Current Affairs Booster - dgydhJH VHYVHJ
Current Affairs Booster - dgydhJH VHYVHJ
Current Affairs Booster - dgydhJH VHYVHJ
IN/ 8146207241
Note – This document contains all the news relevant for GA and ESI components, since the
weightage of current affairs is more in these sections. Also, you are advised to separately
refer to the booster PDFs of Schemes and Reports & Indices for a complete coverage of
Current Affairs.
1.2 10th Scientific Community on Antarctic Research (SCAR) Open Science Conference, 2022
• Hosted by: The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), an autonomous organization under the
Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)
• Theme: "Antarctica in a Changing World"
1.18 RPF recovers over Rs. 7.40 crore worth narcotic products under Operation NARCOS
• In order to bring attention to the menace of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS), a month long
pan India drive against smuggling of narcotics through rail, was launched under code name Operation NARCOS in
June 2022.
1.19 DoPT decides to grant mass promotion to over 8000 government employees in one go
• Union Minister of State, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space recently announced the
DoPT (Department of Personnel & Training) decision of granting mass promotion to over 8,000 government
employees belonging to three key secretariat services, in one go.
• The 3 key secretariat services are Central Secretariat Service (CSS), Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service
(CSSS) and Central Secretariat Clerical Service (CSCS).
1.21 NCRTC signs pact with DB India for operation of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor
• The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) recently signed an agreement with DB India for the
comprehensive operation and maintenance of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)
corridor for a period of 12 years.
• The adoption of the long-term private participation model entailing comprehensive outsourcing of operation and
maintenance activities by NCRTC has initiated steps to fulfil these objectives of the Metro Rail Policy-2017 and the
key initiatives being pursued by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
1.22 India’s largest floating 100 MW solar power project fully operational in Telangana
• The largest floating solar power project of India, Ramagundam Floating Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) Project at
Ramagundam, Telangana, has become fully operational, as declared by National Thermal Power Corporation
(NTPC).
• The commercial operation of the final part capacity of 20 MW out of 100 MW Project has started.
1.25 Plenary Session of the StartUps Conference: Digital India Week 2022
• Held at: Gandhinagar, Gujarat
• Theme of Digital India Week: Catalyzing New India’s Techade
• During the programme, PM also launched several Digital India initiatives, namely:
o India Stack: indiastack.global, MyScheme: Service Discovery Platform, MeriPehchaan: National Single
Sign On (NSSO)
o Digital India Bhashini: Bhasha Daan, Digital India GENESIS
1.27 Reliance Retail ties a long-term deal with American Brand ‘Gap’
• Reliance Retail entered into a long-term partnership with Gap Inc. to bring the American fashion brand Gap to
India, becoming the official retailer for Gap across all channels in India.
• Aim: To leverage Gap’s position as a leading casual lifestyle brand, and Reliance Retail’s established competencies
in operating robust omnichannel retail networks.
1.32 Western Railways opens its longest skywalk connecting important stations in Mumbai
• Western Railway’s longest skywalk recently got commissioned between Bandra Terminus and Khar Road station
of Western Railways in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
1.33 Salesforce to donate USD 2 million to education NGOs and workforce development in India
• Salesforce, a US-based tech major, recently announced an investment of USD 2 million in direct company
donations to over 22 non-profits across India, with a focus on education and workforce development impacting
40,000 individuals across India.
• Salesforce also announced partnerships recently, with Housing Development Financial Corporation (HDFC) and
Asian Paints to transform their digital transformation journey.
1.36 MoD approves 3 Private Sector Banks to provide financial services in overseas procurement
• Ministry of Defence has assigned three Private Sector Banks to provide the Letter of Credit and Direct Bank
Transfer business for overseas procurement by it.
• The three banks are HDFC Bank Ltd., ICICI Bank and Axis Bank.
• The selected banks may be allocated with Limited Company (LC) business of Rs 2000 Crore, each on the capital and
revenue side, for a period of one year on concurrent basis.
1.41 PepsiCo India selects Leo Burnett India as its creative partner
• Aim: To drive long-term growth and momentum across its foods and beverages portfolio and to create innovative
and purposeful consumer campaigns.
1.44 Greenko pacts with IIT Hyderabad to set up school for Sustainable Science and Technology
• Greenko, an energy transition company, has signed an agreement with IIT-Hyderabad to launch the country’s first
dedicated school for sustainable science and technology.
• The Greenko School of Sustainable Science and Technology (GSSST) will help plug the gaps in research, education
and skills in the sustainable development space,
1.47 UP becomes first state to integrate ODOP mart with ONDC platform
• Uttar Pradesh (UP) recently became the first state in India to connect One District One Product (ODOP) mart with
the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform.
• The pilot phase of integration of ODOP Mart on ONDC was inaugurated by the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS),
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)
1.48 GRSE signs agreement with Bengal government to build electric ferry
• The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE), a Mini Ratna Defence PSU, recently signed a contract
with the Government of West Bengal for the design and construction of the next-generation electric ferry to carry
150 passengers.
• Aim: To pave the way for reducing carbon emission in the water transport sector in the state and transform the
inland water transport system in National Waterway- 1 (NW-1), which is being developed from Haldia to Varanasi
under the Ministry of Shipping.
1.49 Ernakulam Dairy set to become India’s first fully solar powered plant
• Union Minister of State, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development recently laid the foundation for a
solar power project at a Milma dairy plant in Ernakulam, Kerala.
• The solar power project with 2 MW capacity to be installed at Milma Dairy Plant, with an outlay of Rs 11.5 crore
provided through the National Dairy Development Board, is set to be nation’s first fully solar powered plant.
1.50 India’s first floating LNG terminal likely to operationalize in second half of 2022
• India’s first floating terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG), H-Energy Gateway’s floating storage and
regasification units (FSRUs) in Jaigarh, Maharashtra is expected to be operational in the second half of 2022.
• Another floating terminal Swan Energy-led terminal in Jafrabad, Gujarat is also likely to begin operations this year.
1.51 NTPC, GACL ink MoU to produce green ammonia and green methanol
• NTPC Renewable Energy (RE) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gujarat Alkalies and
Chemicals Ltd. (GACL) to mutually explore the opportunities for setting up India’s first commercial-scale green
ammonia and green methanol project.
• Aim: To mutually explore opportunities for supply of 100 megawatt (MW) RE-RTC (Round The Clock) power and
synthesizing 75 tonnes per day (TPD) green methanol and 35 TPD green ammonia for production of various
chemicals by GACL.
1.53 Delhi government launches ‘Mission Kushal Karmi’ to upskill construction workers
• Delhi government recently launched the ‘Mission Kushal Karmi’ programme under which laborers registered with
the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board will be offered a skill development training
course.
• The government will also provide a sum of at least ₹4,200 to each worker who takes the course to compensate for
the loss of work during the 15-day programme.
1.55 GODI becomes India’s first company to get BIS certification for Made-in-India Li-ion cells
• GODI India recently received the prestigious Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for its 21700 cylindrical
NMC811 lithium-ion cells.
• It became the first Indian company to get this certification for indigenously made lithium-ion cells in India.
1.57 REC and CEEW ink pact to work on improving discoms’ operational and financial stability
• Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with REC
Limited, to collaborate on activities to improve the operational and financial sustainability of electricity
distribution companies (discoms).
1.58 NIXI introduces 2 new internet exchanges to improve internet services in West Bengal
• Two new Internet Exchange points (IXP) of National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) at Durgapur and Bardhman,
West Bengal are to be inaugurated.
• It’s an initiative under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) vision 1000 days.
• Aim: To enhance and improve Internet and Broadband services at local level and in neighbouring regions.
1.59 6th National Conclave on Mines & Minerals
• To be organized by: Ministry of Mines, at New Delhi
• Key highlights
o Conferring of national level award Rashtriya Khanij Vikas Puraskar to the best performing States in the field
of mining
o Launch of three modules of Mining Tenement System (MTS)
o Awards for 5-Star rated mines for the year 2020-21
o National Geo Science Awards-2019
1.60 NMA recommends 2 sites to be declared as Monuments of National Importance
• National Monuments Authority (NMA) has recommended two sites associated with Dr B.R. Ambedkar, the Father
of Indian Constitution, to be declared as Monuments of National importance.
o Sankalp Bhumi Banyan tree campus in Vadodara (Gujarat)
o Pratap Rao Bhosle High School in Satara (Maharashtra)
1.61 NHAI and Maharashtra Metro create world record in Nagpur
• Maharashtra Metro & National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) recently achieved the world record in Nagpur,
Maharashtra by constructing longest Double Decker Viaduct (3.14 KM) with Highway Flyover & Metro Rail
Supported on single column piers.
• Recognized by: Asia Book of Records & India Book of Records
1.62 Bharat Alt Fuel to set up greenfield EV manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu
• Bharat Alt Fuel is to set up a greenfield unit in Tamil Nadu at an investment of ₹250 crore to manufacture electric
vehicles, batteries and motors.
• The integrated facility spread is expected to commence production in the second half of 2023.
1.63 Dwarka expressway being developed as India’s first elevated urban expressway
• Dwarka Expressway, also known as the Northern Peripheral Road in Haryana portion, is being developed as the
first elevated urban expressway in India.
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• The Expressway is to connect Dwarka, Delhi to Gurugram, Haryana, being developed at a total cost of Rs 9,000
Crore with total length of 29 km.
1.64 Bihar legislative Assembly celebrates centenary celebrations
• Bihar Legislative Assembly, set up in 1922, recently celebrated its centenary celebrations.
1.65 Infosys to acquire Denmark-based BASE Life Science
• Infosys Ltd. recently signed a definitive agreement to acquire Denmark-based BASE life science, for up to €110
million (about $111 million).
• BASE life science is a leading technology and consulting firm in the life sciences industry.
1.66 ‘50 extraordinary destinations to explore’ – World’s greatest places of 2022
• List released by: TIME Magazine
• Kerala and Ahmedabad, Gujarat were the two Indian entries into the list of the world’s greatest places of 2022.
o The magazine named Kerala as an Ecotourism hot spot, and Ahmedabad as the Higher learning place.
1.67 Ola Electric unveils lithium-ion cell
• Electric two-wheeler maker Ola Electric recently unveiled India's first indigenously developed lithium-ion cell,
NMC-2170.
• The mass production of the cell will begin by 2023.
1.68 Ahmedabad included in Time Magazine’s World’s 50 Greatest Places of 2022
• India’s first UNESCO World Heritage City, Ahmedabad, Gujarat has been included in the list of the ‘World's 50
Greatest Places of 2022’ by Time Magazine.
1.69 DoCA launches a macot to empower & aware consumers towards consumer rights
• Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) recently launched “Jagriti”, a mascot for empowering consumers and
generating awareness of their rights.
1.73 J&K and Sikkim sign agreement for knowledge exchange on temperate crops
• J&K Agriculture Department, Sikkim Government and Sikkim University recently signed a tripartite agreement for
collaboration on training, technology, capacity building and extension activities for saffron and other temperate
crops.
• Aim: To boost the growth of agriculture and horticulture sector.
1.103 Annual Awards Function of Western Fleet, Fleet Evening 2022: ‘FLING’
• Held at: Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, Maharashtra
1.107 5th Sessions of India-Egypt Joint Trade Committee (JTC) & Joint Business Council (JBC)
• Held at: Cairo, Egypt
• Joint Trade Committee (JTC)
o Bilateral trade reached a historic record high of USD 7.26 bn in FY 2021-22 which is an increase of 75%
over FY 2020-21. Egypt has an existing Indian investment of USD 3.15 bn.
o Both sides set an annual bilateral trade target of USD 12 bn, within 5 years.
• Joint Business Council (JBC)
o Organized by: Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Egyptian Commercial
Services
o Aim: To hold Business-to-Business (B2B) interactions between both the nations.
1.111 Savitri Jindal becomes Asia’s richest woman, replaces Yang Huiyan from China
• As per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, with a dramatic fall in Yang Huiyan's wealth, Savitri Jindal now became
Asia's richest woman the 10th-richest person in India.
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• Her net worth has tripled more than 3 times in these last 2 years from $4.8 billion in 2020 to $17.7 billion in 2022.
• In India's richest women list, she is followed by Kiran Mazumdar and Crishna Godrej.
1.119 3rd edition of Kotak Private Banking Hurun Leading Wealthy Women List, 2021
• Launched by: Kotak Private Banking (a division of Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited) and Hurun India
• Wealthiest woman on the list: Roshni Nadar Malhotra, HCL Technologies (₹84,330 crore)
• Richest self-made woman in India: Falguni Nayar, Nykaa (₹57,520 crore)
• Youngest self-made woman: Kanika Tekriwal, JetSetGo (₹420 crore)
o JetSetGo is India’s first online marketplace for private jet and helicopter charter.
1.124 Haryana CM launches app based ‘Smart E-Beat’ system for Gurugram police
• The system will be used for police attendance and real-time monitoring of patrolling by personnel.
• Launched under: Smart Policing Initiative (SPI)
1.125 75th Foundation Day of Hansraj College, University of Delhi held at Delhi
1.127 1st Indian state to connect all registered commercial vehicles equipped with VLTD with ERSS
• Himachal Pradesh has become 1st Indian state to connect all registered commercial vehicles equipped with Vehicle
Location Tracking Device with Emergency Response Support System.
1.131 Bharat Forge Infrastructure partners with Talgo India Pvt Ltd
• BF Infrastructure Ltd has partnered with Talgo India Pvt Ltd.
• Purpose: To set up a joint venture for manufacturing high speed trains in India.
1.135 NITI Aayog releases ‘Mitigation and Management of COVID-19: Compendium of Ayush-Based Practices from
Indian States and Union Territories’
• Recently, NITI Aayog has released ‘Mitigation and Management of COVID-19: Compendium of Ayush-Based
Practices from Indian States and Union Territories’.
• The compendium has also included a summary of guidelines and initiatives of the Ministry of Ayush.
1.137 DCGI approves India's first qHPV vaccine to treat cervical cancer
• Recently, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has granted authorisation to Pune-based Serum Institute of
India (SII) to manufacture indigenously-developed India's first Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus vaccine (qHPV)
against cervical cancer.
• The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) had also approved qHPV after reviewing the
clinical trial data.
1.139 MoPR and Central TB Division, MoH&FW signs MoU for TB Elimination in India by 2025
• Recently, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) and the Central TB (Tuberculosis) Division, Ministry of Health &
Family Welfare (MoH&FW) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
• The MoU will create inter–ministerial collaboration and strategic partnerships to achieve the target of TB Free
India Campaign
• MoU Objective: to forego convergence at policy, programme and implementation levels across the Ministries of
the Government of India for a multi–sectoral and accelerated response towards TB Free India.
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1.140 India achieves major landmark of ‘200 Crore’ COVID-19 Vaccinations
• Recently, India has crossed the landmark of administering 2 Billion doses of the COVID19 vaccine (as on 17 th July
2022) under the National COVID19 Vaccination Program.
• The milestone has been achieved in only 18 months since the launch of the COVID19 vaccination program.
About National COVID19 Vaccination Program
• Launch Date: 16th January, 2021
1.147 Corbevax, Covaxin get nod for use among 5-12 years olds
• Recently, Corbevax and Covaxin received the nod from the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation's
(NTAGI) Standing Technical Sub-Committee (STSC) for use among children aged between 5-12 years.
• Recently, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) granted emergency use authorisation to:
o The Biological E's Corbevax for age group of 5-12 years.
o Bharat Biotech's Covaxin for age group of 6-12 years.
1.151 40 million people in India are suffering from Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C infection: Health Minister
• Recently, the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare addressed an event to mark the World Hepatitis
Day 2022.
Key Information Shared
• In India, About 40 million people are suffering from Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C infection.
• Globally, around 4000 people die of viral hepatitis per day.
1.155 National Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) Compliance Monitoring Programme of India
• Recently, an evaluation team from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) visited India
for On-Site Evaluation (OSE) of the procedures and practices of the National Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)
Compliance Monitoring Programme of India.
About National GLP Compliance Monitoring Programme of India
• Implemented by: National GLP Compliance Monitoring Authority (NGCMA), under the administrative control of
Department of Science & Technology (DST).
o Chairperson of NGCMA: Secretary, DST
• The programme functions as per OECD Principles of GLP & OECD Council norms.
1.160 Union Minister for Textiles and Haryana Chief Minister inaugurates NIFT’s Panchkula Campus
• Recently, the Union Minister for Textiles & the Chief Minister of Haryana have inaugurated the new campus of
National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Panchkula, Haryana.
• NIFT Panchkula was established in 2019.
• It is the youngest one among the NIFT campuses situated across India,
1.172 NCW organizes Capacity Building Training Programme for Women Traders of Manipur
• Recently, the National Commission for Women (NCW), in collaboration with the Manipur State Commission for
Women, has organized a one-day Capacity Building Training Programme for Women Traders of Manipur at
Imphal.
• The Capacity Building Training Programme envisaged holistic development of women traders & increased
employment opportunities for women traders.
1.173 India’s June employment data lowest in last one year: CMIE
• According to the latest data released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), India’s unemployment
rate increased to 7.8% of the total workforce in June 2022 from 7.12% in May 2022.
1.174 Google announces Startup School India initiative For Small City Entrepreneurs
• Recently, Google has launched Startup School India (SSI) as part of the Google for Startups initiative.
o Aim: to reach out to at least 10,000 startups in tier 2 and tier 3 cities (smaller cities).
o Objective: to organise accumulated knowledge into a structured curriculum to enable startups in small
cities to overcome challenges. SSI is a nine-week virtual program.
1.175 NASSCOM partners with Australian govt agency to attract investment for Indian tech SMEs
• Recently, the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) has partnered with Australia’s
New South Wales Government’s economic development and investment attraction agency- Investment NSW to
attract investments of technology based Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in India.
• Under the partnership, road shows will be organized in six Indian cities to highlight business and investment
opportunities in Australia for Indian tech SMEs.
1.176 Delhi govt's Rozgar Bazaar portal and Rozgar Bazaar portal 2.0
• Recently, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi mentioned that the Rozgar Bazaar Portal has generated more than 10 lakh
jobs until June 30, 2022.
• It was developed by AAP government of Delhi, two years ago.
About Rozgar Bazaar portal 2.0
• The new portal will provide Artificial Intelligence (AI) based job matching services.
• It will also provide end-to-end skill development and employment-related services to the youth of Delhi on a single
platform.
1.180 Department of Commerce notifies rules for Work from Home for Special Economic Zones
• Recently, the Department of Commerce has notified a new rule called 43A - Work from Home in Special Economic
Zones Rules, 2006 across all Special Economic Zones (SEZs).
• It provides work from home (WFH) option for following category of employees of a unit in SEZ:
o Employees of Information Technology (IT)/ Information Technology Enables Services (ITeS) SEZ units;
Employees who are temporarily incapacitated; Employees who are travelling; Employees who are working
offsite.
• According to the new rules, WFH may be extended to a maximum 50% of total employees including contractual
employees of the unit.
• WFH is now allowed for a maximum period of one-year.
1.182 Flipkart inks pact to launch skill training initiative in Bihar for e-commerce logistics sector
• Recently, Flipkart has signed a pact with Bihar State Skill Development Mission to launch the initiatives of the
Supply Chain Operations Academy (SCOA) in the state.
• MoU Objective: to accelerate skill building in Bihar for the e-commerce logistics sector.
1.184 ICC-North East Initiative and NEDFi sign MoU to promote investment in the North East
• Recently, Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) - North East Initiative and North Eastern Development Finance
Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
• MoU Objective: to work jointly towards promoting investment in Assam and other states of the North East Region.
• Under the MoU, a trade facilitation desk would be established on the premises of ICC-NE in association with NEDFi
to help trade and commerce among the North East region, the rest of India and the world.
1.187 Union Minister for Chemical chairs seminar on “Safe Use of Chemicals at Workplace”
• Recently, the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC) and International Labour Organisation (ILO)
have organized a seminar on “Safe Use of Chemicals at Workplace” at New Delhi.
o Seminar Chairperson: Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers.
1.190 Eight Craft Villages taken up under ‘Linking textile with Tourism’ to promote craft and tourism at a single location
• Recently, the Ministry of Textiles have informed that eight craft villages have been identified & included under
Linking with Tourism programme, viz,
o Raghurajpur (Odisha), Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Vadaj (Gujarat), Naini (Uttar Pradesh), Anegundi
(Karnataka), Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu), Taj Ganj (Uttar Pradesh), Amer (Rajasthan)
1.197 Six Indian States sign First of its Kind Declaration of Intent to combat human trafficking
• Recently, six Indian states viz, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana have signed
a first of its kind Inter-State Declaration of Intent to work jointly to combat trafficking in persons.
o Focus Areas: joint efforts on intelligence gathering and sharing; legal and witness protection; and
rehabilitation and care for survivors.
• The declaration was signed during the Regional Consultation to Combat Human Trafficking at Hyderabad.
1.203 NCPCR Organises Campaign on Combating Child Trafficking as a part of Azadi Ki Amrit Mahotsav
• Recently, to commemorate the “World day against Human Trafficking”, the National Commission for Protection of
Child Rights (NCPCR) has organized a 25 days campaign.
• Campaign Name: बाल तस्करी से आज़ादी (baal taskaree se aazaadi) on “Combating Child Trafficking”.
• Campaign launched at: 75 bordering Districts covering 11 states of India.
o The 11 states are Assam, Bihar, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh,
Uttarakhand & West Bengal.
• Campaign Duration: 1st August, 2022 to 25th August, 2022.
1.204 The Scheduled Castes and The Schedules Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
• The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) [SC/ST (PoA)] Act, 1989 is being
implemented in India to check and deter crimes against SC/ST communities.
• In order to effectively implement the provisions of the Act, SC/ST (PoA) Rules, 1995 have also been framed.
1.205 Loans to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC)
• Recently, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has shared the data of loans provided to poor persons (SCs
and OBCs).
• Amount disbursed by National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) as loan from
1989-90 to 30.06.2022 is Rs.5779.06 crores (Beneficiary: 14,52,729).
o Highest: Andhra Pradesh Lowest: Mizoram
• Amount disbursed by National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC) as loan from
1992-93 to 06.07.2022 is Rs.6180.82 crores (Beneficiary: 30,69,427).
o Highest: Kerala Lowest: Arunachal Pradesh
o Highest in Union Territories (UTs): Puducherry.
1.210 DMEO, a Unit of NITI Aayog, Pitches For Gender Budgeting Act
• Recently, Development, Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), has released a thematic report titled Gender
Mainstreaming in Governance.
• The report recommends various measures to achieve gender equality.
Key Recommendations
• Framing of National Policy for Women.
• Mainstreaming of gender-based budgeting across all ministries through the formulation of the Gender Budgeting
Act.
• To mandate women participation across schemes.
• To incentivize women participation in all training and capacity building programmes
• Focus Areas: Health, agriculture, environment and social inclusion.
1.218 Rajasthan gets AI-powered tool for fast disposal of cases at Lok Adalat
• Recently, India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered digital Lok Adalat has been inaugurated at Jaipur,
Rajasthan during the 18th All India Legal Services Authorities' meet
• Initiative of- Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority (RSLSA)
• Designed & Developed by- Jupitice Justice Technologies (technology partner).
1.219 SAP Labs India partners NeGD to set up Centre for Digital Government
• Recently, SAP Labs India has partnered National e-Governance Division (NeGD) under the Ministry of Electronics
and Information Technology (MeitY), to set up SAP Centre for Digital Government (SCDG) at Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• Aim: to promote adoption of technology-based solutions in India’s public service sector through specially curated
digital upskilling programs for government officials.
1.235 Investment of ₹12,000 crore by BPCL's unit in development of Brazilian oil block
• Recently, The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved an additional investment of USD
1,600 million (around ₹12,000 crore) by Bharat Petro Resources Ltd (BPRL) for development of BM-SEAL-11
Concession Project in Brazil.
• Objective: To strengthen India’s energy security and India’s foothold in Brazil, which will further open business
avenues in neighbouring Latin American countries.
1.236 5th GST (Goods and Services Tax) Day and June 2022 Collection
• Government of India celebrated the 5th GST day on 1st July, 2022.
• Vision: GST@5 साधन, दे श के सर्ाां गीण वर्कास का.
• Gross GST Collections for June, 2022: Rs.1.44 lakh crore, which is 56% growth YoY basis. It includes:
o CGST: ₹25,306 crore and SGST: ₹32,406 crore.
o IGST: ₹75887 crore (including ₹40102 crore collected on import of goods).
o Cess: ₹11,018 crore (including ₹1197 crore collected on import of goods).
1.241 Uttar Pradesh had the highest share in Centre’s FY22 excise revenue
• According to recent official data, Uttar Pradesh has received the highest share (17%) of Government of India’s
revenue collection from excise duty on petroleum products in FY22.
• Top 3 states with highest share of Government of India’s excise duty collection in FY22
o Uttar Pradesh- Rs 6,693 crore
o Bihar- Rs 3,869 crore
o West Bengal – Rs 2,715 crore.
1.242 FIEO partners with Rubix Data Sciences to facilitate legal entity identifier issuance to exporters
• Recently, the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with Rubix Data Sciences to facilitate Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) issuance to Indian exporters and entities.
• As a part of the MoU, Rubix will handhold Indian exporters through the documentation process of LEI issuance.
• Legal Entity Identifier (LEI): It is a unique global identifier for legal entities participating in financial transactions.
It is an alphanumeric code with 20 digits
o Developed by: International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
1.243 Major Ports Exempted from paying Port and Vessel related Charges
• Recently, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPS&W) has directed all Major Ports to exempt all berth
hiring, port and vessel related charges being currently levied to the Ro-Pax/Passenger (roll-on/roll-off passenger)
Ferries for the next six months with immediate effect.
• Aim: To promote the Ro-Ro/Ro-Pax/Ferry waterway transportation, which has lower emissions/ lower cost
compared to other modes of transport for the same amount of cargo.
1.244 GST (Goods and Services Tax) compensation to States for loss of revenue
• Recently, Ministry of Finance has shared data related to the GST compensation to States for loss of revenue arising
on account of implementation of GST for a period of five years.
• The States are required to be compensated for the period from 1st July, 2017 to 30th June, 2022.
• Total amount released to the states for compensation: Rs. 5,55,121 crore.
1.245 CRISIL cuts FY23 GDP growth estimate to 7.3% from 7.8% on high inflation
• Recently, Indian rating agency CRISIL has reduced India’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth estimate to
7.3% in FY23 (2022-23), from the previous estimate of 7.8%.
• CRISIL has pegged inflation at 6.8% in FY23 as against 5.5% in FY22.
1.247 UP government appoints Deloitte India as consultant to make state USD 1 trn economy
• Recently, the Government of Uttar Pradesh has appointed Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India as consultant.
• Objective: to achieve the target of making Uttar Pradesh a USD 1-trillion economy.
1.250 FSIB recommends former Union Bank Chief Rajkiran Rai for NaBFID MD post
• Recently, the Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) has recommended G Rajkiran Rai for the role of
Managing Director (MD) at the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID).
• He is the first ever candidate to be recommended by the newly constituted FSIB.
• He was the former MD of Union Bank of India
1.252 Consumer Price Index Numbers on Base 2012=100 for Rural, Urban and Combined for June 2022
• Recently, the National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has
released the All India Consumer Price Index (CPI) based inflation and corresponding Consumer Food Price Index
(CFPI) for Rural (R), Urban (U) and Combined (C) for June 2022 (Provisional).
• All India Inflation rates (%) based on CPI (General) and CFPI
Indices Jun. 2022 (Prov.) Jun. 2021
Rural Urban Combined Rural Urban Combined
CPI (General)/ Retail 7.09 6.92 7.01 6.16 6.37 6.26
Inflation
CFPI 7.61 8.04 7.75 5.02 5.42 5.15
1.254 S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for June 2022
• According to recent data, Index for services sector rose to 59.2 in June as compared to 58.9 in May.
• It is the highest level in last 11 years, since April 2011.
1.264 ONDC, NABARD organize the flagship event – “Grand Hackathon” on Agriculture Domain
• Recently, the Union Minister for Commerce & Industry has virtually inaugurated a three-day “Grand Hackathon”
on Agriculture Domain.
• Organizers of Grand Hackathon: Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) in collaboration with the National
Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
• Venue: Event organized in hybrid mode, the physical event was organized at Bombay Stock Exchange in Fort,
Mumbai.
1.266 IFFCO bags patent for nano urea, nano DAP for 20 years
• Recently, Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), has received patents from the Patent Office of the
Government of India for its Nanotechnology-based fertilisers viz, nano urea, and nano DAP (Diammonium
phosphate).
• The patents are awarded for 20 years.
1.267 APEDA organises farming demonstrations and farm training for students as a part of NEP
• Recently, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has organized
farming demonstrations and farm training for students from Class IV to Class XII.
• The initiative was organized at the training farm of Basmati Export Development Foundation (BEDF) at
Modipuram, Meerut district, Uttar Pradesh.
• Objective: to impart practical knowledge to students & enhance their understanding of the entire value-chain of
rice production to exports.
1.272 2nd Advance Estimates of Area and Production of various Horticultural Crops for 2021-22
• Recently, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has released the Second Advance Estimates of Area
and Production of various Horticultural Crops for 2021-22.
• Total Horticulture production in FY-22 is estimated to be 341.63 Million Tonne, an increase of about 7.03 Million
Tonne (increase of 2.10%) over FY-21 (Final).
• Total area in FY-22 is estimated to be 27.74 Million Ha (27.48 Million Ha in FY-21.).
1.274 NITI Aayog and WFP to Launch Initiative on Mainstreaming Millets in Asia and Africa
• Recently, NITI Aayog & the World Food Programme (WFP), India have launched the ‘Mapping and Exchange of
Good Practices’ initiative for mainstreaming millets in Asia and Africa at a virtual event.
• It is a compendium of good practices for increasing the production and consumption of millets in India and
abroad.
1.275 APEDA sets up panel to draft standards for manufacture of vegan products
• Recently, Agricultural Produce Exports Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce &
Industry, has setup a panel to draft regulations and standards for the manufacturing of vegan products to capture
the export market.
• APEDA has formed the panel in the backdrop of increased awareness & demand for plant-based meat alternatives.
1.282 Meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee for Ministry of Steel held at Tirupati on “Roadmap for
Circular Economy in Steel Sector”
• Recently, the meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to the Ministry of Steel was
convened at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
• Committee & Meeting Chairperson: Union Minister for Steel.
• Meeting Agenda: to discuss on “Roadmap for Circular Economy in Steel Sector”.
1.283 DoT signs agreement with ITI Limited and BSNL to fund pilot projects under USOF
• Recently, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications has signed an agreement
with Indian Telephone Industries (ITI) Limited and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to fund the pilot projects
under Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
• Under the agreement, DoT, ITI & BSNL will fund the pilot projects of E-band, LTE indigenous technologies including
integration of 4G/5G prototypes with Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) core.
1.292 PM unveils ‘SPRINT challenges’ to boost the usage of indigenous technology in Indian Navy
• Recently, the Prime Minister of India has launched SPRINT [Supporting Pole-Vaulting in R&D through Innovations
for Defence Excellence (iDEX), Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) and Technology
Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC)] Challenges.
About SPRINT Challenges
• It is a collaborative project of NIIO & Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO).
• Launched as a part of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
• Aim: to induct at least 75 new indigenous technologies/products into the Indian Navy.
1.294 Consultative Committee of Ministry of Civil Aviation discusses ‘DIGI YATRA’ project
• Recently, the Consultative Committee meeting of Ministry of Civil Aviation was held in New Delhi.
• Topic of discussion: DIGI YATRA Project.
About Digi Yatra Foundation (DYF)
• It has been set up as a joint venture (JV) company in 2019 under Section 8, Companies Act, 2013.
• Its shareholders are AAI (26% shares) and BIAL (Bangalore international Airport Limited), DIAL (Delhi), GHIAL (GMR
Hyderabd), MIAL (Mumbai) and CIAL (Cochin).
• These 5 shareholders equally hold the remaining 74% of the shares.
• It was formed, with the objective of creating the Digi Yatra Central Ecosystem (DYCE).
1.296 Steel ministry sets up advisory committee for secondary steel sector
• Recently, the Ministry of Steel has constituted an advisory committee for secondary steel.
• Committee Chairperson: Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister for Civil Aviation.
• Aim: to identify and deliberate on the issues related to the steel sector especially the secondary steel industry.
1.299 GigaMesh Solution for delivery of 4G/5G Telecom and Internet services
• Recently, Technology Development Board (TDB) has agreed to provide financial assistance of ₹2.97 crores, out of
the total project cost of ₹19.79 crores to M/s Astrome Technologies for to solve Internet problems of rural India.
• TDB supports M/s Astrome Technologies Private Ltd (ATPL), Bengaluru for production and commercialization of
‘GigaMesh Solution for delivery of 4G/5G Telecom and Internet services for Defence and Rural Sectors’.
1.303 12.7% increase in Index of Eight Core Industries for June, 2022
• Recently, the Office of Economic Adviser, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has
released the Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) for June, 2022
Key Details
• The combined ICI has increased by 12.7% (provisional) as compared to the Index of June 2021.
• For June 2022, ICI stood at 143.4 (Provisional) (Base: 2011-12= 100).
1.306 Digital District Repository (DDR) Exhibition inaugurated at, LBSNAA, Mussoorie
• Recently, the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand has inaugurated the Digital District Repository (DDR) at Indira
Bhawan, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie.
1.309 Govt allows firms to spend CSR funds on ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign
• Recently, the Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs has permitted companies to spend their Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) funds on activities relating to the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.
• Eligible activities: mass scale production and supply of the national flag, outreach and amplification efforts and
other related activities.
1.317 No service charge by default, Consumer Affairs Ministry tells hotels & restaurants
• Recently, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued guidelines to prevent unfair trade
practices and violation of consumer rights regarding levying of service charge in hotels and restaurants.
• Hotels/ restaurants shall not add service charge automatically or by default in the food bill.
• Hotels/ restaurants shall not collect service charge by adding it along with the food bill and levying Goods and
Services Tax (GST) on the total amount.
• The service charge must not be collected under any other name.
• Hotels/ restaurants should not force consumers to pay service charges.
1.318 District Collectors to ensure immediate implementation of Service Charge Guidelines: CCPA
• Recently, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has directed district collectors to ensure immediate
enforcement of guidelines with regard to service tax by hotels and restaurants in order to protect consumer
interest.
• CCPA has issued the guidelines under Section 18(2)(l) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
• According to the guidelines, levying service charge by hotels/ restaurants is a violation & constitutes unfair trade
practice..
1.326 India Post delivers mail using drone in Gujarat under pilot project
• The Department of Posts under the guidance of the Union Ministry of Communications, has delivered mail using
a drone as part of a pilot project in Gujarat's Kutch district, covering a distance of 46 km in 25 minutes.
1.329 Tata AIA Life debuts industry-first smart value income plan
• Tata AIA Life Insurance Company Limited launched a Smart Value Income Plan.
• It is a non-linked, participating life insurance savings plan where the bonus can be adjusted against premium
payments.
1.331 CCI approves acquisition of Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd by investors
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved acquisition of shareholding in Hitachi Construction
Machinery Co., Ltd. by HCJI Holdings G.K., Citrus Investments, HCJ Holdings 2 G.K., Japan Industrial V – GP K.K.,
and other investors.
1.335 J&K Lieutenant Governor rolls out accidental insurance cover of Rs 15 lakh for govt employees
• Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor rolled out an accidental insurance cover of Rs 15 lakh for government
employees in the union territory.
• Jammu and Kashmir Bank has contracted with Oriental Insurance Company for extending the cover.
1.336 India and Poland sign legal help treaty on criminal matters
• India and Poland have signed a mutual legal assistance treaty on criminal matters (MLAT).
• Aim: To enhance the effectiveness of both countries in the investigation and prosecution of crime.
1.352 Two important State Cabinet Approvals for varsities in West Bengal
• The state cabinet approves the proposal to remove the Governor of West Bengal as Visitor of the private
universities and replace him with the education minister of the state as the Visitor.
• The state cabinet also approves the proposal to make Chief Minister of West-Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, as the
chancellor of all state-run universities.
1.353 Tata Motors awarded with biggest Electric Vehicles fleet order by BluSmart Electric Mobility
• Tata Motors received an order to supply 10,000 units of XPRES-T Electric Vehicles (EVs) from BluSmart Electric
Mobility, making it the biggest ever fleet order in India.
• These EVs are being launched with the aim to augment green mobility and minimize the carbon footprint.
1.356 Google bans businesses from using Rich Communication Services (RCS) for marketing in India
• Google has barred companies from using RCS for their marketing in India.
• This has been done to stop the spam promotional messages sent by various companies for their marketing, and
standardize RCS for a better messaging experience.
1.358 Indira Gandhi International Airport to replace all its operational vehicles with Electric Vehicles
• Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, Delhi has decided to launch 62 Electric Vehicles (EVs) under Green
Transportation Program announced by Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL), with a target to make Delhi Airport
a Net Zero Carbon Emission Airport by 2030.
• This launch will help in reducing approximately 1,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
1.359 Government relaxes recruitment criteria of Central Reserve Police Force Constables in Chattisgarh
• Cabinet recently relaxed the minimum educational qualification criteria for the recruitment of tribal youth as
Constables in Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) from Bijapur, Dantewada and Sukma districts of Chattisgarh.
• Relaxation done from minimum qualification of Class 10th passed to Class 8th passed.
• Recommended by: Ministry of Home Affairs
1.364 Maruti Suzuki sets up Asia’s largest carport type solar plant in Manesar
• Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. has set up a 20 Mega Watt Peak-1 (MWp1) solar power plant at its Manesar facility in
Haryana.
• Aim: To ensure maximum utilization of renewable energy in its operations, and contribute 28,000 Mega Watt Hour
(MWH) annually to the group’s manufacturing unit.
1.365 National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) sets a new Guinness World Record
• NHAI, along with Raj Path Infracon Pvt. Ltd., created a new Guinness World record in laying 75km of bituminous
concrete in a single lane on National Highway (NH)-53 between Amrawati to Akola Districts (Maharashtra) in the
record 105 hours 33 minutes.
1.367 India inks MoU with Australia for Australia-India Water Security Initiative (AIWASI)
• Union Cabinet recently approved the MoU between Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government
of India, and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Government of Australia for technical cooperation
in urban water management initiative, AIWASI.
1.368 India inks MoU with United States (US) to prevent and treat various infectious diseases
• Union Cabinet recently approved the MoU among Department of Biotechnology, Government of India and the
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), US.
1.369 Cabinet approves the transfer of in-orbit communication satellites to New Space India Ltd. (NSIL)
• Union Cabinet recently approved the transfer of 10 in-orbit communication satellites from Government of India
(Gol) to New Space India Ltd. (NSIL), a wholly owned Public Sector Enterprise of GOI under the Department of
Space.
1.371 India and Japan ink MoU for joint research on air quality and climate change
• Union Cabinet recently approved MoU between the National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan and
Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) Nainital, India.
• Aim: To carry out and implement joint research on air quality and climate change.
1.372 Adani Transmission Ltd. to acquire Essar Power Ltd.’s transmission line
• Adani Transmission Ltd. has inked an agreement with Essar Power Ltd. to acquire its 673 circuit kilometres (ckt.
km) operational inter-state transmission project for Rs. 1,913 crores.
• The transmission line links Mahan (Madhya Pradesh) to Sipat (Chhattisgarh).
1.373 ReNew Power to acquire operating wind and solar assets of 527.9 MW
• ReNew Power recently signed various agreements to acquire 471.65 Mega Watt (MW) of wind and 56.25 MW of
solar assets.
o The agreements include power purchase pacts with state distribution companies in Gujarat, Maharashtra,
Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Telangana, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, 25 MW of Power Purchase
Agreements with corporate customers.
1.374 MG Motor India, Castrol India and Jio-bp to create Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure
• MG Motor India and Castrol India, along with Jio-bp, are set to create 4-wheeler Electric Vehicle charging
infrastructure across India.
1.375 Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIH) bought stakes in IIFL Home Finance
• Abu Dhabi Investment Authority purchased 20% stakes in IIFL Home finance worth Rs. 2,200 crores.
• Aim: Mostly to support growing businesses.
1.376 India’s hyper-sensitive airports to install Perimeter Intrusion Detection System by 2023: BCAS
• Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) recently announced that all the hyper-sensitive airports in India will have
to install a Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS) by the end of 2023.
• Greenfield airports, that are not part of the central government’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) will install
the Perimeter Intrusion Detection System as well.
1.381 Commemoration of 125th Birth Anniversary of freedom fighter ‘Sri Alluri Sitarama Raju’
• Approved by: National Implementation Committee (NIC), under the leadership of Home Minister, Amit Shah.
• Commemoration Monument Site: Alluri Dhyana Mandir, Mogallu, Andhra Pradesh
• To be commemorated on: July 4, 2022
1.382 UnifyTwin launches Intelligence Industrial App Suite for sustainable business
• Industry 5.0 company UnifyTwin recently launched Intelligent Industrial App Suite to address various aspects of
industrial life cycle driving towards sustainable business outcomes.
• The app suite is powered by a well-differentiated technology stack unifying human & machine intelligence across
edge-to-cloud, driving sustainable business outcomes.
1.387 Reliance Brands to buy stakes in Plastic Legno SPA’s toy manufacturing
• A subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures, Reliance Brands (RBL), recently signed a joint venture agreement with
Plastic Legno SPA to buy 40% stakes in SPA’s toy manufacturing unit in India.
• Aim: To bring in vertical integration for RBL’s toy business and helping diversify the supply chain with a long-term
strategic interest in building toy manufacturing in India.
1.392 Indian Government loses appeal against $111 million arbitration award in dispute with RIL, Shell
• The government has lost its appeal in the English High Court against a $111 million arbitration award in favour of
Reliance Industries Ltd and Shell in a cost recovery dispute in the western offshore Panna-Mukta and Tapti oil and
gas fields.
• Rejecting the government's arguments, the court said the objections are barred by an English law principle whereby
a party cannot raise matters in new proceedings that could have been raised in earlier proceedings.
1.394 Mila Kunis partners with Sharad Devarajan to launch entertainment franchise
• Mila Kunis, American Actress and web3 innovator, has joined forces with the superhero creator Sharad Devarajan
of Graphic India to launch a new entertainment franchise called Armored Kingdom Media Inc. which will span a
Web3 trading card game, digital comics, animation and film.
1.397 Project Information and Management Module of SWCS launched for Coal Ministry
• Ministry of Coal recently launched Project Information and Management Module for Single Window Clearance
System (SWCS).
• Aim: To create a platform to obtain various clearances for operationalization of coal mines in the country.
1.400 India and Israel adopt a ‘vision statement’ to boost defence cooperation
• India and Israel recently adopted a ‘vision statement’ for strengthening defence cooperation in the future.
• The year 2022 marks 30 years of diplomatic relations between India and Israel.
1.401 Indian cities rise up the global startup ranks: London Tech Week 2022
• As per a research on London Tech Week, 2022, Bengaluru held on to its record trend of attracting tech investments.
• Research from Dealroom.Co for London & Partners (London's business growth agency), showed that Bengaluru is
the leading Asian city and fifth-ranked hub in the world for tech venture capital (VC) investment in 2022.
1.408 India’s first 100 MLD desalination plant inaugurated in Dahej, Gujarat
• Recently, India’s first 100 MLD (million litres per day) desalination plant has been inaugurated at Dahej in Bharuch
district, Gujarat.
• Set up by- Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC); Investment- Rs 881 crore.
1.410 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister flags off luxury cruise liner “Empress” from Chennai port
• It is the first-ever luxury cruise liner from Tamil Nadu.
• Empress is operated by Cordelia Cruises
53 | P a g e W W W . E D U T A P . C O . I N QUERY? [email protected]/ 8146207241
1.411 First National Conference of Chief Secretaries
• Organized at: HPCA stadium, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh
• Chaired by: Prime Minister, Narendra Modi
1.412 GE Steam Power pacts with BHEL for 3 nuclear steam turbines
• GE Steam Power recently signed a USD 165 million contract with Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) for the supply
of 3 nuclear steam turbines out of the six units for Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd.’s (NPCIL) domestic
nuclear program- phase 1 being developed at Gorakhpur, Haryana and Kaiga, Karnataka.
1.417 Indian Navy and NCMRWF ink MoU for cooperation in METOC
• National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), Ministry of Earth Sciences, signed
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Navy for the Cooperation on Numerical Model Based
Applications in Meteorology and Oceanology (METOC).
• Aim: To share the expertise with the aim of keeping both organizations in step with rapid development in the field
of weather/ ocean modelling, coupled modelling, data assimilation, ensemble forecasting and satellite data use.
1.420 Insurance Scheme launched to protect chili farmers in Andhra Pradesh from price fluctuations
• Launched by: Syngenta India with the Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC)
• Launched at: Guntur Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), Andhra Pradesh
54 | P a g e W W W . E D U T A P . C O . I N QUERY? [email protected]/ 8146207241
• Aim: To safeguard farmers from unfavourable price fluctuations due to unpredictable market conditions, especially
in the chili production market.
1.421 West Bengal chooses BLS International for computerization and e-Governance
• BLS International Services has been selected by Directorate of Registration and Stamp Revenue, Govt. of West
Bengal for computerization and e-Governance of Registration offices in West Bengal in Public Private Partnership
(PPP) mode in Presidency Zone.
1.423 TATA Power Solar launches India’s largest floating solar power installation in Kerala
• Tata Power Solar has launched India's largest floating solar photovoltaic (FSPV) project in Kayamkulam, Kerala
backwaters area having an installed capacity of 101.6-Megawatt Peak (MWp).
• Aim: An innovative and incremental step toward meeting India's sustainable energy goals.
1.425 Bharat NCAP rules to be applicable on 8-seater passenger vehicles from next fiscal
• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways recently, proposed to insert a new rule in CMVR (Central Motor
Vehicles Rules), 1989 regarding the Bharat New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), which is to be applicable to
eight-seater passenger carriers in India from the next fiscal.
1.426 Andhra Pradesh SIPB gives nod to Adani Green Energy pumped storage project
• The State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB), Andhra Pradesh (AP), under the chairmanship of Chief Minister YS
Jagan Mohan Reddy, recently approved the setting up of a 3700 Mega Watt (MW) pumped storage project
undertaken by Adani Green Energy at 4 different locations in AP.
o Adani will set up two 1,000 MW plants, a 1,200 MW plant and another 500 MW plant with the investment
of ₹1,349 crore on the project in its first phase.
1.429 PVR ties up with a French Company for high-end cinema properties
• High-end theatre screen format Ice Theaters, owned by French exhibitor CGR Cinemas, has tied up with multiplex
chain PVR Cinemas, for a roll-out in India to provide high-end cinema experience.
1.431 Gautam Adani pledges Rs. 60,000 crores for social causes
• Asia’s richest person nowadays, Gautam Adani, recently pledged to donate ₹60,000 crore for social causes,
bolstering health care, education and skill development.
55 | P a g e W W W . E D U T A P . C O . I N QUERY? [email protected]/ 8146207241
• The donation is to be managed by the Adani Foundation.
1.432 Tamil Nadu CM opens Centre of Excellence in Advance Manufacturing System in Chennai
• The Chief Minister (CM) of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, recently inaugurated the Centre of Excellence in Advance
Manufacturing System, in collaboration with Dassault Systems, at Tidel Park in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
1.433 Centralized Pay System for Indian Coast Guard, PADMA, launched
• Shri Rajnish Kumar, Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), Ministry of Defence, recently inaugurated an
automated Pay & Allowances module for the Indian Coast Guard, Pay Roll Automation for Disbursement of
Monthly Allowances (PADMA).
• PADMA is an automated platform leveraging latest technology which will provide seamless and timely disbursal of
Pay & Allowances to the Indian Coast Guard personnel.
1.434 TATA Play swoops into home-security solutions in tie-up with Google
• Tata Play (formerly known as Tata Sky) announced its foray into Home Security Solutions along with Google.
• It launched two products, namely, Tata Play Secure and Tata Play Secure+ to bring Google Nest security camera to
its subscribers.
1.435 Delhi Airport becomes the first airport to run entirely on hydro and solar power in June
• Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, Delhi, has become the first airport in the country to run entirely on hydro
and solar power this month.
• Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) 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.
1.438 Oracle launches OCI dedicated region for public cloud customers in India
• US-based Oracle’s cloud services platform, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) has launched ‘OCI dedicated region’
for the Indian market to offer public cloud services to customers on their premises.
• It will enable customers to leverage public cloud services on their premises while meeting strict latency, data
residency, and data sovereignty requirements.
1.440 Archeological Survey of India (ASI) taps IIT Jodhpur to build a digital Museum
• The technology innovation hub of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jodhpur, iHub Drishti, is developing two
augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) platforms for the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
• Aim: To attract younger generations’ interest in archaeology and acknowledge the animation, visual effects,
gaming and comics (AVGC) as a formal sector, boosting opportunities for AR and VR developers to find new
employment avenues in India.
1.442 Biological E's Corbevax gets DCGI nod as a heterologous Covid booster dose
• Recently, Corbevax has become the first vaccine to get Drug Controller General of India’s (DCGI) approval to be
used as a heterologous booster for adults.
• Adults over 18 years of age who have either received two shots of Covaxin or Covishield can take Corbevax as
their third or booster shot.
• Corbevax is India’s 1st indigenously developed protein sub-unit COVID-19 Vaccine.
o It is a recombinant protein sub-unit vaccine.
1.443 Har Ghar Dastak 2.0: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched two months long “Har Ghar Dastak 2.0” campaign.
• Aim: To vaccinate and cover the eligible population groups for first, second and precaution doses through door-
to-door campaigns.
• It will be implemented from 1st June 2022 to 31st July 2022.
Key Areas to focus under Har Ghar Dastak 2.0 comapign
• Major focus will remain on improving coverage of persons aged ≥ 60years with precaution dose.
• Improving vaccination coverage for 12-18 years of population.
1.444 WhatsApp India, GoI join hands to leverage Chatbot for non-Covid use
• Recently, after wide use of the WhatsApp chatbot in the Covid-19 pandemic, WhatsApp India and the GoI are
now planning to expand the features of this bot to non-covid cases.
1.446 Polio Sub-National Immunization Day conducted from 19th June 2022 in 11 states/ UTs
• Recently, the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has started conducting the first Sub-National
Immunization Day for 2022 from 19th June to administer Polio vaccine drops to children.
• Total states/UTs covered: 11 states viz, Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra,
Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.
• Target Beneficiaries: around 3.9 crore children less than 5 years of age.
1.447 Delhi Govt in partnership with UNDP set up oxygen generation plant at G B Pant Hospital
• Recently, the Government of Delhi, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
India, has set up a Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen generating plants at G. B. Pant Hospital in New Delhi.
1.450 Union Education Minister launches Digital Skilling Program for one crore students from Class 7 to graduation
• Recently, the Union Minister of Education has unveiled a Digital Skilling program in emerging and future
technologies.
• Focus Area: skilling, reskilling and upskilling students via internships, apprenticeships, and employment to 1 crore
students in the Emerging Technologies.
1.451 National Ayurveda Research Institute for Panchakarma gets NABL Accreditation
• Recently, the Department of Biochemistry and Pathology of National Ayurveda Research Institute for Panchakarma
(NARIP), Cheruthuruthy, Thrissur, Kerala has received the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration
Laboratories (NABL) - Medical (Entry Level) Testing Labs (M(EL)T) Accreditation.
• NARIP is the first Institute under the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) to receive NABL
accreditation for its clinical laboratory services.
1.453 Special Health Care Abhiyan 'Anchal' launched for pregnant women in Rajasthan's Karauli
• Recently, the Karauli District in Rajasthan, has launched a Special Health Care Abhiyan/ Campaign 'Anchal' for
pregnant women.
• Initiative of: Ankit Kumar, District Collector of Karauli
• Aim: to ensure all necessary medical aid to pregnant women at the pre and post-natal stage to reduce maternal
and infant mortality rates.
1.454 DCGI's expert panel recommends SII's qHPV vaccine for cervical cancer patients
• Recently, the Subject Expert Committee of the Drugs Controller General of India's (DCGI) has recommended to
grant market authorisation to Serum Institute of India (SII) to manufacture indigenously-developed, India's first
Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus vaccine (qHPV) against cervical cancer.
• The qHPV vaccine has been recommended for 9 to 26 year age group.
• The vaccine ensures prevention of cancers caused by HPV (Type 6, 11, 16 & 18) vaccine recombinant.
1.455 Union Education Minister Chairs National Conference of School Education Ministers
• Recently, a two day National Conference of School Education Ministers' was held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat under
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• Conference Organizers: Education Department, Government of Gujarat & Department of School Education &
Literacy, Ministry of Education
• Conference Chair: Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Education.
1.456 AICTE becomes first accreditation body to hold office space in metaverse
• Recently, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has built its own office in metaverse.
o AICTE has become the first accreditation body in the world to have a virtual office in metaverse.
o USA based Information Data Systems Inc. (IDS) launched the outlook of the AICTE in the metaverse
o It is a stimulated digital environment that uses augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).
• Polyversity & Bharat Blockchain Network was also launched recently at the same event at AICTE in New Delhi.
1.458 Infosys, Harvard partner to offer digital courses for students, adults
• Recently, Infosys has partnered with Harvard Business Publishing (HBP) to offer free digital and life skills courses
through Springboard - the digital corporate education platform of Infosys.
• Beneficiaries: students and young adults in tier-II and tier-III cities in India.
1.460 MoS for I&B Dr. L. Murugan addresses participants of Startup pitching session at Cannes Next
• Recently, five Indian startups have pitched their ideas at Cannes Next at 2022 Cannes Film Festival in French
Riviera.
• Objective: to encourage young entrepreneurs looking for international funding for sponsoring their projects
pertaining the Audio Visual & Film Industries.
1.461 Tamil Nadu's Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant to get AKRUTI Centre
• The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has announced plans to start an Advanced Knowledge and
Rural Technology Implementation (AKRUTI) centre in the villages surrounding the Kudankulam Nuclear Power
Project (KKNPP) at Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu.
1.462 National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism and Responsible Traveller Campaign
• Recently, Ministry of Tourism has organized a National Summit on Developing Sustainable & Responsible Tourist
Destinations in New Delhi.
• It was organized in partnership with United Environment Program (UNEP) and Responsible Tourism Society of
India (RTSOI).
• On this occasion, Ministry of Tourism launched the National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism and Responsible
Traveller Campaign.
1.466 Horses Stable Launches 'Junior Season' In Association With AIM, NITI Aayog
• Recently, Horses Stable in association with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog has unveiled the ‘Horses Stable-
Junior’ show.
• The show is open to youngsters aged between 10 to 17 years.
• The show will nurture young entrepreneurs and encourage budding start-ups to pitch their new ideas, seek
guidance and grants for their future business ventures from an experienced panel.
1.467 PM attends the Ground Breaking Ceremony of the UP Investors Summit 3.0 at Lucknow
• Recently, the Government of Uttar Pradesh has hosted the Uttar Pradesh Investors Summit 3.0 (third edition) at
Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow.
• The Prime Minister of India laid the foundation stone of 1,406 projects worth over Rs 8,000 crore.
• The 1st Uttar Pradesh Investors Summit was held in 2018.
1.474 Renewal of MoU between DBT and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Recently, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have renewed the
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), originally signed in 2012, in the field of health and development issues.
• Aim: For developing new preventions, therapies and interventions needed to solve health (human and animal),
food and nutritional inequities.
• They have pledged to invest USD 50 million to tackle health and developmental issues.
1.476 Google announces Google for Startups Accelerator - India Women Founders
• Recently, Google has launched 'Google for Startups Accelerator - India Women Founders' programme.
• It is Google’s first women-founder focused programme in India.
• Aim: to help women founders address challenges that are unique to their experience, including fundraising, hiring
and many others.
1.479 Human Space Mission “Gaganyaan” and Human Ocean Mission in 2023
• Recently on the occasion of World Oceans Day, a union minister mentioned that India will launch the first
Human Space Mission “Gaganyaan” as well as the first Human Ocean Mission in 2023.
• MATSYA 6000, the deep-water manned submersible which will be ready for trials by the second quarter of
2024.
1.481 Innovation fund Pontaq signs deal with TN Startup and Innovation Mission to support startups
• Recently, the United Kingdom (UK) based innovation fund Pontaq has signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with the Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission (StartupTN).
• Under the MoU, Tamil Nadu Government will assist Pontaq-supported companies to expand business operations
in the state.
• In this regard, an investor summit was organized by Pontaq in Tamil Nadu.
1.482 Union Textiles Minister inaugurates 67th IIGF at IEML, Greater Noida
• Recently, the Union Minister for Textiles has inaugurated the 67th biennial edition of India International Garment
Fair (IIGF) at IEML, Greater Noida.
1.484 94% of domestic workers worldwide lack comprehensive social security: ILO
• Recently, the International Labour Organization (ILO), has released a report titled ‘Making the right to social
security a reality for domestic workers - A global review of policy trends, statistics and extension strategies’.
• 75.6 million domestic workers around the world witness multiple barriers to avail legal coverage and effective
access to social security.
• 94% of domestic workers worldwide lack comprehensive social security.
• 76.2% of the total domestic workforce (57.7 million people) are women.
1.486 Government relaxes family pension rules for missing Central govt employees
• Recently, the Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
has relaxed the family pension rules for missing Central Government employees.
• Any Central Government employee, covered under National Pension System (NPS), goes missing during service,
the benefits of family pension will be immediately paid to the family of the missing Government employee.
o In case if the missing person re-appears and resumes service, the family pension paid during the
intervening time of his missing period shall be deducted from salary.
1.487 Union Home Minister Inaugurates National Tribal Research Institute in New Delhi
• Recently, the Union Minister for Home Affairs has inaugurated the National Institute of Tribal Research in New
Delhi.
• It will act as a national link for all the tribal research institutes across India.
• It will unite the development of 8% tribal society of India.
1.488 NCPCR launches “CiSS application” under Baal Swaraj portal to help rehabilitation of children in street situations
• Recently, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has launched Children in Street Situation
(CiSS) application, a first-of-its-kind initiative in India to help CiSS.
• CiSS application has been launched under the Baal Swaraj portal.
Children in Street Situation (CiSS)
1.490 RPF rescues 150 girls/women during pan India drive "Operation Mahila Suraksha"
• Recently, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has rescued 150 girls/women from becoming the victims of human
trafficking during Operation Mahila Suraksha.
About Operation Mahila Suraksha
• Launched by: Railway Protection Force (RPF); Duration: 3rd to 31st May 2022.
• Aim: to provide safe & secure travel to women.
1.501 Election Commission deletes 111 ‘non-existent’ parties from list of registered political outfits
• Recently, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has deleted 111 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs)
that were found to be non-existent.
• This is in addition to the deletion of 87 non-existent RUPPs in May 2022.
1.506 ASBA application to be processed only after money is blocked in investor’s account: SEBI
• Recently, the Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has issued a circular stating that processing of Application
Supported by Blocked Amount (ASBA) applications in public issues of equity shares and convertibles must only
start after the bid money is blocked in the investor’s bank account.
• Applicability:
o All categories of investors viz, retail, qualified institutional buyers (QIBs), non-institutional investors (NIIs)
and other reserved categories.
o All modes through which the applications are processed.
• The new provisions will be applicable for public issues opening on or after 1 September 2022.
1.511 RBI launches annual survey on foreign liabilities, assets of mutual funds, AMCs
• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched the 2021-22 round of its annual Survey on ‘Foreign Liabilities
and Assets of Mutual Funds and Asset Management Companies’.
• Asset Management Companies (AMCs) are required to submit the Annual Return on Foreign Liabilities and Assets
(FLAs) online by July 15, 2022.
1.516 ‘Use & file’: New life insurance products sans nod
• Recently, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has extended the ‘use and file’
procedure for most life insurance products.
• The move will allow Life Insurance companies to launch new products without getting approval from IRDAI, the
regulator of Insurance Industry in India.
1.517 NFRA organizes seminar on “High Quality Financial Reporting Framework through Effective Independent
Oversight” as part of AKAM celebrations
• Recently, the National Financial Regulatory Authority (NFRA) has organized a seminar on “High Quality Financial
Reporting Framework through Effective Independent Oversight” at New Delhi.
1.519 RRA 2.0 suggests RBI for periodic review of regulations to align with evolving industry practices
• Recently, the Regulations Review Authority (RRA 2.0), has submitted a report with a set of recommendations to
reduce the compliance burden on Regulated Entities (REs).
• Periodic review of existing regulations- to align regulations with evolving developments in the industry practices
and financial landscape.
• Addressing gaps in understanding, interpreting, and implementing the instructions- the regulatory instructions
should contain a brief Statement of Object stating the rationale for issuance of instructions, supplemented with
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) / guidance notes and illustrations, wherever necessary.
About RRA 2.0
• Constituted by: The RBI; Duration: one year from May 01, 2021.
• Objective: to review the regulatory prescriptions internally as well as by seeking suggestions from the REs and other
stakeholders on their simplification and ease of implementation.
• RRA: M. Rajeshwar Rao, Deputy Governor of RBI.
1.520 CCI to set up digital market unit to assess big tech behaviour
• Recently, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) & the Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs have organized a
National Conference on Competition Law as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) at New Delhi.
• The CCI has decided to set up a Digital Markets Unit (DMU).
• DMU will act as a centre of expertise for digital markets.
1.523 Flipkart ties up with Spices Board to offer national market access to farmer communities
• Recently, Spices Board, under its initiative Flavourit Spices Trading Limited (FSTL), has signed a Terms of
Understanding (ToU) with e-commerce company Flipkart, under the Flipkart Samarth Program
• ToU Objective: to enhance market access and help promote farmers and grassroots organisations working in the
spices sector.
1.532 UPEIDA signs MoUs with SBI, BOB, PNB and SIDBI to boost investment in UP Defence Corridor
• Recently, the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with three public sector banks viz, State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of Baroda (BoB) and Punjab
National Bank (PNB) & Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to provide financial assistance to
investors in six nodes of the UP Defence Corridor.
• In addition, UPEIDA has also signed an MOU with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur Research and
Technology Park Foundation for Research and Development in the field of aerospace and defence ecosystem.
1.534 MeitY holds Brainstorming session to shape strategy for Digital India BHASHINI
• Recently, the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) has organized a brainstorming session on
Mission Digital India BHASHINI (BHASHa INterface for India) - the National Language Translation Mission (NLTM).
1.538 NHIDCL signs MoU with IIT-Roorkee to share knowledge on innovative ideas, technology in highway engineering
• Recently, the National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and the Indian Institute
of Technology (IIT)-Roorkee has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
• MoU Objective: to share knowledge on innovative ideas and technologies in the field of highway engineering and
other infrastructure works.
1.544 CCI approves Google International's buy of 1.28% stake in Bharti Airtel
• Recently, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the proposed acquisition of 1.28 % stake by
Google International in Bharti Airtel.
• Google to invest upto USD 1 billion to acquire stake in Bharti Airtel
1.550 All Ports to prepare Master Plan to become Mega Ports by 2047
• Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has asked all ports to prepare master plan to
become Mega Ports by 2047.
1.552 BSE and MACCIA partner to create awareness on SME listing across Maharashtra
• Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) recently collaborated with the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and
Agriculture (MACCIA) to promote and create awareness in the state on the benefits of listing on its Small and
Medium Enterprises (SME) platform.
• This pact will help the micro, small and medium industries in the state to get registered in the capital market and
raise capital from the public capital market.
1.554 Cabinet approves strategic partnership agreement between MNRE and IRENA
• The Cabinet recently approved a strategic partnership agreement signed between the Ministry of New and
Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
• Aim: The aim of the agreement is to drive ambition, leadership and knowledge on green energy transitions based
on renewable energy in India, helping India reach its ambitious goal of installing 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy
capacity by 2030.
1.556 Glenmark launches fixed-dose combination drug for Asthma patients in India
• The Glenmark pharmaceuticals recently launched the novel fixed-dose combination (FDC) drug, Indacaterol plus
Mometasone, for patients suffering with uncontrolled asthma in India under the brand name Indamet.
• According to the Global Burden of Disease report by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME),
asthma accounted for 27.9% of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in Indians causing 3 times higher mortality
and 2 times higher DALYs compared to the global proportion of asthma.
1.558 DTC and DMRC sign MoU to develop state-of-the-art bus terminals
• Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) recently signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) for the development of land parcels and bus terminals in the national capital.
• In the first phase of the project, land parcels and bus terminals at Nehru Place, Najafgarh, Azadpur, Mehrauli and
Narela have been identified jointly by DTC and DMRC for development.
1.560 The size of Media & Entertainment Industry to touch Rs 4 lakh crores by 2025: I & B Minister
• Recently, the Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting has delivered the keynote address at the National
Conference on Changing Landscape of Media & Entertainment 2022.
• Conference Organizer: Symbiosis Skill & Professional University; Venue: Pune, Maharashtra.
• Media & Entertainment Industry is expected to generate Rs 4 lakh crores annually by 2025
• Media & Entertainment Industry is expected to touch USD 100 billion or Rs 7.5 lakh crore by 2030.
1.570 Telangana Chief Minister opens world’s biggest innovation campus T-Hub 2.0
• Recently, the Chief Minister of Telangana has inaugurated T-Hub 2.0, the world’s biggest innovation campus at
Raidurg in Hyderabad.
o Aim: to incubate the next generation of start-ups.
About T-Tub
• An innovation intermediary and business incubator
• Launch Year: 2015; Location: Hyderabad, Telangana.
1.575 Second phase of the Going Online as Leaders (GOAL) program: GOAL 2.0
• Recently, Minister of Tribal Affairs has launched the second phase of the Going Online As Leaders (GOAL) program.
• Aim: Empowering youth and women from tribal and indigenous communities to harness the full potential of digital
platforms and enhancing their leadership skills for driving community development
• It is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Meta (Facebook).
Key Details from 1st Phase of GOAL
• 75% of the participants from the tribal community admitted improvement in their interpersonal skills.
• About 69% were able to leverage Digital Commerce for increased reach.
• About 63% said that it helped them understand how to set up their business.
1.578 Doctors, social media influencers required to pay TDS on freebies from 1 July
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has notified new guidelines on freebies under the newly added section
194R in the Finance Act of 2022.
• The new guidelines will come into effect from 1st July 2022.
• A doctor, social media influencer, or any resident who receives freebies or free gifts for sales promotions or any
benefits, are entitled to pay the Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) at the rate of 10%.
• Social Media influencers must pay the TDS if the person retains the freebie/benefits offered to them as a part of
marketing efforts by a company.
• In case of doctors, when a company provides free samples to a doctor who is an employee of a hospital or a
consultant to the hospital, the TDS will be deducted by the company in the hands of the hospital.
1.586 Alstom delivers 1st Semi High-Speed Regional Train for Delhi-Meerut RRTS project
• Recently, French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom has handed over the first indigenous semi high-speed regional
train for the 1st phase of National Capital Region Transport Corporation’s (NCRTC) Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS
(Regional Rapid Transit System) line.
• Speed of the train: 180 kmph.
• Length of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS line: 82.5 KM.
1.590 HDFC ERGO launches ‘Pay as you Drive’ program to reduce costs of premium
• HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company announced the launch of its ‘Pay as you Drive’ program.
• This is an insurance solution that offers distance-based insurance to reduce upfront costs of premium.
1.596 Dharmendra Pradhan Launched ‘Mandate Document’ for National Curriculum Framework
• Recently, the Union Education Minister has launched a “mandate document” for National Curriculum Framework
(NCF)
• It has been launched under the new National Education Policy (NEP).
Key Details
• NCF is the ‘Pathway’ and the mandate document, which is the ‘Constitution’ to champion the changing demands of
the 21st century and impact the future positively.
• NCF is guided by the National Steering Committee (NSC) chaired by Dr K Kasturirangan and supported by the
Mandate Group, in addition to the National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT).
o NCF includes the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE)
o The National Curriculum Framework for Early Childhood Care & Education (NCFECCE)
o The National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (NCFTE)
o The National Curriculum Framework for Adult Education (NCFAE)
• NCF will also fully account for other initiatives like National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding
and Numeracy Bharat Programme (NIPUN Bharat).
1.603 WEF Report: Urgent Action Needed to Ensure a Resilient Energy Transition Amid Severe Global Challenges
• Recently, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has published its new report titled “Fostering Effective Energy
Transition 2022”
o It has been launched by WEF in collaboration with Accenture
o The report is built on 10 years of Energy Transition Index, an annual country benchmarking report.
• It indicates that urgent action is required by both private and public sectors to ensure a resilient transition amid
the most severe energy crisis since the 1970s.
1.605 MoS, MNRE delivers keynote address at Intersolar Europe 2022 on “India’s Solar Energy Market”
• Recently, the Minister of State (MoS) in the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has delivered the key
note address at the investment promotion event on India’s Solar Energy Market at the annual Intersolar Europe
2022 event.
• The investment promotion event was organized by the Indo-German Energy Forum (IGEF).
• To promote green hydrogen economy, India has estimated outlay of Rs. 25,425 Crore.
• India has achieved the target of 40% cumulative electric capacity from non-fossil fuel in 2021, 9 years ahead of the
target year of 2030.
1.607 Mumbai gets India’s first EV charging station powered by food waste
• Recently, India’s first Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station powered by food waste has been inaugurated at
Keshavrao Khadye Marg in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• It can generate 20 units of energy from household waste.
1.610 India, Germany ink $10.5B deal for climate action targets
• Recently India and Germany signed several bilateral agreements during PM’s visit to Berlin.
• It also signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) on Forest Landscape Restoration between India and Germany was
signed virtually.
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• The agreements were focusing on sustainable development and as per the accord, India will receive 10 billion
euros ($10.5 billion) in aid by 2030 to boost the use of clean energy.
1.611 Assam Inks Tripartite Pact With AFD And ONFI For Wildlife Protection
• Recently, the Assam inks an MOU with French agencies called Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) and Office
National des Forets International (ONFI) for a Tripartite Park and Biodiversity Partnership.
• This inked partnership intends to exchange expertise and sharing of knowledge between the partners on various
aspects of wildlife protection.
• Through this MOU, a sum of Rs 2.50 crores would be granted by the AFD to the State Government of Assam.
1.612 India’s First Greenfield Grain-Based Ethanol Production Plant Inaugurated in Bihar
• Recently, the Chief Minister of Bihar, opened the country’s first greenfield grain-based ethanol factory in Purnia
(or Purnea).
• This plant is set to produce 65,000 litres of ethanol per day and it will need 150 tons of maize and rice every day.
1.614 Memorandum of Cooperation between India and Japan in the area of Decentralised Domestic Wastewater
Management
• Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) signed between the Department of Water Resources, River Development
and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD&GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti and The Ministry of the Environment of Japan in
the areas of Decentralized Domestic Waste Water Management.
• A Management Council (MC) will be formed for the implementation of this MoC by formulating detailed activities
of collaboration and monitoring its progress.
1.621 Etsy Inc. and NEHHDC inks MoU to Support Traditional Artisans, Weavers of North Eastern India
• Recently, the Etsy Inc. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with North Eastern Handicrafts and
Handloom Development Corporation (NEHHDC).
1.627 New 'Ambulift' inaugurated at Rajkot Airport to facilitate flyers with reduced mobility
• Recently the Rajkot Airport in Gujarat got a new “Ambulift” which will help in the movement flyers with reduced
mobility.
• The initiative is taken up by AAI under the “Transportation System Accessibility component” of Accessible India
Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan), the objective of which includes ‘Enhancing proportion of accessible airports
for divyangs’.
1.628 RPF signs MoU with Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi's Children Foundation to end child trafficking
• Recently Railway Protection Force (RPF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Association for
Voluntary Action (AVA) for a trafficking free nation.
• More than 50,000 children have been rescued by the RPF under "Operation Nanhe Frishte” from across the
country since 2018.
1.631 Lokpal To Get Permanent Office at World Trade Centre Building in Delhi
• The Lokpal of India will be getting a permanent office at the World Trade Centre in Nauroji Nagar, New Delhi.
1.633 Govt notifies new J&K electoral map: 47 seats for Kashmir, Jammu gets 43
• Recently, 3-member Delimitation Commission submitted its final order, in which it recommended an increase in
the number of seats in the Jammu Division to 43 from 37 seats earlier, and that in the Kashmir Valley to 47 from
46 earlier.
• This will take the total number of seats in the UT to 90 from 83 earlier.
• Panel was headed by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai.
1.636 World Bank Approves USD 47 Million Program to Strengthen India’s Public Sector Capability
• Recently, the World Bank has approved a USD 47 million project to support the Government of India’s Mission
Karmayogi, a national programme to strengthen civil service capacity.
• Mission Karmayogi: It is a National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB) called as “Mission
Karmayogi”. It was launched in September, 2020.
1.637 Amazon doubles cumulative export target from India to $20 billion by 2025
• Recently, Amazon has doubled its cumulative exports target from India under its Amazon Global Selling
programme to USD 20 billion by 2025 from USD 10 billion.
• The cumulative exports by Indian exporters on the Amazon Global Selling programme are on track to surpass the
USD 5 billion milestone.
1.638 New UK India Industry Taskforce launched to Facilitate Free Trade Deal
• Recently, the UK based Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and India’s Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has
created a new UK India Industry Taskforce.
• It is a joint commission to increase cross-industry collaboration, and to push the UK-India Free Trade Agreement
(FTA).
1.641 NGSL signed MoE with LREB & PEPL for solar PV Projects in Kenya
• Recently, the NTPC GE Power Services Private Limited (NGSL) has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Engagement
(MoE) with The Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB), Kenya and Procorp Enertech Private Limited (PEPL)
1.643 RBI holds off-cycle policy meet; hikes policy rate & CRR to control inflation
• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) held an off-cycle meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to
reassess the evolving inflation-growth dynamics and the impact of the developments after the MPC meeting of
April 2022.
• This is for the first time, MPC has organized an unscheduled meeting for raising interest rates.
• The decisions arrived at the meeting envisaged to achieve a medium-term target for consumer price index (CPI)
inflation of 4% within a band of +/- 2% (tolerance band), while supporting growth.
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• The MPC has voted unanimously to hike the policy repo (repurchase) rate under Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF)
by 40 basis points (bps) to 4.40% with immediate effect.
• Adjusted Policy Rates after hike in repo rate
o Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) Rate: 4.15%
o Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) Rate: 4.65%
o Bank Rate: 4.65%
o Fixed Reverse Repo Rate (FRRR) : 3.35%
• Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) has been increased by 50 bps to 4.5% of net demand and time liabilities (NDTL), with
effect from May 21, 2022.
• The Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) is maintained at 18.00%.
1.644 PAN Or Aadhaar Made Mandatory for Cash Deposits or Withdrawals Above Rs 20 Lakh: CBDT
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has come up with new rules called the Income–tax (Fifteenth
Amendment) Rules, 2022 by amending Income Tax Rules, 1962
• The new rules will come into effect from May 26, 2022.
• Objective: to curb tax evasion through the use of cash
• As per the new rules, Permanent Account Number (PAN) or Aadhaar card must be mandatorily furnished for the
following set of transactions:
o Cash deposit or withdrawal exceeding Rs 20 lakh in one or more bank accounts or the post office in a
financial year.
✓ The Rs 20 lakh threshold is for the aggregate of all deposits or aggregate of all withdrawals in a
year.
✓ The Rs 20 lakh threshold is also applicable to deposits and withdrawals from cooperative banks.
1.645 GST collection rises to all-time high of ₹1.68 lakh crore in April 2022
• According to Finance ministry data, monthly collection under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has peaked to an
all-time high of around Rs 1.68 lakh crore in April 2022.
1.648 Indian Economy to grow at 6.5-8.5% in Medium Term: RBI’s RCF 2021-22
• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released the ‘Report on Currency and Finance (RCF)’ for the year
2021-22. Theme: ‘Revive and Reconstruct’.
• It has recommended to focus on seven wheels of economic progress:
• Aggregate demand; aggregate supply; Institutions; Intermediaries and markets; Macroeconomic stability and policy
coordination; Productivity and technological progress; Structural conditions and sustainability.
• RBI expects the Indian economy to grow at 6.3% in FY24.
1.652 Exim Bank to Provide USD 190 Million LoC Backed by GoI to Mauritius
Recently, the Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has entered into an agreement with the SBM (Mauritius)
Infrastructure Development Company Ltd. (SBMIDCL) to extend USD 190 million Government of India (GoI)-
backed Line of Credit (LoC) to SBMIDCL.
The funds will be utilized for the Metro Express Project and other infrastructure projects in Mauritius.
1.653 MSME Ministry organizes Enterprise India National Coir Conclave 2022 at Coimbatore
• Recently, the Union Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) has organized the ‘Enterprise India
National Coir Conclave 2022’ at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
• The MSME Ministry also organized `Run for Coir’ at Nehru Stadium, Coimbatore.
• Theme: Enterprise India of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav
• Objective: to promote the use of coir as a natural, bio-degradable and eco-friendly product.
1.655 WEF & NITI Aayog to Focus on Emerging Tech to Benefit Small & Marginal Farmers
• The World Economic Forum (WEF) in collaboration with National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, is
focusing on better utilization of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things
(IoT), blockchain, drones to benefit small and marginal farmers.
1.657 Karnataka inks pact with chip consortium ISMC to set up ₹22,900 cr semiconductor plant
• International semiconductor consortium ISMC will invest $3 billion (Rs 22,900 crore) in Karnataka state to build a
chip-making plant, for a 65 nm Analog Semiconductor Fabrication plant.
• This will be one of India’s first and largest semiconductor fabrication units under the Central Government’s Indian
Semiconductor Mission upon project approval by the Government of India.
1.658 C-DOT and C-DAC Sign MoU for Cooperation in Diverse Areas of Telecom and ICT
• Recently, The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) and Centre for Development of Advanced Computing
(C-DAC), signed a MoU at the SemiconIndia 2022.
• Objective: Working together in the diverse areas of Telecom and Information Communication Technology (ICT) to
boost indigenous technological design and development.
1.661 India Launches NOAR Platform to Facilitate Open Access in Power Sector
• Recently, the Government of India has launched the National Open Access Registry (NOAR) website to promote
open access in the power sector.
1.664 Government stance on coal need v/s environment commitments under COP-21
• As per Economic Survey-2021, the demand for coal is expected to remain in the range of 1.3-1.5 billion tonnes by
2030.
Coal accounts for 55% of the country's energy need.
1.666 India Contributes USD 800,000 To Promote Hindi Language At United Nations
• Recently, the Government of India has contributed USD 800,000 towards the ‘Hindi @ UN' project, to continue
efforts to promote Hindi at the United Nations.
About Hindi @ UN project
• Launch Year: 2018
• Launched by: Government of India in collaboration with the UN Department of Public Information
• Aim: to enhance the public outreach of the United Nations (UN) in Hindi.
1.676 WardWizard aims 1GWh Li-ion advance cell manufacturing plant with Sunkonnect
• WardWizard Innovations and Mobility has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a firm Sunkonnect.
• Aim- To facilitate a feasibility study and identification of potential partner for the manufacturing of Li-ion advanced
cells in India.
1.677 Super 6E
• IndiGo introduced an exclusive fare category called "Super 6E".
1.680 Maruti Suzuki completed 500 Maruti Suzuki Driving Schools (MSDS) in country
• MSDS is India’s leading professional driving training school, which has presence across 242 cities with 500 driving
training schools.
1.682 Delhi govt announces free bus travel for construction workers
• The Delhi government has decided to provide free bus passes to construction workers.
• Purpose-To benefit around 10 lakh labourers.
1.692 Mukti-Matrika
• The Mukti-Matrika event is a significant part of ongoing celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• Organised by- Ministry of Culture
• Location- Kolkata, West Bengal
1.698 Railway Protection Force signs MoU with Association for Voluntary Action
• Railway Protection Force (RPF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Association for Voluntary
Action (AVA).
• Purpose- To make nation trafficking free.
• RPF has also set up Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) at more than 740 locations across India.
1.718 Mumbai Gets India’s First EV Charging Station Powered By Food Waste
• Recently, the India’s first EV charging station powered by bio-gas was inaugurated in Mumbai (Maharashtra).
1.720 INS Gharial Delivers Critical Medical Aid to Sri Lanka Under Mission SAGAR IX
• Recently, India as part of Mission SAGAR IX (Security And Growth for All in the Region) provided Critical Medical
Aid through its Indian Navy Ship (INS) Gharial to Sri Lanka.
1.722 Railway Protection Force (RPF) Launches “Operation Satark” For Focused Effort
• Objective: to take action against illicit liquor/ Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) /illegal tobacco
products/unaccounted gold/cash/precious items/ any other items being transported through railway network for
the purpose of tax evasion/smuggling/commission of crime/acts of terror.
1.725 Govt of India to issue Rs 100 commemorative coin to mark birth centenary of Jawaharlal Darda
• Jawaharlal Darda was a veteran freedom fighter & a former politician from Maharashtra
• He was the founder of Lokmat Group of Newspapers & fondly known as Babuji.
1.726 NTPC inks MoU with Energy Vault
• NTPC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Energy Vault for gravity-based energy storage technology.
• Objective- to collaborate and formalise a long-term strategic partnership for deployment of Energy Vault’s EVx™
and to support NTPCs clean energy transition.
1.730 Nykaa acquires stakes in Earth Rhythm, KICA and Nudge Wellness
• Nykaa has announced strategic investments in Earth Rhythm, Nudge Wellness and KICA.
Nykaa has announced the acquisition of:
• 18.51% stake in clean beauty brand Earth Rhythm for ₹41.65 crore
• 60% stake in dietary supplement & nutricosmetics products Nudge Wellness for ₹3.6 crore
• Athleisure brand 'KICA' for ₹4.51 crore.
1.734 Torrent Power to acquire 50MW solar power plant from SkyPower group
• Torrent Power Ltd. has signed a share purchase agreement with SkyPower group to acquire Sunshakti Solar Power
Projects Private Ltd (SPV).
• The SPV operates a 50-megawatt (MW) solar power project in Telangana.
1.736 LIC Board approved minimum 3.5% stake dilution via IPO
• The government is to sell 3.5% stake in LIC through an initial public offering.
• LIC IPO is the biggest public issue in India.
1.741 IndiGo becomes first airline in Asia to land using GAGAN aided approach
• IndiGo has become the first Airline in Asia to conduct Localiser Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV)
approach.
• LPV approach was conducted on ATR 72-600 aircraft.
Additional Information
• GAGAN is an acronym for GPS aided GEO Augmented Navigation and is an indigenously developed Space Based
Augmentation System (SBAS).
• It is developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Airports Authority of India (AAI).
1.745 Exide begins production at India's largest lithium-ion battery plant with partner Leclanche
• Exide Industries and joint venture partner Switzerland's Leclanche SA have begun mass production at the nation's
largest lithium-ion battery plant in Gujarat.
• The plant has a total installed capacity of 1.5 Gigawatt hours (GWh).
1.746 Reliance becomes first company to cross USD 100 billion annual revenue
• Reliance Industries became the first Indian company to record annual revenue of more than $100 billion.
• The company recorded a 22.5% rise in net profit for the quarter ended March 2022.
1.749 Tata Power Solar Systems bags India’s largest solar EPC order
• Tata Power Solar Systems bagged India's largest single solar EPC order of 1GW for approx. Rs 5,500 crore from
SJVN.
• The project will cover around 5000+acres of land in Rajasthan.
• Aim- To reduce around 22,87,128kg of carbon emission and to generate around 2500 million solar units annually.
1.750 SECI and PSPCL signs Power Purchase Agreements with ReNew Power
• ReNew Power has signed 5 Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for supply of 1,500 Mega-Watt (MW) of electricity
generated from solar power plants.
• 4 PPAs were signed with Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) and One PPA with Punjab State Power
Corporation Limited (PSPCL).
1.752 Adani Wilmer Limited tops the list of Indian FMCG Companies
• Adani Wilmar Limited (AWL) has become the largest FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) company in India,
surpassing the Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL).
• In FY 2021-22, AWL registered revenue of Rs. 54,214 crores while HUL’s revenue was Rs. 51,468 crores.
1.753 Tata Power Solar Systems receives largest Solar EPC order from SJVN Ltd
• Tata Power Solar Systems Limited has secured India’s largest single solar EPC (engineering, procurement, and
construction) order of 1 GW (gigawatt) for Rs. 5500 crores from SJVN Limited.
• This project is spread out over 5,000 acres in Bikaner (Rajasthan).
• Project duration is 24 months and is being developed under the Central Public Sector Undertaking scheme of the
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
1.754 Indian Oil Corporation lunches ‘M15 Petrol’ on Pilot Basis in Assam
• Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has launched M15 petrol (petrol blended with 15% Methanol) on a pilot basis in the
Tinsukia (Assam).
• IOC’s Digboi refinery will supply Methanol for blending purpose.
Additional Information:
• Digboi has the oldest oil well under operation in India.
1.756 RailTel Designs & Establishes ‘Health Cloud’ Mobile Container Hospital at AMTZ Visakhapatnam
• Recently, RailTel has designed & established ‘Health Cloud’ Mobile Container Hospital at Visakhapatnam
premises of Andhra Pradesh Med Tech Zone (AMTZ).
• Health Cloud is a dedicated data centre catering to the specific and distinctive needs of the health sector.
1.757 Union government releases National Family Health Survey 2019–21 (NFHS-5)
• Fifth round of National Family Health Survey (NFSH 2019-21) has been released by Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare.
• NFSH 5 was conducted in two phases from June 2019 to April 2021.
Key Findings –
• Total Fertility Rates (TFR) has dropped to 2.0 from earlier level of 2.2.
• Only 5 states have TFR above the replacement level of 2.1 - Bihar, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Manipur.
• Institutional births have increased from 79% to 89% (Rural – 57%, Urban – 94%)
Note: Complete key findings of the NFHS-5 have been covered as separate document in Reports & Indices section of
course.
1.760 First Flow Chemistry Technology (FCT) Hub of India Set up at Hyderabad
• India’s first Flow Chemistry Technology Hub (FCT Hub) has been set up at Hyderabad by the Government of
Telangana in collaboration with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratory and Laurus Labs.
• It has been established to facilitate the pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) as well as to promote
the indigenous manufacture of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).
1.761 Ministry of Ayush establishes Central Council of Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS)
• The Ministry of Ayush has established Central Council of Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), at New Delhi as
an Autonomous Organization.
• CCRAS is an apex body in India for undertaking, coordinating, formulating, developing and promoting research on
scientific lines in Ayurvedic sciences.
• CCRAS is conducting a “Tribal Health Care Research Programme (THCRP)” under Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) through 14
CCRAS Institutes for the welfare of the tribal people.
1.762 Ministry of Ayush shares information related to Identification of Medicinal Plants and Rare Species of Herbs
• As per the information shared, Botanical Survey of India (BSI) has documented 2034 species of ethnobotanical
information on traditional/medicinal knowledge in the tribal regions of Odisha, Gujarat, Bihar, Tharu and Bhoksa
tribe of Uttarakhand, and Lodh tribes of West Bengal.
National AYUSH Mission (NAM):
• Launched by Ministry of Ayush during financial year 2015-16 to 2020-21.
• Aim: to promote the cultivation of Medicinal Plants throughout the country.
• Subsidies @30%, 50% and 75% of cultivation cost was provided for 140 prioritized medicinal plants species to the
farmers through State Implementing Agencies.
1.764 Ministry of Health and Family Welfare shares information on Initiatives related to reduce Malnutrition induced
Infant Mortalities
• As per the information shared, 1080 Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) are operational across the country.
• These NRCs provide medical and nutritional care of the admitted sick children with Severe Acute Malnutrition
(SAM).
Initiatives taken by government to reduce the mortalities due to malnutrition:
• Nutritional Rehabilitation Centre
• Integrated Child Development Schemes (ICDS) – Launched in 1975, this flagship scheme is implemented by
Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• Beneficiaries: Children (0-6 years), pregnant women and lactating mothers.
• ICDS offers a package of six services:
1.766 Union government establishes NIDAN Kendra for treating genetic disorders
• Department of Biotechnology (Ministry of Science and Technology) has started the Unique Methods for
Management of Inherited Disorders (UMMID) initiative to address the genetic disorders in the country.
• Under UMMID initiative, NIDAN Kendra (National Inherited Disorders Administration Kendras) are being
established to provide the clinical care for genetic disorders.
1.767 Govt to launch ONDC in 100 cities to onboard Local Kirana Stores
• Recently, the Government of India has launched the pilot phase of Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) at
Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• The pilot phase covers five cities viz, Bengaluru (Karnataka), Delhi, Bhopal (Assam), Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) and
Shillong (Meghalaya) to empower kirana stores.
• Under the pilot phase, 150 targeted kirana stores will display their products in e-commerce platforms that are
connected to ONDC.
1.769 Union government launches 3 One District One Product (ODOP) brands under PMFME
• Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) has launched 3 One District One Product (ODOP) brands.
• These brands have been launched under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises
(PMFME) Scheme.
• The 3 brands are:
Madhurmithas – Jaggery Poweder (UP)
Anaras – Dried spicy pineapple (Meghalaya)
Pind Se – Mango Pickel (Punjab)
1.771 Ministry of Labour & Employment shares information related to Social Security and Welfare Schemes For Migrant
Labourers
• During Covid – 19 pandemic period, Union Government has taken several additional measures for the benefits of
workers, such as:
• Creation of 39.51 lakh new job opportunities by crediting Rs.2583 crores in EPF accounts under Atmanirbhar
Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY)
• Benefits of Rs.2567 crores to retain 38.91 lakh low wage employees under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana
(PMGKY)
• Financial assistance of Rs.7413 crore to Building & other Construction Workers (BOCW), unemployment benefit
under Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana (ABVKY)
• Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan (PMGKRA) generating 50.78 crore man-days
• With Rs.39,293 crores working capital loan to street vendors under PMSVA Nidhi Scheme,
• Free food grain of 5 kg per person per month to all Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) beneficiaries
1.772 Ministry of Labour and Employment shares information on registrations on eSHRAM portal
• As on March 2022, more than 26.66 crore unorganised workers have been registered on eSHRAM portal.
• Amount of Rs. 280 crore is provided under the Revised Estimate 2021-22, which includes the premium amount
towards Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY).
1.774 Union Minister of Law and Justice shares update on National Legal Services Authorities
• As per the information shared, National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has undertaken several measures to
make available affordable, quality and speedy justice to the common man.
• NALSA was constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987
• As per Section 12 of the Act, free and competent Legal Services to be provided to the weaker sections of the society
and to organize Lok Adalats for settlement of disputes.
• NALSA is housed at Supreme Court of India, New Delhi.
• Chief Justice of India is designated as Patron-in-Chief of NALSA.
• NALSA Director: Mr. Puneet Sehgal
• From April, 2021 to January, 2022 - 62.21 lakhs persons have been provided with free legal services and 133.27
lakhs cases have been settled through Lok Adalats.
1.775 Ministry of Public Grievances & Pensions shares information related to government’s Grievance Redressal Cell
• In 2021, around 30.23 lakh complaints were received out of which 21.35 lakh were disposed.
Government has reduced the time-frame of grievance redressal in CPGRAMS from 60 days to 45 days.
1.778 The Seventeenth Lok Sabha contains 14.4% Women Members of Parliament (MPs)
• A total of 14.4% women Members of Parliament (MPs) were elected in the 17th Lok Sabha elections (2019).
• In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, this ratio was 11.4% (2019 saw an increase of 26.3%).
• As on November 2021, share of women MPs in Rajya Sabha stood at 12.24%.
• According to data provided for state legislative assemblies:
• Chhattisgarh has highest percentage (14.44%) of women Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), while there
were no women MLAs in Mizoram and Nagaland.
• Highest 11.66% of women MLAs were elected in Uttar Pradesh in the recently concluded Legislative Assembly
Elections of 5 States (2022).
Efforts to increase participation of women in parliament:
• The Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, was introduced in parliament in 2008. It seeks to reserve 33% seats in
Lok Sabha and all state legislative assemblies for women.
1.779 NITI Aayog & GIZ Collaborates to end gender-based barriers for Women Entrepreneurs in India
• According to World Bank, female labour participation rate in India saw a sharp decline from 31.9% in 2005 to
18.6% in 2020.
• As per a 2019 report by IMF, share of women in India’s GDP is only 18%, less than half the global average of 37%.
• India ranked 57 out of 65 countries in the Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs, 2021.
• In India, about 20.37% of women are MSME owners.
1.781 ‘Digital Sansad’ for Digitalization of Government and fostering the idea of ‘Digital Nagrik’
• A presentation has been organized for a group of MPs from both the Houses of Parliament for discussing &
consulting the broad framework of Digital Sansad.
• Minister of State for Electronics & IT described the platform consistent with vision of Digitalization of Govt and
fostering a connect with the citizens - Digital Nagrik'.
• The first version shall be rolled out in 140 days followed by version 2 by 12 months.
• National Informatics Centre (NIC) will be developing 3 versions of the App within 3 years, covering the entire
spectrum of functioning of the Indian Parliament.
1.786 Net Direct Tax Collections for 2021-22 registers a growth of 48.8%
• Net Direct Tax collections for the FY 2021-22, stood at Rs. 13,63,038.3 crore (as on March 2022), representing an
increase of 48.41%, compared to Rs. 9,18,430.5 crore for similar period in FY 2020-21.
• Net Direct Tax collection of Rs. 13.63 lakh crore include:
Corporation Tax (CIT) - Rs. 7.19 lakh crore
Personal Income Tax (PIT) - Rs. 6.40 lakh crore (including Security Transaction Tax)
• Collection of Rs. 13.63 lakh crore is against a target of Rs. 11.08 lakh crore (later revised to Rs. 12.50 lakh crore)
• Gross Direct Taxes collections are Rs. 15.50 lakh crore, out of which refunds of Rs. 1.87 lakh crore were issued.
• Advance Tax collections for the FY 2021-22 (till 4th Instalment) stand at Rs. 6.63 lakh crore (as on March 2022)
which shows a growth of approximately 40.75%.
1.787 Government plans to align National Agricultural Education Policy (NAEP) with the National Education Policy (NEP)
2020
• A detailed roadmap has been prepared by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to align the National
Agricultural Education Policy (NAEP) with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• This is being done to achieve 2030 agenda.
• NEP 2020 is based on five pillars namely, Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability.
• 2030 Agenda is also known as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
1.788 Star9 Mobility Private Ltd to buy Govt’s 51% stake in Pawan Hans
• Recently, the Alternative Mechanism, has approved the highest bid of Rs 211.14 crore from Star9 Mobility Private
Limited, for the sale of the entire 51% shareholding of the Government of India (GoI) of Pawan Hans Limited (PHL)
and transfer of management control.
• It is the second major privatization in aviation sector after Air India and AI Express were taken over by the TATA.
• The reserve price of the sale was fixed at Rs 199.92 crore.
1.789 Ministry of Textiles shares information on Status of Textile and Clothing Sector in India
• As per the information shared, textiles sector has observed good recovery in recent months after suffering sharp
decline due to Covind-19 pandemic.
• The export of textiles and apparel during April-January 2021-22 stood at USD 34.459 billion, registering a growth
of 49% over the same period in 2020-21 (USD 23.137 billion).
1.790 Union Government launches Temple-360 portal to offer online darshan at pilgrimage centres
• Union Ministry of Culture has launched ‘Temple 360’, an online portal to offer online darshan at pilgrimage sites
in an Event held at New Delhi.
• Currently, live streaming of rituals from four famous temples — Somnath (Gujarat), Kashi Vishwanath (Uttar
Pradesh), Trimbakeshwar and Ghrishneshwar (both in Maharashtra) can be viewed on the portal.
• The portal will soon start virtual darshan of 12 Jyotirlingas and 4 Dhams — Dwarka (Gujarat), Badrinath
(Uttarakhand), Puri (Odisha) and Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu).
1.792 GoI’s efforts have resulted in 86.45% decline in Malaria cases and 79.16% reduction in Malaria related deaths in
2021 as compared to 2015”
• Recently, the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare has delivered an address to commemorate World Malaria
Day 2022.
• A manual on Integrated Vector Management 2022 was released during the event.
• As a part of World Malaria Day 2022 celebrations, Railway stations at New Delhi, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh),
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) and Nagpur (Maharashtra) were illuminated in hues of orange and purple to raise
awareness among the public.
Key Information Shared
• Due to the efforts of the Government of India (GoI), there has been 86.45% decline in malaria cases and 79.16%
reduction in malaria related deaths in 2021 as compared to 2015.
• 124 districts across India have reported ‘zero malaria cases’.
• India aims to eradicate Malaria by 2030.
1.797 NGT directs states to explore viability of electric, PNG crematorium to curb pollution
• Recently, a bench headed by National Green Tribunal (NGT) Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel has advised
States/UTs to explore the viability of electric or Piped Natural Gas (PNG) crematorium alongside wood to curb air
pollution.
• States/UTs must consider remedial measures to curb the pollution caused by wood-based crematorium.
• States/UTs should educate people to switch over to environmental friendly methods of cremation.
1.800 Gaia the Earth Foundation recognized as an Actor for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030
• Recently, Gaia the Earth Foundation has been recognized as an Actor for the United Nations (UN) Decade on
Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO).
• The foundation has been recognized for implementing Mission Prakriti Carbon Offset Programme.
Gaia the Earth Foundation is now officially a UN Decade partner.
About Mission Prakriti Carbon Offset Programme
• Initiative of: Gaia the Earth Foundation
• A social forestry program, focusing on converting barren land passes into forests through Rapid Afforestation,
Lakes and River Rejuvenation and Biodiversity Regeneration.
The mission proposes to convert 5000 acres of barren lands across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka.
• Aim: to restore 100 thousand acres of land in the next five years.
1.803 Zomato announces 100% 'plastic neutral deliveries' from April 2022
• Recently, on the occasion of World Earth Day (22 April), Zomato has announced 100% plastic neutral deliveries
from April 2022 onwards.
Theme for World Health Day 2022: “Our Planet, Our Health’’.
• Zomato has set a target to deliver more than 10 crore orders in sustainable packaging over the next three years.
• Zomato
has signed up for
the EV100
initiative, and
committed to
switch over to a
100% EV (electric
vehicle) fleet by 2030.
1.806 Capgemini CEO Ashwin Yardi appointed UNICEF's YuWaah board co-chair
• Recently, Ashwin Yardi, the Chief-Executive Officer (CEO) of Capgemini India, has been appointed as the co-chair
of United Nations Children's Fund’s (UNICEF's) ‘YuWaah' - the Indian chapter of Generation Unlimited (GenU).
• Yasumasa Kimura, the UNICEF Representative is the other co-chair of YuWaah
1.807 NITI Aayog and UNICEF India Sign Statement of Intent on SDGs Focusing on Children
• Recently, NITI Aayog and United Nations Children's Fund, (UNICEF India) have signed a Statement of Intent (SoI)
on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a focus on children
• The SoI seeks to formalize a framework of cooperation to develop India’s first report on the ‘State of India’s
Children: Status and Trends in Multidimensional Child Development’.
• Focus Areas of the Report: multidimensional aspects of child development like health, education, nutrition,
protection, and other relevant areas.
• The initiative will contribute towards India’s commitment on 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• The initiative ensures that no child is left behind.
1.808 Google signs MoU with Telangana government to bring benefits of digital economy
• Recently, the Google has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Telangana government to bring
benefits of digital economy to youth and women entrepreneurs.
1.809 India targets $350bn services exports in 2022-23, 40% yoy growth
• Recently, the Government of India has increased services exports target for 2022-23 (FY23) to USD 350 billion
from USD 300 billion, a growth of 40% over 2021-22 (FY22).
• The service exports target has been increased anticipating a sharp recovery in Travel and Tourism, Hospitality,
Education and Entertainment in India.
1.812 World Bank cuts global growth forecast to 3.2% over impact of Russia's Ukraine invasion
• Recently, the World Bank has reduced its global growth forecast for 2022 to 3.2% from 4.1% due to the impacts
of Russia’s Ukraine invasion.
• To cope with the added economic stresses from the war, the World Bank has proposed a new 15-month crisis
financing target of USD 170 billion.
• Goal: to commit about USD 50 billion from the crisis financing target over the next three months.
1.815 Union Finance Minister addresses G20 Finance Ministers & Central Bank Governors meeting
• Recently, the Union Minister of Finance has addressed the Group of 20 (G20) Finance Ministers & Central Bank
Governors meeting at Washington, D.C., United States of America (USA).
• The meeting was held under the Presidency of Indonesia.
1.816 Agriculture Minister launches two redeveloped online portals to strengthen Indian Agriculture
• Recently, the Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has launched two redeveloped, Integrated & hi-
tech online portals, on export/import of agricultural commodities and pesticides registration, viz,
o Computerized Registration of pesticide (CROP)
o Plant Quarantine Management System (PQMS)
• Both the portals are launched by Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage (DPPQS), Faridabad under
the aegis of Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DAFW), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• DAFW has roped in Centre for Good Governance (CGG), Hyderabad for-
o Design, development, technical support maintenance and hosting of seamless integrated e-Governance
solution for PQMS on new technology platform,
• Hosting of e-Governance solutions of redeveloped Comprehensive Registration of Pesticides (CROP).
110 | P a g e W W W . E D U T A P . C O . I N QUERY? [email protected]/ 8146207241
1.817 Centre grants interim approval to 'Kisan Drones', releases SOPs
• Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare & Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee
(CIB&RC) have granted an interim approval for the spray of nearly all the registered pesticides formulations to
fast track agri-drone adoption.
• According to Drone Federation of India (DFI), 477 registered pesticides have been granted the interim approval.
• The registered pesticides include insecticides, fungicides & plant growth regulators (PGRs).
• The interim approval is for commercial use through drones for two years.
• The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the stakeholders, has released Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs) for use of drones in pesticide and nutrient applications.
• It has been released to facilitate the use of Kisan drones, as announced in the Union Budget 2022-23.
• It is in line with the Prime Minister of India’s vision to promote drone technology and its use in India.
• The SOP provides clear-cut instructions for effective and safe operations of drones.
1.820 A decade after launch, Mobile Seva app store still languishes
• According to data from data.ai (formerly App Annie), Mobile Seva has witnessed only 88.5 million app downloads
since inception.
o While, Indians downloaded over 27 billion apps from Google and Apple’s app stores in 2021.
1.828 Swiggy has becomes Decacorn by almost doubling its valuation to $10.7 billion
• Swiggy’s latest valuation is almost double that of Zomato before the latter went for its initial public offering. Zomato
was valued at $5.4 billion before its IPO.
1.829 Tata Power Renewable Energy has collaborated with Germany-based RWE Renewable GmbH
• Aim: To explore potential for a joint development of offshore wind projects in India.
• The MoU between Tata Power Renewable Energy and RWE becomes significant in the light of the Central govt’s
announcement of achieving 30GW of offshore wind installations by 2030.
1.830 TomTom Traffic Index's global top 25 list
• 5th is the rank of Mumbai as most congested cities in the world in 2021.
• Delhi and Pune ranked 11th and 21st among 404 cities across 58 countries, according to TomTom Traffic Index's
global top 25 list.
• The congestion level in Delhi during 2021 was 14% less than 2019 while in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Pune, the level
dropped by 18%, 32% and 29% respectively, according the report.
1.831 Hindustan Petroleum Corporation has marked its foray into non-fuel retailing sector
• It has inaugurated its Retail Store under brand name HaPpyShop.
• Located at the company-owned retail outlet at the upmarket Nepean Sea Road near Malabar Hills, this is the
company’s latest offering at its “Club HP” retail outlet.
• The store will provide home utility products including food, toiletries, healthcare products, bakery products,
groceries, medicines and more
1.832 RailTel wins the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) award for excellence
• The company was adjudged as winner in in financial reporting for the year 2020-21 in Public Sector Entities
Category.
1.833 Ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MoSPI) projected India’s gross domestic product (GDP)
deflator for FY23 at 3 to 3.5 percent.
• The Government’s own projection on real GDP growth for FY23 is at 7.6-8.1 percent and the union budget projected
nominal GDP growth rate to be 11.1 percent for FY23.
• Economic Survey 2021-22 projected a real GDP growth rate of 8-8.5 percent in FY23. GDP Projection in the Budget
is based on advance estimates of ‘National Statistical Office’ (NSO).
1.834 Dabur India Limited becomes India’s 1st 100% Plastic Waste Neutral company.
• It claimed to be the first Indian consumer goods company to achieve this landmark.
• It has collected, processed and recycled around 27,000 MT of post-consumer plastic waste from all over India in the
2021-22 financial year.
• Its plastic waste management initiative was rolled out in the year 2017-18.
1.835 Vedanta signs an MoU with Taiwanese electronics manufacturing company, Hon Hai Technology Group
(Foxconn) to form a joint venture for manufacturing semiconductors in India.
• According to the MOU signed between the two companies, Vedanta will hold the majority of the equity in the joint
venture, while Foxconn will be the minority shareholder.
• This first-of-its-kind joint venture between the two companies will support Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s
vision to create an ecosystem for semiconductor manufacturing in India.
1.838 Telecom company, Bharti Airtel has joined the SEA-ME-WE-6 undersea cable consortium
• Aim: To scale up its high-speed global network capacity to serve India.
• The 19,200 Rkm SEA-ME-WE-6 will connect Singapore and France, and will be amongst the largest undersea cable
systems globally.
• Through SEA-ME-WE-6, Airtel will add 100 TBps capacity to its global network. Airtel will land the SEA-ME-WE-6
cable system in India at new landing stations in Mumbai and Chennai.
1.843 Reliance and TA’ZIZ sign shareholder pact for $2 bn joint venture
• Abu Dhabi Chemicals Derivatives Company RSC Ltd (TA'ZIZ) and Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), have signed the
formal shareholder agreement for the TA'ZIZ EDC and PVC project
• The joint venture will construct and operate a Chlor-Alkali, Ethylene Dichloride (EDC) and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
production facility, with a total investment of over $2 billion.
Additional Information
• TA'ZIZ is a joint venture between Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) and sovereign wealth fund ADQ.
The chemicals will be produced in UAE for the first time.
1.847 Gautam Adani overtakes Warren Buffet to become the world’s 5th richest
• According to Forbes Data, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani has become the world's fifth-richest person
overtaking legendary investor Warren Buffett.
• As per the estimates, the net worth of Gautam Adani surged to $123.7 billion while Warren Buffett's net worth
stood at $121.7 billion.
• Top four- Elon Musk ($ 269.7 billion), Jeff Bezos ($ 170.2 billion), Bernard Arnault ($ 167.9 billion), Bill Gates ($
130.2 billion).
1.852 Coin and Stamp on Guru Tegh Bahadur’s 400th Prakash Purab
• Recently, the commemorative coin and a postage stamp has been released to mark the 400th anniversary of 9th Sikh
Guru Tegh Bahadur.
• PM Modi is the first Prime Minister to deliver a speech at the Mughal-era monument after sunset.
1.860 KuCoin backed firms launch $100 million global fund for early-stage NFT projects
• KuCoin Ventures and its NFT marketplace, Windvane, have launched a $100 million “creators fund".
• The fund will support and incubate early-stage non-fungible token (NFT) projects, covering fields such as arts,
sports, PFPs, Asian culture, celebrities, GameFi, etc.
Additional Information
• KuCoin is a crypto trading platform.
• Windvane is a brand new decentralized NFT marketplace powered by KuCoin.
1.861 PM lays foundation stone for Indian Railways first loco manufacturing unit in Gujarat
• PM Modi has laid the foundation stone for manufacturing 9000 HP Electric Locomotives at the Production Unit in
Dahod, Gujarat.
• Haulage Capacity- 4500 tonnes of load.
• The upgradation cost of the Dahod workshop to the manufacturing unit is around Rs 20,000 crore.
• The workshop will be upgraded to Indian Railways’ electric locomotive manufacturing unit with infrastructural
improvements.
• The project will provide direct and indirect employment opportunities to over 10,000 people.
• The maximum speed of these locomotives will be up to 120 km per hour.
1.868 Reliance Jio becomes India’s second largest fixed-line service provider
• Reliance Jio has surpassed Bharti Airtel to become India's second-largest fixed-line service provider.
• Jio is now behind BSNL which has over 75.76 lakh wireline customers.
Additional Information
• Fixed-line or wireline telecommunication refers to telephone and broadband internet services provided through a
network of cables.
• As per TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India), wireline subscribers base in the country reached 2.45 crore
at the end of February 2022 from 2 crore in January 2021.
1.870 Biliti Electric Inc (Biliti) intends to setup the world’s largest electric three-wheeler factory in India
• California-based Biliti Electric Inc (Biliti) announced to setup the world’s largest electric three-wheeler factory in
Telangana.
• The factory will produce around 2,40,000 electric vehicles per year.
• The new plant is estimated to drive private investment of $150 million.
1.875 MoU signed between Indian Air Force and IIT Madras
• Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) for various development projects to support the requirements of the IAF.
1.877 Oil India Limited commissions India’s first Pure Green Hydrogen Plant
• Oil India Limited (OIL) has commissioned India’s First Pure Green Hydrogen Plant, with installed capacity of 10kg
per day initially (will be later increased to 30kg per day).
• It is located at Jorhat Pump Station, Assam.
1.880 1.5 lakh free Dish to be distributed in border areas and far-flung areas
• Government of India will provide free Doordarshan Dish TV facilities to residents of far-flung areas of Jammu and
Kashmir.
• Purpose- To achieve the goal of reaching out to people in far-flung areas.
Additional Information
• This is for the first time that Pashmina products are being produced outside the region of Leh-Ladakh and Jammu
& Kashmir.
• This will generate sustainable employment opportunities for women in Ladakh and diversify the skills of traditional
weavers in Varanasi.
1.892 SJVN signs pact with BHEL, REMC for Indian Railways
• Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with engineering firm Bharat
Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and Renewable Energy Management Centre (REMC).
• Purpose- To jointly develop renewable energy projects for Indian Railways.
1.893 Bilateral MoU between SEBI and Manitoba Securities Commission, Canada
• Cabinet approved Bilateral Memorandum of Understanding between Securities and Exchange Board of India and
Manitoba Securities Commission, Canada.
• The MoU seeks a formal basis for cross-border cooperation in the area of securities regulations.
• The MoU would also make investors from Manitoba eligible for registration as an Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI)
with SEBI.
Additional Information
• The Manitoba Securities Commission is a division of the Manitoba Financial Services Agency, an independent
agency of the Government of Manitoba that protects investors and promotes fair and efficient capital markets
throughout the province.
1.896 Odisha Govt and BPCL sign MoU for developing renewable energy plant
• The Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Ltd (IPICOL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation
Limited (BPCL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
• Purpose- to take vital steps towards the proliferation of green energy in the state.
1.897 Vice President visited the birthplace of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju
• The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu visited the birthplace of noted freedom fighter and revolutionary, Shri
Alluri Sitarama Raju in Pandrangi village near Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
1.916 Hiranandani-Blackstone JV Greenhouse inks industrial lease deal with Jost India
• Greenbase Industrial & Logistics Park has inked a lease deal with Jost India.
• The 2 lakh sq ft lease deal is for 10 years at the mixed-use township Hiranandani Parks in Chennai.
• Greenbase Industrial & Logistics Park is a joint venture between Niranjan Hiranandani Group and Blackstone
Group.
• Jost India is a manufacturer of components for commercial vehicles and agricultural equipment.
1.918 Customized Crash Course Programme for COVID Warriors (CCCP for CW)
1.921 Sputnik V become first COVID vaccine with proven efficacy on HIV patients
• According to a recent Lancet study, Sputnik V has become the world’s first COVID vaccine with proven efficacy for
people living with HIV [human immunodeficiency virus] (PLWH).
• It is the first scientific results on the preventive efficacy of a COVID vaccine to protect against infection in PLWH
1.923 Union S&T Minister announces launch of “Dare to Erade TB” program for WGS TB surveillance
1.925 India, Maldives sign peering agreement for cooperation in field of education
• Recently, Maldives’ National Centre for Information Technology (NCIT) and National Informatics Centre (NIC), India
have signed a peering agreement for cooperation in field of education.
• Under the agreement, India’s National Knowledge Network and the Maldives’ Higher Education Network will be
connected.
1.926 Hyderabad gets 'Tree City of the World’ tag for second year in a row
• Recently, two Indian cities, viz, Hyderabad & Mumbai have been
added to the ‘Tree Cities of the World-2021’ list.
o Hyderabad has been recognized the second consecutive
year.
o Mumbai has been added to the list for the first time.
• Total Number of Recognized cities: 138 cities from 21 countries
• Top 3 countries with maximum recognized cities in the list: USA
(37), UK (19) & Canada (18).
1.928 Gangotri glacier lost 2.3 lakh square metre area in 15 years: ISRO data
• According to a recent data from Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Gangotri glacier in the Himalayas has lost
approximately 0.23 square kilometre (2.3 lakh sq metre) area in 15 years from 2001 to 2016.
o Gangotri glacier is located in Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand.
• ISRO monitors the changes in the Gangotri glacier using Indian Remote Sensing Satellite data.
1.931 Union Power Minister inaugurates Virtual Smart Grid Knowledge Center and Innovation Park
1.933 Vice President inaugurates National Conference on localisation of Sustainable Development Goals
• Recently, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has organised the National Stakeholders Conference on Localization of
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), in New Delhi.
• The fund allocation to the Rural Local Bodies has been increased from Rs.100 per capita per annum in the 10th Finance
Commission to Rs.674 per capita per annum in the 15th Finance Commission.
• 68.84% of India (as per the 2011 census) is rural India.
• Women constitute 46% of the 31.65 lakh elected representatives of the rural local bodies in the country.
• 2.38 lakh Gram Panchayats have adopted e-GramSwaraj.
• India has achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in 2019, 11 years ahead of its actual timeline in 2030.
• Ministry is aiming to provide clean drinking water to each household in the country by 2024.
1.936 Rural Development Minister felicitates 75 trained candidates of Project UNNATI under MGNREGA
• Recently, the Union Minister for Rural Development has felicitated 75 trained candidates of Project UNNATI under
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New
Delhi.
• The event was organized as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.
1.938 Skill India in association with MSSDS introduces the “Udne Do” Programme
1.942 Jammu and Kashmir launches ‘Jan Nigrani’ app to help people lodge complaints online
1.944 Karnataka Govt. develops unveils Dishaank App for Land Survey Records
1.946 Union Minister for Rural Development releases e-book on Land Governance Reforms announced in Budget
• Recently, the Union Minister for Rural Development has released an ebooklet- "Empowering Citizens-Powering
India- Land Governance Reforms in Budget Announcements."
• The ebooklet is published by Department of land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development.
1.947 India, Japan set target for $42 bn investment: 14th India Japan Annual Summit
Additional Information
• India & Japan have established cooperation in various fields through Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
• The investment target of 3.5 trillion Japanese yen (USD 29 billion) announced in 2014 was achieved in 2014-2019.
• 13th India-Japan Annual Summit – held in Tokyo at 2018.
1.948 Union Commerce Minister inaugurates the Indian Jewellery Exposition Centre in Dubai
• Recently, the Union Minister for Commerce & Industry has inaugurated the Indian Jewellery Exposition Centre (IJEX)
in Dubai.
• During the event, he called upon the Gems & Jewellery (G&J) industry to triple their exports target from USD 35 billion
exports at present to USD 100 Billion.
1.949 Union Commerce Minister presents FE CFO of the Year Awards 2022 in Mumbai
• Recently, the Union Minister for Commerce & Industry addressed the FE CFO (Financial Express Chief Financial Officer)
of the Year Awards 2022.
• He conferred the FE CFO Lifetime Achievement Award 2022 to Seshagiri Rao, JSW Group’s CFO and Joint Managing
Director.
1.952 India, Singapore organise East Asia Summit workshop on Illegal, Unreported, & Unregulated Fishing
• Recently, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India and
the Government of Singapore have organized a virtual East Asia Summit (EAS) Workshop on Illegal, Unreported, and
Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.
• Co-Chairs of the Workshop: India and Singapore Food Agency (SFA).
1.953 Indian Potash limited signs MoU with Israel Chemicals Ltd for MoP supply for 5 years
• Recently, Indian Potash Ltd (IPL), under the Department of Fertilizers has signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with Israel Chemicals Limited (ICL) for the supply of muriate of potash (MOP).
• Under the MoU, MOP will be supplied for a period of five years from 2022 to 2027.
• The yearly quantity of supply would be 6 to 6.5 LMT.
1.959 National Conference on ‘Making India Atmanirbhar in Steel – Role of Secondary Steel Sector’
• Recently, the Ministry of Steel has organized a National Conference on Exploring and Expanding the Role of Secondary
Steel Sector in making India Atmanirbhar in Steel Sector at New Delhi.
Key Information Shared
• A strategy needs to be devised to reach a target of 300 million tonnes by 2030 and 500 million tonnes by 2047.
• Secondary Steel Sector Production has increased from 22 million tonnes in 1991 to 120 million tonnes in 2021-22.
1.963 India hands over contribution of US$ 200,000 to support critical areas of UNITAD’s investigations
• Recently, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador T S Tirumurti handed over the
contribution of USD 200,000 to UNITAD [United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes
Committed by Da'esh/ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant)].
• The contribution will be used to support the two areas of UNITAD’s investigations, viz,
o Development and use of chemical and biological weapons by ISIL
o ISIL crimes against cultural heritage in Iraq.
1.965 7th edition of India Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Conference 2022
• Recently the 7th edition of India Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Conference 2022- an annual flagship three-day
event was held at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
• Organized by: Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, in association with Federation of
Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI)
• Theme:
o For India Pharma 2022- ‘India Pharma-Vision 2047: Transformative agenda for future'
o For India Medical Device 2022- ‘Transforming Healthcare through innovation and integrated services’.
• Partner States: Madhya Pradesh & Tamil Nadu.
• Objective: to draft a roadmap for Pharma & Medical Devices for the next 25 years
1.966 Rs. 21,741 Crore Tied Grants For Drinking Water & Sanitation Sector Under 15th Finance Commission Released
To States In 2021-22
1.968 First ever NTCA meeting outside National Capital held at Arunachal Pradesh
• Recently, the 20th Meeting of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was held at Pakke tiger reserve, Pakke
Kessang district, Arunachal Pradesh.
• For the first time, the NTCA meeting has been held outside the National Capital.
Key Highlights of the Meeting
• Around 100 air guns were surrendered by the local villagers under the Air Gun Surrender Abhiyaan.
• NTCA initiatives released during the event:
o Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) titled ‘Tiger Reintroduction and Supplementation in Wild Protocol’.
o Forest Fire Audit Protocol for Tiger Reserves.
o Technical manual on Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of Tiger Reserves in India (2022 Edition).
1.970 After Leh, Chamba becomes second district to focus on green hydrogen mobility solutions
• Recently, NHPC Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the District Administration of
Chamba, Himachal Pradesh to develop green hydrogen technologies to produce hydrogen on a commercial scale.
• Under the MoU, NHPC will develop a pilot green hydrogen mobility project including hydrogen production in Chamba.
o Under the project, a 300 kilowatt solar plant will be established and its energy will be utilised for electrolysis
of water to generate green hydrogen.
• Project Executors: NHPC Renewable Energy Limited (NREL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NHPC, Research and
Development department of NHPC and Chamera-II Power Station of NHPC in Chamba.
• The MoU will help to meet Himachal Pradesh’s needs in sectors such as mobility and transportation.
India’s first green hydrogen mobility project
• In 2021, NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd signed a MoU with the Union Territory of Ladakh to set up India’s first green
hydrogen mobility project in the region.
• Under the project, NTPC will ply 5 hydrogen buses and will set up a solar plant and green hydrogen generation unit in
Leh.
1.972 India to try new groundwater recharge method to solve water problem
• Recently, the Government of India, in collaboration with the Netherlands has launched an artificial recharge project.
1.973 SECI issues tender for 500 MW/1000 MWh Standalone Battery Energy Storage Systems
• Recently, Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) has issued tender to set up 500 MW/1000 MWh Standalone
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in India.
Key Highlights of the Project
• The projects will be installed in the vicinity of the Fatehgarh-III Grid-Substation of the interstate transmission system
(ISTS) network, in Rajasthan.
1.974 E-Shram Registered Unorganised Workers Getting Decent Jobs through NCS
• Recently, National Career Services (NCS) portal has been integrated with E-Shram portal.
• The linkage has enabled unorganized workers registered on e-Shram to seamlessly register on NCS and look for better
job opportunities through NCS.
• So far, more than 26,000 e-Shram beneficiaries have registered on NCS.
1.976 More than Rs 11,600 Crores disbursed in Financial Year 2021-22 on SPARSH
• Recently, the System for Pensions Administration – RakSHa (SPARSH) has achieved a milestone of on-boarding nearly
five lakh defence pensioners onto the platform.
• During 2021-22, more than Rs 11,600 crores were disbursed on SPARSH platform.
• SPARSH was recently updated to ensure timely processing of pension claims for direct entry Indian Armed Forces
Women Short Service Commission Officers (WSSCOs).
o To avail the pensionary benefits, WSSCOs must have a net Qualifying Service of more than or equal to 20 years.
Key updates in SPARSH
• The pensioner data verification (PDV) window has been reduced from 10 days to 5 days, enabling faster Pension
Payment Order (PPO) sanction.
• Provision for correction of ‘non-financial implication’ data fields for migrated records in SPARSH.
• Provision for single sign-on login to SPARSH for Common Service Centres (CSCs), enabling them to access SPARSH
Service Center accounts using existing CSC credentials.
1.977 Radio Aksh- India's first radio channel for visually-impaired people
• Recently, India’s first-ever radio channel for the visually impaired, named 'Radio Aksh' has been launched in Nagpur,
Maharashtra.
• It is also the first Internet Radio for the visually-impaired in India.
• Initiative of: Blind Relief Association Nagpur and Samdrushti Kshamata Vikas Avam Anusandhan Mandal (Saksham).
• The radio channel has been developed as an alternative for audiobooks provided by Saksham.
1.979 Centre exempts cotton imports from customs 10% import duty till September 2022
• Recently, the Ministry of Finance has exempted cotton imports from 10% import duty [5% basic customs duty and 5%
Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC)] from April 14 to September 30, 2022.
• The announcement comes in the backdrop of soaring cotton prices.
• Objectives: to help the textile industry cope up with raw material shortages, cool prices & aid exports and provide relief
to consumers.
Background
• Government of India had introduced the 10% duty on cotton in the Union Budget for FY22 to provide tariff protection
to domestic cotton producers from imports.
1.980 Egypt adds India as new wheat supplier following disruptions by Russia-Ukraine war
• Recently, Egypt has added India as a new wheat supplier, following the disruptions caused by the Russia-Ukraine war.
• India aims to supply three million tonne of wheat to Egypt alone in FY23 (2022-23)
Background
• Egypt is the world's top wheat importer.
Egypt has imported 6.1 million tonnes (MT) of wheat in 2021.
• Egypt buys grains through its state grains buyer, the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC).
• GASC often prefers Black Sea Wheat considering its proximity, quality and competitive prices.
• The Russia-Ukraine war has disrupted Black Sea shipping & increased global wheat prices.
1.982 India, US semiconductor industry bodies sign MoUs to bring chip firms into India
• Recently, India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), United States (US) in New Delhi.
• MoU Objective: to foster collaboration and identify potential opportunities between the two countries in the
semiconductor sector.
• IESA also released two reports, viz,
o India Semiconductor Industry Report
o Semiconductor Manufacturing Supply Chain Report
1.984 Ministry of Defence earmarks 25% of domestic capital procurement budget for private industry
• Recently, the Ministry of Defence has earmarked Rs. 21,149.47 Crore i.e. 25% of Domestic Capital Procurement/
Acquisition Budget for domestic private industry in the Financial Year 2022-23.
o The announcement is in line with Government of India’s efforts to promote private industry, Micro, Small &
Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and Start-ups in defence production ecosystem.
• The Ministry of Defence has earmarked Rs. 1,500 Crore for procurement from Start-ups, including Innovations for
Defence Excellence (iDEX) start-up, from within the allocations for Domestic Capital Procurement.
o Objective: to foster innovation and encourage technology development in Defence.
1.985 MoD utilises 65.50 per cent of Capital Acquisition Budget on domestic procurement in FY 2021-22
• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has earmarked 64% of the Capital Acquisition Budget for domestic industry in the
Financial Year (FY) 2021-22.
• At the end of FY 2021-22, MoD has utilised 65.50% of Capital Acquisition Budget on indigenous procurements through
Indian Industry.
1.986 Khajuraho to be developed as world class railway station, says Railway Minister
• Recently, the Union Minister for Railways has announced the operation of Vande Bharat Express from Khajuraho.
• He has announced that the Khajuraho station would be developed into a world class railway station.
• He informed that 1000 stations will be included under ‘One Station One Product’ Scheme
1.987 Bullet train project: Japan to send modified trains suitable for Indian weather, dust
• Recently, Japan has announced to send E5 Shinkasen series trains to India for the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad
Bullet Train Project (MAHSR) or the bullet train project
• Japan would be initially sending six E5 Shinkasen series trains.
• These trains will be modified for Indian conditions like temperature, dust and weight.
1.990 Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change launches Awareness Mascot ‘Prakriti’
• Aim: To spread greater awareness among masses about small changes that can be sustainably adopt in our lifestyle
for a better environment, and various green initiatives.
• India has pledged to phase out Single Use Plastics by 2022.
1.991 Japan International Cooperation Agency signs loan of ₹680 cr. for biodiversity project
• Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has signed a ₹680 crore loan with the Government of India for
Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation.
1.992 MoU signed between Indian Overseas Bank and Software Technology Park of India
• Indian Overseas Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Software Technology Parks of India
(STPI) and STPINEXT (a Section 8 company of STPI).
• Aim: Leveraging innovation through the financial technologies engaged under the FinBlue initiative.
• The FinBlue initiative by STPI is an integrated programme to start-ups to scale through its incubation facility.
1.994 Leh to sign tripartite agreement to develop Hanley as Dark Sky Sanctuary
• Leh Administration will sign a tripartite Memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop Hanley as Dark Sky
Sanctuary.
• The MoU has been signed between Leh Hill Council, WildLife and Tourism departments to develop the area for
Astro tourism.
1.1005 India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) providing doorstep banking services in rural areas.
• According to a written reply given by Minister of State for Communications in Rajya Sabha, the network of 1.36
lakh Post Offices of India Post Payment Banks (IPPB) have enabled it to provide doorstep banking services in
rural areas,
• 1.89 lakh Postmen and Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) equipped with smartphones and biometric devices, are providing
services such as payment of utility bills, DTH/Mobile recharges, EMI payments etc.
1.1015 India, Nepal & Bangladesh finalise MoU to trade and connectivity
• To boost regional trade and connectivity, India, Bangladesh, and Nepal finalised an enabling memorandum of
understanding (MoU) for implementing the long-gestating BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA). Bhutan
participated in the meeting as an observer.
• The Indian delegation was led by Ms. Smita Pant, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs.
• Purpose of the meeting- To develop functional transport corridors and subsequently convert them to economic
corridors.
About BBIN:
• Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) Initiative is a subregional architecture of countries in Eastern South
Asia, a subregion of South Asia.
• It meets through the official representation of member states to formulate, implement and review
quadrilateral agreements across areas such as water resources management, connectivity of power, transport,
and infrastructure.
1.1017 Singapore and India sign MOU on cooperation in the fields of science, technology and innovation
• Objective of MoU – to encourage, develop and facilitate collaborative projects in the fields of mutual interest.
• MOU was signed during the inaugural session of the India-Singapore Summit 2022.
About India-Singapore Summit 2022:
141 | P a g e W W W . E D U T A P . C O . I N QUERY? [email protected]/ 8146207241
• 28th edition of the summit, held virtually in Feb 2022.
• Theme – Building Economies for the Future
• Co-organised by - Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, India’s Department of Science and Technology &
Confederation of Indian Industry (CCI).
1.1020 India to build Sri Lanka wind farms after China pushed aside
• India will develop three Sri Lankan wind farms on islets between the countries.
• A $12 million project to build wind turbines on three small islands in the Palk Strait between southern India and Sri
Lanka
• This project was earlier awarded to a Chinese firm in 2019.
1.1028 SWR cycling team wins All India Railway Road Cycling Championship
• Southwestern Railway (SWR) Cycling Team has won the 58th All India Railway Road Cycling Championship held at
Bikaner, Rajasthan.
• It has won the Championship clinching One Gold and Four Silver medals.
Additional Information
• The Championship was organized by Northwestern Railway Sports Association.
1.1031 Lakshya Zero Dumpsite: GoI approves Rs 178.6 Crore legacy waste remediation proposal for Telangana
• The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has approved the proposal of legacy waste dumpsite
remediation in Telangana.
• Aim- remediation of a total of 32.5 lakh MT (metric tonnes) of legacy waste and reclaiming over 842 acres of land
across the State for optimum utilization.
• The total project approval is worth ₹178.6 crores.
Additional Information
• Under the vision of Swachh Bharat Mission, India has pledged to achieve 'Lakshya Zero Dumpsites' within the
mission period.
• The remediation of legacy waste will facilitate the recovery of valuable land across the country and will also
make the cities free of garbage mounds, providing a healthier future to the residents.
• Approx 16 crores metric tonnes (MT) of legacy waste has covered around 15000 acres of prime land across the
nation. Thus the mission 'Lakshya Zero Dumpsites’ is the need of the hour, which furthers the vision of
rejuvenating the urban landscapes.
1.1033 National Commission for Women launches Legal Services Clinic in collaboration with DSLSA
• National Commission for Women (NCW) in collaboration with Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) has
launched a legal aid clinic
• Legal Aid Clinic will act as a single-window facility for resolving grievances of women by offering them free legal
assistance.
1.1038 PAN to become inoperative after March 2023 if not linked with Aadhar
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had extended the deadline for linking Permanent Account Number (PAN)
with Aadhaar many times and the last date was March 31, 2022.
• A window of opportunity has been provided to taxpayers up to March 31, 2023 to intimate their Aadhaar to the
prescribed authority for Aadhaar-PAN linking without facing repercussions.
1.1047 Japan's Renesas and Tata Elxsi partner to set up EV design center
• Japanese chipmaker Renesas Electronics has partnered with Tata Elxsi Ltd to set up a design centre in Bangalore
to jointly develop electric vehicle (EV) technology.
1.1052 India to aid Sri Lanka to implement ‘Unitary Digital Identity framework’
• India has agreed to provide a grant to Sri Lanka to implement a ‘Unitary Digital Identity framework’, based on the
Aadhar card model.
• Aim: to introduce a digital personal identity verification device based on biometric data.
• Aadhar is an identity provided by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) based on biometric data.
1.1053 SIDBI inks MoU with CDAC to collaborate in Cyber Security and allied Sectors
• Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the
Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) for collaboration in Cyber Security and Allied sectors.
• Objective: to explore the use of emerging technologies in the areas of Cyber Security, AI (Artificial Intelligence),
block chain, etc. and related training and capacity building in Banking Sector.
1.1055 RIL opens India’s first of its kind ‘Jio World Centre’
• Reliance Industries Limited has opened the Jio World Centre in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
1.1066 Indian Railway constructing India’s first-ever Cable-Stayed Rail Bridge in J&K
• Indian Railways is constructing India’s first-ever cable-stayed rail bridge- Anji Khad Bridge over Anji river in the
Reasi district of Jammu & Kashmir.
• The total length of the bridge is 473.25 meters & it is supported by 96 cables
• The bridge is constructed as a part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
• Additional Information: Estimated cost of USBRL project is Rs 28,000 crore.
Additional Information
• As per the WHO
Global Report on Trends
in Prevalence of Tobacco
Use 2000-2025 (4th
edition, 2021)-
o WHO South-East
Asia Region recorded the
fastest decline in tobacco
use.
o But the region
continued to have the
highest 432 million
tobacco users, or 29% of
its population
1.1070 Cabinet approves establishment of WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in India
• Recently, the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister of India has approved the establishment of the World
Health Organization
Global Centre for
Traditional Medicine
(WHO GCTM).
• In this regard, a
Host Country agreement
was signed between the
Government of India and
the WHO.
• A Joint Task Force
(JTF) has been constituted for coordination, execution and monitoring of activities for the establishment of WHO
GTCM.
• An interim office is being established at the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), Gujarat to
execute the identified technical activities and planning of fully functional WHO GCTM.
1.1071 Field assessment of Swachh Survekshan 2022-world’s largest urban cleanliness survey launched
1.1077 Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog & UNDP India launch Community Innovator Fellowship
About ACICs
• Target: to
establish 50 ACICs across
India.
• Focus Area: to
develop the start-up and
innovation ecosystem in
the underserved regions
in India.
1.1079 India's unemployment rate drops to 6.57% in Jan, lowest since March 2021: CMIE
• To celebrate International Women’s Day, Ministry of MSME has also organised an international conference -
“Empowering Women Entrepreneurs” in association with National Small Industries Corporation and India SME
Forum.
1.1081 Ministry of Tourism invites final comments on draft report for setting up NDTM
1.1082 Union Tourism Minister launches digital platform (E-Marketplace) at IITTM, Gwalior
• Recently, the
Union Minister for
Tourism has launched
the digital platform (E-
Marketplace) at Indian
Institute of Tourism
and Travel
Management (IITTM),
Gwalior.
• A letter of intent
was awarded to Bird
Academy for
collaboration with the
Ministry of Tourism for
soft skill training, for
Incredible India Tourist
Facilitator Certification (IITFC) program participants.
1.1087 First of its kind State Cyber Crime Investigation Centre set up in Tamil Nadu
• The Cyber Crime Wing of Tamil Nadu Police is setting up a first of its kind State Cyber Crime Investigation Centre
at its headquarters in Ashok Nagar, Chennai.
1.1088 Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar (VRP) and National Safety Awards (NSA)
• Recently, the Union Minister of Labor and Employment presented Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar (VRP),
National Safety Awards (NSA) for the performance year 2018 and National Safety Awards (Mines) for the contest
years 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.
1.1091 Department of Rural Development celebrates Iconic Week on the theme ‘Naye Bharat ki Naari’
• Recently, the Department of Rural Development celebrated its Iconic Week under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav from
7th to 13th March 2022 during the week of International Women’s Day.
• Theme: ‘Naye Bharat ki Naari’; Official Hashtag: #NayeBharatkiNaari.
o The theme celebrated the contribution of rural women in India.
Key events organized during the Iconic Week
• Each State/UT felicitated 75 Self Help Group (SHG) women earning more than Rs. 1 Lakh under Deendayal
Antyodaya – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
• Each State/UT sanctioned Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G) houses to 75 women (solely or
jointly).
• Each State/UT felicitated 75 Mahila Mate under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
(MGNREGA).
• Felicitation of 75 women managed projects under RURBAN Clusters.
• Each district provided monetary assistance to 750 rural women beneficiaries under PMAY-G to build toilets
through convergence under Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G).
1.1092 Bengaluru based Venture Capitalist to float USD 1bn venture fund
• Bengaluru based Venture capitalist, Ankita Vashishta has announced to launch a USD 1 billion venture capital
fund.
o Aim: to assist 1,000 women-led or women-focused start-ups in India and overseas in the next five years.
1.1093 IIT Roorkee launches KISAN mobile to provide agro-meteorological predictions to farmers
1.1096 Asian Development Bank lends record $ 4.6-bn loans to India in 2021
1.1097 35th International VLSI Design & Embedded Systems Conference 2022
• Recently, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has inaugurated the 35th
International VLSI Design & Embedded Systems Conference 2022.
• The conference was organized under the aegis of very large scale integration (VLSI) Society of India.
• Theme for 2022: Silicon Catalysing Computing, Communication & Cognitive Convergence.
1.1101 IIM Kozhikode and NITI Aayog signs SoI on institutional partnership
• Recently, the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM-K) and Development Monitoring and Evaluation
Office (DMEO) attached to NITI Aayog have signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) on institutional partnership.
• Objectives of the SoI is to establish a framework for cooperative institutional relations to
✓ encourage and promote cooperation in the area of technical development, support appropriate
capacity building
✓ Joint studies in the field of monitoring and evaluation of government policies and programmes
through econometric evaluation and monitoring.
1.1102 Union Minister Jitendra Singh Inaugurates a Program of CBC: ‘Innovations in Public Administration’
• Recently, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions has inaugurated the
“Innovations in Public Administration” program of Capacity Building Commission (CBC) of Mission Karmayogi.
o Objective: to identify successful innovations in public service pioneered by civil servants.
• During the event, innovate india web portal was also inaugurated.
• The Capacity Building Commission (CBC) will be publishing an Annual Health of Civil Services Report (AHCSR) in
2022.
o It is the first edition of AHCSR to be published after 75 years of Independence.
o Aim: to take a deeper look at the health and performance of the Indian civil service.
1.1103 DARPG, IIT(M) organizes three days symposium on ‘Imagining India@2047 through innovation’
• Recently, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), in collaboration with Indian
Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) has organized a symposium on ‘Imagining India @2047 through innovation’
at IIT Madras Research Park (IITMRP), Chennai
• Overarching themes: ‘Research and Development,’ and ‘Innovation and Digital Governance’.
1.1108 National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics (NACIN) to function from Sept. 2023
1.1111 Karnataka signs MoU with Ather Energy to establish fast charging stations
• Ather Energy has signed a MoU with the ESCOMs (electric supply companies) of Karnataka to jointly establish over
1,000 fast charging points in the state for electric two-wheeler vehicles.
1.1113 Ayana Renewable Power and Greenko Group partner for Power Storage business
• National Investment and Infrastructure Fund’s (NIIF) Ayana Renewable Power Pvt. Ltd. has partnered with
Hyderabad-based Greenko Group to store 6-gigawatt hour (GWh) of power in hydro pump storage plants.
• These plants are being built by Greenko at Pinnapuram in Andhra Pradesh.
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• It will be India’s First power storage business.
1.1121 BMW rolls out 100,000th car from its Chennai plant
• The German luxury carmaker, BMW has released the 100,000th Made in India car manufactured at its Chennai
plant.
1.1135 MoPSW signs MoU with MoCA for development of Seaplane services
• Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) has signed a MoU with Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) for
development of Seaplane services.
• As part of the MoU, multiple sites have been identified in Gujarat, Assam, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman &
Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands for water aerodromes.
• Currently, there are two water aerodromes in the country at Sardar Sarovar Dam (Statue of Unity) and Sabarmati
Riverfront, Ahmedabad (Gujarat).
• The first seaplane operations commenced between Sabarmati River Front and Statue of Unity in October, 2020.
1.1139 NMDC signs MoU with IIT Kharagpur for Drone-Based Mineral Exploration
• National Mineral Development Corporation Ltd. (NMDC) has signed a MoU with IIT Kharagpur to conduct Drone-
based Geophysical Surveys and Hyper spectral Studies for Mineral Exploration.
• NMDC is the first Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) to use Space Geophysics in Central Indian Diamond
Province and the first to use online monitoring of exploration of data on the Bhuvan platform.
About Bhuvan
• It is the national Geo-portal developed and hosted by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) comprising of
Geo Spatial Data, Services and Tools for Analysis.
Additional Information
• NMDC is India’s largest Iron Ore producer under Ministry of Steel.
• It has become the first company in the country to cross 40 million tonnes (MT) iron ore production in a year.
1.1140 Sugar and Ethanol India Conference (SEIC) 2022
• The Sugar & Ethanol India Conference (SEIC) 2022 has been organized in Mumbai by ChiniMandi (news and
information portal for the sugar and allied industries).
• Objective: to bring together domestic & global industry experts to discuss the top challenges and risk response
strategies in domestic and global sugar trade.
• The Government has brought out the E20 programme to meet out the domestic fuel needs.
About E20 Programme
• Under this, the Union government is stressing on the adoption of E20 fuel to promote green fuel like ethanol.
• E20 fuel is a blend of 80% Petrol and 20% Ethanol.
• Recently, the government has issued an advisory on the adoption of flex engines.
• Flex engines are those that can run at any ratio of ethanol blending from E20 to E100.
1.1141 Doordarshan’s News Content to be available in Australia
• Prasar Bharati has signed a MoU with Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), Australia's public service broadcaster to
boost co-operation in the field of broadcasting.
• The MoU will expand the reach of Doordarshan (DD) News, DD India and multiple language services of DD News in
Australia.
1.1168 2nd meeting of Ministers of Industry of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
• Recently, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister, virtually attended the 2nd meeting of Ministers of Industry
of the member states of SCO in Uzbekistan (Host).
• For the development of SCO region, India has prepared :
o Draft Program for Promotion of Industrial Cooperation among Business Worlds of SCO Member States.
o The Regulations for the Organization and Organizing of Exhibition Programs.
1.1169 17th CII Exim Bank Conclave on India-Africa Growth Partnership held in New Delhi
• Recently, the 17th Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Exim Bank Conclave on India-Africa Growth Partnership
was held in a virtual mode at New Delhi.
• Theme: Creating Shared Futures.
• The Government of India has planned to strengthen its partnership with Africa in four areas viz, Solar Power,
defence trade & military exchanges, physical & digital infra and healthcare & pharma.
• Four Pillars of India-Africa engagement: People, Business, Trade & Government.
1.1170 India-UK FTA negotiations to end by 31 August; 2 landmark MOUs & a Framework signed
• Recently, India and the United Kingdom (UK) have signed two Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) viz,
o MoU on Education: It provides for mutual recognition of educational qualifications and duration of study
undertaken by students within duly approved and recognized higher education institutions in India & the
UK.
o MOU on maritime education qualification: Under the MoU, both the nations will mutually recognize the
certificates of maritime education and training, competency and endorsements of seafarers issued by each
other.
• A framework agreement on Healthcare Workforce was also signed between India & the UK.
o Aim: to streamline the training & recruitment of Indian Nursing and Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) for
the British healthcare sector.
1.1171 CBIC issues SoP for e-commerce exports of jewellery through courier
• Recently, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has issued a simplified regulatory framework for
e-commerce exports of jewellery through courier mode in the form of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
• It explains in detail about the handling, movement and procedural aspects for e-commerce exports of jewellery,
based on electronic declarations, through International Courier Terminals.
1.1174 3rd Indo-US Counter Narcotics Working Group (CNWG) Meeting held in New Delhi
• Recently, the 3rd meeting of the Indo-US Counter Narcotics Working Group (CNWG) was organized by the Narcotics
Control Bureau (NCB) at New Delhi.
• Meeting Led by: S N Pradhan (India) & Kemp Chester (USA).
• The meeting was organized to deliberate on drug law enforcement and increase in seizures of heroin from
Afghanistan.
1.1175 Shri Bhupender Yadav attends BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting 2022
• Recently, the Union Minister for Labour & Employment has virtually attended the Brazil, Russia, India, China &
South Africa (BRICS) Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting 2022.
• The meeting was organized under the Chinese Presidency.
1.1176 ADB, Singapore Agree to Promote Investment and Innovation Across Asia and the Pacific
• Recently, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) & the Government of Singapore have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU).
• Objectives: To promote greater investment in the Asia and Pacific Region. To recognize the importance of private
sector finance as well as catalyzing public sector resources for sustainable and inclusive development.
1.1177 DBS named 'World's Best SME Bank' by Euromoney for second time
• Recently, UK based financial publication Euromoney has honoured DBS with “world’s best SME bank” title for the
second time since 2018.
• Since 2020, DBS has approved over 16,300 collateral-free loans totaling more than SGD 7 billion to Small and
Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Out of which 90% goes to small and micro enterprises.
• Euromoney also awarded the world’s best ‘Financial Innovation of the year’ to DBS Fixed Income Execution (FIX)
Marketplace.
1.1178 Union Finance Minister addresses 3rd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting
• Recently, the 3rd G20 (Group of 20) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting was held under the
Indonesian G20 Presidency at Bali, Indonesia.
• During the Union Budget 2022-23 announcements, the Union Minister of Finance increased the capex by 35.4%
for 2022-23 to Rs 7.5 trillion.
1.1186 USA passes world’s first ‘right to repair’ bill for digital electronics
• New York state legislature, United States of America (USA) recently passed world’s first ‘Right to Repair’ bill – Fair
Repair Act, that will require manufacturers to make parts, tools, information, and software for consumers and
independent repair shops.
• Aim: To create competition among repair market and manufacturers of digital electronic items.
1.1188 TotalEnergies SE joins Qatar as its first foreign partner in LNG Project
• French Oil Giant TotalEnergiesSE recently became the very first foreign partner of Qatar for Liquified Natural Gas
(LNG) project worth USD 30 billion.
• The partnership gives TotalEnergies a roughly 6% equity stake in the initial phase of the project, called North Field
East.
1.1191 European Parliament votes to stop sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035
• Members of the European Parliament recently voted to ban the sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035 to step
up the fight against climate change.
• The European Union assembly voted in Strasbourg, France to require automakers to cut carbon-dioxide emissions
by 100% by the middle of the next decade.
1.1192 Israel signs UAE free trade deal – its first with an Arab country
• Israel recently signed a free trade deal with United Arab Emirates (UAE), this being Israel’s first trade deal with an
Arab Country.
• UAE-Israel trade will exceed $2 billion in 2022, rising to around $5 billion in five years, bolstered by collaboration
in renewables, consumer goods, tourism and the life sciences sectors.
1.1193 US Prez nominates Indian American Radha Iyenger Plumb to a top Pentagon position
• President of the United States (US), Joe Biden, recently nominated Indian American Radha Iyenger Plumb for
Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, U.S. Department of Defense.
• Radha Iyengar Plumb currently serves as the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of Defense.
1.1206 Russia overtakes Saudi Arabia to become India’s second biggest oil supplier
• According to trade sources, Russia has become India's second-biggest supplier of oil.
o Indian refiners bought about 25 million barrels of Russian oil in May 2022, accounting for about 16.5% of
India's overall oil imports.
• While Iraq remained the top supplier of oil to India in May 2022, Saudi Arabia became the third largest supplier.
1.1209 Cabinet approves MoA by India for establishment of BIMSTEC TTF at Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Recently, the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister of India, has approved a Memorandum of Association
(MoA) by India for establishment of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation
(BIMSTEC) Technology Transfer Facility (TTF) at Colombo, Sri Lanka
• The MoA was signed by the members of BIMSTEC at the 5th BIMSTEC Summit.
1.1212 Cabinet approves agreement among SCO member states on cooperation in field of youth work
• Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the Agreement signed among the member states of Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in September 2021 on cooperation in the field of youth work among the
authorized bodies of the member states of SCO.
• Objective: to strengthen mutual trust, friendly relations and cooperation among young people of SCO member
States.
1.1217 BRICS PartNIR Innovation Center signs MoU with BRICS NDB
• Recently, the Brazil, Russia, India, China, & South Africa (BRICS) Partnership on New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR)
Innovation Center has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the BRICS New Development Bank
(NDB).
• MoU Objective: to facilitate bilateral cooperation and promote the common development of BRICS countries.
• Focus Areas: artificial intelligence, the industrial internet, energy conservation and environmental protection.
About BRICS PartNIR Innovation Center
1.1218 India joins Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) led by US to counter China
• Recently, India has joined the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) at the QUAD (Quadrilateral Security
Dialogue) leaders’ summit in Tokyo, Japan.
• IPEF was launched ahead of the Quad leaders’ summit in Tokyo to counter China’s aggression in the Indo- Pacific
Region.
1.1220 Union Finance Minister attends 2nd BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting
• Recently, the Union Minister for Finance has virtually attended the 2nd Brazil, Russia, India, China & South Africa
(BRICS) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting.
• The meeting was held under the Chairmanship of China.
1.1221 India extends Sri Lanka $55 mn credit line for fertiliser imports
• Recently, the Government of India (GOI), has provided a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 55 million to Sri Lanka for the
procurement of Urea Fertiliser.
• In this regard, a LOC agreement was signed between the Export & Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank) & the
Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) at Colombo, Sri Lanka.
• The GoI has extended the LOC, following the request of the GOSL amid economic crisis in Sri Lanka.
1.1222 US approves first COVID-19 shots for kids aged 6 months to 5 years
• United States’ (US) Food and Drug Administration's action follows its advisory panel's unanimous recommendation
for the shots from Moderna and Pfizer for the kids ranging from 6 months to 5 years of age, as a COVID-19
precautionary doze.
1.1223 Sri Lanka announces shut-down of government offices, schools amid fuel crisis
• Crisis-hit Sri Lankan government recently announced a shut-down of public sector offices, due to severe fuel
shortages.
• The Sri Lankan Education Ministry has also asked teachers in all government and government-approved private
schools in the Colombo city limits to conduct online classes due to prolonged power cuts.
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• Sri Lanka's total foreign debt stands at USD 51 billion.
1.1227 Expecting 7.5% growth in Indian economy this year: PM Modi at BRICS business forum 2022
• Recently, the Prime Minister of India has virtually addressed the opening ceremony of Brazil Russia India China &
South Africa (BRICS) Business Forum 2022
• BRICS Business Forum was virtually organized & by China (Chair, BRICS Business Council 2022) at Beijing.
• Indian Economy is expected to grow by 7.5% in 2022, which makes it the fastest growing major economy
• India's digital sector value will cross USD 1 trillion valuations by 2025.
1.1228 World Bank approves $250 mn loan for India's road safety programme
• Recently, the World Bank has approved a USD 250 million loan to Government of India for India State Support
Program for Road Safety.
• The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the lending arm of the World Bank Group, will
offer the financial support in the form of variable spread loan.
1.1234 Sky Bridge 721: World's Longest Suspension Bridge Opened at Dolní Morava in Czech Republic
• Length of Sky Bridge 721: 721 metres (2365 feet)
• Previously, Arouca Bridge (516 metres) in Portugal held the title of world’s title of the world’s longest suspension
footbridge
1.1244 South Korea, First Asian country joins in NATO Cyber Defense Group
• Recently, the South Korea has become the first Asian country joins in North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (NATO CCDCOE).
• South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) is joined as a contributing participant for NATO Cooperative Cyber
Defence Centre of Excellence.
1.1245 Prime Minister addresses at the opening of Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital at Suva in Fiji
• It is the first of its kind totally free Children’s Heart Hospital in the entire South Pacific region.
• Established by: Sai Prem Foundation, Fiji, Government of Fiji and Shri Sathya Sai Sanjivini Children’s Heart Hospital
of India.
1.1272 Swiss International Airlines set to be first airline to use fuel made from sunlight
• Swiss International Airlines and its parent Lufthansa Group have partnered with synthetic fuel group Synhelion to
use their solar aviation fuel.
• With this, Swiss will become the first airline in the world to use 'sun-to-liquid' fuel.
• The technology developed by Synhelion, with the support of Swiss Institute of Technology, uses concentrated
sunlight to produce carbon neutral kerosene.
1.1273 World’s first hydrogen-powered flying boat to be launched in Dubai
• World's first hydrogen-powered flying boat, “The Jet”, is going to be manufactured and launched in Dubai.
• An agreement has been signed between Swiss startup THE JET ZeroEmission with United Arab Emirates (UAE) based
Zenith Marine Services and US-based DWYN to manufacture and operate the boat.
• The Jet will be inaugurated during the COP28, scheduled to be held in Dubai, UAE in 2023.
1.1274 Study in India (SII) 2022 meet conducted
• It is a two-day event organized by the High Commission of India in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• The Study In India programme is a flagship project launched by the Ministry of Education in 2018.
1.1275 UAE added into FATF Grey List
• United Arab Emirates has been added in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey list.
1.1276 Global Plastic Treaty signed
• 175 Countries have agreed to sign a ‘Global Plastic Treaty’, to end the plastic pollution crisis.
• The resolution on first treaty was passed at meeting of UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) in Nairobi in Kenya.
• As per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India generates around 26,000 tons of plastic per day.
1.1277 ‘Anonymous’ Hacker’s group
• ‘Anonymous’ is an International decentralized activist and hacktivist group.
• It has recently announced to cyberattack Russia.
• It originated in 2003, on the imageboard 4chan.
1.1279 World’s largest canal lock ‘Zeesluis Ijmuiden’ unveiled in Ijmuiden, Netherlands
• Dutch King Willen-Alexander has inaugurated the world's largest canal lock at Ijmuiden, a small port city in the
Netherlands.
• The canal lock is 500-meter long and 70-meter wide.
1.1282 India to set up first IIT abroad in UAE as part of India-UAE CEPA
• The Government of India will be setting up the first Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) abroad at Dubai, United
Arab Emirates (UAE).
• IIT Dubai will be established as a part of India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (India- UAE
CEPA).
1.1283 India, Singapore signs MoU on cooperation in the fields Science, Technology and Innovation
• Recently, the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, and the Ministry of Trade & Industry,
Government of Singapore have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the fields
Science, Technology and Innovation.
• The MoU would remain in effect for 5 years, and will be automatically extended for a successive 5 years.
1.1295 19-year-old Belgian-British pilot Zara Rutherford sets record as youngest woman to fly solo around the world
1.1336 Razorpay, Pine Labs among firsts to get RBI nod for payment aggregator licences
• Recently, online payment providers viz, Razorpay, Pine Labs, Stripe, and 1Pay have received in-principle approval
from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for payment aggregator licences & gateway licenses.
1.1337 Banking frauds of over Rs 100 crore see significant decline in FY'22
• According to the latest data, the Indian banking sector has witnessed a decline in fraud cases of over a sum of Rs
100 crore in 2021-22.
Fraud cases over a sum of Rs 100 crores FY22 (2021-22) FY21 (2020-21)
(In Numbers) (In Numbers)
Public Sector Banks (PSBs) 80 167
Private Banks 38 98
Total (PSBs + Private Banks) 118 265
1.1338 RBI ask banks to test note sorting machines on quarterly basis
• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has issued a circular on Note Sorting Machines - Authentication and
Fitness Sorting Parameters.
• The circular provides a revised set of guidelines.
• RBI has released the Guidelines in the backdrop of introduction of the new series banknotes.
• The guidelines came into effect from 1st July 2022.
1.1339 RBI stipulates four-tier regulatory structure for urban co-op banks
• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to adopt a simple four-tiered regulatory framework for Urban
Co-operative Banks (UCBs).
• Recommended by: Expert Committee on Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (NS Viswanathan Committee on
UCBs)
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• The framework is drafted on the basis of size of deposits of the UCBs and their area of operations.
• Aim: to strengthen the financial soundness of UCBS.
• Minimum Networth Requirements
o Rs 2 crore for Tier 1 UCBs operating in single district
o Rs 5 crore for all other UCBs (of all tiers)
o The UCBs which do not meet the requirement, will be provided a glide path of five years with intermediate
milestones to enable smooth transition to revised norms.
Classification of UCBs
• Tier I- All unit UCBs and salary earner’s UCBs (irrespective of deposit size), and all other UCBs having deposits up to
Rs 100 crore.
• Tier II- UCBs with deposits more than Rs 100 crore and up to Rs 1000 crore.
• Tier III- UCBs with deposits more than Rs 1000 crore and up to Rs 10,000 crore.
• Tier IV- UCBs with deposits more than Rs 10,000 crore.
1.1340 RBI suggests govt ask NDB to sell rupee bonds overseas
• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has suggested that the Government of India approached the New
Development Bank (NDB) (previously BRICS Bank) to sell rupee-denominated bonds in overseas markets.
• Selling rupee denominated bonds will help the Government of India to tap foreign savings amid its record borrowing
programme & increasing yields in the domestic market.
1.1341 IRDAI permit insurers to introduce tech-enabled add-ons in motor insurance plans
• Recently, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has allowed general insurers to
introduce technology-enabled add-ons to motor own damage (OD) insurance cover.
• The approved add-ons include Pay-as-you-drive, pay-how-you-drive and floater policy for multiple vehicles
belonging to the same individual owner for two wheelers and private cars.
• The add-ons will be offered with the base OD policy as optional riders.
1.1342 Bank of India, PFRDA launches platform for opening NPS account via mobile phone
• Recently, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) and Bank of India, in association with
K-fintech, have launched a digital platform for National Pension System (NPS) enrolment.
• Through this portal, the customers can open NPS accounts using mobile phones by scanning a Quick Response (QR)
code.
1.1343 Union Bank develops Union SARAS- an automated solution for early resolution of stressed assets
• Recently, the Union Bank of India has developed a non-performing asset (NPA) management tool called Union
SARAS (Stressed Asset Recovery Automated Solution.
• It is a first-of-its kind stressed asset recovery automated solution
• It has been integrated with 11 external websites, viz, National Company Law Tribunal, Debt Recovery Tribunal, the
Supreme Court of India, etc, to fetch data.
• It will cover recovery actions under Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of
Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act 2002, Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) & Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC),
2016
1.1345 Axis Bank, Indian Oil launch co-branded RuPay contactless credit card
• Axis Bank and Indian Oil Corp.Ltd. in partnership with National Payments Corp. of India (NPCI), have launched a
co-branded contactless INDIAN OIL AXIS BANK RuPay Credit Card.
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• The card offers customers loyalty points, surcharge waiver, cashback on fuel spends, instant discount on movie
tickets, dining delights at partner restaurants.
1.1346 Kotak Mahindra Bank launches Kotak NationBuilders salary account
• Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd (KMBL) has announced the launch of Kotak NationBuilders Salary Account.
• It is a corporate salary account aimed at employees of public sector units (PSUs).
1.1347 Rebranding of Canara HSBC OBC Life Insurance rebranded
• Canara HSBC OBC Life Insurance will be rebranded as Canara HSBC Life Insurance.
1.1348 Kotak General Insurance partners with PhonePe
• Kotak Mahindra General Insurance Company has partnered with PhonePe Insurance Broking Services Pvt. Ltd.
• Purpose: To offer motor insurance.
1.1349 SBI General Insurance launches new health insurance vertical
• SBI General Insurance has launched a new health insurance vertical.
• Purpose: To focus on new innovative health products, in-house claim settlement process, among others, to boost
customer experience.
1.1350 Tone Tag emerges winner in 2 categories of RBI’s first global hackathon
• Tone Tag, a brand of Naffa Innovations Pvt Ltd, has been declared the winner in two categories in the RBI's first
global hackathon Harbinger 2021.
• Categories-
o 'Innovative, easy-to-use, non-mobile digital payment solutions for converting small-ticket cash transactions
to digital mode'
o 'Context-based retail payments to remove the physical act of payments’.
1.1351 Kotak Bank arm launches Kotak Cherry
• Kotak Investment Advisors, a subsidiary of Kotak Mahindra Bank has launched Kotak Cherry.
• It is a tech-led investment management platform.
• Customers can make investments using their existing digital broking and banking services.
1.1352 DBS Bank India and Bajaj Finance launches co-branded credit cards
• DBS Bank India has announced the launch of its first-ever credit card in India in partnership with Bajaj Finance
Limited.
• Bajaj Finserv DBS Bank SuperCard, powered by Visa, is designed to de-clutter customers’ wallets, eliminating the
need to have multiple credit cards.
1.1353 HDFC ties up with Accenture for Digital Transformation of its lending business
• HDFC Ltd. has partnered up with Accenture for the digital transformation, aiming at making HDFC’s lending cycle
paperless, using a cloud-native lending platform with digital workflows.
• It also entails a machine learning based decision engine for improving risk-mitigation and digitization, hence giving
a user-friendly experience.
1.1354 Cashfree Payments ties up with EasyTransfer to offer international payment services
• Cashfree Payments, a fintech company, has partnered with EasyTransfer, a Singapore based cross-border
education payment services platform to provide an easier and faster platform for Indian students to make fee
payments to the institutions abroad.
• Students will experience hassle-free money transfer with their existing bank accounts, without opening another
bank account, using various methods like internet banking, UPI, etc.
1.1355 Bajaj Finserv Ltd. launches its public awareness campaign ‘Har Time EMI on Time’
• The lending arm of Bajaj Finance Ltd., Bajaj Finserv, launches its financial education initiative ‘Har Time EMI on
Time’.
• Aim: To aware people about the needs and benefits of good financial habits such as paying the Equated Monthly
Installments (EMI) on time, consequences of late payments or non-payments, etc.
1.1357 DBS Bank partners with Bajaj Finance to launch its first-ever credit card in India
• DBS Bank India, in partnership with Bajaj Finance Ltd., launched its first-ever credit card in India, ‘Bajaj Finserv
DBS Bank SuperCard’.
• Powered by: Visa
• Aim: To eliminate the need for multiple cards, widening the access to credit and provide customers with several
benefits.
1.1358 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a penalty on Punjab and Sind Bank over non-compliance
• RBI imposed a penalty on Punjab and Sind Bank for non-compliance with certain norms under external benchmark
based lending.
• Amount: Rs. 27.5 lakh
1.1359 Ather Energy partners with State bank of India to provide Vehicle Financing
• Two-wheeler manufacturer Ather Energy recently partnered with State Bank of India (SBI) to provide instant loans
with low interest rates of 9.55% per annum to finance the customers for vehicle purchases.
1.1360 Fino Payment Bank partners with Go Digit General Insurance to offer shop insurance policy
• Fino Payment bank has recently partnered with Go Digit General Insurance to offer small and medium businesses
with shop insurance policy named Digit’s My Business Policy.
• The policy will cover the businesses against accidental or theft damages.
1.1361 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancelled the license of Mudhol Co-operative Bank
• RBI cancelled the license of Mudhol Co-operative Bank, Bagalkot, Karnataka.
• Reason: Inadequate capital and earning prospects.
1.1362 Yes Bank to tie up with JC Flowers for asset reconstruction business
• Yes Bank recently chose JC Flowers Asset Reconstruction company for a joint venture partnership to offload Rs.
49,000 crores of bad loans and raise capital to fund credit growth.
• JC Flowers has offered ₹12,107 crore against the bad loan book, ensuring a 25% recovery.
1.1364 NPCI Bharat BillPay onboards CRED as a key Agent Institution (AI)
• National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) recently on-boarded CRED as a key Agent Institution to provide
bill payment solutions to CRED users.
1.1366 ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund launches ICICI Prudential Booster SIP
• ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund recently launched a new feature, ICICI Prudential Booster Systematic Investment
Plan (Booster SIP).
1.1369 IRDAI reduces solvency margin requirement for general insurers doing crop business
• Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) recently reduced the solvency margin
requirement for general insurers doing crop business, unlocking a capital of nearly Rs. 1,400 crores.
• Aim: To increase the capacity of general insurers to underwrite more business.
• It has also reduced the capital required to be held by insurance companies offering policies under Pradhan Mantri
Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) by almost 50% to enable insurers to offer more policies under the scheme, and
provide financial security to the bottom of the pyramid of Indian population.
1.1370 Edelweiss General Insurance (EGI) recently launched ‘out-of-network cash advance’ facility
• Aim: To help customers with monetary support at any hospital that is not part of EGI’s network.
• Under the new “Cash Advance" facility, customers will receive money up to Rs. 10,000 to take care of admission
charges or other expenses during the hospitalization.
1.1372 Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB) to launch exclusive savings account for kids
• Equitas SFB is going to launch an exclusive savings account for kids named ‘ENJOI’.
• Aim: To introduce young kids to the financial world and encourage them to develop the saving habit early.
1.1375 Airtel Payments Bank partners with Muthoot Finance to offer gold loans on Airtel Thanks app
• Muthoot Finance will provide up to 75 % of the pledged gold value as a loan without any processing charge.
1.1376 BOB Financial Solutions and Nainital Bank launch co-branded contactless RuPay credit card
• BOB Financial Solutions Limited (BFSL), is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of Baroda (BOB).
• 2022 marks the centenary year of Nainital Bank.
1.1379 AU Small Finance Bank launches customizable credit card- ‘AU Bank LIT (Live-It-Today) credit card’
• It is a first of its kind initiative customizable credit card.
• It allows customers to choose the features they want and decide the time period to use those features.
1.1380 Freo partners with Equitas Small Finance Bank to launch its digital savings account - ‘Freo Save’
• With this launch, the Bengaluru based neobanking platform Freo, has become the first consumer neobank in India
to provide full-stack neo-banking products which includes smart savings account, credit and payments products,
cards and wealth-growth products.
1.1381 Liberty General Insurance partners with Peerless Financial Products Distribution Ltd. (PFPDL)
• Aim: To enable the distribution of Liberty’s retail and commercial line of products through Peerless’ network of
various branches across the country.
• Liberty’s teams will work closely with clusters of Peerless branches to offer a wide range of health products,
covering up to 60 critical illnesses including major and minor health conditions.
1.1384 Max Life and Policybazaar launch Life Insurance Savings plan
• Max Life Insurance Company Ltd. has launched the 'Max Life Smart Fixed-return Digital Plan', a non-linked, non-
participating, individual life insurance savings plan, along with Policybazaar.com, for the millennials.
• Aim: To help the customers meet short-term financial goals with a minimum policy tenure of five years.
1.1391 MeitY declares ICICI, HDFC, NPCI’s IT resources as ‘critical information infrastructure’
• Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), has declared the Information Technology (IT) resources of ICICI
Bank, HDFC Bank and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) as critical information infrastructure
(CII) under Section 70 of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000.
1.1392 Ministry of Cooperation and NAFCUB organizes National Conclave of Scheduled and Multi-State Urban Co-
operative Banks and Credit Societies at New Delhi
• Recently, the Union Minister for cooperation has addressed the National Conclave of Scheduled and Multi-State
Urban Co-operative Banks and Credit Societies at New Delhi.
• Conclave organizers: Union Ministry of Cooperation & National Federation of Urban Cooperative Banks and Credit
Societies Limited (NAFCUB).
• Theme: Future Role of Urban Cooperative Credit Sector.
1.1396 RBI stops non-bank PPI issuers from loading wallets, cards via credit lines
• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued Master Directions on Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPI-MD).
• Non-bank prepaid payment instrument (PPI) issuers must not load their wallets and cards from credit lines or
preset borrowing limits.
o Such practice must be stopped with immediate effect from June 20, 2022.
o Non-compliance will attract penal action under provisions of Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
• PPIs can be loaded / reloaded by cash, debit to a bank account, credit and debit cards, PPIs (as permitted from
time to time) and other payment instruments issued by entities regulated in India.
• PPIs can be loaded in Indian Rupees (INR) only.
1.1399 HDFC Life partners Cardiotrack to offer cardiac risk assessment at home
• Recently, HDFC Life has introduced a unique test named Cardiac Risk Assessment at Home for individuals willing
to apply for its insurance policy.
• HDFC life has developed the test in partnership with Cardiotrack (known as Uber Diagnostic).
• The test has been launched as a part of HDFC Life’s Quest for Innovating Medical Risk Assessment.
1.1401 SBI, HDFC, ICICI acquire 9.54% stake each in Perfios Account Aggregation Services
• Recently, the State Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank have acquired 9.54% stake each in Bengaluru
based Perfios Account Aggregation Services Private Limited (Perfios AA).
• The three banks have paid Rs 4.03 crore each to acquire their respective stakes.
1.1403 Muthoot Finance launches updated version of its web application ‘Muthoot Online’
• The application can be used for all types of loan repayments.
1.1405 Axis Bank partners EazyDiner to launch premium dining experience programme
• Recently, Axis Bank has partnered with online table reservation platform EazyDiner to launch a dining experience
programme called Dining Delights.
• The benefits of the programme can be availed by Axis Bank customers at premium restaurants across India and
Dubai.
1.1406 Airtel Payments Bank partners Axis Bank to digitise last mile cash collection in Tier III cities and semi-urban
regions
• Under the tie-up, Airtel Payments Bank will leverage the extensive reach of its digital-led neighbourhood banking
model to support Axis Bank with the digitization of last-mile cash collections.
1.1408 ICICIdirect launches app to familiarise investors with knowledge on financial or investment tools
• Recently, ICICI Securities has launched a learning application for customers called ICICIdirect iLearn.
• ICICIdirect also plans to launch ‘iCommunity’ to enable an opportunity of learning through fellow investors.
1.1409 Protean and PayNearby partner together to offer paperless PAN services
• Protean eGov Technologies Limited (formerly NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited), and PayNearby, India’s
digital payments and branchless banking network recently announced a strategic partnership.
• The partnership will offer PAN-related services for PayNearby’s retail partners through Aadhaar and biometric or
SMS-based OTP authentication for their customers.
• Aim: To improve service delivery for millions of citizens for the formal financial sector, facilitating quick and easy
access to online PAN services in neighbourhood stores at affordable rates.
1.1412 70th AGM of the Gujarat State Co-operative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Ltd
• The Union Home and Cooperation Minister has addressed the 70th AGM of The Gujarat State Co-operative
Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Ltd, held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
• The Gujarat State Co-operative Agriculture and Rural Development (GSCARD) Bank Ltd. called the Kheti Bank, was
established in 1951.
• At present, it has 17 district offices and 176 branches, which provides medium and long term loans.
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1.1413 Bank Deposit Growth Moderates To 10% On Year In March: RBI
• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released data on Deposits with Scheduled Commercial Banks - March
2022.
• The data was released by RBI in its Database on Indian Economy (DBIE) portal.
• Bank deposit year-on-year (y-o-y) growth moderated to 10.0 % in March 2022 as compared to 11.9 % in March
2021.
• Current, savings and term deposits increased by 10.9 %, 13.3 % and 7.9 % respectively during 2021-22.
• The share of current and savings accounts (CASA) deposits of commercial banks in total deposits increased to 44.8
% in March 2022, from 41.7% three years ago.
o CASA deposits of commercial banks (low cost deposits) accounted for 60.9% and 55.6% of incremental
deposits during 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively.
1.1414 RBI extends deadline for card tokenisation by another 3 months till Sept 30, 2022
• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the deadline for card-on-file tokenisation (CoFT) by another
three months to September 30, 2022.
• RBI has deferred the implementation of CoFT for the second time.
• CoF refers to card information stored by payment gateway and merchants to process future transactions.
1.1415 New debit, credit card rule for OTP requirement comes into effect
• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has increased the Additional Factor of Authentication (AFA) limit for e-
mandates/ standing instructions on credit/debit cards and prepaid payment instruments (PPIs) for recurring
transactions to Rs 15,000 from Rs 5,000.
• So, One Time Passwords (OTPs)/ are not required on such recurring payments.
• The changes came into effect from 17 June 2022.
• RBI has increased the limit to enable seamless digital recurring payments.
1.1419 Union Bank of India launches Online Platform ‘Trade nxt’ for Export-Import Transactions
• Aim: to provide seamless entry and processing of letters of credit, bank guarantees, export and import bills.
1.1420 SpiceJet partners with Axis Bank to launch co-branded credit card
• The card comes in two variants viz, Axis Bank Voyage and Voyage Black.
• The card will offer exceptional travel experience through SpiceClub, India’s first frequent flyer Program by a low-
cost carrier.
1.1421 ICICI Bank Join Hands with Santander UK for India-UK Business Ease
• Recently, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between ICICI Bank, and London-based
Santander UK (United Kingdom) Plc.
• Under this, a framework will be established between both the banks to ease the financial service requirements of
corporate customers operating within the India-UK corridor.
1.1423 SEBI constitutes advisory committee on Environmental, Social and Governance(ESG) matters
• Recently, the Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI), has constituted an advisory committee on Environmental,
Social and Governance (ESG) related matters in the Securities Market.
• Committee Chairperson: Navneet Munot, Chief Executive Officer, HDFC Mutual Fund
1.1425 India sees birth of its 100th unicorn, total valuation reaches $332.7 bn
• Recently the Neobank Open has become the 100th unicorn in the country with the latest funding of $50 million
from IIFL along with existing investors.
• According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in the first four months of 2022, India has given birth to 14
unicorns with a total valuation of $18.9 billion and 1 in 10 unicorns are born in India.
1.1427 Worldline India & Bank of India Partners to Digitise E-Challan Collections
• Recently, the Bank of India (BoI) and Worldline India, a global leader in payment services, have teamed to digitise
e-challan collections for the Madhya Pradesh (MP) Police Department.
• The BOI and the MP Police Department has inked a Memorandum of Association (MoA) to integrate POS terminals
with the police department’s e-challan portal.
1.1428 RBI Modifies Norms for LIs on Short Term Crop Loan Scheme
• Recently, the RBI has modified norms for banks to claim the amount of interest subvention scheme for short term
loans for Agriculture and Allied Activities
• These loans were provided to farmers through Kisan Credit Card (KCC) during the FY22.
• Under this, pending claims for FY22 can be submitted by June 30, 2023 with duly certified by the statutory auditors
as true and correct.
Key Details
• Under the modified norms, the government offers annual interest subvention of 2% to lending institutions (LIs)
to provide short term crop loans up to Rs 3 lakh to farmers at an interest rate of 7% per annum.
• An additional 3% interest subvention is provided to farmers who pay their loans promptly. For such farmers, the
effective interest rate is 4%.
1.1429 UPI hits record high in April with 5.58 bn transactions worth Rs 9.83 trn
• According to the recent data by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Unified Payments Interface
(UPI) has recorded the highest ever number of transactions in April 2022.
• Volume of UPI Transactions in April 2022: 5.58 billion (increased by 111% as compared to 2.64 billion transactions
in April 2021)
• Value of UPI Transactions in April 2022: Rs 9.83 trillion (increased by almost 100% as compared to Rs 4.93 trillion
in April 2021)
1.1431 IRDAI allows Insurance Companies to Invest up to 30% of Assets in Financial and Insurance activities
• Recently, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) have increased the investment
limit of all insurance companies to invest in the Financial and Insurance activities to 30% of investment assets
from 25%.
1.1432 Indian Bank Rolls Out Its First Digital Product Pre-Approved Personal Loan (PAPL)
• PAPL has been launched as a part of the Project World of Advanced Virtual Experience (WAVE).
• Under PAPL, instant loan disbursement will be provided to the customers of the bank in three simple steps.
• Eligibility: Customers aged 21 and above who have regular income and pension accounts.
About Project WAVE
• It is a digital transformation initiative of Indian Bank.
1.1435 Bank of Baroda launches new feature on mobile app for senior citizens
• Bank of Baroda announced the launch of bob World Gold – a new feature on its bob World mobile banking platform
designed especially for seniors and the elderly.
• This feature provides its senior customers with a simple, smooth and secure mobile banking experience.
Additional Information
• BoB World Gold has easy navigation, large fonts, sufficient spacing, and clear menus with added features like a
ready-to-assist voice-based search service.
1.1436 RBI approves amalgamation of Equitas SFB and Equitas Holdings with some conditions
• Equitas Small Finance Bank and the parent Equitas Holdings Ltd received no objection (subject to conditions) from
RBI to their proposal of amalgamation.
Additional Information
• The merger needs to comply with the RBI norms on SFBs, mandating the promoter to reduce the stake in the
subsidiary to 40% within five years of commencement of operations by the SFB.
1.1437 IIFL, Open Financial Technologies enter JV, launch neobank for MSMEs
• Recently, Non-Banking financial company (NBFC) IIFL Finance Ltd has entered into a Joint Venture with Open
Financial Technologies Private Ltd. to launch India’s first neobank to cater the banking and credit requirements
of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSMEs).
o Name of the JV: IIFL Open Fintech Private Limited.
o Key Feature: The entity will use an innovative User Interface (UI) system made exclusively for small
merchants, a first of its kind in India.
• Open Financial Technologies is Asia’s largest Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) focused neo-banking
platform.
About Neo Banks
• NEO Banks are digital banks/ financial technology (fintech) companies without any physical branches.
1.1439 Union Bank of India to buy stakes in Indian International Bank Malaysia
• Union Bank of India (UBI) will buy out the 75% stake held jointly by Bank of Baroda and Indian Overseas Bank
(IOB) in Indian International Bank Malaysia at the cost of ₹180 crores.
• Indian International Bank Malaysia was founded in 2011 in Malaysia.
1.1441 NPCI permits Whatsapp to raise its UPI user base to 100 million
• Retail payments umbrella entity National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) approved WhatsApp to add
another 60 million users on unified payments interface (UPI), taking the total base to 100 million.
1.1442 RBI to set up committee to review customer service standards at banks, NBFCs, payment operators
• Recently, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its latest Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies has
announced to set up a Committee for Review of Customer Service Standards in RBI Regulated Entities.
o The Regulated Entities include banks, Non-banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and payment service
operators.
• The Committee will assess the existing level of customer service and recommend measures for improvement.
Important Committees set up by RBI on customer service
• Talwar Committee on Customer Service (1975)
• Goiporia Committee on Improvement in the Customer Service at Primary (Urban) Cooperative Banks (1990)
• Tarapore Committee on Procedures and Performance Audit on Public Services (CPPAPS, 2004)
• Damodaran Committee on Customer Service (2010).
1.1444 IDBI Bank board approves rupee bond borrowing limit of ₹8,000 cr for FY23
• Recently, the board of directors of IDBI Bank has given their approval for a rupee bond borrowing limit of up
to ₹8,000 crore for fiscal year FY23.
o It will get borrowed in one or more tranches comprising Additional Tier I (AT-1) Bonds up to ₹3,000 crore
and Senior/Infrastructure Bonds up to ₹1,000 crore by way of private placement.
1.1445 Timeline extended till March 2023 to implement new system to replenish cash in ATMs
• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the timeline till March 2023 for banks to implement its
direction on use of only lockable cassettes for replenishing cash in their ATMs.
o Currently, most of the ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) are replenished by way of open cash top-up or
by loading cash in the machines on the spot.
1.1446 RBI directs UCBs to eliminate honorary positions within one year
• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), under Section 35A and Section 36(1)(d) of the Banking Regulation Act,
1949, has directed Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) not to create any honorary positions/ titles at the Board level.
o The titles include Chairman Emeritus and Group Chairman, etc.
o Such titles result in creation of a shadow authority.
o Such titles are not recognised in applicable statutes or regulations.
• UCBs must eliminate honorary positions/ titles within one year from April 21, 2022.
1.1451 J&K Bank wins National Award for SHG Bank Linkage
• In recognition of its best performance in Self Help Group Bank Linkage, the Ministry of Rural Development (GoI)
has awarded J&K Bank with the ‘National Award for Outstanding Performance for FY 2020-21’.
1.1452 Axis Bank bags IFR Asia’s Asian Bank of the Year and India Bond House Award
• Axis bank has been awarded IFR Asia's Asian Bank of The Year, for its breadth of coverage and depth of expertise
in the Asian investment banking space.
• The bank has also won the 'Best DCM House in India' Award at the Finance Asia's Country Awards. Axis Bank has
been No. 1 on the Bloomberg League Table ranking for 15 consecutive calendar years and has maintained its
leadership position in the domestic Debt Capital Market.
1.1453 DBS Bank India, EaseMyTrip partner to launch green debit card
• DBS Bank India has partnered EaseMyTrip to launch an environment-friendly international debit card made using
99% recycled polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material.
• The digibank EaseMyTrip Green Debit Card provides exclusive travel-related offers to customers and rewards them
for adopting eco-friendly practices while encouraging them to reduce their carbon footprint.
1.1454 RBI Extends Deadline for NBFCS to meet new NPA Upgradation Norms till September 2022
• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the deadline for Non-banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)
to comply with new Non-performing assets (NPA) upgradation norms to 30 September 2022 from December 2021.
Background
• RBI had issued the NPA upgradation norms under Prudential norms on Income Recognition, Asset Classification
and Provisioning in November 2021.
1.1458 Fincluvation
• Recently, the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) launched the Fincluvation Platform to promote innovative
solutions in collaboration with fintech startups.
• Aim: To accelerate financial inclusion among the underserved and unserved population.
• It will be a permanent platform of IPPB to co-create inclusive financial solutions with participating start-ups.
• It is an Industry first initiative to create a powerful platform to mobilize the start-up community towards building
meaningful financial products aimed at financial inclusion.
o
1.1473 NASA release 78 kg of garbage bag from ISS for the first time
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) tested a first-of-its-kind waste disposal technology
from the International Space Station.
• Around 78kg (172 lbs) of garbage was released.
1.1476 NASA to launch choppers to help rover ‘Percy’ in returning rock samples to Earth
• National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) is to launch two more mini helicopters to Mars that will
bring Martian rocks and soil samples to Earth for study.
• NASA's Perseverance rover (Percy) will perform double duty and transport the cache to the rocket that will bring
the sample from Mars to Earth after a decade from now.
1.1493 NASA Scientists grow plants in the moon soil successfully for the first time
• A diminutive flowering weed, Arabidopsis thaliana, has successfully sprouted out of the soil samples of the moon,
retrieved during various Apollo missions of NASA back in 1970s.
• This is the first time ever, that scientists have been able to grow a plant from moon soil.
1.1496 Fast Radio Burst (FRB) detected for the 2nd time ever
• Astronomers detected a signal from a galaxy believed to be nearly 3 billion light-years away called Fast Radio Burst
(FRB).
• This is the second time it was ever detected, first being observed in 2007.
1.1497 Hubble Telescope detects mass of isolated black hole in Milky Way
• Distance: About 5,000 light-years away from the Earth
• Location: Carina-Sagittarius arm of the Milky Way galaxy
• Large black holes are usually discovered along with companion stars, making this newly discovered alone and
isolated black hole an exception.
1.1498 Chinese Space Solar Power Plant by 2028
• China plans to have a solar power plant in orbit as early as 2028.
• It will launch a test project in a satellite that will be at an altitude of 400 kilometres, estimated to generate only 10
kiloWatt (kW).
1.1499 Spiny Horntail, a rare dragonfly, spotted in Kerala for the first time
• A rare dragonfly, Burmagomphus chaukulensis, also known as Spiny Horntail, was recently spotted in Kottiyoor
forests of Kannur, Kerala.
• The species is endemic in western ghats and was discovered in Maharashtra earlier this year.
1.1500 India’s GSAT-24 satellite launched
• Launched by: NewSpace India Ltd. (NSIL)
• Built by: Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for NSIL
• The entire satellite capacity on-board GSAT-24 will be leased to its committed customer, Tata Play, for meeting
their DTH application needs.
1.1501 A new species of Spider discovered from Thar Desert, Rajasthan
• The new species of jumping spider, Pseudomogrus sudhii was recently discovered from the Thar desert of
Rajasthan has been named after a Malayalee arachnologist, Sudhikumar A.V.
• It is the first report of this genus from India.
1.1502 Largest bacterium ever to exist discovered
• The Scientists have discovered the world’s largest known bacterium, Thiomargarita magnifica, which comes in the
form of white filaments with the size of human eyelashes, in several locations in Guadeloupe, a French archipelago
in the Carribean.
1.1503 ISRO announces the launch of PSLV-C53
• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) recently announced the launch of its C53 mission for the Polar
Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
• The mission will carry three satellites from Singapore, including an Earth Observation (EO) satellite. All these
satellites will contribute to satellite imagery tasks, for tertiary clients of ISRO.
1.1504 ISRO successfully launches PSLV-C53 with three Singapore satellites onboard
• Recently, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched the Polar Satellite Launch
Vehicle (PSLV) -C53 from the second launch pad, Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
• PSLV-C53 is the second dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of
ISRO.
• It is also the 55th mission of PSLV.
• It is the 15th launch using the PSLV-Core Alone variant
• The launch also marks the 16th PSLV launch from the second launch pad.
• The mission has placed three Singapore satellites viz, DS-EO (365 kg), NeuSAR (155 kg) and SCOOB-1 (2.8 kg) in
intended orbit.
o DS-EO & NeuSAR are built by Starec Initiative of the Republic of Korea.
✓ NeuSAR is Singapore's first small commercial satellite carrying a synthetic aperture radar (SAR)
payloads
205 | P a g e W W W . E D U T A P . C O . I N QUERY? [email protected]/ 8146207241
o SCOOB-1 is built by Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore
✓ SCOOB-I is the first in the Student Satellite Series (S3-I)
✓ S3-I is a hands-on student training programme from the Satellite Research Centre (SaRC) at
Singapore's NTU School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
1.1505 NASA launches first rocket from the Australian Commercial Spaceport
• United States’ (US) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently launched first rocket from a
commercial spaceport in Australia, the Arnhem Space Centre
• Aim: For enabling astrophysics studies that can only be undertaken in the Southern Hemisphere.
1.1506 IN-SPACe authorises India’s first set of space start-ups to launch payloads
• Recently, the Indian Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) has authorized two private sector space
companies to launch their payloads.
• It marks the beginning of private space sector launches in India.
• The details of the authorized companies & their respective payloads are as follows
S.NO. Company Name Location Authorized Payload Purpose of Launch
1 Dhruva Space Pvt. Ltd Hyderabad, Dhruva Space Satellite Orbital To test Satellite deployer
Telangana Deployer (DSOD 1U)- a technology technology
demonstration payload
2 Digantara research & Bengaluru, ROBust Integrating Proton Fluence To launch a satellite for
technologies Pvt. Ltd Karnataka Meter (ROBI), a Proton dosimeter weather monitoring from
payload space using their patented
technology.
• The payloads were launched through Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) of
PSLV-C53 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
• PSLV-C53 is the 55th mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
1.1507 High-speed expendable aerial target ABHYAS successfully tested off Odisha coast
• Recently, ABHYAS, a High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) was successfully flight-tested from the
Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
• ABHYAS is designed & developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment of Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO).
1.1513 ISRO Successfully Tests Human-Rated S200 Rocket Booster For Gaganyaan Mission
• Recently, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed the static test of human-rated
solid rocket booster (HS200) for the Gaganyaan Mission.
• The testing was carried out at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
1.1514 NASA Launches Endurance Mission to Examine Earth’s Life Supporting Nature
• Recently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has launched Endurance mission from Andøya
Space’s Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard Launch Facility in Norway.
• The mission envisages to probe how Earth supports life while other planets don’t.
1.1515 Two Indian student groups have won the NASA 2022 Human Exploration Rover Challenge
• Decent Children Model Presidency School from Punjab was the winner of the STEM Engagement Award in the
High School division.
• Vellore Institute of Technology in Tamil Nadu was declared the winner in the College/University division in the
Social Media Award.
1.1516 Krafton names IQOO as title sponsors of BGMI 2022 e-sports tournaments
• Krafton, the maker of Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) has named iQOO, the Chinese smartphone brand as the
title sponsor of BGMI 2022 e-sports tournaments.
1.1518 Indian American astronaut Raja Chari, 3 others return to earth on SpaceX Dragon.
• SpaceX spacecraft ‘Dragon’ made a touchdown on the Gulf of Mexico.
• Crew- Raja Chari, Thomas Marshburn, Kayla Barron and Matthias Maurer.
1.1519 7th Annual Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Development Goals
• Theme- “Science, technology and innovation for building back better from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while
advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”
1.1521 Single Women Mission- LakshayaSAT Nano satellite successfully launched from UK
• Recently, the LakshyaSAT, 1U Cubesat nano satellite was successfully launched into the Stratosphere by the
B2Space Limited, United Kingdom (UK) in March 2022.
• It was designed and developed by Kurapati Sai Divya belonging to Tenali, Guntur district, (Andhra Pradesh).
1.1542 India successfully test fires Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet booster
• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully flight tested Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet
(SFDR) booster.
• The test has been conducted at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur off the Odisha coast.
• The SFDR-based propulsion enables the missile to intercept aerial threats at very long range at supersonic speeds.
1.1571 India’s first of its kind AI and Robotics Tech Park launched
• India’s first Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Technology Park (ARTPARK) has been inaugurated at Indian
Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru with initial seed money of ₹230 crores.
• Of the ₹230 crores, ₹170 crores will be borne by the Centre and rest by the State Government.
• Objective: Executing Research and Development projects in Healthcare, Education, Mobility, Infrastructure,
Agriculture, Retail and Cyber Security.
1.1572 SpaceX Rocket Successfully launches US Spy Satellite into orbit
• The US Defence Department has launched its newest spy satellite NROL-87 onboard a reusable SpaceX Falcon 9
rocket.
• Designed, built, and operated by: National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
1.1573 ISRO successfully launches 3 satellites
• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has successfully launched 3 satellites onboard Polar Satellite
Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
• These include, earth observation satellite ‘EOS-4’ and two co-passenger satellites namely INSPIREsat-1 and INST-
2TD.
1.1586 Fast and Secured Transmission of Electronic Records (FASTER) programme launched
• It is a digital platform to communicate orders of the Supreme Court to authorities through a secured electronic
communication channel.
• Objective: To eliminate any delay in release of inmates after Supreme Court’s orders.
1.1587 5,000th Exoplanet gets added to the NASA Exoplanet Archive
• With discovery of 65 new exoplanets, NASA Exoplanet Archive (California, USA) now holds 5000+ exoplanets.
• Exoplanets found so far include small, rocky worlds like Earth, and gas giants like Jupiter.
• Exoplanets are the planet that exists beyond our solar system.
1.1618 Point 5140 at Dras Sector renamed as ‘Gun Hill’ as a tribute to Operation Vijay
• To mark the victory and sacrifices of the Indian Armed Forces during Operation Vijay, Point 5140 at Dras in Kargil
sector has been renamed as ‘Gun Hill’.
1.1636 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) holds Baltic Sea naval exercise with Finland and Sweden
• North Atlantic Treaty organization (NATO) recently held a United States (US) led naval exercise BALTOPS 2022
along with two non-member Nordic nations, Finland and Sweden.
• The exercise held over Baltic Sea in Northern Europe.
• Host of BALTOPS 2022 – Sweden
1.1637 Defence Minister hands over 12 high speed guard boats to Vietnam
• Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh, handed over 12 High Speed Guard boats constructed under Government
of India’s USD 100 million Defence Line of Credit to Vietnam.
• 5 boats built in Larsen & Toubro (L&T) shipyard in India and 7 in Hong Ha shipyard in Vietnam.
1.1638 IAF conducts capstone seminar for 1st Warfare & Aerospace Strategy Program
• Recently, the Indian Air Force (IAF), has conducted the capstone seminar at the Air Force Auditorium in New Delhi.
• The seminar was conducted under the aegis of College of Air Warfare (CAW) and Centre for Air Power Studies.
• The seminar marked the culmination of the first Warfare & Aerospace Strategy Program (WASP).
1.1640 VL-SRSAM successfully flight-tested by DRDO & Indian Navy off Odisha coast
• Recently, Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) was successfully flight-tested by Defence
Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy from an Indian Naval Ship at Integrated Test
Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
• VL-SRSAM, a ship borne weapon system, was developed by DRDO.
1.1650 BHEL, GE Power Conversion signs MOU for development of Integrated Electric Propulsion Systems for Indian Navy
• Recently, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GE Power
Conversion to develop Integrated Electric Propulsion Systems for the Indian Navy.
• The MoU promotes Atmanirbhar Bharat in the defence sector.
Additional Information
• Recently, India & the United Kingdom (UK) have established a Joint Working Group on India-UK Electric Propulsion
Capability Partnership to foster military and industrial collaboration in maritime Electric Propulsion systems.
1.1651 In a first, India successfully launches Extended Range Version of BrahMos missile from Sukhoi
• Recently, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has successfully test fired the first ever Extended Range Version of the BrahMos
Supersonic Cruise Missile (Air launched version) from Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter jet in the Bay of Bengal region.
• Extended range of BrahMos: 350 Km; Original range of BrahMos: 290 km.
1.1652 NATO Exercises – Defender Europe 2022 and Swift Response 2022
• Recently, The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) exercise, Defender Europe 2022 (DE22) and Swift
Response 2022 (SR22) began on May 01, 2022.
• Host Countries: The exercise began in Poland and will be held in 8 other countries.
1.1653 INCOIS Signed MoU With Indian Navy For Training And Support In SNOM
• Recently, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad, Telangana & the Indian
Navy have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to offer training, services and support to the School of
Naval Oceanology and Meteorology (SNOM),Kochi, Kerala to conduct courses related to operational
oceanography.
1.1655 Indian Coast Guard Launches Fast Patrol Vessel Kamla Devi
• Recently, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) launched the Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) ‘Yard 2118’ named as Kamla Devi. It
has been named in honour of the Social reformer and freedom fighter Kamladevi Chattopadhyay.
1.1659 Indian Coast Guard commissions its second ALH Mk III squadron
• The Indian Coast Guard commissioned its second Air Squadron, 845 Squadron (CG)in Kochi, Kerala.
• The squadron is equipped with Advanced Mark III (ALH Mark III) helicopters.
• Aim- To boost the security of the western seaboard and enhance India’s search and rescue capability.
• Manufactured by- Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
1.1660 Boeing and Air Works collaborate on Indian Navy’s P-8I fleet
• Air Works has partnered with The Boeing Company.
• Purpose- To undertake heavy maintenance checks on three Indian Navy P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft.
1.1664 New vessel ‘Urja Pravaha’ inducted into Indian Coast Guard
• The Indian Coast Guard Ship (Auxiliary Barge) named Urja Pravaha has been inducted into the Indian Coast Guard
at Gujarat's Bharuch.
• Urja Prabha is 36.96 meter long and is designed to cargo ship fuel, aviation fuel and fresh water with a capacity of
50 tons, 10 tons and 40 tons respectively.
• Purpose- To enhance the Indian Coast Guard operations by extending logistics support to ICG ships deployed in sea
at far flung areas for various charter of duties.
1.1665 Defence Ministry identifies 18 major platforms for industry led Design and Development
• Recently, the Ministry of Defence has identified 18 major platforms for industry-led design and development
under various routes.
• It is in line with Union Budget 2022-23 announcements & Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
Relevance
1.1681 BHEL to supply compact heat exchanger sets for Tejas aircraft
• Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has granted an order to Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) to supply compact
heat exchanger sets for 83 Light Combat Aircrafts (LCA) Tejas MK1A.
• BHEL's Heavy Plates and Vessels Plant (HPVP), Visakhapatnam is the only supplier of heat exchangers for LCA Tejas
to HAL since 1996.
• The BHEL-HPVP and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Bangalore have jointly designed and developed 13
different types of compact heat exchangers for Environmental Control System (ECS) and Secondary Power System
(SPS) of LCA MK-1 programme.
1.1682 9th edition of SLINEX 2022 Exercise
• 9th edition of the Maritime Exercise SLINEX (Sri Lanka-India Naval Exercise) will be held at Visakhapatnam and Bay
of Bengal.
• 8th Edition of the exercise was conducted in 2020 at Trincomalee, Sri Lanka.
1.1683 DefExpo 2022 deferred
• 12th edition of the DefExpo has been deferred.
• It was scheduled at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• It is a Biennial event conducted by Ministry of Defence.
• 11th edition of the event was conducted in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
1.1684 India bans import of drones, except for R&D, defence & security purposes
• Recently, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has banned the import of drones to promote ‘Made in
India’ drones.
• Import of drones for Research & Development (R&D), defence and security purposes have been exempted.
1.1706 Army Chief presents President’s colours to units of the DOGRA Regiment
• Chief of the Army Staff presented the prestigious ‘President’s Colours’ to two battalions of the Dogra Regiment,
namely 20 DOGRA and 21 DOGRA during an impressive Colour Presentation Parade held at the Dogra Regimental
Centre, Faizabad (UP).
1.1707 Indian Army contingent for a joint exercise with Uzbekistan Army
• The 3rd edition of the joint training exercise between Indian and Uzbekistan armies, EX-DUSTLIK began in
Yangiarik, Uzbekistan, and the last edition of DUSTLINK was conducted in Ranikhet (Uttarakhand)
• The unit has been awarded eight Pre-Independence Battle Honours. Post-Independence, it has earned theatre
honour ‘RAJASTHAN’ in the 1965 war and battle honour ‘JARPAL’ in the 1971 war.
1.1725 ReNew becomes first Indian renewable energy firm to refinance dollar-denominated bonds
• Recently, ReNew Energy Global plc (ReNew) has refinanced its dollar-denominated bonds with amortising project
debt from an Indian Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC).
• With this, eNew has become the first Indian Renewable Energy Company to refinance dollar-denominated bonds.
1.1726 NTPC commissions India's largest floating solar plant commissioned at Ramagundam, Telangana
• Recently, NTPC has declared Commercial Operation of the final part capacity of 20 MW out of 100 MW
Ramagundam Floating Solar PV Project at Ramagundam, Telangana.
• It is the largest floating solar plant commissioned in India.
1.1728 Union Petroleum Minister chairs a meeting with stakeholders on Green Hydrogen
• Recently, the Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas has chaired a meeting with the stakeholders on Green
Hydrogen.
1.1729 NTPC Renewable Energy Limited signs MOU with Government of Rajasthan
• Recently, NTPC Renewable Energy Limited (NTPC REL), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with
the Government of Rajasthan at Jaipur.
• MoU Objective: to develop 10 GW Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Parks (UMREPP) in Rajasthan.
• The MoU will help NTPC Group to achieve its target of 60 GW Renewable energy capacity by 2032.
1.1730 Tata Power to invest Rs 3,000 crore to set up solar cell manufacturing unit at Tirunelveli, TN
• Recently, Tata Power has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Tamil Nadu to
invest Rs 3,000 crore for setting up a Greenfield 4GW solar cell and 4GW solar module manufacturing plant in
Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu.
1.1732 India’s first e-waste eco park to come up in Holambi Kalan in Delhi
• Recently, the Government of Delhi has announced to set up India’s first e-waste eco park at Holambi Kalan in
Delhi.
• Implementing Agency: Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC).
1.1734 India’s first national coalition platform for urban Nature-based Solutions (NbS)
• Recently, India’s first national coalition platform for urban nature-based solutions (NbS) has been launched at the
11th World Urban Forum in Poland.
• Launched by: The National Institute of Urban Affairs’ (NIUA) Climate Centre for Cities (NIUA C-Cube), World
Resources Institute India (WRI India) and their partners.
1.1742 NTPC inks Statement of Intent with NITI Aayog to develop Net Zero GHG emissions Roadmap
• Recently, NTPC Ltd has signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) with NITI Aayog.
• Under the Collaboration NTPC would utilize the expertise of NITI Aayog’s energy team for:
o Development of Net Zero GHG emissions Roadmap for NTPC to align with Government of India’s
‘Panchamrit’ goals.
o Emissions and energy (portfolio mix) modeling including development of scenarios for 2030, 2037, 2047
and 2070
o Assistance in the establishment of the Carbon Management Unit (CMU) in NTPC to integrate all GHG
reduction initiatives under one umbrella.
232 | P a g e W W W . E D U T A P . C O . I N QUERY? [email protected]/ 8146207241
1.1743 Ban on Single Use Plastics
• The Government of India has banned the use of single use plastic with effect from 1st July, 2022.
• The Prime Minister of India had initially announced to phase out single-use plastic in India by 2022 while delivering
2019 Independence Day speech.
1.1744 ‘Green Energy Open Access' Rules to accelerate ambitious renewable energy programmes
• Recently, Ministry of Power has notified Electricity (Promoting Renewable Energy Through Green Energy Open
Access) Rules, 2022.
• Aim: To further accelerate our ambitious renewable energy programmes.
• Objective: Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and green energy for all.
• It will promote generation, purchase and consumption of green energy including the energy from Waste-to-Energy
plants.
1.1747 ADB approves Rs 770 cr loan for safe drinking water project in Himachal Project
• Recently, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has approved a USD 96.3 million (about Rs 770 crore) loan towards
the Himachal Pradesh Rural Drinking Water Improvement and Livelihood Project.
• The project envisages to upgrade water supply infrastructure to ensure safe, sustainable, and inclusive rural water
supply and sanitation services.
1.1752 Government sets target to raise the share of natural gas in energy mix to 15% in 2030
• The Government of India has set a target to increase the share of natural gas in the energy mix to 15% in 2030
from about 6.3% now.
1.1753 European Investment Bank (EIB) joins India-led Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure
• Recently, the European Investment Bank (EIB), the lending arm of the European Union (EU), has joined the India-
led Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
• Aim: To promote the development of infrastructure resilient to climate change and natural disasters around the
world.
1.1756 Blending of Hydrogen with Piped Natural Gas (PNG) for domestic usage
• NTPC's (National Thermal Power Corporation) Kawas Gas blending project will blend hydrogen with Piped Natural
Gas (PNG) for domestic usage.
• It is the first project in the country in which Hydrogen is blended with PNG.
• Initially, 5% hydrogen will be blended which will be gradually increased to 20%.
o The gas will be supplied to 200 homes in Aditya Nagar residential colony of NTPC Kawas in Hazira, Gujarat.
1.1761 India finalizes deals for cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia
• Indian Government has finalized deals with South Africa and Namibia to get cheetahs at Kuno Palpur National Park
in Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh.
1.1762 Glacial advances in the Yankti Kuti Valley synchorizes with climate variability
• According to a new study, multiple events of glacial advances have been witnessed from the Yankti Kuti valley
situated in the extreme eastern part of Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand, since 52 thousand years (MIS 3) that
synchronises with climate variability.
• The study can help enhance the existing knowledge of the relationship between Himalayan climate and glacier
dynamics.
1.1763 Delhi airport becomes India’s first to run entirely on hydro and solar energy
• Recently, Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi has become the first airport in India to run completely
on hydro and solar energy.
• The move is a part of IGI Airports target to achieve the Net Zero Carbon Emissions Airport target by 2030.
1.1764 Chhattisgarh becomes second state to recognize CFR rights inside national park
• Recently, the Government of Chhattisgarh has approved the Community Forest Resource (CFR) claims of
Gudiyapadar and Nagalsar villages in Kanger Ghati National Park, Bastar district.
o Gudiyapadar under Chitalgur Gram Panchayat is the first village in Chattisgarh to receive CFR rights inside
a National Park.
• By granting the CFR rights, Chhattisgarh has become the second state to recognize CFR rights inside a National
Park.
1.1765 EAM Jaishankar holds bilateral talks with Hungarian counterpart, signs MoU on Solar Alliance
• Recently, S Jaishankar, Union Minister for External Affairs held bilateral talks with his Hungarian counterpart Péter
Szijjártó at New Delhi.
• During the meeting, Hungary signed the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework Agreement.
1.1766 Highlights of COP15 of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
• Recently, the 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
(UNCCD) was held at Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
• The conference concluded with a global pledge to boost drought resilience and invest in land restoration for
future prosperity.
• Accelerate the restoration of one billion hectares of degraded land by 2030.
1.1768 NTPC releases renewed Biodiversity Policy 2022 for conservation and restoration of biodiversity
• Recently, India’s largest integrated energy producer- NTPC Ltd has issued the renewed Biodiversity Policy 2022 as
a part of NTPC’s Environmental Policy.
• Aim: to establish a comprehensive vision and guiding principle for conservation, restoration, and enhancement of
biodiversity & adopt systematic consideration of local threats to biodiversity beyond the company’s business
activities.
• NTPC was the first Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) to issue Biodiversity Policy in 2018.
1.1771 Coca-Cola India hopes to achieve 100% recycling of bottles, cans in 2-3 years
• Coca-Cola India, as a part of World Without Waste initiative, hopes to achieve 100% recovery and recycling of
post-consumer packaging (mainly bottles and cans), in the next 2-3 years.
• Coca-Cola India also aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across its entire value chain by 2050.
About World Without Waste' initiative
• Initiative of: Coca-Cola; Launch Year: 2018.
• Aim: to collect and recycle every bottle or can that it sells globally by 2030.
1.1776 Union Minister launches NSEFI’s Pan-India Rooftop Solar Awareness Campaign
• Recently, Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy has launched the Pan-India Rooftop Solar Awareness
Campaign titled “GHAR KE UPAR SOLAR IS SUPER” at Bidar, Karnataka.
• He informed that ministry is working towards achieving target of 500 GW of non-fossil by 2030.
1.1777 Himalayan states like Uttarakhand can be fountainheads of Aromatic Start-ups: Union Minister
• Recently, Union Minister of State Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions has interacted with Civil Society
organisations.
• He said that Himalayan States including Uttarakhand can be a fountainhead for aromatic start-ups.
1.1791 Adani, TotalEnergies to create the world’s largest green hydrogen ecosystem
• Recently Indian Conglomerate Adani, has entered into a partnership with French energy major TotalEnergies to
jointly create the world’s largest green hydrogen ecosystem.
• Under the partnership, TotalEnergies will acquire 25% minority interest in Adani New Industries Ltd (ANIL) from
Adani Enterprises.
• During the initial phase, ANIL will develop green hydrogen production capacity of 1 million ton per annum before
2030.
• On the whole, ANIL aims to invest over USD 50 billion over the next 10 years in green hydrogen and associated
ecosystems.
1.1797 World Bank approves $245 million loan to modernise India’s railway logistics infra
• Recently, the World Bank has approved USD 245 million loan towards the rail logistics project to support India’s
efforts to modernize rail freight and logistics infrastructure.
• The loan amount will be provided by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the
lending arm of the World Bank.
• Loan Maturity Period: 22 years, including a grace period of 7 years.
1.1798 Delhi bans entry of medium & heavy vehicles from 1 Oct to curb pollution
• The Government of Delhi has recently banned the entry of medium and heavy vehicles in the city from 1st October,
2022 to 28th February, 2023 to control the pollution in the upcoming winter season.
• In this regard, the Government of Delhi has requested its neigbouring states including Haryana & Uttar Pradesh to
allow only BS VI (Bharat Stage Emission Standards - 6) compliant buses to Delhi.
1.1799 PTC India-Greenstat sign MoU for joint development of green hydrogen solutions
• Recently, PTC India and Greenstat Hydrogen India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for joint
development of green hydrogen solutions for Indian power market beneficiaries.
• Under the MoU, both the parties will also identify opportunities for development of a ‘Centre of Excellence’ for
facilitation of green hydrogen in India.
1.1800 Coal Ministry approaches Environment Ministry to include 5 coal mine pit lakes in Ramsar list
• To promote sustainable mining operations, Ministry of Coal has approached Ministry of Environment, Forest &
Climate Change (MoEFCC) for the inclusion of five coal mine pit lakes of Coal India Ltd (CIL) in the Ramsar list.
• As per the steering of MoEFCC, CIL has recognized 5 pit lakes in the States of West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and
Madhya Pradesh for consideration of together with in Ramsar list.
1.1802 Chintan Baithak of Shipping Ministry dwells on Innovative Ideas to propel India’s Blue Economy
• Recently, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) has organized a three-day Chintan Baithak.
• Objective: to discuss and deliberate ideas & innovations that can propel India’s blue economy in Karnataka.
• Chaired by: Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways.
1.1805 MoSPI to Organize iconic week celebrations under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav
• The Union Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is celebrating the iconic week of Azadi ka
Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) from 27th June 2022 to 3rd July 2022.
• As a part of the celebrations, Social Statistics Division of National Statistical Office has organized seminar on the
topic “Data for Sustainable Development: India’s Environmental Accounts and its Role in Policy and Decision
Making”.
1.1807 India's first fractionally-owned solar power plant launched by PYSE in Karnataka
• Recently, investment platform PYSE has launched India's first fractionally-owned solar power plant in Karnataka.
• Total cost of the solar power plant: Rs 26 crore.
• Average investor ticket size: Rs 25,000.
• The plant will be commissioned by the end of July 2022.
• The plant can offset 65 lakh kgs of carbon footprint every year for the next 25 years.
1.1808 ReNew partners with UNEP, SEWA to train 1,000 women salt-pan workers
• Recently, ReNew Power has partnered with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Self-
Employed Women’s Association of India (SEWA) has launched ‘Project Surya’.
• Under the project, 1,000 low-income women salt-pan workers who work in the extreme weather conditions at
Rann of Kutch marshes in Gujarat, will be trained as solar panel and solar-pump technicians to work in the
renewable industry.
o Initially training will be offered to 60 women.
• Training Venue: Dhokavada village, Patan district, Gujarat.
• Financial support and familiarization with renewable facility will be provided by ReNew Power.
• SEWA is a National Trade union with poor, self-employed women workers from the informal economy as its
members.
1.1810 Understanding India’s Climate Financing needs and its mobilization with focus on GCF
• Recently, a stakeholder consultation workshop on “Understanding India’s Climate Financing needs and its
mobilization with focus on Green Climate Fund (GCF)” was organized under the ongoing GCF Readiness Program.
• Organised by: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• Aim: It has focused on understanding India’s financial needs for climate actions with a focus on various financial
instruments.
About Green Climate Fund (GCF)
• It is the world’s largest climate fund.
• It assists developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change.
1.1811 Delhi to shut down all units dealing in Single-Use Plastic (SUP) items
• Delhi Government will be starting a campaign to ensure compliance with the ban on 19 identified Single-Use Plastic
(SUP) from 1st July 2022.
1.1816 India, Germany signs Joint declaration of Intent on Indo- German Hydrogen Task Force
• Recently, India & Germany have signed a Joint declaration of Intent to establish the Indo- German Hydrogen Task
Force.
• Objective of Indo-German Hydrogen Task Force is to strengthen mutual cooperation in production, utilization,
storage and distribution of Green Hydrogen through building enabling frameworks for projects, regulations and
standards, trade and joint Research & Development (R&D) projects.
1.1817 Rajasthan First State to Surpass 10 GW Solar Production: Mercom’s India Solar Project Tracker
• According to Mercom’s India Solar Project Tracker, Rajasthan has become the first Indian State to develop 10
GigaWatt (GW) or 10,506 MegaWatt (MW) cumulative large-scale solar installations out of 49,346 MW of Solar
power.
• Total installed power capacity of Rajasthan: 32.5 GW
1.1819 Catalyst Group launches Green Health Alliance along with USAID & Office of the PSA
• Recently, Catalyst Group, in collaboration with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the
Government of India, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Rockefeller
Foundation, has launched Green Health Alliance (GHA) in New Delhi.
• GHA will integrate public & private expertise to build strong and resilient health ecosystems through affirmative
climate action.
• Focus Areas: to identify and scale up solutions to help reduce the carbon footprint of the health system and thereby
minimise the negative health impacts of climate change.
1.1821 Ayana Renewable and Greenstat Hydrogen tie up to develop green hydrogen projects
• Recently, Bengaluru based Ayana Renewable Power & Greenstat Hydrogen India have entered into a joint
development agreement to develop green hydrogen projects powered by renewable energy in India.
• The partnership is in line with the National Hydrogen Mission
• Under the partnership, both the companies will provide long term supply of green hydrogen to industrial and
commercial customers in India.
• The pilot project will be set up in Karnataka.
1.1822 10 GigaWatt Solar Capacity Addition in 2021
• According to Mercom Communication, India has installed 10 GW new solar capacity in year 2021.
• This marks 210% increase year-on-year, compared to 3.2 GW new installation done in 2020.
1.1823 Assam government approves MoU with French agency for Biodiversity Conservation
• The Assam government has approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Agence Francaise de
Development, a French funding agency,
• Aim - To enhance cooperation between the forest department and international stakeholders of Africa, Asia and
France regarding biodiversity conservation in the Indo-Pacific region.
1.1824 Ministry of Jal Shakti shares information related to database of large dams
• As per the information shared, Central Water Commission maintains a database of large dams in the National
Register of Large Dams (NRLD).
• As per NRLD 2019, total number of large dams in the country is 5,745 (5,334 dams are completed and 411 are
under construction).
• 1,157 operational large dams are between 50 to 150 years old.
1.1825 Ministry of Jal Shakti shares information related to water pollution in rivers
• As per the information shared, rivers in the country are polluted due to discharge of untreated and partially treated
sewage from cities/towns and industrial effluents.
• Other factors include - Rapid urbanization and industrialization, problems in operation and maintenance of
sewage/effluent treatment plants, lack of dilution etc.
As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report (2018):
• 351 polluted stretches were identified on 323 rivers, in terms of Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), an indicator
of organic pollution.
• Highest 53 stretches were identified in Maharashtra while Delhi and UT of Daman, Diu and Dadra Nagar Haveli
reported lowest (01).
• there are 2839 Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) in the country which are discharging their effluents in various
water bodies.
• Out of these, 2186 industries are operational, and 653 industries are self-closed.
1.1833 Indian Oil, L&T, ReNew Power partner for Green Hydrogen
• Indian Oil Corp. Ltd, Larsen and Toubro and ReNew Power have signed a binding term sheet to form a joint venture
company.
• Aim: To develop green hydrogen projects across the country and capitalize on the government’s ambitious plans
for this sector.
1.1839 MNRE Approves Development of 400 MW Solar Project in Upper Kinnaur By SJVN
• The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has approved the development of a 400 MW solar park at Upper
Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN).
• The park is approved under the Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Parks of Solar Park Scheme.
• SJVN is the Nodal Agency for National Level Renewable Development for Himachal Pradesh.
1.1840 Indian Railways and BHEL commissions India’s First Railway Solar Power Plant at Bina, MP
• Recently, Indian Railways and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) have jointly commissioned a 1.7-megawatt (MW)
solar photovoltaic plant at Bina Traction Sub Station (TSS) in Madhya Pradesh.
• It is India’s first Railway Solar Power Plant.
• The plant was set up by West Central Railway in association with BHEL in June 2020.
• The plant will directly feed power to traction systems of Indian Railways.
• Annual production capacity of the plant: 25 lakh units
1.1841 BYPL commissions India's 1st smart managed EV charging station in Delhi
1.1842 India's fuel demand expected to grow 5.5% next fiscal: Govt estimates
• According to recent estimates by the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) under the Ministry of Petroleum
and Natural Gas, India’s fuel demand is expected to increase 5.5% in FY2023.
• Fuel consumption in 2022-23 is estimated to increase to 214.5 million tonnes from 203.2 million tonnes expected
sales in the FY2022.
1.1843 UNEP signs MoU with Maharashtra Govt to Implement Climate Change Actions
• Objective: support
campaign to implement
climate change actions in
Maharashtra.
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• Under the MoU, UNEP will help
Maharashtra Government in
educating and mobilizing youth
on plastic pollution and marine
litter through UNEP’s Tide
Turners Plastic Challenge across
all educational institutions in the
state.
1.1845 Saint-Gobain India, IIT-M Research Park sign MoU on renewable energy
• Recently, Saint-Gobain India and the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M), Research Park have signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a 100 % renewable energy, Research Park.
• Aim: to boost the transformation towards a low carbon future and to aid India in achieving 100% renewable energy.
1.1846 Tata Power & RWE Renewables Signs MoU for Offshore Wind Projects in India
• Recently, Tata Power & German based RWE Renewables GmbH, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) to explore the potential for joint development of offshore wind projects in India.
• Both the parties will conduct technical and commercial site assessments, to facilitate the establishment of an
offshore wind market in India.
1.1847 Adani Group Announces MoU With Canada’s Ballard For Hydrogen Fuel Cells In India
• Recently, Adani Group has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Canada’s Ballard
Power Systems.
• Objective: to explore the possibility for commercialization of hydrogen fuel cells in various mobility and industrial
applications in India.
• Adani New Industries Limited (ANIL), the newly formed subsidiary of Adani Enterprises will anchor the efforts
under the MoU.
1.1848 Tamil Nadu pips Karnataka as the leader in overall renewable capacity
Additional Information
• Gujarat has identified
1,00,000 hectares of
wasteland in the
Kutch district to build
the world’s largest
renewable energy
park.
• Total rooftop capacity
of India as of January
31, 2022: 6,405 MW
1.1850 Dabur becomes first Indian plastic waste neutral’ FMCG company in India
• Recently, Dabur India has become the first Indian 100% ‘Plastic Waste Neutral FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer
Good) company.
o Dabur India has achieved the feat by collecting, processing and recycling around 27,000 MT of post-
consumer plastic waste during FY21-22.
• Dabur India has also launched a new ‘Save the Environment’ campaign in Himachal Pradesh.
o Objective: to create awareness within communities on managing plastic waste within their households.
1.1851 UNDP launches new Digital Strategy 2022-2025 towards Achieving SDGs
• Recently, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched its ambitious new Digital Strategy
2022-2025.
• Aim: to get ahead of the ever-evolving digital reality to accelerate work towards achieving the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
• It outlines how UNDP will assist countries in reaping the benefits of digital technology.
• Three enablers of the strategy: Digitalisation, Strategic innovation & Development Financing
o Digitalisation will help UNDP to meet its ambitious goals, viz,
✓ Supporting 100 million people to escape poverty.
✓ Assisting 500 million people to gain access to clean energy
1.1852 UNEP@50: Special Session (50th Session) of the UN Environment Assembly held in Nairobi
1.1853 Union Commerce Minister addresses “ONLY ONE EARTH – a discussion on Environment”
1.1855 Nitin Gadkari launches India's first green hydrogen-based fuel cell EV Toyota Mirai
• Recently, the Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways has launched Toyota Mirai in New Delhi.
• Toyota Mirai is the world’s most advanced technology - developed Green Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle
(FCEV).
• It is a first of its kind project in India which aims to create a Green Hydrogen based ecosystem in India by creating
awareness about the unique utility of Green Hydrogen and FCEV technology
1.1860 Country’s
first Digital
Water Bank
‘AQVERIUM’
• India’s first
Digital Water
Bank
‘AQVERIUM’
was launched
in Bengaluru,
Karnataka.
1.1861 Sri Lanka’s
most sacred elephant dies
• Sri Lanka’s most sacred elephant Nadungamuwa Raja (known as towering tusker) has passed away.
• It has been declared a “national treasure” by the President of Sri Lanka.
• Raja was tasked with carrying the tooth relic of the Buddha in Sri Lanka’s annual Kandy Perahera pageant.
Additional Information
• The African elephants are listed as 'critically endangered' and Asian elephants as 'endangered' on the International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list.
1.1865 WHO award for PGI Chandigarh centre for tobacco control
• Recently, the Resource Centre for Tobacco Control (e-RCTC) of the Department of Community, Medicine and
School of Public Health at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh has
received the Regional Director Special Recognition Award from the World Health Organization (WHO).
• The institute has been conferred the award for its efforts in advancing tobacco control.
1.1867 Punjab announces Bhagat Singh award for environmental protection, bans single-use plastic
• Recently, the Government of Punjab has announced to institutionalize Shaheed Bhagat Singh Punjab State
Environment Award to recognize outstanding contribution towards environment protection and conservation of
precious natural resources of the state.
• The Government of Punjab has also imposed a ban on single-use plastic from July 2022.
• Both the announcements were made on the occasion of the World Environment Day 2022.
1.1870 Khushi Patel from United Kingdom wins Miss India Worldwide 2022
S.No. Title Winner First Runner Up Second Runner Up
1 Miss India Worldwide Khushi Patel (UK) Vaidehi Dongre (US) Shrutika Mane
2022
2 Miss Teen India Roshani Razack Navya Paingol (US) Chiquita Malaha
Worldwide 2022 (Guyana) (Suriname)
1.1871 ‘Order of the Rising Sun’ award conferred on Sanmar Group Vice Chairman
• Narayanan Kumar has been awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star award by the Government
of Japan.
1.1872 National Awards for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities for the year 2021 & 2022
• Recently, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, under the Ministry of Social Justice &
Empowerment, has invited nominations for National Awards for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities for
the year 2021 & 2022.
1 Feature Photography Four Indian Journalists viz, Adnan Abidi, Sanna Irshad Mattoo, Amit Dave,
and the late Danish Siddiqui of Reuters for reporting COVID-19 toll in India
2 Public Service The Washington Post
3 International Reporting Staff of The New York Times
4 Breaking News Photography Marcus Yam of the Los Angeles Times
Sport-Wise Medal Distribution for India India’s rank in the Medal Tally: 4 th
1.1881 Shikhar Dhawan announced captain for India-West Indies ODI series
• The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced Shikhar Dhawan to lead the India squad in the
upcoming three-match One-Day International (ODI) series against West Indies.
1.1883 Jasprit Bumrah creates new world record of most runs scored in an over in Tests
• Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian Cricketer, created a new world record against England bowler Stuart Broad, scoring 35
runs in one over, as the most runs scored in an over in a Test match.
• Series: India vs England, Birmingham 2022
1.1884 Neeraj Chopra sets new national record, finishes 2nd in Diamond league
• Indian Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra recently set a new national record of 89.94m at the Stockholm Diamond
League, Sweden, securing 2nd position in the tournament.
• World champion Anderson Peters of Grenada won the competition.
1.1885 Sainz Jr. wins 1st career F1 race with British GP victory
• Scuderia Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. from Spain won his first career Formula One race recently, with a victory at the
British Grand Prix.
1.1891 Adani Group names UAE ILT20 cricket team as Gulf Giants
• Adani Sportsline, the sports arm of Adani group, recently announced the name of its team in United Arab Emirates
(UAE) International League (IL) T20 as 'Gulf Giants’.
• It also hired former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower as head coach for the team.
1.1892 British Triathlon becomes first UK sport to create open category for transgender athletes
• British Triathlon has become the first sport in the United Kingdom (UK) to ban transgender athletes from racing
in the female category at elite and grassroots level.
• Under new policy, transgender athletes over the age of 12 will now have to compete in an “open category” for all
individuals including male, transgender and those non-binaries who were male sex at birth.
1.1897 Neeraj Chopra becomes 1st Indian to ever win silver at World Athletics Championships, 2022
• Held at: Eugene, United States of America (USA)
• Neeraj Chopra became the first ever Indian athlete to win a silver at the World athletics championships with his
best effort.
• Gold winner: Anderson Peters (Grenada)
1.1898 India to host its first-ever FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup
• Union Cabinet recently approved Signing of Guarantees for India being a first-time host for FIFA Under-17
Women’s World Cup.
• India will host its first-ever FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in October 2022.
1.1899 Cricketer Karuna Jain announces retirement from all forms of Cricket
• Team: Indian Women’s Cricket Team
1.1900 RIL, IOA to host first-ever India House at Paris Olympics 2024
• Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will together establish the first-ever India
House at Paris Olympics 2024.
• India will also be hosting the 140th prestigious International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in June 2023 at the
state-of-the-art Jio World Centre in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
1.1911 Historic Torch Relay for 44th Chess Olympiad launched in India
• Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, launched the historic torch relay for the 44th Chess Olympiad at Indira Gandhi
Stadium, New Delhi.
• India is hosting the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Chess Olympiad for the first time, at Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
1.1912 United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) International Cricket League T20 announcement
• International Cricket League T20 (ILT20) is announced to be played in 2023.
1.1914 Tamil Nadu CM unveils mascot, logo for Chess Olympiad in Chennai
• Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu MK Stalin recently released the mascot and logo named ‘Thambi’ for International
Chess Federation (FIDE) Chess Olympiad to be held in Mamallapuram, Chennai.
1.1915 First ever Railway Officer to complete IRONMAN Triathlon – Shreyas Hosur
• Shreyas Hosur has become the first railway officer and first officer from non-uniformed civil services to complete
the IRONMAN Triathlon, held in Germany.
• The event included swimming, cycling and running, which he completed in 13 hours 26 minutes.
1.1916 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 achieved this feat during India’s AFC Asian Cup Qualifier clash against Hong Kong, where he scored his 84th
goal and the team India won.
1.1919 Sporjo conducts India’s first Sports Ecosystem and Gaming Hackathon
• India’s fastest-growing sports ed-tech start-up Sporjo recently concluded Hack for Sport – a Sports Ecosystem and
Gaming Hackathon, India’s first Hackathon aimed at accelerating growth in the sports industry.
• The event is a step towards Sporjo’s goal of training half a million sports professionals by 2030.
1.1920 Santosh Trophy National Football Tournament 2021-22: Kerala wins the title for the 7th time
• Recently, the 75th edition of Santosh Trophy was held at Kottappadi Stadium and the Payyanad Stadium in
Malappuram, Kerala.
• Kerala won the tournament by defeating West Bengal.
1.1921 Logo, Anthem, Jersey and Mascot for the Khelo India Youth Games 2021 launched at Indradhanush Auditorium
at Panchkula, Haryana.
• Mascots for Khelo India Youth Games 2021: Jaya the blackbuck, and Vijay the tiger
• Mascot for Haryana for Khelo India Youth Games 2021: Dhakad.
About Khelo India Youth Games 2021 (4th edition)
• Organizers: Government of Haryana & Sports Authority of India (SAI), Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• Host State: Haryana; Location: Panchkula
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• Five traditional sports would be part of Khelo India Youth Games 2021 viz, Gatka (Punjab), Kalaripayattu (Kerala),
Thang-Ta (Manipur), Mallakhamba and Yogasana
1.1922 Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh wins First Sunway Formentera Open 2022 Chess Tournament at Spain
• He settled for a draw in the final round with Haik M Martirosyan (Armenia) to win the title
1.1928 2022 IWF Junior World Championship: Harshada Sharad Garud Becomes 1st Indian to win Gold Medal
• Recently, the International Weightlifting Federation’s (IWF) 2022 Junior World Weightlifting Championships was
held at Heraklion, Greece.
Key Details
• India’s Harshada Sharad Garud bags first Gold Medal for India.
• She won the gold medal in 45 kilogram (kg) Women’s Category.
• The Indian Weightlifters Gyaneshwari Yadav and V Rithika bagged Silver and Bronze medal respectively in 49 kg
Women’s Category.
1.1930 Asian Handball Federation extends support to India’s Premier Handball League
• In a boost for the India's Premier Handball League, the Asian Handball Federation has extended support the event
by facilitating entry of top Asian players, officials and other experts.
• Aim- To transform the game in India.
Additional Information
• Premier Handball League (PHL) is India's professional men's handball league.
• The league is an initiative between the Handball Federation of India and Bluesport Entertainment Private Limited.
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1.1931 Charanjot and Mayank to represent India at 2022 Asian Games
• Charanjot Singh and Mayank Prajapati secured themselves berth for the 2022 Asian Games after winning the titles
at the Esports Federation of India’s (ESFI) National Esports Championships 2022.
Additional Information
• Charanjot Singh is a FIFA pro player and Mayank Prajapati is a Street Fighter 5 athlete.
• Asian Games are scheduled in Hangzhou, China, during 10-25 September 2022.
• Esports will be played as a medal sport for the first time ever at the Asian Games.
1.1941 China wins AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 Football Tournament
• China PR (People’s Republic) has won the AFC Women`s Asian Cup India 2022 title by defeated South Korea at the
D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
• This is the 9th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women`s Asian Cup title won by China.
1.1945 Australian Golfer Hannah Green becomes first female golfer to win mixed-gender event
• Hannah Green has achieved the milestone by winning the TPS Murray River event in Australia.
1.1953 Anand Mahindra, Venu Srinivasan, Pankaj Patel, Ravindra Dholakia appointed to RBI central board
• Recently, the Government of India has appointed four part-time non-official Directors in the Central Board of the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI), viz,
o Anand Gopal Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group
o Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus, Sundaram-Clayton and TVS Motor
o Pankaj Ramanbhai Patel, Chairman, Zydus Lifesciences
o Dr. Ravindra H. Dholakia, Independent Director, Adani Transmission.
• They are appointed for a period of 4 years with effect from June 14, 2022.
30. Late Shri Shyamji Indian revolutionary He founded the Indian Home Rule Society, India
Krishna Varma fighter,lawyer and journalist House and the Indian Soiologist in London.
(1857-1930) PM paid tribute on his death anniversary.
31. Aarushie Verma National level Shooter in She was selected to represent India at the 2041
Pistol and Trap Shooting, Climate Force Antarctica Expedition.
multi-time State and She is supported and sponsored by The Hans
Northern India Champion & Foundation.
National Medalist, and an Aim of Expedition: To raise awareness and work
active Environmentalist for the preservation of Antarctica through the
promotion of recycling, renewable energy and
sustainability solutions to combat the effects of
climate change.
32. Sumitra Bhave and National Film Archive of India Director, NFAI received the huge collection of films
Sunil Sukhthankar (NFAI) to preserve films from Sunil Sukhthankar.
made by the renowned
director duo
33. Qi Fabao He was chosen by the He is regiment commander of China’s People’s
Chinese government as the Liberation Army (PLA) who was involved in the June
Winter Olympic torch bearer 15, 2020 clash with India in Galwan Valley.
in Beijing.
34. Zara Rutherford Youngest woman to fly solo She is a 19 year old Belgium-British pilot.
around the world
35. Binesh Kumar Recommended by the PESB PESB: Public Enterprises Selection Board
Tyagi to be the next Chairman and SCI: Shipping Corporation of India Ltd
Managing Director (CMD) of After he will succeeded H K Joshi.
SCI.
36. MR Kumar He has got an extension of 1 LIC: Life Insurance Corporation of India
year as the LIC Chairman
37. Anna Menon To be a crew member of Anna Menon is a Lead Space Operations Engineer at
space mission announced by SpaceX.
US billionaire Jared
Isaacman.
38. Ashneer Grover He has resigned as the MD of He is the co-founder of BharatPe.
BharatPe.
Leaders, Politicians, Citizens: Rasheed Kidwai Hachette India It is a compilation of 50 personalities who
Fifty Figures Who Influenced influenced India’s political landscape
India’s Politics
Tikie Atakija-a, Panth (Wait a Bhagaban -- It is an Odia anthology
Little, O Traveller) Jayasingh
Amit Shah and The March of Dr Anirban Bloomsbury The book documents the life and political
BJP Ganguly and India journey of Amit Shah and his contribution to
Shiwanand BJP.
Dwivedi Marathi version of the book- “Amit Shah Ani
Bhajapachi Vatchal” is authored by Dr Jyotsna
Kolhatkar.
Not Just a Watchman: My Vinod Rai Rupa This book elaborates the transparent
innings in the BCCI Publications functioning of the BCCI under the guidance of
India Committee of Administrators (CoA).
Indo-Pak War 1971- Edited by Air -- The book features 50 Swarnim articles written
Reminiscences of Air Warriors Marshal Jagjeet by veterans narrating
Singh and Group
Captain
Shailendra
Mohan
Decoding India Babudom Ashwini Vitasta It covers the bureaucratic system of India
Shrivastava Publishing
‘The Great Tech Game’ Anirudh Suri HarperCollins This book describes how technology has
Publishers India changed not only individual lives, but the fate
of nations as well
The Little Book of Joy Rachel Random House This is picture-book edition of the bestseller
Neumann and Children’s Books ‘The Book of Joy’ co-authored by Dalai Lama
Douglas Abrams and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Illustrations: Rafael López
Prakrtik, Vaidik avem Jaivik -- Chudamani Released as a souvenir by the Lieutenant
Kheti - Graameen Udyamita Sanskrit Governor of J&K, Manoj Sinha.
Ka Naya Swaroop Sansthan
Fearless Governance Kiran Bedi Diamond Books Based on the ground-realities of nearly five
years of service as the 24th Lt Governor of
Puducherry.
Last Among Equals M.R. Sharan Westland Books Based on the challenges faced by the people
in Bihar.
The Class of 2006 Akash Kansal -- Based on the different real-time life
experiences of college life.
India, That is Bharat: J Sai Deepak Bloomsbury It highlights how colonialism changed the
Coloniality, Civilisation, India socio-religious culture, history, education,
Constitution language and racial patterns in India.
Golden Boy Neeraj Chopra Navdeep Singh Lokgeet Biography of Olympic Gold Medalist Neeraj
Gill Prakashan Chopra.
India-Africa Relations: Rajiv Bhatia Routledge Book on India’s international relations.
Changing Horizons
Atal Bihari Vajpayee - India’s Sagarika Ghose Juggernaut Biography of former Prime Minister
Most Loved Prime Minister Publication Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
World Population Day 11th July This is celebrated to raise awareness on the issue of the population.
International Malala Day 12th July -
Kargil Vijay Diwas July 26 Celebrated to mark the Victory of India over Pakistan in the famous Kargil
War of 1999.
National Broadcasting Day July 23 Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting released promos of new
serials on Doordarshan- Corporate Sarpanch: Beti Desh Ki, Jai Bharati,
Suron ka Eklavya and Ye Dil Mange More as well as promo of Startup
Champions 2.0.
163rd Income Tax Day July 24 Sir James Wilson introduced income tax for the first time in India.
Central Reserve Police July 27 --
Force (CRPF) Raising Day
World Hepatitis Day July 28 Theme for 2022: Bringing hepatitis care closer to you
Launch theme: I can’t wait
India targets to eliminate Hepatitis by 2030.
International/Global Tiger July 29 Theme: India launches Project Tiger to revive the tiger population
Day Current Tiger Reserves in India: 52
Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra plays host for National Global
Tiger Day Celebrations 2022.
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Chabahar Day July 31 Ministry of Port, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) in association with
India Ports Global observed ‘Chabahar Day’ to mark the Chabahar – Link to
INSTC - Connecting Central Asian Markets.
INSTC (International North-South Transport Corridor) is India’s vision and
initiative to reduce the time taken for Export-Import (EXIM) shipments to
reach Russia, Europe, and enter the central Asian markets.
The Chabahar Port is located in Iran.
World Day for 17th July -
International Justice 2022
Nelson Mandela 18th July Theme: “do what you can with what you have and where you are”.
International Day 2022
World Nature 28th July -
Conservation Day
World Digestive Health 29th May Theme- Colorectal Cancer Prevention: Getting Back on Track
Day
International Everest Day 29th May It is celebrated every year in memory of the first summit of Mount Everest
on this day by New Zealand’s Sir Edmund Hillary and Nepal's Tenzing
Norgay Sherpa in 1953.
World No Tobacco Day 31st May Theme- Tobacco: Threat to our environment
World Milk Day 1st June Theme- Dairy Net Zero
International Day of Yoga 21st June Theme- Yoga for Humanity
World Environment Day 5th June Theme- Only One Earth
International Sex Workers 2nd June Theme- Access to Justice
Day
World Bicycle Day 3rd June To celebrate the bicycle's originality, diversity and endurance being utilised
for more than 200 years.
International Day of 4th June The purpose of the day is to acknowledge the pain suffered by children
Innocent Children Victims throughout the world who are the victims of physical, mental and emotional
of Aggression abuse.
World Oceans Day 8th June Theme: “Revitalization: collective action for the ocean”
World Brain Tumor Day 8th June Theme: “Together We Are Stronger”
World Accreditation Day 9th June Theme: “Accreditation: Sustainability in Economic Growth and the
Environment”
World Day Against Child 12th Theme: “Universal Social Protection to End Child Labour”
Labour June
International Albinism 13th Theme: “United in making our voice heard”
Awareness Day June
World Blood Donor Day 14th Slogan: “Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the effort and save
June lives”
World Environment Day June 5 Theme: Only One Earth
International Day for the June 5 Celebrated to ensure sustainability of fisheries and end illegal and
fight against Illegal, unreported fishing activities under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-14,
Unreported and ‘Life Under Water’.
Unregulated Fishing
Russian Language Day June 6 To celebrate cultural diversity and multilingualism, as well as promoting
equal use of all the six official working languages of the UN throughout the
organization.
World Pest Day June 6 Theme: One World – Protecting Global Public Health through Professional
Or Pest Management
World Pest Awareness Day Edition: 6th
2022 To create awareness among people and governments about the necessity of
pest management
World Food Safety Day, June 7 Theme: Safer Food, Better Health
2022 Edition: 4th
World Food Safety Day is commemorated to raise awareness and motivate
action to avoid, identify, and manage foodborne hazards.
Assam Rifles has the unique distinction of being awarded the most
number of gallantry awards amongst all paramilitary forces during its
long history.
Assam Rifles has made concerted efforts for gender equality and
women’s empowerment, which is reflected in the skills of their women
personnel
Assam Rifles has made concerted efforts for gender equality and women’s
empowerment, which is reflected in the skills of their women personnel
World Tuberculosis Day 24th To create awareness among the public about the global epidemic of
March tuberculosis (TB) and efforts to eliminate the disease.
Theme- Invest to End TB. Save Lives.
International Day of 25th To honour and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of
Remembrance of the March the brutal slavery system.
Victims of Slavery Aim- to raise awareness about the horrors of slavery and racism
Theme- “Stories of Courage: Resistance to Slavery and Unity against
Racism”
Rajasthan Diwas or 30th The state was formed on on this day in 1949 when Rajputana was
Rajasthan Foundation Day March merged into the Dominion of India.
This was the 73rd Rajasthan Diwas.
4th Jan Aushadhi Diwas March 7 Theme: Jan Aushadhi-Jan Upyogi
Celebrated by: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India
(PMBI).
Aim: to spread awareness about benefits of Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana.
To mark the occasion weeklong health heritage wal events have been
organized by the Department of Pharmaceuticals (Ministry of Chemicals
and Fertilizers).