.
The missile trajectory was tracked by radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry stations by the DRDO along the coast of Odisha.
The downrange teams onboard the ship deployed near the designated impact point in the Bay of Bengal monitored the terminal events and splashdown.
Centre to set up ‘PM Shri Schools’ to prepare students for future
The Centre is planning to set up “PM Shri Schools” that will aim at preparing students for future and will be the laboratory of new National Education Policy (NEP).
Key points
PM Shri Schools will fully equip the students with 21st-century knowledge and skills to prepare them for the future.
The steps for preparing global citizens of the 21st century are, 5+3+3+4 approach of the NEP covering pre-school to secondary school, Emphasis on Early Childhood Care & Education Program (ECCE), Teacher training & adult education, Integration of skill development with school education and Prioritising learning in the mother tongue.
Best practices in education coming from different states and UTs will act as a cumulative force in transforming India’s youth as ‘Vishwa-Manavs’ (global citizens).
Coursera Global Skills Report 2022
India ranked 68th – As per the Coursera Global Skills Report (GSR) 2022. The report states that India’s proficiency in data science has reduced from 38% in 2021 to 26% in 2022, leading to a 12-rank drop.
In terms of overall skills proficiency, India has slipped 4 places to be ranked 68th globally and 19th in Asia.
However, the report states that India has improved its technology proficiency levels from 38% to 46%, improving its position by six spots.
Key points
West Bengal leads the Indian states in terms of skills proficiency with the state showing the highest levels of digital skills proficiency in the country.
Andhra Pradesh is among the top three performing states with high proficiency in business and technology skills.
The report is based on the data collected from over 100 million Coursera users from over 100 countries who learned a new skill during the past year.
FIFA announces 2026 World Cup venues across U.S., Canada and Mexico
FIFA announces matches for the 2026 World Cup will be held in 11 US cities as well as three host sites in Mexico and two in Canada.
The 16 host cities will be: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Monterrey, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver.
Key points
It will be the first time that 48 teams will feature in the tournament, an increase from the 32 that will contest in FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 from November 21 – December 18.
Sixty matches will take place in the US, including all matches from the quarter-finals onward, while Canada and Mexico will host 10 games each.
India’s first desalination plant for industries inaugurated in Dahej
India’s first government desalination plant only for industrial use was inaugurated at Dahej in Bharuch.
The seawater desalination plant with a capacity of 100 MLD (million litres per day) has been set up by the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) with an investment of Rs 881 crore.
The plant can desalinate 100 million litres of water per day. It will supply water to the industries in the area. The price of 1,000 litres of treated water will be Rs 26.”
PM Modi inaugurates underground ‘Gallery of Revolutionaries’ at Maharashtra Raj Bhavan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated an underground ‘Gallery of Revolutionaries’ museum dedicated to the luminaries of the freedom struggle, at the Raj Bhavan.
The gallery includes information on the freedom movement heroes, their role in the movement, sculptures, rare photographs, murals and details on tribal revolutionaries drawn by school-kids.
The gallery has come up in the subterranean network of 13 pre-World War-I British era bunkers, discovered in the Raj Bhavan campus in August 2016 during the tenure of the then Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao.
Russia becomes India’s 2nd biggest oil supplier
Russia has overtaken Saudi Arabia to become India’s second-biggest supplier of oil behind Iraq as refiners snap up Russian crude available at a deep discount following the war in Ukraine.
Key points
After the U.S. and China, India is the world’s third-largest consumer of oil, over 85 percent of which is imported.
India has taken advantage of discounted prices to ramp up oil imports from Russia at a time when global energy prices have been rising.
Iraq remained the top supplier to India and Saudi Arabia is now the third biggest supplier.
Neeraj Chopra Sets New National Record With 89.30 Metre Javelin Throw at Paavo Nurmi Games
Neeraj Chopra set a new national record as he threw 89.30 metres at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland.
He shattered his previous record of 88.07 m which he had set in Patiala in March last year.
Despite setting a new record, Neeraj couldn’t take the gold as he ended up second in the contest. Finland’s Oliver Helander went ahead with a throw of 89.83 metres.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Biotech Startup Expo – 2022
Prime Minister Shri Narendra inaugurates the Biotech Startup Expo – 2022 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. It is a two day event being held on 9th and 10th June. The theme of the Expo is ‘Biotech Startup Innovations: Towards AatmaNirbhar Bharat’.
It is being organised by the Department of Biotechnology and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) to mark completion of ten years of setting up of BIRAC.
The Expo will act as a platform to connect entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, scientists, researchers, bio-incubators, manufacturers, regulators, government officials, etc.
UNGA adopts India-sponsored resolution on multilingualism
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted an India-led resolution on multilingualism mentioning Hindi language for the first time. The resolution also mentions Bangla and Urdu for the first time.
The resolution passed encourages the UN to continue disseminating important communications and messages in official as well as in non-official languages, including in Hindi language.
Key points:
India has been coordinating with the UN Department of Global Communications (DGC) since 2018 by consolidating news and multimedia content in Hindi languages and providing extra-budgetary contribution to the mainstream.
As part of these efforts, ‘Hindi @ UN’ project was launched in 2018 with an objective to enhance the public outreach of the United Nations in the Hindi language, and to spread greater awareness about global issues among millions of Hindi-speaking populations around the world.
Multilingualism is an essential factor in harmonious communication among peoples and an enabler of multilateral diplomacy. It ensures effective participation of all in the Organization’s work, as well as greater transparency and efficiencies and better outcomes.
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the six official languages of the United Nations; English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
India ranks third in Renewable Energy Installations in 2021
India ranked third in renewable energy installations in 2021, after China and Russia as per Renewable 2022 Global status report.
The report was published by REN21 (Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century).
Highlights of the Report
India increased its hydroelectric capacity by 843 MW in 2021, bringing the total to 45.3 GW.
India was the second largest market in Asia for new solar PV capacity and third globally (13 GW of additions in 2021).
India ranked fourth for total installations (60.4 GW), overtaking Germany (59.2 GW) for the first time.
India ranked third globally for the total installed capacity of wind power (40.1 GW), behind China, the US and Germany.
About REN21 (Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century)
It is a think tank and a multistakeholder governance group launched in June 2004 as an outcome of the International Conference for Renewable Energies in Bonn, Germany.
It aims to facilitate policy development, knowledge exchange, and joint action towards a rapid global transition to renewable energy.
It brings together governments, non-governmental organisations, research and academic institutions, international organisations, and industry to learn from one another and advance the adoption of renewable energy.
New species of bamboo-dwelling bat found in Meghalaya
Scientists have discovered a new species of bamboo-dwelling bat named Glischropus meghalayanus in Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya.
The species was found near the forested patch of Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary. This discovery is the first report of a thick-thumbed bat not only from India but also from South Asia.
Thick-thumbed bats of the genus Glischropus are currently composed of four recognized species from Southeast Asia, two of which were described in recent times.
The species is small in size and has a dark brown colour with a sulphur-yellow belly.
Bamboo-dwelling bats are a particular kind of bats living in the internodes of bamboos with specialised morphological characters that help them to adopt to the life inside a bamboo. With this new discovery, the total number of bat species known from India stands at 131.
Meghalaya harbours the highest bat diversity in the country with 67 species, which is about 51% of total bat species in the country.
India ranked 7th in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) 2021
According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), India ranked 7th among the top recipients of foreign direct investment (FDI) 2021.
Highlights of the Report
India is ranked seventh despite a 30% decline in foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country.
The United States ($367 billion) remained the top recipient of FDI.
China ($181 billion) and Hong Kong ($141 billion) also retained second and third position respectively.
In its latest World Investment Report, UNCTAD said FDI inflows intoIndia declined to $45 billion in 2021 from $64 billion in the preceding year.
Outward FDI from India rose 43 percent to $15.5 billion in 2021.
About United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
It was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1964 as an intergovernmental organization. It is part of the UN Secretariat.
It aims to formulate policies relating to all aspects of development including trade, aid, transport, finance and technology.
It reports to the UN General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, but has its own membership, leadership, and budget.
Q1. Which country is the largest oil supplier for India?
Iraq
Russia
Saudi Arabia
USA
Iraq
Who is the main exporter of oil and gas to India? Iraq has been India’s top supplier for the past few years, staying ahead of Saudi Arabia, which has been producing less than its capacity to meet OPEC supply curb commitments. Saudi Arabia was the biggest supplier of crude oil to China, the biggest oil importer in the world in 2020.
Q2. The International Day of Yoga has been celebrated across the world on
June 09
June 21
June 05
July 21
June 21
The International Day of Yoga has been celebrated across the world annually on June 21 since 2015, following its inception in the United Nations General Assembly in 2014. Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice which originated in ancient India.
Q3. What is India’s rank among the biggest oil-importing and consuming nation of the world?
Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
Third
India is World’s 3rd biggest oil-importing and consuming nation.
Q4. Which govt agency is responsible for protecting India’s critical information infrastructure?
National Cyber Coordination Centre
Indian Computer Emergency Response Team
National Informatics Centre
National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre
National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre
The National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) is the nodal agency responsible for protecting India’s critical information infrastructure. It was established in 2014 under Section 70A of the IT Act, 2000. It is part of the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), an intelligence agency under the NSA.
Q5. Which airport was named the ‘best regional airport in India and South Asia’ in Skytrax World Airport awards?
Bengaluru International Airport
Chennai International Airport
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad
Delhi International Airport
Bengaluru International Airport
The Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru was named the best regional airport in India and South Asia title in the 2022 Skytrax World Airport awards.
The award is based on the feedback from the customers in a globally conducted survey about experience from check-in to arrivals, transfers, shopping, security, immigration and arrangements in the departures gates. The Bengaluru airport had also won the Best Airport and Aviation Innovation Award at Wings India Awards earlier.
Q6. Who is recently appointed as India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York?
Ruchira Kamboj
T S Tirumurti
Vinay Mohan Kwatra
Manjeev Singh Puri
Ruchira Kamboj
Senior diplomat Ruchira Kamboj was on Tuesday appointed India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. Ruchira Kamboj, a 1987-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, is presently serving as India’s envoy to Bhutan. She will succeed T S Tirumurti as the Indian ambassador to the UN.
Ms Kamboj is expected to take up the assignment shortly, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a brief statement. Ms Kamboj was the all India women’s topper of the 1987 Civil Services batch and the topper of the foreign service batch of that year.
Q7. Which institute has been awarded as the UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of ICT in Education?
Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET)
Central Board of Secondary Education
The Indira Gandhi National Open University
National Educational Technology Forum
Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET)
The UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of ICT in Education recognises innovative approaches in leveraging new technologies to expand educational and lifelong learning opportunities for all, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Goal 4 on education.
The Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) has been awarded with the UNESCO’s King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the use of ICT (Information And Communication Technology) in Education for the year 2021.
The institution has used ICT under the ‘PM eVidya’ scheme during the Covid pandemic. The PM eVIDYA programme was launched as part of the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan’ in May 2020 to unify all efforts related to digital, online, on-air education Each prize-winner receives USD 25,000, a medal and a diploma.
Q8. World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed on
June 17
June 08
May 15
May 29
June 17
Q9. Which Union Ministry/Organisation has declared certain resources of ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and NPCI as ‘critical information infrastructure’?
Reserve Bank of India
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Ministry of Electronics and IT
Ministry of Electronics and IT
The Union Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has declared IT resources of ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) as ‘critical information infrastructure’.
The Information Technology Act of 2000 defines ‘Critical Information Infrastructure’ as a “computer resource, the incapacitation or destruction of which shall have debilitating impact on national security, economy, public health or safety”. The government has the power to declare any data, database, IT network or communications infrastructure as CII.
Q10. India’s first Dark Sky Reserve is to be setup in
Ladakh
Kozhikode
Kollam
Pakyong
Ladakh
A part of Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary in Ladakh is going to become a Dark Sky Reserve, which will help promote astronomy-tourism. Once this region is declared as the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve, efforts will be undertaken to protect the night sky from superfluous illumination and light pollution.
Q11. Which state has recently announced to conduct a ‘Migration Survey’ to expand the data bank of expatriates?
Assam
Meghalaya
Kerala
Maharashtra
Kerala
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that the data bank of Expatriate Malayalees will be expanded by conducting the Kerala Migration Survey.
A ‘Pravasi data portal’ will be prepared for the survey while the state will conduct an extensive global registration campaign. The Chief Minister addressed online the valedictory meeting of the third edition of the Loka Kerala Sabha.
Q12. Who won Gold in Javelin at the 2022 Kuortane Games?
Neeraj Chopra
Jagdish Bishnoi
Kashinath Naik
Shivpal Singh
Neeraj Chopra
Q13. The National Initiative for Promoting Upskilling of Nirman workers ‘NIPUN’ is an initiative launched by which Union Ministry?
Ministry of Women and Child Development
Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs
Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri recently launched a project for skill training of construction workers called ‘NIPUN’ i.e. National Initiative for Promoting Upskilling of Nirman workers.
It is an initiative of the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM). It aims to train over 1 lakh construction workers, through skilling and upskilling programmes and provides them with work opportunities also in foreign countries.
Q14. Oceanix City, a floating city, is going to be built in which country?
UAE
Saudi Arabia
Maldives
South Korea
South Korea
The UN announced world’s first-ever floating city named Oceanix City in April this year. It is going to be set up off the coast of South Korea’s second-largest city, Busan. The construction process is going to commence next year.
Q15. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by
Canada, Mexico, and the United States
Brazil and Mexico
Canada and the United States
Germany, Italy, France and the United Kingdom
Canada, Mexico, and the United States
2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by 16 cities in three North American countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. 60 matches, including the quarterfinals, semi-finals, and the final, will be hosted by the United States while neighboring Canada and Mexico will each host 10 matches.
Q1. Glischropus meghalayanus, a new species of bamboo-dwelling bat was discovered recently in which state?
Assam
Meghalaya
Arunachal Pradesh
Nagaland
Meghalaya
A team of scientists has discovered a new species of bamboo-dwelling bat from a bamboo forest in Meghalaya. It was named as ‘Glischropus meghalayanus’ after the state of Meghalaya, which is celebrating its 50 years of statehood. With this discovery, the total number of bat species from India stands at 131 species with Meghalaya registering the highest bat diversity with 67 species.
Q2. India’s first indigenously developed Covid-19 vaccine for animals is
Covaxin
Novavax
Convidecia
Anocovax
Anocovax
India’s first indigenously developed Covid-19 vaccine for animals called Anocovax. The vaccine offers protection against both Delta and Omicron variants of the infection.
Q3. Baikho festival is celebrated by which community of Assam?
Rabhas
Missing
Karbi
Deori
Rabhas
The festival of Baikho is annually celebrated to bring in an auspicious harvest season filled with abundant crops and good health. It is a celebration of good harvest. It is an ancient tradition that is predominantly observed by the Rabha Tribe.
Q4. Which is first accreditation body in the world to setup its office space in the metaverse?
National Board of Accreditation (NBA)
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Quality Improvement System (EQUIS)
All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)]
All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has become the first accreditation body in the world to have its office space in the metaverse. Michigan-based Information Data Systems Inc. (IDS) unveiled the outlook of the AICTE in the metaverse. It is a simulated digital environment that uses augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR).
Q5. Which countries are the members of the newly formed ‘I2U2 Grouping’?
India, Israel, USA and UK
India, Indonesia, USA and UK
India, Iraq, USA and UAE
India, Israel, USA and UAE
India, Israel, USA and UAE
The leaders of the West Asian QUAD – India, Israel, the US and UAE will meet for the first ever virtual summit. The White House has given a new acronym to identify the new grouping as I2U2: India, Israel and UAE and the US. Recently, UAE and Israel had signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), while India and the UAE too have signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Q6. Which of the following body/instution notifies cost inflation index (CII) in India?
Department of Economic Affairs
Reserve Bank of India
Central Board of Direct Taxes
Indian Statistical Institute
Central Board of Direct Taxes
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) recently notified the cost inflation index (CII) for FY 2022-23 as 331. For the previous year (FY 2021-22) CII was notified as 317. The CII is used to calculate an asset’s inflation-adjusted cost price, with which Long-term capital gains or losses are then calculated.
Q7. India’s rank in the World Competitiveness Index 2022 is
21
37
43
45
37
The annual World Competitiveness Index compiled by the Institute for Management Development was recently released. India has registered the sharpest rise among the Asian economies, with a six-place jump from 43rd to 37th rank on the index due to gains in economic performance. Denmark was placed on top, while Switzerland slipped from the top to the second position. Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China were the top-performing Asian economies. Denmark was placed on top, while Switzerland slipped from the top to the second position.
Q8. Which state has topped the Khelo India Youth Games 2021?
Odisha
Maharashtra
Tamil Nadu
Haryana
Haryana
The fourth edition of Khelo India Youth Games 2021 concluded in Panchkula and the host state Haryana grabbed the top position in the medal tally with 52 gold, 39 silver and 46 bronze medals.
Maharashtra and Karnataka were at the second and third places respectively. The fourth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games saw participation of athletes from over 36 states and Union Territories competing in 25 different sports.
Q9. Which state has recently launched the ‘Suraksha-Mitra project’ vehicle monitoring system?
West Bengal
Telangana
Uttar Pradesh
Kerala
Kerala
Kerala launched a vehicle monitoring system named ‘Suraksha-Mitra project’. In case of any accident, the system sends distress messages to the owners’ mobile phones. The project was launched under the Nirbhaya scheme and has become operational in the State, to make road travel safer.
Q10. The Govt of India recently launched the ‘Agnipath’ scheme which is associated with reforms in
Civil Service
Non-Government Organisations (NGO)
Police
Defence
Defence
Agnipath Scheme is a new scheme introduced by the Government of India on 14 June 2022, for recruitment of soldiers below the rank of commissioned officers into the three services of the armed forces. Personnel recruited under this system are to be called Agniveers, which will be a new military rank. The scheme is scheduled to be implemented from September 2022.
Of the 50,000 recruited annually, 25 per cent will be allowed to continue for 15 years under permanent commission, to reduce the defence pension bill. 30 percent of monthly salary of Agniveers will be set aside, along with equal government contribution under Seva Nidhi programme.
Q11. The Industrial Decarbonization Summit 2022 was recently being held in
Kolkata
Chennai
Ahmedabad
New Delhi
New Delhi
The ‘Industrial Decarbonization Summit 2022’ is being organized in in New Delhi. The focus is on the Road Map for Carbon Neutrality by 2070.
Q12. Which of the five nations were recently elected as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for the 2022-2023 term?
Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and UAE
Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and South Korea
Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and India
Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and Australia
Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and UAE
Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were elected by the 75th session of the General Assembly on Friday to serve as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for the 2022-2023 term. According to the final tally, Ghana received 185 votes, Gabon 183, UAE 179, Albania 175 and Brazil 181 votes.
Q13. Which country topped the World Competitiveness Index 2022 released by the Institute for Management Development (IMD)?
Switzerland
US
Denmark
Singapore
Denmark
The World Competitiveness Index 2022 compiled by the Institute for Management Development was recently released. India has registered the sharpest rise among the Asian economies, with a six-place jump from 43rd to 37th rank on the index due to gains in economic performance. Denmark was placed on top, while Switzerland slipped from the top to the second position. Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China were the top-performing Asian economies. Denmark was placed on top, while Switzerland slipped from the top to the second position.
Q14. Who is recently appointed as the director of the Asia and Pacific Department (APD)?
Kristalina Georgieva
Shaktikanta Das
Krishna Srinivasan
Urjit Patel
Krishna Srinivasan
Krishna Srinivasan International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on June 8 announced the appointment of Indian national Krishna Srinivasan as director of the Asia and Pacific Department (APD) from June 22, 2022.
Q15. Who chaired India’s ‘First National Conference of Chief Secretaries’ in 2022?
Cabinet Secretaries
Union Home Minister
Prime Minister
President of India
Prime Minister
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs the country’s ‘first national conference of chief secretaries’ in Dharamsala in the month of June 2022. The conference will be a major step towards further strengthening partnership between Centre and the state governments.
